Necessary AssumptionDiff: Medium
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: We claim to love respect, but we often act rudely. Since comedy thrives on blowing our personal failures out of proportion, it makes sense that we enjoy watching comedians who act like jerks.
Conclusion: It is not surprising that comedians who act disrespectfully are currently popular.
Reasoning: People highly value respect but often fail to practice it themselves, and comedy frequently succeeds by exaggerating the ways people fail to live up to their own high standards.
Analysis: The critic is attempting to explain a phenomenon by linking the content of comedy to the behavior of the audience. For this explanation to hold water, there must be a connection between the disrespect shown on stage and the audience's own failure to be respectful in real life. If the audience's failure to meet their ideals involves something entirely different, the 'exaggeration' bridge doesn't work. Look for an answer that confirms the comedians' disrespect is indeed an exaggeration of the audience's own shortcomings.
Conclusion: It is not surprising that comedians who act disrespectfully are currently popular.
Reasoning: People highly value respect but often fail to practice it themselves, and comedy frequently succeeds by exaggerating the ways people fail to live up to their own high standards.
Analysis: The critic is attempting to explain a phenomenon by linking the content of comedy to the behavior of the audience. For this explanation to hold water, there must be a connection between the disrespect shown on stage and the audience's own failure to be respectful in real life. If the audience's failure to meet their ideals involves something entirely different, the 'exaggeration' bridge doesn't work. Look for an answer that confirms the comedians' disrespect is indeed an exaggeration of the audience's own shortcomings.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage1.The critic's argument depends on which one of the following assumptions?
Correct Answer
D
D is necessary. The argument’s explanatory bridge is that people who highly value respect sometimes fail to live up to it. Negation test: If people who value an ideal especially highly always live up to it, then there are no failings to exaggerate, and the explanation for why disrespectful comedy is popular falls apart. So D must be true for the critic’s reasoning to work.
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