PT123.S4.P1.Q6

PrepTest 123 - Section 4 - Passage 1 - Question 6

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P1

For decades, there has been a deep rift between poetry and fiction in the United States, especially in academic settings; graduate writing programs in universities, for example, train students as poets or as writers of fiction, but almost never as both. …

Intro topic · Rift between worlds of poetry and fiction
Both poets and writers of fiction have tended to support this separation, in large part because the current conventional wisdom holds that poetry should be elliptical and lyrical, reflecting inner states and processes of thought or feeling, whereas character and narrative events are the stock-in-trade of fiction.

Some writers' perspective · There should be a rift
Reason: poetry and fiction emphasize different features
P2

Certainly it is true that poetry and fiction are distinct genres, but why have specialized education and literary territoriality resulted from this distinction? The answer lies perhaps in a widespread attitude in U.S. culture, which often casts a suspicious eye on the generalist. Those with knowledge and expertise in multiple areas risk charges of dilettantism, as if ability in one field is diluted or compromised by accomplishment in another.

Author's hypothesis · For why the rift really exists
Those who work in multiple fields at once are viewed as less capable or serious
P3

Fortunately, there are signs that the bias against writers who cross generic boundaries is diminishing; several recent writers are known and respected for their work in both genres. …

Change in others' perspectives · Some writers of both poetry and fiction are respected
Note author's attitude: this change is fortunate
One important example of this trend is Rita Dove, an African American writer highly acclaimed for both her poetry and her fiction. …
Example · Respected poetry/fiction writer
Rita Dove
A few years ago, speaking at a conference entitled "Poets Who Write Fiction," Dove expressed gentle incredulity about the habit of segregating the genres. She had grown up reading and loving both fiction and poetry, she said, unaware of any purported danger lurking in attempts to mix the two. She also studied for some time in Germany, where, she observes, "Poets write plays, novelists compose libretti, playwrights write novels—they would not understand our restrictiveness."

Dove's perspective · Rift between poetry and fiction is unnecessary
P4

It makes little sense, Dove believes, to persist in the restrictive approach to poetry and fiction prevalent in the U.S., because each genre shares in the nature of the other. …

Dove's perspective · There should be no rift between poetry and fiction
Builds on Dove's perspective from the previous paragraph; not only is the rift unnecessary, but it's a senseless idea
Indeed, her poetry offers example after example of what can only be properly regarded as lyric narrative. Her use of language in these poems is undeniably lyrical—that is, it evokes emotion and inner states without requiring the reader to organize ideas or events in a particular linear structure. Yet this lyric expression simultaneously presents the elements of a plot in such a way that the reader is led repeatedly to take account of clusters of narrative details within the lyric flow. Thus while the language is lyrical, it often comes to constitute, cumulatively, a work of narrative fiction. Similarly, many passages in her fiction, though undeniably prose, achieve the status of lyric narrative through the use of poetic rhythms and elliptical expression. In short, Dove bridges the gap between poetry and fiction not only by writing in both genres, but also by fusing the two genres within individual works.

Author's support for Dove's perspective · Dove blends lyrical (poetic) and narrative (fiction) elements
Passage Style
Single position
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6.

In the context of the passage, the author's primary purpose in mentioning Dove's experience in Germany (last sentence of the third paragraph) is to

a

suggest that the habit of treating poetry and fiction as nonoverlapping domains is characteristic of English-speaking societies but not others

The author doesn’t bring up Germany as an example of how non-English-speaking societies treat poetry and fiction. There’s no suggestion that other non-English-speaking societies besides Germany also combine different genres.

14%
b

point to an experience that reinforced Dove's conviction that poetry and fiction should not be rigidly separated

This best capture the purpose. Germany is mentioned along with Rita’s childhood as some of her experiences that showed combining poetry and fiction is allowed.

80%
c

indicate that Dove's strengths as a writer derive in large part from the international character of her academic background

The author never suggests that Dove’s strengths derive in part from her international experience. Germany is simply mentioned as one place she saw that combining genres was allowed.

2%
d

present an illuminating biographical detail about Dove in an effort to enhance the human interest appeal of the passage

The reference to Germany isn’t simply to make the passage more interesting. It’s part of giving context to Dove’s belief that combining poetry and fiction is allowed.

0%
e

indicate what Dove believes to be the origin of her opposition to the separation of fiction and poetry in the U.S.

“Origin” is unsupported. The author doesn’t suggest that Dove thought her experience in Germany is where she first recognized that fiction and poetry can be combined. In fact, Dove “had grown up reading and loving both poetry and fiction.” So there’s evidence Dove might say her childhood experience is the origin of her opposition to separating fiction and poetry.

4%

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