GS-2 Verbal Reasoning Question 30

[kbshah6109]

Why is the answer not C?

He authors discusses in the last paragraph:
"But whichever of the many sorts of psychological satisfaction that can be got from music may be found by any individual, it is so far a part of his life's experience, and more and more people are coming to be aware of it as such and to value it as an enrichment of their lives. "

Isn't that summed up in choice c?

thanks!

[mcat_premed3832]

Though you quoted a part of the passage that is suggestive of answer choice C, this presents the challenge of "main idea" questions.

More than 80% of the passage is focused on the English (as opposed to the Germans) and their relationship to music: past, present and future. This is clearly most consistent with answer choice D.

[dwumi1604]

It's still not clear to me why D is the answer. Yes, more than 80% of the passage focused on the English, but the last paragraph clearly portrays the author's opinion about how music affects people in different ways.

Could it be that in the first two paragraphs, the author tried to show how the English didnt really like music, but they were enriched by music in the way they liked to sing, hence, producing first-rate composers?

In P2, the author compares the musical enthusiasts with the potentially musical i.e theres virtually nothing suggesting that the development of music depends on the society.


I think Answer C reflects the author's opinion in the last paragraph, and that kind of summarizes the main idea.


P.S.
Please, correct me if I'm wrong and show me how and what part(s) of the passage reflects D as the answer.




Thanks

[dwumi1604]

In addition to my previous post, I cant't always base my choice of "main idea" on the fact that most of the passage points in one direction. This is because I've come across passages where the author writes most of the passage on philosophical argots and in abstract terms, then presents his opinion and conclusion in the last paragraph.


Thanks.

[GraemeMatt8033]

bump, I agree with the above, it doesn't state at all that its the society, it does mention individuality but that relates no more to a society than it does to the entire world.

[wmkamal4170]

I don't think C is a good answer. The author even says that "five percent are definitely insusceptible to music". Just because he's writing for a guide to orchestral music doesn't mean he expects everyone to appreciate music if they tried.

I actually think B is a good contender. He only brings up a different country, Germany, once, more to show that England has such lack of interest in music and musical news that we are ridiculed by other country. While his argument does support D in more than just one paragraph, it really feels like his intention was for B. He does say that there is a significant group of English people that have musical potential but haven't explored it. He talks about a recent revival in musical appreciation, and uses it to bridge between one paragraph saying that English people have every right not to care about music, to one saying why music is awesome.

I'm pretty sure he's more concerned about music in England (considering that he personally identitifies with his home country, even if they don't share his love for music) than about how a country's music is dependent on their interest for it.

And besides, D is too strong. "Wholly" isn't exactly a nice word to see on the MCAT.

Man, I could write something like this for at least 2 questions on every MCAT verbal reasoning test I've seen. I hate this stupid test. How is this going to make us good doctors again? No one is going to hand us tedious essays and ask us ambiguous and more often than not, poorly worded questions about them. We're going to help people, not make life worse for others. MCAT verbal reasoning test writers are like Ashton Kutcher. They wastes their lives as they waste ours.

[jellywing_2058]

The question has been modified. It is true that it was easily debatable.