Hank Morgan, the hero of Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Art

Question

Project RC Butler 2020  -  Participate and win GMAT Club Tests.   
Passage # 138, Date: 08-Jun-2020
 This post is a part of Project RC Butler 2020 .  Click here for Details

1992 10 SECTION A

Hank Morgan, the hero of Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, is a nineteenth-century master mechanic who mysteriously awakening in sixth-century Britain, launches what he hopes will be a peaceful revolution to transform Arthurian Britain into an industrialized modern democracy. The novel, written as a spoof of Thomas Malory’s Morte d’ Arthur, a popular collection of fifteenth-century legends about sixth-century Britain, has been made into three upbeat movies and two musical comedies. None of these translations to screen and stage, however, dramatize the anarchy at the conclusion of A Connecticut Yankee, which ends with the violent overthrow of Morgan’s three-year-old progressive order and his return to the nineteenth century, where he apparently commits suicide after being labeled a lunatic for his incoherent babblings about drawbridges and battlements. The American public, although enjoying Twain’s humor, evidently rejected his cynicism about technological advancement and change through peaceful revolution as antithetical to the United States doctrine of progress.   1 
 1. ​​According to the passage, which of the following is a true statement about the reception of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by the American public?

(A) The public had too strong a belief in the doctrine of progress to accept the cynicism demonstrated at the conclusion of Twain’s novel.
(B) Twain’s novel received little public recognition until the work was adapted for motion pictures and plays.
(C) Although the public enjoyed Twain’s humor, his use of both sixth-century and nineteenth-century characters confused many people.
(D) The public has continued to enjoy Twain’s story, but the last part of the novel seems too violent to American minds.
(E) Because of the cynicism at the end of the book, the public rejected Twain’s work in favor of the work of Thomas Malory.

2 
 2. ​The author uses the examples of “three upbeat movies and two musical comedies” (lines 9-10) primarily in order to demonstrate that

(A) well-written novels like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, regardless of their tone or theme, can be translated to the stage and screen
(B) the American public has traditionally been more interested in watching plays and movies than in reading novels like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
(C) Twain’s overall message in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is one that had a profound impact on the American public
(D) Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court has been a more popular version of the Arthurian legends than has Malory’s Morte d’ Arthur
(E) A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court has been accepted as an enjoyable and humorous tale in versions that have omitted the anarchy at the novel’s conclusion

3 
 3. ​The author of the passage characterizes Thomas Malory’s Morte d’ Arthur as which of the following?

(A) The best-known and most authoritative collection of Arthurian tales written in the English language
(B) A collection of legends that have been used as the basis for three movies and two musical comedies
(C) A historical account of King Arthur, the sixth-century king of Britain
(D) A collection of legends about sixth-century Britain that have existed since at least the fifteenth century
(E) The novel about the life of King Arthur that inspired Twain’s cynicism about nineteenth-century notions of progress

4 
 4. ​​​​​It can be inferred from the passage that Mark Twain would most probably have believed in which of the following statements about societal change?

(A) Revolutions, in order to be successful in changing society, have to be carried out without violence.
(B) Technological advancements are limited in their ability to change society and will likely bring liabilities along with any potential benefits.
(C) The belief in the unmitigated benefits of societal change is antithetical to the American doctrine of progress.
(D) The political system of sixth-century Britain was more conducive to societal change than was the political system of nineteenth-century America.
(E) Technological advances and peaceful revolutions, although sometimes accompanied by unintended violence and resistance to societal change, eventually lead to a more progressive order.

Iceman2020 · Accepted Answer

Mind map and answers below.

Para1: HM & his role and ideologies --> adaptation of TM's work --> converted to movies --> however movies don't capture the essence and skip the last part --> conclusion is that public enjoyed MT's humor but rejected his cynicism about tech adv and peaceful revolution as that is antithetical to the US doctrine of progress.

1. According to the passage, which of the following is a true statement about the reception of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by the American public?

(A) The public had too strong a belief in the doctrine of progress to accept the cynicism demonstrated at the conclusion of Twain’s novel. Correct. Precisely what we got from our mind map & last few lines of the passage
(B) Twain’s novel received little public recognition until the work was adapted for motion pictures and plays. We have no evidence for this
(C) Although the public enjoyed Twain’s humor, his use of both sixth-century and nineteenth-century characters confused many people. No where in the passage is it mentioned that people got confused of the charachters
(D) The public has continued to enjoy Twain’s story, but the last part of the novel seems too violent to American minds. Partially right, but the last part was not too violent it was antithetical to doctrine of progress
(E) Because of the cynicism at the end of the book, the public rejected Twain’s work in favor of the work of Thomas Malory. We have no evidence fot this

2. The author uses the examples of “three upbeat movies and two musical comedies” (lines 9-10) primarily in order to demonstrate that I got this one wrong while solving but later found the correct answer

(A) well-written novels like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, regardless of their tone or theme, can be translated to the stage and screen Incorrect. For all its worth movies that were translated skipped the last part where he HM committed suicide
(B) the American public has traditionally been more interested in watching plays and movies than in reading novels like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court No evidence for this liking
(C) Twain’s overall message in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is one that had a profound impact on the American public 180 degrees they liked the humor but rejected the more important topic that he was cynical about
(D) Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court has been a more popular version of the Arthurian legends than has Malory’s Morte d’ Arthur No comparison about popularity is made in the argument
(E) A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court has been accepted as an enjoyable and humorous tale in versions that have omitted the anarchy at the novel’s conclusion This is the correct one!

3. The author of the passage characterizes Thomas Malory’s Morte d’ Arthur as which of the following?

(A) The best-known and most authoritative collection of Arthurian tales written in the English language Too extreme
(B) A collection of legends that have been used as the basis for three movies and two musical comedies Too much of stretch. His work was the foundation of MT's work and MT's work was later adapted to movies
(C) A historical account of King Arthur, the sixth-century king of Britain This is TRAP option. If you look carefully "The novel, written as a spoof of Thomas Malory’s Morte d’ Arthur, a popular collection of fifteenth-century legends about sixth-century Britain" the title of the book includes "Arthur" but the description after the comma talks about "legends about sixth-century Britain"
(D) A collection of legends about sixth-century Britain that have existed since at least the fifteenth century As per the reason stated above
(E) The novel about the life of King Arthur that inspired Twain’s cynicism about nineteenth-century notions of progress We don't know if this inspired MT's cynicism

4. It can be inferred from the passage that Mark Twain would most probably have believed in which of the following statements about societal change?

(A) Revolutions, in order to be successful in changing society, have to be carried out without violence. Incorrect. First it was HM who believed this and secondly in the last few lines of the passage "his cynicism about technological advancement and change through peaceful revolution" means that he was cynical about these two. So defo not something he would believe in.
(B) Technological advancements are limited in their ability to change society and will likely bring liabilities along with any potential benefits. Reflects his "cynicism about tech adv" which the americans rejected as antithetical to doctrine of progress
(C) The belief in the unmitigated benefits of societal change is antithetical to the American doctrine of progress. No discussion about unmitigated benefits
(D) The political system of sixth-century Britain was more conducive to societal change than was the political system of nineteenth-century America. No comparison is ever drawn in b/s Britain and America
(E) Technological advances and peaceful revolutions, although sometimes accompanied by unintended violence and resistance to societal change, eventually lead to a more progressive order. Nothing in the passage confirms "more progressive order"

Please hit the Kudos button if you liked the explanation!

HoneyLemon · Answer

Fact by author . 
a novel about peaceful revolution to transform Arthurian Britain into an industrialized modern democracy. 
Novel was played in movies .. but movies didn't show the end part of novel .. why ? 
End was violent .. some one suicide .. 
Us people enjoyed the humor in d novel but rejected view of of the autor of the novel.

Main point : Describe how a novel in the history is being perceived by people on the belief of progress .

Tone - neutral 
-------------
1. ​​According to the passage, which of the following is a true statement about the reception of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by the American public?

(A) The public had too strong a belief in the doctrine of progress to accept the cynicism demonstrated at the conclusion of Twain’s novel.

--  Contender 
(B) Twain’s novel received little public recognition until the work was adapted for motion pictures and plays.

-- little public recognition .. cannot be justified from the psg .

(C) Although the public enjoyed Twain’s humor, his use of both sixth-century and nineteenth-century characters confused many people.

-- COnfusion is not discussed .

(D) The public has continued to enjoy Twain’s story, but the last part of the novel seems too violent to American minds.
-- Attractive choice .. 
but too violent to American minds is spoken in the psg

(E) Because of the cynicism at the end of the book, the public rejected Twain’s work in favor of the work of Thomas Malory.
- No such cause is present in the psg

A is the best choice .
 --------------

2. ​The author uses the examples of “three upbeat movies and two musical comedies” (lines 9-10) primarily in order to demonstrate that
 
Pre-thinking  :  Author wants to justify that people accepted the novel aithout the conclusion of the novel ..

(A) well-written novels like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, regardless of their tone or theme, can be translated to the stage and screen

-- Not given in the psg

(B) the American public has traditionally been more interested in watching plays and movies than in reading novels like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court

-- Not given in the psg

(C) Twain’s overall message in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is one that had a profound impact on the American public
-- Not given in the psg 
(D) Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court has been a more popular version of the Arthurian legends than has Malory’s Morte d’ Arthur
-- No such comparison is given in the psg
(E) A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court has been accepted as an enjoyable and humorous tale in versions that have omitted the anarchy at the novel’s conclusion
 --Correct . Matches our pre-thinking .. 
 
(  None of these translations to screen and stage, however, dramatize the anarchy at the conclusion of A Connecticut Yankee, which ends with the violent overthrow of Morgan’s three-year-old progressive order and his return to the nineteenth century, where he apparently commits suicide after being labeled a lunatic for his incoherent babblings about drawbridges and battlements. )

-----------------

3. ​The author of the passage characterizes Thomas Malory’s Morte d’ Arthur as which of the following?

If we go back and read the psg 
 The novel, written as a spoof of Thomas Malory’s Morte d’ Arthur, a popular collection of fifteenth-century legends about sixth-century Britain, has been made into three upbeat movies and two musical comedies.

Thomas Malory’s Morte d’ Arthur is a popular collection of fifteenth-century legends about sixth-century Britain .

(A) The best-known and most authoritative collection of Arthurian tales written in the English language

-- We don't whether it's most authoritative or not

(B) A collection of legends that have been used as the basis for three movies and two musical comedies

-- Not spoken in the passage

(C) A historical account of King Arthur, the sixth-century king of Britain

-- Not spoken in the psg

(D) A collection of legends about sixth-century Britain that have existed since at least the fifteenth century

-- Direct answer . 
 (E) The novel about the life of King Arthur that inspired Twain’s cynicism about nineteenth-century notions of progress
-- Inconsistant meaning .

D is the ans
---------------------

4. ​​​​​It can be inferred from the passage that Mark Twain would most probably have believed in which of the following statements about societal change?

Prethinking  : 
 Twain created a spoof and in that he potreyed that aman hopes for a peaceful revolution to transform Arthurian Britain into an industrialized modern democracy. And in the conclusion someone suicide after being labeled mad for his incoherent babblings about new tech. 
So Twain believe that Even though tech advance is possible , it may not be as peaceful and smooth as we think and that tech adbvancement will bring some negativety to society . 
 
(A) Revolutions, in order to be successful in changing society, have to be carried out without violence.

-- Twain doesnot say .. have to be carried out .. out 
 
(B) Technological advancements are limited in their ability to change society and will likely bring liabilities along with any potential benefits.

-- Contender .. Inline with our analysis . 
 (C) The belief in the unmitigated benefits of societal change is antithetical to the American doctrine of progress.
 -- Not spoken in the psg 
 
(D) The political system of sixth-century Britain was more conducive to societal change than was the political system of nineteenth-century America.
 -- Not spoken in the psg 
 (E) Technological advances and peaceful revolutions, although sometimes accompanied by unintended violence and resistance to societal change, eventually lead to a more progressive order.

--Cannot be infereded that more progressive order from Twain 's attitude . 
 
  B is the best choice  ..

VerbalBot · Answer

Automated notice from GMAT Club VerbalBot: 

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

 This post was generated automatically.

Hank Morgan, the hero of Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Art

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

Hank Morgan, the hero of Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Art

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