AnirudhaS wrote:
Really think the answer cannot be B. Thoughts?
I agree,
AnirudhaS. I would call this a question of dubious quality, right down to the identification of each boldface as a
phrase when each one is a
clause instead. (Why do we need to get into the grammar anyway? Official questions just go with
the first and
the second.) For the second boldface to be providing evidence in support of the position outlined in the first boldface, we would need to see Beatrice go on to argue that most people should, in fact, avoid hiring an attorney to draft a will. Notice that her boldface could still go against one of the premises of the argument put forth by Antonio, but her
conclusion would need to fall in line with his. Instead, she concludes that
a will can serve a useful purpose... nothing like what we would expect, and nothing to do directly with hiring an attorney.
On the basis of the identification of the first boldface, we should be able to eliminate all choices except (B) and (D):
an argument, and not
the argument, is crucial in (D). When we jump across the comma, we cannot get behind (B), for reasons explained above. Meanwhile, the latter portion of answer choice (D) holds up to scrutiny, particularly when compared against the first line of the passage. In short, Antonio adopts two positions: 1)
most people would be better off not drafting a will (line one); and 2) most people
should avoid the expense of hiring an attorney to draft a will. Meanwhile, Beatrice points out the value of having a will (but does not specify who does the drafting), since
a will can serve a useful purpose even if the distribution of assets would be the same as that under intestacy laws.
You seem to have followed the passage well. I would venture to guess that the OA is incorrect, that perhaps a (D) was confused with a (B) in a hurried look at the source. (Notice the typos in
drafter toward the end of Antonio's argument, or the comma instead of a period at the end of that sentence.) I would move on and get back to official questions.
- Andrew