As a young photographer in the 1950s, William Klein ________ the conventions of photography by creating images that were high...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
As a young photographer in the 1950s, William Klein ________ the conventions of photography by creating images that were high contrast and included blurred and distorted elements—features generally seen as flaws. So unorthodox was Klein's work that he had difficulty finding a publisher for his now-iconic 1956 photo book Life is Good & Good for You in New York.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
reviewed
defied
respected
prevented
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'As a young photographer in the 1950s, William Klein' |
|
| '[MISSING WORD/PHRASE]' |
|
| 'the conventions of photography by creating images that were high contrast and included blurred and distorted elements' |
|
| 'features generally seen as flaws' |
|
| 'So unorthodox was Klein's work that he had difficulty finding a publisher for his now-iconic 1956 photo book Life is Good & Good for You in New York.' |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: William Klein challenged photography conventions in the 1950s by embracing techniques considered flawed, creating unorthodox work that was initially rejected but later became iconic.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Based on our analysis, Klein created images with 'features generally seen as flaws' and his work was 'so unorthodox'
- This suggests Klein was going against or challenging photography conventions, not following them
- The word should indicate that Klein acted in opposition to conventional photography practices by using techniques that were considered flawed
reviewed
reviewed
✗ Incorrect
- 'Reviewed' means to examine or assess something
- This doesn't create the oppositional relationship needed between Klein and photography conventions
- The passage shows Klein went against conventions, not just examined them
defied
defied
✓ Correct
- 'Defied' means to openly resist or refuse to obey
- This perfectly captures Klein's oppositional relationship to photography conventions
- Matches our prethinking about Klein challenging established standards by using 'flawed' techniques
respected
respected
✗ Incorrect
- 'Respected' means to admire or have regard for
- This creates the opposite relationship from what the passage describes
- What trap this represents: Students might choose this if they misread the passage or focused only on Klein being a photographer without noticing the 'unorthodox' and 'flaws' language
prevented
prevented
✗ Incorrect
- 'Prevented' means to stop something from happening
- This doesn't make logical sense - Klein couldn't prevent conventions that already existed
- The passage shows Klein working within photography while challenging its standards, not stopping conventions entirely