MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Question 116: Answer and Explanation
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Question: 116
3. Which of the following would most undermine Koppett's position on the difference between basketball and other sports like football and baseball?
- A. Days after a basketball game, commentators cite a memorable play made in the third quarter.
- B. After a football game, commentators cite a memorable play made in the last few moments of the game.
- C. Following a basketball game, commentators discuss the contrasting playing styles of team members.
- D. After a basketball game, commentators discuss a particular team member's strengths and weaknesses.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation:
A This is a Weaken question.
A: Yes. Koppett posits in paragraph 1 that "basketball, a game of constant movement and a thousand actions, is a difficult game to remember" and that "it is hardly ever … individual plays that one remembers." Because it is fast-paced and relies on action from multiple players, the author of the passage points out, fewer single plays stick out in our minds. In order to weaken Koppett's position, our credited response should describe a memorable singular moment. Choice A does this. While this choice doesn't destroy Koppett's argument, it is the only one of the four answers that is at all inconsistent with it.
B: No. Choice B describes a memorable moment in a football game, in a way that is consistent with Koppett's claim about the difference between basketball and football.
C: No. This answer actually strengthens Koppett's position, since the passage points out that we remember the "style, movement, and flair" of basketball players (paragraph 1).
D: No. As in choice C, this answer is consistent, not inconsistent. According to paragraph 5, "the versatility of each individual" is crucial, and "each individual is free to elaborate as the spirit moves him." Therefore, a discussion of an individual's strengths and weaknesses would fit with Koppett's position.