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A child learning to play the piano will not succeed unless the child has an instrument at home on which to practice. However, good-quality pianos, whether new or secondhand, are costly. Buying one is justified only if the child has the necessary talent and perseverance, which is precisely what one cannot know in advance. Consequently, parents should buy an inexpensive secondhand instrument at first and upgrade if and when the child's ability and inclination are proven.


Q. Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the course of action recommended for parents?

  • a)
    Learners, particularly those with genuine musical talent, are apt to lose interest in the instrument if they have to play on a piano that fails to produce a pleasing sound.

  • b)
    Reputable piano teachers do not accept children as pupils unless they know that the children can practice on a piano at home.

  • c)
    Ideally, the piano on which a child practices at home should be located in a room away from family activities going on at the same time.

  • d)
    Very young beginners often make remarkable progress at playing the piano at first, but then appear to stand still for a considerable period of time.

  • e)
    In some parents, spending increasing amounts of money on having their children learn to play the piano produces increasing anxiety to hear immediate results.

Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
A child learning to play the piano will not succeed unless the child h...
The argument talks about 'child' (say 3 - 12 yrs). Option (D) talks about 'very young' which implies a little child (say 3 - 5 yrs). Since very young will be a subset of child, most of my interest in the option is already lost. It is like saying "some children will..." and that is usually irrelevant.
Secondly it uses "beginners" which means the stage at which they have the second hand cheap instrument. They may show promise but will stop suddenly. Well, all the more reason to wait and watch with a temporary instrument. If you begin with an expensive one, it will go waste.
If we know that kids show progress initially and then stand still, we would buy a cheaper instrument and see whether they are showing continuous progress to buy an expensive one later.
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Most Upvoted Answer
A child learning to play the piano will not succeed unless the child h...
Very young beginners often make remarkable progress at playing the piano at first, but then appear to stand still for a considerable period of time.
This statement casts doubt on the recommended course of action for parents because it suggests that the initial progress made by a child learning to play the piano may not necessarily indicate long-term talent or perseverance. This means that even if a child shows early promise and dedication, they may still hit a plateau in their development, making it uncertain whether investing in a better quality piano would be justified.
- Initial progress may not be indicative of long-term success: The statement highlights that very young beginners can make significant progress initially, giving the impression of talent and dedication. However, this progress may not be sustained over time, leading to a period of stagnation in their learning.
- Uncertainty in predicting future success: The fact that young learners might plateau after an initial burst of progress creates uncertainty about their future potential in playing the piano. This uncertainty undermines the rationale for investing in a high-quality instrument upfront.
- Risk of financial loss: If parents follow the recommended course of action and purchase an inexpensive secondhand piano initially, they may risk having to upgrade to a better quality instrument later if the child's progress stalls. This could lead to additional financial costs and possibly wasted resources.
Therefore, the statement about young beginners hitting a plateau in their piano learning journey raises doubts about the effectiveness of the suggested approach and the assumption that talent and perseverance can be accurately gauged in advance.
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A child learning to play the piano will not succeed unless the child has an instrument at home on which to practice. However, good-quality pianos, whether new or secondhand, are costly. Buying one is justified only if the child has the necessary talent and perseverance, which is precisely what one cannot know in advance. Consequently, parents should buy an inexpensive secondhand instrument at first and upgrade if and when the childs ability and inclination are proven.Q. Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the course of action recommended for parents?a)Learners, particularly those with genuine musical talent, are apt to lose interest in the instrument if they have to play on a piano that fails to produce a pleasing sound.b)Reputable piano teachers do not accept children as pupils unless they know that the children can practice on a piano at home.c)Ideally, the piano on which a child practices at home should be located in a room away from family activities going on at the same time.d)Very young beginners often make remarkable progress at playing the piano at first, but then appear to stand still for a considerable period of time.e)In some parents, spending increasing amounts of money on having their children learn to play the piano produces increasing anxiety to hear immediate results.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? for GMAT 2025 is part of GMAT preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the GMAT exam syllabus. Information about A child learning to play the piano will not succeed unless the child has an instrument at home on which to practice. However, good-quality pianos, whether new or secondhand, are costly. Buying one is justified only if the child has the necessary talent and perseverance, which is precisely what one cannot know in advance. Consequently, parents should buy an inexpensive secondhand instrument at first and upgrade if and when the childs ability and inclination are proven.Q. Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the course of action recommended for parents?a)Learners, particularly those with genuine musical talent, are apt to lose interest in the instrument if they have to play on a piano that fails to produce a pleasing sound.b)Reputable piano teachers do not accept children as pupils unless they know that the children can practice on a piano at home.c)Ideally, the piano on which a child practices at home should be located in a room away from family activities going on at the same time.d)Very young beginners often make remarkable progress at playing the piano at first, but then appear to stand still for a considerable period of time.e)In some parents, spending increasing amounts of money on having their children learn to play the piano produces increasing anxiety to hear immediate results.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for GMAT 2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for A child learning to play the piano will not succeed unless the child has an instrument at home on which to practice. However, good-quality pianos, whether new or secondhand, are costly. Buying one is justified only if the child has the necessary talent and perseverance, which is precisely what one cannot know in advance. Consequently, parents should buy an inexpensive secondhand instrument at first and upgrade if and when the childs ability and inclination are proven.Q. Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the course of action recommended for parents?a)Learners, particularly those with genuine musical talent, are apt to lose interest in the instrument if they have to play on a piano that fails to produce a pleasing sound.b)Reputable piano teachers do not accept children as pupils unless they know that the children can practice on a piano at home.c)Ideally, the piano on which a child practices at home should be located in a room away from family activities going on at the same time.d)Very young beginners often make remarkable progress at playing the piano at first, but then appear to stand still for a considerable period of time.e)In some parents, spending increasing amounts of money on having their children learn to play the piano produces increasing anxiety to hear immediate results.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?.
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Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the course of action recommended for parents?a)Learners, particularly those with genuine musical talent, are apt to lose interest in the instrument if they have to play on a piano that fails to produce a pleasing sound.b)Reputable piano teachers do not accept children as pupils unless they know that the children can practice on a piano at home.c)Ideally, the piano on which a child practices at home should be located in a room away from family activities going on at the same time.d)Very young beginners often make remarkable progress at playing the piano at first, but then appear to stand still for a considerable period of time.e)In some parents, spending increasing amounts of money on having their children learn to play the piano produces increasing anxiety to hear immediate results.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. 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Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the course of action recommended for parents?a)Learners, particularly those with genuine musical talent, are apt to lose interest in the instrument if they have to play on a piano that fails to produce a pleasing sound.b)Reputable piano teachers do not accept children as pupils unless they know that the children can practice on a piano at home.c)Ideally, the piano on which a child practices at home should be located in a room away from family activities going on at the same time.d)Very young beginners often make remarkable progress at playing the piano at first, but then appear to stand still for a considerable period of time.e)In some parents, spending increasing amounts of money on having their children learn to play the piano produces increasing anxiety to hear immediate results.Correct answer is option 'D'. 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Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the course of action recommended for parents?a)Learners, particularly those with genuine musical talent, are apt to lose interest in the instrument if they have to play on a piano that fails to produce a pleasing sound.b)Reputable piano teachers do not accept children as pupils unless they know that the children can practice on a piano at home.c)Ideally, the piano on which a child practices at home should be located in a room away from family activities going on at the same time.d)Very young beginners often make remarkable progress at playing the piano at first, but then appear to stand still for a considerable period of time.e)In some parents, spending increasing amounts of money on having their children learn to play the piano produces increasing anxiety to hear immediate results.Correct answer is option 'D'. 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Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the course of action recommended for parents?a)Learners, particularly those with genuine musical talent, are apt to lose interest in the instrument if they have to play on a piano that fails to produce a pleasing sound.b)Reputable piano teachers do not accept children as pupils unless they know that the children can practice on a piano at home.c)Ideally, the piano on which a child practices at home should be located in a room away from family activities going on at the same time.d)Very young beginners often make remarkable progress at playing the piano at first, but then appear to stand still for a considerable period of time.e)In some parents, spending increasing amounts of money on having their children learn to play the piano produces increasing anxiety to hear immediate results.Correct answer is option 'D'. 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Which of the following, if true, casts the most serious doubt on the course of action recommended for parents?a)Learners, particularly those with genuine musical talent, are apt to lose interest in the instrument if they have to play on a piano that fails to produce a pleasing sound.b)Reputable piano teachers do not accept children as pupils unless they know that the children can practice on a piano at home.c)Ideally, the piano on which a child practices at home should be located in a room away from family activities going on at the same time.d)Very young beginners often make remarkable progress at playing the piano at first, but then appear to stand still for a considerable period of time.e)In some parents, spending increasing amounts of money on having their children learn to play the piano produces increasing anxiety to hear immediate results.Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice GMAT tests.
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