#12 - Must Be True

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=13642)

The correct answer choice is (E)

This question refers to the author’s discussion. in the third paragraph, of Dunham’s series of research projects that dealt with Caribbean dance forms with a particular focus on African culture.

Answer choice (A): The passage provides no such comparison, so this cannot be the right answer choice.

Answer choice (B): The author specifically mentions that the technique had long been a part of the traditional dances of certain Caribbean and Pacific-island cultures as well, so this choice fails the Fact Test and should be ruled out of contention.

Answer choice (C): It was Dunham who helped to bring the technique to North American modern dance, and the author doesn’t mention any other shared characteristics.

Answer choice (D): Dunham brought the technique to North America; the dance forms that she studied had not already influenced popular North American dance.

Answer choice (E): This is the correct answer choice. The dance forms she studied were Caribbean but were influenced by African culture, and it was this influence on which Dunham focused.

[chian9010]

I don't understand why the answer is E not C.

I selected C because in the third paragraph the last sentence mentioned that "Dunham incorporated them into new forms of ballet." In addition, in the last paragraph, it also indicates that Dunham combined the caribbean dance with modern dace styles she learned in Chicago. The "ballet" she created was the first North American dances to rectify the exclusion of African American themes from the medium of modern dance.

I actually deleted E completely as from the third pararaph, it indicates that the Caribbean dance is originally from African (it is not influenced by African but origins from African. I don't think "influence" and "origin" have the same meaning tho.

[Francis O'Rourke]

Hi Chian,

It is critical to consider the chronology and that the author gives us in the last two paragraphs of the passage.

Beginning in 1935, Dunham began to research "traditional Caribbean dance forms." At most two years later, Dunham was adapting these Caribbean dance forms "for use in theatrical performance" and combining them with modern Chicago styles.

It is possible that Dunham was proficient enough in Caribbean dance in 1935 to incorporate them into ballet. However, the earliest that we can prove that she did this was 1937. Furthermore, we can be certain that she did not instantaneously begin to study these forms and employ them in North American ballet; doing so must have taken her some time.

Since we have no evidence for Caribbean dance's integration into or similarity with North American ballet prior to 1937, answer choice (C) is unproven.

Answer choice (E) is supported by the first sentence of the third paragraph.

The words 'origins' and 'influence' can take on different meanings in some circumstances. For example, the oil in your car can have its origin in a country, but none of us would claim that the oil was influenced by the culture of that country.

The context in which the author uses origins in this passage indicates an influence. Since traditional Caribbean dance originated in "African culture" it is appropriate to describe that dance as having been influenced by some African traditions.

Although you are correct that there are differences between origins and influences, remember to look for the context in which the author uses language. Focusing too narrowly on definitions of terms might keep you from seeing the larger picture.

I hope this helps, but let me know if you have any other questions!

[lsatstudent99966]

Hi Chian,

It is critical to consider the chronology and that the author gives us in the last two paragraphs of the passage.

Beginning in 1935, Dunham began to research "traditional Caribbean dance forms." At most two years later, Dunham was adapting these Caribbean dance forms "for use in theatrical performance" and combining them with modern Chicago styles.

It is possible that Dunham was proficient enough in Caribbean dance in 1935 to incorporate them into ballet. However, the earliest that we can prove that she did this was 1937. Furthermore, we can be certain that she did not instantaneously begin to study these forms and employ them in North American ballet; doing so must have taken her some time.

Since we have no evidence for Caribbean dance's integration into or similarity with North American ballet prior to 1937, answer choice (C) is unproven.

Answer choice (E) is supported by the first sentence of the third paragraph.

The words 'origins' and 'influence' can take on different meanings in some circumstances. For example, the oil in your car can have its origin in a country, but none of us would claim that the oil was influenced by the culture of that country.

The context in which the author uses origins in this passage indicates an influence. Since traditional Caribbean dance originated in "African culture" it is appropriate to describe that dance as having been influenced by some African traditions.

Although you are correct that there are differences between origins and influences, remember to look for the context in which the author uses language. Focusing too narrowly on definitions of terms might keep you from seeing the larger picture.

I hope this helps, but let me know if you have any other questions!

I didn't choose (C), but I'm not sure why we have to prove that Caribbean dance was integrated into North American ballet before 1937 for (C) to be correct.

I think what Francis means is that because the question stem is about the Caribbean dance forms that Dunham began studying in "1935," the dance technique of Caribbean dance would have to be integrated into North American ballet by 1935 for (C) to be correct.

But (C) didn't say that Caribbean dance shared characteristics with "then" North American ballet. If Caribbean dance shared characteristics with the "future" (or 1937) North American ballet created by Dunham, wouldn't that also be acceptable?

I understand that (C) is wrong anyway, since the passage never says anything about "rhythmic characteristics," but I would still like to know if the chronology problem exists.

Thanks in advance!

[Dana D]

Hey lsatstudent,

This is a MBT question, so we need to find an answer choice that is definitively supported by the passage, rather than one which 'may' be true. I think you're overthinking the possibilities here a little, when answer choice (E) has explicit support - in 1935, Dunham began studying dance which was influenced by African (therefore non-Carribean) culture, meaning answer choice E MBT.

Hope that helps!

[lsatstudent99966]

Hey lsatstudent,

This is a MBT question, so we need to find an answer choice that is definitively supported by the passage, rather than one which 'may' be true. I think you're overthinking the possibilities here a little, when answer choice (E) has explicit support - in 1935, Dunham began studying dance which was influenced by African (therefore non-Carribean) culture, meaning answer choice E MBT.

Hope that helps!

Hi Dana

I chose (E) as the correct answer. It's just that during my review process, I had the exact same question as Chian regarding (C), and I also saw the exact same question asked by other students elsewhere. The answers I see to all of these questions are all about chronology, just like Francis' answer, but I really cannot fully understand if chronology is the issue here.

[Dana D]

I think chronology is not the critical factor here, the issue is that we don't know what North American ballet was like in 1935, because the passage doesn't say. The dance she studied in 1935 might have contained similar characteristics with the ballet, or it might not have, and since we can't say for sure that it must be true, answer (C) cannot be the correct answer choice. We are given no information about North American ballet until later in the passage during the final paragraph, when the author discusses the period of 1937- 1945. That is why other staff have said we would need to know about what ballet was like prior to 1937 - as it is written, we have no knowledge about the ballet prior to that time period, so we cannot say anything about it definitively.

Chronology is important here only insofar as it shows what we know and don't know. If this entire passage was talking about what Durham did with dance in India, for example, and then a question asked us about Durham's influence on dance in Spain, we wouldn't be able to say for sure what that influence was because we weren't provided the information. Sure, her dance might have influenced Spanish dancing, but we just don't know. That's not an issue of geography, it's a testament to the fact that with MBT questions, you must find an answer choice that is directly supported by the passage, you cannot infer or hypothesize outside of it.

Does that make sense?

[lsatstudent99966]

I think chronology is not the critical factor here, the issue is that we don't know what North American ballet was like in 1935, because the passage doesn't say. The dance she studied in 1935 might have contained similar characteristics with the ballet, or it might not have, and since we can't say for sure that it must be true, answer (C) cannot be the correct answer choice. We are given no information about North American ballet until later in the passage during the final paragraph, when the author discusses the period of 1937- 1945. That is why other staff have said we would need to know about what ballet was like prior to 1937 - as it is written, we have no knowledge about the ballet prior to that time period, so we cannot say anything about it definitively.

Chronology is important here only insofar as it shows what we know and don't know. If this entire passage was talking about what Durham did with dance in India, for example, and then a question asked us about Durham's influence on dance in Spain, we wouldn't be able to say for sure what that influence was because we weren't provided the information. Sure, her dance might have influenced Spanish dancing, but we just don't know. That's not an issue of geography, it's a testament to the fact that with MBT questions, you must find an answer choice that is directly supported by the passage, you cannot infer or hypothesize outside of it.

Does that make sense?

Yes, it does! Thank you very much Dana!