Lines 1-7: In his biography of the composer, Elias Porter argues that early hardships shaped the musician's later experimental style. Porter highlights diary entries in which the young composer describes turning household noises—creaking doors, dripping faucets—into improvised melodies.
Which line from the passage best supports Porter's argument about the influence of hardship on the composer's style?
- "In his biography of the composer, Elias Porter argues that early hardships shaped the musician's later experimental style."
- "Porter highlights diary entries in which the young composer describes turning household noises—creaking doors, dripping faucets—into improvised melodies." (correct answer)
- "The composer would later win international acclaim for avant-garde symphonies performed in concert halls across Europe and America."
- "Porter's book was shortlisted for a prestigious music-history award and praised by critics for its thorough research."
Explanation: When you encounter a "best supports" question, you're being asked to find specific evidence that backs up a claim or argument. The key is distinguishing between statements that merely restate the argument versus those that provide actual supporting evidence. Porter's argument is that early hardships influenced the composer's experimental style. Choice B provides the strongest support because it offers concrete evidence of this connection. The diary entries showing how the young composer transformed everyday household sounds into music directly demonstrates the link between difficult circumstances (having to make music from mundane, imperfect sounds) and experimental techniques. This specific example proves Porter's broader claim about hardship fostering innovation. Choice A simply restates Porter's argument rather than supporting it—it tells us what Porter believes but provides no evidence for why we should believe it. Choice C describes the composer's later success but doesn't connect that success to early hardships or explain how those hardships influenced his style. Choice D focuses on Porter's book receiving recognition, which speaks to Porter's credibility as a researcher but doesn't actually support his specific argument about hardship and musical style. Remember that evidence questions ask you to identify proof, not repetition. Look for specific examples, data, quotes, or concrete details that would convince a skeptical reader. The correct answer will contain factual information that logically supports the claim, while wrong answers often just restate the argument or discuss related but irrelevant topics.