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Most of Western music since the Renaissance has been based on a seven-

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GeminiHeat
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Most of Western music since the Renaissance has been based on a seven- [#permalink] New post   29 Nov 2021, 07:47
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Most of Western music since the Renaissance has been based on a seven-note scale known as the diatonic scale, but when did the scale originate? A fragment of a bone flute excavated at a Neanderthal campsite has four holes, which are spaced in exactly the right way for playing the third through sixth notes of a diatonic scale. The entire flute must surely have had more holes, and the flute was made from a bone that was long enough for these additional holes to have allowed a complete diatonic scale to be played. Therefore, the Neanderthals who made the flute probably used a diatonic musical scale.

In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

A. The first is presented as evidence that is confirmed by data presented elsewhere in the argument given; the second states a hypothesis that this evidence is used to undermine.

B. The first is an opinion, for which no supporting evidence is presented in the argument given, that is used to support the main conclusion of the argument; the second is that main conclusion.

C. The first describes a discovery as undermining the position against which the argument is directed; the second states the main conclusion of the argument.

D. The first is a preliminary conclusion drawn on the basis of evidence presented elsewhere in the argument given; the second is the main conclusion that this preliminary conclusion supports.

E. The first provides evidence to support the main conclusion of the argument; the second states a subsidiary conclusion that is drawn in order to support the main conclusion stated earlier in the argument.

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Carcass
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Re: Most of Western music since the Renaissance has been based on a seven- [#permalink] New post   01 Dec 2021, 02:12
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Argument Construction

To determine what roles the two portions in boldface play, it is useful to look first for certain “inference indicator” words: words that indicate that what follows is a premise (words like because and since) or a conclusion (words like thus and therefore).

Here, there is only one, therefore; it immediately precedes the second boldfaced portion. This indicates that that portion is a conclusion. Because of this, we can effectively rule out answer choice A.

However, we must investigate the rest of the argument to determine whether this is the main conclusion. If it is, we can rule out answer choice E as well. Alternatively, it may be an intermediate conclusion, in which case E would be the correct answer.

To determine which sort of conclusion it is, ask whether this conclusion is used in support of another claim in the argument. This conclusion is not, which makes it the main conclusion. This rules out answer choice E.

To make a correct choice among options B, C, and D, we must determine the role of the first highlighted portion.

A. This choice is incorrect because the second boldfaced portion is a conclusion drawn in the argument. It is not, of course, a hypothesis that the first boldfaced portion is used to undermine. Furthermore, the argument presents no data to confirm the first boldfaced portion.

B. Correct. The first boldfaced portion is not a conclusion; it is merely an assertion that is not supported by any claims presented in the argument. This portion, along with the statement immediately following it, are offered in support of the second boldfaced portion. This second boldfaced portion is the argument's main conclusion.

C. The first boldfaced portion does not undermine a position that the argument is directed against. In fact, the argument is not explicitly directed against any position. Note that the argument is rhetorically positive, arguing for a specific position rather than against one.

D. The argument provides no evidence in support of the first boldfaced position.

E. As noted above, this cannot be the correct answer because the second boldfaced portion is in fact the main conclusion of the argument.

The correct answer is B.
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Most of Western music since the Renaissance has been based on a seven- [#permalink] New post   30 Dec 2021, 11:51
Carcass wrote:
Argument Construction

To determine what roles the two portions in boldface play, it is useful to look first for certain “inference indicator” words: words that indicate that what follows is a premise (words like because and since) or a conclusion (words like thus and therefore).

Here, there is only one, therefore; it immediately precedes the second boldfaced portion. This indicates that that portion is a conclusion. Because of this, we can effectively rule out answer choice A.

However, we must investigate the rest of the argument to determine whether this is the main conclusion. If it is, we can rule out answer choice E as well. Alternatively, it may be an intermediate conclusion, in which case E would be the correct answer.

To determine which sort of conclusion it is, ask whether this conclusion is used in support of another claim in the argument. This conclusion is not, which makes it the main conclusion. This rules out answer choice E.

To make a correct choice among options B, C, and D, we must determine the role of the first highlighted portion.

A. This choice is incorrect because the second boldfaced portion is a conclusion drawn in the argument. It is not, of course, a hypothesis that the first boldfaced portion is used to undermine. Furthermore, the argument presents no data to confirm the first boldfaced portion.

B. Correct. The first boldfaced portion is not a conclusion; it is merely an assertion that is not supported by any claims presented in the argument. This portion, along with the statement immediately following it, are offered in support of the second boldfaced portion. This second boldfaced portion is the argument's main conclusion.

C. The first boldfaced portion does not undermine a position that the argument is directed against. In fact, the argument is not explicitly directed against any position. Note that the argument is rhetorically positive, arguing for a specific position rather than against one.

D. The argument provides no evidence in support of the first boldfaced position.

E. As noted above, this cannot be the correct answer because the second boldfaced portion is in fact the main conclusion of the argument.

The correct answer is B.


Isn't the fact that the spacings were good enough for people to play from third through sixth note of the diatonic scale a good enough evidence to support the first boldface as a prelimianary conclusion? I had D as the correct answer
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Most of Western music since the Renaissance has been based on a seven- [#permalink]
30 Dec 2021, 11:51
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