SAT Section 5 - Group 4
(111).webp "SAT Section 5 - Group 4 - Quiz")
For each question in this section, select the best answer from among the choices given.
Questions and Answers
- 1.
Black Americans in Flight, a mural honoring several aviation pioneers, also ------- the 1992 spaceflight of astronaut Mae Jemison.
- A.
Discerns
- B.
Introduces
- C.
Approximates
- D.
Commemorates
- E.
Asserts
Correct Answer
D. CommemoratesExplanation
The correct answer is "commemorates". The word "commemorates" means to honor or remember someone or something, typically through a ceremony or monument. In this context, the mural "Black Americans in Flight" is honoring several aviation pioneers, as well as commemorating the 1992 spaceflight of astronaut Mae Jemison.Rate this question:
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- 2.
The new antifungal agent has such ------- uses, from treating Dutch elm disease to rescuing water-damaged works of art from molds, that it is considered one of the more ------- antibiotics.
- A.
Disturbing . . explicit
- B.
Innovative . . precipitous
- C.
Mysterious . . recognized
- D.
Varied . . versatile
- E.
Similar . . discriminating
Correct Answer
D. Varied . . versatileExplanation
The correct answer is "varied . . versatile". The sentence states that the new antifungal agent has a wide range of uses, from treating Dutch elm disease to rescuing water-damaged works of art from molds. This indicates that the agent can be used in different situations and for different purposes, making it versatile. The word "varied" also supports this idea, as it suggests a diverse range of uses.Rate this question:
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- 3.
The child had a tendency toward aggressive behavior, a ------- fighting rather than resolving differences amicably.
- A.
Propensity for
- B.
Confusion about
- C.
Disregard of
- D.
Hostility toward
- E.
Compunction about
Correct Answer
A. Propensity forExplanation
The correct answer is "propensity for". This means that the child has a natural inclination or tendency towards aggressive behavior, preferring to fight rather than resolving differences amicably.Rate this question:
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- 4.
Physical exercise often has a ------- effect, releasing emotional tension and refreshing the spirit.
- A.
Pejorative
- B.
Debilitating
- C.
Cathartic
- D.
Retentive
- E.
Tenacious
Correct Answer
C. CatharticExplanation
Physical exercise often has a cathartic effect, releasing emotional tension and refreshing the spirit. This means that engaging in physical activity can help to alleviate negative emotions and provide a sense of emotional release. It can act as a form of therapy, allowing individuals to let go of stress and feel revitalized.Rate this question:
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- 5.
Because rap and hip-hop offer such ------- commentary on contemporary issues, they are often said to be sharp-edged musical genres.
- A.
Nebulous
- B.
Trenchant
- C.
Circumspect
- D.
Prosaic
- E.
Benign
Correct Answer
B. TrenchantExplanation
Rap and hip-hop are known for their sharp and incisive commentary on contemporary issues. The word "trenchant" means sharply effective or articulate, which perfectly describes the commentary offered by these musical genres. Therefore, "trenchant" is the correct answer.Rate this question:
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- 6.
Each passage below is followed by questions based on its content. Answer the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied in each passage and in any introductory material that may be provided. “Mechanical pencils rule,” my fifteen-year-old grandniece, Genevieve, declared when I invited her to be her generation’s voice on school supplies. “Nobody sharpens anymore.” Then, continuing with a fashion (Line 5) maven’s hyperbole and arbitrary imperatives, she gave a passionate disquisition on types of clickers, new grips, smaller lead sizes, and other niceties of pencil selection. As she consigned the yellow-painted wooden pencil to the wastebasket of history, I felt a rush of nostalgia for (Line 10) the perfumed sharpener shavings of my youth. In lines 4-5, the author refers to a “fashion maven’s” tone primarily in order to
- A.
Imply that Genevieve has only a superficial appreciation of mechanical pencils
- B.
Suggest that Genevieve is excessively concerned about her clothing
- C.
Illustrate some of the exaggerated claims made by mechanical pencil manufacturers
- D.
Emphasize the unpredictability of trends in consumer tastes
- E.
Indicate that Genevieve expresses her opinions with authority and flair
Correct Answer
E. Indicate that Genevieve expresses her opinions with authority and flairExplanation
The author refers to a "fashion maven's" tone primarily to indicate that Genevieve expresses her opinions with authority and flair. This suggests that Genevieve is confident and knowledgeable about the topic of mechanical pencils, and her passion for them is evident in her enthusiastic and exaggerated claims. The use of the term "fashion maven" implies that Genevieve's style of expression is fashionable and trendy, further emphasizing her authority and flair in expressing her opinions.Rate this question:
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- 7.
Each passage below is followed by questions based on its content. Answer the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied in each passage and in any introductory material that may be provided. “Mechanical pencils rule,” my fifteen-year-old grandniece, Genevieve, declared when I invited her to be her generation’s voice on school supplies. “Nobody sharpens anymore.” Then, continuing with a fashion (Line 5) maven’s hyperbole and arbitrary imperatives, she gave a passionate disquisition on types of clickers, new grips, smaller lead sizes, and other niceties of pencil selection. As she consigned the yellow-painted wooden pencil to the wastebasket of history, I felt a rush of nostalgia for (Line 10) the perfumed sharpener shavings of my youth. The author mentions “sharpener shavings” (line 10) in order to portray a mood of
- A.
Unrestrained joy
- B.
Sentimental reminiscence
- C.
Bitter disappointment
- D.
Cautious optimism
- E.
Dark foreboding
Correct Answer
B. Sentimental reminiscenceExplanation
The author mentions "sharpener shavings" in order to portray a mood of sentimental reminiscence. This is evident from the statement that the author felt a rush of nostalgia for the perfumed sharpener shavings of their youth. The mention of sharpener shavings evokes memories and emotions associated with the author's past experiences of using wooden pencils and sharpening them with a sharpener, creating a sense of sentimental longing and fondness.Rate this question:
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- 8.
Each passage below is followed by questions based on its content. Answer the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied in each passage and in any introductory material that may be provided. Black holes are the most efficient engines of destruction known to humanity. Their intense gravity is a one-way ticket to oblivion, and material spiraling into them can heat up to millions of degrees and glow brightly. Yet, they (Line 5) are not all-powerful. Even supermassive black holes are minuscule by cosmic standards. They typically account for less than one percent of their galaxy’s mass. Accordingly, astronomers long assumed that supermassive holes, let alone their smaller cousins, would have little effect beyond (Line 10) their immediate neighborhoods. So it has come as a surprise over the past decade that black hole activity is closely intertwined with star formation occurring farther out in the galaxy. Which best describes the function of the statement in lines 10-13 (“So it . . . galaxy”) ?
- A.
It summarizes the points made in the first four lines of the passage.
- B.
It provides support for the argument asserted in the preceding statement.
- C.
It introduces a new view of information presented earlier in the passage.
- D.
It challenges recent scientific findings.
- E.
It offers examples to support a theory.
Correct Answer
C. It introduces a new view of information presented earlier in the passage.Explanation
The statement in lines 10-13 introduces a new view of information presented earlier in the passage. It states that black hole activity is closely intertwined with star formation occurring farther out in the galaxy, which contradicts the assumption that black holes have little effect beyond their immediate neighborhoods. This new view challenges the previous belief and expands our understanding of the impact of black holes.Rate this question:
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- 9.
Each passage below is followed by questions based on its content. Answer the questions on the basis of what is stated or implied in each passage and in any introductory material that may be provided. Black holes are the most efficient engines of destruction known to humanity. Their intense gravity is a one-way ticket to oblivion, and material spiraling into them can heat up to millions of degrees and glow brightly. Yet, they (Line 5) are not all-powerful. Even supermassive black holes are minuscule by cosmic standards. They typically account for less than one percent of their galaxy’s mass. Accordingly, astronomers long assumed that supermassive holes, let alone their smaller cousins, would have little effect beyond (Line 10) their immediate neighborhoods. So it has come as a surprise over the past decade that black hole activity is closely intertwined with star formation occurring farther out in the galaxy. Which of the following most resembles the relationship between “black hole activity” and “star formation” (lines 11-12) as described in the passage?
- A.
A volcanic eruption on one continent results in higher rainfall totals on another continent.
- B.
Industrial emissions in one region lead to an increase in airborne pollutants in adjacent regions.
- C.
A drought in a wilderness area causes a significant loss of vegetation in that area.
- D.
Decreased oil production in one country results in higher gas prices in oil-dependent countries.
- E.
Overfishing in a gulf leads to an increase in the population of smaller aquatic organisms.
Correct Answer
A. A volcanic eruption on one continent results in higher rainfall totals on another continent.Explanation
The relationship between "black hole activity" and "star formation" described in the passage is that they are closely intertwined. This means that black hole activity has a direct impact on star formation occurring farther out in the galaxy. Similarly, a volcanic eruption on one continent resulting in higher rainfall totals on another continent demonstrates a close relationship where one event has a direct impact on another event in a different location.Rate this question:
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- 10.
The following passage is an excerpt from a 1909 novel. Georgia, the main character, is a reporter in an otherwise all-male newsroom. Georgia was to be married. It was the week before Christmas, and on the last day of the year she would become Mrs. Joseph Tank. She had told Joe that if they were to be married at all they might as well get it (Line 5) over with this year, and still there was no need of being married any earlier in the year than was necessary. She assured him that she married him simply because she was tired of having paper bags waved before her eyes everywhere she went and she thought if she were once officially (Line 10) associated with him people would not flaunt his idiosyncrasies at her that way. And then Ernestine, her best friend, approved of getting married, and Ernestine’s ideas were usually good. To all of which Joe responded that she certainly had a splendid head to figure it out that way. (Line 15) Joe said that to his mind reasons for doing things weren’t very important anyhow; it was doing them that counted. Yesterday had been her last day on the paper. She had felt queer about that thing of taking her last assignment, though it was hard to reach just the proper state, for the (Line 20) last story related to pork-packers, and pork-packing is not a setting favorable to sentimental regrets. It was just like the newspaper business not even to allow one a little sentimental harrowing over one’s exodus from it. But the time for gentle melancholy came later on when she was (Line 25) sorting her things at her desk just before leaving, and was wondering what girl would have that old desk—if they cared to risk another girl, and whether the other poor girl would slave through the years she should have been frivolous, only to have some man step in at the end and (Line 30) induce her to surrender the things she had gained through sacrifice and toil. As she wrote a final letter on her typewriter—she did hate letting the old machine go—Georgia did considerable philosophizing about the irony of working for things only (Line 35) to the end of giving them up. She had waded through snowdrifts and been drenched in pouring rains, she had been frozen with the cold and prostrated with the heat, she had been blown about by Chicago wind until it was strange there was any of her left in one piece, she had had front (Line 40) doors—yes, and back doors too—slammed in her face, she had been the butt of the alleged wit of menials and hirelings, she had been patronized by vapid women as the poor girl who must make her living some way, she had been roasted by—but never mind—she had had (Line 45) a beat* or two! And now she was to wind it all up by marrying Joseph Tank, who had made a great deal of money out of the manufacture of paper bags. This from her—who had always believed she would end her days in New York, or perhaps write a realistic novel exposing 50 some mighty evil! * the area regularly covered by a reporter Based on information presented in the passage, which best describes what Georgia was “tired of ” (line 8) ?
- A.
Being forced to earn a living
- B.
Being teased about Joseph Tank
- C.
Being considered a hack writer by some of her colleagues
- D.
Being betrayed by her supposed friends
- E.
Being the only woman in the newsroom
Correct Answer
B. Being teased about Joseph TankExplanation
In the passage, Georgia mentions that she married Joseph Tank because she was tired of having paper bags waved before her eyes everywhere she went. She believed that if she were officially associated with him, people would not flaunt his idiosyncrasies at her. This suggests that Georgia was tired of being teased about Joseph Tank, which is why she decided to marry him.Rate this question:
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- 11.
The following passage is an excerpt from a 1909 novel. Georgia, the main character, is a reporter in an otherwise all-male newsroom. Georgia was to be married. It was the week before Christmas, and on the last day of the year she would become Mrs. Joseph Tank. She had told Joe that if they were to be married at all they might as well get it (Line 5) over with this year, and still there was no need of being married any earlier in the year than was necessary. She assured him that she married him simply because she was tired of having paper bags waved before her eyes everywhere she went and she thought if she were once officially (Line 10) associated with him people would not flaunt his idiosyncrasies at her that way. And then Ernestine, her best friend, approved of getting married, and Ernestine’s ideas were usually good. To all of which Joe responded that she certainly had a splendid head to figure it out that way. (Line 15) Joe said that to his mind reasons for doing things weren’t very important anyhow; it was doing them that counted. Yesterday had been her last day on the paper. She had felt queer about that thing of taking her last assignment, though it was hard to reach just the proper state, for the (Line 20) last story related to pork-packers, and pork-packing is not a setting favorable to sentimental regrets. It was just like the newspaper business not even to allow one a little sentimental harrowing over one’s exodus from it. But the time for gentle melancholy came later on when she was (Line 25) sorting her things at her desk just before leaving, and was wondering what girl would have that old desk—if they cared to risk another girl, and whether the other poor girl would slave through the years she should have been frivolous, only to have some man step in at the end and (Line 30) induce her to surrender the things she had gained through sacrifice and toil. As she wrote a final letter on her typewriter—she did hate letting the old machine go—Georgia did considerable philosophizing about the irony of working for things only (Line 35) to the end of giving them up. She had waded through snowdrifts and been drenched in pouring rains, she had been frozen with the cold and prostrated with the heat, she had been blown about by Chicago wind until it was strange there was any of her left in one piece, she had had front (Line 40) doors—yes, and back doors too—slammed in her face, she had been the butt of the alleged wit of menials and hirelings, she had been patronized by vapid women as the poor girl who must make her living some way, she had been roasted by—but never mind—she had had (Line 45) a beat* or two! And now she was to wind it all up by marrying Joseph Tank, who had made a great deal of money out of the manufacture of paper bags. This from her—who had always believed she would end her days in New York, or perhaps write a realistic novel exposing 50 some mighty evil! * the area regularly covered by a reporter The second paragraph suggests that Georgia believes the “proper state” (line 19) would be one of
- A.
Excitement
- B.
Wistfulness
- C.
Amusement
- D.
Annoyance
- E.
Relief
Correct Answer
B. WistfulnessExplanation
The second paragraph suggests that Georgia believes the "proper state" would be one of wistfulness. This is indicated by her feeling "queer" about taking her last assignment and her wondering about the sentimental value of her old desk. She reflects on the sacrifices and hardships she has endured in her career as a reporter and contemplates the irony of working hard for things only to give them up. This contemplation and reflection indicate a sense of wistfulness and nostalgia for what she is leaving behind.Rate this question:
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- 12.
The following passage is an excerpt from a 1909 novel. Georgia, the main character, is a reporter in an otherwise all-male newsroom. Georgia was to be married. It was the week before Christmas, and on the last day of the year she would become Mrs. Joseph Tank. She had told Joe that if they were to be married at all they might as well get it (Line 5) over with this year, and still there was no need of being married any earlier in the year than was necessary. She assured him that she married him simply because she was tired of having paper bags waved before her eyes everywhere she went and she thought if she were once officially (Line 10) associated with him people would not flaunt his idiosyncrasies at her that way. And then Ernestine, her best friend, approved of getting married, and Ernestine’s ideas were usually good. To all of which Joe responded that she certainly had a splendid head to figure it out that way. (Line 15) Joe said that to his mind reasons for doing things weren’t very important anyhow; it was doing them that counted. Yesterday had been her last day on the paper. She had felt queer about that thing of taking her last assignment, though it was hard to reach just the proper state, for the (Line 20) last story related to pork-packers, and pork-packing is not a setting favorable to sentimental regrets. It was just like the newspaper business not even to allow one a little sentimental harrowing over one’s exodus from it. But the time for gentle melancholy came later on when she was (Line 25) sorting her things at her desk just before leaving, and was wondering what girl would have that old desk—if they cared to risk another girl, and whether the other poor girl would slave through the years she should have been frivolous, only to have some man step in at the end and (Line 30) induce her to surrender the things she had gained through sacrifice and toil. As she wrote a final letter on her typewriter—she did hate letting the old machine go—Georgia did considerable philosophizing about the irony of working for things only (Line 35) to the end of giving them up. She had waded through snowdrifts and been drenched in pouring rains, she had been frozen with the cold and prostrated with the heat, she had been blown about by Chicago wind until it was strange there was any of her left in one piece, she had had front (Line 40) doors—yes, and back doors too—slammed in her face, she had been the butt of the alleged wit of menials and hirelings, she had been patronized by vapid women as the poor girl who must make her living some way, she had been roasted by—but never mind—she had had (Line 45) a beat* or two! And now she was to wind it all up by marrying Joseph Tank, who had made a great deal of money out of the manufacture of paper bags. This from her—who had always believed she would end her days in New York, or perhaps write a realistic novel exposing 50 some mighty evil! * the area regularly covered by a reporter In line 27, “poor” most nearly means
- A.
Pitiable
- B.
Indigent
- C.
Inferior
- D.
Humble
- E.
Petty
Correct Answer
A. PitiableExplanation
In line 27, the word "poor" is used to describe the girl who would potentially have the old desk. The passage suggests that this girl would have to sacrifice and toil, only to have a man come in at the end and convince her to give up the things she had gained. Therefore, "poor" in this context most nearly means pitiable, as it conveys a sense of sympathy or compassion towards the girl's situation.Rate this question:
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- 13.
The following passage is an excerpt from a 1909 novel. Georgia, the main character, is a reporter in an otherwise all-male newsroom. Georgia was to be married. It was the week before Christmas, and on the last day of the year she would become Mrs. Joseph Tank. She had told Joe that if they were to be married at all they might as well get it (Line 5) over with this year, and still there was no need of being married any earlier in the year than was necessary. She assured him that she married him simply because she was tired of having paper bags waved before her eyes everywhere she went and she thought if she were once officially (Line 10) associated with him people would not flaunt his idiosyncrasies at her that way. And then Ernestine, her best friend, approved of getting married, and Ernestine’s ideas were usually good. To all of which Joe responded that she certainly had a splendid head to figure it out that way. (Line 15) Joe said that to his mind reasons for doing things weren’t very important anyhow; it was doing them that counted. Yesterday had been her last day on the paper. She had felt queer about that thing of taking her last assignment, though it was hard to reach just the proper state, for the (Line 20) last story related to pork-packers, and pork-packing is not a setting favorable to sentimental regrets. It was just like the newspaper business not even to allow one a little sentimental harrowing over one’s exodus from it. But the time for gentle melancholy came later on when she was (Line 25) sorting her things at her desk just before leaving, and was wondering what girl would have that old desk—if they cared to risk another girl, and whether the other poor girl would slave through the years she should have been frivolous, only to have some man step in at the end and (Line 30) induce her to surrender the things she had gained through sacrifice and toil. As she wrote a final letter on her typewriter—she did hate letting the old machine go—Georgia did considerable philosophizing about the irony of working for things only (Line 35) to the end of giving them up. She had waded through snowdrifts and been drenched in pouring rains, she had been frozen with the cold and prostrated with the heat, she had been blown about by Chicago wind until it was strange there was any of her left in one piece, she had had front (Line 40) doors—yes, and back doors too—slammed in her face, she had been the butt of the alleged wit of menials and hirelings, she had been patronized by vapid women as the poor girl who must make her living some way, she had been roasted by—but never mind—she had had (Line 45) a beat* or two! And now she was to wind it all up by marrying Joseph Tank, who had made a great deal of money out of the manufacture of paper bags. This from her—who had always believed she would end her days in New York, or perhaps write a realistic novel exposing 50 some mighty evil! * the area regularly covered by a reporter Which most resembles the “irony” mentioned in line 34 ?
- A.
A worker moving to a distant state to take a job, only to be fired without warning
- B.
An executive making an important decision, only to regret it later
- C.
An athlete earning a starting position on a good team, only to quit in midseason
- D.
A student studying for a major exam, only to learn that it has been postponed
- E.
A person purchasing an expensive umbrella, only to lose it on the first rainy day
Correct Answer
C. An athlete earning a starting position on a good team, only to quit in midseasonExplanation
The passage mentions the irony of working hard for something only to give it up in the end. This is similar to an athlete earning a starting position on a good team, which is an achievement, but then quitting in the middle of the season, which contradicts the initial effort and opportunity.Rate this question:
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- 14.
The following passage is an excerpt from a 1909 novel. Georgia, the main character, is a reporter in an otherwise all-male newsroom. Georgia was to be married. It was the week before Christmas, and on the last day of the year she would become Mrs. Joseph Tank. She had told Joe that if they were to be married at all they might as well get it (Line 5) over with this year, and still there was no need of being married any earlier in the year than was necessary. She assured him that she married him simply because she was tired of having paper bags waved before her eyes everywhere she went and she thought if she were once officially (Line 10) associated with him people would not flaunt his idiosyncrasies at her that way. And then Ernestine, her best friend, approved of getting married, and Ernestine’s ideas were usually good. To all of which Joe responded that she certainly had a splendid head to figure it out that way. (Line 15) Joe said that to his mind reasons for doing things weren’t very important anyhow; it was doing them that counted. Yesterday had been her last day on the paper. She had felt queer about that thing of taking her last assignment, though it was hard to reach just the proper state, for the (Line 20) last story related to pork-packers, and pork-packing is not a setting favorable to sentimental regrets. It was just like the newspaper business not even to allow one a little sentimental harrowing over one’s exodus from it. But the time for gentle melancholy came later on when she was (Line 25) sorting her things at her desk just before leaving, and was wondering what girl would have that old desk—if they cared to risk another girl, and whether the other poor girl would slave through the years she should have been frivolous, only to have some man step in at the end and (Line 30) induce her to surrender the things she had gained through sacrifice and toil. As she wrote a final letter on her typewriter—she did hate letting the old machine go—Georgia did considerable philosophizing about the irony of working for things only (Line 35) to the end of giving them up. She had waded through snowdrifts and been drenched in pouring rains, she had been frozen with the cold and prostrated with the heat, she had been blown about by Chicago wind until it was strange there was any of her left in one piece, she had had front (Line 40) doors—yes, and back doors too—slammed in her face, she had been the butt of the alleged wit of menials and hirelings, she had been patronized by vapid women as the poor girl who must make her living some way, she had been roasted by—but never mind—she had had (Line 45) a beat* or two! And now she was to wind it all up by marrying Joseph Tank, who had made a great deal of money out of the manufacture of paper bags. This from her—who had always believed she would end her days in New York, or perhaps write a realistic novel exposing 50 some mighty evil! * the area regularly covered by a reporter The description in lines 35-45 (“She . . . two!”) primarily serves to
- A.
Suggest that Georgia envied those women who did not have to work
- B.
Imply that Georgia would be unlikely ever to consider working as a reporter again
- C.
Indicate the role that weather plays in the everyday life of a reporter
- D.
Exaggerate Georgia’s reluctance to relinquish her job
- E.
Show the adversities Georgia had to overcome as a reporter
Correct Answer
E. Show the adversities Georgia had to overcome as a reporterExplanation
The passage in lines 35-45 describes the challenges and hardships that Georgia faced as a reporter. It mentions how she had to endure extreme weather conditions, face rejection and criticism from others, and be patronized by vapid women. This suggests that Georgia had to overcome various adversities in her career as a reporter.Rate this question:
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- 15.
The following passage is an excerpt from a 1909 novel. Georgia, the main character, is a reporter in an otherwise all-male newsroom. Georgia was to be married. It was the week before Christmas, and on the last day of the year she would become Mrs. Joseph Tank. She had told Joe that if they were to be married at all they might as well get it (Line 5) over with this year, and still there was no need of being married any earlier in the year than was necessary. She assured him that she married him simply because she was tired of having paper bags waved before her eyes everywhere she went and she thought if she were once officially (Line 10) associated with him people would not flaunt his idiosyncrasies at her that way. And then Ernestine, her best friend, approved of getting married, and Ernestine’s ideas were usually good. To all of which Joe responded that she certainly had a splendid head to figure it out that way. (Line 15) Joe said that to his mind reasons for doing things weren’t very important anyhow; it was doing them that counted. Yesterday had been her last day on the paper. She had felt queer about that thing of taking her last assignment, though it was hard to reach just the proper state, for the (Line 20) last story related to pork-packers, and pork-packing is not a setting favorable to sentimental regrets. It was just like the newspaper business not even to allow one a little sentimental harrowing over one’s exodus from it. But the time for gentle melancholy came later on when she was (Line 25) sorting her things at her desk just before leaving, and was wondering what girl would have that old desk—if they cared to risk another girl, and whether the other poor girl would slave through the years she should have been frivolous, only to have some man step in at the end and (Line 30) induce her to surrender the things she had gained through sacrifice and toil. As she wrote a final letter on her typewriter—she did hate letting the old machine go—Georgia did considerable philosophizing about the irony of working for things only (Line 35) to the end of giving them up. She had waded through snowdrifts and been drenched in pouring rains, she had been frozen with the cold and prostrated with the heat, she had been blown about by Chicago wind until it was strange there was any of her left in one piece, she had had front (Line 40) doors—yes, and back doors too—slammed in her face, she had been the butt of the alleged wit of menials and hirelings, she had been patronized by vapid women as the poor girl who must make her living some way, she had been roasted by—but never mind—she had had (Line 45) a beat* or two! And now she was to wind it all up by marrying Joseph Tank, who had made a great deal of money out of the manufacture of paper bags. This from her—who had always believed she would end her days in New York, or perhaps write a realistic novel exposing 50 some mighty evil! * the area regularly covered by a reporter In context, the phrase “This from her” (lines 47-48) helps to suggest that a
- A.
Specific feeling is quite heartfelt
- B.
Stated viewpoint is highly personal
- C.
Certain decision is out of character
- D.
Particular behavior is extremely upsetting
- E.
Given attitude is unsurprising
Correct Answer
C. Certain decision is out of characterExplanation
The phrase "This from her" suggests that the decision to marry Joseph Tank, who made money out of the manufacture of paper bags, is out of character for Georgia. It implies surprise or disbelief that she, who had always believed she would end her days in New York or write a realistic novel, would make such a decision. The phrase indicates that this decision is unexpected or contrary to her usual beliefs and aspirations.Rate this question:
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- 16.
The following passage is adapted from a book about television and popular culture. Ridiculing television, and warning about its inherent evils, is nothing new. It has been that way since the medium was invented, and television hasn’t exactly been lavished with respect as the decades have passed. (Line 5) I suspect, though, that a lot of the fear and loathing directed at television comes out of a time-honored, reflexive overreaction to the dominant medium of the moment. For the past several decades, television has been blamed for corrupting our youth and exciting (Line 10) our adults, distorting reality, and basically being a big, perhaps dangerous, waste of time. Before TV, radio and film were accused of the same things. And long before that—in fact, some 2,500 years earlier— philosophers were arguing that poetry and drama (Line 15) should be excluded from any ideal city on much the same grounds. In Book 10 of the Republic, Plato (428-348 B.C.) attacks epic poet Homer (c. 850 B.C.) and the tragedians on several grounds, all of which have a familiar (Line 20) ring. “Their productions are appearances and not realities,” he gripes. “Drawing, and in fact all imitation . . . [is] quite removed from the truth.” The audience, as well as the art form, troubled Plato, whose remarks are colored by an implied disdain for the popularity of public performances. (Line 25) The “common people,” as Plato so charitably calls them, are drawn to “peevish and diverse” characters—such as Odysseus and other heroes in the Iliad and the Odyssey— who (to Plato, anyway) engage in such questionable displays of emotion as “spinning out a long melancholy (Line 30) lamentation” or “disfiguring themselves in grief.” To Plato, baring such intimate sorrows is not to be condoned. (Clearly, he would have given thumbs down to the central characters of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Macbeth.) “If you receive the pleasure-seasoned Muse1 of song and epic,” (Line 35) Plato warns, “pleasure and pain will be kings in your city, instead of law.” Finally, Plato sums up his anti-arts argument with the cold, sweeping pronouncement that “poetry is not to be taken seriously.” One academic who has studied and written extensively (Line 40) about both Plato and television suggests that Plato, rather than being anti-arts, was merely an elitist. Plato wanted to ban poetry readings and live theater, the argument goes, because, being free and accessible and raucous and extremely popular, they were the mass entertainment (Line 45) of that era. “If, instead of ‘tragedy’ and ‘poetry,’ and ‘Homer’ and ‘Aeschylus,’2 you read ‘mass entertainment’ or ‘popular media,’ you’ll recognize Plato’s arguments as the ancestor of all the reasons we have today for being suspicious of television.” (Line 50) To wit: poetry, by which Plato means drama, confuses us between appearance and reality. The action it presents is too extreme and violent. Most important, it’s a corrupting influence, perverting its audience by bombarding it with inferior characters and vulgar subjects—and (Line 55) constituting, in Plato’s own words, “a harm to the mind of its audience.” If Plato’s Republic had become reality, it would have been a republic with a lot of empty libraries, theaters, and museums—if, indeed, those repositories of the arts would (Line 60) have survived at all. Plato’s personal utopia never came to pass—but throughout the centuries, wherever and whenever a new medium of artistic expression attracted a lot of people, someone has been ready, waiting, and eager to attack its content and fear its impact. 1 The Muses inspired poetry and song in Greek mythology. 2 Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.) was a Greek tragic dramatist. The opening paragraph primarily serves to
- A.
Criticize the way television distorts the truth
- B.
Examine the evolution of television as a medium
- C.
Place contemporary criticism of television in a historical context
- D.
Directly compare television and drama as art forms
- E.
Explain why television, radio, and drama appeal to the masses
Correct Answer
C. Place contemporary criticism of television in a historical contextExplanation
The opening paragraph of the passage serves to place contemporary criticism of television in a historical context. It states that ridiculing television and warning about its evils has been a common practice since the medium was invented. It further explains that throughout history, various forms of media such as radio, film, poetry, and drama have been accused of corrupting the youth and distorting reality. By highlighting this historical pattern of criticism towards different mediums, the paragraph suggests that the fear and loathing directed at television is not unique and can be seen as a reflexive overreaction to the dominant medium of the moment.Rate this question:
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- 17.
The following passage is adapted from a book about television and popular culture. Ridiculing television, and warning about its inherent evils, is nothing new. It has been that way since the medium was invented, and television hasn’t exactly been lavished with respect as the decades have passed. 5 I suspect, though, that a lot of the fear and loathing directed at television comes out of a time-honored, reflexive overreaction to the dominant medium of the moment. For the past several decades, television has been blamed for corrupting our youth and exciting 10 our adults, distorting reality, and basically being a big, perhaps dangerous, waste of time. Before TV, radio and film were accused of the same things. And long before that—in fact, some 2,500 years earlier— philosophers were arguing that poetry and drama 15 should be excluded from any ideal city on much the same grounds. In Book 10 of the Republic, Plato (428-348 B.C.) attacks epic poet Homer (c. 850 B.C.) and the tragedians on several grounds, all of which have a familiar 20 ring. “Their productions are appearances and not realities,” he gripes. “Drawing, and in fact all imitation . . . [is] quite removed from the truth.” The audience, as well as the art form, troubled Plato, whose remarks are colored by an implied disdain for the popularity of public performances. 25 The “common people,” as Plato so charitably calls them, are drawn to “peevish and diverse” characters—such as Odysseus and other heroes in the Iliad and the Odyssey— who (to Plato, anyway) engage in such questionable displays of emotion as “spinning out a long melancholy 30 lamentation” or “disfiguring themselves in grief.” To Plato, baring such intimate sorrows is not to be condoned. (Clearly, he would have given thumbs down to the central characters of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Macbeth.) “If you receive the pleasure-seasoned Muse1 of song and epic,” 35 Plato warns, “pleasure and pain will be kings in your city, instead of law.” Finally, Plato sums up his anti-arts argument with the cold, sweeping pronouncement that “poetry is not to be taken seriously.” One academic who has studied and written extensively 40 about both Plato and television suggests that Plato, rather than being anti-arts, was merely an elitist. Plato wanted to ban poetry readings and live theater, the argument goes, because, being free and accessible and raucous and extremely popular, they were the mass entertainment 45 of that era. “If, instead of ‘tragedy’ and ‘poetry,’ and ‘Homer’ and ‘Aeschylus,’2 you read ‘mass entertainment’ or ‘popular media,’ you’ll recognize Plato’s arguments as the ancestor of all the reasons we have today for being suspicious of television.” 50 To wit: poetry, by which Plato means drama, confuses us between appearance and reality. The action it presents is too extreme and violent. Most important, it’s a corrupting influence, perverting its audience by bombarding it with inferior characters and vulgar subjects—and con55 stituting, in Plato’s own words, “a harm to the mind of its audience.” If Plato’s Republic had become reality, it would have been a republic with a lot of empty libraries, theaters, and museums—if, indeed, those repositories of the arts would 60 have survived at all. Plato’s personal utopia never came to pass—but throughout the centuries, wherever and whenever a new medium of artistic expression attracted a lot of people, someone has been ready, waiting, and eager to attack its content and fear its impact. 1 The Muses inspired poetry and song in Greek mythology. 2 Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.) was a Greek tragic dramatist. Which of the following television shows would be LEAST vulnerable to the criticism expressed in lines 8-11 (“For . . . time”) ?
- A.
A melodrama in which police detectives attempt to solve crimes
- B.
A soap opera depicting interpersonal conflicts in a fictional law firm
- C.
A comedy whose primary characters are supernatural
- D.
A documentary on the state of education in the nation
- E.
A talk show that encourages people to confront each other in front of a studio audience
Correct Answer
D. A documentary on the state of education in the nationExplanation
The criticism expressed in lines 8-11 is that television is a waste of time and corrupting. A documentary on the state of education in the nation would be least vulnerable to this criticism because it is a educational and informative program that serves a purpose beyond entertainment. It provides valuable information and insights about an important topic, rather than being purely for entertainment or sensationalism.Rate this question:
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- 18.
The following passage is adapted from a book about television and popular culture. Ridiculing television, and warning about its inherent evils, is nothing new. It has been that way since the medium was invented, and television hasn’t exactly been lavished with respect as the decades have passed. (Line 5) I suspect, though, that a lot of the fear and loathing directed at television comes out of a time-honored, reflexive overreaction to the dominant medium of the moment. For the past several decades, television has been blamed for corrupting our youth and exciting (Line 10) our adults, distorting reality, and basically being a big, perhaps dangerous, waste of time. Before TV, radio and film were accused of the same things. And long before that—in fact, some 2,500 years earlier— philosophers were arguing that poetry and drama (Line 15) should be excluded from any ideal city on much the same grounds. In Book 10 of the Republic, Plato (428-348 B.C.) attacks epic poet Homer (c. 850 B.C.) and the tragedians on several grounds, all of which have a familiar (Line 20) ring. “Their productions are appearances and not realities,” he gripes. “Drawing, and in fact all imitation . . . [is] quite removed from the truth.” The audience, as well as the art form, troubled Plato, whose remarks are colored by an implied disdain for the popularity of public performances. (Line 25) The “common people,” as Plato so charitably calls them, are drawn to “peevish and diverse” characters—such as Odysseus and other heroes in the Iliad and the Odyssey— who (to Plato, anyway) engage in such questionable displays of emotion as “spinning out a long melancholy (Line 30) lamentation” or “disfiguring themselves in grief.” To Plato, baring such intimate sorrows is not to be condoned. (Clearly, he would have given thumbs down to the central characters of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Macbeth.) “If you receive the pleasure-seasoned Muse1 of song and epic,” (Line 35) Plato warns, “pleasure and pain will be kings in your city, instead of law.” Finally, Plato sums up his anti-arts argument with the cold, sweeping pronouncement that “poetry is not to be taken seriously.” One academic who has studied and written extensively (Line 40) about both Plato and television suggests that Plato, rather than being anti-arts, was merely an elitist. Plato wanted to ban poetry readings and live theater, the argument goes, because, being free and accessible and raucous and extremely popular, they were the mass entertainment (Line 45) of that era. “If, instead of ‘tragedy’ and ‘poetry,’ and ‘Homer’ and ‘Aeschylus,’2 you read ‘mass entertainment’ or ‘popular media,’ you’ll recognize Plato’s arguments as the ancestor of all the reasons we have today for being suspicious of television.” (Line 50) To wit: poetry, by which Plato means drama, confuses us between appearance and reality. The action it presents is too extreme and violent. Most important, it’s a corrupting influence, perverting its audience by bombarding it with inferior characters and vulgar subjects—and (Line 55) constituting, in Plato’s own words, “a harm to the mind of its audience.” If Plato’s Republic had become reality, it would have been a republic with a lot of empty libraries, theaters, and museums—if, indeed, those repositories of the arts would (Line 60) have survived at all. Plato’s personal utopia never came to pass—but throughout the centuries, wherever and whenever a new medium of artistic expression attracted a lot of people, someone has been ready, waiting, and eager to attack its content and fear its impact. 1 The Muses inspired poetry and song in Greek mythology. 2 Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.) was a Greek tragic dramatist. In line 26, “drawn” most nearly means
- A.
Brought
- B.
Depicted
- C.
Selected
- D.
Attracted
- E.
Shaped
Correct Answer
D. AttractedExplanation
In line 26, "drawn" means attracted. This can be inferred from the context of the sentence, which mentions that the "common people" are drawn to certain characters in poetry and drama. The word "drawn" suggests that these characters have a strong appeal or attraction to the audience.Rate this question:
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- 19.
The following passage is adapted from a book about television and popular culture. Ridiculing television, and warning about its inherent evils, is nothing new. It has been that way since the medium was invented, and television hasn’t exactly been lavished with respect as the decades have passed. (Line 5) I suspect, though, that a lot of the fear and loathing directed at television comes out of a time-honored, reflexive overreaction to the dominant medium of the moment. For the past several decades, television has been blamed for corrupting our youth and exciting (Line 10) our adults, distorting reality, and basically being a big, perhaps dangerous, waste of time. Before TV, radio and film were accused of the same things. And long before that—in fact, some 2,500 years earlier— philosophers were arguing that poetry and drama (Line 15) should be excluded from any ideal city on much the same grounds. In Book 10 of the Republic, Plato (428-348 B.C.) attacks epic poet Homer (c. 850 B.C.) and the tragedians on several grounds, all of which have a familiar (Line 20) ring. “Their productions are appearances and not realities,” he gripes. “Drawing, and in fact all imitation . . . [is] quite removed from the truth.” The audience, as well as the art form, troubled Plato, whose remarks are colored by an implied disdain for the popularity of public performances. (Line 25) The “common people,” as Plato so charitably calls them, are drawn to “peevish and diverse” characters—such as Odysseus and other heroes in the Iliad and the Odyssey— who (to Plato, anyway) engage in such questionable displays of emotion as “spinning out a long melancholy (Line 30) lamentation” or “disfiguring themselves in grief.” To Plato, baring such intimate sorrows is not to be condoned. (Clearly, he would have given thumbs down to the central characters of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Macbeth.) “If you receive the pleasure-seasoned Muse1 of song and epic,” (Line 35) Plato warns, “pleasure and pain will be kings in your city, instead of law.” Finally, Plato sums up his anti-arts argument with the cold, sweeping pronouncement that “poetry is not to be taken seriously.” One academic who has studied and written extensively (Line 40) about both Plato and television suggests that Plato, rather than being anti-arts, was merely an elitist. Plato wanted to ban poetry readings and live theater, the argument goes, because, being free and accessible and raucous and extremely popular, they were the mass entertainment (Line 45) of that era. “If, instead of ‘tragedy’ and ‘poetry,’ and ‘Homer’ and ‘Aeschylus,’2 you read ‘mass entertainment’ or ‘popular media,’ you’ll recognize Plato’s arguments as the ancestor of all the reasons we have today for being suspicious of television.” (Line 50) To wit: poetry, by which Plato means drama, confuses us between appearance and reality. The action it presents is too extreme and violent. Most important, it’s a corrupting influence, perverting its audience by bombarding it with inferior characters and vulgar subjects—and (Line 55) constituting, in Plato’s own words, “a harm to the mind of its audience.” If Plato’s Republic had become reality, it would have been a republic with a lot of empty libraries, theaters, and museums—if, indeed, those repositories of the arts would (Line 60) have survived at all. Plato’s personal utopia never came to pass—but throughout the centuries, wherever and whenever a new medium of artistic expression attracted a lot of people, someone has been ready, waiting, and eager to attack its content and fear its impact. 1 The Muses inspired poetry and song in Greek mythology. 2 Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.) was a Greek tragic dramatist. Which of the following best characterizes Plato’s view of the heroes mentioned in line 27 ?
- A.
Admiration
- B.
Curiosity
- C.
Distrust
- D.
Disappointment
- E.
Contempt
Correct Answer
E. ContemptExplanation
Plato's view of the heroes mentioned in line 27 can be characterized as contempt. He refers to the heroes of the Iliad and the Odyssey, such as Odysseus, as engaging in questionable displays of emotion and baring intimate sorrows, which he does not condone. Plato disapproves of their actions and sees them as unworthy of admiration or respect.Rate this question:
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- 20.
The following passage is adapted from a book about television and popular culture. Ridiculing television, and warning about its inherent evils, is nothing new. It has been that way since the medium was invented, and television hasn’t exactly been lavished with respect as the decades have passed. (Line 5) I suspect, though, that a lot of the fear and loathing directed at television comes out of a time-honored, reflexive overreaction to the dominant medium of the moment. For the past several decades, television has been blamed for corrupting our youth and exciting (Line 10) our adults, distorting reality, and basically being a big, perhaps dangerous, waste of time. Before TV, radio and film were accused of the same things. And long before that—in fact, some 2,500 years earlier— philosophers were arguing that poetry and drama (Line 15) should be excluded from any ideal city on much the same grounds. In Book 10 of the Republic, Plato (428-348 B.C.) attacks epic poet Homer (c. 850 B.C.) and the tragedians on several grounds, all of which have a familiar (Line 20) ring. “Their productions are appearances and not realities,” he gripes. “Drawing, and in fact all imitation . . . [is] quite removed from the truth.” The audience, as well as the art form, troubled Plato, whose remarks are colored by an implied disdain for the popularity of public performances. (Line 25) The “common people,” as Plato so charitably calls them, are drawn to “peevish and diverse” characters—such as Odysseus and other heroes in the Iliad and the Odyssey— who (to Plato, anyway) engage in such questionable displays of emotion as “spinning out a long melancholy (Line 30) lamentation” or “disfiguring themselves in grief.” To Plato, baring such intimate sorrows is not to be condoned. (Clearly, he would have given thumbs down to the central characters of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Macbeth.) “If you receive the pleasure-seasoned Muse1 of song and epic,” (Line 35) Plato warns, “pleasure and pain will be kings in your city, instead of law.” Finally, Plato sums up his anti-arts argument with the cold, sweeping pronouncement that “poetry is not to be taken seriously.” One academic who has studied and written extensively (Line 40) about both Plato and television suggests that Plato, rather than being anti-arts, was merely an elitist. Plato wanted to ban poetry readings and live theater, the argument goes, because, being free and accessible and raucous and extremely popular, they were the mass entertainment (Line 45) of that era. “If, instead of ‘tragedy’ and ‘poetry,’ and ‘Homer’ and ‘Aeschylus,’2 you read ‘mass entertainment’ or ‘popular media,’ you’ll recognize Plato’s arguments as the ancestor of all the reasons we have today for being suspicious of television.” (Line 50) To wit: poetry, by which Plato means drama, confuses us between appearance and reality. The action it presents is too extreme and violent. Most important, it’s a corrupting influence, perverting its audience by bombarding it with inferior characters and vulgar subjects—and (Line 55) constituting, in Plato’s own words, “a harm to the mind of its audience.” If Plato’s Republic had become reality, it would have been a republic with a lot of empty libraries, theaters, and museums—if, indeed, those repositories of the arts would (Line 60) have survived at all. Plato’s personal utopia never came to pass—but throughout the centuries, wherever and whenever a new medium of artistic expression attracted a lot of people, someone has been ready, waiting, and eager to attack its content and fear its impact. 1 The Muses inspired poetry and song in Greek mythology. 2 Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.) was a Greek tragic dramatist. The “academic” (line 39) indicates that Plato was primarily characterized by his
- A.
Insight
- B.
Artistry
- C.
Cynicism
- D.
Irreverence
- E.
Snobbishness
Correct Answer
E. SnobbishnessExplanation
The passage suggests that Plato's opposition to poetry and live theater was driven by his elitist attitude rather than a genuine dislike for the arts. The "academic" in line 39 argues that Plato wanted to ban these forms of entertainment because they were popular and accessible to the masses, which went against his belief in a hierarchical society. This interpretation portrays Plato as snobbish, looking down on the common people and their enjoyment of mass entertainment. Therefore, the correct answer is "snobbishness."Rate this question:
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- 21.
The following passage is adapted from a book about television and popular culture. Ridiculing television, and warning about its inherent evils, is nothing new. It has been that way since the medium was invented, and television hasn’t exactly been lavished with respect as the decades have passed. (Line 5) I suspect, though, that a lot of the fear and loathing directed at television comes out of a time-honored, reflexive overreaction to the dominant medium of the moment. For the past several decades, television has been blamed for corrupting our youth and exciting (Line 10) our adults, distorting reality, and basically being a big, perhaps dangerous, waste of time. Before TV, radio and film were accused of the same things. And long before that—in fact, some 2,500 years earlier— philosophers were arguing that poetry and drama (Line 15) should be excluded from any ideal city on much the same grounds. In Book 10 of the Republic, Plato (428-348 B.C.) attacks epic poet Homer (c. 850 B.C.) and the tragedians on several grounds, all of which have a familiar (Line 20) ring. “Their productions are appearances and not realities,” he gripes. “Drawing, and in fact all imitation . . . [is] quite removed from the truth.” The audience, as well as the art form, troubled Plato, whose remarks are colored by an implied disdain for the popularity of public performances. (Line 25) The “common people,” as Plato so charitably calls them, are drawn to “peevish and diverse” characters—such as Odysseus and other heroes in the Iliad and the Odyssey— who (to Plato, anyway) engage in such questionable displays of emotion as “spinning out a long melancholy (Line 30) lamentation” or “disfiguring themselves in grief.” To Plato, baring such intimate sorrows is not to be condoned. (Clearly, he would have given thumbs down to the central characters of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Macbeth.) “If you receive the pleasure-seasoned Muse1 of song and epic,” (Line 35) Plato warns, “pleasure and pain will be kings in your city, instead of law.” Finally, Plato sums up his anti-arts argument with the cold, sweeping pronouncement that “poetry is not to be taken seriously.” One academic who has studied and written extensively (Line 40) about both Plato and television suggests that Plato, rather than being anti-arts, was merely an elitist. Plato wanted to ban poetry readings and live theater, the argument goes, because, being free and accessible and raucous and extremely popular, they were the mass entertainment (Line 45) of that era. “If, instead of ‘tragedy’ and ‘poetry,’ and ‘Homer’ and ‘Aeschylus,’2 you read ‘mass entertainment’ or ‘popular media,’ you’ll recognize Plato’s arguments as the ancestor of all the reasons we have today for being suspicious of television.” (Line 50) To wit: poetry, by which Plato means drama, confuses us between appearance and reality. The action it presents is too extreme and violent. Most important, it’s a corrupting influence, perverting its audience by bombarding it with inferior characters and vulgar subjects—and (Line 55) constituting, in Plato’s own words, “a harm to the mind of its audience.” If Plato’s Republic had become reality, it would have been a republic with a lot of empty libraries, theaters, and museums—if, indeed, those repositories of the arts would (Line 60) have survived at all. Plato’s personal utopia never came to pass—but throughout the centuries, wherever and whenever a new medium of artistic expression attracted a lot of people, someone has been ready, waiting, and eager to attack its content and fear its impact. 1 The Muses inspired poetry and song in Greek mythology. 2 Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.) was a Greek tragic dramatist. The primary purpose of the statements in lines 39-45 (“One . . . that era”) is to
- A.
Provide an interpretation of a viewpoint described in the previous paragraph
- B.
Show how Plato’s view of politics should be understood in today’s terms
- C.
Show how Plato’s view of politics should be understood in today’s terms
- D.
Account for the appeal of Plato’s writings
- E.
Signal a digression in the passage
Correct Answer
A. Provide an interpretation of a viewpoint described in the previous paragraphExplanation
The statements in lines 39-45 provide an interpretation of a viewpoint described in the previous paragraph. They suggest that Plato's opposition to poetry readings and live theater was not necessarily because he was anti-arts, but rather because he was an elitist. The argument is made that Plato wanted to ban these forms of entertainment because they were popular and accessible to the masses, and he believed they were a corrupting influence. This interpretation helps to explain Plato's stance on the arts and connects it to the modern suspicion of television and popular media.Rate this question:
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- 22.
The following passage is adapted from a book about television and popular culture. Ridiculing television, and warning about its inherent evils, is nothing new. It has been that way since the medium was invented, and television hasn’t exactly been lavished with respect as the decades have passed. (Line 5) I suspect, though, that a lot of the fear and loathing directed at television comes out of a time-honored, reflexive overreaction to the dominant medium of the moment. For the past several decades, television has been blamed for corrupting our youth and exciting (Line 10) our adults, distorting reality, and basically being a big, perhaps dangerous, waste of time. Before TV, radio and film were accused of the same things. And long before that—in fact, some 2,500 years earlier— philosophers were arguing that poetry and drama (Line 15) should be excluded from any ideal city on much the same grounds. In Book 10 of the Republic, Plato (428-348 B.C.) attacks epic poet Homer (c. 850 B.C.) and the tragedians on several grounds, all of which have a familiar (Line 20) ring. “Their productions are appearances and not realities,” he gripes. “Drawing, and in fact all imitation . . . [is] quite removed from the truth.” The audience, as well as the art form, troubled Plato, whose remarks are colored by an implied disdain for the popularity of public performances. (Line 25) The “common people,” as Plato so charitably calls them, are drawn to “peevish and diverse” characters—such as Odysseus and other heroes in the Iliad and the Odyssey— who (to Plato, anyway) engage in such questionable displays of emotion as “spinning out a long melancholy (Line 30) lamentation” or “disfiguring themselves in grief.” To Plato, baring such intimate sorrows is not to be condoned. (Clearly, he would have given thumbs down to the central characters of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Macbeth.) “If you receive the pleasure-seasoned Muse1 of song and epic,” (Line 35) Plato warns, “pleasure and pain will be kings in your city, instead of law.” Finally, Plato sums up his anti-arts argument with the cold, sweeping pronouncement that “poetry is not to be taken seriously.” One academic who has studied and written extensively (Line 40) about both Plato and television suggests that Plato, rather than being anti-arts, was merely an elitist. Plato wanted to ban poetry readings and live theater, the argument goes, because, being free and accessible and raucous and extremely popular, they were the mass entertainment (Line 45) of that era. “If, instead of ‘tragedy’ and ‘poetry,’ and ‘Homer’ and ‘Aeschylus,’2 you read ‘mass entertainment’ or ‘popular media,’ you’ll recognize Plato’s arguments as the ancestor of all the reasons we have today for being suspicious of television.” (Line 50) To wit: poetry, by which Plato means drama, confuses us between appearance and reality. The action it presents is too extreme and violent. Most important, it’s a corrupting influence, perverting its audience by bombarding it with inferior characters and vulgar subjects—and (Line 55) constituting, in Plato’s own words, “a harm to the mind of its audience.” If Plato’s Republic had become reality, it would have been a republic with a lot of empty libraries, theaters, and museums—if, indeed, those repositories of the arts would (Line 60) have survived at all. Plato’s personal utopia never came to pass—but throughout the centuries, wherever and whenever a new medium of artistic expression attracted a lot of people, someone has been ready, waiting, and eager to attack its content and fear its impact. 1 The Muses inspired poetry and song in Greek mythology. 2 Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.) was a Greek tragic dramatist. The fourth paragraph (lines 50-56) indicates that Plato’s principal objection to “poetry” (line 50) was its
- A.
Confusing language
- B.
Widespread popularity
- C.
Depiction of turbulent events
- D.
Influence on people’s morals
- E.
Misrepresentation of historical figures
Correct Answer(s)
B. Widespread popularity
D. Influence on people’s moralsExplanation
The fourth paragraph states that Plato's principal objection to "poetry" was its confusing language, depiction of turbulent events, and influence on people's morals. However, it specifically mentions that poetry, which Plato means drama, is a corrupting influence that perverts its audience by bombarding it with inferior characters and vulgar subjects. This indicates that Plato's main concern with poetry was its influence on people's morals. Additionally, the paragraph mentions that poetry was extremely popular and accessible, which supports the idea that Plato was concerned about its widespread popularity.Rate this question:
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- 23.
The following passage is adapted from a book about television and popular culture. Ridiculing television, and warning about its inherent evils, is nothing new. It has been that way since the medium was invented, and television hasn’t exactly been lavished with respect as the decades have passed. (Line 5) I suspect, though, that a lot of the fear and loathing directed at television comes out of a time-honored, reflexive overreaction to the dominant medium of the moment. For the past several decades, television has been blamed for corrupting our youth and exciting (Line 10) our adults, distorting reality, and basically being a big, perhaps dangerous, waste of time. Before TV, radio and film were accused of the same things. And long before that—in fact, some 2,500 years earlier— philosophers were arguing that poetry and drama (Line 15) should be excluded from any ideal city on much the same grounds. In Book 10 of the Republic, Plato (428-348 B.C.) attacks epic poet Homer (c. 850 B.C.) and the tragedians on several grounds, all of which have a familiar (Line 20) ring. “Their productions are appearances and not realities,” he gripes. “Drawing, and in fact all imitation . . . [is] quite removed from the truth.” The audience, as well as the art form, troubled Plato, whose remarks are colored by an implied disdain for the popularity of public performances. (Line 25) The “common people,” as Plato so charitably calls them, are drawn to “peevish and diverse” characters—such as Odysseus and other heroes in the Iliad and the Odyssey— who (to Plato, anyway) engage in such questionable displays of emotion as “spinning out a long melancholy (Line 30) lamentation” or “disfiguring themselves in grief.” To Plato, baring such intimate sorrows is not to be condoned. (Clearly, he would have given thumbs down to the central characters of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Macbeth.) “If you receive the pleasure-seasoned Muse1 of song and epic,” (Line 35) Plato warns, “pleasure and pain will be kings in your city, instead of law.” Finally, Plato sums up his anti-arts argument with the cold, sweeping pronouncement that “poetry is not to be taken seriously.” One academic who has studied and written extensively (Line 40) about both Plato and television suggests that Plato, rather than being anti-arts, was merely an elitist. Plato wanted to ban poetry readings and live theater, the argument goes, because, being free and accessible and raucous and extremely popular, they were the mass entertainment (Line 45) of that era. “If, instead of ‘tragedy’ and ‘poetry,’ and ‘Homer’ and ‘Aeschylus,’2 you read ‘mass entertainment’ or ‘popular media,’ you’ll recognize Plato’s arguments as the ancestor of all the reasons we have today for being suspicious of television.” (Line 50) To wit: poetry, by which Plato means drama, confuses us between appearance and reality. The action it presents is too extreme and violent. Most important, it’s a corrupting influence, perverting its audience by bombarding it with inferior characters and vulgar subjects—and (Line 55) constituting, in Plato’s own words, “a harm to the mind of its audience.” If Plato’s Republic had become reality, it would have been a republic with a lot of empty libraries, theaters, and museums—if, indeed, those repositories of the arts would (Line 60) have survived at all. Plato’s personal utopia never came to pass—but throughout the centuries, wherever and whenever a new medium of artistic expression attracted a lot of people, someone has been ready, waiting, and eager to attack its content and fear its impact. 1 The Muses inspired poetry and song in Greek mythology. 2 Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.) was a Greek tragic dramatist. The author of the passage would probably agree with which of the following statements about the “utopia” referred to in line 60 ?
- A.
It would have encouraged new artistic ventures.
- B.
It would have stifled human creativity.
- C.
It is an ideal that we should continue to work towards.
- D.
It may come to pass because of the popularity of television.
- E.
It was a notion rejected by Greek philosophers.
Correct Answer
B. It would have stifled human creativity.Explanation
The author of the passage would probably agree that the "utopia" referred to in line 60 would have stifled human creativity. This can be inferred from the passage where Plato is criticized for wanting to ban poetry readings and live theater because they were mass entertainment and popular. The author suggests that Plato's arguments against poetry and drama were the ancestor of all the reasons we have today for being suspicious of television, implying that the suppression of popular artistic expression would hinder human creativity.Rate this question:
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- 24.
The following passage is adapted from a book about television and popular culture. Ridiculing television, and warning about its inherent evils, is nothing new. It has been that way since the medium was invented, and television hasn’t exactly been lavished with respect as the decades have passed. (Line 5) I suspect, though, that a lot of the fear and loathing directed at television comes out of a time-honored, reflexive overreaction to the dominant medium of the moment. For the past several decades, television has been blamed for corrupting our youth and exciting (Line 10) our adults, distorting reality, and basically being a big, perhaps dangerous, waste of time. Before TV, radio and film were accused of the same things. And long before that—in fact, some 2,500 years earlier— philosophers were arguing that poetry and drama (Line 15) should be excluded from any ideal city on much the same grounds. In Book 10 of the Republic, Plato (428-348 B.C.) attacks epic poet Homer (c. 850 B.C.) and the tragedians on several grounds, all of which have a familiar (Line 20) ring. “Their productions are appearances and not realities,” he gripes. “Drawing, and in fact all imitation . . . [is] quite removed from the truth.” The audience, as well as the art form, troubled Plato, whose remarks are colored by an implied disdain for the popularity of public performances. (Line 25) The “common people,” as Plato so charitably calls them, are drawn to “peevish and diverse” characters—such as Odysseus and other heroes in the Iliad and the Odyssey— who (to Plato, anyway) engage in such questionable displays of emotion as “spinning out a long melancholy (Line 30) lamentation” or “disfiguring themselves in grief.” To Plato, baring such intimate sorrows is not to be condoned. (Clearly, he would have given thumbs down to the central characters of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Macbeth.) “If you receive the pleasure-seasoned Muse1 of song and epic,” (Line 35) Plato warns, “pleasure and pain will be kings in your city, instead of law.” Finally, Plato sums up his anti-arts argument with the cold, sweeping pronouncement that “poetry is not to be taken seriously.” One academic who has studied and written extensively (Line 40) about both Plato and television suggests that Plato, rather than being anti-arts, was merely an elitist. Plato wanted to ban poetry readings and live theater, the argument goes, because, being free and accessible and raucous and extremely popular, they were the mass entertainment (Line 45) of that era. “If, instead of ‘tragedy’ and ‘poetry,’ and ‘Homer’ and ‘Aeschylus,’2 you read ‘mass entertainment’ or ‘popular media,’ you’ll recognize Plato’s arguments as the ancestor of all the reasons we have today for being suspicious of television.” (Line 50) To wit: poetry, by which Plato means drama, confuses us between appearance and reality. The action it presents is too extreme and violent. Most important, it’s a corrupting influence, perverting its audience by bombarding it with inferior characters and vulgar subjects—and (Line 55) constituting, in Plato’s own words, “a harm to the mind of its audience.” If Plato’s Republic had become reality, it would have been a republic with a lot of empty libraries, theaters, and museums—if, indeed, those repositories of the arts would (Line 60) have survived at all. Plato’s personal utopia never came to pass—but throughout the centuries, wherever and whenever a new medium of artistic expression attracted a lot of people, someone has been ready, waiting, and eager to attack its content and fear its impact. 1 The Muses inspired poetry and song in Greek mythology. 2 Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.) was a Greek tragic dramatist. The comment about “a new medium of artistic expression” (line 62) primarily suggests that
- A.
The author holds a fatalistic view of the future for artistic expression
- B.
Certain societies in the past have been slow to accept new art forms
- C.
People often disguise their true feelings when it comes to art
- D.
The popular response to a new art form will often overcome opposition to it
- E.
A popular new art form will always receive some form of negative response
Correct Answer
E. A popular new art form will always receive some form of negative responseExplanation
The passage suggests that whenever a new medium of artistic expression attracts a lot of people, there will always be someone ready, waiting, and eager to attack its content and fear its impact. This implies that a popular new art form will always receive some form of negative response.Rate this question:
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