Question

In the third paragraph, what does the author tell us about the omissions and substitutions he made when discussing his own dreams in the work that follow the passage?

• A. He feels that the adjusted examples would be more useful had they remained unadjusted.
• B. He is glad that he had the opportunity to reconsider his initial presentation of his dreams.
• C. He doesn't think that they affect the work whatsoever, and help him save face.
• D. He is not responsible for these; his editors are.
• E. He was forced to make these, or journals would not accept his work.

Hint:

For questions that ask about a specific detail, locate the exact sentence or phrase in the passage that addresses it. Pay close attention to the author's precise wording. Words like "detract," "enhance," or "support" are crucial to understanding the author's opinion.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This is a detail-oriented question focusing on a specific statement in the third paragraph. We need to find what the author says about the effect of the "omissions and substitutions" he made.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The relevant sentence in the third paragraph is: "To be sure, I disguised some of my indiscretions through omissions and substitutions, though I feel that these detract from the value of the examples in which they appear."
The phrase "detract from the value" means that the changes made the examples less valuable or less effective. This directly implies that the original, unadjusted examples would have been more valuable or useful.
Let's analyze the options:
- (A) This is a correct paraphrase of the author's statement. If the changes detract from the value, the unadjusted versions would have been more useful.
- (B), (D), (E): These ideas are not mentioned in the passage. The author takes full responsibility and does not mention editors or journals.
- (C): This is the opposite of what the author states. He explicitly says the changes *do* affect the work by detracting from its value.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The author clearly states that his adjustments "detract from the value of the examples," meaning the original versions would have been more useful. Option (A) correctly reflects this sentiment.