Question

Difficulty: MediumCommand of Evidence: Textual

In a study of early twentieth-century modernist literature, literary scholar Dr. Anaya Sen analyzed the impact of European-based expatriate journals, such as *The Exile*, on the careers of emerging American writers. Sen hypothesized that publication in these small-circulation journals did not merely provide artistic validation; rather, it served as a critical intermediary that directly facilitated these writers' subsequent acceptance by major, high-circulation publishing houses in the United States. Which finding from Sen's study, if true, would most directly support her hypothesis?

  1. A
    European-based expatriate journals like *The Exile* featured works by established European authors alongside those of emerging American writers to attract a broader international audience.
  2. B
    Emerging American writers frequently expressed in their personal correspondence a strong preference for the aesthetic style of European journals over that of US publications.
  3. Writers who published in *The Exile* were subsequently accepted by major US publishing houses at a significantly higher rate than writers of similar initial standing who did not publish in expatriate journals.Answer
  4. D
    Mainstream US publishing houses during the early twentieth century underwent a major shift toward publishing works that challenged traditional literary conventions.

Answer

The finding that writers who published in *The Exile* were subsequently accepted by major US publishing houses at a significantly higher rate than writers of similar initial standing who did not publish in expatriate journals.
The correct answer directly supports the hypothesis by showing a clear, measurable difference in acceptance rates by major US publishing houses between writers who published in *The Exile* and those who did not, thereby confirming the journal's role as a facilitating intermediary.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the author's primary hypothesis in the passage.
The hypothesis is that publication in European-based expatriate journals acted as a direct facilitator (a critical intermediary) for emerging American writers to get accepted by major US publishing houses.
Before looking at the evidence, the target claim must be clearly understood.
2
Evaluate the choices to find which one establishes a connection between publishing in the expatriate journals and subsequent acceptance by major US publishers.
The option showing that writers who published in *The Exile* had significantly higher acceptance rates at major US houses than comparable writers who did not publish there provides direct empirical support.
This comparative success rate shows that the expatriate publication likely functioned as the intermediary that facilitated US acceptance.

Key Concept

Identifying textual evidence that supports a specific hypothesis
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