#21 - Most opera singers who add demanding roles to their

[lsatstudent99966]

Hi there,

I have a problem with the correct answer choice (E): most young singers who sing demanding roles strain their vocal cords.

I understand the explanation is that we can combine the two statements below to reach (E):

1, Most young singers who add demanding roles to their repertoire lose their voice early.
2. Most young singers lack the technical training necessary to avoid straining their vocal cords.

But the second statement only says "Most young singers." How can we be sure that what is true for "Most young singers" is also true for "Most young singers who add demanding roles to their repertories"?

Since "Most young singers who add demanding roles to their repertories" is only a subgroup of "young singers," it seems to me that what is true about "Most young singers" might not be true for "Most young singers who add demanding roles to their repertories".

There are likely many young singers who do not sing demanding roles at all. It is also very likely that these young singers will not bother to undergo the training necessary to avoid straining their vocal cords. So when the author says "Most young singers lack the technical training necessary to avoid straining their vocal cords," maybe many of them are young singers who don't sing demanding roles at all?

(Let's say there are 100 young singers and 60 of them don't sing demanding roles and don't bother to undergo the technical training necessary to avoid straining their vocal cords. Then, it is indeed true that "Most young singers lack the technical training necessary to avoid straining their vocal cords," but it might not be true that "Most young singers who sing demanding roles strain their vocal cords." How can we be sure that the remaining 40 young singers, who sing demanding roles, with at least 21 of them losing their voices early, also have at least 21 of them lacking the technical training necessary to avoid straining their vocal cords? I know this is quite likely the case because the stimulus identified not receiving proper training as the main reason behind losing voice early, but I still feel there's some gray area here. (E) seems to be correct only because this is an MSS question, not an MBT question.)

[RickyLW]

Hi lsatstudent99966 - I had the exact same concern and would also be curious to hear an explanation.

[Jeff Wren]

Hi lsatstudent and Ricky,

Good question!

You're correct that, by itself, the fact that:

1. Most young singers who add demanding roles to their repertoire lose their voice early.
2. Most young singers lack the technical training necessary to avoid straining their vocal cords.

doesn't prove that:

Answer E: Most young singers who add demanding roles strain their vocal cords.

for the reason that you mentioned.

However, you're missing one critical piece of information. When the stimulus asserts "the real problem is that," this is specifically referring to the reason that:

1. Most young singers who add demanding roles to their repertoire lose their voice early.

In other words, by stating that the general lack of the technical training necessary to avoid straining their vocal cords among most young singers is the explanation for the specific subset of singers losing their voice early, this implies that most of that subset did lack this training which in turn caused them to lose their voice early.

Put another way, if most of the subset (the young singers who add demanding roles to their repertoire and lose their voice early) did not in fact lack the technical training necessary to avoid straining their vocal cords, then a lack of training would not actually be the real problem (i.e. the main reason) for why they lost their voice early, as the stimulus asserts that it is.

[lsatstudent99966]

Hi lsatstudent and Ricky,

Good question!

You're correct that, by itself, the fact that:

1. Most young singers who add demanding roles to their repertoire lose their voice early.
2. Most young singers lack the technical training necessary to avoid straining their vocal cords.

doesn't prove that:

Answer E: Most young singers who add demanding roles strain their vocal cords.

for the reason that you mentioned.

However, you're missing one critical piece of information. When the stimulus asserts "the real problem is that," this is specifically referring to the reason that:

1. Most young singers who add demanding roles to their repertoire lose their voice early.

In other words, by stating that the general lack of the technical training necessary to avoid straining their vocal cords among most young singers is the explanation for the specific subset of singers losing their voice early, this implies that most of that subset did lack this training which in turn caused them to lose their voice early.

Put another way, if the most of the subset (the young singers who add demanding roles to their repertoire and lose their voice early) did not in fact lack of the technical training necessary to avoid straining their vocal cords, then a lack of training would not actually be the real problem (i.e. the main reason) for why they lost their voice early, as the stimulus asserts that it is.

Thank you so much Jeff. This is very helpful!