PT50, S4, Q13 Journalists sometimes use historical

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13. (B)
Question type: Assumption
This argument involves a chain of logic that has significant gaps and requires too many assumptions to be made. The author assumes that the use of old photographs overstates similarities (perhaps the audience can correctly gauge the level of similarity for themselves), that this overstatement makes current events feel like mere repetitions (perhaps the audience doesn’t take the similarities to that extreme) and that all of this will lead to a distorted public understanding (perhaps seeing similarities doesn’t distort public understanding).

In a problem like this, the correct answer will most likely fill at least one of the gaps, and answer choice (B) does just that. (B) connects the premises to the conclusion in a way that the author failed to do. If (B) is assumed to be true, many of the original gaps in the argument are filled.

(A) narrows the gaps in the argument a bit, but not enough to make the argument sound. Furthermore, the use of the word "any" generalizes the point more than is necessary.

(C) changes the scope of the argument by focusing on the individual significance of an article, which is not what the argument is about specifically. Furthermore, the use of the word "any" generalizes the point more than is necessary.

(D) incorrectly and unnecessarily turns one characteristic that makes current events feel like repetitions (use of old photographs) into the only characteristic that makes current events feel like repetitions.

(E) is a very attractive answer, but the argument doesn’t specify that the journalists are the ones who end up believing that current events are repetitions, they are the ones who are presenting the articles in such a fashion. The beliefs of journalists cannot be directed connected to the views, distorted or not, of the general public.