The Frankenstein Monster Is The Most Recognizable Character GMAT Reading Comprehension

Reading Passage Question

The Frankenstein monster is the most recognizable character in the horror genre, if not in all of fiction. Beneath the endless Hollywood adaptations and 5) campy TV shows lies one of the great philosophical and prophetic works of the nineteenth century. While present generations associate the name Frankenstein with the image of Boris 10) Karloff's movie portrayal of the monster, Mary Shelley's story of the mad doctor Victor Frankenstein is best known to serious readers as a cautionary tale of the danger of man's scientific hubris. 15) From a horrifying dream during the summer of 1816, Shelley conceived the story in which Victor Frankenstein creates a man from body parts gathered from the dead. The clear clash of science 20) and nature ensues. The book, originally published anonymously, is structured to refute science and technology's attack on nature, and the most eloquent arguments come from the mouth of the monster 25) himself. For seven brilliant and captivating chapters he tells his story and pleads his case for a companion. His point is clear: man should not create that for which he is not ready to take 30) responsibility. The mad doctor ultimately refuses to create a mate for the monster, and Shelley portrays the horrifying consequences of man's abdication of responsibility and of 35) arrogantly overstepping the bounds of nature.

If Frankenstein were merely the story of a monster run amok, we likely wouldn't know of it today. Its enduring appeal can 40) best be attributed to the relevance of the themes infused throughout the narrative: alienation of the outcast; the role of visual appearance in society; science versus nature; and technology as man's 45) salvation. These themes have only grown in importance since the novel's publication in 1818. The seriousness and complexity of these issues, so magically and prophetically synthesized in 50) Shelley's tale of terror, account for the inability to capture in cinematic form the deep philosophical richness of the book. It can only be hoped that the visual adaptations will not entirely eclipse in 55) the public's mind the genius of the original masterpiece.

“The Frankenstein monster is the most recognizable character”- is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates must have a solid grasp on English GMAT reading comprehension. There are four comprehension questions in this GMAT Reading Comprehension section. GMAT Reading Comprehension questions are designed to evaluate candidates' abilities to comprehend, analyze, and apply information or concepts. Candidates can actively prepare by answering GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.

Solutions and Explanation

1. The passage suggests that the author would most likely agree with which of the following statements?

1. No artistic work can be successfully adapted from one medium into another.
2. The resonance of thematic elements can contribute to the current relevance of an artistic work.
3. An artistic work that does not gain critical acclaim during its period of origin cannot appeal to successive generations.
4. An artistic work that is likely to shock the sensibilities of its original audience should be presented anonymously.
5. The complexity and seriousness of an artistic work is directly related to its prophetic capabilities.

2. According to the author, "The clear clash of science and nature" is one of the major elements of Frankenstein that

1. is mainly responsible for the current popularity of the cinematic adaptations of that work
2. is absent from the cinematic adaptations of that work
3. forced its author to publish that work anonymously
4. is less relevant today than it was at the time that work was first published
5. has contributed to the enduring appeal of that work

3. The passage is primarily concerned with

1. praising a work of art and voicing concern over its possible obsolescence
2. describing the process by which works of art are degraded when adapted to different forms
3. outlining the origin of a masterpiece of world literature
4. arguing that the human race will face serious consequences for arrogantly overstepping the bounds of nature
5. paying tribute to an art form that has been overshadowed by a more recent art form

4. The passage implies that each of the following are relevant aspects of the current era EXCEPT:

1. the belief in the power of technology to aid the human condition
2. the appreciation of artistic seriousness and complexity
3. the opposition between science and nature
4. the physical appearance of societal members
5. the isolation of individuals from society

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