Scientists typically do their most creative work before the age

Question

Scientists typically do their most creative work before the age of forty. It is commonly thought that this happens because  aging by itself brings about a loss of creative capacity . However, a study has found that almost all scientists who produce highly creative work beyond the age of forty entered their fields late and less than a dozen years before their creative breakthroughs. Since  creative breakthroughs by scientists under forty also generally occur within a dozen years of the scientist’s entry into the field,  the study’s finding strongly suggests that the real reason why scientists over forty rarely produce highly creative work is not due to age but rather because most have spent too long in their fields.

In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

A. The first is the position that the argument as a whole defends; the second is evidence that is advanced as part of that defense.
B. The first and second are both claims that have been advanced in support of a position that the argument as a whole opposes.
C. The first is an explanation that the argument challenges; the second provides evidence in support of a competing explanation that the argument defends.
D. The first is an explanation that the argument challenges; the second is evidence that has been used against an alternative explanation that the argument defends.
E. The first is an explanation that the argument defends; the second is evidence that has been used to challenge that explanation.

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LakerFan24 · Accepted Answer

Scientists typically do their most creative work before the age of forty. It is commonly thought that this happens because aging by itself brings about a loss of creative capacity. However, a study has found that almost all scientists who produce highly creative work beyond the age of forty entered their fields late and less than a dozen years before their creative breakthroughs. Since creative breakthroughs by scientists under forty also generally occur within a dozen years of the scientist’s entry into the field, the study’s finding strongly suggests that the real reason why scientists over forty rarely produce highly creative work is not due to age but rather because most have spent too long in their fields.

In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

CONCLUSION: "real reason why scientists over forty rarely produce highly creative work is not due to age but rather because most have spent too long in their fields"

A. The first is the position that the argument as a whole defends; the second is evidence that is advanced as part of that defense.
- BF1 is what the argument OPPOSES. BF1 says aging makes people less creative, but the argument enforces that too much time, REGARDLESS of age, re-enforces less creativity

B. The first and second are both claims that have been advanced in support of a position that the argument as a whole opposes.
- wrong. BF support contrasting ideas

C. The first is an explanation that the argument challenges; the second provides evidence in support of a competing explanation that the argument defends.
- correct as is

D. The first is an explanation that the argument challenges; the second is evidence that has been used against an alternative explanation that the argument defends.
- BF2 is not evidence AGAINST another explanation...it is evidence SUPPORTING another explanation that the argument defends.

E. The first is an explanation that the argument defends; the second is evidence that has been used to challenge that explanation.
- exact opposite -- BF1 challenges, BF2 defends

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sananoor · Answer

it must be C the first boldface started after "because" so it cant be a position or claim, rule out A and B
the first boldface an explanation that is challenged and something new is stated. the other boldface is again an evidence that defends the final conclusion. 
E is out cuz first boldface isnt an evidence used for defending the main conclusion
D is out cuz 2nd boldface helps to defend the main conclusion of the argument

adkikani · Answer

GMATNinja   generis   VeritasKarishma   nightblade354   gmat1393   GMATNinjaTwo

I selected D and it seems I misread one key word- AGAINST 
that makes this answer choice incorrect.

Let me know if my understanding of below terms is correct:
Defends: strengthens (the claim)
competing explanation: an explanation which can not be argued upon very easily and one the which leads to claim with minimum disagreements.

VerbalBot · Answer

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Scientists typically do their most creative work before the age

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