Some critics argue that an

Answer choices

1. A

   Too Strong: most frequently8% picked this

   a change of scenery is the stage direction most frequently reflected in

   The author never claimed that change of scenery is the most frequent way in with an opera's music reflects a stage direction. She's only claiming it's a way, "which means that other directions can be reflected as well". She hasn't ever singled out any one type of stage direction as the type that most frequently gets reflected by the music.

   8%
2. B

   Opposite2% picked this

   an opera’s stage directions are never reflected in

   This is the critics' position, which the author is refuting.

   2%
3. C

   Effect vs. Reflected13% picked this

   an opera’s music can have an effect on the opera’s

   The author wasn't ever saying that the opera's music has an effect on the stage directions, just that the music reflects the stage directions. We might say that how we drive reflects how we saw our parents drive, but that wouldn't mean that how we drive has/had an effect on how our parents drive.

   13%
4. D

   Correct73% picked this

   a variety of stage directions can be reflected in an

   Why this is right

   The author's main conclusion is rebutting the original position, so she is trying to argue that "an opera's stage directions are sometimes reflected in the music". In her final sentence, she makes two claims. Because of the example of Mozart using violin phrases to reflect the changing of scenery, we get to the idea that a change of scenery can be reflected in the music, which gets us to the idea that "other operatic stage directions can be as well". It's important that this answer says "can", not "are". The author hasn't argued that a variety of stage directions are reflected in an opera's music, but she does explicitly say that other stage directions (in addition to change of scenery) can be reflected.

   Skill tested: Role · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   73%
5. E

   Too Strong: most frequent4% picked this

   the most frequent relation between an opera’s music and its stage directions is one of musical imitation of the sounds that occur

   Just like (A), the author never claimed that the Mozart example has any qualities that are true most frequently. In the Mozart example, the music imitates the sounds of a stage direction being carried out, but she never suggests that this is the most frequent way that an opera's music would reflect its stage directions. LSAT constantly tries to bait us into thinking that the only thing mentioned is therefore "the only thing to which this applies / the most important thing to which this applies".

   4%