GRE 2022 For Dummies with Online Practice. Ron Woldoff

href="#fb3_img_img_976ea016-ff21-5867-b499-ee45ad3272cd.png" alt="Play"/> 12. Which one of the following most accurately states the main idea of the passage?

       Nishiwaki was a Japanese poet who rebelled against the strictures of his country’s government and protested its policies toward Europe during World War II.

       Nishiwaki was a Japanese poet and literary critic who embraced European literature as a way of rebelling against the constraints of his family and traditional Japanese culture.

       Nishiwaki was a Japanese poet and professor who spent his life trying to convince young Japanese students that European literary forms were superior to Japanese poetic styles.

       Nishiwaki was a Japanese poet and linguist who throughout his life chose to write in English rather than Japanese.

       Nishiwaki was a Japanese poet and scholar who spent his life specializing in European literature, which proved tremendously influential to his own work.

      A process of elimination reveals the correct answer. Choice (A) is wrong: Though Nishiwaki did protest against his country’s fascist policies during World War II, this fact isn’t the main idea of the passage. Choice (B) is flat-out wrong: Although the first paragraph discusses Nishiwaki’s departure from family and his country’s literary insularity, the word rebelling is too harsh. Choice (C) is also wrong: The passage doesn’t say that he tried to convince his students one way or the other. Choice (D) is wrong: The passage states only that his first book was in English and many others were in Japanese. Correct answer: Choice (E).

      13. The author’s attitude toward Nishiwaki’s life and career can be best described as

       Scholarly interest in the life and works of a significant literary figure

       Mild surprise at Nishiwaki’s choosing to write poetry in a language foreign to him

       Open admiration for Nishiwaki’s ability to function in several languages

       Skepticism toward Nishiwaki’s motives in refusing to write poetry during the Second World War

       Envy of Nishiwaki’s success in publishing and academia

      Choices (B), (D), and (E) are wrong because the passage doesn’t reflect surprise, skepticism, or envy. Choices (A) and (C) remain, but you can eliminate Choice (C): The passage is objective, not admiring, and Nishiwaki’s multilingual ability is a supporting detail to his accomplishments. The correct answer is Choice (A).

      14. The primary function of the first paragraph is to

       Describe Nishiwaki’s brief study of painting

       Introduce Nishiwaki and his lifelong interest in European culture

       Summarize Nishiwaki’s contribution to Japanese literature

       Explain why a Japanese man chose to specialize in English literature

       Analyze European contributions to Japanese culture at the start of the 20th century

After rereading the first paragraph, you know that in a nutshell it introduces Nishiwaki as one who worked to bridge the literature gap separating Japan from Europe and America. It also summarizes Nishiwaki’s interest in art through college and his early career years afterward. Most importantly, the first paragraph sets the stage for the rest of the essay. Armed with this perspective, only one possible answer remains: Choice (B).

      15. Select the sentence in the third paragraph that explains why Nishiwaki stopped writing poetry during World War II.

      Like most select-a-sentence questions, look for the correct sentence buried in the passage. Correct answer: “Angered by the Japanese government’s fascist policies, Nishiwaki refused to write poetry during the Second World War.”

      16. The passage is primarily concerned with

       Comparing Nishiwaki’s poetry to that of other Japanese poets of the 20th century

       Discussing the role of the avant-garde movement in Nishiwaki’s writing

       Providing a brief biography of Nishiwaki that explains the significance of his work

       Explaining why writers can benefit from studying literature from other countries

       Describing the transformation in Japanese poetic style during the post-war period

      The key words in this question are primarily concerned with. The passage may suggest some of the points listed, but its primary concern is more explicit. Choice (A) is wrong because the author doesn’t mention the work of other Japanese poets. Choice (B) is wrong because although the avant-garde movement was influential to Nishiwaki’s writing, this point is hardly the primary concern. Choice (C) looks about right, but check the others just in case. Choice (D) is wrong because the author doesn’t mention the benefits of studying foreign literature. Choice (E) is wrong because the passage doesn’t mention changes in Japanese poetic style after the war. Correct answer: Choice (C).

      17. According to the passage, which one of the following types of literature did not greatly interest Nishiwaki? Consider each of the three choices separately and select all that apply.

       Old and Middle English literature such as Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales

       Classical Greek works such as Antigone

       Classical Japanese literature such as The Tale of Genji

      From the first paragraph, you know that Nishiwaki’s real love was English literature. From the second paragraph, you know that Nishiwaki spent his time at Oxford reading Old and Middle English and classical Greek and Latin. However, even though he may have had some interest in Japanese literature, it didn’t greatly interest him as the question states. Only one correct answer: Choice (C).

      18. Select the sentence in the second paragraph that explains why Nishiwaki chose to write his first published poems in English.

      Though