Artists who have won prestigious awards usually receive much more glow...
Passage Analysis
Pre-Thinking
In the passage analysis, we have identified that the main conclusion of the argument is: the best course of action for artists who have received prestigious awards and who want to continue to receive positive critical reviews is to ensure that they do not produce too much work in too short a period.
Let’s look at the relationship between the two boldface portions w.r.t the main conclusion:
BF1: too much output may lead critics to believe that the artist has compromised on the quality of his or her work.
BF2: the best course of action for artists who have received prestigious awards and who want to continue to receive positive critical reviews is to ensure that they do not produce too much work in too short a period.
Both BF1 and BF2 are author’s opinion.
To understand BF1 clearly, let’s combine it with the previous statement:
Previous statement + BF 1: Since popularity tends to be short-lived and artists desire to make the most of their reputations, several artists produce as much work as they can in a short span of time. + However, too much output may lead critics to believe that the artist has compromised on the quality of his or her work.
We clearly see that BF1 is a derived statement. Since the statement preceding BF1 says that artists tend to produce as much work as possible in a short span of time, the author derives that critics may doubt the quality of work if the output over a short period is too much. Hence, BF1 is a conclusion.
Now let’s look at BF2. From BF1, the author arrives at BF2, which is the main conclusion of the argument. Using BF1, the author concludes that to ensure that critics continue to provide positive review to artists who have won prestigious awards, the artists should not produce too much work in a short span of time. The conclusion marker: “therefore” between BF1 and BF2 suggests that BF1 is a premise for the conclusion BF2.
Therefore, BF1 is an intermediate conclusion that supports BF2, the main conclusion.
With this understanding in mind, let’s take a look at the option statements.
Answer Choices
A
The first is an observation that supports an intermediate conclusion made by the author; the second is that conclusion.
Incorrect - Both parts wrong
BF1 is an opinion of the author and not an observation. Also, it does not support an intermediate conclusion. Instead, it itself is the intermediate conclusion.The word "that" in the second half of the statement refers to the intermediate conclusion mentioned in the first part of the option; however, BF2 is the main conclusion, not the intermediate conclusion.
B
The first is an opinion that the argument challenges; the second is the position that the argument as a whole seeks to establish.
Incorrect - 1st part wrong
BF1 is an opinion but is not challenged by the argument. In fact, BF1 supports the main position of the argument.
BF2 has been identified correctly as the main conclusion of the argument
C
The first is an intermediate conclusion that supports the position taken by the argument; the second is that position.
Correct
BF1 is an intermediate conclusion, which supports the main conclusion (position taken by the argument).The word "that" in the second half of the statement refers to the "position taken by the argument" (main conclusion). BF2 has been identified correctly as the main conclusion of the argument.
D
The first is evidence that supports the intermediate conclusion drawn by the author; the second is the position taken by the argument.
Incorrect - 1st part wrong
The first is not evidence, but author's opinion. Also it does not support an intermediate conclusion; it is the intermediate conclusion itself. BF2 has been identified correctly as the position taken by the argument, i.e. the main conclusion of the argument.
E
The first is an intermediate conclusion that supports the main conclusion of the author; the second is another intermediate conclusion that supports the main position taken by the argument.
Incorrect - 2nd part wrong
The option says that both BF1 and BF2 are intermediate conclusions that support the main conclusion. However, while BF1 is an intermediate conclusion, BF2 is the main conclusion.