Most of Western music since the Renaissance has been based on a seven-note scale known as the diatonic scale, but...

GMAT Critical Reasoning : (CR) Questions

Source: Official Guide

Critical Reasoning

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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?

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Solution

Understanding the Passage

Text from Passage	Analysis
"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?"	What it says: Western music has used a 7-note diatonic scale since the Renaissance period, but we don't know when this scale was first created Visualization: Timeline: Renaissance (1400s) → Modern times: All using 7-note scale, but Origin: Unknown date before 1400s What it does: Sets up the research question that the argument will attempt to answer Source: Author's background information
"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."	What it says: Archaeologists found part of an ancient flute made by Neanderthals with 4 holes positioned to play notes 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the 7-note diatonic scale Visualization: Found flute fragment: Holes for notes 3-4-5-6 of diatonic scale (4 out of 7 total notes) What it does: Provides the key evidence that will support the argument about Neanderthal music Source: Factual archaeological evidence
(Boldface 1) "The entire flute must surely have had more holes"	What it says: The complete original flute definitely had additional holes beyond the 4 found on this fragment Visualization: Fragment found: 4 holes → Complete original flute: 7+ holes total What it does: Makes an inference from the evidence to build toward the main conclusion Source: Author's reasoning/inference
"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."	What it says: The bone used was physically long enough to accommodate all 7 holes needed for a complete diatonic scale Visualization: Bone length: Sufficient space for 7 holes = Complete diatonic scale playable What it does: Provides additional supporting reasoning that the flute could have played all 7 notes Source: Author's analysis of physical evidence
(Boldface 2) "Therefore, the Neanderthals who made the flute probably used a diatonic musical scale."	What it says: Based on this evidence, it's likely that Neanderthals knew and used the 7-note diatonic scale in their music Visualization: Evidence: 4 holes positioned correctly + bone long enough → Conclusion: Neanderthals used 7-note diatonic scale What it does: States the main conclusion that answers the original question Source: Author's conclusion

Overall Structure

The author presents archaeological evidence to answer a historical question about when the diatonic scale originated. The flow moves from question → evidence → inference → conclusion.

Main Conclusion: The Neanderthals who made the flute probably used a diatonic musical scale.

Boldface Segments

Boldface 1: The entire flute must surely have had more holes
Boldface 2: Therefore, the Neanderthals who made the flute probably used a diatonic musical scale.

Boldface Understanding

Boldface 1:

Function: This serves as an intermediate inference that bridges the archaeological evidence (4 holes found) to the final conclusion
Direction: Supports the author's ultimate position by reasoning that the fragment represents part of a larger, complete instrument

Boldface 2:

Function: This is the main conclusion that directly answers the research question posed at the beginning
Direction: This IS the author's ultimate position - that Neanderthals used the diatonic scale

Structural Classification

Boldface 1:

Structural Role: Intermediate inference/reasoning step that connects evidence to conclusion
Predicted Answer Patterns: "intermediate conclusion," "reasoning that supports the main conclusion," "inference drawn from evidence"

Boldface 2:

Structural Role: Main conclusion of the entire argument
Predicted Answer Patterns: "main conclusion," "the conclusion that the argument seeks to establish," "the primary claim being argued"

Answer Choices Explained

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.

'The first is presented as evidence that is confirmed by data presented elsewhere in the argument given' - ✗ WRONG - The first boldface is not evidence but rather an inference/opinion made by the author. 'the second states a hypothesis that this evidence is used to undermine' - ✗ WRONG - The second boldface is the main conclusion, not a hypothesis being undermined.

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.

'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' - ✓ CORRECT - The first boldface is the author's inference/opinion that the flute had more holes, and it supports the main conclusion. 'the second is that main conclusion' - ✓ CORRECT - The second boldface, marked by 'Therefore,' is clearly the main conclusion.

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

'The first describes a discovery as undermining the position against which the argument is directed' - ✗ WRONG - The first boldface is not describing a discovery but making an inference, and it's not undermining any opposing position. 'the second states the main conclusion of the argument' - ✓ CORRECT - The second boldface is indeed the main conclusion.

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.

'The first is a preliminary conclusion drawn on the basis of evidence presented elsewhere in the argument given' - ✗ WRONG - While the first could be seen as a preliminary conclusion, it's more accurately described as an unsupported opinion or inference. 'the second is the main conclusion that this preliminary conclusion supports' - ✓ CORRECT - The second is the main conclusion.

'The first provides evidence to support the main conclusion of the argument' - ✗ WRONG - The first boldface is not evidence but an inference/opinion. 'the second states a subsidiary conclusion that is drawn in order to support the main conclusion stated earlier in the argument' - ✗ WRONG - The second boldface IS the main conclusion, not a subsidiary one, and no main conclusion was stated earlier.

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