Reading comp PrepTest 131 · Section 4 · Question 17

Passage

Questions 16-22  .        The Japanese American sculptor Isamu Noguchi  . (1904–1988) was an artist who intuitively asked—and  . responded Remaining source text redacted.
Passage walkthrough
Passage Summary

Topic: Humanities


Paragraph 1

  • Paragraph note
    • Background on Noguchi (deeply original, creative, followed a unique path) and preview of sculpture example
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Author's view:
      • Noguchi asked and responded to deeply original questions in his art; he charted a unique path in his career (first and second sentences)
    • Comparison, according to the author:
      • Noguchi was like a scientist and could have become one (second sentence)
    • Example of Noguchi's creativity, according to the author:
      • The story behind a sculpture (last sentence)
    • Author's attitude: "intuitively asked—and responded to—deeply original questions" (first sentence); "repeatedly veered off at wide angles" (second sentence); "creativeness" (last sentence)

Paragraph 2

  • Paragraph note
    • Noguchi's background (early promise; Brancusi's stonecutter) and observation (sculptors have only used negative light/shadow)
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Comparison, according to Noguchi:
      • Sculptors have used negative light (i.e., shadow) because only gold is reliably shiny (last sentence)
    • Author's attitude: "exquisite comprehension" (first sentence); "deft conceptual realization" (first sentence); "scientist's mind" (last sentence)

Paragraph 3

  • Paragraph note
    • Noguchi's goal (purely reflective sculpture) and suggested approach (chrome-nickel steel, a permanently reflective surface now available due to Ford)
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Noguchi's view:
      • Wanted to create a purely reflective, positive-light sculpture (first sentence)
    • Comparisons, according to the author/Fuller:
      • Like nonoxidizing gold, chrome-nickel steel is permanently reflective; unlike nonoxidizing gold, chrome-nickel steel is cheap and available in mass quantities (third and last sentences)

Paragraph 4

  • Paragraph note
    • Description of sculpture ("invisible" surface that is noticed only when other objects change in reflection) and analogy (still waters)
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Noguchi's view:
      • A positive-light sculpture would be "invisible," seen only when objects surrounding it change (fourth through last sentences)
    • Comparison, according to the author/Noguchi:
      • The surface of Noguchi's sculpture is like the surface of still water — it is only seen in reflection (second sentence)

Paragraph 5

  • Paragraph note
    • After the sculpture (praised but Noguchi moved on)
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Author's view
      • Even after Noguchi received praise for his discovery, he kept on innovating/evolving (first and last sentence)
    • Author's attitude: "stunning discovery" (first sentence); "inquisitive nature" (first sentence); "the genius of his original and fundamental conception" (second sentence); "next phase of his evolution" (second sentence)

Main Point: Noguchi confronted original questions and continually innovated in his sculptures, as is illustrated by a particular reflective sculpture of Fuller.

Meta-Structure?

Generalization/Example: Check out the last sentence of the first paragraph. There, we're essentially told that the author is going to use the Generalization/Example Meta-Structure as a central feature of the passage.* The author opens the passage by claiming that Noguchi was innovative throughout his career and then closes out that paragraph by saying that one work exemplifies this general characterization of the sculptor. That example is discussed throughout the rest of the passage (except the last paragraph, but even that's used to reinforce the general point about Noguchi's boundless and restless innovation).

When a passage relies on a Generalization/Example Meta-Structure, the main piont is the author's generalization or a variation of, "[The specific example] illustrates [the generalization]. ") So, we used that template for our anticipated main point.

*That said, other Meta-Structures could apply to this passage. Most obviously, this passage conforms to the Innovative [Subject] Meta-Structure, with the place holder "[Subject]" standing in for "Artist" (Noguchi) or "Sculpture" (Fuller sculpture). We could also think of this as a Problem/Solution passage, where Noguchi looks for a way to rely on positive light in a sculpture (the problem) and eventually lands on chrome-nickel steel (the solution).

Last Thoughts?

That fourth paragraph is dense and hard to understand. However, it describes the innovative sculpture, so it's important to have some handle on what it's talking about. The analogy is there to help you wrap your head around it (pun completely intended). From that paragraph, we know that the sculpture is "invisible" in that it can only be seen through the reflections in the metal. And in that way, it's like the surface of a lake - you can't really see that surface, but you can see the trees, sun, and clouds reflected in it to know where it is. Let's keep that image in mind since it's likely more familiar than a portrait of Fuller sculpted out of chrome-nickel steel!

Question prompt

The passage provides information Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: D

The notes below walk through why it fits the stem and how to eliminate the rest.

Question Type

Humanities

Strategy Overview

Remind ourselves of the main point of the passage, then head to the answers, focusing on those that line up with the main point and then using our notes/the passage to find the correct answer

Answer Anticipation

This is a variation of a Must Be True question. In this question, each answer choice is, Jeopardy-style, in the form of a question. The correct answer will feature a question that the passage answers. The four incorrect answers will present a question that the passage doesn't answer.These questions generally provide no indication as to the topic of the correct answer or where it'll show up in the passage. As such, we'll need to rely on our big-picture understanding of the passage to answer this question. We should start by reminding ourselves of the main point (either by reviewing what we said after reading the passage or by re-reading our answer to the main point question). From there, we can head to the answer choices. If we can't recall the answer to a question in a given answer choice, or if a possible answer isn’t related to the main point or reflected in our notes, we shouldn't comb through the passage, searching for an answer. Instead, we'll table that answer choice and move on to the next one. If we can recall the answer to a question — even vaguely — we'll use our notes/highlights/underlines to find the part of the passage that provides the answer. If we can point to the answer in the passage, we'll select that answer choice and move on to the next question.

Answer choices

  1. A
    In what way did Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited

    (A) Does the main point or our notes suggest that this is answered by the passage?

    Our note for the first paragraph tells us that's where we learn about Noguchi's "[b]ackground," but that note mentions that he is "deeply original, creative, [and] followed a unique path." So, there's no mention of when he first learned how to polish and cut stone. Our note for the second paragraph mentions his "early promise," so the answer to this question might show up there. Still, that note isn't very — ahem — promising, so it's probably best to curb any temptation to check the passage, table (A), and check the next answer choice.

    If we had to review the passage to eliminate (A), we wouldn't find any discussion of when Noguchi first developed these skills. He used these skills in Brancusi's studio (P2, S3), but he had already won a Guggenheim Fellowship for his sculptures by that point (P2, S1). Since we don't know where he first learned these skills, we can eliminate this answer.

  2. B
    In the course of Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited

    (B) Does the main point or our notes suggest that this is answered by the passage?

    Nope. Neither the main point nor our notes mention any art forms other than sculpture. So, we can eliminate — or at least table — (B) without checking the passage.

    Besides, we wouldn't find an answer to this question if we re-read the entire passage. The passage introduces Noguchi as a sculptor, not an artist (P1, S1). And the passage never mentions Noguchi trying his hand at other art forms. (Though if you're a real Noguchi head, you know his lamps are sick.)

  3. C
    What are some materials Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited

    (C) Does the main point or our notes suggest that this is answered by the passage?

    Our note for the second paragraph tells us Noguchi worked as "Brancusi's stonecutter," but we don't have any notes on whether he used any nonmetallic materials after he worked with Brancusi. So, it's best to curb any temptation to check the passage, table (C), and check the next answer choice.

    Besides, we wouldn't find an answer to this question if we re-read the entire passage. The only piece we learn about is his chrome-nickel steel sculpture.

  4. D
    During Noguchi's lifetime, was Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D matches the stem

    (D) Does the main point or our notes suggest that this is answered by the passage?

    Yes! Our note for the fifth paragraph says that Noguchi was "praised" after he completed the positive-light sculpture. To confirm that the passage answers this question, we can check the fifth paragraph.

    In that paragraph, it's noted that Noguchi "had won critical recognition" for this work (P5, S2), so this is the correct answer. We can select it and advance straight to the next question.

  5. E
    Did Noguchi at any Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited

    (E) Does the main point or our notes suggest that this is answered by the passage?

    Nope. Neither the main point nor our notes describe any transparent or translucent sculptures. Plus, this seems like the type of innovation we would have noted. So, it's best to curb any temptation to check the passage, table (D), and circle back to any answer choice we haven't already eliminated.

    Besides, we wouldn't find an answer to this question if we re-read the entire passage. The only piece we learn about is his chrome-nickel steel sculpture.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 28%
  2. B 4%
  3. C 16%
  4. D Credited 47%
  5. E 6%

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