PT125.S1.P3.Q19

PrepTest 125 - Section 1 - Passage 3 - Question 19

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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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19.

The passage provides sufficient information ██ ██████ █████ ███ ██ ███ █████████ ██████████

a

What were some ██ ███ ██████████ ██ ███████ █████ █████ ████ ████ █████████ ██ ███ █████████

This is answered in P1: gliding steps and an emphasis on improvisation.

76%
b

Who was the █████ █████████ ██ █████ ███ ████████ ███████████████

The passage doesn’t offer an answer to this. The only performer named is Walker, and the author doesn’t suggested that she was the first professional performer.

2%
c

What is an ██████ ██ ███ ████████ ████ ███ █████████ ██ █████ █████ ████████ █████ ██████

The passage doesn’t offer an answer to this. The only other North American dances mentioned in the passage are some other African American dances, and the author doesn’t suggest that they were influenced by the cakewalk at any point.

2%
d

What features were █████ ██ ███ ████████ ████████ ██ ███ █████ ████████ ███████████ ██ ███ ███ ██ ███ ██████████ ████████

The passage doesn’t offer an answer to this. The author states that the cakewalk was being parodied at this time and that those parodies in turn influenced the dance, but he doesn’t indicate what features were added.

19%
e

For about how ████ █████ ████ ███ █████████ ███████ ███ ███ ████████ ██████ ██████ ████████

The passage doesn’t offer an answer to this. The author only discusses the cakewalk’s popularity through the turn of the 20th century. It’s unclear if, or for how long, the cakewalk remained popular past then.

1%

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