PrepTest 147 - Section 2 - Passage 1 - Question 5

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Passage A.

Puzzling phenomenon · Gaining muscle after inactivity is easier if you've already trained those muscles before

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One hypothesis · Body uses more muscle fibers as you train more

When you return to training after inactivity, your body might be able to start off using more muscle fibers that were previously activated by past training.

Another hypothesis · Psychological explanation

If you've trained before, you know how much you can lift. So you increase weight more quickly when starting to train again.

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Phenomenon and hypothesis · Building muscle is easier for people who used to be strong because of something retained by muscles

Details of hypothesis · Muscle cells merge with stem cells during training

The muscle cells incorporate the stem cells' nuclei.

Details of hypothesis · Muscles retain the stem cells' nuclei even after inactivity

These nuclei can make more muscle proteins again, even after the muscles have shrunk due to inactivity.

Passage Style

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Question Type

Implied

What’s the expected audience of Passage A? Probably an audience that has experience lifting weights. This is evident from the use of “you” in the last paragraph.

What’s the expected audience of Passage B? probably a non-scientist audience. This is evident from the use of the phrase “pumping up,” which is informal.

Passage A: skeptics ██ ███ ██████████ █████ ██████████

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We have no reason to think the audience of Passage B has had experience with muscle memory. Passage B never mentions “you” or suggests that the reader has lifted weights before.

Passage A: scientific ███████████

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We have no reason to think Passage A’s audience is researchers. Passage A doesn’t use technical language. Also, Passage A suggests the audience has lifted weights; there’s no connection between scientific researchers and lifting weights.

Passage A: athletes ███ ████ ████ █ ███████

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We have no reason to think Passage B’s audience is people who pursue fitness on their own. What distinguishes people who pursue fitness on their own from those who pursue fitness with a trainer? There’s nothing in Passage B that suggests the audience wouldn’t have a trainer.

Passage A: bodybuilders

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This is the best answer. Pasage A’s audience probably has experience lifting weights. This is evident from the use of “you already know you can handle increasing weight” in the last paragraph.

Passage B’s audience is probably general. This is evident from the use of the phrase “pumping up,” which is informal. In addition, Passage B describes apoptosis, suggesting the audience wouldn’t already know what it is.

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Passage A: sports █████████████

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We have no reason to think Passage A’s audience is sports psychologists. Passage A doesn’t use technical language related to psychology. Also, Passage A suggests the audience has lifted weights; there’s no reason to think sports psychologists have lifted weights and have personal experience with building their own muscle.

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PrepTest 147 - Section 2 - Passage 1 - Question 5

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