The outpouring of contemporary American Indian literature in the last

Question

The outpouring of contemporary American Indian literature in the last two decades, often called the Native American Renaissance, represents for many the first opportunity to experience Native American poetry. The appreciation of traditional oral American Indian literature has been limited, hampered by poor translations and by the difficulty, even in the rare culturally sensitive and aesthetically satisfying translation, of completely conveying the original’s verse structure, tone, and syntax.

By writing in English and experimenting with European literary forms, contemporary American Indian writers have broadened their potential audience, while clearly retaining many essential characteristics of their ancestral oral traditions. For example, Pulitzer-prizewinning author N. Scott Momaday’s poetry often treats art and mortality in a manner that recalls British romantic poetry, while his poetic response to the power of natural forces recalls Cherokee oral literature. In the same way, his novels, an art form European in origin, display an eloquence that echoes the oratorical grandeur of the great nineteenth-century American Indian chiefs.    1 
 1. According to the passage, Momaday’s poetry shares which of the following with British romantic poetry?

(A) Verse structure
(B) Oratorical techniques
(C) Manner of treating certain themes
(D) Use of certain syntactical constructions
(E) Patterns of rhythm and rhyme

2 
 2. Which of the following is most likely one of the reasons that the author mentions the work of N. Scott Momaday?

(A) To illustrate how the author believes that members of the Native American Renaissance have broadened their potential audience
(B) To emphasize the similarities between Momaday’s writings and their European literary models
(C) To demonstrate the contemporary appeal of traditional Native American oral literature
(D) To suggest that contemporary American Indian writers have sacrificed traditional values for popular literary success
(E) To imply the continuing popularity of translations of oral American Indian literature

3 
 3. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about written translations of oral Native American poetry?

(A) They were less widely read than are the works of contemporary Native American poets writing in English.
(B) They were often made by writers who were intimately familiar with both English and Native American languages.
(C) They often gave their readers aesthetic satisfaction, despite their inaccuracies.
(D) They usually lacked complex verse structure.
(E) They were overly dependent on European literary models.

4 
 4. The passage suggests which of the following about American Indian poets before the Native American Renaissance?

(A) Art and mortality were rarely the subjects of their poetry.
(B) Their oratorical grandeur reached its peak in the nineteenth century.
(C) They occasionally translated their own poetry.
(D) They seldom wrote poetry in English.
(E) They emphasized structure, tone, and syntax rather than literary form.

Nirmesh83 · Answer

3. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about written translations of oral Native American poetry?

(A) They were less widely read than are the works of contemporary Native American poets writing in English.
(B) They were often made by writers who were intimately familiar with both English and Native American languages.
(C) They often gave their readers aesthetic satisfaction, despite their inaccuracies.
(D) They usually lacked complex verse structure.
(E) They were overly dependent on European literary models.

Based on POE , it's inference based question .
Choice A- As per passage ,Written translation of Oral native american Poetry has limited appreciation and contemporary native american poets writing in English has broaden the audience base. -- Correct answer
Choice B- As per passage ,translation of oral native american poetry has lots of inaccuracies . Even in poems which are depiction of original meaning. Clearly ,writers were not dexterous in both of the languages.
Choice-C - As per first paragraph, inspite of aesthetic similarity with oral native poetry ,they got limited acceptance by audience.
Choice-D- Passage doesn't talk about lack of complex verse structure.
Choice -E- Oral native is poetry is not dependent on European literary models.Those poetry written in English during Native american renaissance ,resembles European literary models.

Pranjal1 · Answer

I couldnt understand the answer for Question 1 but got the others right.

In Ques 2, before giving an example of N. Scott Momaday’s poetry, the author was stressing on the how writing in English helped broaden the audience for the writers.

In Ques 3, in first paragraph, the author mentions "The appreciation of traditional oral American Indian literature has been limited, hampered by poor translations and by the difficulty, even in the rare culturally sensitive and aesthetically satisfying translation, of completely conveying the original’s verse structure, tone, and syntax". Hence, Answer is A

In Ques 4, by starting the second paragraph saying "By writing in English and experimenting with European literary forms, contemporary American Indian writers have broadened their potential audience", author clearly states that traditional American Indian writers didn't write in English. Moreover, in first para author mentions that one key reason for lack of popularity was poor translation. Hence, Ans: D

Sajjad1994 · Answer

The below text from the passage leads to the correct answer of question #1

N. Scott Momaday’s poetry often treats art and mortality in a manner that recalls British romantic poetry

In the same way, his novels, an art form European in origin, display an eloquence that echoes the oratorical grandeur of the great nineteenth-century American Indian chiefs.

(C) Manner of treating certain themes

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

1. According to the passage, Momaday’s poetry shares which of the following with British romantic poetry?

Difficulty Level:   600

Explanation

(A) Verse structure

No comparison, out of scope

(B) Oratorical techniques

There is no artistic comparison has been made ever in the passage, I am afraid the majority of the non-native students who took this option might be confused about the correct meaning of the word  "Oratorical"

(C) Manner of treating certain themes

This is correct! The below text from the passage leads to the correct answer to the question.

N. Scott Momaday’s poetry often treats art and mortality in a manner that recalls British romantic poetry

In the same way, his novels, an art form European in origin, display an eloquence that echoes the oratorical grandeur of the great nineteenth-century American Indian chiefs.

(D) Use of certain syntactical constructions

Out of scope

(E) Patterns of rhythm and rhyme

Out of scope

Answer: C

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

2. Which of the following is most likely one of the reasons that the author mentions the work of N. Scott Momaday?

Difficulty Level:   600

Explanation

(A) To illustrate how the author believes that members of the Native American Renaissance have broadened their potential audience

The following is the text lead to this option:

"By writing in English and experimenting with European literary forms, contemporary American Indian writers have broadened their potential audience, while clearly retaining many essential characteristics of their ancestral oral traditions. For example....."

The author has provided N. Scott Momaday example to show that how the author believes that members of the Native American Renaissance have broadened their potential audience.

(B) To emphasize the similarities between Momaday’s writings and their European literary models

No such comparison is given, out of scope.

(C) To demonstrate the contemporary appeal of traditional Native American oral literature

Although this is discussed in the passage this is not the reason why the author inserted the example of N. Scott Momaday, we just need to concentrate on the context of the passage.

(D) To suggest that contemporary American Indian writers have sacrificed traditional values for popular literary success

Out of context

(E) To imply the continuing popularity of translations of oral American Indian literature

Out of context

Answer: A

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

3. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about written translations of oral Native American poetry?

Difficulty Level:   700+

Explanation

Read the related text before finding the inference. Below is the related text from the passage:

"The appreciation of traditional oral American Indian literature  has been limited , hampered by poor translations and by the difficulty"

(A) They were less widely read than are the works of contemporary Native American poets writing in English.

According to the above related text  (A)  is correct.

(B) They were often made by writers who were intimately familiar with both English and Native American languages.

Nothing can be found in the passage about this option to be true.

(C) They often gave their readers aesthetic satisfaction, despite their inaccuracies.

Contrary to this has been discussed in the passage and this is the opposite option, in spite of aesthetic similarity with oral native poetry, they got limited acceptance by the audience.

(D) They usually lacked complex verse structure.

Nothing as such is discussed.

(E) They were overly dependent on European literary models.

Out of scope

Answer: A

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

4. The passage suggests which of the following about American Indian poets before the Native American Renaissance?

Difficulty Level:   700+

Explanation

POE is a good way to reach out to the answer here and also we need to keep in mind that the question is asking about  "before the Native American Renaissance" . Let's read the answer choices one by one.

(A) Art and mortality were rarely the subjects of their poetry.

The passage didn't tell us about the subjects of the poetry of American Indian literature before Renaissance, Out of scope.

(B) Their oratorical grandeur reached its peak in the nineteenth century.

Nothing is given by the passage as such.

(C) They occasionally translated their own poetry.

We don't know this about American Indian literature before Renaissance

(D) They seldom wrote poetry in English.

This is correct! but it didn't look like a correct answer when we read it first. Read the below lines from the passage:

The outpouring of contemporary American Indian literature in the last two decades, often called the Native American Renaissance, represents for many the first opportunity to experience Native American poetry. The appreciation of  traditional  oral  American Indian literature  has been limited

(E) They emphasized structure, tone, and syntax rather than literary form.

Although the passage discussed that contemporary American Indian literature lacks structure, tone, and syntax  BUT  we don't know whether the literature before the renaissance  emphasized  these traits in their literature. One word off and the answer goes out of the scope of the passage.

Answer: D

pintukr · Answer

1. According to the passage, Momaday’s poetry shares which of the following with British romantic poetry?

Reference from Passage. (2nd paragraph, Lines 5-7)   For example, Pulitzer-prizewinning author N. Scott Momaday’s poetry often treats art and mortality in a manner that recalls British romantic poetry ,

(A) Verse structure
 Not mentioned in the passage

(B) Oratorical techniques
 Highlighted in relation to Cherokee's oral literature, and not in relation to British romantic poetry

(C) Manner of treating certain themes
  'art' and 'morality' themes have been treated akin to British romantic poetry..CORRECT answer

(D) Use of certain syntactical constructions
 Irrelevant option

(E) Patterns of rhythm and rhyme
 Not specifically highlighted in connection with British romantic poetry

(C) is the correct answer

pintukr · Answer

2. Which of the following is most likely one of the reasons that the author mentions the work of N. Scott Momaday?

Reference from Passage. (2nd paragraph, Lines 1-6)  By writing in English and experimenting with European literary forms, contemporary American Indian writers have broadened their potential audience, while clearly retaining many essential characteristics of their ancestral oral traditions. For example, Pulitzer-prizewinning author N. Scott Momaday’s poetry

(A) To illustrate how the author believes that members of the Native American Renaissance have broadened their potential audience
  specifically mentioned that ..by writing in English, the American Indian writers broadened their audience..CORRECT answer

(B) To emphasize the similarities between Momaday’s writings and their European literary models
 No such mention found in the passage

(C) To demonstrate the contemporary appeal of traditional Native American oral literature
 the contemporary appeal can be inferred in an overall sense, NOT specifically in relation to Momaday’s poetry

(D) To suggest that contemporary American Indian writers have sacrificed traditional values for popular literary success
 In fact passage states the opposite ie, the traditional values have been furthered

(E) To imply the continuing popularity of translations of oral American Indian literature
 Out of scope

(A) is the correct answer

pintukr · Answer

3. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about written translations of oral Native American poetry?

Reference from Passage.  (2nd paragraph, Lines 1-6) in conjunction with (1st paragraph, Lines 1-4)

(A) They were less widely read than are the works of contemporary Native American poets writing in English.
  When written in English, the published works were more widely read..highlighted through 'broadened the audience' as mentioned in the passage

(B) They were often made by writers who were intimately familiar with both English and Native American languages.
 The familiarity of the writers can't be ascertained

(C) They often gave their readers aesthetic satisfaction, despite their inaccuracies.
 Out of scope option
 
(D) They usually lacked complex verse structure.
 complexity of verse structure doesn't find a mention in the passage

(E) They were overly dependent on European literary models.
 Dependency aspects have not been discussed in the passage

(A) is the correct answer

pintukr · Answer

4. The passage suggests which of the following about American Indian poets before the Native American Renaissance?

Reference from Passage. (2nd paragraph, Lines 1-4)  By writing in English and experimenting with European literary forms, contemporary American Indian writers have broadened their potential audience

(A) Art and mortality were rarely the subjects of their poetry.
 can't be ascertained through the contents of the passage

(B) Their oratorical grandeur reached its peak in the nineteenth century.
 Historical aspects related to oratorical grandeur not covered in the passage

(C) They occasionally translated their own poetry.
 translations were far and few as mentioned in the 1st paragraph

(D) They seldom wrote poetry in English.
  can be inferred, since writing in English enabled them to reach a larger audience during the Renaissance period..CORRECT answer

(E) They emphasized structure, tone, and syntax rather than literary form.
 structure, tone, and syntax also were not fully conveyed owing to poor translations

(D) is the correct answer

The outpouring of contemporary American Indian literature in the last

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

The outpouring of contemporary American Indian literature in the last

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