The 1956 Short Film The Red Balloon Ends with the Young Protagonist Sailing Over Paris GMAT Reading Comprehension

Reading Passage Question

The 1956 short film The Red Balloon ends with the young protagonist sailing over Paris, held aloft by dozens of colorful balloons. In more than half a century since, this fantasy scenario became reality time and again, as cluster ballooning caught on around the world. Unlike hot-air and gas balloonists, who ride in a gondola or wicker basket and control their altitude by means of vents built into a large, buoyant balloon envelope, cluster balloonists typically ride in a harness attached to a handful of relatively small helium balloons, which expand and cause the passenger to rise uncontrollably unless he or she cuts away or deflates them to lose buoyancy. Some cluster balloonists use bottled water as ballast to enhance stability, emptying it progressively to regulate the speed of descent.

Thanks in large part to its comparatively casual nature, the pastime, once used primarily for amateur scientific experiments involving atmosphere measurement or aerial photography, has endeared itself more to untrained hobbyists than to experienced aviators. Indeed, the best-known cluster balloon flight was taken in 1982 by Larry Walters, a truck driver from California who attached 42 helium weather balloons to a lawn chair and rose nearly three miles into the air – more than fifty times higher than he intended to float. His example has inspired other cluster ballooning ventures, some of which have ended in death, as in the case of the Brazilian priest Adelir Antonio de Carli, who floated nearly four miles high, suspended by 1000 balloons, in a charity fundraising feat. Not dissuaded, the trained pilot Jonathan Trappe rose to almost three miles, on a standard office chair, just two months later.

“The 1956 short film The Red Balloon ends with the young protagonist sailing over Paris, held aloft by dozens of colorful balloons GMAT Reading Comprehension.”- is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates need a strong knowledge of English GMAT reading comprehension.

This GMAT Reading Comprehension consists of 3 comprehension questions. The GMAT Reading Comprehension questions are designed for the purpose of testing candidates’ abilities in understanding, analysing, and applying information or concepts. Candidates can actively prepare with the help of GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.

Questions and Solutions

1. Which of the following best summarizes the main idea of this passage?

(A) An increasingly popular amateur hobby
(B) The appeal and dangers of cluster ballooning
(C) A précis of an alternative pastime and its practitioners
(D) The difference between cluster ballooning and traditional ballooning
(E) The influence of The Red Balloon on a hobbyist activity

2. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

(A) Larry Walters had no ballooning experience prior to his flight.
(B) Adelir Antonio de Carli's harness was improperly attached.
(C) Jonathan Trappe's flight was meant to prove the safety of cluster ballooning.
(D) The Red Balloon was influential in popularizing recreational ballooning.
(E) Larry Walters died as a consequence of his unanticipated altitude.

3. The two main parts of this passage can best be described as:

(A) context and character.
(B) explanation and examples.
(C) promotion and caution.
(D) technique and portraiture.
(E) overview and details.

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