Q1 - Some critiques argue that an

[tamwaiman]

I notice that (C) seems to represent a causal relationship by the key word EFFECT, since the stimulus tells us "stage direction can be REFLECTED in the music", I wonder whether it stands for a causal relationship or not?
Thanks.

[giladedelman]

Right. The argument is that stage directions can be reflected in the music, that is, that the music is influenced by the stage directions. So there is a sort of causal relationship, but it's starting with the stage directions and moving toward the music.

Answer (C) is definitely wrong because there's no suggestion that the reverse is true, that the music affects the directions.

Does that answer your question?

[geverett]

I got this wrong on my test. Silly me. But as punishment I am going to write out an explanation for this question. =)


Premises: In some of Mozart's operas there are scenes that open with squeaking violins that are very similar to the sound of changing scenery

Sub-Conclusion: Mozart meant for the music to reflect the sounds of stage directions being carried out.

Conclusion: Since changing scenery can be reflected in the music other stage directions can as well.

Okay, so the author has used an instance of Mozart using music to reflect changing scenery/stage directions in some of his comic scenes, and from this draws a conclusion that music can be used to reflect other stage directions as well. Basically the author has cited a specific instance, and from that has drawn a general conclusion.

Question: We are asked to identify the claim that the 2nd sentence in the stimulus is being used to support.

We know that the 2nd sentence is a premise, and that we have a subsidiary conclusion in the 3rd sentence and the main conclusion in the last sentence. We go to the answer choices with this in mind.

(A) ". . . most frequently reflected . . ." The author cites the use of violins to reflect the change of scenery in many of Mozart's operas but we cannot conclude from this that a change of scenery is the stage direction that is most frequently reflected in an opera's music. Furthermore, we are asked to find the claim that the 2nd sentence supports, and this statement is not what the subsidiary or the main conclusion states at all.
(B) ". . . never reflected . . ." This answer choice CANNOT be true based on what the stimulus tells us. The conclusion states that stages directions can be reflected in the music, and this answer choice tells us that stage directions are never reflected in the music. Completely wrong. Get rid of it.
(C) "music can have an effect on the stage directions" The stimulus talks about how the stage directions can be reflected in the music. This answer choice tries to switch the order around by making us believe that the stage directions are influenced by the music. The latter sounds pretty silly right? Well obviously not silly enough that I wasn't fooled by it. Anyways, it's the reverse of what we want. Get rid of it.
(D) This is what we want. It says that stage directions can be reflected in the music which is the essence of the argument's conclusion. Winner!
(E) " . . . the most frequent relation . . ." This is wrong for the same reasons that A is wrong. There is no mention of the most frequent relation between an operas music and the stage directions. This answer choice is unsupported by the stimulus, and is also not part of our sub-conclusion or main conclusion which the 2nd sentence is used to support. Get rid of it.

[giladedelman]

Awesome!

[timsportschuetz]

I would like to add my two cents to the above posters remarks respecting answer choice [C]. Nobody seems to have picked up on the most important contributing factor that makes this answer choice bad.

If you notice, the argument simply talks about music and stage directions and how the latter is "reflected" in this relationship. NEVER does this argument assume, explicitly or implicitly, causation! The argument simply talks about stage directions being capable or incapable of being "reflected" in the music. Notice that the meaning of "reflecting" is NOT equivalent and/or denotes causation!

IE: "Critics argue that certain parts of an argument can never be reflected in an answer choice. However, during my studies, I have seen numerous instances of parts of an argument being reflected in answer choices. Therefore, we can conclude that pieces of an argument can be reflected in an answer choice."

Notice how the above example NEVER implies causation! The test writers could have reversed answer choice [C] to state "An opera's stage directions can have an effect on an opera's music" - THIS WOULD STILL BE WRONG! Also notice how answer choice [D] can be interpreted in any order desired.... You can reverse the order of answer choice [D] and it would remain the credited answer.

Hope this clears things up!

[af10]

I would like to add my two cents to the above posters remarks respecting answer choice [C]. Nobody seems to have picked up on the most important contributing factor that makes this answer choice bad.

If you notice, the argument simply talks about music and stage directions and how the latter is "reflected" in this relationship. NEVER does this argument assume, explicitly or implicitly, causation! The argument simply talks about stage directions being capable or incapable of being "reflected" in the music. Notice that the meaning of "reflecting" is NOT equivalent and/or denotes causation!

IE: "Critics argue that certain parts of an argument can never be reflected in an answer choice. However, during my studies, I have seen numerous instances of parts of an argument being reflected in answer choices. Therefore, we can conclude that pieces of an argument can be reflected in an answer choice."

Notice how the above example NEVER implies causation! The test writers could have reversed answer choice [C] to state "An opera's stage directions can have an effect on an opera's music" - THIS WOULD STILL BE WRONG! Also notice how answer choice [D] can be interpreted in any order desired.... You can reverse the order of answer choice [D] and it would remain the credited answer.

Hope this clears things up!

Was just about to get to this. This is precisely correct. Choice (C) isn't the reverse of what is actually correct, it simply isn't what the argument is saying.