It is now possible to hear a recording of Caruso's singing that is far superior to any made during his...
GMAT Reading Comprehension : (RC) Questions
It is now possible to hear a recording of Caruso's singing that is far superior to any made during his lifetime. A decades-old wax-cylinder recording of this great operatic tenor has been digitized, and the digitized signal has been processed by computer to remove the extraneous sound, or "noise," introduced by the now "ancient" wax-cylinder recording process.
Although this digital technique needs improvement, it represents a new and superior way of recording and processing sound which overcomes many of the limitations of analog recording. In analog recording systems, the original sound is represented as a continuous waveform created by variations in the sound's amplitude over time. When analog playback systems reproduce this waveform, however, they invariably introduce distortions. First, the waveform produced during playback differs somewhat from the original waveform. Second, the medium that stores the analog recording creates noise during playback which gets added to the recorded sounds.
Digital recordings, by contrast, reduce the original sound to a series of discrete numbers that represent the sound's waveform. Because the digital playback system "reads" only numbers, any noise and distortion that may accumulate during storage and manipulation of the digitized signal will have little effect: as long as the numbers remain recognizable, the original waveform will be reconstructed with little loss in quality. However, because the waveform is continuous, while its digital representation is composed of discrete numbers, it is impossible for digital systems to avoid some distortion. One kind of distortion, called "sampling error," occurs if the sound is sampled (i.e., its amplitude is measured) too infrequently, so that the amplitude changes more than one quantum (the smallest change in amplitude measured by the digital system) between samplings. In effect, the sound is changing too quickly for the system to record it accurately. A second form of distortion is "quantizing error," which arises when the amplitude being measured is not a whole number of quanta, forcing the digital recorder to round off. Over the long term, these errors are random, and the noise produced (a background buzzing) is similar to analog noise except that it only occurs when recorded sounds are being reproduced.
Which of the following best describes the relationship of the first paragraph to the passage as a whole?
1. Passage Analysis:
Progressive Passage Analysis
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| It is now possible to hear a recording of Caruso's singing that is far superior to any made during his lifetime. | What it says: Modern technology can make very old recordings sound better than they did originally. What it does: Opens with an attention-grabbing claim about technological improvement. Source/Type: Author's factual claim Connection to Previous Sentences: First sentence - establishes the main topic. Visualization: If Caruso's original recordings from 1910 sounded like quality level 3/10, today's processed version might sound like 8/10. Reading Strategy Insight: This hooks us with a concrete, impressive example before diving into technical details. |
| A decades-old wax-cylinder recording of this great operatic tenor has been digitized, and the digitized signal has been processed by computer to remove the extraneous sound, or "noise," introduced by the now "ancient" wax-cylinder recording process. | What it says: Scientists took an old recording, converted it to digital format, and used computers to clean up unwanted background sounds. What it does: Provides the specific example and method behind the opening claim. Source/Type: Factual explanation Connection to Previous Sentences: This EXPLAINS sentence 1! We now know HOW it's possible to make superior recordings - through digitization and computer processing. Visualization: Old wax cylinder (crackling, hissing) → Digital conversion → Computer cleaning → Clear, crisp audio Reading Strategy Insight: Feel relieved - this is explanation, not new complexity. The author is showing us the process behind the claim. |
| Although this digital technique needs improvement, it represents a new and superior way of recording and processing sound which overcomes many of the limitations of analog recording. | What it says: Digital recording is better than analog recording, even though it's not perfect yet. What it does: Transitions from the Caruso example to the broader topic: digital vs. analog recording. Source/Type: Author's evaluative claim Connection to Previous Sentences: This GENERALIZES from the specific Caruso example to the broader principle. We're moving from "here's what happened" to "here's why this matters generally." Visualization: Analog recording limitations = 5 major problems; Digital recording limitations = 2 minor problems Reading Strategy Insight: The passage is expanding scope logically: specific example → general principle. The word "Although" signals fairness, not contradiction. What We Know So Far: Digital processing can improve old recordings; digital is generally superior to analog What We Don't Know Yet: What are analog's specific limitations? How exactly does digital work? |
Why It's Wrong:
• The first paragraph doesn't introduce a "general thesis" - it presents a specific, concrete example of Caruso's recording
• A thesis would be a broad theoretical statement, but the paragraph focuses on one particular case
• The passage structure moves from specific example to general explanation, not from general thesis to elaboration
Common Student Mistakes:
1. Doesn't the claim about digital being "superior" count as a general thesis?
→ This claim comes at the END of the first paragraph after the specific example, and serves as a transition rather than the main function
1. Isn't everything that follows an elaboration of digital superiority?
→ The rest explains the technical process behind the example, not theoretical principles
Why It's Wrong:
• The first paragraph presents a success story and solution, not a problem
• The Caruso recording was IMPROVED dramatically - this shows the solution working, not a problem
• The passage discusses limitations of both analog and digital systems, but these are technical challenges, not the central "problem" the passage addresses
Common Student Mistakes:
1. Isn't the poor quality of old recordings a problem?
→ The paragraph shows this problem was SOLVED, making it a success example rather than a problem presentation
1. Don't the later paragraphs discuss recording problems?
→ They explain technical limitations to provide balanced analysis, not to solve a problem introduced in paragraph 1
Why It's Wrong:
• The first paragraph doesn't describe the traditional wax-cylinder process in detail
• The focus is on the END RESULT (superior sound) and the digital solution, not on contrasting processes
• The actual process comparison happens in paragraphs 2-3, not paragraph 1
Common Student Mistakes:
1. Doesn't mentioning "ancient" wax-cylinder process count as describing traditional process?
→ This is just brief context; the paragraph doesn't explain how wax-cylinder recording works
1. Isn't saying digital is "superior" the same as contrasting unfavorably?
→ The comparison/contrast is not the primary function - it's the dramatic result that's emphasized
Why It's Right:
• The Caruso example demonstrates the impressive potential of digital processing in a concrete, compelling way
• The transformation from poor old recording to "far superior" sound is genuinely dramatic
• The rest of the passage explains the technical details behind this impressive demonstration
• This creates reader engagement through a striking real-world example before diving into technical explanation
Key Evidence: "It is now possible to hear a recording of Caruso's singing that is far superior to any made during his lifetime" - this dramatic claim showcases what the digital process can achieve, with the technical explanation following in subsequent paragraphs.
Why It's Wrong:
• The Caruso recording improvement is presented as a recent achievement using existing technology, not as a historic catalyst
• The passage doesn't suggest that this particular incident sparked the development of digital recording
• Digital recording technology preceded this specific application to Caruso's recordings
Common Student Mistakes:
1. Isn't processing a decades-old recording a historic incident?
→ "Historic incident" in this context means an event that triggered later developments, not just something involving old materials
1. Didn't this show the potential that led to further digital development?
→ The passage presents this as an application of already-developed technology, not as the spark for development