LSAT Explanation PT 30, S4, Q7: Critic: Emily Dickinson's poetry demonstrates that

LSAT Question Stem

If the critic's statements are true, each of the following could be true EXCEPT: 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Must Be False question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is B. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

This question is a "Must Be False" (MBF) question, which means we need to identify the answer choice that cannot be true based on the information provided in the passage. The passage states that the meaning of a poem is always the unique result of an interaction between a reader's system of beliefs and the poem, and that any two readers from different cultures or eras have radically different systems of beliefs. With this in mind, let's analyze each answer choice.

a) A reader's interpretation of a poem by Dickinson is affected by someone else's interpretation of it.

While the passage focuses on the interaction between the reader's system of beliefs and the poem, it does not explicitly rule out the possibility that a reader's interpretation could be influenced by someone else's interpretation. Thus, this statement could be true.

b) A modern reader and a nineteenth-century reader interpret one of Shakespeare's sonnets in the same way.

This statement directly contradicts the passage, which states that readers from different eras have radically different systems of beliefs. Since the meaning of a poem is the unique result of an interaction between the reader's system of beliefs and the poem, it is highly unlikely that two readers from different eras would interpret the poem in the same way. Therefore, this statement must be false, making it the correct answer.

c) A reader's interpretation of a poem evolves over time.

The passage does not provide any information that would prevent a reader's interpretation of a poem from evolving over time. As a reader's system of beliefs may change, their interpretation of a poem could also change. Thus, this statement could be true.

d) Two readers from the same era arrive at different interpretations of the same poem.

The passage states that the meaning of a poem is the unique result of an interaction between a reader's system of beliefs and the poem. Even if two readers are from the same era, they can still have different systems of beliefs, leading to different interpretations of the poem. Therefore, this statement could be true.

e) A reader's enjoyment of a poem is enhanced by knowing the poet's interpretation of it.

This statement does not contradict any information provided in the passage. A reader's enjoyment of a poem is not necessarily tied to their interpretation of it, and knowing the poet's interpretation could potentially enhance their enjoyment. Thus, this statement could be true.

In conclusion, the correct answer is B, as it is the only statement that cannot be true based on the information provided in the passage.

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LSAT Explanation PT 29, S4, Q19: In the decade from the mid-1980s