Good students learn more than what their parents and

(A) Some people who are capable of becoming so absorbed in a topic that they
lose track of their own identities are nevertheless incapable of deriving pleasure from the satisfaction of their curiosity.
The argument implies DP -> CC but not DP -> CC is still possible [rule 2 below]
(B) Most good students do not derive pleasure from the satisfaction of their curiosity.
Argument implies GS -> SC so if not SC then Not GS hence cant be true [rule 1 below]
(C) Many people who derive pleasure simply from the satisfaction of their curiosity are not good students.
Argument implies GS - > DP still leaves the possibility that DP -> Not GS [rule 3 below]
(D) Some people who are not good students derive pleasure from losing track of
their own identities.
Argument implies GS -> CC still can imply CC -> Not GS [rule 3 below]
(E) Most people who are capable of becoming so absorbed in a topic that they lose track of their own identities are not good students.
Argument implies GS -> CC still can imply CC -> Not GS [rule 3 below same as in D]


There are some generic principles which I am sure was covered long time ago by a gentleman named Honghu who had scored a 780 on GMAT. I will try and find his post.

The general rules (some of which only I remember now)

1) IF X THEN Y IMPLIES IF NOT Y THEN NOT X

Example - all cats are mammals ; if not a mammal then can't be a cat also

2) IF X THEN Y CAN STILL IMPLY IF NOT X THEN Y

Example - all cats are mammals ; if not a cat could still be a mammal

3) IF X THEN Y CAN STILL IMPLY IF Y THEN NOT X
Example - all cats are mammals; if mammal then not cat


These three rules I think are relevant and sufficient to solve this question (and I still took 3+ mins to solve it)

GS -> LM -> DP -> SC -> CC (Good Students Learn More Satisfy Curiosity By Concentrating hard enough to lose identity)

So GS leads to LM leads to DP leads to SC leads to CC

Good students learn more than what is necessary.
Learning more than necessary (L) requires deriving pleasure from satisfaction of curiosity (P).
This pleasure (P) requires capability of concentrating on a topic so hard that one loses oneself (C).

So this is the logic:
Good students L
L requires P.
P requires C.

So if one is a good student, one has L, P and C.

(A) Some people who are capable of becoming so absorbed in a topic that they lose track of their own identities are nevertheless incapable of deriving pleasure from the satisfaction of their curiosity.

Some people with C do not have P. This is possible.
The argument tells us that P needs C. It is possible that C doesn't need P.

(B) Most good students do not derive pleasure from the satisfaction of their curiosity.

Most good students do not have P. This is not possible.
We are told that good students have L, P and C.

(C) Many people who derive pleasure simply from the satisfaction of their curiosity are not good students.

Many people who have P are not good students. Possible.
Good students need P. People with P needn't be good students.

(D) Some people who are not good students derive pleasure from losing track of their own identities.

Some not good students have P. Possible
Argument doesn't say anything about not good students.

(E) Most people who are capable of becoming so absorbed in a topic that they lose track of their own identities are not good students.

Most people with C are not good students. Possible.
Good students need C. People with C needn't be good students.

Answer (B)
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OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

The stimulus in this problem contains a set of interrelated conditional statements: GS = good student, LM = learn more than what their parents and teachers compel them to learn, DP = derive pleasure from the satisfaction of their curiosity, CC = capable of concentrating on a topic so intently that one loses track of one’s own identity. 1. First sentence: GS—>LM. 2. Second sentence, first part: LM—>DP. 3. Second sentence, second part: DP—>CC. Chain of all statements: GS—>LM—>DP—>CC. Remember, when you encounter Cannot Be True questions featuring conditional relationships, actively seek the answer that violates the precept that when the sufficient condition occurs the necessary condition must also occur. In this problem, that situation is found in answer choice (B).

Answer choice (A): This answer describes a situation where the necessary condition in the second part of the second sentence occurs and the sufficient condition does not. Since the occurrence of the necessary condition does not make the sufficient condition occur, this scenario could happen and this answer is therefore incorrect. This type of answer is a frequent wrong answer in Cannot Be True questions featuring conditional relationships.

Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer. The chain of statements in the stimulus shows that every good student derives pleasure from the satisfaction of their curiosity. Thus, it cannot be true that “Most good students do not derive pleasure from the satisfaction of their curiosity.”

Answer choice (C): Like answer choice (A), this answer describes a situation where the necessary condition occurs and the sufficient condition does not. This time the scenario references the relationship in the first sentence.

Answer choice (D): The stimulus only offers information about good students; no information is given about people who are not good students. Accordingly, we can make no judgment about these individuals, and the answer is incorrect.

Answer choice (E): Like answer choices (A) and (C), this answer describes a situation where the necessary condition occurs and the sufficient condition does not. Unlike those two answers, you must rely on your understanding of the chain of all statements in order to understand why this answer is possible. Because the “capable of becoming so absorbed in a topic that they lose track of their own identities” is the necessary condition for being a good student, it is possible that most people who meet this condition are still not good students. Again, avoid Mistaken Reversals!
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I narrowed it to B and D

and nervously picked (B).

What is the OA?

I picked D since I couldn't find any reference to deriving pleasure from losing identity. The rest is gibberish to me, they all look possible.

hi , I interpret this sentence "This requires that these students derive pleasure from the satisfaction of their curiosity, and one cannot experience such pleasure unless one is capable of concentrating on a topic so intently that one loses track of one’s own identity." as LM—>DP/ CC. So I think choice A can be true.
please comment, thanks in advance!

This is an "EXCEPT" question. If a choice can be true, it cannot be the right answer.

(A) Some people who are capable of becoming so absorbed in a topic that they
lose track of their own identities are nevertheless incapable of deriving pleasure from the satisfaction of their curiosity.
(B) Most good students do not derive pleasure from the satisfaction of their curiosity.
(C) Many people who derive pleasure simply from the satisfaction of their curiosity are not good students.
(D) Some people who are not good students derive pleasure from losing track of
their own identities.
(E) Most people who are capable of becoming so absorbed in a topic that they lose track of their own identities are not good students.

All answer choices except B talk about "people" so all the statements except B may be correct/True. Argument mentions particularly about GOOD STUDENT. Hence, answer choice B....

Is it correct way or approach to reach correct answer choice?

Hi,
Thanks a lot for the various explanations, had to read them multiple times to understand how to arrive at the answer. Many of the explanations I felt were good to know from an understanding perspective, but I was at a loss as to how I would proceed with solving if such a question appears on the GMAT. I am just sharing what I came up with finally so that you can use the same if the thought process is right, else let me know where I am wrong.

Like explained in the other answers it is a logic based question but we do not have the amount of time to get into this level of detailing when we need to answer a question in under max 3 minutes. So to break down this question stem we can read into it as all necessary but not sufficient conditions for being a good student are listed. Not good students as a set is not covered in the scope of the passage, i.e., no conditions for anyone being not good is specified meaning anyone could be a not good student.

Basis above understanding, B can be chosen from B,C,D and E. A we will have to eliminate using plain generic logic, which I was able to initially as well, so I don't think that would be a problem.

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