Reading comp PrepTest 141 · Section 1 · Question 14

Passage

From a critical discussion of the work of Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron. Questions 8-15  .       What Cameron called her Remaining source text redacted.
Passage walkthrough
Passage SummaryTopic:

Paragraph 1
  • Paragraph note
    • An artist's work is described, compared to others, and judged
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Cameron - "fancy-subject" photos of costumed people reenacting stories, but accidentally comical
    • Compared to serious work - Cameron's work feature "actors" who don't want to be there
    • Failed goal of Cameron - Seamless works of illustrative art
    • Compared to curiosities (e.g., Rejlander) - not extravagantly awful
    • Author - Her words are "among [Victorian photography's] most vital images."
Paragraph 2
  • Paragraph note
    • What makes Cameron's images special (truth), with more comparisons (contrast)
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Truth is key - the people's faces showing how they feel creates a plot
    • Vs. painting - Can suspend disbelief because there aren't real people
    • Vs. theater - Can suspend disbelief and believe actor is character
    • Photo - We know it's an actor
Paragraph 3
  • Paragraph note
    • More on what makes Cameron's images special (combo of amateurism and artistry), with examples
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Special because of combo of amateurism and artistry
    • Ex - Arthur - Props are very fake, but it becomes magical
    • Like good amateur theatricals, not bad ones (guilty pleasures)
Main Point:
Despite some nay-sayers, Cameron's "fancy-subject" pictures are vital, true, and special because they capture something unique by showing the true experience of the actors at the same time as they depict a fictional scene.

Key Lines:
Lines 13-20 - The Author states a positive opinion of Cameron's work and highlights what gives them their "charm"
Lines 21-24 - Another reason for the value of Cameron's work
Lines 43-36 - Another reason for the value of Cameron's work
Line 47 - An example is introduced

Meta-Structure:
Comparisons - This passage relies heavily on comparing Cameron's works to others, to highlight what makes them unique and special. Her photos are compared both to traditionally "good" art and "bad" art to show that, while they don't amount to the former, they don't fall into the traps of the latter, and they instead capture something missing from other art—a truth about the circumstances under which the photos are taken, revealing a story of the actors involved.

Last Thoughts:
Since there were so many comparisons in the passage, we should expect questions and answers that reflect these details, so it'll be good to have those noted in some way (even if you just threw a "Comp" note to allow yourself to find where the comparisons are).

Also, note that all the paragraphs have a similar function—to highlight something about Cameron's photos that make them special. As such, it would be important to define the role of each paragraph a little more precisely so that we can find relevant information faster. That's why, in our Summary, we noted a bit more about how each paragraph proceeds.

Also, do yourself a favor and Google her photographs. Trust us, they don't disappoint.

Question prompt

The discussion of suspension Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: B

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

Question Type

Social Science

Answer choices

  1. A
    It is the main Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    Incorrect. (Lines 21-27) The discussion of suspension of disbelief is meant to highlight the "truth of the sitting" of Cameron's photographs versus a lack of that in other media. As such, suspension of disbelief backs up one claim that the Author uses to make a broader point about Cameron's work, so it's not the main point of the passage.
  2. B
    It introduces a contrast Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B matches the stem
    Correct. Question Type:
    Argument Structure

    Strategy Overview:
    Review the section in question and define its role in context, in the paragraph, and in the passage as a whole

    Answer Anticipation/Relevant Lines:
    This is the third time that section has been mentioned in the questions and answers!

    We know that it's in Lines 34-36 based on Question #10, so we should head back there. Overall, Paragraph 2 was about discussing one aspect of Cameron's art that made it special—the truth of the actors' experiences that it managed to capture. And it did so by comparing her photographs to works of art in other media.

    The discussion of suspension of disbelief contrasted narrative painting with the narrative photographs of Cameron. It notes that suspension of disbelief is possible with the former but not with the latter.

    How does that comparison play into the role of the paragraph and passage? Well, the inability for us to suspend disbelief when looking at a photograph allows the truth that the passage praises to come out. Since we can't suspend disbelief, we can see the figures in Cameron's photos as both actors and the characters they're portraying, and we can see the looks on their faces as they "endure[]" their "ordeal."

    Let's find an answer reflecting that purpose.

    Answer Explanation:
    (Lines 26-27; Lines 34-36) The Author introduces the point of this paragraph in the opening line, stating that the camera's realism allowed Cameron to capture the truth of the sitting, making her photograph wonderful and strange. This lines up with the answer calling her work "peculiar." And the Author contrasts the ability to suspend disbelief for a narrative painting with the inability to do so for a narrative photograph, which lines up with trying to prove that there's a truth the audience is aware of captured in the photographs that isn't in the paintings. This answer therefore reflects the role of the relevant section of the passage, so it's correct.

    Key Takeaway:
    This question is all about comparisons, which were key to the passage. Noting that this section especially was about contrast was key to finding the correct answer—it even includes that word!
  3. C
    It is the key Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    Incorrect. Cameron's photography counts as narrative photography, and the Author has a positive view of her work, so this answer is incorrect.
  4. D
    It is used to Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    Incorrect. (Lines 53-55) The Author mentions criticism of Cameron's pictures in Paragraph 3, but there's no direct criticism noted in Paragraph 2.
  5. E
    It draws a contrast Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    Incorrect. (Lines 34-42) As we said in our notes, this paragraph is about contrasts, not similarities. The Author notes that narrative photographs have different characteristics than both paintings and theater—he doesn't argue that narrative photographs are closer to one than the other. And, in fact, he doesn't directly contrast painting with drama!

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 8%
  2. B Credited 66%
  3. C 5%
  4. D 7%
  5. E 14%

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