PrepTest 78, Passage 2, Question 11
Transcript
The passage suggests that Taruskin's position commits him to which one of the following views? So this is an inference question. So we're gonna rely on the information presented to us directly in the passage, to figure out what we can infer. So passage one gives us sort of an introduction to Taruskin's views, who believed that art was a means through which society's dominate classes imposed it's views.
So the correct answer here to our question is C. If art endures, high art that appears to undermine the ideology of the elite actually supports that ideology in some way. So we need to tie in some of that information from the passage to fully support this as our answer choice. So the author gives us some context or some insight into, Taruskin's position in the third paragraph of passage.
So the author lays out there that Taruskin's position is primarily based on two assumptions. Those assumptions that there was some sort of consensus among the elite about their values and that the artists commissioned by the elite patrons did not subvert those values for their own reasons. So by positioning Taruskin's argument in this way, the author is further solidifying that Taruskin and his colleagues, so those who supported his point of view as well, believe that enduring art in some way reflected the ideology of the elite.
Even though these possibilities existed, that there was no general consensus about the values, and that the artist possibly could have subverted the ideology of the elite for their own devices, so this is the correct answer. Of note though is that most of the incorrect answer choices in the session, so A, B and E make references to sort of the most talented artists. Which isn't really discussed.
That nuance isn't discussed in the passage. We're just talking about artists who were commissioned by the elite and there's really no discussion on some of the caliber and if there was a difference in caliber there. But this answer choice or this concept appears in three separate answer choices. So, don't be tempted because this answer choice constantly appears in the answer choice set.
It's not in the passage so we're not looking for it in our answer choice so don't fall for the trick. Again, the correct answer here is C as it accurately reflects the positioning of Taruskin's argument.
Read full transcriptSo the correct answer here to our question is C. If art endures, high art that appears to undermine the ideology of the elite actually supports that ideology in some way. So we need to tie in some of that information from the passage to fully support this as our answer choice. So the author gives us some context or some insight into, Taruskin's position in the third paragraph of passage.
So the author lays out there that Taruskin's position is primarily based on two assumptions. Those assumptions that there was some sort of consensus among the elite about their values and that the artists commissioned by the elite patrons did not subvert those values for their own reasons. So by positioning Taruskin's argument in this way, the author is further solidifying that Taruskin and his colleagues, so those who supported his point of view as well, believe that enduring art in some way reflected the ideology of the elite.
Even though these possibilities existed, that there was no general consensus about the values, and that the artist possibly could have subverted the ideology of the elite for their own devices, so this is the correct answer. Of note though is that most of the incorrect answer choices in the session, so A, B and E make references to sort of the most talented artists. Which isn't really discussed.
That nuance isn't discussed in the passage. We're just talking about artists who were commissioned by the elite and there's really no discussion on some of the caliber and if there was a difference in caliber there. But this answer choice or this concept appears in three separate answer choices. So, don't be tempted because this answer choice constantly appears in the answer choice set.
It's not in the passage so we're not looking for it in our answer choice so don't fall for the trick. Again, the correct answer here is C as it accurately reflects the positioning of Taruskin's argument.
