Muscular strength is a limited resource, and athletic techniques help

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

The correct answer choice is (C).

Unlike the first two questions in this set, this is a Main Point question. As with all Main Point questions, if you follow the Primary Objectives, the question should be easy and you should have a solid answer in mind before attacking the answer choices. The first sentence of the argument is a premise. The second sentence is divided into a premise and a conclusion: the premise is introduced by the indicator “since,” and the conclusion of the argument is introduced by the indicator “it follows that.” As stated in the argument, the conclusion is “a requirement for an athlete to become a champion is a superior mastery of athletic techniques.” Because the conditional indicator “requirement” is used, we can draw a conditional diagram of the conclusion: C = champion, SM = superior mastery of athletic techniques, C—>SM, Note that “requirement’ is a necessary condition indicator, and the “requirement” referred to is “superior mastery of athletic techniques.”

Answer choice (A): This is a Mistaken Reversal of the conclusion. Note how right away the test makers are trying to test you to see if you will fall for an answer that uses the elements of the conclusion but in the wrong relationship. You must be on guard at all times!

Answer choice (B): Although this answer is likely to be true in the real world, this is not stated in the argument. The only comment made on muscle strength is that top athletes do not differ greatly from each other in muscular strength.

Answer choice (C): This correct answer is a paraphrase of the conclusion, and the diagram for this answer choice is the same as the diagram of the conclusion.

Answer choice (D): This is a classic incorrect Main Point question answer choice. Although the author would agree with this statement, this is not the main point of the argument.

Answer choice (E): This answer is similar to answer choice (D). Again, the answer choice repeats part of the argument, but this answer does not capture the main point of the argument.