Question

consider this claim:
language considered offensive in modern society should be removed from classic works of literature so that anyone can study these works without the distraction of hurtful words.
now consider how someone might argue against this. which sentence presents the strongest and most reasonable counterclaim to the above claim?
much classic literature that includes offensive language by todays standards—including works by the revered novelist mark twain—can legally be edited in any way people deem appropriate.
classic works of literature should retain their original language, offensive or not, because an authors choice of words is important to the meaning and historical context of the work.
removing offensive language from classic works of literature would diminish their value so profoundly that they could no longer even be considered literature.

Explanation:

To find the strongest counterclaim, we analyze each option:

• The first option focuses on legality of editing, not on why offensive language should remain, so it's not a strong counter to the claim about removal for study.
• The second option argues that original language (including offensive) should be retained because it's important to meaning and historical context. This directly addresses why removing offensive language is wrong, providing a reasonable and strong counter as it gives a valid reason related to the work's integrity.
• The third option's claim that removing offensive language would make them not literature is an overstatement and less reasonable than the second option's focus on meaning and context.

Answer:

Classic works of literature should retain their original language, offensive or not, because an author's choice of words is important to the meaning and historical context of the work.