Matisse and Picasso; Picasso and Matisse. Throughout the twentieth century, this pairing has been touted
as the quintessential artistic rivalry. In Matisse and Picasso, Yve-Alain Bois follows Hubert Damisch in
proposing that the interaction between Picasso and Matisse should be seen as a dynamic game rather than a
static conflict of artistic polarities. Bois employs the
5 metaphor of chess, arguing that the game represents the artists' exchange as "a competitive rivalry and a
complex temporality" that can be viewed both as a linear process and a simultaneous structure.
But the metaphor of a competitive sport, however complex and intellectually rich, is misleading. The two
artists were engaged not just in competition (even friendly competition)
10
but also in friendly dialogue. The two men were more than rivals: they were colleagues, critics, teachers, and
occasional friends. A better model, though perhaps one with less flash, is that of a simple conversation, with
all the rich variation and shifts in motivation and tone that are possible.
Picasso's Large Nude in a Red Armchair marks the extremes of the artist's combativeness
15
towards Matisse. The painting is a clear parody of Matisse's earlier Odalisque with a Tambourine. The
composition of the figures is strikingly similar: a woman lounges in an armchair at the center of the painting,
arm raised above her head, decorative wallpaper behind her. Both paintings feature vivid color contrasts, with
green wallpaper, vivid reds, glaring yellows, and rich browns. But Picasso's painting, finished in 1929, mocks
the achievements of Matisse's
20 earlier work. The sensuous, rich mood of Matisse's painting has been transformed in Picasso's work into
something harsh and grotesque.
The other extreme of the dialogue between the two artists can be seen in Picasso's Woman with Yellow
Hair and Matisse's response, The Dream. The exchange begins with Picasso's work, in 1931. The painting
depicts a woman asleep on her arms, resting on a table. She is full,
25
rich, warm, and curved, her head and arms forming a graceful arabesque. This image seems a direct attempt to
master Matisse's style and to suggest to the older artist new directions for his work. While there may well be
an edge of competitiveness to the painting, a sense that Picasso was demonstrating his ability to do Matisse's
work, it remains in large part a helpful hint.
Matisse, nearly a decade later, continues the conversation in a similar tone. In The Dream
30
of 1940, he proposes a revision of Picasso's work. Again, a woman lies asleep on a table, her arm tucked
beneath her head. Matisse accepts Picasso's basic suggestions for his style: sinuous curves, volumes, and
shocking uses of color to express an effect. But Matisse also modifies the earlier work significantly. Color is
no longer rigidly tied to form, as bits of fuchsia seep outside the thick black line marking the outline of the
table and the patch of yellow on the woman's
35
blouse refuses to be contained by the drawn line. Matisse uses Picasso's same palette of red, purple, white,
black, and yellow to create this revision, editing out only the garish green, as if to chide Picasso for the
choice. The brilliant interplay of colors in Matisse's work is far more sophisticated and subtle than that
offered by Picasso. "Thank you," Matisse seems to be saying, "but you missed a few spots."
19. The primary purpose of the passage is to
(A) discuss the two best painters of an epoch
(B) evaluate a theory and endorse a revision
(C) compare selected works of two masters
(D) show that Matisse's work is more sophisticated
(E) illustrate how Picasso taught Matisse
20. The author would most likely agree with which of the following statements?
(A) Artistic rivalries are more like Olympic competitions than professional sports.
(B) Artistic mastery is best demonstrated by employing multiple styles.
(C) Artists must be good conversationalists.
(D) Artistic rivalries can actually be reciprocally nourishing.
(E) Artistic rivalries generally last for decades.
21. According to the passage, which of the following describes Woman with Yellow Hair?
(A) It was parody of a work by Matisse.
(B) Its colors were not rigidly tied to its form.
(C) Its color palette was larger than that of The Dream.
(D) It was a response to a work by Matisse.
(E) It was harsh and grotesque.
22. The passage indicates that
(A) Large Nude in a Red Armchair conveyed a sensuous, rich mood
(B) Matisse verbally commented about Woman with Yellow Hair
(C) Matisse and Picasso were lifelong friends
(D) Matisse worked on The Dream for nearly a decade
(E) Matisse was older than Picasso
23. Which of the following, had it actually occurred during the artists' lifetimes, would further support the author's
thesis?
(A) A joint exhibition of the two artists' work.
(B) A radio broadcast of the two artists discussing painting.
(C) A movie that dramatized the competition between the two artists.
(D) A play that depicted the two artists playing chess.
(E) A painting of the two artists.
Questions 24–28 are based on the following reading passage.
Often taking a prominent position over a whiteboard or across a wall, timelines are one of the most
commonplace classroom tools used to teach history. They present a concise chronology with dates and events
listed in a linear narrative, forming a skeletal story of history. Despite their usefulness in allowing students to
gain a cursory knowledge of many key
5 moments in the past, their bare-bones, fact-centered structure is symptomatic of the myopic character of
curricula that emphasize the What, When, and Who and eclipse the significance of Why and How.
In the United States, by far the most common brand and format of timeline is the World Almanac for
Kids US History Timeline—a banner set of 8 horizontal panels each with
10
8 events, beginning with Columbus's voyage in 1492 and ending with Clinton's election in 1993. This timeline
has photos accompanying it—about 5–6 per panel—next to most of the dates, and below each date is a 1–2
line description of an event that took place in that year. What immediately commands one's attention when
looking at this timeline are the dates themselves. Bolder and more prominently placed than anything else, they
seem implied to
15 be the most important feature of the timeline—even more so than the events' descriptions. The way the dates
line up in perfect order presents the viewer with a rigid historical narrative, complete with a beginning and end.
To analyze any particular timeline, it is important to recognize what the timeline expresses implicitly.
The first implicit message transmitted by the World Almanac for Kids US History
20
Timeline is that each event listed on the timeline's face must hold some kind of particular historical
significance to qualify as one of only 64 pieces of American history presented, though no event's entry gives
even a vague explanation as to why it merits this. The second message the timeline conveys, simply by hanging
in the classroom, is that this version of history is an "official" one. Third, that each of these events happened
totally independent of one another.
25
Fourth, that, at most, only one significant event occurred in any given year. And finally, that American history
is entirely made up of wars and minor battles, punctuated by the occasional presidential election and
technological innovation. Now, certainly, one can easily surmise that the timeline is not conscious of these
implications, and instead assumes that the viewer will automatically acknowledge that it is not a
comprehensive history but rather a simple summary
30 of events through time. The danger of using the timeline as a teaching tool, of course, lies squarely in that
assumption.
24. The author implies which of the following?
(A) Dates are not important in history.
(B) Historical events are not interconnected.
(C) Implicit messages can be as important as explicit ones.
(D) A study of American history that does not include women and minorities is incomplete.
(E) American history is best thought of as a linear continuum of events.
25. The author's attitude toward timelines can best be described as
(A) condescending and impertinent
(B) tolerant and bemused
(C) suspicious and resigned
(D) wary and portentous
(E) negative and complacent
26. The author would most likely agree with all of the following EXCEPT:
(A) There are more than 64 important events in American history.
(B) Some students ascribe importance to prominent graphic position.
(C) Timelines have some positive uses.
(D) Timelines have no subliminal effects.
(E) Unofficial histories have merit.
27. According to the passage, a problem with timelines is
(A) their prominent placement in classrooms
(B) their lack of context
(C) their infinite nature
(D) their factual inaccuracy
(E) their inclusion of photos
28. Which of the following could be substituted for the word myopic without changing the meaning of the passage?
(A) ignorant
(B) bigoted
(C) purblind
(D) astigmatic
(E) mordant
Questions 29–34 are based on the following reading passage.
As queen of France, Marie Antoinette suffered what were likely the harshest criticisms ever laid against
any queen or mistress in France's long history. There were two major factors that combined to propagate this
dark new level of acidic criticism—one was the blooming public sphere, and the second was the scandalous
"Diamond Necklace Affair."
5
Literacy rose greatly over the course of the 18th century and, not coincidentally, the annual output of
printed publications tripled by the end of Louis XV's reign and expanded exponentially throughout Louis
XVI's kingship. Royal censorship had also been greatly reduced by this time, and a massive "black market" for
books and extremely popular underground publications flourished during this period. Also, coffeehouse
culture and print culture collided
10 during the mid-to-late 1700's, giving Parisians open forums in which to share the gossips and criticisms
circulating via the underground pamphlets.
Having endless numbers of pamphlets and an equally infinite number of readers eager to snap them up
would be no good without a juicy story, however. This, of course, was exactly what the people received with
the Diamond Necklace Affair. On August 11th, 1784, a social
15
climber named Rohan and a prostitute named Nicole Leguay met in the gardens of Versailles. Nicole was a
stunning look-alike of Marie Antoinette, and she was indeed believed to be the queen by Rohan that night. To
get on Marie's good side—a necessary evil for anyone with social ambitions at Versailles—Rohan was led to
believe that if he procured a fabulously bejeweled necklace on her behalf, it would be a great favor.
20
The scam was revealed when jewelers Boehmer and Bossange inquired directly to Marie Antoinette over
payment for the grandiose diamond necklace. They presented her with an invoice that she had apparently signed
(though it was actually a clever forgery). The queen was furious and had Rohan arrested and marched off to the
Bastille. Yet, in addition to the countless aristocrats who sued to the king on Rohan's behalf, at one point over
10,000 people came to
25 the doors of the Bastille demanding Rohan's release. He was eventually acquitted, much to the queen's dismay.
The consequences of this affair were severe for Marie Antoinette. The mere fact that the queen of France
could be so easily mistaken by a nobleman for a common street prostitute—one who engages in underhanded,
nocturnal dealings to obtain absurdly expensive jewelry—
30
was incredibly damaging to her already blackened reputation. Furthermore, as this hatred of the queen began to
boil over, it became inevitable that it would spill onto the monarchy itself. Though Marie would always be the
ultimate villainess, she could never be completely untangled from Louis and, thus, from the monarchy itself.
She was not a mistress who could be surreptitiously cut away or a political advisor who could be dismissed.
She was a queen, and
35 this fact had inescapable consequences.
29. The second paragraph of the passage serves to
(A) elucidate further the impetus for the public disdain for a public figure
(B) contrast two factors that spurred criticism of the queen
(C) explain the endemic corruption of the French court
(D) discuss the results of a famous scandal
(E) detail reasons for Marie Antoinette's unpopularity as well as the consequences
30. The passage implies that a significant proportion of the French aristocracy
(A) were jealous of the queen's riches
(B) read coffee house pamphlets
(C) proved more loyal to Rohan than to the queen
(D) were less literate than the general populace
(E) became leaders of the Revolution
31. According to the passage, readership of books and pamphlets increased in the late 18th century because
(A) the education of women nearly doubled the number of readers
(B) the literacy rate tripled during the reign of Louis XV
(C) there were more exciting scandals to write about than there had been in previous times
(D) government censorship had relaxed
(E) the number of coffee houses increased
Consider each of the answer choices separately and indicate all that apply.
32. According to the passage, Rohan
committed forgery
had social ambitions
had support from the populace
Consider each of the answer choices separately and indicate all that apply.
33. The author suggests that Marie Antoinette
undermined the monarchy
never met Rohan
had unlimited legal power
34. The author's tone could best be described as
arrogant and supercilious
prim and meretricious
thoughtful and disinterested
sober but lascivious
analytical but enthusiastic
Questions 35–39 are based on the following reading passage.
In John D'Emilio's essay "Capitalism and Gay Identity," he argues that the emergence of industrial
capitalism led to new opportunities for "free laborers" in the United States, leading to various beneficial
changes in social conditions. It is clear that there are two overarching themes emergent from D'Emilio's
argument about the effects of the onset of industrial capitalism:
5
the new abundance of independence, and choice for "free laborers." He implies throughout that these—
independence and choice—are the distinct new markers of the social conditions resultant from this economic
shift.
D'Emilio argues that capitalism empowers laborers as "free" in the sense that they are free to look for
jobs and to negotiate contracts and terms of labor. D'Emilio's critics suggest
10
that he largely sidesteps the problems that confound free labor ideology and limit the ability of workers to
openly negotiate contracts with employers and to accept or reject the conditions offered. The "contract
negotiations" cited as a sign of freedom by D'Emilio are often hardly negotiations at all, but rather highly
exploitative arrangements that workers have little ability to affect. From the first Lowell Girls all the way to
the modern third world garment works
15 described by Enloe's "Blue Jeans and Bankers," it is clear that for many—particularly women, minorities, and
immigrants—free labor has hardly been free at all.
Such critics also suggest the D'Emilio misrepresents the historical and continued significance of the
home. The shift from a home-based to an industrial economy—though indeed very drastic—was hardly as
absolute as D'Emilio suggests. Indeed, from nannying, to
20 housekeeping, to even the "home based jobs" described in "Blue Jeans and Bankers," labor is still a very active
part of the home even today.
In the essay "The Approaching Obsolesce of Housework: A Working-Class Perspective," Davis spends a
great deal of time discussing the continuation of labor in the home in stark contrast to the assertions of
D'Emilio. Where D'Emilio argues that industrial capitalism equated
25
to freedom from the home, Davis argues that it actually equated to thickening the bars that caged housewives
to the home as productive and reproductive labor split further and more distinctly apart. Davis argues that
women "were the losers in a double-sense: as their traditional jobs were usurped by the burgeoning factories,
the entire economy moved away from the home, leaving many women largely bereft of significant economic
roles."
35. The structure of the passage is best described as:
(A) A theory is described and supported by additional studies.
(B) A theory and a screed against it are provided.
(C) A theory is presented followed by a collection of opinions that impugn it.
(D) A theory is discussed and its author's credentials questioned.
(E) A theory is presented and ridiculed.
36. The passage suggests that one argument presented against D'Emilio's theory is based on
(A) communism
(B) identity politics
(C) ethnocentrism
(D) semantics
(E) sexism
37. In the second paragraph, the author mentions the Lowell Girls in order to
(A) illustrate how industrial capitalism eroded women's economic position
(B) challenge an assertion about the importance of home based economies
(C) rebut the arguments of D'Emilio's critics
(D) favorably contrast their position to that of third world garment workers
(E) support an assertion that workers' autonomy is more myth than reality
38. The passage suggests that Davis would be most likely to agree with which of the following?
(A) Industrial capitalism leads to independence and choice.
(B) Minorities in particular had little freedom of choice.
(C) People without economic roles are disadvantaged.
(D) Home-based jobs still account for a significant percentage of the overall economy.
(E) Domestic work should be paid.
39. Which of the following would provide the best title for the passage?
(A) Industrial Capitalism and the Oppression of Labor
(B) D'Emilio, Enloe, and Davis: A Reconciliation
(C) A Rejection of D'Emilio's Account of "Free Labor"
(D) Women's Sacrifices for Industrial Capitalism
(E) Industrial Capitalism and Freedom For All
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