Psychologists have found that there are fascinating differences

Question

Psychologists have found that there are fascinating differences between children and adults when it comes to learning a new musical instrument. In particular, the piano is an instrument that knows no one age for learning and presents multiple opportunities for the successful attainment of musical skills. It does, however, offer a variety of challenges both to children and to adults – due to the differences in mind development – with children developing certain skills more quickly and more effectively than adults. How quickly children learn is often limited by their motor skills, but they are more likely to remember in detail the pieces they learn and to retain that knowledge over long periods of time. At the same time, adults are more likely to retain the muscle memory of the pieces that they learn and reproduce them blindly, just by allowing their fingers to recall the correct notes.

If the passage above is true, all of the following may be concluded EXCEPT:

(A) Adult minds learn the skills required to play the piano differently than children’s minds.

(B) Adults might not recall the exact details of the piece they learned, but the muscle memory in their fingers makes them very likely to remember the notes.

(C) The piano is the only instrument that both children and adults can learn to play well.

(D) Learning the piano is not limited to children, because adults can learn to play well.

(E) Adults are more likely to learn hand and finger movements on the piano faster than children do.

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cdrectenwald · Answer

(C) The piano is the only instrument that both children and adults can learn to play well.

Explanation:
The passage discusses differences in how children and adults learn the piano, emphasizing the unique challenges and advantages each age group experiences. However, it does not claim that the piano is the only instrument that both children and adults can learn well. This makes (C) the correct choice, as it cannot be concluded from the passage.

Why the other options can be concluded:
(A): The passage explicitly states that children and adults learn piano differently due to differences in mind development, making this a valid conclusion.

(B): The passage states that adults often rely on muscle memory to reproduce pieces, even if they cannot recall the details, making this a valid conclusion.

(D): The passage notes that both children and adults can successfully learn the piano, showing that learning is not limited to children.

(E): The passage suggests that adults are more likely to retain muscle memory (hand and finger movements), implying they may learn these faster than children.

arulnema7 · Answer

How is retaining muscle memory related to learning hand and finger movements faster than children?

Can someone please help?  GMATNinja   GMATNinja 2 @bunnel?

Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Overview:

The final question in the second Logical Reasoning section of the test discusses discoveries made by psychologists about the differences between the way adults and children learn to play the piano. The author states that the learning differences are due largely to differences in mind development: children’s minds develop in such a way that they learn “certain skills more quickly and more effectively than adults.” At the same time, the motor skills of children develop differently, so they do not learn to play as quickly as adults might; however, their minds allow them to recall the pieces better than adults can. Finally, the author notes that adults retain muscle memory and can reproduce the pieces merely by remembering the fingering of the pieces, implying that children actually retain a better memory of the piece itself and the notes and do not have to rely only on muscle memory. The question then asks which of the answer choices cannot be concluded from the passage. This means, of course, that four of the answer choices are implied in the passage, so the student needs to consider each answer choice carefully.

The Correct Answer:

C The author states early in the passage, “the piano is an instrument that knows no one age for learning and presents multiple opportunities for the successful attainment of musical skills.” This suggests that the piano is one instrument that both adults and children can learn to play. This does not imply, however, that the piano is the only instrument that adults and children can learn to play. Answer choice (C) cannot be concluded from the passage, so it is the correct answer.

The Incorrect Answers:

A The author states the information in answer choice (A) directly in the passage: “It does, however, offer a variety of challenges both to children and to adults – due to the differences in mind development.” So, answer choice (A) can be inferred from the passage and is thus incorrect.

B At the end of the passage, the author notes, “At the same time, adults are more likely to retain the muscle memory of the pieces they learn and reproduce them blindly, just by allowing their fingers to recall the correct notes.” Therefore, answer choice (B) is clearly a conclusion that can be drawn from the passage and is thus incorrect.

D In the second sentence of the passage, the author states, “In particular, the piano is an instrument that knows no one age for learning and presents multiple opportunities for the successful attainment of musical skills.” This means that answer choice (D) is a conclusion that can be drawn from the passage. So, answer choice (D) can be eliminated as incorrect.

E The author notes in the passage, “How quickly children learn is often limited by their motor skills.” This suggests that the fully-developed motor skills of adults allow them to learn the hand and finger movements more quickly than children, so answer choice (E) is a conclusion that can be drawn from the passage. Answer choice (E) is thus incorrect.

Psychologists have found that there are fascinating differences

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GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

Psychologists have found that there are fascinating differences

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