Critical Reasoning

Johnson is on firm ground when he asserts that the early editors of Dickinson’s poetry often distorted her intentions. Yet Johnson’s own, more faithful, text is still guilty of its own forms of distortion. To standardize Dickinson’s often indecipherable handwritten punctuation by the use of the dash is to render permanent a casual mode of poetic phrasing that Dickinson surely never expected to see in print. It implies that Dickinson chose the dash as her typical mark of punctuation when, in fact, she apparently never made any definitive choice at all.
Which of the following best summarizes the author’s main point?
(A) Although Johnson is right in criticizing Dickinson’s early editors for their distortion of her work, his own text is guilty of equally serious distortions.
(B) Johnson’s use of the dash in his text of Dickinson’s poetry misleads readers about the poet’s intentions.
(C) Because Dickinson never expected her poetry to be published, virtually any attempt at editing it must run counter to her intentions.
(D) Although Johnson’s attempt to produce a more faithful text of Dickinson’s poetry is well-meaning, his study of the material lacks sufficient thoroughness.
(E) Dickinson’s editors, including Johnson, have failed to deal adequately with the problem of deciphering Dickinson’s handwritten manuscripts.

Although Johnson is right in criticizing Dickinson’s early editors for their distortion of her work, his own text is guilty of equally serious distortions.

NSNguyen wrote:Johnson is on firm ground when he asserts that the early editors of Dickinson’s poetry often distorted her intentions. Yet Johnson’s own, more faithful, text is still guilty of its own forms of distortion. To standardize Dickinson’s often indecipherable handwritten punctuation by the use of the dash is to render permanent a casual mode of poetic phrasing that Dickinson surely never expected to see in print. It implies that Dickinson chose the dash as her typical mark of punctuation when, in fact, she apparently never made any definitive choice at all.
Which of the following best summarizes the author’s main point?
(A) Although Johnson is right in criticizing Dickinson’s early editors for their distortion of her work, his own text is guilty of equally serious distortions.
(B) Johnson’s use of the dash in his text of Dickinson’s poetry misleads readers about the poet’s intentions.
(C) Because Dickinson never expected her poetry to be published, virtually any attempt at editing it must run counter to her intentions.
(D) Although Johnson’s attempt to produce a more faithful text of Dickinson’s poetry is well-meaning, his study of the material lacks sufficient thoroughness.
(E) Dickinson’s editors, including Johnson, have failed to deal adequately with the problem of deciphering Dickinson’s handwritten manuscripts.

A main point question asks us to summarize the author's conclusion.

Normally when identifying the conclusion, we look for helpful keywords such as "therefore", "thus", "so", etc... In main point questions, however, such explicit keywords more often mislead than help.

Fortunately, many main point question arguments use another very helpful keyword: contrast. When we see a word such as "however", "but", "yet", etc... we're usually being introduced to the author's disagreement with someone else; such disagreement is very often the author's main point.

Such is the case in this question. "Yet" clearly point us to the author's big opinion, "Johnson’s own, more faithful, text is still guilty of its own forms of distortion." Choose (A).

This question is also mentioned in CR 1000 and the OA given is B.

Can someone confirm the validity of the OA's in CR 1000 set as for some of the questions I do not get convinced as to why a specific choise is marked as OA?

Any thoughts?

In this question the conclusion is found at the end of the passage.

It implies that Dickinson chose the dash as her typical mark of punctuation when, in fact, she apparently never made any definitive choice at all.

There are many ways to find the conclusion of a passage. While key words can be very useful, there is often one point that is supported by all other points. When finding a conclusion it is useful to ask, "What is supported by everything else in the passage?" and "What wouldn't make sense on its own."

The implication in the last sentence cannot logically stand alone and must be supported by the previous sentences. Everything else in the passage is supporting evidence that has been introduced so the reader will understand the logic of this last sentence.

Now consider answer choice B.

Johnson’s use of the dash in his text of Dickinson’s poetry misleads readers about the poet’s intentions.

Initially this seems too strong because the word "misleads" has pretty serious connotations and answer choices which seem accusative should, generally, be avoided. Answer choice 'b' would clearly be the best answer choice if the word 'may' had been introduced prior to 'misleads'.

However, on closer inspection of the last two sentences, the author uses the phrase 'in fact' making it clear that the implications of Johnson's edit are wrong. Thus, in a literal sense, Johnson's edit is misleading as a result of its implication.

The correct answer choice is 'b'.

The OA: B (

Why not E?

NSNguyen wrote:Johnson is on firm ground when he asserts that the early editors of Dickinson’s poetry often distorted her intentions. Yet Johnson’s own, more faithful, text is still guilty of its own forms of distortion. To standardize Dickinson’s often indecipherable handwritten punctuation by the use of the dash is to render permanent a casual mode of poetic phrasing that Dickinson surely never expected to see in print. It implies that Dickinson chose the dash as her typical mark of punctuation when, in fact, she apparently never made any definitive choice at all.
Which of the following best summarizes the author’s main point?
(A) Although Johnson is right in criticizing Dickinson’s early editors for their distortion of her work, his own text is guilty of equally serious distortions.
(B) Johnson’s use of the dash in his text of Dickinson’s poetry misleads readers about the poet’s intentions.
(C) Because Dickinson never expected her poetry to be published, virtually any attempt at editing it must run counter to her intentions.
(D) Although Johnson’s attempt to produce a more faithful text of Dickinson’s poetry is well-meaning, his study of the material lacks sufficient thoroughness.
(E) Dickinson’s editors, including Johnson, have failed to deal adequately with the problem of deciphering Dickinson’s handwritten manuscripts.

Can anyone tell whether the sentence 'To standardize Dickinson’s often indecipherable handwritten punctuation by the use of the dash is to render permanent a casual mode of poetic phrasing that Dickinson surely never expected to see in print.' is referring to Johnson's test?

If so: B sounds ok . But why not either D or E? can someone explain please?

The issue is distortion, not faithfull(D) or Deciphering (E)
I think so

Stuart's explanation is always wonderful

B should be the answer

A is too extreme in assuming "equal distortion" and "Although Johnson is right in criticizing Dickinson"

Ian Stewart wrote:

NSNguyen wrote: (A) Although Johnson is right in criticizing Dickinson’s early editors for their distortion of her work, his own text is guilty of equally serious distortions.

If we are summarizing the author's main point, we need to choose an answer that logically reflects the opinions of the author. Nowhere does the author claim that Johnson's texts are guilty of distortions that are equally serious as the distortions in earlier editions. Indeed, the author never once compares the seriousness of the distortions in Johnson's text with the distortions in earlier editions. A) cannot be the correct answer, since it introduces an idea never mentioned by the author.

Ian, could you please explain how we should attack this particular problem? Although it is never mentioned in the passage that Johnson's text equally distorts the meaning of Dickinson's poetry, the tone of the passage seems to have said so. That is why, when answering, I also chose (A). On what basis can we eliminate (E) and how can we justify the OA, i.e. (B)? Please help.

Got to be A. B is true but most certainly not author's main intention. Agree that "equally" in A is contentious but I would always (even at the cost of being wrong) pick the main theme that is somewhat expansive as against a trivial point that is probably true.

NSNguyen wrote:Johnson is on firm ground when he asserts that the early editors of Dickinson’s poetry often distorted her intentions. Yet Johnson’s own, more faithful, text is still guilty of its own forms of distortion. To standardize Dickinson’s often indecipherable handwritten punctuation by the use of the dash is to render permanent a casual mode of poetic phrasing that Dickinson surely never expected to see in print. It implies that Dickinson chose the dash as her typical mark of punctuation when, in fact, she apparently never made any definitive choice at all.
Which of the following best summarizes the author’s main point?
(A) Although Johnson is right in criticizing Dickinson’s early editors for their distortion of her work, his own text is guilty of equally serious distortions.
(B) Johnson’s use of the dash in his text of Dickinson’s poetry misleads readers about the poet’s intentions.
(C) Because Dickinson never expected her poetry to be published, virtually any attempt at editing it must run counter to her intentions.
(D) Although Johnson’s attempt to produce a more faithful text of Dickinson’s poetry is well-meaning, his study of the material lacks sufficient thoroughness.
(E) Dickinson’s editors, including Johnson, have failed to deal adequately with the problem of deciphering Dickinson’s handwritten manuscripts.

This is the main issue with regard to GMAT which must be changed. Here we are discussing which is the correct answer and yet we can not agree on it. And we are supposed to find the correct answer in two minutes when taking the actual test.
Who comes up with these idiotic questions? Are we supposedly smarter or with higher level of logical thinking if we get this question right?
The only person who knows these answers is the person who came up with this questions. Now, Id like to see him/her and see what they are doing for living (other then this) and how much money are they making!!! Probably sitting somewhere in some dark room, being overweight, secluded from any form of social life, coming up with these idiotic questions....I wish GMAT did not exist.