Step-by-Step Logical Deduction

To determine the most likely poet for this year's paper, we need to filter the candidates based on the given rules and preferences.

1. Determine the Poet's Period (Medieval vs. Modern)

• The passage states that modern poets feature in alternate years.
• We are told that "Last year, the paper contained a question on A".
• A belongs to the first four poets (A, B, C, D), who are from the medieval period.
• Since last year was a medieval poet, this year must feature a modern poet.
• The modern poets are the "rest": E, F, G, and H. This eliminates A, B, C, and D.

2. Analyze the Paper Setters' Preferences

Now we evaluate the remaining candidates {E, F, G, H} based on the setters' likes and dislikes.

• Rule about F: "The paper setters do not like to ask about F...". This makes F a very unlikely choice, even though the setters personally like his work. Our list of likely candidates is now {E, G, H}.
• Rule about Liking E: The passage states, "...those who like F like E also." We are also told that the paper setters do, in fact, like F. From these two statements, we can logically conclude that the paper setters also like E.
• Rule about G and H: The rule is "those who like H like G also." This only establishes a link between liking H and liking G. We have no information to suggest that the setters like either H or G.

Conclusion

We have narrowed the likely candidates to E, G, and H. Among these three, we have a positive reason to choose E (the setters like E), but no specific information for choosing G or H. Therefore, based on the information given, E is the most likely poet to be featured in this year's paper.