The immigration of Europeans and the importation of West African slave

Question

The immigration of Europeans and the importation of West African slaves to America resulted in a convergence of cultures, traditions, and art forms, including music. Jazz, first played in New Orleans in the early 1900s, borrowed heavily from the European musical scale and harmonic system. Jazz ensembles were built predominantly on European instruments, such as the trumpet, trombone, saxophone, and piano. The West African influence on jazz was manifested primarily in its performance. Scatting, a technique used by jazz vocalists to mimic the sounds of instruments, had its origin in West African vocal traditions. The emphasis on improvisation in jazz music, in addition to group participation, also came from West African music.

Some musicologists argue that jazz is a purely American form of music. Others, however, contend that jazz is rooted in a history similar to that of America itself, a history of confluence. Proponents of the argument that jazz is purely American often point to its genesis in New Orleans as evidence for this perspective. The irony, however, is that the essence of America lies in the plurality of its roots. To deny the rich and complex history of jazz, and the true origins of the art form, is to deny the very aspects of the art form that make it undeniably American.   1 
 To answer this question, we must determine why the author currently DOES believe jazz is an American art form. In the first paragraph, the author says that the arrival of two different cultures to America “resulted in a convergence of… art forms, including music.” In the second paragraph, the author says that “the essence of America lies in the plurality of its roots. To deny the rich and complex history of jazz, and the true origins of the art form, is to deny the very aspects of the art form that make it undeniably American.” The author believes that the “mix” or “convergence” of different cultures in the United States makes jazz American.

(A) The author believes that jazz is American because it was created via a mix of diverse cultures. The author does not specify that this could only happen in New Orleans; what if jazz had developed in Atlanta or San Francisco?

(B) This statement, if true, would indicate that jazz music was derived from the confluence of four different musical styles, or a “plurality of roots.” Therefore, the author would still be likely to label jazz an American art form.

(C) CORRECT . This statement would indicate that jazz came from only one culture (a lack of “plurality”) and that jazz actually developed in West Africa and was merely given a new name in the U.S. (a lack of “convergence” or mixing of cultures in the U.S.). These things would most likely make the author less inclined to label jazz an American art form.

(D) If this statement were true, jazz would still have been derived from a “plurality of roots,” regardless of what these roots were.

(E) If this were true, then one of the pieces of evidence of European origin would become instead a piece of evidence of West African origin. The Europeans, however, would still have contributed the musical scale and harmonic system described in the passage. A “plurality of roots” would still have contributed to the “convergence” of styles, and the development of jazz, in New Orleans. 
1. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would be less inclined to label jazz an American art form if which of the following were true?

(A) New Orleans was not the place where jazz music was first played.

(B) Jazz music was first created in New York when four avant-garde musicians from different cultural backgrounds came together to experiment with unprecedented musical concepts.

(C) With the influx of West Africans to the Americas came a very specific West African musical style which eventually came to be called “jazz” in New Orleans.

(D) Jazz music actually draws more of its character from South American and Native American traditions than from those of Europe or West Africa.

(E) The instruments used by jazz musicians were predominately of West African origin, not European origin.

2 
 E 
2. Which of the following statements concerning jazz is most directly suggested in the passage?

(A) The plurality of jazz’s roots has led multiple cultures to claim jazz as their own.

(B) If jazz musicians had not borrowed from the European musical scale, they would have used the West African musical scale instead.

(C) Only European and African cultures had an influence on the development of jazz.

(D) Jazz was played in West Africa prior to its introduction in New Orleans in the early 1900s.

(E) Instrumentation was not a primary component of the West African influence on jazz.

3 
 This is a specific question. The passage discusses the elements of jazz in the first paragraph, so that is where the justifying text should be found. There, the author states that jazz “borrowed heavily from the European musical scale and harmonic system,” and that its “emphasis on improvisation…in addition to group participation…came from West African music.” The question asks specifically about the West African influence.

(A) The passage indicates that jazz “borrowed heavily from the European…harmonic system,” so an emphasis on a tonal harmonic structure was more likely a European influence.

(B) The passage states that scatting, “used by jazz vocalists to mimic the sounds of instruments” has a West African origin. This choice describes the opposite phenomenon, in which an instrument is used to mimic the sound of a voice.

(C) We are never told that American jazz makes use of traditional African instruments, only that Jazz makes use of West African performance techniques, such as scatting, improvisation, and group participation.

(D) The passage indicates that jazz “ensembles were built predominantly on European instruments,” so the instrumentation of a jazz ensemble most likely was influenced by European traditions.

(E) CORRECT . The passage indicates that the emphasis on “improvisation in jazz music, in addition to group participation…came from West African music.” Thus, it is likely that an impromptu (or improvised) event between two instruments, which represents group participation, came from West African traditions. 
3. Which of the following elements of jazz most likely has its origin in West African musical traditions?

(A) the emphasis on a tonal harmonic structure

(B) the use of an instrument to mimic a vocalist’s sound

(C) the use of traditional African instruments

(D) the use of many instruments in a jazz ensemble

(E) an impromptu call-and-response between two instruments in the ensemble

4 
 D 
4. The author of the passage would most likely agree with which of the following statements?

(A) Although American football was derived from the English sports of soccer and rugby, it should be called a purely American sport because it was first played in America.

(B) Because American football was derived from the English sports of soccer and rugby, it should not be called an American sport.

(C) Most sports scholars deny the English origins of American football.

(D) What makes American football American is its derivation from the English sports of soccer and rugby.

(E) Because the essence of America lies in the plurality of its roots, American football should not be called an American sport.

5 
 The first paragraph describes how jazz evolved in America as the result of a convergence of West African and European musical cultures. The second paragraph introduces a disagreement between musicologists as to whether jazz should be considered purely American or whether it should be considered the result of a “confluence” of other cultures. The author expresses the view that the influence of other cultures on the development of jazz in the United States is what makes jazz “undeniably American” – that is, the mix of various non-American influences that helped to create the United States is also what helped to create jazz.

(A) While the passage does discuss the evolution of one particular art form, the primary purpose is not to demonstrate how new art forms evolve in general.

(B) CORRECT . The first paragraph describes the diverse cultural background of jazz. The second paragraph shows how this background is uniquely American, in that the essential quality of America is cultural diversity. The “relevant paradox” is the way in which the fact that jazz is not strictly American in origin makes it even more American.

(C) While this author does assert that jazz had “its genesis in New Orleans,” the primary purpose of the passage is not to demonstrate that jazz’s origins are strictly American, but that they are geographically diverse.

(D) Though the ways in which African music impacted the development of jazz are mentioned in the passage, the main idea is to discuss the form’s many diverse roots, including not only its African influences, but its European influences.

(E) The passage does not claim that any one culture had a greater impact on the evolution of jazz. 
5. The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) demonstrate how new art forms evolve

(B) describe a medium’s diverse cultural genesis and a relevant paradox

(C) argue that a new art form has its origins in the geographic location where it developed

(D) describe the impact of African culture on an American art form

(E) claim that one culture had a greater impact than another on the evolution of a new art form

Manhattan CAT 4

BillyZ · Accepted Answer

The immigration of Europeans and the importation of West African slaves to America resulted in a convergence of cultures, traditions, and art forms, including music. Jazz, first played in New Orleans in the early 1900s, borrowed heavily from the European musical scale and harmonic system. Jazz ensembles were built predominantly on European instruments, such as the trumpet, trombone, saxophone, and piano. The West African influence on jazz was manifested primarily in its performance. Scatting, a technique used by jazz vocalists to mimic the sounds of instruments, had its origin in West African vocal traditions. The emphasis on improvisation in jazz music, in addition to group participation, also came from West African music.

Some musicologists argue that jazz is a purely American form of music. Others, however, contend that jazz is rooted in a history similar to that of America itself, a history of confluence. Proponents of the argument that jazz is purely American often point to its genesis in New Orleans as evidence for this perspective. The irony, however, is that the essence of America lies in the plurality of its roots. To deny the rich and complex history of jazz, and the true origins of the art form, is to deny the very aspects of the art form that make it undeniably American.  1- It can be inferred from the passage that the author would be less inclined to label jazz an American art form if which of the following were true?

(A) New Orleans was not the place where jazz music was first played.

(B) Jazz music was first created in New York when four avant-garde musicians from different cultural backgrounds came together to experiment with unprecedented musical concepts.

(C) With the influx of West Africans to the Americas came a very specific West African musical style which eventually came to be called “jazz” in New Orleans.

(D) Jazz music actually draws more of its character from South American and Native American traditions than from those of Europe or West Africa.

(E) The instruments used by jazz musicians were predominately of West African origin, not European origin.

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION 
To answer this question, we must determine why the author currently DOES believe jazz is an American art form. In the first paragraph, the author says that the arrival of two different cultures to America “ resulted in a convergence of… art forms, including music. ” In the second paragraph, the author says that “ the essence of America lies in the plurality of its roots. To deny the rich and complex history of jazz, and the true origins of the art form, is to deny the very aspects of the art form that make it undeniably American .” The author believes that the “ mix ” or “ convergence ” of different cultures in the United States makes jazz American.

(A) The author believes that jazz is American because it was created via a mix of diverse cultures. The author does not specify that this could only happen in New Orleans; what if jazz had developed in Atlanta or San Francisco?

(B) This statement, if true, would indicate that jazz music was derived from the confluence of four different musical styles, or a “plurality of roots.” Therefore, the author would still be likely to label jazz an American art form.

(C) CORRECT . This statement would indicate that jazz came from only one culture (a lack of “plurality”) and that jazz actually developed in West Africa and was merely given a new name in the U.S. (a lack of “convergence” or mixing of cultures in the U.S.). These things would most likely make the author less inclined to label jazz an American art form.

(D) If this statement were true, jazz would still have been derived from a “plurality of roots,” regardless of what these roots were.

(E) If this were true, then one of the pieces of evidence of European origin would become instead a piece of evidence of West African origin. The Europeans, however, would still have contributed the musical scale and harmonic system described in the passage. A “plurality of roots” would still have contributed to the “convergence” of styles, and the development of jazz, in New Orleans.

dentobizz · Answer

3-  Which of the following elements of jazz most likely has its origin in West African musical traditions?

A- the emphasis on a tonal harmonic structure--(harmonic str. was borrowed from europe)
B- the use of an instrument to mimic a vocalist’s sound--(reverse of what is mentioned in the passage)
C- the use of traditional African instruments-(in fact the instruments were predominantly european)
D- the use of many instruments in a jazz ensemble (not related, out of scope)
E- an impromptu call-and-response between two instruments in the ensemble--( implied in the lines  The emphasis on improvisation in jazz music, in addition to group participation, also came from West African music. ) hence, impromptu improvisation and group participation come from African music

carcass · Answer

In q 1 I was stumbled beween c and D
Can anyone explain why not D

The passage specifically says that jazz is a paculiar form of american art

the question instead ask when this scenario has few prpobability to happen: C says this.

With the influx of West Africans to the Americas  came a very specific West African musical style which eventually came to be called jazz in New Orleans

exactly the contrary. eventually, this is a weaken argument question

Jazz music actually draws more of its character from South American and Native American traditions than from those of Europe or West Africa.

here we have a comparison but nothing more than this related to our specific question

hope this helps

tvrs09 · Answer

I have a small doubt w.r.t first question

Why cannot the option be E.

It has been established in the passage that the Jazz is primarily influenced by the instruments of Europe and the performance style of West Africa.
So if we can rule out the possibility that the instruments used in Jazz are of European origin,then we are refuting the argument's conclusion that the Jazz is the result of confluence of different cultures because it is purely imported from West Africa thereby making it a non American art form.

Please respond.

samusa · Answer

I think you probably overlooked the word- predominantly. Option E says talks about predominance of one over another but still hints that there was some kind of confluence. I donot mind Kudos :-D

nazgull · Answer

4. The passage starts by highlighting several traditions and cultures influenced by immigration. It later on provides details of several influences on one of the art fomrs in music - JAZZ. In conclusion passage also talks about the paradox of the origin of JAZZ - how different factions have different opinions on it. Hence B is the right answer.

5. Only option D captures the idea of the passage i.e origin of an art form from different sources and its wide acceptance across America.

I hope this helps you.

BillyZ · Answer

The immigration of Europeans and the importation of West African slaves to America resulted in a convergence of cultures, traditions, and art forms, including music. Jazz, first played in New Orleans in the early 1900s, borrowed heavily from the European musical scale and harmonic system. Jazz ensembles were built predominantly on European instruments, such as the trumpet, trombone, saxophone, and piano. The West African influence on jazz was manifested primarily in its performance. Scatting, a technique used by jazz vocalists to mimic the sounds of instruments, had its origin in West African vocal traditions. The emphasis on improvisation in jazz music, in addition to group participation, also came from West African music.

Some musicologists argue that jazz is a purely American form of music. Others, however, contend that jazz is rooted in a history similar to that of America itself, a history of confluence. Proponents of the argument that jazz is purely American often point to its genesis in New Orleans as evidence for this perspective. The irony, however, is that  the essence of America lies in the plurality of its roots . To deny the rich and complex history of jazz, and the true origins of the art form, is to deny the very aspects of the art form that make it undeniably American.  4. The author of the passage would most likely agree with which of the following statements?

(A) Although American football was derived from the English sports of soccer and rugby, it should be called a purely American sport because it was first played in America.

(B) Because American football was derived from the English sports of soccer and rugby, it should not be called an American sport.

(C) Most sports scholars deny the English origins of American football.

(D) What makes American football American is its derivation from the English sports of soccer and rugby.

(E) Because the essence of America lies in the plurality of its roots, American football should not be called an American sport.

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION 
In order to determine with which statement the author would be most likely to agree, we must understand the author’s main point in writing the passage. A breakdown of the purpose of each paragraph will help. The first paragraph describes how jazz evolved in America as the result of a convergence of West African and European musical cultures. The second paragraph introduces a disagreement between musicologists as to whether jazz should be considered purely American or whether it should be considered the result of a “confluence” of other cultures. The author expresses the view that the influence of other cultures on the development of jazz in the United States is what makes jazz “undeniably American” – that is, the mix of various non-American influences that helped to create the United States is also what helped to create jazz.

(A) The author believes that jazz is American because it resulted from a convergence of European and West African music, and that those true origins should not be denied Therefore, the fact that football was first played in America is not the main reason it should be considered an American sport. The main reason is that it resulted from a convergence of English sports.

(B) The author believes that jazz should be called an American art form because of its origins in Europe and West Africa. Therefore, it is likely that the author would believe the same about American football, that it is American because of its diverse origins. This choice states the opposite.

(C) Most of the answer choices for this question revolve around the notion of sports, but it’s important to remember that we are never actually told anything about sports in the passage. While we can draw an assumption about what the author might conclude about sports based on what he concludes about jazz, we know nothing specific about what “sports scholars” do or do not believe.

(D) CORRECT . The author believes “ that the essence of America lies in the plurality of its roots ” and provides as evidence the development of jazz, a music form that evolved in the United States from European and West African origins. Therefore, it is likely that the author would believe that the diverse origins of American football make it American as well.

(E) Because the author believes “that the essence of America lies in the plurality of its roots,” and because American football has diverse origins, the author would be likely to believe that American football should be called an American sport. This choice states the opposite.

BillyZ · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION 
Correct answers to “inference” questions will not be stated explicitly in the passage; nevertheless, the information must be true according to information given somewhere in the passage. Wrong answers will often go “too far,” asserting something that might be plausible in the real world but is not directly supported by any specific information given in the passage.

(A) While this might be true in the real world, the passage does not provide any information about multiple cultures claiming jazz as their own. Only the United States is discussed in this respect.

(B) While this is a possibility, the passage does not provide any evidence to suggest that jazz musicians definitely would have used the West African musical scale. They might have used some other scale.

(C) Though the passage does describe the various ways in which European and African cultures affected jazz, it also tells us that the form had its genesis in New Orleans, meaning American culture must have had an effect as well.

(D) The passage tells us the opposite of this answer choice in the second sentence of paragraph one, when it says that jazz was “first played in New Orleans in the early 1900s.”

(E) CORRECT . The fourth sentence of paragraph one states that the “West African influence… was manifested primarily in its performance.” Further, the third sentence of paragraph one says that “jazz ensembles were built predominately on European instruments.” These two pieces of evidence, taken together, indicate that instrumentation was a primary component of the European influence on jazz, not the West African influence.

dabaobao · Answer

Official Solution (Credit: Manhattan Prep)

The primary purpose of the passage is to

demonstrate how new art forms evolve

describe a medium’s diverse cultural genesis and a relevant paradox

argue that a new art form has its origins in the geographic location where it developed

describe the impact of African culture on an American art form

claim that one culture had a greater impact than another on the evolution of a new art form
The first paragraph describes how jazz evolved in America as the result of a convergence of West African and European musical cultures. The second paragraph introduces a disagreement between musicologists as to whether jazz should be considered purely American or whether it should be considered the result of a “confluence” of other cultures. The author expresses the view that the influence of other cultures on the development of jazz in the United States is what makes jazz “undeniably American” – that is, the mix of various non-American influences that helped to create the United States is also what helped to create jazz.

(A) While the passage does discuss the evolution of one particular art form, the primary purpose is not to demonstrate how new art forms evolve in general.

(B) CORRECT. The first paragraph describes the diverse cultural background of jazz. The second paragraph shows how this background is uniquely American, in that the essential quality of America is cultural diversity. The “relevant paradox” is the way in which the fact that jazz is not strictly American in origin makes it even more American.

(C) While this author does assert that jazz had “its genesis in New Orleans,” the primary purpose of the passage is not to demonstrate that jazz’s origins are strictly American, but that they are geographically diverse.

(D) Though the ways in which African music impacted the development of jazz are mentioned in the passage, the main idea is to discuss the form’s many diverse roots, including not only its African influences, but its European influences.

(E) The passage does not claim that any one culture had a greater impact on the evolution of jazz.

shweta5 · Answer

Hi All,
I have a major doubt in the below question:
Q--Which of the following statements concerning jazz is most directly suggested in the passage?
I marked D
Scatting, a technique used by jazz vocalists to mimic the sounds of instruments, had its origin in West African vocal traditions, So what I infer from this is that West African people used to sing JAZZ by mimicking its sound much earlier than it first happened in New Orleans in the early 1900s.
If this is not true then what were African people mimicking or did they not used JAZZ first time by using the method of scathing.
Please help.
Kudos assured for the help

Diya52 · Answer

Can someone explain Q3? I understand that the correct answer needs to be derived from these lines "The emphasis on improvisation in jazz music, in addition to group participation, also came from West African music." But then why is D incorrect? And why is E correct? Does impromptu call and response indicate improvisation? Then wont using several instruments as mentioned in option D indicate group participation?

Harsh2111s · Answer

hazelnut

Can you share official explanation for Q3

owen1ee · Answer

6min21s with 2 mistakes

Q1. Author support that Jazz is not a purely American music. But a mixed.

Less incline to mark it as a US one - Then more developed using one style C

Q4. E the opposite.

abhishektyga · Answer

please provide explanation for Q5.

The immigration of Europeans and the importation of West African slave

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

The immigration of Europeans and the importation of West African slave

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