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Film scholars agree that Hollywood portrayals of America at war follow a cyclical pattern. During and immediately after a conflict, important films trumpet glory and sacrifice. Ten to fifteen years later, questioning and sometimes pacifistic movies about the conflict dominate. In the late 1960’s, “the raging bulls” of Hollywood--the young trendsetters rising to prominence--proclaimed this pattern obsolete. However, the passage of time has demonstrated this cultural pattern to be more resilient than it seemed in those days of social change.
Throughout the majority of the last century, evidence of the cyclical portrayal of war in film abounds. After America declared war against Germany during World War I, the still infant film industry glorified the fight against “the Hun.” By the early 1930's, major releases had changed their tone; for example, All Quiet on the Western Front put forth an anti-war message by displaying the horrors of combat. After World War II began, the industry shifted gears. Suddenly, important pictures again portrayed glories and courage without the questioning or despair. For example, Guadalcanal Diary, produced during the war, showed “the ultimate sacrifice” as a noble and undoubted good. Once again, though, by 1957, films such as The Bridge on the River Kwai won awards for depicting the moral confusion of war.
Those who later declared this pattern dead based their conviction on their hearts rather than their minds. During the Vietnam War, the only major film about that conflict was The Green Berets, starring John Wayne and far closer in tone to Guadalcanal Diary than to The Bridge on the River Kwai. Similarly, years went by before more complex visions of war, such as Apocalypse Now, and then Platoon, emerged.
While today’s film industry is more diverse and its audience more culturally fragmented, this cycle largely continues. Jarhead, a layered depiction of the first gulf war, premiered more than ten years after that conflict. Further evidence of this pattern can be seen in the release of Apocalypse Now Redux, which contained additional footage that the producers originally thought would repel audiences. Thus, the famous aphorism “The more things change, the more they stay the same” certainly applies to this aspect of the film industry.
Q1) According to the passage, Apocalypse Now Redux differed from Apocalypse Now in which of the following ways?
A. The added footage made it less appealing to a more culturally diverse audience.
B. The added footage made its portrayal of war less glorified and more ambiguous.
C. The added footage made its portrayal of war less harsh and more glorified.
D. The added footage made it more similar in tone to other war movies.
E. The removed footage made its portrayal of war less glorified and less appealing.
Q2)The passage implies that the combat depicted in All Quiet on the Western Front least resembles the depiction of combat in which of the following?
A: Jarhead
B: Apocalypse Now
C: The Bridge on the River Kwai
D: Platoon
E: Guadalcanal Diary
3. In the second paragraph, the author implies that “the
Hun” refers to which of the following?
A) The Huns
B) The Hungarians
C) The Austro-Hungarians
D) The Germans
E The Russians
Q4)What is the main point made by the author?
A: Hollywood has never fully supported America’s armed conflicts.
B: In the last century, the film industry has become more culturally diverse.
C: An established cultural pattern is more durable than was thought during a time of social upheaval.
D: The film industry has only supported American military efforts during the actual conflict.
E: Cyclical patterns determine the type of big budget films produced by Hollywood more than individuals do.
5. What is the function of the last paragraph of the passage?
A) It shows that, despite changes in the industry and audience, the pattern discussed still exists.
B) It points out that the film industry never changes.
C) It shows that changes in the film industry and its audience have made the pattern previously discussed obsolete.
D) It discusses how Jarhead and Apocalypse Now Redux are fundamentally different from all the war movies that preceded them.
E) It demonstrates that war movies have changed to reflect the more culturally diverse audience.
Q6)Which one of the following does the author believe is true about The Bridge on the River Kwai?
A: It deserved the awards that it won.
B: It is a more intelligent and well-crafted movie than The Green Berets.
C: It was the first movie to portray the moral confusion of war.
D: Its portrayal of war is more ambivalent than that in Guadalcanal Diary.
E: It was more financially successful than any war movie that came before it.
1. Apocalypse Now Redux and Apocalypse Now were discussed in the final two
paragraphs. In the third paragraph, Apocalypse Now is described as a film
that was released years after the conflict it portrayed and had a more complex
view of the war. In the last paragraph, Apocalypse Now Redux is presented
as further evidence that the pattern discussed in this passage continues. That
pattern is that war movies presented less glorified and more layered
portrayals when the conflict was further in the past. Thus, the correct answer
will note that its perspective was more complex and morally ambiguous.
(A) This choice distorts the meaning of the passage. While the last paragraph
notes that film audiences are more diverse, this is not connected to the
information provided about Apocalypse Now Redux.
(B) CORRECT. The last paragraph notes that the extra footage was not orginally
included because it might repel audiences. Thus, the updated film's portrayal of war
must be less appealing and more ambiguous than that of the original.
(C) This choice indicates a change in the opposite direction; the last paragraph
indicates that the additional footage made the film's perspective on war harsher as
opposed to more glorified.
(D) The passage indicates that not all war movies had the same tone, and the
answer choice does not specify which "other movies" are referred to; therefore, this
choice is incorrect.
(E) There is no mention of any removed footage in the passage. As it is not possible
to know if any footage was removed, this choice is incorrect.
2. The theme of the passage is that the glories of war were emphasized in films
made during the conflict but questioned in those made years afterward. In the
second paragraph, All Quiet on the Western Front is cited as an example from
the latter category. Therefore, its portrayal of combat would have the least in
common with a film made during a conflict.
(A) In the last paragraph, Jarhead is listed as a film that was made years after
the conflict it portrayed and had an ambivalent attitude to its topic. Thus, it can
be inferred that it would resemble All Quiet on the Western Front. Remember
that any information gleaned from seeing the film is outside knowledge. If this
information cannot be deduced from the passage, it cannot be used to answer
a question.
(B) In the third paragraph, Apocalypse Now is listed as a film that was made years
after the conflict it portrayed and had an ambivalent attitude to its topic. Thus, it can
be inferred that it would resemble All Quiet on the Western Front.
(C) In the second paragraph, The Bridge on the River Kwai is described as a film
that was made years after the conflict it portrayed and showed the moral confusion
of war. Thus, it can be inferred that it would resemble All Quiet on the Western Front.
(D) In the third paragraph, Platoon is described as a film that was made years after
the conflict it portrayed and had an ambivalent attitude to its topic. Thus, it can be
inferred that it would resemble All Quiet on the Western Front.
(E) CORRECT. In both the second and third paragraphs, Guadalcanal Diary is
mentioned as a film made in wartime. In the second paragraph, it is listed as an
example of a film that portrayed the “’the ultimate sacrifice’ as a noble and
undoubted good.” In contrast, the first paragraph states that “All Quiet on the
Western Front put forth an anti-war message by displaying the horrors of combat.”
Thus, Guadalcanal Diary must be the portrayal of combat that least resembles that in
All Quiet on the Western Front.
3. The second sentence of the second paragraph reads “After America declared
war against Germany during World War I, the still infant film industry glorified
the fight against “the Hun.” Thus, it must follow that the Germans are referred
to by that name. GMAT inferences generally follow directly from the text of
the passage.
(A) There is no direct evidence in the passage that indicates this meaning for "the
Hun." Furthermore, the use of quotation marks indicates that the reference is not
literal.
(B) There is no direct evidence in the passage that indicates this meaning for "the
Hun."
(C) There is no direct evidence in the passage that indicates this meaning for "the
Hun." The fact that the Hungarians were then part of Austro-Hungary is outside
knowledge which cannot be deduced from the passage.
(D) CORRECT. Since the passage states that America declared war on Germany, it
must follow that the Germans were “the Hun” against whom America was fighting.
(E) There is no direct evidence in the passage that indicates this meaning for "the
Hun." GMAT inferences must follow from the text of the passage.
4. The passage clearly enunciates in the first paragraph that it plans to illustrate the cyclical pattern of the tone of Hollywood war movies. The second and third paragraphs trace the pattern's history through the last century, and then the passage ends by returning to the resilience of that cycle. Thus, the main point of the passage must reference establishing and describing the recurring pattern over time.
(A) This choice does not address the cyclical pattern; instead, it suggests a point not made in the passage.
(B) This is a minor detail mentioned in the last paragraph, not the main point. Furthermore, this choice ignores the issue of a cyclical pattern.
(C) CORRECT. This choice reiterates the theme that a pattern is durable, despite the doubts of some during "those days of social change" -- i.e., the late 1960's. This choice exactly mirrors the structure of the passage, which makes this point, provides historical evidence, and then reiterates that the pattern continues to endure.
(D) Besides its extreme quality, this choice is incorrect because it distorts the meaning. The passage's assertion that a more nuanced view of America’s conflicts emerges in movies made years later cannot automatically be equated with a lack of support.
(E) This choice presents an irrelevant comparison. The passage is only concerned with the existence of this pattern and does not address the relative influence of various individuals.
5. The last paragraph begins by noting that the changes in the industry and audience have not changed the pattern discussed. The paragraph ends by stating that this aspect of the film industry, that is, the pattern discussed, remains intact. The correct answer should reflect this point.
(A) CORRECT. This choice correctly summarizes the point made in the first and last sentences of the last paragraph: that this pattern continues despite changes in the industry and audience.
(B) This choice is too extreme. The passage merely says that one pattern of the film industry has not changed. The last paragraph acknowledges that changes in the industry have occurred.
(C) This choice is incorrect as the last paragraph explicitly states that the pattern discussed largely continues.
(D) In the last paragraph, Jarhead and Apocalypse Now Redux are mentioned as examples proving that the discussed pattern continues. Thus, they cannot be fundamentally different from other war movies.
(E) The point of the last paragraph is that the pattern of the last century continues.
Thus, it cannot make the point that war movies have changed in response to
changes in the audience.
6. In the second paragraph, The Bridge on the River Kwai is mentioned as a
post-WWII example of the continuing pattern of war movies becoming more
ambivalent years after the conflict. The phrases “once again” and “for example”
highlight this. In the third paragraph, the movie is again mentioned as an example of
a more complex view of war. Thus, the correct answer must follow from these points.
(A) This is incorrect; the author does not discuss the quality of the movie or the merit
of any awards.
(B) The passage does not compare the intelligence or crafting of these, or any, films;
it merely discusses their tone and approach to the depiction of war. A movie could
present a glorified depiction of war and also be very intelligent and well-crafted.
(C) This is incorrect. The passage indicates that there were movies with ambivalent perspectives produced after the first war, citing All Quiet on the Western Front as an example. Furthermore, the phrase “once again” indicates that it was not the first to have such a tone.
(D) CORRECT. The third paragraph states that Guadalcanal Diary was much closer in tone to The Green Berets and contrasts those two to The Bridge on the River Kwai. This contrast is in terms of the greater ambivalence and moral confusion shown in The Bridge on the River Kwai.
(E) The passage does not mention the financial success, or lack thereof, of any of the movies it discusses.
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Updated on: 12 Dec 2020, 12:42
55%
(03:35) wrong 
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