PT125.S1.P3.Q16

PrepTest 125 - Section 1 - Passage 3 - Question 16

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P1

Aida Overton Walker (1880–1914), one of the most widely acclaimed African American performers of the early twentieth century, was known largely for popularizing a dance form known as the cakewalk through her choreographing, performance, and teaching of the dance. ███

Intro topic · How Walker popularized the cakewalk dance
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Details of cakewalk · Origins and key characteristics
Originated by African Americans before Civil War, based on West African dances
P2

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More details of cakewalk · European elements added which contrast with African elements
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Consequences of Euro influences · Originally parody of European dance, but ended up appealing to European Americans
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Evolution of cakewalk · Parodied by European Americans
Started as African American parody of European American dancing; developed into European American parody of African American dancing
P3

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Author's perspective · on cakewalk's success
Cakewalk's broad, cross-cultural appeal was important and necessary to its success, given the socioeconomic conditions of the time
P4

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Author's perspective · on Walker's role in cakewalk's success
Walker popularized cakewalk by meeting different audiences' expectations
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Example · of how Walker appealed to one audience
Walker's version of the cakewalk was refined and graceful, appealing to middle-class African Americans
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Another example · of how Walker appealed to a second audience
Walker's version of the cakewalk was considered authentic, appealing to middle- and upper-class European Americans
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Final example · of how Walker appealed to a third audience
Walker's version of the cakewalk had certain elements ("grand flourishes") that appealed to newly rich audiences
Passage Style
Single position
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16.

The passage asserts which one ██ ███ █████████ █████ ███ █████████

a

It was largely ███████ ███████ ███████ ████████ ███████ █████ ██████ ███████████ ███

Not stated. We know from P2 that the cakewalk became popular with European Americans after it started adding elements of European dances. And while Walker was important in popularizing the cakewalk across cultures, nothing in the passage suggests that the Walker was the one to introduce the dance to European Americans or any other culture.

4%
b

It was mainly █ ████ ██████ ███ ██████ ██████ ███ ██ ████ █ ███████ ██ ██████ ██ ███████ ██ ███████████████

Anti-supported. The cakewalk wasn’t “mainly” a folk dance. While it was based on traditional West African dances, the author explains in P2 and P3 how it was very much a fusion of African and European influences. Also, the author never suggests how many people performed it professionally.

1%
c

Its performance as ██████ ██████ ████████ ██ █ ██████ ██ ████████ ██████████████ ██ ███ █████████ █████

Not stated. The author states that Walker emphasized three specific things about the cakewalk (grace, authenticity, and flourish), none of which necessarily involve parody. But that doesn’t suggest that Walker’s version of the dance was any less a parody, or that the dance’s performance as parody in general became uncommon because of her.

2%
d

Its West African ███████ ██████ ████████ █████ ██ █ ██████ ██ ████████ █████

Not stated. The author never discusses how widely its origins were known, before or after Walker’s work.

2%
e

It was one ██ ███ █████ ████████ █████ ██ █████ ██████ █████ ██ ███ ██████ ███████

Stated in P2.

91%

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