PP1 (Shorter) Verbal Section 2 (Hard) Q8

The Right Answer

This is an Inference question, as indicated by the phrase "The author suggests." In rephrasing the question, we see that it's asking us to identify something that is LIKELY true about "most composers of the early 1920s." Let's take a look at the evidence.

The Relevant Evidence

• The ONLY evidence we have about "most composers" is in the following line: Johnson, a serious musician more experienced than most classical composers with jazz, blues, spirituals, and popular music, was particularly suited to expand Milhaud's and Gershwin's experiments.

That's it! Ha, not much! So what can we conclude from it?

• Deduction 1: Johnson knew more about jazz, blues, spirituals, and popular music than most classical composers.

• Deduction 2: Most classical composers were not really suited to expanding Milhaud's and Gershwin's experiments.

In looking at the answer choices, we notice that none of them really matches our deductions or evidence. But remember we have to choose at least one answer choice. So in this case we just have to choose the "closest" one (not very satisfying I know). The closest is answer choice B, They had little working familiarity with such forms of American music as jazz, blues, and popular songs.

The Wrong Answers

• A: We have no evidence that most classical composers were "strongly influenced" by Milhaud and Gershwin's musical experiments.

• C: We have no evidence regarding how many attempts were made by most classical composers to introduce innovations into classical music.