Which one of the following most accurately represents the primary function of the final paragraph?
ritagentileon September 14, 2020
Why is C incorrect?
Whyis C incorrect? I took the last paragraph as restating the evidence for the claim made throughout the passage that exceptional performance has other explanations besides hereditary innate capability
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Thanks for the question! So we’re being asked here for the primary purpose of the last paragraph. What’s going on there? Basically, we’re getting a summary of the argument. Indeed, we can track two inferences in the final paragraph: (1) motivation can sometimes be more effective predictors than talent, (2) sustained training and a normal level of talent might get you to being a superstar. And that’s what (E) tells us.
(C), on the other hand, tells us that the primary purpose of the last paragraph is to recapitulate the evidence against the supposed heritability of outstanding talent and advocate a particular direction to be taken in future research on the topic. But does the passage even do this? To recapitulate means to repeat; if this were true, we’d expect a list of what we were told in the prior paragraphs. But this isn’t what happens; we’re told the conclusion again, but the evidence isn’t recounted. Also, does this paragraph “advocate a particular direction” for future research? It also doesn’t do that. And so if the paragraph doesn’t even do them, clearly, these can’t be primary functions of the final paragraph, making (C) wrong.
Hope this helps! Feel free to ask any other questions that you might have.
