LSAT 123 | Section 4 | Reading Comprehension: Q14

RC Question 14 Explanation

DISCUSSION: Passage A and Passage B mostly use different evidence, and their conclusions disagree.

Passage A looks at the neurology of music and language and concludes that music was a byproduct. Passage A, on the other hand, looks at studies of infants and mothers, and concludes that music was very important.

___________

1. CORRECT. See the discussion above. There is little overlap in evidence, and the two authors’ conclusions disagree.
2. This didn’t happen.
   Example of passages:
   Passage A: And so, I have cited a large number of confusing things about music. Why does it exist?
   Passage B: I think music exists because….
3. This didn’t happen.
   Example of passages:
   Passage A: And so, I propose that music exists because it’s fun, and fun things relieve stress.
   Passage B: I have new evidence that Neanderthals had no music, and suffered from stress. So, music helped humans survive.
4. This isn’t true. Passage A actually is not that strident in their conclusion. They only say “it would seem” (line 25). Passage B uses more certain language. Helplessness “necessitated” more maternal care. And they say that music “would have conferred considerable advantage”. That’s fairly certain language. You could debate whether it’s 100% certain, but it’s not notably less certain than passage A.
5. No! Passage A and B disagree. A thinks music was a coincidence, B thinks music was vital for mother-infant bonding. (It is true that the evidence was different, though).