- PowerScore Staff
- Posts: 8916
- Joined: Feb 02, 2011
- Sat Jul 01, 2017 10:26 am
#36702
Complete Question Explanation
Strengthen, CE. The correct answer choice is (A)
The conclusion of the argument suggests that having a perfect pitch is a consequence of genetic
factors:
The conclusion, which is easy to spot due to the conclusion indicator “this shows that,” is based on
a study that observed a correlation between having perfect pitch and having a relative who also has
perfect pitch. Correlations between two variables do not automatically imply that one causes the
other, as they may be coincidental effects of another cause, among other reasons. For instance, what
if people who have relatives with perfect pitch are more likely to attend concerts, study the piano,
or receive musical training? To strengthen the cause and effect relationship, look for answers that
eliminate such alternate causes and show that nothing else but genetics can explain why those who
have perfect pitch tend to be related to someone else who has it.
Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice, as it strengthens the argument by
eliminating an alternate cause for the stated effect. If people who have relatives with perfect pitch
are no more likely to receive superior musical training, their perfect pitch cannot be the result of
such training. Note that this answer choice does not prove the cause and effect relationship—it is
still possible that other causes could account for the stated effect. In Strengthen questions, your
choice should be based upon a comparative analysis between the five answer choices, and the correct
answer choice does not have to prove the conclusion 100% to be correct.
Answer choice (B): Whether the researchers conducting the study had perfect pitch is irrelevant to
our evaluation of the study’s conclusion. This answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (C): Discussing the implications of the stated effect (perfect pitch) is a digression that
neither strengthens nor weakens the causal argument.
Answer choice (D): This Opposite answer hurts the argument by suggesting that children whose
parents have perfect pitch receive more musical training, and may develop perfect pitch as a result
of such training. Because alternate causes weaken the argument, this type of wrong answer choice appears frequently in Strengthen questions.
Answer choice (E): If anything, this answer may hurt the argument by showing that having perfect
pitch is also correlated with (and may thus be the result of) musical training. However, because we
do not know if such training is the result of having relatives who have perfect pitch, this answer does
not contribute to the causal explanation of the correlation cited by the study.
Strengthen, CE. The correct answer choice is (A)
The conclusion of the argument suggests that having a perfect pitch is a consequence of genetic
factors:
- Premise: A person who has perfect pitch has a higher chance of being related to
someone else who has it than a person without perfect pitch
Conclusion: Having a perfect pitch is a consequence of genetic factors
- GF = genetic factors
PF = perfect pitch
C
E
GF
PF
The conclusion, which is easy to spot due to the conclusion indicator “this shows that,” is based on
a study that observed a correlation between having perfect pitch and having a relative who also has
perfect pitch. Correlations between two variables do not automatically imply that one causes the
other, as they may be coincidental effects of another cause, among other reasons. For instance, what
if people who have relatives with perfect pitch are more likely to attend concerts, study the piano,
or receive musical training? To strengthen the cause and effect relationship, look for answers that
eliminate such alternate causes and show that nothing else but genetics can explain why those who
have perfect pitch tend to be related to someone else who has it.
Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice, as it strengthens the argument by
eliminating an alternate cause for the stated effect. If people who have relatives with perfect pitch
are no more likely to receive superior musical training, their perfect pitch cannot be the result of
such training. Note that this answer choice does not prove the cause and effect relationship—it is
still possible that other causes could account for the stated effect. In Strengthen questions, your
choice should be based upon a comparative analysis between the five answer choices, and the correct
answer choice does not have to prove the conclusion 100% to be correct.
Answer choice (B): Whether the researchers conducting the study had perfect pitch is irrelevant to
our evaluation of the study’s conclusion. This answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (C): Discussing the implications of the stated effect (perfect pitch) is a digression that
neither strengthens nor weakens the causal argument.
Answer choice (D): This Opposite answer hurts the argument by suggesting that children whose
parents have perfect pitch receive more musical training, and may develop perfect pitch as a result
of such training. Because alternate causes weaken the argument, this type of wrong answer choice appears frequently in Strengthen questions.
Answer choice (E): If anything, this answer may hurt the argument by showing that having perfect
pitch is also correlated with (and may thus be the result of) musical training. However, because we
do not know if such training is the result of having relatives who have perfect pitch, this answer does
not contribute to the causal explanation of the correlation cited by the study.