Reading Passage Question
Literature in the second half of the twentieth century in the United States bears only a faint resemblance to the writing accomplished between 1900 and 1950. Early in the century, arguments as to what distinguished American literature from British led to the emphasis on plain character and plain language that marked the writing done in both realism and naturalism. Then, with the modernist sweep to overthrow most existing literary traditions (always using Ezra Pound’s rationale that making it new was to be primary), the innovation that made American poetry, fiction, and drama of keen interest to the world settled in.
By 1950, however, traditional aesthetic innovation was wearing thin. The United States had endured the Great Depression, a long decade of hardship that not only dampened the promise of the American dream but changed literary methods to a surprising extent. The amalgam of cryptic modernist innovation and almost sentimental proselytizing that characterized the collective, proletarian novel and the speech-lined poems of the Depression gave rise to incredible variety: despite the paper shortages of World War II, published writing in the United States continued to be influential. It is in the aftermath of the war, once people had righted their perceptions about causation and blame, and had admitted again the atrocity of war itself (as well as of the Holocaust and the atomic bomb), that literature — whether called contemporary or postmodern — began to change.
“Literature in the second half of the twentieth century in the United States”- is a GMAT reading comprehension passage. The candidates should have substantial knowledge and proper skill to understand English GMAT reading comprehension. This passage of GMAT Reading Comprehension comes up with six questions with a series of answers. The GMAT Reading Comprehension questions play a major role to test candidates' skills to examine the passage and utilize learning or conceptions. The candidates need to practise GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions in order to improve their knowledge and understanding.
Solutions and Explanation
- Which of the following statements most accurately captures the main point of the passage?
(A) By the middle of the 20th century, American literature needed to change.
(B) Literature in the United States changed dramatically in the second half of the 20th century.
(C) American literature was considerably better in the second half of the 20th century.
(D) World War II profoundly affected American literature.
(E) The style of American literature is not as standardized as some many think.
Answer: (B)
Explanation: The passage mainly focuses on the literature in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. It has been analysed that the literature has undergone a dramatic change in the United States. It bears a faint similarity to the writing executed between 1900 and 1950. Therefore, option B is the correct answer since it carries the accurate facts mentioned in the passage. The remaining options thereby get eliminated.
- In the last sentence of the passage, to what does the author attribute the turning point for the change in literature?
(A) The aftermath of the war.
(B) People had righted the perceptions about causation and blame.
(C) People admitted the atrocity of war.
(D) People admitted the horrors of the atomic bomb.
(E) People recognized the horrors of the Holocaust.
Answer: (A)
Explanation: The author of the passage implies that the literature of the United States began to change. The turning point for this change in the literature was in the aftermath of World War II. Therefore, option A is the correct answer as it depicts the same facts mentioned in the passage. The rest of the options are incorrect as they do not satisfy the argument of the passage.
- According to the passage, in what ways was American literature distinguished from British literature in the first part of the century?
(A) World War I
(B) The way the Holocaust was incorporated
(C) The way true aesthetic innovation was wearing thin
(D) An emphasis on plain character and plain language
(E) The arrival of the Great Depression
Answer: (D)
Explanation: As per the discussion of the passage, there are arguments to what differs American literature to British literature in the first half of the century. The arguments emphasize the plain language and plain character that highlighted the writing accomplished in both naturalism and realism. Therefore, option D is the correct answer since it is relevant to the description of the passage. The rest of the options thereby go out of scope.
- It can be inferred that American and British literature diverged after the mid-part of the century because …?
(A) … historical events in each country radically changed their writers in non-analogous ways.
(B) … America suffered a paper shortage after World War II.
(C) … World War II was not fought on American soil.
(D) … the United Kingdom was no longer the former colonizer of America.
(E) … American and British writers felt differently about the second half of the 20th century.
Answer: (A)
Explanation: The passage concludes that British and American literature split after the middle of the century due to certain historical events. The historical events that occurred in each country undergo a change in their writers in non-analogous ways. Option A suits well with the passage since it depicts the trend hinted at in the passage. The remaining options are factual responses but cannot be inferred from the passage.
- Which of the following definitions most closely resembles how distinguished is used in the passage (first paragraph)?
(A) Elite, commanding respect
(B) Native-born
(C) Snuffed out, ended
(D) Made conspicuous, usually by achievement
(E) To recognize as different or unique
Answer: (E)
Explanation: The first paragraph of the passage defines the word “distinguished” to recognize the unique and different aspects of the American and British literature. Therefore, option E is the correct answer as it fulfils the criteria of the given passage. The rest of the options get eliminated since they do not match the argument of the passage.
- The second paragraph plays what role in the passage?
(A) It provides further information to back up the thesis of the first paragraph.
(B) It reverses the premise of the first paragraph, to prove why it is not true.
(C) It introduces the topic of the passage.
(D) It provides a turn from the topic of the first paragraph, clarifying what the purpose of the passage will be.
(E) It is an anecdote, used to prove the first paragraph.
Answer: (D)
Explanation: The term “however” mentioned in the second paragraph implies that it is a turning away from the subject matter of the first paragraph. The second paragraph contradicts the first paragraph and defines clearly the intention of the passage. Therefore, option D is the correct answer since it holds the relevant data conducted in the passage. The other options thereby go out of scope.
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