Question Bank / Reading and Writing / Command of Evidence
Command of Evidence SAT question
Reading and Writing · Information and Ideas · Hard · Answer it here, explanation included.
In the 1980s, many musicians and journalists in the English-speaking world began to draw attention to music from around the globe—such as mbaqanga from South Africa and quan họ from Vietnam—that can’t be easily categorized according to British or North American popular music genres, typically referring to such music as “world music.” While some scholars have welcomed this development for bringing diverse musical forms to prominence in countries where they’d previously been overlooked, musicologist Su Zheng claims that the concept of world music homogenizes highly distinct traditions by reducing them all to a single category.
Which finding about mbaqanga and quan họ, if true, would most directly support Zheng’s claim?
ExplanationShow
Choice A is the best answer. Zheng’s claim is that the idea of world music “homogenizes” (meaning makes similar) distinct kinds of music by reducing them to one category. In other words, Zheng thinks the concept of world music is a harmful oversimplification of diverse musical forms. To support this claim, we need evidence that these musical traditions are so different from one another that they should not fall into the same category. If it’s true that mbaqanga and quan họ developed separately and have little in common musically, then it wouldn’t make sense to lump them into the same category.
Choice B is incorrect. If true, this wouldn’t affect the claim. To support the claim, we need evidence that these musical traditions are so different from one another that they should not fall into the same category. A difference in popularity doesn’t necessarily mean that the two musical traditions shouldn’t be categorized together: instead, we need to know if the music itself is similar or different. Choice C is incorrect. If true, this wouldn’t affect the claim. To support the claim, we need evidence that these musical traditions are so different from each other that they should not fall into the same category. This choice doesn’t do that. Choice D is incorrect. If true, this would actually weaken the claim. Zheng thinks it’s reductive or oversimplifying to put distinct musical traditions into a single category. But if mbaqanga and quan họ are similar to each other, then it would make sense to put them in the same category.
Drill this skill on Aceit
Adaptive practice, a daily plan, and score tracking take a free account so we can save your work.
More Command of Evidence questions
- 1,3001,2001,1001,0009008007006005004003002001000Number of municipalitiesno responseresponded to inquiryoffered incentiveMunicipalities’ Responses to Inquiries about Potential Incen
- Although many transposons, DNA sequences that move within an organism's genome through shuffling or duplication, have become corrupted and inactive over time, those from the long i
- Sample of Food Items from Gemini Mission Menus Food itemDayMealSugar cookie cubes1BChicken and vegetables2BShrimp cocktail4CHot cocoa3A To make sure they got the nutrition they ne
- 200150100500Uncertainty(larger values = more uncertainty) 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Economic Policy Uncertainty in the United Kingdom, 2005–2010Year tax and public spendin
- 140,000120,000100,00080,00060,00040,00020,0000Area (square meters)198719932006Characteristics of the Banks of the Provo River Downstream of the Jordanelle DamYear grass cover bare
- 605550454035302520151050Female farmersas a percentage of totalnorth Ondocentral Ondosouth OndoPercentage of Ondo State Small-Scale Farmers Who Are Female, by Main Crop GrownOndo St