Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Medium

PT143 S4 Q6 Explanation

Musicologist: Many critics complain

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Logical Reasoning question.

TopicsMain Conclusion

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Stimulus

Musicologist: Many critics complain of the disproportion between text and music in Handel’s da capo arias. These texts are generally quite short and often repeated well beyond what is needed for literal understanding. Yet such criticism is refuted by noting that repetition serves a vital function: it itself, which can speak to audiences whatever their language.

What this question is testing

Main Conclusion

Your task

Break the argument into its conclusion and evidence, then do exactly what the question stem asks with that structure.

Common trap

Answers that sound relevant to the topic but don't connect to the argument's actual reasoning.

Winning move

Predict what a right answer must do, then test each choice against the conclusion-evidence gap.

Reading along? Open the full official question in LawHub — we show a fragment here and keep the reasoning in our own words.

The question
6.

Which one of the following sentences best expresses the main point of

Answer choices

  1. Wrong Ingredient2% picked this

    Handel’s da capo arias contain a disproportionate amount

    This is the criticism, the Counterpoint. The author's conclusion is trying to refute this.

  2. Never Stated4% picked this

    Handel’s da capo arias are superior to most in their accessibility

    This is an extreme claim "superior to most" that was never even stated.

  3. Correct81% picked this

    At least one frequent criticism of Handel’s da capo arias

    Why this is right

    "Yet such criticism is refuted by ..." is what we identified as the conclusion. It's annoying that this answer is so vague, since if we had asked the author what her main conclusion was, she would have named the criticism she refuted, not just said in some aloof way "at least one criticism can be refuted". But this is still the best available answer. Shooting down this criticism is our Author's Opinion, and she Supports it with the final three claims.

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

  4. Wrong Ingredient3% picked this

    At least some of Handel’s da capo arias contain

    This is a concession the author makes before she winds up into her rebuttal Conclusion and the Support for the conclusion.

  5. Never Stated / Too Strong: most10% picked this

    Most criticism of Handel’s da capo arias

    The author never says anything about most criticism of Handel.

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