#14 - Social critic: The operas composed by Bizet and Verdi

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

Main Point. The correct answer choice is (C)

Despite the unusual wording of the question stem, this is nothing more than a Main Point question,
where test takers must identify the social critic’s conclusion. The first sentence of this stimulus is merely
a statement of fact regarding the origins and historical context of operas composed by Bizet and Verdi.
No details about the argument structure or the author’s point of view are evident from this sentence. The
second sentence begins with the phrase, “Several recent studies.” As mentioned previously, in LSAT
logical reasoning questions such phrases are typically used to introduce viewpoints with which the
author disagrees. These studies criticize the operas of Bizet and Verdi for reinforcing societal stereotypes
about women. But the author argues that very few North Americans have really been exposed to these
works. How, then, can the author’s conclusion be prephased? If the exposure of these operas has been
significantly limited, one can infer that their influence is equally limited. Therefore, the author would
likely conclude that the operas of Bizet and Verdi have had little, if any, impact on reinforcing societal
stereotypes about women.

Answer choice (A): This is an Opposite answer. As discussed above, several recent studies have found
that Bizet and Verdi’s images of women have reinforced modern stereotypes. However, the author’s
conclusion is that these images have not significantly influenced society because only opera lovers are
even aware of Bizet and Verdi’s interpretations of women.

Answer choice (B): Based on the stimulus, one cannot know what either nineteenth-century images of
women or contemporary images actually are. If the author’s argument was structured to establish this
conclusion, one of the author’s premises would likely focus on significant differences between the two
interpretations of women. Instead, the author focuses on the limited exposure of Bizet’s and Verdi’s
operas.

Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice. By including a conclusion indicator and adding
this answer choice to the stimulus one can see how it follows smoothly and logically from the existing
premises.

Answer choice (D): This answer choice is similar in form to the correct answer choice, but much too
broad in scope. The stimulus is focused on the operas of Bizet and Verdi, rather than all opera, and
societal stereotypes about women, rather than social attitudes in general.

Answer choice (E): While this is not the correct answer choice, it is nonetheless instructive to examine.
By including the conclusion from answer (C), this stimulus could easily be rewritten as an assumption
question. Answer choice (E) would then be an excellent description of one assumption upon which
such a stimulus would depend. If people could be influenced by things they are not directly exposed
to, then the author’s premise would not refute the results of the studies. Always take the time to study
both correct and incorrect answer choices, as the test makers are fairly consistent with the way that
they construct questions and an awareness of these patterns is extremely useful for quickly eliminating
incorrect answers that could otherwise seem tempting.

[ClaudiaK32]

I was in between answers B and C after process of elimination, but I think that I am unclear about what the stimulus is saying. Is it stating that the operas are being rejected because they are influencing people in society to view women in a stereotypical light? Thank you!

[AthenaDalton]

Hi Claudia,

Thanks for your question!

The social critic lays out a series of factual statements that all lead to one conclusion. To paraphrase the stimulus,

(1) The operas of Bizet and Verdi reflect 19th century views of women;

(2) Modern-day studies criticize these operas for reinforcing negative stereotypes about women; and

(3) Very few people in North American have seen these operas.

This set of facts begs the question, "why does it matter if these operas reinforce misogynistic views of women if very few people in North America see them?" That's what leads us to answer choice (C): essentially, that Bizet and Verdi's operas portray women in a stereotypical (and bad) light, but that the operas are not responsible for creating the negative stereotypes of women that persist in North America. Presumably, those stereotypes come from sources other than Italian and French 19th century opera.

Answer choice (B) can be eliminated because it only addresses parts (1) and (2) of the argument -- by putting these pieces together, we can conclude that the way women were portrayed in the 19th century in Europe is different from how modern women are portrayed. The problem with answer choice (B) is that the social critic could have reached that conclusion without bringing up part (3) of his argument. Why does it matter if these operas are unwatched in North America?

Answer choice (C) is the better option because it does address that question: the social critic is arguing that these operas cannot be blamed for creating negative stereotypes about women in North America because no one watches them.

I hope this makes sense. Good luck!

Athena Dalton