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Question

Difficulty: EasyPredicting the Author's View on New Information

Passage:
While the mass digitization of historical archives has undeniably democratized access to primary sources, archivists must resist the temptation to view digital copies as complete substitutes for physical manuscripts. A digital scan accurately captures the text of a document, but it entirely flattens the material history of the artifact. The chemical composition of the ink, the quality of the parchment, and the subtle indentations left by a printing press all provide essential clues about the economic and social conditions under which a text was produced. Therefore, digital preservation must remain a supplement to, rather than a replacement for, the meticulous conservation of original physical documents.

Suppose a municipal archive announces a plan to digitize its collection of historical tax records and subsequently discard the physical copies to reduce storage costs. Based on the passage, how would the author most likely respond to this plan?

  1. A
    The author would claim that digitized versions of historical documents never provide any useful information to researchers.
  2. B
    The author would support the plan, because digitizing the records successfully democratizes access to primary sources.
  3. The author would oppose the plan, as discarding the physical copies eliminates material evidence that digital scans cannot capture.Answer
  4. D
    The author would express vehement outrage that an archive would prioritize storage costs over historical preservation.
  5. E
    The author would predict that the digital scans will eventually become obsolete and unreadable.

Answer

The correct option is the one stating that the author would oppose the plan, as discarding the physical copies eliminates material evidence that digital scans cannot capture.
The correct answer accurately applies the author's central thesis to a new scenario. The author explicitly states that digital copies 'entirely flatten the material history' of an artifact and must not serve as a 'replacement for' physical conservation. Therefore, the author would naturally oppose a plan that involves discarding original physical documents.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the author's main argument and stance in the passage.
The author argues that digital preservation must be a supplement to, not a replacement for, physical conservation because physical artifacts contain unique material history.
Understanding the core argument is required to predict the author's reaction to a new situation.
2
Evaluate the hypothetical scenario presented in the question stem.
The municipal archive plans to digitize its records and then destroy the physical originals to save money.
The parameters of the new scenario must be clearly defined to apply the author's principles.
3
Predict the author's response by combining the stance and the scenario.
Because destroying the physical originals violates the author's central thesis about preserving material history, the author would certainly oppose the plan.
This directly aligns with the logically supported extrapolation found in the correct answer choice.

Key Concept

Predicting an author's response to a new scenario by accurately extrapolating their stated principles.
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Predicting the Author's View on New Information

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