Representation of performers by agents is still the predominant way in which theatrical and other performers secure employment, even though agents may take between 10 and 15 percent of a performer's income. Apparently, most performers reason that agents have the resources to find roles to which the performers might not otherwise have access.

Which of the following can be properly concluded from the passage above?

A The work accomplished by a performer's agent is too extensive for the performer to accomplish alone.

B When a performer and a performer's agent work together, the results are far superior to those of a performer working alone.

C The representation of performers by agents is not an entirely new method by which performers secure employment.

D The financial results of the 10 to 15 percent earned from the representation of a performer are enough to provide a living for a performer's agent.

E When a performer and a performer's agent work together, generally the company or person offering the performer employment is the one who will benefit most from the relationship.

egmat VeritasKarishma Could you please help with this question?

When a Critical Reasoning question asks what can be "properly concluded," the answer has to be something that not just is likely but rather follows directly from the information presented by the passage and basically has to be true given the information presented in the passage.

In this case, the passage tells us that:

Performers usually work with agents "even though agents may take between 10 and 15 percent of a performer's income."

Apparently performers use agents because "performers reason that agents have the resources to find roles to which the performers might not otherwise have access."

The correct answer will follow from that information. We have to be careful not to bring in our opinions or other information.

Now let's consider choice (A).

A The work accomplished by a performer's agent is too extensive for the performer to accomplish alone.

Does (A) follow directly from what the passage says?

What (A) says seems reasonable given what the passage says, but we are not looking for something that just seems reasonable.

The passage says that performers use agents. Can we conclude from that information that there is no way for a performer to accomplish what an agent accomplishes? No.

The passage says that performers REASON that agents have resources to find roles to which the performers MIGHT not otherwise have access. Can we conclude from this statement that there is no way for a performer to accomplish alone what an agent accomplishes?

Not really. For one thing, the wording "apparently performers reason" indicates that what the performers reason may not be true. Secondly, the word "might" indicates that it may be the case that actually the performers "might" have access to those roles even without an agent. In other words, the wording indicates that it may be the case that the performers could accomplish what the agents accomplish.

Also, what the passage says does not lead to ruling out the possibility that, should a performer so desire, a performer could acquire the same resources that an agent has.

So (A) neither follows directly from what the passage says nor must be true given what the passage says.

Let's contrast (A) with the OA, (C).

C The representation of performers by agents is not an entirely new method by which performers secure employment.

The passage says "Representation of performers by agents is still the predominant way in which theatrical and other performers secure employment."

The one word "still" tells us that (C) is correct, as "still" indicates that what is true now was true previously.

An additional takeaway from this question is that the OA to an Inference question, which this question is, doesn't have to follow from all of the information presented in the passage. It can follow from a small part of the information presented in the passage. In this question the OA is fully supported by just part of what is said in the first sentence of the passage.
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Here is my approach!!

When I read the question :can be properly concluded from the passage
I alert myself and say its an inference question and the correct question follow from the statements mentioned in the passage.

Now I would paraphrase the passage and try understanding in my own words(you can also try personlizing but stay in the scope)

So performers requires agents inspite of the fact that they charge some 10-15% which of course would pinch them but this probably would
give them the required roles because of the indispensable reach of those agents.

Now lets move at the options:

A The work accomplished by a performer's agent is too extensive for the performer to accomplish alone.

The passage mentions that the performers might not have access to those resources.So we cant conclude its extensive or not.
In real world ..I can think if agents in Bollywood/Hollywood might have necessary contacts .This doesn't say its extensive or not.Rather
altogether a different scope and expertise.

B When a performer and a performer's agent work together, the results are far superior to those of a performer working alone.

Nothing in the passage sugests that.We just know the artist lands up with the right job and agent gets the commission.
Its not like general sports coach when they work together ,the player performs better on the field because of mentorship/training etc.

C The representation of performers by agents is not an entirely new method by which performers secure employment.

Yes.The passage mentions ...representation of performers by agents is still the predominant way ..blah blah

D The financial results of the 10 to 15 percent earned from the representation of a performer are enough to provide a living for a performer's agent.

We are not concerned with living.

E When a performer and a performer's agent work together, generally the company or person offering the performer employment is the one who will benefit most from the relationship.

Doesn't follow from passage(who benefits more).Irrelevant .


Hope it helps!!