Some educators claim that it is best that school courses cover only

Question

Some educators claim that it is best that school courses cover only basic subject matter, but cover it in depth. These educators argue that if student achieve a solid grasp of the basic concepts and investigatory techniques in a subject, they will be able to explore the breadth of that subject on their own after the course is over. But if they simply learn a lot of factual information, without truly understanding its significance, they will not be well equipped for further study on their own.

The educator's reasoning provides grounds for accepting which one of the following statements?

(A) It is easier to understand how plants and animals are classified after learning how plants and animals can be useful

(B) It is more difficult to recall the details of a dull and complicated lecture than of a lively and interesting one.

(C) It is easier to remember new ideas explained personally by a teacher than ideas that one explores independently.

(D) It is easier to understand any Greek tragedy after one has analyzed a few of them in detail.

(E) It is easier to learn many simple ideas well than to learn a few complicated ideas well.

GMATNinja · Accepted Answer

The educators in the passage argue that  "if student achieve a solid grasp of the basic concepts and investigatory techniques in a subject, they will be able to explore the breadth of that subject on their own after the course is over."

Analyzing a few Greek tragedies in detail, as (D) suggests, might not give the students a  complete  grasp of the techniques needed to analyze another Greek tragedy. However, if they achieve a  solid grasp  of these techniques, it will  make it easier  for them to explore and understand the breadth of other tragedies when they are reading by themselves after they finish school.

The reason it's ok for the word "any" to be used in (D) is that the student doesn't actually have to be able to understand the tragedy fully -- by analyzing a few tragedies in school, they will find it  easier  to understand any other Greek tragedy, so we don't need to limit our hypothetical student to understanding "most" tragedies.

You also need to be careful that you don't change any of the wording in the passage or the answer choices -- (D) says that a student will find it easier to  understand  (not analyze) any Greek tragedy after they have analyzed a few in detail. This seemingly tiny change in wording can have a big effect on how you look at this answer choice.

Looking at the other answer choices, none of them suggest that learning a small number of concepts and techniques in depth while at school will make it easier to explore the depth of a subject later, so you should cross out the other answer choices and (D) should be your answer to this one.

I hope that helps!

lostin · Answer

As per the stem - Students are able to learn more once they have read few basic concepts and apply those concepts by their own.
(A) Classification and usefulness seems 2 very different concepts and not in line of stem. The basic concepts have to be similar or relevant but I will keep this as one of the possible option.
(B) Out of scope here. No mention of style of the lecture.
(C) Stem talks about basic concepts not new ideas. Also it is too broad given.
(D) Correct - this option says - once you have learnt about few Greek tragedy , it is easier to understand others. Also the option says - easier - not necessary that one will have to understand it fully.
(E) Again no mention of simple or complication ideas in the stem. The basic concepts can also be complicated one.

In Option A and D - Option D more aligns with the stem, I eliminated option A.

auradediligodo · Answer

Some educators claim that it is best that school courses cover only basic subject matter, but cover it in depth. These educators argue that if student achieve a solid grasp of the basic concepts and investigatory techniques in a subject, they will be able to explore the breadth of that subject on their own after the course is over. But if they simply learn a lot of factual information, without truly understanding its significance, they will not be well equipped for further study on their own.

The educator's reasoning provides grounds for accepting which one of the following statements?

Analogous reasoning question

Pre-thinking

The author thinks that it is more useful to study a concept in details rather than to study a lot of factual information for the purpose of being well equipped to study on their own later on.

POE

(A) It is easier to understand how plants and animals are classified after learning how plants and animals can be useful
 Although appealing, this option does not give us information whether studying the utility of plants and animal is a concept or not and whether it is done thoroughly

(B) It is more difficult to recall the details of a dull and complicated lecture than of a lively and interesting one.
 to recall something is not mentioned in the agument

(C) It is easier to remember new ideas explained personally by a teacher than ideas that one explores independently.
 to remember something is not mentioned in the argument

(D)   It is easier to understand any Greek tragedy after one has analyzed a few of them in detail.
 In line with pre-thinking

(E) It is easier to learn many simple ideas well than to learn a few complicated ideas well.
 Out of scope

Linhtang · Answer

Someone please posts Official Guide's explanation for this question. Thanks!

prakhar992 · Answer

Isn't the word "any" extreme in option D? We can not infer that a student will be able to analyze any Greek tragedy. If the author stated "many", then the answer would be D.
 GMATNinja   daagh  sir, please explain.

unraveled · Answer

Some educators claim that it is best that school courses cover only basic subject matter, but cover it in depth. These educators argue that if student achieve a solid grasp of the basic concepts and investigatory techniques in a subject, they will be able to explore the breadth of that subject on their own after the course is over.  But if they simply learn a lot of factual information, without truly understanding its significance, they will not be well equipped for further study on their own.

The educator's reasoning provides grounds for accepting which one of the following statements?

(A) It is  easier to understand  how plants and animals are classified after learning how plants and animals can be useful - WRONG. Not about the degree of ease of understanding but how well concepts learnt are applied.

(B) It is more  difficult to recall the details  of a dull and complicated lecture than of a lively and interesting one. - WRONG. Plain wrong.

(C) It is  easier to remember new ideas  explained personally by a teacher than ideas that one explores independently. - WRONG. Scope shift.

(D) It is easier to understand any Greek tragedy  after one has analyzed  a few of them in detail. - CORRECT. Yes, the application aspect.

(E) It is  easier to learn  many  simple ideas  well than to learn a few  complicated ideas  well. - WRONG. Irrelevant.

Highlighted text is the conclusion. Why educators say that? What might be true if that's how it is?
Answer to these questions helps us understand why it is said.

Answer D.

VerbalBot · Answer

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Some educators claim that it is best that school courses cover only

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