Violins made by Antonio Stradivari and other craftspeople in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries in Cremona, Italy, produce a sound...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Violins made by Antonio Stradivari and other craftspeople in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries in Cremona, Italy, produce a sound that is considered superior to that of modern stringed instruments. Some experts have claimed that the type of wood used to create Cremonese violins is responsible for their prized sound, but modern and Cremonese violins are made of the same kinds of wood: maple and spruce. New analysis, however, has revealed unique indications that the wood in the older violins was chemically treated by the makers, leading researchers to suggest that ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
Cremonese violins probably were not considered superior to other instruments at the time they were made.
the sound quality of Cremonese violins results in part from a method the craftspeople used to alter the wood.
if modern violins were made of a wood other than maple or spruce, they likely would sound as good as Cremonese violins.
the current process of making violins is the same process that was used centuries ago by Cremonese craftspeople.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Violins made by Antonio Stradivari and other craftspeople in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries in Cremona, Italy, produce a sound that is considered superior to that of modern stringed instruments." |
|
| "Some experts have claimed that the type of wood used to create Cremonese violins is responsible for their prized sound, but modern and Cremonese violins are made of the same kinds of wood: maple and spruce." |
|
| "New analysis, however, has revealed unique indications that the wood in the older violins was chemically treated by the makers, leading researchers to suggest that ______" |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: New research suggests that chemical treatment of wood, rather than wood type, may explain why historical Cremonese violins sound superior to modern instruments.
Argument Flow: The passage moves from establishing a musical phenomenon (superior sound quality) to debunking a common explanation (wood type) with contradictory evidence, then introducing new findings (chemical treatment) that point toward a more plausible explanation for the phenomenon.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The passage establishes that Cremonese violins sound better, rules out wood type as the cause (since both use the same wood), and then reveals that the old violins had chemically treated wood
- The logical conclusion should connect this chemical treatment to the superior sound quality
- The right answer should suggest that the chemical treatment process used by historical craftspeople contributed to or caused the superior sound quality we observe in Cremonese violins
Cremonese violins probably were not considered superior to other instruments at the time they were made.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims Cremonese violins weren't considered superior when they were made
- This contradicts the passage's opening statement and doesn't follow from the chemical treatment evidence
the sound quality of Cremonese violins results in part from a method the craftspeople used to alter the wood.
✓ Correct
- States that sound quality results from the craftspeople's method of altering the wood
- This perfectly connects the new evidence (chemical treatment = method of altering wood) to the phenomenon (superior sound quality)
if modern violins were made of a wood other than maple or spruce, they likely would sound as good as Cremonese violins.
✗ Incorrect
- Suggests using different wood types would make modern violins sound as good
- This contradicts the evidence that wood type isn't the determining factor
the current process of making violins is the same process that was used centuries ago by Cremonese craftspeople.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims current violin-making process is the same as historical process
- This directly contradicts the evidence that historical craftspeople chemically treated their wood