Dorian passed listlessly in front of his picture and turned towards it. When he saw it he drew back, and...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Dorian passed listlessly in front of his picture and turned towards it. When he saw it he drew back, and his cheeks flushed for a moment with pleasure. A look of joy came into his eyes, as if he had recognized himself for the first time. He stood there motionless and in wonder, dimly conscious that Hallward was speaking to him, but not catching the meaning of his words. The sense of his own beauty came on him like a revelation. He had never felt it before.
According to the text, what is true about Dorian?
He wants to know Hallward's opinion of the portrait.
He is delighted by what he sees in the portrait.
He prefers portraits to other types of paintings.
He is uncertain of Hallward's talent as an artist.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Dorian passed listlessly in front of his picture and turned towards it." |
|
| "When he saw it he drew back, and his cheeks flushed for a moment with pleasure." |
|
| "A look of joy came into his eyes, as if he had recognized himself for the first time." |
|
| "He stood there motionless and in wonder, dimly conscious that Hallward was speaking to him, but not catching the meaning of his words." |
|
| "The sense of his own beauty came on him like a revelation. He had never felt it before." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Dorian experiences overwhelming delight and self-discovery when he first sees his portrait, realizing his own beauty for the first time.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? We need to identify what is true about Dorian based on the text.
Content Genre: Historical Literature
Content Format: Text-only
Question Type: Central Ideas and Details
Language Complexity: Moderate
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
The correct answer needs to capture Dorian's reaction to seeing the portrait. From our analysis, we know that he had strong positive physical reactions, experienced joy and wonder, was completely absorbed by what he saw, and this was a revelatory experience about his own beauty.
He wants to know Hallward's opinion of the portrait.
He wants to know Hallward's opinion of the portrait.
✗ Incorrect
- This suggests Dorian is focused on the artist's thoughts
- The passage shows the opposite - he's completely absorbed in his own reaction, not seeking Hallward's opinion
He is delighted by what he sees in the portrait.
He is delighted by what he sees in the portrait.
✓ Correct
- Perfectly matches our textual evidence: cheeks flushed with pleasure, look of joy, motionless and in wonder
- The word delighted captures both the pleasure and joy described in the passage
He prefers portraits to other types of paintings.
He prefers portraits to other types of paintings.
✗ Incorrect
- The passage makes no comparison between portraits and other art forms
- We only see his reaction to this one specific portrait of himself
He is uncertain of Hallward's talent as an artist.
He is uncertain of Hallward's talent as an artist.
✗ Incorrect
- His reaction shows wonder and revelation, not uncertainty about the artist's skill
- His focus is entirely on his own beauty, not on evaluating Hallward's artistic ability