#17 - Must Be True, Purpose/Function

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=14646)

Passage Organization, Function. The correct answer choice is (C)

This question exemplifies the value of understanding Passage Organization. Again, the second paragraph
describes the experiments, and the third paragraph describes subsequent developments, so the correct
response should reflect such a relationship. In reviewing the answer choices, it is advisable to eliminate
any response that is not aligned with this description, and compare the remaining ones to the information
in the passage.

Answer choice (A): The third paragraph offers no indication that Rita’s conclusions required further
confirmation. In fact, the third paragraph deals with some of the findings that are built on discoveries
dealt with in the second paragraph.

Answer choice (B): In the third paragraph, the author discusses how science has built upon Levi-
Montalcini’s conclusions, which is rather contrary to the idea that science has undermined those
conclusions.

Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice, as the third paragraph deals with further
scientific developments based on discoveries discussed in the second paragraph.

Answer choice (D): In the third paragraph the author does not introduce any new, analogous substances,
so this answer is incorrect.

Answer choice (E): Since the third paragraph discusses no experimental techniques, this response cannot
be a description of the its function.

[ClaudiaK32]

I thought D was the answer but was between C and D. Why is C the correct answer?

[Jonathan Evans]

Hi, Claudia,

This question concerns the structure and organization of the ideas in the passage. In your analysis of the passage to predict the answer to this question, you must describe what happens in the respective portions of the passage, in this case the second and third paragraphs, both with respect to the overall purpose/main idea of the passage and with respect to each other.

Overall, what is the point of the passage? In total, it is a discussion of Levi-Montalcini's discovery of NGF and its enormous significance in the history of biochemistry, both at the time of her discovery and the later developments upon her work that expanded the understanding of NGF and its function. Now what do the second and third paragraphs do? Try to take a snapshot look at both of them. What do they accomplish or contribute to the whole passage? The second paragraph discusses Levi-Montalcini's hypothesis about NGF and experimental work she conducted to test and verify this hypothesis. What does the third paragraph do? It expounds upon the further developments in the study of NGF and its function and how this work has built upon that of Levi-Montalcini. Consider in particular the pivotal transition: "Through Levi- Montalcini's work and other subsequent research, it has been determined that this substance is present in many tissues and biological fluids, and that it is especially concentrated in some organs."

Thus, to develop a strong prephrase for a question like this, (1) you should strive to be cognizant of the overall structure and content of the passage. Then, (2) you should focus on the roles played by the parts in question. Last, (3) relate these parts to each other. Answer choice (C) is a good match here. Answer choice (D) deviates from this structure but also is facially erroneous in that it suggests that the third paragraph concerns work done on substances "analogous" to NGF, while in fact the work done still concerns NGF itself.

I hope this helps!