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#63969
Complete Question Explanation

Must Be True. The correct answer choice is (B)

The general argument used by the historian in this stimulus should probably look familiar by the
time you’ve taken just a few practice LSAT Logical Reasoning sections:

..... “Some make a particular claim, but I question that claim.”

This general argumentative presentation is common among LSAT stimuli. In this instance, the
specifics are as follows:

Historian: Some are dismayed by the fact that poor, post-war studios forced bebop musicians to
record short solos, so that the recordings did not accurately reflect their normal musical style.

“But…” (this word, of course, indicates that the author is about to take the other side of the argument):

1. The concise style created works of art rather than simple artistic representations; and

2. The concise recordings led to more concise, compact live play.

The question stem which follows is a Must Be True, so we will be able to confirm the correct answer
choice with the facts presented in the stimulus.

Answer choice (A): While the author implies that the works discussed were more valuable than
“mere representations,” there is no suggestion that solo representations are generally not valuable
artistic works. Since this choice fails to pass the Fact Test, it cannot be the correct answer to this
Must Be True question.

Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice. This is clearly an accurate reflection of the
author’s attitude, as well as the main point of the paragraph; while some complain about the limited
length recordings, this historian lists two benefits that were derived as a result of this approach of
post-war, impoverished recording studios.

Answer choice (C): Often an answer choice can be quickly eliminated based on a single word, and in
this case that exceptionally strong word is always. While this author believes that there is some value
in more concise, compact recordings, this choice is far too broad to be supported by the facts—the
author makes no such claim, so this answer choice cannot be correct.

Answer choice (D): The only element that the historian discusses as having been lacking from the
next generation was early bebop “compactness.” This is only one factor, and the author does not
reference “overall quality,” so this answer choice is not supported by the statements presented.

Answer choice (E): If we reword this conditional “unless” statement, it becomes more transparently
incorrect: “the only time that musicians will ever record extremely short solos is when difficult
recording conditions force them to do so.” The author discusses examples of musicians being forced
by difficult conditions to record short solos, such musicians might also decide on their own to record
short solos.
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 Henry Z
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#98598
I understand why (B) is correct, but I'm ambivalent about (E) because in PT59 S3 Q21 (Historian: The standard "QWERTY" configuration of...), the correct answer is very similar to (E) here: A causation is given by the stimulus, and the inference is that “no cause, no effect.”

Do we eliminate (E) here only because (B) is a much better choice? In other words, if there’s no (B), can (E) be the correct answer, just like in PT59 S3 Q21?
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 Paul Popa
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#98604
Hi Henry,

Great question! My main issue with (E) here is that it's too strong. The stimulus gave us one reason why early bebop musicians had to record extremely short solos, but (E) then jumps to talking about ALL musicians; anytime, anywhere. There could be plenty of reasons why a musician elsewhere might record a short solo, including artistic choice. Hope this helps!

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