CR Questions 33, 34

33). Critic: People today place an especially high value on respect for others; yet, in their comedy acts, many of today's most popular comedians display blatant disrespect for others. But when people fail to live up to the very ideals they hold in highest esteem, exaggeration of such failings often forms the basis of successful comedy. Thus the current popularity of comedians who display disrespect in their acts is hardly surprising.

The critic's argument depends on which one of the following assumptions?

(A) People who enjoy comedians who display disrespect in their acts do not place a high value on respect for others.
(B) Only comedians who display blatant disrespect in their acts are currently successful.
(C) Many people disapprove of the portrayal of blatant disrespect for others in comedy acts.
(D) People who value an ideal especially highly do not always succeed in living up to this ideal. (E) People today fail to live up to their own ideals more frequently than was the case in the past.

34). In the course of her researches, a historian recently found two documents mentioning the same person, Erich Schnitzler. One, dated May 3, 1739, is a record of Schnitzler's arrest for peddling without a license. The second, undated, is a statement by Schnitzler asserting that he has been peddling off and on for 20 years.

The facts above best support which of the following conclusions?

(A) Schnitzler started peddling around 1719.
(B) Schnitzler was arrested repeatedly for peddling.
(C) The undated document was written before 1765.
(D) The arrest record was written after the undated document.
(E) The arrest record provides better evidence that Schnitzler peddled than does the undated document.


Answers --

33). OA - D

The passage explains the popularity of comedians: "...when people fail to live up to the very ideals they hold in highest esteem, exaggeration of such failings often forms the basis of successful comedy". So, the success of comedy is connected with the fact that COMEDIANS FAIL TO LIVE UP TO THE IDEALS THEY VALUE HIGHLY. This situation is possible only if we assume D, i.e. that there are people who fail to live up to the ideals they value highly

34). OA - C

A - If the undated document was dated 1750, then it cannot be said that Schnitzler started peddling in 1719
B - In 1739, Schnitzler could have been arrested only once
C - The most reasonable answer. If the documents were written before 1765, it would account for the fact that Schnitzler was peddling on and off for the past 20 years.
D - As stated above in C, the document could have been written in 1750. We cannot assert that it was written after the undated document.
E - Nothing supports the truthness of each document.