Reading Passage Question
The rise of popular magazines and magazine sections of daily newspapers during the last thirty years has resulted in a type of writing known as the “special feature article.” Such articles, presenting interesting and timely subjects in popular forms, are designed to attract a class of readers that were not reached by the older literary periodicals. Daily newspapers had already discovered the advantage of giving the day’s news in a form that could be read rapidly with the maximum degree of interest by the average man and woman. Certain so-called sensational papers had gone a step further in these attempts to give added attractiveness to news and had emphasized its melodramatic aspects. Other papers had seen the value of the “human interest” phases of the day’s happenings. It was not surprising, therefore, that Sunday editors of newspapers should undertake to apply to special articles the same methods that had proved successful in the treatment of news. The product of these efforts at popularization was the special feature article, with its story-like form, its touches of description, its “human interest,” its dramatic situations, its character portrayal—all effectively used to furnish information and entertainment for that rapid reader, the “average American.”
“The Rise of Popular Magazines and Magazine Sections of Daily Newspapers” is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates must have a solid grip on English GMAT reading comprehension. There are 3 multiple-choice questions in the above GMAT Reading Comprehension passages. GMAT Reading Comprehension Questions are delineated to evaluate candidates’ abilities to analyze and be conceptual for the answers. Candidates can brace up and take preparation by answering GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.
Solution and Explanation:
- The passage implies which of the following about the Special Feature Article?
- It is targeted at a niche audience.
- It was not created independently but rather evolved from some other types of articles.
- It is sensationalist in nature.
(A) I
(B) II
(C) I & III
(D) II & III
(E) All of above
Answer: B
Explanation: The first section of the passage states the rise of popular magazines and magazine sections of daily newspapers during the last thirty years. This has caused a type of writing, termed the “special feature article.” Such articles, involving interesting and timely subjects in popular forms, are made to attract a group of readers. Those readers were not reached by the older literary periodicals. The special feature article was not created independently but rather evolved from some other types of articles. So, it is clearly concluded that option(B) will be the right choice as an answer.
- What is the primary concern of the passage?
(A) Comparing treatment of news in various publications.
(B) Describing the attempt by certain newspapers to provide sensationalist writing.
(C) Exploring features of alternate news reporting.
(D) Describing the popularity of a particular type of writing and explaining its evolution.
(E) Advocating the use of a particular type of writing in newspapers.
Answer: D
Explanation: The passage begins by explaining the features of popular magazine sections in daily newspapers. This section is termed a “special feature article”. It described the process, how it evolved, and became a subject matter expert in this field. The benefits of this particular feature have also been discussed in the passage. The interesting features of this article are intended to attract an enormous number of readers towards it. So, we can conclude that the passage is mainly purposed for the description, evolution of “special feature article” and its usages. Thus, option(D) is an appropriate answer.
- Which of the following statements would the author of the passage most likely agree with?
(A) Most readers of daily newspapers are from the older segment of the population.
(B) Daily newspapers sensationalize everyday news.
(C) Daily newspapers cater to the average man and woman.
(D) Special feature articles traditionally dealt with serious issues.
(E) Special feature articles were published daily to retain reader interest.
Answer: C
Explanation: The narrator states that daily newspapers had already founded the benefits of giving the day’s news in a form that could be read rapidly. It could be read quickly with the maximum degree of interest by the average numbers of men and women. Those sensational papers had gone a footstep in these attempts to make it attractive to the news. It also highlighted its melodramatic perspectives. The daily newspapers cater to the average man and woman is the fact that the narrator would most likely agree with in the passage. Therefore, option(C) is a justified choice for this question.
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