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#34825
Complete Question Explanation
Justify the Conclusion. The correct answer choice is (E)
In this discussion of Ellsworth, the author presents several conditional reasoning statements:
Anyone who knows Ellsworth knows that he is very self-righteous (comparing his idealistic generation to the previous, greedy generation:
Answer choice (A): This incorrect answer choice was appealing to many test-takers. According to the stimulus, everyone who knows Ellsworth knows that he is self-righteous; this choice provides that everyone suspects self-righteous people of being unethical. Together, we can conclude that everyone who knows Ellsworth suspects him of being unethical, but that does not justify the author’s conclusion that those who know him will be unsurprised by his taking offense at the allegations, so this cannot be the right answer to this potentially confusing Justify question.
Answer choice (B): The author’s conclusion is that those who know Ellsworth should be unsurprised that he was offended (by the recent allegations). This choice provides that Ellsworth has been accused before. This choice may have been tempting, because, if everyone had known about such previous allegations, that could support the inference that people should be unsurprised by the allegations, but this does not justify the author’s conclusion that people should be unsurprised by the fact that Ellsworth is offended.
Answer choice (C): This choice provides that hypocrites often pretend to be indignant, but there is no information in the stimulus to support the assertion that Ellsworth is a hypocrite, so this choice does not justify the conclusion that people who know him should be unsurprised at his being offended by the recent allegations.
Answer choice (D): This choice might explain why Ellsworth might be offended, but it does not guarantee that he would be, nor does it justify the author’s conclusion that anyone who knows Ellsworth would be unsurprised by his taking offense at the recent suggestions in the media.
Answer choice (E): This is the correct answer choice, since it is the one which, when added to the premises in the stimulus, fully justifies the author’s conclusion. If everyone who knows Ellsworth knows that he is self-righteous, and everyone expects self-righteous people to be easily offended, then no one who knows Ellsworth should be surprised that he was offended by the recent media suggestions. Linking the conditional statement from the stimulus from those provided in this answer confirms that this choice justifies the author’s conclusion:
Justify the Conclusion. The correct answer choice is (E)
In this discussion of Ellsworth, the author presents several conditional reasoning statements:
Anyone who knows Ellsworth knows that he is very self-righteous (comparing his idealistic generation to the previous, greedy generation:
- Premise:
Know E 
Know that E is self-righteous
- Conclusion: Know E unsurprised that E was offended by the media suggestions
Answer choice (A): This incorrect answer choice was appealing to many test-takers. According to the stimulus, everyone who knows Ellsworth knows that he is self-righteous; this choice provides that everyone suspects self-righteous people of being unethical. Together, we can conclude that everyone who knows Ellsworth suspects him of being unethical, but that does not justify the author’s conclusion that those who know him will be unsurprised by his taking offense at the allegations, so this cannot be the right answer to this potentially confusing Justify question.
Answer choice (B): The author’s conclusion is that those who know Ellsworth should be unsurprised that he was offended (by the recent allegations). This choice provides that Ellsworth has been accused before. This choice may have been tempting, because, if everyone had known about such previous allegations, that could support the inference that people should be unsurprised by the allegations, but this does not justify the author’s conclusion that people should be unsurprised by the fact that Ellsworth is offended.
Answer choice (C): This choice provides that hypocrites often pretend to be indignant, but there is no information in the stimulus to support the assertion that Ellsworth is a hypocrite, so this choice does not justify the conclusion that people who know him should be unsurprised at his being offended by the recent allegations.
Answer choice (D): This choice might explain why Ellsworth might be offended, but it does not guarantee that he would be, nor does it justify the author’s conclusion that anyone who knows Ellsworth would be unsurprised by his taking offense at the recent suggestions in the media.
Answer choice (E): This is the correct answer choice, since it is the one which, when added to the premises in the stimulus, fully justifies the author’s conclusion. If everyone who knows Ellsworth knows that he is self-righteous, and everyone expects self-righteous people to be easily offended, then no one who knows Ellsworth should be surprised that he was offended by the recent media suggestions. Linking the conditional statement from the stimulus from those provided in this answer confirms that this choice justifies the author’s conclusion:
- Premise: Know E Know that E is self-righteous
Correct Answer (E): Know that someone is self-righteous expect person to be easily offended
Now Justified Conclusion: Know E Know that E is self-righteous expect person to be easily offended Unsurprised that E took offense to recent media suggestions.