LSAT-2002-I-10

lilyzy

10. Bernand: For which language, and thus which frequency distribution of letters and letter sequences, was the standard typewriter keyboard designed?
Cora: To ask this question, you must be making a mistaken assumption: that typing speed was to be maximized. The real danger with early typewriters was that operators would hit successive keys too quickly, thereby crashing typebars into each other, bending connecting wires and so on. So the idea was to slow the operator down by making the most common letter sequences awkward to type.
Bernand: This is surely not right! These technological limitations have long since vanished, yet the keyboard is still as it was then.
Which one of the following, if true, could be used by Cora to counter Bernard’s rejection of her explanation?
(A) Typewriters and word-processing equipment are typically sold to people who have learned to use the standard keyboard and who, therefore, demand it in equipment they buy.
(B) Typewriters have been superseded in most offices by word-processing equipment, which has inherited the standard keyboard from typewriters.
(C) The standard keyboard allows skilled operators to achiever considerable typing speeds, thought it makes acquiring such skills relatively difficult.
(D) A person who has learned one keyboard layout can readily learn to use a second one in place of the first, but only with difficulty learn to use a second one alongside the first.
(E) It is now possible to construct typewriter and word-processing equipment in which a single keyboard can accommodate two or even more different keyboard layouts, each accessible to the operator at will.
不好意思, 谁能帮忙解释一下?

chelseayang

Coral: typerwriter keyboard design is laid out as it is due to technological limitations in the past

Bernand diagrees with Coral : the technological probem was solved long time ago, but the keyboard's design is still as it was in the past

Answer: A

Coral: the technical problem is no longer a problem, however, the design remains unchanged, because people who buy new typewriters demand that the new typewriters' keyboard is the same as they used in the past. Namely, the keyboard remains unchanged because users are those people who get used to the old design.

In this way, Coral defends her view that technological limitations determined the keyboard's design in the past.

lilyzy

thanks chelsea, i got it

Bensontuo

lilyzy 发表于 2004-12-27 23:08
10. Bernand: For which language, and thus which frequency distribution of letters and letter sequenc ...

Spot the question type: Support + Weaken

Core of the argument:

B: Which frequency distribution of letters and letter sequences was the standard typewriter keyboard designed

C: 1. Mistaken assumption ( It is not based on the frequency distribution ) 2.  Cause - hit the successive keys too quickly ---> crashing type bars into each other ---> bending connecting wires ---> the idea was to slow down the operator ---> most common letter sequences awkward to type.

B: You are not correct. 1. there are no such issue; however, the keyboard is still as it was then.

Apparently, C object B by claiming that keyboard was not designed based on any language; instead, it was designed on the purpose of slowing down the operator due to potential damages imposed on the typewriters. However, B object C's evidence by claiming that the evidence by which had already no existed.

So, what we want to do is to support C by objecting the objection of B.

Which is to say, regardless of the technology limitations, the cause still brings the effect.

Let us dive into the answers.

A. ok, so people nowadays still demand the same type of the typewriter due to they have learned to use it.

Weaken B + Support C - ( Regardless of the technology inventions,  the impacts from the traditional typewriter still be posed on the user who learned to use it and will demand to buy it )


B. Support B

C. weaken C

D. Non relevant to both B and C

E. Weaken C and support B