MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Question 125: Answer and Explanation
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Question: 125
5. The author probably quotes Franklin in paragraph 2 in order to:
- A. illustrate his simple and unpretentious style.
- B. contrast Franklin's and Lawrence's moral outlook.
- C. deride the trite expressions common to his more popular writings.
- D. emphasize his preference for action over speech.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation:
A This is a Structure question.
A: Yes. These words make Franklin's beliefs seem commonplace or simple.
B: No. There is no reference to different moral positions in this paragraph.
C: No. While the author does say that Franklin's maxims show a certain "priggishness" and commonplace nature, the passage goes on in paragraph 3 to show that the simple and commonplace nature of Franklin's individual statements hides to some extent the true complexity of his thought. Therefore, the author is not deriding or mocking his expressions, or calling them "trite" or trivial.
D: No. Although this is a paraphrase of the second maxim, it does not relate to the author's purpose in including the quotation, which is to illustrate the simplicity of Franklin's sayings.