Museums that house Renaissance oil paintings typically store them in

Question

Museums that house Renaissance oil paintings typically store them in environments that are carefully kept within narrow margins of temperature and humidity to inhibit any deterioration. Laboratory tests have shown that the kind of oil paint used in these paintings actually adjusts to climatic changes quite well. If paint is the most sensitive substance in these works, then by relaxing the standards for temperature and humidity control as some museum directors suggest, museums can reduce energy costs without risking damage to these paintings. Museums would be rash to relax those standards, however, since results of preliminary tests indicate that gesso, a compound routinely used by Renaissance artists to help paint adhere to the canvas, is unable to withstand significant variations in humidity.

In the argument above, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

A. The first is a position that the argument calls into question; the second is an alternative position endorsed by the argument.

B. The first is a position that the argument calls into question; the second is evidence put forward by the argument to challenge that position.

C. The first is a position that the argument calls into question; the second is evidence that has been used to support that position.

D. The first is the position taken by the argument; the second provides evidence to support that position.

E. The first is the position taken by the argument; the second is evidence that has been used to challenge that position.

MartyMurray · Answer

Museums that house Renaissance oil paintings typically store them in environments that are carefully kept within narrow margins of temperature and humidity to inhibit any deterioration. Laboratory tests have shown that the kind of oil paint used in these paintings actually adjusts to climatic changes quite well. If paint is the most sensitive substance in these works, then by relaxing the standards for temperature and humidity control as some museum directors suggest, museums can reduce energy costs without risking damage to these paintings. Museums would be rash to relax those standards, however, since results of preliminary tests indicate that gesso, a compound routinely used by Renaissance artists to help paint adhere to the canvas, is unable to withstand significant variations in humidity.

A move that helps a lot with getting this Boldface question correct is identifying the main conclusion stated in the passage, which is this short statement buried in the passage:

Museums would be rash to relax those standards

Having identified that conclusion, we can then determine how the other statements in the passage, including the boldfaced ones, relate to it.

Doing so, we see that the first boldfaced portion states something the conclusion disagrees with, and the second boldfaced portion supports the conclusion.

In the argument above, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

A. The first is a position that the argument calls into question; the second is an alternative position endorsed by the argument.

The first part of this answer choice fits our analysis above, but the second is incorrect because the second boldface states a premise, not a "position," or conclusion, endorsed by the argument.

Eliminate.

B. The first is a position that the argument calls into question; the second is evidence put forward by the argument to challenge that position.

This choice fits our above analysis perfectly.

Keep.

C. The first is a position that the argument calls into question; the second is evidence that has been used to support that position.

The first part of this choice fits our above analysis, but the second is incorrect because the second boldfaced portion supports the argument's conclusion, not the first boldfaced portion, which the conclusion is counter to.

Eliminate.

D. The first is the position taken by the argument; the second provides evidence to support that position.

The first part of this choice is incorrect since, as discussed above, the first boldfaced portion is something the conclusion of the argument is counter to, not the argument's conclusion.

Eliminate.

E. The first is the position taken by the argument; the second is evidence that has been used to challenge that position.

The first part of this choice is incorrect since, as discussed above, the first boldfaced portion is something the conclusion of the argument is counter to, not the argument's conclusion.

The second is evidence used to challenge the first, but to support the argument's conclusion, which is not the first.

Eliminate.

Correct answer:   B

Bunuel · Answer

Similar questions from older OGs: https://gmatclub.com/forum/museums-that ... 65365.html https://gmatclub.com/forum/museums-that ... 58318.html

guddo · Answer

Museums that house Renaissance oil paintings typically store them in environments that are carefully kept within narrow margins of temperature and humidity to inhibit any deterioration. Laboratory tests have shown that the kind of oil paint used in these paintings actually adjusts to climatic changes quite well. If paint is the most sensitive substance in these works, then by relaxing the standards for temperature and humidity control as some museum directors suggest, museums can reduce energy costs without risking damage to these paintings. Museums would be rash to relax those standards, however, since results of preliminary tests indicate that gesso, a compound routinely used by Renaissance artists to help paint adhere to the canvas, is unable to withstand significant variations in humidity.
 
 In the argument above, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

The first boldface is the position suggested by some museum directors: museums can safely relax climate-control standards. The author rejects that position by saying museums would be rash to do so. The second boldface gives the author’s evidence against the first position: gesso may be damaged by humidity changes.  So the first is the challenged position, and the second is evidence used to challenge it .

A. The first is a position that the argument calls into question; the second is an alternative position endorsed by the argument.

This is incorrect. The second is not an alternative position; it is evidence supporting the author’s warning.

B. The first is a position that the argument calls into question; the second is evidence put forward by the argument to challenge that position.

This is correct. The author questions the idea that museums can relax the standards safely, and uses the gesso finding to show that relaxing the standards may still risk damage.

C. The first is a position that the argument calls into question; the second is evidence that has been used to support that position.

This is incorrect. The second does the opposite: it weakens the first position.

D. The first is the position taken by the argument; the second provides evidence to support that position.

This is incorrect. The argument’s own position is that museums would be rash to relax the standards, not that museums can safely reduce energy costs.

E. The first is the position taken by the argument; the second is evidence that has been used to challenge that position.

This is incorrect. The first is not the author’s position; it is the position the author challenges.

Answer: (B)

Museums that house Renaissance oil paintings typically store them in

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Museums that house Renaissance oil paintings typically store them in

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards