In exhibiting works of art-whether in a gallery, a cinema, or anywhere

Question

The following passage is adapted from a 2001 article by a film historian.

In exhibiting works of art-whether in a gallery,
a cinema, or anywhere else-the primary question
usually is: which works should be exhibited together?
In many exhibitions the selection is often tied to the
  (5)   creator of the works. For example, we might have
an exhibition of Rembrandt's paintings'. Another
reasonable method might be to choose paintings with a
particular theme or of a particular historical period, for
example, Modernism. In all cases the aim is to select a
  (10)   series of works with something in common. In the
world of cinema, this notion of "collecting the similar"
has its analogue in the retrospective. This involves
collecting together and screening several examples of
the work of a particular director, star, studio, etc. In
  (15)   recent years a rediscovery of early (pre-1915)
nonfiction film has been taking place, and such films
have been the subject of some notable retrospectives.

But I would argue that the philosophy of
"collecting the similar" is often inappropriate for
  (20)   screening early film, especially nonfiction, because
it means showing several films of the same type one
after the other in the same sitting, which would never
have been the practice at the time the films were made.
Gathering together several short films (and in the early
  (25)   1910s most films were under fifteen minutes) by the
same maker or studio, while useful for historians and
academics, is often profoundly dull for the viewer. With
some exceptions, nonfiction films have always been
supporting films, not main attractions. Early
  (30)   cinemagoers never saw a collection of similar films
screened together; they almost always saw a program
that was a mix of everything from dramas and comedies
to travelogues and news. Even into the 1920s a mixed
program was the norm.

(35)   Film archives and retrospective festivals often
behave as if the production of the films were the only
side of the coin. Film archives spend vast amounts of
time and effort in restoring films as they supposedly
were when originally produced. These restorations are
  (40)   presented with great fanfare as authentic versions, or
"directors' cuts." Yet as far as the exhibition side is
concerned, authenticity is sometimes allowed to go
out the window. Films are presented in an inauthentic
setting, utterly shorn of the program that once gave
  (45)   these films life and context, a setting that allowed
particular films to shine, but also to balance and react
against other kinds of films. Film presenters discovered
the magic of programming in the early years of the
twentieth century, or more likely inherited it from the
  (50)   vaudeville tradition. It ill behooves us alleged early
film lovers to forsake their insights today.    1 
 1. Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main point of the passage?

(A) Screenings that consist entirely of early nonfiction films are poorly conceived because they ignore the context of the films' original screening.
(B) The practices that are best suited to exhibiting works in an artistic medium like painting are not well suited for exhibiting cinematic works.
(C) Early nonfiction films have not received the critical recognition that they deserve.
(D) The artistic goals of early nonfiction films are different in many major respects from the goals of contemporary cinema.
(E) For modem audiences to properly experience early nonfiction films, film archivists must produce restorations of those films that are as authentic as possible.

2 
 2. According to the passage, which one of the following is true of early nonfiction films?

(A) They were produced by studios that focused exclusively on nonfiction films.
(B) They were rarely credited to individual directors. 
(C) They were heavily influenced by the vaudeville tradition.
(D) They were usually intended to be supporting films.
(E) They were no less popular than most comedies and dramas of the time.

3 
 3. The author would be most likely to reject which one of the following principles?

(A) Works of art should be presented as authentically as possible.
(B) Dissimilar works of art should never be displayed together.
(C) Contemporary exhibitions of works of art should be informed by knowledge of how past exhibitions collected works together.
(D) Art exhibitions should never be designed without regard to how each work contributes to the whole.
(E) Art exhibitions should sometimes collect works that are all by the same artist.

4 
 4. The passage contains information sufficient to answer which one of the following questions?

(A) How many nonfiction films were made in the years before 1915?
(B) Did directors of early nonfiction films ever work on other films as well?
(C) How long were most films in the early years of the twentieth century?
(D) Out of what historical tradition did the idea of "directors' cuts" originate?
(E) How popular were early travelogues and news films with audiences of their time?

5 
 5. The author most likely intends the final sentence of the passage to

(A) call into question the sincerity of those who purport to be early film aficionados
(B) carry an implication regarding the proper way of exhibiting early nonfiction films
(C) trace the historical basis behind the screening practices of early twentieth century film presenters
(D) suggest that it is incumbent upon those who enjoy early films to seek out the earliest versions they can find
(E) challenge the notion that early film can ever be fully understood by contemporary audiences

6 
 6. The author would be most likely to agree with which one of the following statements?

(A) An exhibition of works by a single artist is likely to be less interesting than an exhibition that contains a mixture of works by different artists.
(B) When several works of art are exhibited together, the audience's response can be greatly affected by the interplay among those works.
(C) Film archives and retrospective festivals are too beholden to practices that have their roots in the vaudeville tradition.
(D) Most early cinemagoers did not think of nonfiction films of the time as belonging to a separate genre from comedies and dramas.
(E) A work of art will be misunderstood by historians or academics unless it is viewed in an authentic setting.

7 
 7. It can be inferred from the passage that the author holds which one of the following views regarding the "directors' cuts" described in the final paragraph?

(A) They are usually little more than clever marketing gimmicks and are entirely lacking in artistic value.
(B) Producing them is largely a pointless endeavor, in that it is striving for a goal that can never be fully achieved.
(C) Paradoxically, even though they are produced in an attempt to increase authenticity, in many cases they are less authentic than other versions.
(D) The time and effort expended in producing them is potentially wasted if no attention is paid to other aspects of authenticity.
(E) In the vast majority of cases where such a version is available, it represents by far the best way to experience the film.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

5. The author most likely intends the final sentence of the passage to

Explanation

The final sentence of the passage is  "It ill behooves us alleged early film lovers to forsake their insights today."  The phrase  "ill behooves"  means  "it is not appropriate"  or  "it is not advisable."  Therefore, the author is suggesting that it is not appropriate for people who claim to love early films to ignore the insights of early film presenters and their methods of programming films. The author is arguing that early films should not be exhibited in a way that only focuses on the production side of the film but rather in a way that is similar to the programming practices of early twentieth-century film presenters. Therefore, the correct answer is  (B)  carry an implication regarding the proper way of exhibiting early nonfiction films.

Answer: B

Ayushi0002 · Answer

in question 6 - I was confused between B and D. Can someone explain why not D?

Time taken 10 mins 45 seconds 
Accuracy 5/7.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

The passage discusses the philosophy of  "collecting the similar"  in the context of exhibiting works of art, particularly in the world of cinema. The author argues against this philosophy, especially when it comes to screening early nonfiction films. The author contends that showing several films of the same type consecutively may be inappropriate for early film screenings because it goes against the historical practice. The passage suggests that early cinemagoers typically experienced a mix of different types of films, such as dramas, comedies, travelogues, and news, in a single program.

The key idea is that the author believes in the importance of the interplay among different types of films in a screening program. The author criticizes the tendency of film archives and retrospective festivals to focus solely on the production side, restoring films to their original state, while neglecting the context in which these films were originally presented. The author argues for the significance of the program that once gave these films life and context.

Option (B)  aligns with the author's emphasis on the interplay among different works when exhibited together, supporting the idea that the audience's response can be greatly affected by the combination of various types of films in a program. Therefore,  (B)  is the statement the author would most likely agree with based on the content of the passage.

For  (D)  the passage does not explicitly address the perceptions of early cinemagoers regarding the categorization of nonfiction films. Instead, the focus is on the programming practices of early cinema screenings. The author argues against the philosophy of "collecting the similar" for early nonfiction films, stating that early cinemagoers typically watched a mix of various types of films in a single program.

While the passage suggests that nonfiction films were often supporting films and part of a mixed program that included dramas, comedies, travelogues, and news, it doesn't directly discuss how early cinemagoers categorized these films in terms of genres. Therefore, there isn't enough information in the passage to support or refute statement (D).

In contrast, option (B) aligns more closely with the author's argument about the importance of the interplay among different types of films in a screening program, making it a more accurate choice based on the content of the passage.

Radyah · Answer

Can someone explain answer choices for 6 and 7? Especially 7?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Question #6 is explained here: https://gmatclub.com/forum/in-exhibitin ... l#p3302842 From lines 35-42: "Film archives spend vast amounts of time and effort in restoring films as they supposedly were when originally produced. These restorations are presented with great fanfare as authentic versions, or "directors' cuts." Yet as far as the exhibition side is concerned, authenticity is sometimes allowed to go out the window." The key point in (D) is that the time and effort expended in restoring films (as "directors' cuts") is potentially wasted if no attention is paid to other aspects of authenticity, particularly in the exhibition side. The author is criticizing the disconnect between the restoration efforts and the neglect of authenticity in how these films are presented to the audience. Therefore, based on the passage, (D) is correct because it captures the author's concern that the efforts put into restoring films may not fully achieve their intended goal if the exhibition side lacks authenticity. Answer: D

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

3. The author would be most likely to reject which one of the following principles?

Explanation

The author argues against the philosophy of "collecting the similar" when it comes to early film, especially nonfiction. The author suggests that the practice of showing several films of the same type one after the other in the same sitting, which is often done in retrospectives, is inappropriate for screening early nonfiction film. The author contends that early filmgoers did not experience collections of similar films screened together; instead, they typically saw mixed programs that included a variety of genres, from dramas and comedies to travelogues and news.

Therefore, the author would likely reject the principle that dissimilar works of art should never be displayed together, as the passage argues for the importance of presenting films in a mix of genres rather than sticking strictly to a single type or theme.

(A)  This option aligns with the author's perspective. The author criticizes the emphasis on authenticity in film archives and retrospective festivals when it comes to the exhibition side. The author suggests that while vast amounts of time and effort are spent on restoring films, authenticity in presentation is sometimes neglected.

(B)  This is the principle that the author would likely reject. The author argues against the philosophy of  "collecting the similar"  and suggests that, especially for early nonfiction film, showing several films of the same type consecutively can be inappropriate. The author advocates for a mix of genres and types of films in a program.

(C)  This option is also implicitly addressed in the passage. The passage focuses more on the criticism of the practice of presenting early nonfiction films in a way that differs from the historical exhibition settings.

(D)  Similar to C.

Answer: B

PurvaG · Answer

Can someone explain why we've chosen option A for the first question

guddo · Answer

1. Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main point of the passage?

The author argues that early nonfiction films should not usually be shown in groups of similar films.  The main point  is that such screenings ignore how these films were originally shown: as part of  mixed programs  with dramas, comedies, news, travelogues, and other films.

(A) Screenings that consist entirely of early nonfiction films are poorly conceived because they ignore the context of the films' original screening.

This is correct. The passage argues that early nonfiction films were not originally shown together in blocks of similar films. They were shown in varied programs, and that original exhibition context matters.

(B) The practices that are best suited to exhibiting works in an artistic medium like painting are not well suited for exhibiting cinematic works.

This is too broad. The author does not reject gallery-style grouping for all cinema. The focus is specifically on early film, especially early nonfiction film.

(C) Early nonfiction films have not received the critical recognition that they deserve.

This is not the main point. The passage says early nonfiction film has been rediscovered and shown in retrospectives. The issue is how it is screened, not whether it receives recognition.

(D) The artistic goals of early nonfiction films are different in many major respects from the goals of contemporary cinema.

This is not discussed. The passage is about exhibition and programming, not artistic goals.

(E) For modern audiences to properly experience early nonfiction films, film archivists must produce restorations of those films that are as authentic as possible.

This is almost the opposite emphasis. The author says archives often focus on production authenticity but neglect exhibition authenticity. The problem is not mainly the restoration of the films themselves, but the inauthentic way they are presented.

Answer: (A)

In exhibiting works of art-whether in a gallery, a cinema, or anywhere

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

In exhibiting works of art-whether in a gallery, a cinema, or anywhere

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