VIEWSTAMP Analysis: Tone Identification Drill Passage #5 Question #5

[sdb606]

PG 51/140
The explanation says Anger is too extreme to be correct, yet earlier on the same page (140), the passage summary says "the language used to describe their suffering displays feelings of compassion and outrage (emphasis mine).

So if the author uses outraged language, how could he not be angry and why isn't A the answer?

Is it fair to say then, that any answer choice on the LSAT with the word angry (or ecstatic, thrilled, furious, etc.) is automatically wrong no matter what?

[KelseyWoods]

Hi sdb606!

Remember that this question is asking about the author's attitude toward the manatee. The author may be somewhat angry toward the humans and man-made refuse that are harming the manatee. But is the author angry towards the amiable manatees? Nope! He likes the manatees and wants them to be protected. Thus, he is concerned about them.

We're never going to tell you that one word always makes an answer choice wrong no matter what. It always depends on the context. We're often wary of extreme language, but it doesn't mean that it's always wrong. It just means that you need to have strong language in the passage to support that the author feels that strongly toward something. It always goes back to what you can support with the passage.

You can absolutely have LSAT authors who display feelings of anger. And, again, this author does display some feelings of anger toward the things that are harming manatees. But the question is asking us about his attitude toward the manatees and he is not displaying any anger toward them. With attitude questions like this, it's important to be mindful of what exactly they're asking us the author's attitude toward.

You also want to look at the full context. As the explanation notes, the author uses some language that displays outrage, but it is coupled with language that displays compassion and sympathy. So ultimately the author is not just expressing anger. He is concerned about the suffering that manatees are experiencing due to human actions and wants people to do more to save them.

Hope this helps!

Best,
Kelsey

[sdb606]

But is the author angry towards the amiable manatees? Nope!

Hmm, for this logic to work, it sounds like you are considering what the author thinks of manatees in isolation, that is, devoid of any context. But if we're going to remove context, you wouldn't be able to say the author is concerned either. You'd be bringing in outside information (their inhumane treatment). A correct answer choice would be "angry and concerned" or simply "caring" or "positive."

[KelseyWoods]

Hi sdb606!

On the contrary, we are not considering what the author thinks of manatees devoid of context. We are choosing the answer choice that best describes the author's attitude toward the specific topic that we are being asked about, within the context we've been given. But we have to take in the context of the specific wording of the question stem as well. We're being asked about the author's attitude toward manatees based on the passage which describes the threat they face from humans. We're not being asked how the author feels "about human threats toward manatees" or even what the general tone of the passage is. We're being asked specifically how the author feels "toward the manatee," given the author's statements that the manatees are under threat from humans. The specific wording of that question is important. The author may be angry toward the situation, but he is not angry toward the manatee. He displays concern toward the manatee because he likes the manatees and they are under threat.

On the LSAT, context is incredibly important. It's why we can never say that you should never choose an answer choice with this type of language or this specific word. We always have to consider the full context of the information we've been given, the specific question we're being asked, and the answer choices we are presented with.

Hope this helps!

Best,
Kelsey