#3 - Specific Reference, Must Be True

[Administrator]

Question Line Reference
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=11388)

The correct answer choice is (A)

The justification for the correct answer can be found on:

(lines 14-17)

Since the West Coast cool style was described as being “in direct reaction” to bebop, we can infer from the changes mentioned what had been happening with Davis’ style prior to 1948. If the new style had slowed down tempos and increased focus on ensembles, then prior music must have had faster tempos and less focus on ensembles.

[Catallus]

I selected the correct answer, (A), but I did have a question—I can understand that the passage directly indicates that bebop had "faster" tempos, as you point out, since the new style had "slowed down" tempos compared to bebop. However, can we really say bebop had "rapid" tempos? I was a bit troubled by the leap from relative to absolute speed.

[Luke Haqq]

Hi Catallus!

You raise a great point. In the end, it seems like this answer choice might have been better if it instead referred to rapider tempos.

However, to try to make the best case for that answer choice as it stands, perhaps emphasis could be placed on the "in direct reaction to bebop" aspect. The aspects that we're told are in direct reaction to it are "slowed down tempos and featured ensemble playing as much as or even more than solos" (lines 13-15). So slowed down tempos are a "direct reaction" to something--on my reading, it makes the most sense if this is a reaction to fast tempos. Slowed down tempos would make less sense, for example, as a reaction to normal tempos.