Alexander Calder was one of the most innovative and original American artists of the twentieth century. Calder arrived in Paris...
GMAT Reading Comprehension : (RC) Questions
Alexander Calder was one of the most innovative and original American artists of the twentieth century. Calder arrived in Paris in 1926 and devoted himself to a innovative project comprised of animals made out of wire, scraps of cloth, wood, cork, labels, bits of scrap metal and pieces of rubber that he called the Circus. During his performances, Calder invented ways to simulate the flight of birds: "These are little bits of white paper, with a hole and slight weight on each one, which flutter down several variously coiled thin steel wires which I jiggle so that they flutter down like doves." The Circus was the laboratory of Calder's work; in it he experimented with new formulas and techniques. By 1930, Calder's Circus had developed into one of the real successes of the Montparnasse art world attracting the attention of such renowned artists as Fernand Leger and Joan Miro. Encouragement from the upper echelons of the Parisian art scene undoubtedly led him to try more serious experiments in wire sculptures.
Calder eventually becoming interested in the movement of objects, some of which he motorized. In 1933, Calder completed Object with Red Discs, a sculpture he described as a two-meter rod with a heavy sphere, suspended from the apex of a wire, giving it a cantilever effect. It had five thin aluminum discs projected at right angels from five wires, held in position by a spherical counterweight. With this new creation, the idea of the mobile was born. In creating a work named Constellations in 1943, Calder explored the plastic possibilities of mobiles; he used small pieces of wood, which he shaped and sometimes painted. From this point on, Calder's ambition changed focus. He sought more challenging designs. One of Calder's objectives was to display objects in the air, giving the viewer the experience of finding new skies filled with moving and colored constellations. Calder accomplished this in Acoustic Ceiling (1954). Calder's humor was evident in such works as Le Bougnat (1959) and The Pagoda (1963). Later, Calder cut fantastic animals from sheet metal, creating La Vache and Elephant (both 1970) and a mobile entitled Nervous Wreck (1976), which represents the red skeleton of a fish. Calder defined volume without mass and incorporated movement and time in art. His inventions, which redefined certain basic principles of sculpture, have established him as the most innovative sculptor of the twentieth century.
According to the passage, which of the following is an accurate statement about Object with Red Discs?
1. Passage Analysis:
Progressive Passage Analysis
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Alexander Calder was one of the most innovative and original American artists of the twentieth century. | What it says: Alexander Calder was a groundbreaking American artist in the 1900s. What it does: Opens with the author's main claim about Calder's significance Source/Type: Author's opinion/evaluation Connection to Previous Sentences: This is our starting point - establishes the central figure and sets up expectation that we'll learn WHY he was so innovative. Visualization: Timeline: 1900s - Calder stands out among all American artists as exceptionally creative and original Reading Strategy Insight: This opening statement is the author's conclusion - everything that follows will support this claim. What We Know So Far: Calder = innovative American artist What We Don't Know Yet: What made him innovative, what kind of art he made, specific examples |
| Calder arrived in Paris in 1926 and devoted himself to a innovative project comprised of animals made out of wire, scraps of cloth, wood, cork, labels, bits of scrap metal and pieces of rubber that he called the Circus. | What it says: In 1926, Calder went to Paris and created an art project called "the Circus" using everyday materials like wire and cloth scraps to make animals. What it does: Provides first concrete example of his innovation - unusual materials and subject Source/Type: Factual information about his work Connection to Previous Sentences: This builds on sentence 1 by giving us our FIRST piece of evidence for why Calder was innovative. Instead of traditional sculpture materials, he used everyday scraps. Visualization: 1926: Calder in Paris studio, creating circus animals from: wire + cloth scraps + wood pieces + cork + labels + metal bits + rubber pieces = "the Circus" Reading Strategy Insight: Feel confident here - this directly supports the opening claim with a concrete example. What We Know So Far: Calder = innovative artist who used unconventional materials for art project called "the Circus" What We Don't Know Yet: How the Circus worked, why it was significant, what other innovations he made |
2. Passage Summary:
Author's Purpose:
To demonstrate why Alexander Calder deserves to be called the most innovative American artist of the twentieth century by tracing his artistic development from early experiments to major breakthroughs.
3. Question Analysis:
This question asks us to identify an accurate statement about "Object with Red Discs" based on information provided in the passage. We need to locate what the passage specifically tells us about this artwork and distinguish factual information from inferences.
Why It's Right:
- The passage explicitly states that "With this new creation [Object with Red Discs], the idea of the mobile was born"
- This directly establishes Object with Red Discs as the first mobile ever created
- The chronological structure shows Calder's progression from wire sculptures to this breakthrough moment in 1933
Key Evidence: "In 1933, Calder completed Object with Red Discs... With this new creation, the idea of the mobile was born."
Why It's Wrong:
- The passage doesn't specify whether Object with Red Discs was motorized or not
- While Calder "eventually becoming interested in the movement of objects, some of which he motorized," this doesn't clarify the status of Object with Red Discs specifically
- This choice makes an assumption about motorization that isn't supported by the text
Why It's Wrong:
- The passage mentions Calder motorized "some" objects but doesn't specify whether Object with Red Discs was motorized
- This choice assumes Object with Red Discs was motorized without textual support
- The passage focuses on the structural description (counterweights, cantilever effect) rather than motorization
Why It's Wrong:
- This choice assumes Object with Red Discs was both motorized AND the first motorized mobile
- The passage provides no evidence that Object with Red Discs was motorized
- While it was the first mobile, the motorization aspect is unsupported
Why It's Wrong:
- While Object with Red Discs was the first mobile, the passage doesn't establish it as the first of "many mobiles without motors"
- This choice assumes both non-motorization and that it began a series of non-motorized mobiles
- The passage doesn't categorize Calder's subsequent mobiles by motorization status