Selectivity in Willa Cather's opinion, is the principle most crucial

Question

Selectivity in Willa Cather's opinion, is the principle most crucial to the novelist's craft. On every level, from choice of subject to choice of form to choice of individual word, selections, she argued, must constantly be made. Cather thus could not agree With Walt Whitman that all subjects, from the ocean's imperious waves to flyspecks on the wall, were of equal worth_ She felt that Whitman wrote "reckless rhapsodies" whose veneration for all things, sublime and ridiculous, although very nearly convincing, in the end simply proved his weakness as a poet and showed that he had "no literary ethics at all beyond those of nature." Lacking finer discriminations, she felt, he enjoyed everything with boyish enthusiasm—and never quite grew up.

Cather's own experiences made her acutely aware of the distinction between the person trained to write equally well on all subjects, the journalist, and the creative novelist who works' best only with subjects of deep personal involvement. Having entered journalism to learn the skills necessary for her desired career as a writer, she later branded journalism "the vandalism of literature." The newspaper in particular lowered art to the level of a trade; devouring intellect and talent, it returned only gossip. Journalism, she declaimed in a bitter moment, " is written by machines, set by machines, and read by machines. No one can write long for any Journal in this country without for the most part losing that precious thing called style. Newspapers have no style and want none. A newspaper writer should have no more individuality than those clicking iron machines that throw the type together."  Cather believed too that the artist must resist writing without first reflecting. Only those subjects above the hubbub of life and that persist in demanding expression may be heeded; by this reticence the true, the genuine, and the significant would prevail.

Cather suggests some of these views in her essay "The Novel Derneubl'' (the unfurnished novel), which calls for a novel stripped of excess events and language. In this essay Cather argued that the value of description is “ in inverse relation ” to its length, and that the presentation of information must not be the major aim of fiction. Writers, she feared, were led astray by a false analogy with landscape painters, who filled every inch of canvas with detail. Such a method was self-defeating in fiction, Cather felt, for the eye could take in an entire canvas at a single glance, but the printed page must be read particularly particular, and excess detail "is likely to overtax the memory and blur the ultimate clearness of the picture." For this reason "a few masterly strokes suffice." and the writer's ability is measured by what is felt to be on the page without its actually being there.    1 
 1. The author's main purpose in the passage is to

(A) argue for a new estimation of Cather's contribution to literature
(B) present to the reader some of the differences between journalism and literature
(C) summarize Cather's essay "The Novel Demeubli" 
(D) urge writers to follow Cather's example in writing novels
(E) outline some of Cather's ideas about the art of the novel

2 
 2. According to the passage, Cather criticized Walt Whitman for what she felt was his lack of

(A) imagination 
(B) maturity 
(C) morality 
(D) ambition 
(E) humility

3 
 3. It can be inferred from the passage that Cattier would regard which of the Following as most essential for a creative novelist?

(A) Economic security 
(B) Controversial beliefs 
(C) Knowledge of other writers 
(D) Isolation from current events 
(E) Personal involvement with a subject

4 
 4. The quotation from Cather in lines 25-31 ( Highlighted: Is written by .......... type together ) is best described as an example of

(A) humor 
(B) understatement 
(C) caustic exaggeration 
(D) heightened selectivity 
(E) sensitive perception

5 
 5. The author suggests that Cather thought that the abundant use of detail in landscape painting was valid in that medium because

(A) landscape paintings are meant to convey information 
(B) abundant detail is representative of our actual perceptions of landscape 
(C) the details can be seen and comprehended immediately 
(D) viewers object to paintings that attempt to abstract only the most significant details of a scene
(E) viewers can easily scan a painting again to pick out further details

6 
 6. It can be inferred from the passage that Cather's hostility to journalism arose from her

(A) desire to reform readers' tastes 
(B) dislike for the common newspaper reader 
(C) lack of success in the field 
(D) personal conflict with newspaper editors 
(E) frustration with the demands of the medium

7 
 7. The passage suggests that Cather became a journalist in order to

(A) learn to write dispassionately on a variety of subjects 
(B) write critical essays on the fine arts 
(C) change the artistic repute of journalists 
(D) gather material for a book on the publishing industry 
(E) improve her prospects for success as a writer

8 
 8. Which of the following best summarizes the sup-porting logic of Cather's assertion that the value of description is "In inverse relation" ( Highlighted ) to its length?

(A) The longer the description, the less the dialogue that can be presented.
(B) The longer the description, the less the action that can take place.
(C) The longer the description, the less clear its overall effect.
(D) The longer the description, the more particular the viewpoint forced on the reader.
(E) The longer the description, the more unemotional the description.

GMAT Club's Reading Comprehension (RC) Quiz-I 2023   
   10 Days | 20 Passages | Win Prizes | Get Better at GMAT   
 Passage # 13  |  Date: 07 March 2023 
 Click here for more details and master thread

Oppenheimer1945 · Answer

P1- WC's contradiction with WW on "selectivity". WC calls WW works proving his weakness, 
WW has no literary ethics beyond thos of nature. As per WC, WW was boyish/kiddish

P2- Her own exp made her both journalist and novelist. She entered J to upscale her career trajectory. J was more of gossip. Defines J as " ... "

P3 - WC suggest some views in her eassy "Novel..". She fears writers are like landscape painters,who fill every inch of canvas in detail. value of description in more for less words.
Writers should use less details use few strokes.

1. The author's main purpose in the passage is to

(A) argue for a new estimation of Cather's contribution to literature
(nowhere the author is arguing for new estimation)
(B) present to the reader some of the differences between journalism and literature
(part of passage)
(C) summarize Cather's essay "The Novel Demeubli"
(this is last para only)
 (D) urge writers to follow Cather's example in writing novels (Author means this through example of Cather) - True
the writer's ability is measured by what is felt to be on the page without its actually being there. 
(E) outline some of Cather's ideas about the art of the novel (only outlining is not the main motive of passage)

2. According to the passage, Cather criticized Walt Whitman for what she felt was his lack of

(A) imagination
 (B) maturity (True) 
(C) morality 
(D) ambition
(E) humility

Lacking finer discriminations, she felt, he enjoyed everything with boyish enthusiasm—and never quite grew up.

3. It can be inferred from the passage that Cattier would regard which of the Following as most essential for a creative novelist?

(A) Economic security
(B) Controversial beliefs
(C) Knowledge of other writers
(D) Isolation from current events
(E) Personal involvement with a subject (True)

Cather's own experiences made her acutely aware of the distinction between the person trained to write equally well on all subjects, the journalist, and the creative novelist who works' best only with subjects of deep personal involvement

4. The quotation from Cather in lines 25-31 (Highlighted: Is written by .......... type together) is best described as an example of

(A) humor _ no humor is presneted by author while saying this 
 (B) understatement - its showing the value of Journalism is less important 
(C) caustic exaggeration - Out of scope as per passage 
(D) heightened selectivity- Out of scope as per passage 
(E) sensitive perception- Out of scope as per passage

5. The author suggests that Cather thought that the abundant use of detail in landscape painting was valid in that medium because

(A) landscape paintings are meant to convey information
(B) abundant detail is representative of our actual perceptions of landscape
 (C) the details can be seen and comprehended immediately (True) 
(D) viewers object to paintings that attempt to abstract only the most significant details of a scene
(E) viewers can easily scan a painting again to pick out further details
 
Writers, she feared, were led astray by a false analogy with landscape painters, who filled every inch of canvas with detail. Such a method was self-defeating in fiction, Cather felt, for the eye could take in an entire canvas at a single glance, but the printed page must be read particularly particular, and excess detail "is likely to overtax the memory and blur the ultimate clearness of the picture."

6. It can be inferred from the passage that Cather's hostility to journalism arose from her

(A) desire to reform readers' tastes (This is the overall direction of passage) - True 
(B) dislike for the common newspaper reader (dislike for reader : this is not mentioned)
(C) lack of success in the field (lack of scucess: nowhere mentioned in the passage)
(D) personal conflict with newspaper editors (conflict: nowhere mentioned in the passage)
(E) frustration with the demands of the medium (frustration: nowhere mentioned in the passage)

7. The passage suggests that Cather became a journalist in order to

(A) learn to write dispassionately on a variety of subjects
(B) write critical essays on the fine arts
(C) change the artistic repute of journalists
(D) gather material for a book on the publishing industry
 (E) improve her prospects for success as a writer (True)

-Having entered journalism to learn the skills necessary for her desired career as a writer

8. Which of the following best summarizes the sup-porting logic of Cather's assertion that the value of description is "In inverse relation" (Highlighted) to its length?

(A) The longer the description, the less the dialogue that can be presented.(True) 
(B) The longer the description, the less the action that can take place.(Action is not mentioned)
(C) The longer the description, the less clear its overall effect.(effect is not mentioned)
(D) The longer the description, the more particular the viewpoint forced on the reader.(inverse option)
(E) The longer the description, the more unemotional the description.(unemtional is out of scope)
 
In this essay Cather argued that the value of description is “in inverse relation” to its length, and that the presentation of information must not be the major aim of fiction.
excess detail "is likely to overtax the memory and blur the ultimate clearness of the picture."

pintukr · Answer

1. The author's main purpose in the passage is to

(A) argue for a new estimation of Cather's contribution to literature
 Cather's views about the adoptions of creative novelists vis-a-vis those of the journalist have been presented..the passage doesn't focus on the contribution to literature

(B) present to the reader some of the differences between journalism and literature
 differences between journalism and literature only serve as the supporting arguments

(C) summarize Cather's essay "The Novel Demeubli"
 essay presented only to bring out the reference to Cather's views (main idea/purpose of the passage)

(D) urge writers to follow Cather's example in writing novels
 main idea is to depict Cather's views about the leanings of a creative novelist

(E) outline some of Cather's ideas about the art of the novel
  CORRECT answer, since Cather's views about the adoptions of creative novelists vis-a-vis those of the journalist have been presented in the passage

2. According to the passage, Cather criticized Walt Whitman for what she felt was his lack of

(A) imagination
  Cather highlights Whitman's lack of imagination by citing that Whitman had "no literary ethics at all beyond those of nature."..CORRECT answer

(B) maturity
 no comments on maturity presented in the passage

(C) morality
 not discussed in the passage

(D) ambition
 ambition of Whitman not deliberated upon

(E) humility
 Irrelevant, since Whitman's humility not dealt in the passage

3. It can be inferred from the passage that Cattier would regard which of the Following as most essential for a creative novelist?

(A) Economic security
 not highlighted in the passage

(B) Controversial beliefs
 no such focus while discussing the requirements for a creative novelist

(C) Knowledge of other writers
 Out of scope prompt

(D) Isolation from current events
 not deliberated upon in the passage

(E) Personal involvement with a subject
  2nd Paragraph (lines 4-5) clearly highlight this aspect..CORRECT answe r

4. The quotation from Cather in lines 25-31 (Highlighted: Is written by .......... type together) is best described as an example of

(A) humor
 the lines highlight extremely negative orientation towards the journalist's works..no depiction of humour

(B) understatement
 doesn't highlight understatement, since the lines highlight extremely negative orientation towards the journalist's works..

(C) caustic exaggeration
  the given lines highlight extremely negative orientation towards the journalist's works..CORRECT answer

(D) heightened selectivity
 while selection of a fixed set of parameters is correctly the focus, a caustic orientation towards the journalist's works not highlighted through this promt , hence incorrect

(E) sensitive perception
 no depiction of 'sensitive' perception through the given lines

5. The author suggests that Cather thought that the abundant use of detail in landscape painting was valid in that medium because

(A) landscape paintings are meant to convey information
 prompt too generic in nature

(B) abundant detail is representative of our actual perceptions of landscape
 no such reason deduced in Cather's views

(C) the details can be seen and comprehended immediately
  line 10 of 3rd paragraph 'the eye could take in an entire canvas at a single glance' point towards the meaning that the details can be seen and comprehended immediately..CORRECT answer

(D) viewers object to paintings that attempt to abstract only the most significant details of a scene
 opposite to this is true, since the viewers can easily see and comprehend all the details in paintings at one glance

(E) viewers can easily scan a painting again to pick out further details
 all details evident to the viewer in first glance, hence incorrect

6. It can be inferred from the passage that Cather's hostility to journalism arose from her

(A) desire to reform readers' taste
 Cather's views don't pertain to the readers' tastes

(B) dislike for the common newspaper reader
 while Cather dislikes the newspaper reader, his hostility primarily originates from the adoptions of the medium ie, the newspaper

(C) lack of success in the field
 no such deductions can be made using the facts in the passage

(D) personal conflict with newspaper editors
 Irrelevant, as no such views presented

(E) frustration with the demands of the medium
   hostility primarily originates from the adoptions of the medium ie, the newspaper 9as highlighted in lines 12-15 of 2nd paragraph)..CORRECT answer

7. The passage suggests that Cather became a journalist in order to

(A) learn to write dispassionately on a variety of subjects
 not highlighted in the passage

(B) write critical essays on the fine arts
 Writing essays was not Cather's purpose

(C) change the artistic repute of journalists
 no such orientation of Cather..as per facts presented in tghe passage

(D) gather material for a book on the publishing industry
 Irrelevant prompt

(E) improve her prospects for success as a writer
  CORRECT answer.. Lines 5 and 6 of paragraph 2 clearly point towards this .

8. Which of the following best summarizes the sup-porting logic of Cather's assertion that the value of description is "In inverse relation" (Highlighted) to its length?
 
(A) The longer the description, the less the dialogue that can be presented.
 'inverse' relationship has been highlighted..however, no focus on 'value' aspect..hence, incorrect

(B) The longer the description, the less the action that can take place.
 Though i'inverse' relationship has been highlighted..however, no focus on 'value' aspect..hence, incorrect

(C) The longer the description, the less clear its overall effect.
  inverse relationship vis-a-vis the inherent value (lines 4-5 of paragraph 3)..best represented through this prompt..CORRECT answer

(D) The longer the description, the more particular the viewpoint forced on the reader.
 incorrect , since 'inverse' relationship has been highlighted

(E) The longer the description, the more unemotional the description.
 incorrect , since 'inverse' relationship has been highlighted

IMO, the Correct answer sequence will be EAECCEEC

$!vakumar.m · Answer

1. The author's main purpose in the passage is to 
The author’s main purpose in the passage is to outline some of Cather’s ideas about the art of the novel. The author presents Cather’s view that a novelist must constantly make Selection’s - from choice of subject to choice of form to choice of individual word. Cather’s view on WWW’s works and his personality is presented. The second passage presents Cather’s views on journalism and outlines that the artist must resist writing without first reflecting. The author mentions that Cather has presented some of these views in her novel, "The Novel Demeubli". Therefore,  option E is the correct answer.

(A) argue for a new estimation of Cather's contribution to literature  
Option A is incorrect because while the author presents Cather’s views on the key attributes for a novelist, the author does not argue for a new assessment of Cather’s contribution to literature.

(B) present to the reader some of the differences between journalism and literature  
Option B is incorrect because while the passage presents some difference between journalism and literature, it does not suggest that this is the author’s main purpose.

(C) summarize Cather's essay "The Novel Demeubli"  
Option C is incorrect because the author presents Cather’s essay to emphasize that Cather has presented some of her views in the novel. However, this is not the author’s main purpose.

(D) urge writers to follow Cather's example in writing novels  
Option D is incorrect because there is no evidence in the passage that suggests that author urges other writers to follow Cather’s ideas in writing novels.

2. According to the passage, Cather criticized Walt Whitman for what she felt was his lack of 
From the lines, “she felt, he enjoyed everything with boyish enthusiasm—and never quite grew up” we can infer that Cather felt that WWW lacked maturity.  Answer B is correct. 
Cather thus could not agree With Walt Whitman that all subjects, from the ocean's imperious waves to flyspecks on the wall, were of equal worth_ She felt that Whitman wrote "reckless rhapsodies" whose veneration for all things, sublime and ridiculous, although very nearly convincing, in the end simply proved his weakness as a poet and showed that he had "no literary ethics at all beyond those of nature." Lacking finer discriminations, she felt, he enjoyed everything with boyish enthusiasm—and never quite grew up.
  (A) imagination  
Not true as the range of choice of subjects of WWW suggests that he didn’t lack in imagination.

(C) morality  
Though it is mentioned that WWW had "no literary ethics at all beyond those of nature", option C is incorrect because Cather criticized WWW for his lack of maturity right from selection of subjects (WWW considers all subjects are of equal worth) to lack of finer discriminations.

(D) ambition  
 Option D is incorrect because there is no evidence in the passage that suggests that Cather criticized Walt Whitman for his lack of ambition.
  (E) humility  
Option E is incorrect because there is no evidence in the passage that suggests that Cather criticized Walt Whitman for his lack of humility.

3. It can be inferred from the passage that Cather would regard which of the following as most essential for a creative novelist? 
From the lines - “Cather's own experiences made her acutely aware of the distinction between the person trained to write equally well on all subjects, the journalist, and the creative novelist who works' best only with subjects of deep personal involvement” we can infer that Cather would regard a novelist’s personal involvement with a subject as most essential attribute for a creative novelist.  Therefore, Option E is correct . There is no evidence in the passage that suggests that Cather would regard option A, B, C or D as essential for a creative novelist.

5. The author suggests that Cather thought that the abundant use of detail in landscape painting was valid in that medium because 
In her novel, Cather calls for a novel stripped of excess events and language. However, Cather states that in a novel the value of description is “in inverse relation” to its length, and that the presentation of information must not be the major aim of fiction. The printed page must be read particularly particular, and excess detail "is likely to overtax the memory and blur the ultimate clearness of the picture."
  (A) landscape paintings are meant to convey information  
Option A is incorrect because Cather suggests that a novel must be stripped of excess events and language to convey the information in a clear manner. However, she doesn’t thinks that only landscape paintings are meant to convey information.

(B) abundant detail is representative of our actual perceptions of landscape  
Option B is incorrect because there is no mention in the passage that abundant details in a landscape painting are representative of our actual perceptions of landscape.
 
  (C) the details can be seen and comprehended immediately  
Correct. The author suggests that Cather felt that the abundant use of detail in landscape painting was valid in that medium because the eye could take in an entire canvas at a single glance. Therefore, the details can be seen and comprehended immediately

(D) viewers object to paintings that attempt to abstract only the most significant details of a scene  
Option D is incorrect because there is no mention in the passage that suggests that Cather thought that the abundant use of detail in landscape painting was valid in that medium because otherwise viewers object to paintings which are abstract with only important details of a scene.

(E) viewers can easily scan a painting again to pick out further details  
Option E is incorrect because there is no mention in the passage that suggests that Cather thought that abundant use of detail in landscape painting was valid in that medium because the viewers can easily scan a painting again to pick out further details.

6. It can be inferred from the passage that Cather's hostility to journalism arose from her 
The passage states that Cather had entered journalism to develop the skills necessary for her desired career as a writer, however, her aspirations were not met. This can be seen from her branding journalism as "the vandalism of literature". Also, she considered that the newspaper had lowered the art to the level of a trade; devouring intellect and talent. This is followed by the highlighted quote about Journalism. Therefore, from the tone of the paragraph it can be inferred that Cather was frustrated with the demands of the medium.  Therefore, Option E is correct .

(A) desire to reform readers' tastes  
Option A is incorrect because the passage does not suggest that Cather's hostility to journalism arose from her desire to reform the tastes of the readers. Rather it is mentioned that she wanted to develop the skills necessary for a writer.

(B) dislike for the common newspaper reader  
Option B is incorrect because the passage does not suggest that Cather's hostility to journalism arose from her dislike for the common newspaper reader.

(C) lack of success in the field  
Option C is incorrect because the passage does not suggest that Cather's hostility to journalism arose from her lack of success in the field.

(D) personal conflict with newspaper editors  
Option D is incorrect because there in no mention in the passage that Cather had any personal conflict particularly with the newspaper editors.

8. Which of the following best summarizes the supporting logic of Cather's assertion that the value of description is "In inverse relation" (Highlighted) to its length? 
Cather states that in a novel the value of description is “in inverse relation” to its length, and that the presentation of information must not be the major aim of fiction. The printed page must be read particularly particular, and excess detail "is likely to overtax the memory and blur the ultimate clearness of the picture."  Therefore, Option C best summarizes the logic of Cather’s assertion .

Catman · Answer

1. The author's main purpose in the passage is to

(A) argue for a new estimation of Cather's contribution to literature  ~ Incorrect, author is not arguing about new estimation of Cather's contribution, he simply present what cather ideas are about the novel writing.
 
(B) present to the reader some of the differences between journalism and literature  ~ Incorrect, this is done to highlight what Cather's belief about the two.

(C) summarize Cather's essay "The Novel Demeubli"  ~ Incorrect, this is the part of the passage and does not represent the main idea of the passage.

(D) urge writers to follow Cather's example in writing novels  ~ Incorrect, author does not mention in the passage that writer should follow Cather's writing style

(E) outline some of Cather's ideas about the art of the novel  ~ Correct, author represent about how cather view the novel writing and highlight how it is different from newspaper writing in her belief, later discuss about her essay "The novel Demeubli" as her view point about novel writing.

2. According to the passage, Cather criticized Walt Whitman for what she felt was his lack of

(A) imagination ~  Incorrect, no mention that he lacks imagination

(B) maturity ~ Correct, Cather criticized Walt Whitman that he is not able to write selectively which she thinks as his weakness as a poet, later she mentions that "she felt, he enjoyed everything with boyish enthusiasm—and never quite grew up.

(C) morality ~  Incorrect, morality of Walt Whitman is not criticized.

(D) ambition ~  Incorrect, she did not criticize him for lacking imagination. 
 
(E) humility ~  Incorrect, not mentioned.

3. It can be inferred from the passage that Cattier would regard which of the Following as most essential for a creative novelist?

(A) Economic security  Incorrect, not mentioned.

(B) Controversial beliefs  Incorrect, not mentioned.

(C) Knowledge of other writers  Incorrect, not mentioned.

(D) Isolation from current events  Incorrect, not mentioned.

(E) Personal involvement with a subject ~  Correct, refer to the line "and the creative novelist who works' best only with subjects of deep personal involvement."

4. The quotation from Cather in lines 25-31 (Highlighted: Is written by .......... type together) is best described as an example of

(A) humor  ~ These lines are not humorous and written in a bitter tone.

(B) understatement  ~ Incorrect, author is not understating in this line.

(C) caustic exaggeration ~  Author mentioned these lines about her bitterly experience in the newspaper field refer to the line "Journalism, she declaimed in a bitter moment", and how she exaggerates newspaper writer's individuality to the typewriters in the last lines.

(D) heightened selectivity  ~ Incorrect, she is not selective about it.

(E) sensitive perception  ~ She is not sensitive and condescending the newspaper's writer individuality in these lines.

5. The author suggests that Cather thought that the abundant use of detail in landscape painting was valid in that medium because

(A) landscape paintings are meant to convey information ~ Incorrect.

(B) abundant detail is representative of our actual perceptions of landscape ~Incorrect.

(C) the details can be seen and comprehended immediately  ~ Correct, refer to the line "Cather felt, for the eye could take in an entire canvas at a single glance" She mentions that it is okay to use abundant detail in a landscape painting as viewer can look at the canvas at a single glance, but this was not possible with a page of writing.

(D) viewers object to paintings that attempt to abstract only the most significant details of a scene

(E) viewers can easily scan a painting again to pick out further details ~ Incorrect, not mentioned that viewer want to pick further details later.

6. It can be inferred from the passage that Cather's hostility to journalism arose from her

(A) desire to reform readers' tastes  ~ Incorrect, she doesn't went to newspaper for reforming reader's tastes
 
(B) dislike for the common newspaper reader  ~ Incorrect, she does not dislike the common newspaper reader,
 
(C) lack of success in the field  ~ Incorrect, not mentioned that she succeed there or not.

(D) personal conflict with newspaper editors ~  Incorrect not mentioned that she has conflict with editors.

(E) frustration with the demands of the medium  ~ Correct, refer to the line "she later branded journalism "the vandalism of literature." The newspaper in particular lowered art to the level of a trade; devouring intellect and talent, it returned only gossip." It is the demand of the newspaper from the journalist to write equally well on all subjects, about which she was frustrated.
 
 7. The passage suggests that Cather became a journalist in order to

(A) learn to write dispassionately on a variety of subjects  Incorrect not mentioned.

(B) write critical essays on the fine arts  Incorrect not mentioned.

(C) change the artistic repute of journalists Incorrect not mentioned.

(D) gather material for a book on the publishing industry  Incorrect not mentioned.

(E) improve her prospects for success as a writer  ~ Correct, refer to the line "Having entered journalism to learn the skills necessary for her desired career as a writer,"
 
 8. Which of the following best summarizes the sup-porting logic of Cather's assertion that the value of description is "In inverse relation" (Highlighted) to its length?

(A) The longer the description, the less the dialogue that can be presented.  ~ Correct, refer to the line "For this reason "a few masterly strokes suffice." and the writer's ability is measured by what is felt to be on the page without its actually being there." Writer should be able to convey the idea in the fewer words, so that the presentation can be made more effective.

(B) The longer the description, the less the action that can take place.  ~ Not mentioned about the action.

(C) The longer the description, the less clear its overall effect.  ~ Incorrect, we cannot say that it will reduce the impact.
 
(D) The longer the description, the more particular the viewpoint forced on the reader.  ~ Incorrect, no mention about the viewpoint.

(E) The longer the description, the more unemotional the description.  ~ Incorrect, not mentioned about he unemotional.

Elite097 · Answer

1. The author's main purpose in the passage is to

(A) argue for a new estimation of Cather's contribution to literature- No estimation is made
(B) present to the reader some of the differences between journalism and literature- Not the case
(C) summarize Cather's essay "The Novel Demeubli"- Thats only the last para
(D) urge writers to follow Cather's example in writing novels- Cather is not imposing himself
(E) outline some of Cather's ideas about the art of the novel- Yes selectivity, views on journalism, and " novel stripped of excess events and language"

Ans E

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hello Everyone!

OAs are revealed

EBECCEEC

Competition mode is off now.

If I have to mark your answers out of 100 I will do it following

pintukr = 80/100

sivakumarm786 = 70/100

Catman = 58/100

Overall good performance.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

1. The author's main purpose in the passage is to

Explanation

The passage discusses Willa Cather's views on various aspects of novel writing, including the importance of selectivity in the novelist's craft, the distinction between journalism and creative writing, and the value of description in fiction. The author's main purpose in the passage is to present Cather's ideas about the art of the novel, which are discussed in detail throughout the passage.

Answer  choice (A)  is incorrect because while the passage does discuss Cather's contribution to literature, this is not the main purpose of the passage.

Answer  choice (B)  is partially correct in that the passage does contrast journalism and literature, but this is not the main purpose of the passage.

Answer  choice (C)  is incorrect because the passage only briefly summarizes Cather's essay  "The Novel Demeubli"  in the last paragraph.

Answer  choice (D)  is incorrect because the passage does not urge writers to follow Cather's example in writing novels, but rather presents Cather's ideas about the art of the novel for the reader's consideration.

Answer: E

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

2. According to the passage, Cather criticized Walt Whitman for what she felt was his lack of

Explanation

The correct answer is  (B)  maturity.

In the passage, Cather criticizes Whitman for his  "veneration for all things, sublime and ridiculous"  and for writing  "reckless rhapsodies"  that show  "no literary ethics at all beyond those of nature."  Cather felt that Whitman lacked "finer discriminations" and enjoyed everything with  "boyish enthusiasm" without "growing up."  Therefore, Cather criticized Whitman for his lack of maturity.

Option (A)  imagination is incorrect because the passage does not suggest that Cather criticized Whitman for a lack of imagination.

Option (C)  morality is incorrect because the passage does not suggest that Cather criticized Whitman for a lack of morality.

Option (D)  ambition is incorrect because the passage does not suggest that Cather criticized Whitman for a lack of ambition.

Option (E)  humility is incorrect because the passage does not suggest that Cather criticized Whitman for a lack of humility.

Answer: B

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

3. It can be inferred from the passage that Cattier would regard which of the Following as most essential for a creative novelist?

Explanation

The passage discusses the views of Willa Cather regarding the principles essential for a novelist. The author mentions that Cather believed that selectivity is the most crucial principle for a novelist, and that selections must constantly be made at every level, from choice of subject to choice of form to choice of individual word. The author also notes that Cather believed that a creative novelist works best only with subjects of deep personal involvement.

Therefore, the correct answer is  (E)  Personal involvement with a subject. This is supported by the passage when it says,  "Cather's own experiences made her acutely aware of the distinction between the person trained to write equally well on all subjects, the journalist, and the creative novelist who works best only with subjects of deep personal involvement"  and  "Only those subjects above the hubbub of life and that persist in demanding expression may be heeded; by this reticence the true, the genuine, and the significant would prevail."

Answer: E

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

4. The quotation from Cather in lines 25-31 (Highlighted: Is written by .......... type together) is best described as an example of

Explanation

The quotation from Cather mentioned in the third paragraph is, "A newspaper writer should have no more individuality than those clicking iron machines that throw the type together." This quotation can best be described as an example of (C) caustic exaggeration.

The quotation is caustic in its tone because Cather is strongly criticizing the practice of journalism, calling it "the vandalism of literature." She argues that journalism devours intellect and talent and produces only gossip, and that journalists write without reflecting, like machines that throw type together. This quotation is also an exaggeration because Cather is using hyperbolic language to make her point. While journalism may have its faults, it is not entirely devoid of individuality or style, and not all journalists write without reflecting. By using exaggerated language, Cather is able to make her point more forcefully and leave a lasting impression on the reader.

Answer: C

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

5. The author suggests that Cather thought that the abundant use of detail in landscape painting was valid in that medium because

Explanation

The passage discusses Willa Cather's views on the use of detail in fiction, and the author mentions landscape painting as an analogy that writers should not follow. The question asks why Cather thought that the abundant use of detail in landscape painting was valid in that medium.

The correct answer is  (C)  the details can be seen and comprehended immediately. The passage states that  "the eye could take in an entire canvas at a single glance,"  which suggests that the details in a landscape painting can be immediately comprehended by the viewer. Cather believed that this was not the case with fiction, where excess detail could  "overtax the memory and blur the ultimate clearness of the picture."

Option (A)  is incorrect because the passage does not suggest that landscape paintings are meant to convey information.

Option (B)  is incorrect because the passage does not discuss whether abundant detail is representative of our actual perceptions of landscape.

Option (D)  is incorrect because the passage does not suggest that viewers object to paintings that attempt to abstract only the most significant details of a scene.

Option (E)  is incorrect because the passage does not discuss whether viewers can easily scan a painting again to pick out further details.

Answer: C

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

6. It can be inferred from the passage that Cather's hostility to journalism arose from her

Explanation

The passage explains that Willa Cather entered journalism to learn the skills necessary for her desired career as a writer. However, she later became hostile towards journalism, branding it  "the vandalism of literature."  The passage goes on to explain that Cather felt that journalism lowered art to the level of a trade, devouring intellect and talent, and returning only gossip. She also felt that newspapers had no style and that a newspaper writer should have no more individuality than those clicking iron machines that throw the type together. Therefore, it can be inferred that Cather's hostility to journalism arose from her frustration with the demands of the medium.

Answer: E

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

7. The passage suggests that Cather became a journalist in order to

Explanation

The passage states that Cather  "entered journalism to learn the skills necessary for her desired career as a writer."  It then goes on to describe how Cather eventually came to view journalism as  "the vandalism of literature"  and a form of writing that  "lowered art to the level of a trade."  This suggests that Cather did not become a journalist to pursue a career in journalism, but rather to gain skills and experience that would help her succeed as a creative novelist. Therefore, the correct answer is  (E)  improve her prospects for success as a writer.

Answer: E

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

8. Which of the following best summarizes the sup-porting logic of Cather's assertion that the value of description is "In inverse relation" (Highlighted) to its length?

Explanation

The passage discusses Willa Cather's opinions on the principles crucial to a novelist's craft, including the importance of selectivity in choices of subject, form, and word. Cather criticized Walt Whitman's approach of treating all subjects as equally valuable and argued that a creative novelist works best with subjects of personal involvement. She also believed that a writer should reflect before writing and that excess detail in description could detract from the overall effect of a work of fiction. In fact, Cather suggested that the value of description is  "in inverse relation"  to its length.

The question asks for the best summary of the supporting logic for this assertion. The passage explains that Cather believed excess detail in description could overtax the memory and blur the ultimate clearness of the picture. Therefore, the longer the description, the less clear its overall effect.  Option (C)  correctly summarizes this logic, making it the correct answer.

Option (A)  is not relevant to the discussion of the value of description.

Option (B)  suggests a correlation between description length and action, which is not supported by the passage.

Option (D)  refers to the viewpoint forced on the reader, which is not directly related to the value of description.

Option (E)  suggests a correlation between description length and emotional tone, which is not supported by the passage.

Answer: C

Selectivity in Willa Cather's opinion, is the principle most crucial

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

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

GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

Selectivity in Willa Cather's opinion, is the principle most crucial

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