All available research points to the fact that music education can

What is the author's main point?

Difficulty Level: 700

Explanation

A. An important research study determined that students whose music education commenced in kindergarten fared the best on standardized tests.
This option is partially correct as it highlights one of the key findings of the research studies mentioned in the passage. However, it does not fully capture the author's main point, which is that music education has the potential to improve a student's academic skills, particularly in mathematics.

B. Music education has the potential to strengthen students' academic skills.
This option is the correct answer as it accurately summarizes the author's main point. The passage presents several studies that support the idea that music education can have a positive impact on a student's academic skills, especially in the area of mathematics.

C. The study regarding the effect of music education on academic success was conducted in an objective and scientific manner.
While the passage mentions several studies, it does not provide any details about how these studies were conducted or whether they were objective and scientific. Therefore, this option is not an accurate summary of the author's main point.

D. The overall effectiveness of music education in improving a child's academic performance in mathematics is correlated with the age at which that child begins to receive instruction in music.
This option is partially correct, as it mentions one of the findings presented in the passage. However, it does not fully capture the author's main point, which is that music education can have a positive impact on academic performance regardless of when it is introduced.

E. Schools are willing to employ strategies that have the potential of bolstering the academic performance of their students.
While this option is true to some extent, it does not accurately summarize the main point of the passage. The author's main point is specifically about the potential benefits of music education, rather than schools' willingness to employ strategies to improve academic performance more generally.

Answer: B