PrepTest 157
[lcid:3727] Prep Test 157 LSAT — Reading Comp — S4
Reading comp
Passage
In 1959, Hitsville, USA—the company better known as Motown Records—was founded in Detroit, Michigan by Berry Gordy, Jr. Several factors
Remaining source text redacted.
Passage walkthrough
Passage Summary Topic:
Humanities
Paragraph 1
Main Point:
Motown Records' success resulted from founder Berry Gordy, Jr.'s business acumen and the label's independence, the deep pool of talented artists fostered by the public music-education program in Detroit's African American community, and the artists' early embrace of electric instruments.
Key Lines?
Paragraph 1, Sentence 2 (P1, S2) - Phenomenon
P1, S3 - Author's Explanation
P2, S1 - Support for the author's explanation
P3, S1 - Support for the author's explanation
P4, S1 - Support for the author's explanation
Meta-Structure?
Phenomenon/Explanation: The passage's overarching Meta-Structure is Phenomenon/Explanation. The author only discusses one phenomenon — Motown Records' rapid success (P1, S2) — and one explanation (P1, S3), which lends this passage a straightforward, easy-to-follow structure (not unlike the pop music formula perfected by Motown's songwriters and performers). In a classic Phenomenon/Explanation passage, the explanation is the main point if the author presents or endorses the explanation. (Alternatively, if the author quibbles with the explanation, then the author's opinion of the explanation is the main point.) Here, the author both offers and heartily endorses the explanation of Motown's success. This explanation is best summarized by the third sentence of the first paragraph. So, we could use that sentence to select an answer for the Main Point question. However, that sentence doesn't discuss the use of electric instruments described by the final paragraph, so we modified that sentence to include that factor in the Main Point section above.
Causality: Many Phenomenon/Explanation passages feature a central cause-and-effect relationship (the explanation is generally causal, as it is here), and this passage is no exception. This author also describes other supporting cause-and-effect relationships throughout the passage. We probably don't want to get too bogged down with understanding and memorizing all of those relationships as we read. Still, a prudent test taker would highlight or underline the cause-and-effect relationship described in the passage. These include:
List: This passage is also organized around a list. Like a well-organized high school essayist, this author wrote a thesis sentence that listed a few reasons why Motown became so successful. Then, in the subsequent paragraphs, the author elaborated on each item in a list. When the author organizes a passage around items on a list, it's a good idea to note or remember which item was discussed in each paragraph. In this passage, we have Gordy's business savvy/independence discussed in the second paragraph, the deep pool of talented artists fostered by Detroit's public music programs chronicled in the third paragraph, and the use of electric instruments described in the final paragraph.
Last Thoughts?
The Phenomenon/Explanation and Lists Meta-Structures interact in an interesting way. The phenomenon is described in the first paragraph, and then three components of the explanation get described in the subsequent paragraphs. Notice how the author doesn’t claim that any one of these components is more or less important than the others. Some test-takers have a tendency to place more emphasis on the part of an explanation mentioned first, or the part of an explanation that is attributable to an individual. For these reasons, some test-takers may think that Berry Gordy, Jr. is the most important factor to Motown’s success, or that the other two parts of the explanation are also attributable to Gordy. There are several incorrect answer choices that will prey on this misapprehension. So, it’s important to remember that each part of the explanation is separate and equally important to the author.
Humanities
Paragraph 1
- Paragraph note
- Phenomenon, author's explanation
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
- Phenomenon: Motown's rapid success in the 1960s
- Author's explanation: Gordy's entrepreneurial skills, Motown's independence, rich musical talent in Detroit's African American community
- Main conclusion of the passage
- Author's attitude: "rich musical talent," "vanguard of the popular music industry" (last sentence)
- Paragraph note
- Support for explanation: Motown's independence, Gordy's entrepreneurial skills
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
- Comparison: Distinction is drawn between record industry conventions (limited markets, alternate versions of songs) and Motown's practices (appeal to all audiences, no alternate versions of songs, high-quality recordings)
- Cause-and-effect relationship (Independence caused Gordy's freedom to defy conventions)
- Paragraph note
- Support for explanation: Detroit's public music education programs supplied talented artists
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
- Cause-and-effect relationship (Hackley's programs caused "vibrant musical atmosphere," which caused a deep pool of talented and experienced artists)
- Examples of "Motown sound": the Supremes, the Temptations, the Miracles
- Author's attitude: "crucial factor," "well-developed," "deep and talented pool" (first sentence); "vibrant musical atmosphere" (third sentence)
- Paragraph note
- Support for explanation: Growing popularity of electric instruments
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
- Cause-and-effect relationships (African American musicians' embrace of electric instruments caused Motown's success and caused a revolution in popular music)
- Example of electric instrument: Electric bass (second sentence)
- Author's attitude: "noteworthy role" (first sentence); "distinctive sound" (second senetnce); "revolution" (third sentence); "landmark shifts" (last sentence)
Main Point:
Motown Records' success resulted from founder Berry Gordy, Jr.'s business acumen and the label's independence, the deep pool of talented artists fostered by the public music-education program in Detroit's African American community, and the artists' early embrace of electric instruments.
Key Lines?
Paragraph 1, Sentence 2 (P1, S2) - Phenomenon
P1, S3 - Author's Explanation
P2, S1 - Support for the author's explanation
P3, S1 - Support for the author's explanation
P4, S1 - Support for the author's explanation
Meta-Structure?
Phenomenon/Explanation: The passage's overarching Meta-Structure is Phenomenon/Explanation. The author only discusses one phenomenon — Motown Records' rapid success (P1, S2) — and one explanation (P1, S3), which lends this passage a straightforward, easy-to-follow structure (not unlike the pop music formula perfected by Motown's songwriters and performers). In a classic Phenomenon/Explanation passage, the explanation is the main point if the author presents or endorses the explanation. (Alternatively, if the author quibbles with the explanation, then the author's opinion of the explanation is the main point.) Here, the author both offers and heartily endorses the explanation of Motown's success. This explanation is best summarized by the third sentence of the first paragraph. So, we could use that sentence to select an answer for the Main Point question. However, that sentence doesn't discuss the use of electric instruments described by the final paragraph, so we modified that sentence to include that factor in the Main Point section above.
Causality: Many Phenomenon/Explanation passages feature a central cause-and-effect relationship (the explanation is generally causal, as it is here), and this passage is no exception. This author also describes other supporting cause-and-effect relationships throughout the passage. We probably don't want to get too bogged down with understanding and memorizing all of those relationships as we read. Still, a prudent test taker would highlight or underline the cause-and-effect relationship described in the passage. These include:
- P2, S1: Gordy's business savvy and independence led to Motown's success
- P3, S1-S2: Hackley's musical programs led to the deep pool of Detroit musical artists, which led to Motown's success)
- P4, S4: The use of electric instruments also led to Motown's success/pop music revolution
List: This passage is also organized around a list. Like a well-organized high school essayist, this author wrote a thesis sentence that listed a few reasons why Motown became so successful. Then, in the subsequent paragraphs, the author elaborated on each item in a list. When the author organizes a passage around items on a list, it's a good idea to note or remember which item was discussed in each paragraph. In this passage, we have Gordy's business savvy/independence discussed in the second paragraph, the deep pool of talented artists fostered by Detroit's public music programs chronicled in the third paragraph, and the use of electric instruments described in the final paragraph.
Last Thoughts?
The Phenomenon/Explanation and Lists Meta-Structures interact in an interesting way. The phenomenon is described in the first paragraph, and then three components of the explanation get described in the subsequent paragraphs. Notice how the author doesn’t claim that any one of these components is more or less important than the others. Some test-takers have a tendency to place more emphasis on the part of an explanation mentioned first, or the part of an explanation that is attributable to an individual. For these reasons, some test-takers may think that Berry Gordy, Jr. is the most important factor to Motown’s success, or that the other two parts of the explanation are also attributable to Gordy. There are several incorrect answer choices that will prey on this misapprehension. So, it’s important to remember that each part of the explanation is separate and equally important to the author.
Question prompt
Based on information in
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
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AGordy's own expertise in Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice A is not credited
The main point we anticipated for this passage had little to do with Berry Gordy, Jr.'s technical expertise. Additionally, the claim that Gordy's expertise "ensured that Motown's recordings would be of the highest possible quality" is extremely strong and difficult to support. A time-conscious test-taker would likely defer on this answer choice or eliminate it outright. Indeed, this topic is only brought up at the end of the second paragraph. In that brief discussion, the passage never claims that Gordy personally possessed the technical expertise — only that "he devoted the necessary resources to this endeavor." -
BThe great popularity of Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice B is not credited
The main point we anticipated did not include a lack of competition as a cause of Motown's success. Additionally, the claim that Motown's success was "largely" due to a lack of other innovative music is strong and difficult to support, especially in a passage that lists out several contributing factors. A time-conscious test-taker would likely defer on this answer choice or eliminate it outright. That would be a wise decision, as this passage did not explicitly discuss what was being produced by other record companies. The only discussion of that sort is in the last paragraph. There, the author claims that there was a "revolution in popular music" during Motown's heyday, suggesting that there was plenty of innovative popular music being produced elsewhere. -
CThe revolution in popular Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice C is not credited
This answer choice includes an aspect of our anticipated main point, so it bears closer scrutiny. However, we don't have to look too closely before realizing that this describes a hypothetical situation — it discusses what would have happened in some theoretical world in which Motown's musicians didn't use the electric bass. It's nearly impossible to provide the requisite evidence to support a hypothetical like this. The author would have needed to claim that Motown's electric bass-playing musicians were the only possible people who could have initiated the electric instrument revolution. Of course, the author never makes any preposterous claims of that sort, so this answer choice is wrong. -
DGordy's unconventional ideas would Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice D matches the stem
Question Type:
Tone/Author Agree
Strategy Overview:
Review the main point, use notes or highlighted/underlined text in the passage to recall the author's attitude, and then find the answer that best reflects your understanding of the main point/author's attitude
Answer Anticipation:
This question asks us about the author's view, but doesn't provide any insight into the topic of the correct answer or where the supporting information might show up in the passage. This means the correct answer will likely relate to the author's main point. As such, we'll need to rely on our big-picture understanding of the passage to answer this question. We should start by reminding ourselves of the main point (either by reviewing what we said after reading the passage or by rereading our answer to the main point question). We can also review any notes about the author's attitude or any text we highlighted because it expressed the author's opinion. After doing that, we can head to the answers, deferring on those that don't line up with the main point. For those that do, we'll use our notes and the passage to see if it's correct.
Answer Choice Explanation:
This answer choice relates back to our anticipated main point, so we should take a closer look at this. Although it presents a hypothetical, the prediction is much weaker than the one in (C). So, is there reason to believe that the author thinks it would have been harder for Gordy to implement his unconventional ideas if Motown was owned by a big record company? In the second paragraph, the author writes, "Motown's status as an independent company allowed Gordy considerable freedom to oppose recording industry convention" (P2, S1). So, the author thinks Motown's independence led to Gordy's freedom to defy convention. It stands to reason that if Motown lacked that freedom, it would have been harder for Gordy to deviate from standard practices in the record industry. Notably, this answer choice never claimed it would have been impossible for Gordy to do so. That claim would be difficult to support. But this weaker claim is well supported by the second paragraph, and this answer is correct.
Key Takeaway:
Note the strong language in all the wrong answers: "ensure," "largely due," "would not have occurred," and "equally popular." These are all claims that are very hard to support. Now note how much weaker the language is in the correct answer: "harder for him to implement." Much easier to support. When a question asks us to infer anything about the passage, pay close attention to the strength of language in the answer choices. It's frequently all you need to eliminate some wrong answers. -
EMotown songs would have Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice E is not credited
Our anticipated main point did not include some hypothetical reality in which "established artists" recorded Motown songs. In fact, the main point was that Gordy's unconventional approach — such as not letting established artists cover Motown songs (P2, S3) — helped contribute to Motown's success. So this answer choice is one the author probably would disagree with.
What this tests
Discussion
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Started by rking