Should we really care for the greatest actors of the past could we hav

Question

New Project RC Butler 2019  -  Practice 2 RC Passages Everyday   
Passage # 16, Date : 08-FEB-2019
 This post is a part of New Project RC Butler 2019 .  Click here for Details

Should we really care for the greatest actors of the past could we have them before us? Should we find them too different from our accent of thought, of feeling, of speech, in a thousand minute particulars which are of the essence of all three? Dr. Doran's long and interesting records of the triumphs of Garrick, and other less familiar, but in their day hardly less astonishing, players, do not relieve one of the doubt. Garrick himself, as sometimes happens with people who have been the subject of much anecdote and other conversation, here as elsewhere, bears no very distinct figure. One hardly sees the wood for the trees. On the other hand, the account of Betterton, "perhaps the greatest of English actors," is delightfully fresh. That intimate friend of Dryden, Tillotson, Pope, who executed a copy of the actor's portrait by Kneller which is still extant, was worthy of their friendship; his career brings out the best elements in stage life.

The stage in these volumes presents itself indeed not merely as a mirror of life, but as an illustration of the utmost intensity of life, in the fortunes and characters of the players. Ups and downs, generosity, dark fates, the most delicate goodness, have nowhere been more prominent than in the private existence of those devoted to the public mimicry of men and women. Contact with the stage, almost throughout its history, presents itself as a kind of touchstone, to bring out the bizarrerie, the theatrical tricks and contrasts, of the actual world.

The stage in these volumes presents itself indeed not merely as a mirror of life, but as an illustration of the utmost intensity of life, in the fortunes and characters of the players. Ups and downs, generosity, dark fates, the most delicate goodness, have nowhere been more prominent than in the private existence of those devoted to the public mimicry of men and women. Contact with the stage, almost throughout its history, presents itself as a kind of touchstone, to bring out the bizarrerie, the theatrical tricks and contrasts, of the actual world.   1 
 1. In the expression One hardly sees the wood for the trees, the author apparently intends the word trees to be analogous to

A. features of Dorans language style 
B. details learned from oral sources 
C. personality of a famous actor 
D. details of Garricks life 
E. stage triumphs of an astonishing player

2 
 2. The "doubt" referred to in the passage concerns whether

A. the stage personalities of the past would appeal on a personal level to people like the author 
B. their contemporaries would have understood famous actors 
C. the acting of famous stage personalities would appeal to us today 
D. Garrick was as great as he is portrayed 
E. historical records can reveal personality

3 
 3. Information supplied in the passage is sufficient to answer which of the following questions?

I.  Who did Doran think was probably the best English actor?
 II.  What did Doran think of Garrick?
 III.  Would the author give a definite answer to the first question posed in the passage?

A. I only 
B. II only 
C. I and III only 
D. II and III only 
E. I, II and III

Source:   Www.MajorTests.Com  
Difficulty Level:   750

Sajjad1994 · Accepted Answer

Official Explanation

1. In the expression One hardly sees the wood for the trees, the author apparently intends the word trees to be analogous to

Explanation

The wood refers to the bigger picture, the trees to the details. One apparently does not get a picture of Garrick the man, but one does get along and interesting record of his triumphs. We are also told that Garrick has been the subject of much conversation and anecdote. Hence the trees refers to the details of Garricks life learned mainly from oral sources.

Answer: B

2. The "doubt" referred to in the passage concerns whether

Explanation

Should we care for the greatest actors means should we like them. The author goes on to ask whether we would find their ways and ideas too different from our own. These are the doubts that he raises. The author is not really concerned whether we would like their acting. Hence, A is the best answer.

Answer: A

3. Information supplied in the passage is sufficient to answer which of the following questions?

Explanation

The quotation marks around "perhaps the greatest of English actors," tell us that the author is quoting from the book he is reviewing, and hence the author of that book, Doran, thinks Betterton was probably the best. Doran writes long and interesting records of the triumphs of Garrick but we cannot infer Dorans opinion of the actor from that. The author would not give a definite answer to the question because he says the writings of Doran do not relieve one of the doubt. We can answer question I with the word Betterton and question III with the word no.

Answer: C

Hope it helps

Mohammad Ali Khan · Answer

please post the OA ..It was largely unclear to me.

prags1989 · Answer

Rakesh1987  , try this one. I found it tough

LSwetha · Answer

Hi. I agree with the answer for the 3 rd question. But I don't agree with the explanation. For the III question, we can aswer the question with 'yes'. The author initally says that, Doran's work does not clear the doubt. But later goes on to say that 'one hardly sees the wood for the trees'. The doubt is whether we should care for the acting on a personal level. He seems to definitely say that we should care for it. In the third para, he goes on to support his assertion, by stating that, "Contact with the stage, almost throughout its history, presents itself as a kind of touchstone, to bring out the bizarrerie, the theatrical tricks and contrasts, of the actual world. " In fact I feel, the entire third para, he leans towards, why we shouldn't find the stage or characters different from life, our thoughts, feeling speech.

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Posted from my mobile device

medhamahrishi31 · Answer

Please explain answer to Q2 of this passage. I find the answer posted here, a little vague. Hope to hear soon!

Jks3000 · Answer

generis   Bunuel  Can we expect such difficult passage in actual gmat ?? I wonder how non-native english speaker will able to do it!!

YASH750 · Answer

I dont think this is even close to how the rc's on the GAMT are written. However, practicing such rc's might help to increase one's understanding and stamina.

Harsh777 · Answer

I'm a non native English speaker. But I'm just curious. Aren't there grammatical errors in this passage? Do RCs in GMAT have grammatical errors?

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Pankaj0901 · Answer

I read the first 2 sentences for about 5 mins just to understand the meaning but still couldn't get it. Can someone please help me understand the meaning (or reframe the sentence in a simple language for me to understand)?: 
 Should we really care for the greatest actors of the past could we have them before us? Should we find them too different from our accent of thought, of feeling, of speech, in a thousand minute particulars which are of the essence of all three?

ricardorr04 · Answer

while this passage is solid practice, i wouldnt get too hung up on it since the difficulty of the passage itself and the questions far exceeds that of the gmat test... imo... let me know if anyone disagrees

i got 2/3 correct but took 9 mins, the passage was a freaking maze lol

i got 2/3 correct but took 9 mins, the passage was a freaking maze lol

Ozzy11100 · Answer

Hi, I'm happy to help!

1st sentence: If we were able to watch the great actors of the past perform ("have them before us"), would we like their performance ("should we really care")?

2nd sentence: Or would the difference in their thoughts, displays of emotion ("feeling") or ways of talking, or a thousand other little traits ("minute particulars"), make them unappealing to us ("should we find them too different")?

I hope that helps!

jim441 · Answer

What a passage! Can we expect such passages in GMAT?

VerbalBot · Answer

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Should we really care for the greatest actors of the past could we hav

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Should we really care for the greatest actors of the past could we hav

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