In certain fields of human endeavor, such as music, chess, and some athletic activities, the performance of the best practitioners is so outstanding, so superior even to the performance of other highly experienced individuals in the field, that some people believe some notion of innate talent must be invoked to account for this highest level of performance. ███
Phenomenon / OP Hypothesis ·Exceptional performance explained by innate talent
Evidence ·Supporting acquired trait hypothesis and countering innate ability hypothesis
Most exceptional adults were not exceptional children; they trained early; skills like memory and ability to process information acquired; most traits (e.g. aerobic capacity and percentage of muscle fibers) can be altered by training.
Implications ·Motivation as better predictor of superior performance
Because sustained training depends on level of interest, hence motivational factors are better predictors of superior performance than innate talent.
Passage Style
Critique or debate
Phenomenon-hypothesis
19.
The passage says that superior █████ ███████ ██ ███ ████ ███████████ ██████ ███ █████ ███ ██ ███ ██████████
Question Type
Stated
The author indicates that superior chess players have an exceptional memory for configurations of chess pieces, but “only if those configurations are typical of chess games.” That means in order for the player to have an exceptional memory of a configuration, it must be typical of a chess game. If it’s not a typical arrangement in a chess game — in other words, an unusual arrangement in a chess game — then the player won’t have an exceptional memory of it.
a
some sequences of █████ ████ ███ ███████ ██ █████ █████ ████ █████
Not supported. The exceptional memory or lack of it relates to “configurations” of chess pieces, not a sequence of moves. (A) is popular because people think the exceptional memory doesn’t apply to other games besides chess. But that’s not what the relevant line implies. It says nothing about other kinds of games besides chess.
b
some types of ███████ █████████ ███████ ███████ ██████████
Not supported. The exceptional memory or lack of it relates to “configurations” of chess pieces, not complex sequences without spatial elements.
c
some chess games ████ ████ ███ ████ ██████████ ███████████
Not supported. The exceptional memory or lack of it relates to “configurations” of chess pieces, not the challenge of a game.
d
some kinds of ████████████ ██ █████ ██████
Supported. If a configuration is not typical for a chess game — for example, a random arrangement of pieces that looks nothing like what would actually result in a game of chess — the players don't have an exceptional memory of it.
e
some types of ███████ █████████ ███████ ████████ ██ ███ ███████ ██ ███████████
Not supported. The exceptional memory or lack of it relates to “configurations” of chess pieces, not to factors requiring logical analysis.
Difficulty
37% of people who answer get this correct
This is a very difficult question.
It is similar in difficulty to other questions in this passage.
CURVE
Score of students with a 50% chance of getting this right
25%158
173
75%180
Analysis
Stated
Critique or debate
Phenomenon-hypothesis
Science
Answer Popularity
PopularityAvg. score
a
53%
164
b
6%
161
c
1%
156
d
37%
167
e
3%
158
Question history
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