Many argue that recent developments in electronic technology such as c

Question

Many argue that recent developments in electronic technology such as computers and videotape have enabled artists to vary their forms of expression. For example, video art can now achieve images whose effect is produced by “digitalization”: breaking up the picture using computerized information processing. Such new technologies create new ways of seeing and hearing by adding different dimensions to older forms, rather than replacing those forms. Consider Locale, a film about a modern dance company. The camera operator wore a SteadicamTM, an uncomplicated device that allows a camera to be mounted on a person so that the camera remains steady no matter how the operator moves. The SteadicamTM captures the dance in ways impossible with traditional mounts. Such new equipment also allows for the preservation of previously unrecordable aspects of performances, thus enriching archives.

By Contrast, others claim that technology subverts the artistic enterprise: that artistic efforts achieved with machines preempt human creativity, rather than being inspired by it. The originality of musical performance, for example, might suffer, as musicians would be deprived of the opportunity to spontaneously change pieces of music before live audiences. Some even worry that technology will eliminate live performance altogether; performances will be recorded for home viewing, abolishing the relationship between performer and audience. But these negative views assume both that technology poses an unprecedented challenge to the arts and that we are not committed enough to the artistic enterprise to preserve the live performance, assumptions that seem unnecessarily cynical. In fact, technology has traditionally assisted our capacity for creative expression and can refine our notions of any give art form.

For example, the portable camera and the snapshot were developed at the same time as the rise of impressionist painting in the nineteenth century. These photographic technologies encouraged a new appreciation. In addition, impressionist artists like Degas studied the elements of light and movement captured by instantaneous photography and used their new understanding of the way our perceptions distort reality to try to more accurately capture realty in their work. Since photos can capture the “moments” of a movement, such as a hand partially raised in a gesture of greeting, Impressionist artists were inspired to paint such moments in order to more effectively convey the quality of spontaneous human action. Photography freed artists from the preconception that a subject should be painted in a static, artificial entirety, and inspired them to capture the random and fragmentary qualities of our world. Finally, since photography preempted painting as the means of obtaining portraits, painters had more freedom to vary their subject matter, thus giving rise to the abstract creations characteristic of modern art.   1 
 B 
 Q1. Which one of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the passage?

(A) The progress of art relies primarily on technology.
(B) Technological innovation can be beneficial to art.
(C) There are risks associated with using technology to create art.
(D) Technology will transform the way the public responds to art.
(E) The relationship between art and technology has a lengthy history.

2 
 A 
 Q2. It can be inferred from the passage that the author shares which one of the following opinions with the opponents of the use of new technology in art?

(A) The live performance is an important aspect of the artistic enterprise.
(B) The public’s commitment to the artistic enterprise is questionable.
(C) Recent technological innovations present an entirely new sort of challenge to art.
(D) Technological innovations of the past have been very useful to artists.
(E) The performing arts are especially vulnerable to technological innovation.

3 
 D 
 Q3. Which one of the following, if true, would most undermine the position held by opponents of the use of new technology in art concerning the effect of technology on live performance?

(A) Surveys show that when recordings of performances are made available for home viewing, the public becomes far more knowledgeable about different performing artists.
(B) Surveys show that some people feel comfortable responding spontaneously to artistic performances when they are viewing recordings of those performances at home.
(C) After a live performance, sales of recordings for home viewing of the particular performing artist generally increase.
(D) The distribution of recordings of artists’ performances has begun to attract many new audience members to their live performances.
(E) Musicians are less apt to make creative changes in musical pieces during recorded performances than during live performances.

4 
 E 
 Q4. The author uses the example of the SteadicamTM primarily in order to suggest that

(A) the filming of performances should not be limited by inadequate equipment
(B) new technologies do not need to be very complex in order to benefit art
(C) the interaction of a traditional art form with a new technology will change attitudes toward technology in general
(D) the replacement of a traditional technology with a new technology will transform definitions of a traditional art form
(E) new technology does not so much preempt as enhance a traditional art form

5 
 C 
 Q5. According to the passage, proponents of the use of new electronic technology in the arts claim that which one of the following is true?

(A) Most people who reject the use of electronic technology in art forget that machines require a person to operate them.
(B) Electronic technology allows for the expansion of archives because longer performances can be recorded.
(C) Electronic technology assists artists in finding new ways to present their material.
(D) Electronic technology makes the practice of any art form more efficient by speeding up the creative process.
(E) Modern dance is the art form that will probably benefit most from the use of electronic technology.

6 
 E 
 Q6. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would agree with which one of the following statements regarding changes in painting since the nineteenth century?

(A) The artistic experiments of the nineteenth century led painters to use a variety of methods in creating portraits, which they then applied to other subject matter.
(B) The nineteenth-century knowledge of light and movement provided by photography inspired the abstract works characteristic of modern art.
(C) Once painters no longer felt that they had to paint conventional portraits, they turned exclusively to abstract portraiture.
(D) Once painters were less limited to the impressionist style, they were able to experiment with a variety of styles of abstract art.
(E) Once painters painted fewer conventional portraits, they had greater opportunity to move beyond the literal depiction of objects.

Source:   LSAT Official PrepTest 9   ( October 1993 ) 
 Difficulty Level:   650

Gladiator59 · Accepted Answer

6 mins 24 secs... got 5 out of 6. As always, LSAT passages are a delight to read.

A passage with a clear tone: Positive towards tech impact on art: The passage begins with stating the most people believe that technology has a huge impact on art and the way the artist works. Gives an example of how steadycam has affected film making by "captures the dance in ways impossible with traditional mounts. " and leads to ways to capture movements which were hitherto unrecordable. Author proceeds to give the view from across the aisle which claims that technology hinders art forms to only quickly discredit it. Here we get the opinion of the author about the issue. The author ends with a detailed example of how snapshot and still photography positively impacted the artists of the nineteenth century which in turn gave birth to the modern art form. It is essential to realize the opinion of the author to be able to answer this. Q1. Which one of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the passage? (A) The progress of art relies primarily on technology. Too strong and not at all what is depicted in the passage (B) Technological innovation can be beneficial to art. Bingo - the author uses two examples to convey this idea. (C) There are risks associated with using technology to create art. TRAP - real-world trap - this could be true but this is too detailed to be the main idea of the entire passage. (D) Technology will transform the way the public responds to art. TRAP - partially the main idea... public as well as the art itself is transformed and mainly in a beneficial way. (E) The relationship between art and technology has a lengthy history. TRUE, but not the main point as the passage is talking about the influence of technology on art. Inference type and one must be careful to read "with the opponents of the view that author supports" Q2. It can be inferred from the passage that the author shares which one of the following opinions with the opponents of the use of new technology in art? (A) The live performance is an important aspect of the artistic enterprise. Perfect - both the author and the opponents of the view he supports agree that live performances are an important aspect of musical art, just the take on how technology affects live performances differ (B) The public’s commitment to the artistic enterprise is questionable. Blatantly wrong! (C) Recent technological innovations present an entirely new sort of challenge to art. Author does not agree with this (D) Technological innovations of the past have been very useful to artists. Opponents do not agree with this view. (E) The performing arts are especially vulnerable to technological innovation. Author does not agree. Detail question - found in second paragraph Q3. Which one of the following, if true, would most undermine the position held by opponents of the use of new technology in art concerning the effect of technology on live performance? (A) Surveys show that when recordings of performances are made available for home viewing, the public becomes far more knowledgeable about different performing artists. Irrelevant - we want something that affects the art itself (B) Surveys show that some people feel comfortable responding spontaneously to artistic performances when they are viewing recordings of those performances at home. OPPOSITE to what we are looking for. this strengthens the view of the opponents (C) After a live performance, sales of recordings for home viewing of the particular performing artist generally increase. TRAP - live performances are an important part according to both so we need to tie tech with live performance. Hence this option is irrelevant to strengthening or weakening. (D) The distribution of recordings of artists’ performances has begun to attract many new audience members to their live performances. BINGO - this ties technology ( distribution of electronic records) to live performance and in a positive way. Hence undermining the critics (E) Musicians are less apt to make creative changes in musical pieces during recorded performances than during live performances. TRAP! This shows that musicians prefer live performance over recorded performance but it does not show how recorded performance affects live performance and hence this is wrong! I feel for this

Detail from the first paragraph Q4. The author uses the example of the SteadicamTM primarily in order to suggest that (A) the filming of performances should not be limited by inadequate equipment Could be true, but this is not why the author mentions it. (B) new technologies do not need to be very complex in order to benefit art Again off a different tangent all together (C) the interaction of a traditional art form with a new technology will change attitudes toward technology in general TRAP - the first few words are what we are looking for but the ending is not quite there. We are concerned how thetech affects the art and not the attitudes towards art (D) the replacement of a traditional technology with a new technology will transform definitions of a traditional art form TRAP - this shows how tech will transform art but does not encapsulate the whole reason.Tech goes with art transforming it and helping it in its current form as well (E) new technology does not so much preempt as enhance a traditional art form Verbatim from the passage - tech does not preempt the art but guides it this is the people on the side of the author, or it could also be rephrased at what the author believes is true Q5. According to the passage, proponents of the use of new electronic technology in the arts claim that which one of the following is true? (A) Most people who reject the use of electronic technology in art forget that machines require a person to operate them. could be true but not mentioned by the author (B) Electronic technology allows for the expansion of archives because longer performances can be recorded. first few words are desirable but the last are irrelevant (C) Electronic technology assists artists in finding new ways to present their material. Perfect - this is the crux of what the author believes (D) Electronic technology makes the practice of any art form more efficient by speeding up the creative process. TRAP - more efficient and speeding up creative process is too extreme as tech only assists the artist and does not transform art to something unrecognizable (E) Modern dance is the art form that will probably benefit most from the use of electronic technology. LAughblyfalse, such hyperbole is never mentioned and can't be attributed to anyone in the passage MANY TRAPS IN THIS ONE! Detail from the last paragraph of the passage - the author gives an example of paintings to show how art can be influenced positively by tech Q6. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would agree with which one of the following statements regarding changes in painting since the nineteenth century? (A) The artistic experiments of the nineteenth century led painters to use a variety of methods in creating portraits, which they then applied to other subject matter. Too broad and not related to the what the author has mentioned. (B) The nineteenth-century knowledge of light and movement provided by photography inspired the abstract works characteristic of modern art. TRAP - "inspired" is too strong here... it just gave them free time to focus and hence develop a new art form (C) Once painters no longer felt that they had to paint conventional portraits, they turned exclusively to abstract portraiture. TRAP - "exclusively" is too strong here. (D) Once painters were less limited to the impressionist style, they were able to experiment with a variety of styles of abstract art. TRAP - the impressionist was the resultant and hence this option is wrong else this is the perfect wording we are expecting from the passage (E) Once painters painted fewer conventional portraits, they had greater opportunity to move beyond the literal depiction of objects. Finally - this is exactly the gist of what the author mentions. Hope the explanations are helpful.

redskull1 · Answer

Got the 6th one wrong.As always LSAT questions are really good ones.

Some help for Q6).How can E be inferred.I am lost totally on this one.

manishcmu · Answer

Choice E is inferred from the last line - Finally, since photography preempted painting as the means of obtaining portraits, painters had more freedom to vary their subject matter, thus giving rise to the abstract creations characteristic of modern art. In other words, Photographic technologies enabled painters to free some time from painting portraits (literal depiction of objects) and hence painters were able to focus more on other subject matters. LSAT uses sneaky synonyms to confuse test takers.

Manukaran · Answer

Same here. Still not very convinced. My choice was D.

Can someone tell me why is D incorrect here?

auradediligodo · Answer

Hi everyone,
Took 13:30 minutes and got 4/6 correct. Took 4:30 minutes to read, write down paragraphs summaries and main point.

P1: Developments in ET lead to benefits for art
P2: Critics against ET in arts and Objection to those critics
P3: Provide an example to support the objection to those critics

MP: To evaluate ET in arts/ To establish that ET in arts is beneficial

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Q1 . Which one of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the passage?

Pre-thinking
 Refer to main point above to analyze the answer choices

(A) The progress of art relies primarily on technology.
 Primarily is wrong. Hence incorrect

(B) Technological innovation can be beneficial to art.
 In line with pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(C) There are risks associated with using technology to create art.
 This is according to the critics in P2 but the author is against the critics' position. Hence incorrect

(D) Technology will transform the way the public responds to art.
 This is more of a concern than a certainty. Hence incorrect

(E) The relationship between art and technology has a lengthy history.
 In P3 some information of the sort is given as an example but that information is used to proven the critics wrong and to suggest that ET is beneficial to art. Hence incorrect

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 Q2.  It can be inferred from the passage that the author shares which one of the following opinions with the opponents of the use of new technology in art?

Pre-thinking
 Refer to this portion of P2: "By Contrast, others claim that technology subverts the artistic enterprise:" Then the author talks about the musical performance so we can infer that the musical performance according to the author is important for the artistic enterprise.

(A) The live performance is an important aspect of the artistic enterprise.
 In line with pre-thinking. Hence correct

(B) The public’s commitment to the artistic enterprise is questionable.
 When commitment is mentioned the author refers to "us". So first the public is just part of "us" and we need to take into consideration also the performers and the people working in the artistic enterprise. Secondly the author shares the opposite idea compared to the critics on this subject. Hence incorrect

(C) Recent technological innovations present an entirely new sort of challenge to art.
 Here  entirely new  doesn't work because it is never mentioned that the challenge at hand is completely new. Hence incorrect

(D) Technological innovations of the past have been very useful to artists.
 Out of the context since mentioned in P3. Hence incorrect

(E) The performing arts are especially vulnerable to technological innovation.
 Again the author disagrees on this with the critics. Hence incorrect

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Q3.  Which one of the following, if true, would most undermine the position held by opponents of the use of new technology in art concerning the effect of technology on live performance?

Pre-thinking
 Refer to P2 and especially focus on the critics' view. So we know that major threats that technology poses to art enterprises are a worse relation between performer and interviewer and the total elimination of live performances. So any option suggesting that technology would not lead to these scenarios will weaken the critics' view

(A) Surveys show that when recordings of performances are made available for home viewing, the public becomes far more knowledgeable about different performing artists.
 This choice does not deal with the objections made by the critics to technology. Hence incorrect

(B) Surveys show that some people feel comfortable responding spontaneously to artistic performances when they are viewing recordings of those performances at home.
 The critics' concern is the decrease in originality on the performer side. The public reactions are outside of the scope her. Hence incorrect

(C) After a live performance, sales of recordings for home viewing of the particular performing artist generally increase.
 Sales are outside of the scope of the critics' concern. Hence incorrect

(D) The distribution of recordings of artists’ performances has begun to attract many new audience members to their live performances.
 This option suggests that people would be attracted to more live performances, decreasing the belief in the critics concern that live performances could be eliminated. Hence correct

(E) Musicians are less apt to make creative changes in musical pieces during recorded performances than during live performances.
 This strengthen the critics' point of view. Hence incorrect.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q4.  The author uses the example of the SteadicamTM primarily in order to suggest that

Pre-thinking
 Refer to P1 and especially to: "Such new technologies create new ways of seeing and hearing by adding different dimensions to older forms, rather than replacing those forms." Clearly this is an example used to prove the mentioned lines

(A) the filming of performances should not be limited by inadequate equipment
 Never mentioned. Hence incorrect.

(B) new technologies do not need to be very complex in order to benefit art
 Not in line with pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(C) the interaction of a traditional art form with a new technology will change attitudes toward technology in general
 Not in line with pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(D) the replacement of a traditional technology with a new technology will transform definitions of a traditional art form
 Not in line with pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(E) new technology does not so much preempt as enhance a traditional art form
 In line with pre-thinking. Hence correct

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q5.  According to the passage, proponents of the use of new electronic technology in the arts claim that which one of the following is true?

Pre-thinking
 Refer to all passage except for the critics' view to answer this question

(A) Most people who reject the use of electronic technology in art forget that machines require a person to operate them.
 ever mentioned. Hence incorrect

(B) Electronic technology allows for the expansion of archives because longer performances can be recorded.
 Inconsistent because of the adjective "longer". Longer performances are never mentioned. Hence incorrect

(C) Electronic technology assists artists in finding new ways to present their material.
 Refer to the first passage when the new camera is presented. That was a new way of presenting art. Hence correct

(D) Electronic technology makes the practice of any art form more efficient by speeding up the creative process.
 Too extreme because of the any. The passage never says that ALL arts form will be benefitted. Hence incorrect

(E) Modern dance is the art form that will probably benefit most from the use of electronic technology.
 Inconsistent because of the "most". It was never mentioned that dance was the most benefit. Hence incorrect

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Q6.  It can be inferred from the passage that the author would agree with which one of the following statements regarding changes in painting since the nineteenth century?

Pre-thinking
 Refer to the last paragraph to answer this question.
#1 impressionists used technology to make a more accurate painting. They could depict reality in a more accurate way because of photography.
#2 more able to convey the spontaneous element in human actions
#3 No longer static painting but painting about fragments
#4 Since photography takes care of the task of portraying very accurately a landscape or whatever, artists can now focus on the subjects

(A) The artistic experiments of the nineteenth century led painters to use a variety of methods in creating portraits, which they then applied to other subject matter.
 Artistic experiments not mentioned. Hence incorrect

(B) The nineteenth-century knowledge of light and movement provided by photography inspired the abstract works characteristic of modern art.
 Inconsistent because of abstract. refer to point #1 in pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(C) Once painters no longer felt that they had to paint conventional portraits, they turned exclusively to abstract portraiture.
 Okay for the first part of this choice. Inconsistent the second because of "exclusively.". Hence incorrect

(D) Once painters were less limited to the impressionist style, they were able to experiment with a variety of styles of abstract art.
 I think inconsistent because of Impressionist style. The last lines of last paragraph talk about painters in general. Hence incorrect

(E) Once painters painted fewer conventional portraits, they had greater opportunity to move beyond the literal depiction of objects.
 Correct as in line with point #4 of pre-thinking Hence correct

It is a good day to be alive, cheers!

UChisb · Answer

SajjadAhmad , can you please post the Official Explanation for Q2 and Q4?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

Q2. It can be inferred from the passage that the author shares which one of the following opinions with the opponents of the use of new technology in art?

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

Here the key to the question is the word  “opponents”  — you’re not just inferring the author’s opinion of something, as you usually are in inference questions; you’re inferring in what way the author agrees with her opponents. According to  Paragraph 2 , the opponents of techology worry about two things: that technology impedes creativity, and that it will eliminate live performances  “altogether.”  The author then disagrees with this second point by saying that we are sufficiently committed to art to preserve the live performance. She would not address the worry about live performances by saying that  “we”  will preserve them unless she believed that they were important.

In other words, she must agree with  (A) , or she would dismiss the opponents’ fears by saying  “Live performances aren’t important.”

(B)  comes from the same sentence as  (A) ; the difference is that the author calls it cynical to assume that the public lacks commitment, so she hardly feels that the public commitment is  “questionable.”

(C)  also comes from the same part of  Paragraph 2 , but again the key is understanding that the author dismisses the fears of her opponents. She says that her opponents act as if technology is an unprecedented challenge to art — and then calls that attitude  “cynical.”

(D)  is an opinion that this author holds, but her opponents do not.

(E)  contradicts the spirit of the main idea of the passage — that art is not vulnerable in some destructive way to technology, but rather is enhanced by it. Worse yet, it’s outside the scope of the passage. To say that the performing arts are  “especially”  vulnerable suggests some sort of contrast with something  “less”  vulnerable, but this passage sticks exclusively to technology and the arts.

Answer: A

Q4. The author uses the example of the SteadicamTM primarily in order to suggest that

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

The Steadicam appears in  Paragraph 1 , the one that lays out the  “tech is good”  position. While several of the choices have a positive tone towards the relationship of art and technology,  (E)  is the only one that harmonizes thoroughly with the author’s basic position: Tech improves, instead of hurting, traditional art forms.

(A)  is a true statement, but this question is really asking about how the Steadicam supports the author’s argument in  Paragraph 1 . The argument concerns the interrelation of art and technology, not the quality of the tech equipment.

(B)  picks up on a detail in  Paragraph 1  — that the Steadicam is  “uncomplicated”  — but that quality isn’t the reason the author mentions the Steadicam.

“Technology in general”  is way too broad in scope for any part of this passage, so  (C)  is incorrect.

(D)  picks up an idea from  Paragraph 3  — that the camera transformed Impressionist art and painting in general — and makes it into a general principle this author allegedly supports by talking about the Steadicam. Wrong! This focus on  “types of technology”  is inappropriate to the passage anyway.

Answer: E

PS: This explanation belongs to Kaplan Test Prep.

shuklaji · Answer

can someone please explain Q6
?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

Q6. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would agree with which one of the following statements regarding changes in painting since the nineteenth century?

Difficulty Level:   750

Explanation

Painting since the 19th century is the subject of the long example in  Paragraph 3 , the support for the author’s  “thumbs up”  on technology and art. Read long answer choices carefully; often the wrong ones are only partly true, or repeat enticing words and phrases from the passage. For example,  Choice (A)  is true right up until the  “which”  clause, where an extraneous issue, how new methods were applied to subjects other than portraits, pops in.

Choice (B)  makes a similar mistake, practically quoting lines:   "Impressionist artists like Degas studied the elements of light and movement captured by instantaneous photography and used their new understanding of the way our perceptions distort reality to try to more accurately capture reality in their work."  , and then suggesting that new ideas about light and movement resulted in abstract art. Unfortunately, the author says that these new ideas resulted in efforts to make more realistic art.

(C)  is more or less accurate but for that one unfortunate word,  “exclusively.”  While the author does say that photography  “preempted”  portrait painting, she doesn’t say that that traditional portrait painting stopped completely. (Common sense tells us that it did no such thing anyhow.)

(D)  jumbles two ideas from  Paragraph 3 , that Impressionist artists gradually broke away from stylistic limitations and that abstract creations resulted from the meeting of technology and art. But the author doesn’t connect these two ideas in the passage, at least not in the cause-and-effect way this answer choice does. Rather, both phenomena resulted from the collision of photography and portraiture.

That leaves  (E)  — which is similar to  choice (D) , but different in one important way. It’s right. Here there really is a cause-and-effect relationship; this choice is a concise paraphrase of lines:   "Photography freed artists from the preconception that a subject should be painted in a static, artificial entirety, and inspired them to capture the random and fragmentary qualities of our world."

Answer: E

Jks3000 · Answer

Sajjad1994  Tag should be 600-700 level as evident from the answer stats....Only last question is difficult

ashutosh_73 · Answer

Hey Gladi, tt feels wonderful to know that you are doing LSAT RC in 5-6 mins, can you please explain your process, because it takes me 15 mins to solve these RCs?? Guide me please!!

Thanks

VerbalBot · Answer

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Many argue that recent developments in electronic technology such as c

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Many argue that recent developments in electronic technology such as c

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