PrepTest 144
[lcid:3672] Prep Test 144 LSAT — Reading Comp — S1
Reading comp
Passage
. "Never was anything as incoherent, shrill, chaotic . and ear-splitting produced in music. The most piercing . dissonances clash
Remaining source text redacted.
Passage walkthrough
Passage SummaryTopic: Humanities
Paragraph 1
Schoenberg was similar in some ways to earlier composers, and he wasn't immediately appreciated, but through his evolving career, he developed new technical and emotional approaches to music that make him essential
Key Lines:
Lines 6-10 - Two composers are compared as initially unpopular
Lines 11-13 - The importance of the two composers is noted
Lines 20-23 - The composer who serves as the main topic of the passage is described
Lines 23-25 - The structure of the following paragraphs is noted
Lines 47-53 - Schoenberg's importance is described
Meta-Structure:
Importance of an Artist - Focusing on an artist and how they changed the form in which they worked is a common passage structure. When it's the case, it's important to have a solid grasp on the different styles presented—especially what was different about the artist in question. Additionally, it's important to know exactly why the Author believes the artist in question was so important.
Here, we know that Schoenberg's styles are looked at from Lines 25-45, so we should have noted a brief description of each step on his evolution. We also know that the last paragraph describes the Author's view on his importance. We can head to the questions feeling pretty comfortable that we can quickly locate any information we need to.
Last Thoughts:
Note that the passage shifts from comparing Schoenberg to Beethoven to comparing him to Mozart. It would be easy to lump Beethoven and Mozart together if you just read them as "other composer," but there might be a question that tries to trip us up on that front.
Paragraph 1
- Paragraph note
- A quote
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
- Some music was . . . really bad
- Paragraph note
- Details on the quote are given, along with a comparison
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
- Quote - 1806, about a Beethoven piece
- Similar to reactions to Schoenberg
- Paragraph note
- A similarity between the composers, and more on Beethoven
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
- Similarity - Altered language, expressive range of music
- Beethoven - Wasn't appreciated right away; required repeated listenings (phonograph)
- Paragraph note
- A similarity, with more on Schoenberg
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
- Similar - Constantly changing/evolving
- Schoenberg - Went through 3 styles (first late-Romantic - shifting harmonies)
- Similar - First style and Brahms
- Paragraph note
- Schoenberg's second style is discussed (no tonal basis)
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
- Second style - Unstable harmonies to no tonality
- Why? Inevitable future, and needed to for expression
- Paragraph note
- Schoenberg's third style (12-tone technique); All styles compared
- Brought stability to nontonal music
- Similarities in all - Schoenberg had technical mastery
- Growth - More condensed, violent in contrast, harder to follow
- Paragraph note
- Schoenberg's importance
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
- Important because of what he said, not how he made music
- 12-tone system previewed by Mozart - not most important
- Essential element - Captured disquieting emotions for first time (disturbing)
Schoenberg was similar in some ways to earlier composers, and he wasn't immediately appreciated, but through his evolving career, he developed new technical and emotional approaches to music that make him essential
Key Lines:
Lines 6-10 - Two composers are compared as initially unpopular
Lines 11-13 - The importance of the two composers is noted
Lines 20-23 - The composer who serves as the main topic of the passage is described
Lines 23-25 - The structure of the following paragraphs is noted
Lines 47-53 - Schoenberg's importance is described
Meta-Structure:
Importance of an Artist - Focusing on an artist and how they changed the form in which they worked is a common passage structure. When it's the case, it's important to have a solid grasp on the different styles presented—especially what was different about the artist in question. Additionally, it's important to know exactly why the Author believes the artist in question was so important.
Here, we know that Schoenberg's styles are looked at from Lines 25-45, so we should have noted a brief description of each step on his evolution. We also know that the last paragraph describes the Author's view on his importance. We can head to the questions feeling pretty comfortable that we can quickly locate any information we need to.
Last Thoughts:
Note that the passage shifts from comparing Schoenberg to Beethoven to comparing him to Mozart. It would be easy to lump Beethoven and Mozart together if you just read them as "other composer," but there might be a question that tries to trip us up on that front.
Question prompt
Which one of the
Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right
Credited answer: D
The notes below walk through why it fits the stem and how to eliminate the rest.
Question Type
Humanities
Answer choices
-
Athe technical mastery of Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice A is not credited
Incorrect. (Line 49) His technical mastery was exemplified by the 12-tone system that the Author believes wasn't his essential contribution to music, so this answer can be ruled out. -
Bthe use of shifting Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice B is not credited
Incorrect. (Lines 25-26) This characterized Schoenberg's early music in the late-Romantic manner. Since it was something that he used but others established, it isn't what made him essential/valuable as a composer. -
Cthe use of the Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice C is not credited
Incorrect. (Line 49) The Author specifically states that Schoenberg was essential "not because of the 12-tone system," so we can eliminate this answer. -
Dthe depiction of emotional Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice D matches the stem
Correct. Question Type:
Must Be True
Strategy Overview:
Find where we tagged an Author's opinion that's strong enough to back up this answer, then find the answer reflecting what the passage says
Answer Anticipation/Relevant Lines:
Here's an absolute rule for RC—whenever you see very strong language, make a note. This question is asking about what the Author appears to value "most highly." Such superlative language should always be noted, especially when it's attached to the Author's attitude.
Since this is asking about what the Author thinks is the most important facet of Schoenberg, we should focus on Paragraph 7, where the Author discussed this topic. And there, we can see that the Author states something that isn't Schoenberg's most valuable contribution (the 12-tone system, Line 49). And she brings up what makes his music "essential"—which is strong enough to support that she finds it the most valuable. That element of his music is his precise delineation of "disquieting emotional states that music had not recorded before" (Lines 52-53).
So let's find an answer reflecting that essential element—the capture of previously uncaptured emotions. And let's eliminate any answer dealing with the 12-tone system.
Answer Explanation:
(Lines 50-53) The Author says that the depiction of such emotions made Schoenberg's music "essential," so it's likely what she finds most valuable about it. This answer is therefore correct.
Key Takeaway:
Note strong and superlative language in RC passages. There aren't a lot of them, and so when they show up in the passage, they tend to also show up in the questions/answers. Also, if they don't show up in the passage, then you can feel comfortable eliminating answers that include such language. -
Ethe progression through three Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice E is not credited
Incorrect. (Lines 20-21) While the Author does discuss these styles, and she goes into detail across three paragraphs, one for each style, she never connects Schoenberg's value to this progression. Rather, she attributes it to the depiction of previously undepicted emotions.
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