Reading comp PrepTest 147 · Section 2 · Question 10

Passage

  Best known for her work with lacquer, Eileen Gray (1878-1976) had a fascinating and multifaceted artistic career: she became a Remaining source text redacted.
Passage walkthrough
Passage Summary

Topic: Humanities


Paragraph 1

  • Paragraph note
    • Background on Eileen Gray and description of her lacquer work
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Comparisons, according to the author:
      • Gray focused on smaller objects at beginning of her career and larger objects later, but her focus on hidden details remained the same (second sentence)
      • Gray's work is distinct from the flowing lines of the Art Nouveau movement at the time, focusing instead on straight lines and simple forms (last sentence)
    • Author's attitude: “best known” (first sentence); "fascinating and multifaceted" (first sentence); "fit well" (last sentence); "austere beauty" (last sentence)

Paragraph 2

  • Paragraph note
    • Author: Gray's structural use of lacquer and her interior design display an architectural quality
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Comparison, according to the author:
      • Gray made flat panels at first, but later made three-dimensional panels (third sentence)
    • Examples of Gray's work that have an architectural quality, according to the author:
      • Door panels (third sentence)
      • Screen in the lobby of an apartment, which folded out and melded with wall/brick (fourth and fifth sentences)
      • Furniture using modern materials (like tubular steel) that met occupants' needs (sixth and last sentences)
    • Author's attitude: "painstaking" (first sentence); "critical but not always apparent" (second sentence); "fully realizes" (fourth sentence); "thus becomes" (fifth sentence)

Paragraph 3

  • Paragraph note
    • Author: Gray's architecture was informed by her layering and holistic lacquer work
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Comparison, according to the author:
      • Gray's architecture was similar to the holistic, inside-out approach of her lacquer work (third and fourth sentences)
      • The inside and outside of an architectural work was, for Gray, same (last sentence)
    • Examples of Gray's architecture that were similar to her holistic, layered lacquer work, according to the author:
      • Storage cabinets in the staircase, desks that also functioned as cabinets, and tables that can be moved inside and outside (sixth through last sentences)
    • Author's attitude: "prefigures" (first sentence); "integrated whole" (third sentence)

Main Point: Eileen Gray's work encompassed work from the small to the large, including houses, with a focus on detail and an integration of the whole work, which was exemplified and informed by her work in lacquer.

Key Lines?

Lines 5-7 - The Author's summary of Gray's work is noted

Line 20-23 - How Gray's focus/work and lacquer's characteristics overlapped

Lines 28-33 - An example of the pinnacle of this work

Lines 40-41 - A connection between steps in Gray's progression is made

Lines 41-43 - Gray's belief on architectural design

Lines 52-56 - An example of Gray's interior/exterior connection

Meta-Structure?

Importance of Subject: Passages that focus on a single artist or artistic movement tend to fall into one of two camps. The first describes the artist as an innovator. The second describes the artist's importance, often addressing their influences and development over time. This passage arguably flirts with the former camp in discussing how Gray brought lacquer from Japan to Europe (Lines 10-11). But the passage more neatly fits in the latter camp, showing how Gray's work in lacquer developed her sensibilities of creating (hidden) layers and holistic works even as she moved into architectural design.

In such a passage, the author's opinion on the artist's importance will serve as the main point. Here, the author says that Gray's use of lacquer both presaged and exemplified her layered, holistic approach to paneling, interior design, and architecture.

Examples: This passage has a few examples of works Gray produced that embody her layered, holistic approach. It talks about a screens she lacquered, furniture she made, and architectural features that illustrate her artistic philosophy. This is common in Humanities passages. Always lookout for a description of the type of work(s) created by the artist(s) in the passage.

Last Thoughts?

This passage focuses heavily on an in-depth description of Gray's design aesthetic across multiple art forms (from ornaments to furniture to houses). As such, we should expect questions that deal with this aesthetic, so we should have a clear view of what it is. We should almost be able to picture the types of work Gray produced. So let's remember that Gray focused on details (Line 6) — including hidden details (Line 7). Let's also remember that she cared about layers and structure (Lines 21-22) and connecting the interior and exterior of works (Lines 41-42). She also preferred "the austere beauty of straight lines and simple forms juxtaposed" (Lines 16-17).

Question prompt

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

Credited answer: E

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 question asks us to infer, based on the entire passage, a statement that must be true. Such questions can be very challenging. These questions provide little indication as to the topic of the correct answer or where it'll show up in the passage. Moreover, the correct answer probably won't restate something from the passage. Instead, the question will likely require us to draw a connection between a few different pieces of information.We'll need to rely on our big-picture understanding of the passage to answer these questions. We should start by reminding ourselves of the main point. From there, we can head to the answer choices. If something in an answer choice doesn't seem familiar and isn't reflected in our notes on each paragraph, we shouldn't check the passage to see if it was mentioned. Instead, we'll table it and move on to the next answer choice. If something seems inconsistent with the main point, we can eliminate it. If something seems familiar, consistent with the main point, or reflected in our notes, we'll use our notes/highlights/underlines to find the part of the passage that proves the answer choice must be true. If we can find that confirmation, we'll select that answer choice and move on.

Answer choices

  1. A
    Gray's reputation rests primarily Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited

    (A) Is this related to the main point or reflected in our notes?

    No. Neither the main point nor our notes discuss what Gray is "best known" for. For this reason, we can table this answer choice and assess the remaining rather than check the passage. Astute test-takers would also note that, although the passage described her development through different art forms, the passage's main point asserted that Gray maintained a consistent style. Therefore, to say that Gray had a "range of styles" is inconsistent with the main point, and we can eliminate (A). 

    If we did need to check the passage, we'd see that it notes that Gray is "[b]est known" for her work in lacquer, so she is known for a particular medium instead of a range of styles. W

  2. B
    Gray personally constructed most Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited

    (B) Is this related to the main point or reflected in our notes?

    Nope. We didn't note whether Gray actually made the objects she designed. For this reason, we should curb our desire to check the passage to see whether (B) is supported. Instead, it's best to table this answer choice and assess the remaining.

    If we had to check the passage, we'd see that it notes that Gray was interested in furniture design and tailored pieces to fit particular environments (Line 35), but that's not the same as constructing the furniture herself. In focusing on her as a designer, the passage never says whether she had others build her designs.

  3. C
    In Paris in Gray's Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited

    (C) Is this related to the main point or reflected in our notes?

    Again, neither our notes nor the main point relate to Parisians' feelings about wood, so we can table this answer choice and keep it moving.

    If we did need to review the passage, we'd see that the first paragraph discusses Paris, but notes only that it's where Gray studied lacquer and that that medium was little-known in Europe at the time (Lines 7-13). The passage doesn't mention what materials were considered appropriate for visual art in Paris at that time.

  4. D
    Few of Gray's works Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited

    (D) Is this related to the main point or reflected in our notes?

    Negative. The main point and the notes fail to address whether Gray wanted the public to see her lacquer work. For this reason, we can table this answer choice and move on to the next one.

    If we took a closer examination of (D), we'd see that it seems to be playing off of two concepts. On the one hand, this answer choice might appear to relate to the fact that Gray's lacquer designs had hidden details (Line 25). But that's about what one can see when looking at the object, not whether Gray designed it for public viewing. Additionally, this (D) plays off the fact taht Gray used lacquer in her furniture designs, which she could have made for private homes. But those designs could absolutely be done for public viewing, with copies made for home use. Therefore, the passage doesn't provide evidence that Gray did not intend for her lacquer work to be viewed by the public.

  5. E
    Much of Gray's later Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E matches the stem

    (E) Is this related to the main point or reflected in our notes?

    Our note for the second paragarph is, "Author: Gray's structural use of lacquer and her interior design display an architectural quality." Architecture is a functional art form, so this answer choice appears to be consistent with that note. Therefore, we can review the passage to confirm that this is correct.

    Upon review, we'll see that Gray's later work included furniture, interiors, and whole houses, each of which is functional

    (Line 39; Lines 48-49) . The passage even notes that her furniture was designed to "meet their occupants' needs," and lists several examples of functional touches she added to her houses (Lines 49-52). Of course, her work was also ornamental — she added touches like the carpet under the table (Lines 54-56). So, this answer choice is supported by the passage.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 19%
  2. B 13%
  3. C 5%
  4. D 3%
  5. E Credited 60%

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Discussion

  • B vs. E 1 reply

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