The timing of abstract art's emergence has long been debated among art historians. Maria Hendricks' comprehensive analysis of paintings from...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The timing of abstract art's emergence has long been debated among art historians. Maria Hendricks' comprehensive analysis of paintings from 1880 to 1910 reveals a clear progression from realistic depictions to increasingly stylized works that prioritized emotional expression over literal representation. Based on this evidence, Hendricks contends that abstract art developed gradually from earlier movements, with artists slowly abandoning representational elements throughout the late 19th century as they explored pure form and color. Rather than emerging suddenly in the early 20th century, abstract art appears to have been the culmination of decades of artistic experimentation.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
It describes a methodology mentioned in the sentence that follows.
It responds to the question posed in the previous sentence.
It challenges an assumption made in the sentence that follows.
It identifies gaps in the research described in the previous sentence.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'The timing of abstract art's emergence has long been debated among art historians.' |
|
| 'Maria Hendricks' comprehensive analysis of paintings from 1880 to 1910 reveals a clear progression from realistic depictions to increasingly stylized works that prioritized emotional expression over literal representation.' |
|
| 'Based on this evidence, Hendricks contends that abstract art developed gradually from earlier movements, with artists slowly abandoning representational elements throughout the late 19th century as they explored pure form and color.' |
|
| 'Rather than emerging suddenly in the early 20th century, abstract art appears to have been the culmination of decades of artistic experimentation.' |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Maria Hendricks' research suggests abstract art developed gradually over decades rather than emerging suddenly in the early 20th century.
Argument Flow: The passage opens with an ongoing scholarly debate about when abstract art emerged. It then presents Hendricks' specific research analyzing paintings across three decades, which leads to her evidence-based conclusion that abstract art developed gradually through experimentation rather than appearing suddenly.
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
- The underlined sentence presents Hendricks' conclusion based on her research evidence
- This sentence directly addresses the timing debate introduced in the opening
- It takes the research data from the previous sentence and uses it to stake out a position on the central question
- The correct answer should show how this sentence connects Hendricks' evidence to the original timing debate - it's her answer to the question posed at the start
It describes a methodology mentioned in the sentence that follows.
- Claims the sentence describes a methodology that follows
- The underlined sentence presents Hendricks' conclusion, not research methods
- No methodology is described in the sentence that follows
It responds to the question posed in the previous sentence.
- The opening sentence poses a question about abstract art's timing
- The underlined sentence gives Hendricks' evidence-based answer to that exact timing question
- This perfectly matches how the sentence functions - connecting research to the central debate
It challenges an assumption made in the sentence that follows.
- Claims it challenges an assumption in the following sentence
- The next sentence actually supports and reinforces the underlined sentence's point
- No challenging relationship exists between these consecutive sentences
It identifies gaps in the research described in the previous sentence.
- Claims it identifies research gaps from the previous sentence
- The previous sentence presented Hendricks' comprehensive research findings
- The underlined sentence builds on that research rather than pointing out what's missing