Marcab wrote:
Educator: Like many other difficult pursuits, music requires intense study and practice from an early age in order for one to become proficient. But many school music programs encourage only children who demonstrate early aptitude to continue studying music, while children who do not appear especially musical are directed towards other activities. Having learned to think of themselves as musically inept, these children do not devote any time to music, and thus some of them deprive themselves of the opportunity to develop latent but potentially significant musical talent.
The educator's statements, if true, would best support which of the following conclusions?
(A) Music education should not devote special attention to talented students.
(B) Everyone has the potential to learn music.
(C) Talent is not always apparent at an early age.
(D) Children are particularly sensitive to criticism from adults.
(E) All children should study music.
OFFICIAL EXPLANATION
We are asked to draw a conclusion based on the educator's statements. The educator states that children who demonstrate early talent for music are encouraged to pursue it while children who do not show such talent are not encouraged and thus deprive themselves of the opportunity to develop a latent talent. We must find an answer choice that is based only on these statements.
(A) This choice states that music education should not devote special attention to talented students. This goes beyond the scope of the educator's statements.
(B) This choice states that everyone has the potential to learn music. This goes beyond the scope of the educator's statements. The educator is arguing against classifying students as musically inept at an early age because they might have latent talent that is not showing itself. He is not necessarily saying that everyone has the potential to learn music.
(C) CORRECT. By referring to the latent talent that some children may be neglecting, the educator is implying that not all talent shows its face at an early age.
(D) The fact that children who are directed towards other activities have learned to think of themselves as musically inept doesn't mean that children are particularly sensitive to criticism from adults. The being "directed towards other activities" is not necessarily best characterized criticism, and furthermore, it is not just children that tend to think themselves incapable of something if they don't partake in that activity.
(E) The educator is not necessarily claiming that all children should study music.