On the whole, scientist do their most creative work before a

Question

Which of the following most logically completes the passage?

On the whole, scientists do their most creative work before age forty, a tendency that has been taken to show that aging carries with it a loss of creative capacity. An alternative explanation is that by age forty most scientists have worked in their field for fifteen or more years and that by then they have exhausted the opportunity for creative work in that field. Supporting this explanation is the finding that ________.

(A) the average age of recipients of scientific research grants is significantly greater than forty.

(B) a disproportionately large number of the scientists who produce highly creative work beyond age forty entered their field at an older age than is common.

(C) many scientists temper their own expectations of what they can achieve in their research work by their belief that their creativity will decline as they age.

(D) scientists who are older than forty tend to find more satisfaction in other activities, such as teaching and mentoring, than they do in pursuing their own research.

(E) there is a similar diminution of creativity with age in non-scientific fields, such as poetry and musical composition.

Can someone break down this Argument and also state why the Answer is not D.

ChrisLele · Accepted Answer

The argument says that most research scientists do their best work before the age of 40. Many assume the reason is that as scientists age they become less creative.

The argument proposes another explanation: scientists exhaust their creative opportunities after 15 years, which, for many, is by the time they reach 40.

A finding supporting this second explanation could focus on the majority of scientists. But such an answer choice would be restating the argument, e.g. most scientists who worked in the field for fifteen years report being less creative.

Instead, the correct answer (B) focuses on those scientists who do creative work after age 40. If they started their careers later in life, they have yet to exhaust their creative opportunity for creative work.

Answer choice (D) also focuses on the over 40 cohort. However, the focus is not research and the amount of time they have been doing creative work in their respective fields.

Instead (D) focuses on satisfaction. Nowhere does the argument make a connection between the quality of work done and the satisfaction gained from it.

For example, imagine a scientist who entered the field later in life. Over 40, he tends to enjoy teaching more than research. Yet, because he entered the field late, he has yet to exhaust his opportunity for creative work. He may not enjoy this work as much as teaching, but this predilection doesn’t preclude him from doing creative work after 40.

souvik101990 · Answer

Paraphrasing:

conclusion : Scientists' Creativity decreases with Time.
In order to support this conclusion Author says " Most scientist by the age of forty have 15 years of experience, that exhaust the opportunity of creative work in the field".

We have to find something that support Author Saying ..

a) Irrelevant.

b) Scientist who produce creative work after the age of forty, entered in the field lately. --> Means by the age of forty, they have not finished the 15 year of experience, so they still find opportunities. This is supporting Author.

c) says scientist do their work with a believe that their creativity will decrease with age. But this has nothing to do with Author saying.

d) This doesn't fit in the passage. Grammar Error : A scientist Who "are", LOL..
In terms of meaning, I found this is close.
Scientist after the age of 40, find more satisfaction in other activities than research; Again if they are not satisfied, this doesn't mean there is no opportunity for creative work.

5) Irrelevant, Talking about the other fields.

goalset · Answer

In B,direct support is given to the argument that age (or years in the field) and creativity are related to each other even if the scientist enter late into a field after certain years decline in creativity is certain.
In D,although alternative explanation is given, it directly does not relate age and creativity and it refers to change in scientist's career after the age of 40.

Nitinaka19 · Answer

My analysis ,

Conclusion states that Ageing leads to loss of creativity in scientific work. Keeping this in mind,

Option B means that , if the scientist who does creative work enter the field after 40yrs of age . Doesn't it meant that ,it not the age which cause loss of creative neither the working for too long in that field that cause loss of opportunity which leads to less of creative work.

it is just third cause which weaken the argument that age is not the factor which leads to loss of creative work.

Please help me out ,where I'm getting wrong?

Thanks

bb61 · Answer

the argument represents two explanations for why scientists do their most creative works before the age forty.
reason 1) aging carries with it a loss of creative capacity
reason 2) by age forty most scientists have worked in their field for fifteen or more years and that by then they have exhausted the opportunity for creative work in that field........  lack of creative work among scientists over 40 is not due to loss of creative capacity but due to exhaustion

and we require an evidence to support the second explanation. option B. "a disproportionately large number of the scientists who produce highly creative work beyond age forty entered their field at an older age than is common." shows that those who age more than 40 and produce creative work are those who are entered their field in older age(lack of exhaustion..).. actually it denies the first explanation and supports the second one.

YangYichen · Answer

nice explanation~finally i understand the stimulus of the question

TheUltimateWinner · Answer

Hi  souvik101990 ,
There is nothing like the red part in D. Did you mistakenly quote this red part from D or something else?
Thanks____

grb26 · Answer

Option B in a way is supporting the argument and hence sounds correct option.

shahidomer77 · Answer

B is the correct answer . The people who entered earlier have EXHAUSTED . So who succeeded later , they entered late in that field.

Kudos please

dabaobao · Answer

Strengthen Q

Need a choice that strengthens the alternative explanation.

(A) the average age of recipients of scientific research grants is significantly greater than forty.  - Irrelevant

(B) a disproportionately large number of the scientists who produce highly creative work beyond age forty entered their field at an older age than is common.  - Correct

(C) many scientists temper their own expectations of what they can achieve in their research work by their belief that their creativity will decline as they age.  - Irrelevant

(D) scientists who are older than forty tend to find more satisfaction in other activities, such as teaching and mentoring, than they do in pursuing their own research.  - Irrelevant

(E) there is a similar diminution of creativity with age in non-scientific fields, such as poetry and musical composition.  - Irrelevant

NextLevelHope · Answer

Please provide me with option wise analysis. Thank You.

pavanhra · Answer

marty  Sir, Here Option B talks disproprotionately large number of scientists, can we assume like that? high number of people which is not said in the passage.

On the whole, scientist do their most creative work before a

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On the whole, scientist do their most creative work before a

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