PT 58, S2, Q21, Columnist: Although there is and should be..

[bbirdwell]

Sometimes short arguments can be deceptively complex. This one is not particularly tricky in that regard, but there are a couple of appealing answer choices if one does not read carefully.

The columnist's principle has two main facets:
1. There is and should be complete freedom of thought and expression.
2. There may be something wrong with exploiting depraved popular tastes for financial gain.

Our answer will need to match correctly to both of these considerations.

(A) 1. close enough
2. not quite - we'd prefer something about "exploitation" of depraved tastes rather than someone (no one) considering a work depraved.

(B) 1. close enough
2. nope

(C) 1. yes
2. really close. We know from the original that it may be wrong to exploit popular depraved tastes. This goes a little further, saying that doing so is unacceptable. Note that our original certainly allows for this view and does not contradict it. This is why this choice "most nearly" conforms to the original.

(D) 1. nope. Our original is about which ones can be produced (thoughts and expression), not purchased.
2. no -- the original mentions the possible "wrongness," not the possibility of the government stepping in to stop it.

(E) 1. no.

The correct answer is (C).