Q9 - The theater is in a dismal state. Audiences are sparse

[blairped]

Can someone please explain why the answer is A and go over what the answer A mean? I'm really struggling with abstract language answers! HELP!

[maryadkins]

Here, the theater critic makes an argument that we can deconstruct as follows:

audiences + revenue are down --> talented people of theater are leaving it --> standards are deteriorating and the theater is in a dismal state

The producer responds by arguing:

your opinion discourages new audiences and new talent from emerging --> it's self-fulfilling

What's wrong with the producer's argument? Well, it's about the FUTURE. It doesn't at all address what the theater critic has alleged about what is ALREADY happening. Answer choice (A) gets at this: ignoring what the critic actually argued, the producer just focused on the effects of the critic's statement. If you read the producer's argument again, you'll see that after you finish, you still don't know anything about whether the theater critic's argument is valid or not. The producer hasn't attacked it in any tangible way.

As for the other answer choices:

(B) isn't what the producer does, nor is (C).
(D) is vague...what is emphasis? The producer does make an argument, just not a good one.
(E) is incorrect because he doesn't try to intimidate the critic (or invoke authority).

Hope this helps!