Events & Promotions
|
|
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Nov 2007:30 AM PST
-08:30 AM PST
Learn what truly sets the UC Riverside MBA apart and how it helps in your professional growth
Nov 2211:00 AM IST
-01:00 PM IST
Do RC/MSR passages scare you? e-GMAT is conducting a masterclass to help you learn – Learn effective reading strategies Tackle difficult RC & MSR with confidence Excel in timed test environment- Nov 23
11:00 AM IST
-01:00 PM IST
Attend this free GMAT Algebra Webinar and learn how to master the most challenging Inequalities and Absolute Value problems with ease. 
Nov 2510:00 AM EST
-11:00 AM EST
Prefer video-based learning? The Target Test Prep OnDemand course is a one-of-a-kind video masterclass featuring 400 hours of lecture-style teaching by Scott Woodbury-Stewart, founder of Target Test Prep and one of the most accomplished GMAT instructors.
10 Jan 2012, 12:49
Kudos
Bookmarks
B
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
35%
(medium)
Question Stats:
70% (01:35) correct
30%
(01:59)
wrong
based on 3493
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Which of the following most logically completes the passage?
On the whole, scientists do their most creative work before age forty, a tendency that has been taken to show that aging carries with it a loss of creative capacity. An alternative explanation is that by age forty most scientists have worked in their field for fifteen or more years and that by then they have exhausted the opportunity for creative work in that field. Supporting this explanation is the finding that ________.
(A) the average age of recipients of scientific research grants is significantly greater than forty.
(B) a disproportionately large number of the scientists who produce highly creative work beyond age forty entered their field at an older age than is common.
(C) many scientists temper their own expectations of what they can achieve in their research work by their belief that their creativity will decline as they age.
(D) scientists who are older than forty tend to find more satisfaction in other activities, such as teaching and mentoring, than they do in pursuing their own research.
(E) there is a similar diminution of creativity with age in non-scientific fields, such as poetry and musical composition.
On the whole, scientists do their most creative work before age forty, a tendency that has been taken to show that aging carries with it a loss of creative capacity. An alternative explanation is that by age forty most scientists have worked in their field for fifteen or more years and that by then they have exhausted the opportunity for creative work in that field. Supporting this explanation is the finding that ________.
(A) the average age of recipients of scientific research grants is significantly greater than forty.
(B) a disproportionately large number of the scientists who produce highly creative work beyond age forty entered their field at an older age than is common.
(C) many scientists temper their own expectations of what they can achieve in their research work by their belief that their creativity will decline as they age.
(D) scientists who are older than forty tend to find more satisfaction in other activities, such as teaching and mentoring, than they do in pursuing their own research.
(E) there is a similar diminution of creativity with age in non-scientific fields, such as poetry and musical composition.
Can someone break down this Argument and also state why the Answer is not D.
10 Jan 2012, 22:01
Kudos
Bookmarks
The argument says that most research scientists do their best work before the age of 40. Many assume the reason is that as scientists age they become less creative.
The argument proposes another explanation: scientists exhaust their creative opportunities after 15 years, which, for many, is by the time they reach 40.
A finding supporting this second explanation could focus on the majority of scientists. But such an answer choice would be restating the argument, e.g. most scientists who worked in the field for fifteen years report being less creative.
Instead, the correct answer (B) focuses on those scientists who do creative work after age 40. If they started their careers later in life, they have yet to exhaust their creative opportunity for creative work.
Answer choice (D) also focuses on the over 40 cohort. However, the focus is not research and the amount of time they have been doing creative work in their respective fields.
Instead (D) focuses on satisfaction. Nowhere does the argument make a connection between the quality of work done and the satisfaction gained from it.
For example, imagine a scientist who entered the field later in life. Over 40, he tends to enjoy teaching more than research. Yet, because he entered the field late, he has yet to exhaust his opportunity for creative work. He may not enjoy this work as much as teaching, but this predilection doesn’t preclude him from doing creative work after 40.
The argument proposes another explanation: scientists exhaust their creative opportunities after 15 years, which, for many, is by the time they reach 40.
A finding supporting this second explanation could focus on the majority of scientists. But such an answer choice would be restating the argument, e.g. most scientists who worked in the field for fifteen years report being less creative.
Instead, the correct answer (B) focuses on those scientists who do creative work after age 40. If they started their careers later in life, they have yet to exhaust their creative opportunity for creative work.
Answer choice (D) also focuses on the over 40 cohort. However, the focus is not research and the amount of time they have been doing creative work in their respective fields.
Instead (D) focuses on satisfaction. Nowhere does the argument make a connection between the quality of work done and the satisfaction gained from it.
For example, imagine a scientist who entered the field later in life. Over 40, he tends to enjoy teaching more than research. Yet, because he entered the field late, he has yet to exhaust his opportunity for creative work. He may not enjoy this work as much as teaching, but this predilection doesn’t preclude him from doing creative work after 40.
souvik101990
Expert
Alum
Joined: 19 Mar 2012
Last visit: 11 Nov 2025
Posts: 4,321
Given Kudos: 2,326
Location: United States (WA)
Concentration: Leadership, General Management
Schools: Ross '20 (M)
GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V42
GMAT 2: 740 Q49 V42 (Online)
GMAT 3: 760 Q50 V42 (Online)
GPA: 3.8
WE:Marketing (Non-Profit and Government)
Products:
Expert reply
27 Nov 2015, 08:44
Kudos
Bookmarks
Paraphrasing:
conclusion : Scientists' Creativity decreases with Time.
In order to support this conclusion Author says " Most scientist by the age of forty have 15 years of experience, that exhaust the opportunity of creative work in the field".
We have to find something that support Author Saying ..
a) Irrelevant.
b) Scientist who produce creative work after the age of forty, entered in the field lately. --> Means by the age of forty, they have not finished the 15 year of experience, so they still find opportunities. This is supporting Author.
c) says scientist do their work with a believe that their creativity will decrease with age. But this has nothing to do with Author saying.
d) This doesn't fit in the passage. Grammar Error : A scientist Who "are", LOL..
In terms of meaning, I found this is close.
Scientist after the age of 40, find more satisfaction in other activities than research; Again if they are not satisfied, this doesn't mean there is no opportunity for creative work.
5) Irrelevant, Talking about the other fields.
conclusion : Scientists' Creativity decreases with Time.
In order to support this conclusion Author says " Most scientist by the age of forty have 15 years of experience, that exhaust the opportunity of creative work in the field".
We have to find something that support Author Saying ..
a) Irrelevant.
b) Scientist who produce creative work after the age of forty, entered in the field lately. --> Means by the age of forty, they have not finished the 15 year of experience, so they still find opportunities. This is supporting Author.
c) says scientist do their work with a believe that their creativity will decrease with age. But this has nothing to do with Author saying.
d) This doesn't fit in the passage. Grammar Error : A scientist Who "are", LOL..
In terms of meaning, I found this is close.
Scientist after the age of 40, find more satisfaction in other activities than research; Again if they are not satisfied, this doesn't mean there is no opportunity for creative work.
5) Irrelevant, Talking about the other fields.
