Multiple choice

Directions: Read the passage/argument and answer the question that follows it.

Since the early 60s, the US divorce rate has doubled, the teen-suicide rate tripled, the violent-crime rate quadrupled, and the prison population quintupled. Besides, depression, anxiety and other mental-health disorders are rising, ensuring there will be plenty of melancholic types to compose poetry and music.

According to the author,

  1. depressive thoughts are responsible for creative pursuits

  2. it is not possible to write poetry or music unless one is depressed or anxious

  3. violent crime is a consequence of depression, anxiety and other mental-health problems

  4. depression and anxiety are facilitating factors in giving rise to creativity in music and poetry

  5. more divorces are responsible for more imprisonments in the US
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Note the difference between the language used in option (1) and (4). It is carrying a vastly different meaning in each case. For this reason, option (1) is definitely ruled out. So is true of option (2), which is very extreme in nature. Nowhere does the author give any hint which could justify either option (3) or (5).

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