Questão 36 item 4 - (Inglês - 1a Fase - CACD 2024). By stating that he wants to show the reader "the l

[clipping.cacd]

Enunciado:

Text II

This book wants to show the newcomer the lie of the land without confusing him with details. In writing it I thought first and foremost of readers in their teens. But I have never believed that books for young people should differ from books for adults except for the fact that they must reckon with the most exacting class of critics, critics who are quick to detect and resent any trace of pretentious jargon or bogus sentiment. I know from experience that these are the vices which may render people suspicious of all writings. I have striven to use plain language even at the risk of sounding casual or unprofessional. I hope that no reader will attribute my decision to ‘talk down’ to him. Apart from this decision, I have tried to follow a number of more specific self-imposed rules, such as limiting myself to real works of art and cutting out anything which might merely be interesting as a specimen of taste or fashion. This decision entailed a considerable sacrifice of literary effects. Praise is so much duller than criticism, and the inclusion of some amusing monstrosities might have offered some light relief. Thus, while I do not claim that all the works illustrated represent the highest standard of perfection, I did make an effort not to include anything which I considered to be without a peculiar merit of its own.
A second rule also demanded a little self-denial. I vowed to resist any temptation to be original in my selection, lest the well-known masterpieces be crowded out by my own personal favourites. This book, after all, is not intended merely as an anthology of beautiful things; it is meant for those who look for bearings in a new field, and for them the familiar appearance of apparently ‘hackneyed’ examples may serve as welcome landmarks.
One more rule I have followed. When in doubt I have always preferred to discuss a work which I had seen in the original rather than one I knew only from photographs. I should have liked to make this an absolute rule, but I did not want the reader to be penalized by the accidents of travel restrictions which sometimes dog the life of the art-lover.
E.H. Gombrich, The Story of Art
(Phaidon, New York - London 1995, p. 7-8 [adapted])

Considering text II, judge whether the following statements are right (C) or wrong (E).

Texto do item:

By stating that he wants to show the reader “the lie of the land” (first sentence of the text), the author means that he wants to inform the reader of the rules he followed in writing the book.

Participe das discussões abaixo gratuitatmente. Caso não tenha conta no ClippingCACD, basta criar uma conta gratuitamtente. Não é necessário assinar para participar.
Fez a prova? Junte-se ao ranking e confira o gabarito em https://depoisdaprova.com.br .

[clipping.cacd]

Item:
By stating that he wants to show the reader "the lie of the land" (first sentence of the text), the author means that he wants to inform the reader of the rules he followed in writing the book.

Resposta: ERRADA (E)

Justificativa:

The statement is wrong because the author’s phrase "to show the newcomer the lie of the land" does not mean that he intends to inform the reader of the rules he followed in writing the book. Instead, "the lie of the land" is an idiomatic expression meaning to provide an overview or general understanding of a subject or area.

In the first sentence of the text, the author states:

"This book wants to show the newcomer the lie of the land without confusing him with details."

Here, the author expresses his intention to give new readers an overall picture of the subject matter—in this case, art—without overwhelming them with excessive details. His goal is to guide beginners through the field by highlighting key aspects and providing a clear, accessible introduction.

While the author does mention later in the text that he followed specific self-imposed rules in writing the book (such as limiting himself to real works of art and resisting the temptation to be original in his selection), these details are separate from his initial statement about showing "the lie of the land." The phrase does not refer to his writing process or the rules he adhered to but rather to the content and approach of the book itself.

Therefore, interpreting "the lie of the land" as the author’s intention to inform the reader about his writing rules is inaccurate. The correct understanding is that he aims to map out the general landscape of the subject to help newcomers navigate it.

---

Comentário automático feito pela inteligência artificial do Clipping.ai apenas para referência. Comentários dos nossos professores virão a seguir.

[ProfShaun]

This was a tricky one too. If you did not 'fully understand the idiom then you should have left it.
I felt, when I first looked at first, and very quickly, it might be correct but the author was not talking about his criticism of art as a whole or the book as a whole but of the personal rules he follows. I thought that was his ‘lie of the land’ setting out his views of why he chose the art pieces but that is not quite correct when we understand ‘correctly’ the idiom. This was not a fair question, the nuance was for me to similar. I have to sleep on this one.