5
Answer: BSet 4: Inferences (Intermediate)
Explanation
PASSAGE
The detective novel concludes without revealing the murderer's identity. In the final chapter, the protagonist admits that multiple suspects had opportunity and motive, that physical evidence could support several theories, and that certainty is often a detective's fiction rather than reality.
What does the ending suggest about the genre's conventions?
A. All detective novels must end with a definitive solution.
B. The book subverts genre expectations by questioning the possibility of certain knowledge.✓ Correct
C. The detective failed due to incompetence.
D. There was no crime committed.
Detailed Explanation
No revealed murderer; 'certainty is a fiction' = subverting the genre's typical resolution.
Key Evidence:
• "without revealing the murderer"
• "certainty is often a detective's fiction"
Why others are wrong: A (This novel doesn't, challenging that convention.), C (Incompetence isn't implied; the issue is epistemological.), D (A murderer exists; identity just isn't revealed.).