Reading Passage Question
The controversial Canadian media intellectual Marshall McLuhan first began to garner public attention with his book The Mechanical Bridge in 1951, precisely during the time when North America was first gripped by and attempting to come to grips with the influence of television programming and advertising on society. One of McLuhan's core theses was that every communication medium, including the television, has inherent effects apart from those that any artist or businessperson willfully creates through it and that these effects are not always positive.
McLuhan achieved the height of public attention in part by emulating the advertisers he studied, inventing memorable phrases to convey his points (such as "the medium is the message," "turn on, tune in, drop out," and "global village"). Arguably, however, he never expected or even hoped to deflect substantially the tide of the technological and social forces in play at the time. He likened the successful reader of his works to the sailor in Edgar Allan Poe's story "A Descent into the Maelstrom," who saves himself by studying a whirlpool and by moving with, not against, its current.
The media thinker's legacy is in equal parts inevitable and inconsequential. The advent of the internet, which he had predicted thirty years prior, and of subsequent technologies would force society to broaden its perspective of media channels and examine their impact more closely. On the other hand, in the present milieu, where media professionals and advertisers tend to speak of "channels" and "content" as well-defined and non-overlapping components of communication, McLuhan's primary message appears to been lost among all the new mediums.
“The controversial Canadian media intellectual Marshall McLuhan first began to garner public attention with his book”- is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates need a strong knowledge of English GMAT reading comprehension.
This GMAT Reading Comprehension consists of 4 comprehension questions. The GMAT Reading Comprehension questions are designed for the purpose of testing candidates’ abilities in understanding, analyzing, and applying information or concepts. Candidates can actively prepare with the help of GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.
Solution and Explanation
- According to the passage, which of the following contributed to Marshall McLuhan's success?
- The influence of new media on his audience made it sympathetic to his theories.
- He introduced to North American a new awareness about the inherent effects of media channels.
- He skilfully made use of the same media channels that he critiqued.
- His message appealed to critics of the role of television programming in modern society.
- He helped North America come to grips with the influence of advertising on society.
Answer: C
Explanation: The book “The Mechanical Bridge” by Marshall McLuhan first began to garner public attention in 1951. Exactly when North America was first confronted with and trying to understand the impact of television programmes and advertising on society. One of McLuhan's main ideas was that every form of communication, including television, should be used. In addition to the effects that every individual artist or businessperson actively generates via it. It also has natural effects, and these effects are not necessarily beneficial.
- The passage suggests that people can best respond to changes in media technology in which of the following ways?
- By protesting the notion that media content and media channels are distinct
- By countering the influence of advertising by repeating memorable phrases
- By knowing the inherent effects of new media channels and avoiding the channels with more negative inherent effects
- By understanding the change underway and not completely resisting it
- By broadening their perspective of media channels and examining their impact more closely
Answer: D
Explanation: As mentioned in the last paragraph, the advent of the internet. Which had forecast the internet's arrival thirty years earlier and that it, together with following advancements. It would push society to extend its view of media outlets and more carefully consider their effects. However, in the current environment, media experts and advertisers frequently refer to "content" and "channels" as distinct and non-overlapping parts of communication.
- It can be inferred from the passage that the "media professionals and advertisers" mentioned in the highlighted text are most likely to believe which of the following to be true?
- Although every communication medium has an inherent effect, creators and viewers of media cannot hope to deflect the tide of technological forces.
- Although every communication medium has an inherent effect, such effects are no longer relevant to the creators and viewers of media.
- McLuhan's ideas have been disproved by the advent of the internet and the current use of media channels by professionals such as advertisers.
- More than in the 1950s, media channels can be used to deliver a single message to diverse audiences under different circumstances.
- McLuhan's ideas, although possibly still valid, have largely faded in influence since the height of their public attention.
Answer: D
Explanation: In contrast, in the current environment, where media professionals and advertisers tend to speak of "channels" and "content" as clearly defined and non-overlapping components of communication. According to McLuhan, all forms of communication have inherent consequences. And while these effects aren't always favourable in the current context, think of channels and content as distinct, non-overlapping parts of communication. It can be applied to a variety of situations, which is why the passage's conclusion claims that McLuhan's main point appears to have been lost as a result of this newly discovered advantage of communication.
- According to the passage, what is the significance of the advent of the internet?
- It manifested the notion of a global village.
- It increased the relevance of McLuhan's core theses.
- It diminished the influence of television programming on society.
- It proved McLuhan's core theses.
- It rendered McLuhan's core theses irrelevant.
Answer: B
Explanation: The emergence of the internet, which he had predicted thirty years earlier, as well as other technologies would compel society to extend its view of media outlets and pay closer attention to their effects. The phrases above imply that the introduction of the internet would push media and society to carefully consider its impact, implying that the main ideas of McLuhan would become more relevant. The emphasised portion of the previous sentence clearly implies option B.
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