#4 - Global Reference, Must Be True, Author's Perspective

[Administrator]

Please post below with any questions!

[15veries]

Why can C be infered? Is it because of the last paragraph of A?

[Adam Tyson]

Hey there 15, thanks for asking! I would say that the best support for answer C can be found at the very beginning of passage A, at lines 3-4, where the author says "virtually no discussions of it have appeared in scientific publications". If author A was aware of the study mentioned in the final paragraph of passage B, he probably would have brought it up instead of saying that there were no published studies.

Even if author A was aware of the study, he still might have said that it could all be in your head. While the study might explain muscle memory, it isn't conclusive. That's why I feel that the last paragraph of A doesn't support the correct answer here all that well.

[ClaudiaK32]

I am confused as to why B could not be the correct answer. The author of passage A believes there is a component of muscle memory that involves the cells, so I don't know why we can't say author A could agree with author B?

[Charlie Melman]

Hi Claudia,

The problem with answer choice (B) is twofold: First, and most importantly, the author of passage A gives more than one plausible explanation for the phenomenon, so we don't know that she would agree with the specific explanation proposed by the author of passage B. Second, passage A talks about "nerve cells that stimulate your muscles," while passage B talks about "muscle cells." Those are two different things.

Hope this helps!

[Creekdannywei]

I would like to say my opinion for this question because I have no idea at first. After reading all the contents of this place then I get my opinion. I like to express it to clear my idea and get some expert comment.

It can be inferred from the passage determined this is a must be true question. Only the choice can be proved by the passage A is the right one. Others such as could be true choices are not the right one.

A, it is more certain about the muscle memory for author of passage A than passage B. We can not know that. Perhaps could be tue. Perhaps could be false. We can’t get the material to prove it.

B, probably agree with the explanation of muscle memory from the author of passage B. No place to refer that. Same a A, we don’t know it. Perhaps.

C, probably do not know the experiment mentioned in the passage B. Yes, it must be true. He said yet virtually no discussion of muscle memory in scientific publication. If he know the experiment he would not say that.

D, E, are the same could be true or could be false. For must be true question, they are not the right choice.

[Jeremy Press]

Hi Danny,

Yes, I generally agree with your analysis, with a couple additional comments.

Regarding answer choice A, it is what we'd call an opposite answer. The author of Passage A indicates uncertainty about whether a person's muscles actually retain something from prior training that assists in the ease of regaining strength and size. The final paragraph of Passage A shows this uncertainty, where the author indicates that the entire phenomenon could be mental, rather than physical. The author of Passage B is more certain that muscle memory (something physical retained by the muscles) is responsible for these types of easier gains, because the first paragraph says, "[N]ow scientists think they know why," and the author never contradicts the research that is subsequently presented. Thus, the author of Passage B displays more certainty about the existence of muscle memory.

Answer choices B, D, and E are, as you note, uncertain. The author of Passage A does not indicate awareness of the research regarding retained nuclei that Passage B discusses, so there's no way to know whether the author of Passage A would agree or disagree with the explanation, or be willing to adopt "cross-species" scientific conclusions.

I hope this helps!

Jeremy