Deck 48: High and Low Cultures in the West

Question 1

Western arts in the 20^th century

A) became more accessible to the ordinary person.
B) experienced a great burst of creativity.
C) became somewhat more affordable.
D) exhibited only a little variety.
E) was known most for its impressionism.

Answer 1

experienced a great burst of creativity.

Question 2

The greatest contribution of the radio and motion picture industries in their early years was

A) introducing audiences to new products.
B) providing escapist entertainment..
C) providing a forum for political campaigns.
D) allowing governments to explain their programs to the general public.
E) informing the general public about news events taking place throughout the world.

Answer 2

informing the general public about news events taking place throughout the world.

Question 3

How would you describe and differentiate between high and low culture? What general conclusions can be drawn regarding modern society and culture?

Answer 3

Answer not provided.

Question 4

A characteristic of 20^th century Western art forms was

A) a reverence for the great classical masters.
B) a timidity in attempting to devise new forms.
C) an interest in non-Western ideas and forms.
D) an obsession with propagandizing the audience.
E) a desire to bring art to the masses.

Question 5

Fevered experimentation among modern writers has often meant

A) the uniting of high and low culture.
B) a classical reaction.
C) the loss of much of the traditional audience.
D) greater comprehension of an artist's vision.
E) completely new mediums of expression.

Question 6

Define the concepts of fragmentation and alienation, and describe the influence of these themes on contemporary art and culture.

Question 7

Evaluate the extent to which motion pictures, radio, and television have influenced modern culture and society. Provide specific examples.

Question 8

The adoption or modification of Asian and African art forms is a feature of

A) modernism.
B) existentialism.
C) universalism.
D) cosmopolitanism.
E) post-Impressionism.

Question 9

The key descriptor of "non-representational" is applied mainly to the school of painting known as

A) impressionism.
B) abstractionism.
C) post-Impressionism.
D) realism.
E) Dadaism.

Question 10

One major hallmark of modern philosophy has been

A) a reversion to Platonic models.
B) fierce criticism of "different" ideas.
C) a reaffirming of the ideal of Progress.
D) uncertainty and cultural relativism.
E) acceptance of the ideas of modern thinkers exclusively.

Question 11

If a single key word could be designated to describe 20^th century Western culture, that word would most likely be

A) unity.
B) fragmentation.
C) self-absorption.
D) authoritarianism.
E) depravity.

Question 12

The most influential figurative artist of the 20^th century was

A) Pablo Picasso.
B) Piet Mondrian.
C) Paul Cézanne.
D) Jackson Pollock.
E) Claude Monet.

Question 13

How do the various art movements of the 20^th century fit into the Existential scheme of things? What impact do you think these new movements have had on the lives of ordinary people?

Question 14

According to the formula of Dadaism, art should be considered

A) constructive.
B) realistic.
C) socially relevant.
D) anarchistic.
E) private.

Question 15

The first narrative type of film was

A) The Jazz Singer.
B) Duck Soup.
C) The Great Gatsby.
D) The Great Train Robbery.
E) Finnegan's Wake .

Question 16

The essence of the Existential philosophy is

A) adherence to past values.
B) individuals finding their own meanings.
C) the uselessness of setting any values.
D) creation of values by political leaders.
E) a concern for communal values.

Question 17

The main form of avant-garde painting in the second half of the 20^th century was

A) cubism.
B) Dadaism.
C) impressionism.
D) post-impressionism.
E) abstract expressionism.

Question 18

Each of the following is a feature of Modernism, except for

A) non-Western inspiration.
B) a rejection of classicism.
C) form over content.
D) new means of expression.
E) moral content.

Question 19

Twentieth century creative arts have generally been dominated by

A) millionaires.
B) the alienated.
C) bureaucrats.
D) the intellectuals.
E) university students.

Question 20

Evaluate 20^th century painting in the light of the Modernist movement.

Question 21

This question number was omitted in the printed copy of the test bank. To maintain the integrity of the numbering system between the printed copy and ExamView, this question has been marked "do not use on test" in ExamView's question information dialog.

A) not available
B) not available
C) not available
D) not available
E) all of the above

Question 22

The opportunities for cultural "literacy" for the masses has never been greater than in

A) the first half of the 20^th century.
B) the middle years of the 20^th century.
C) the first five years of the 21^st century.
D) the last years of the 1800s.
E) the last two decades of the 20^th century.

Question 23

"Is there a there, there?" is a question that would most likely be asked by a\an ____________________.

Question 24

This question number was omitted in the printed copy of the test bank. To maintain the integrity of the numbering system between the printed copy and ExamView, this question has been marked "do not use on test" in ExamView's question information dialog.

A) not available
B) not available
C) not available
D) not available
E) all of the above

Question 25

The convinced existentialist believes that

A) life is hardly worth living, as it is devoid of all values.
B) values are created for others by a handful of strong individuals.
C) each age creates its own moral values.
D) each individual must create his or her own values.
E) there is no such thing as values.

Question 26

Paul Cezanne and Claude Monet are most accurately classified within the ____________________ school of painting.

Question 27

"With a few strokes of the crayon or pen, he could bring a scene to the viewer complete in every essential." To whom would this passage most likely refer?

A) Paul Cézanne
B) Claude Monet
C) Pablo Picasso
D) Jackson Pollock
E) Hans Koenigsberger

Question 28

One of the major characteristics of Modernism is the conscious search for ____________________ inspiration.

Question 29

Remembrance of Things Past is the highly influential literary masterpiece of ____________________ ____________________.

Question 30

One of the major changes in philosophy during recent times has been related to linguistics; philosophers who approach their studies from this viewpoint would be most likely to say that

A) the study of other languages helps people understand that different cultures place differing degrees of importance on single events as well as entire belief systems.
B) discussing ideas with an open mind makes it more likely that one will come to a realization of the truth.
C) talk is cheap, because there is no truth to be found.
D) learning to express oneself well will give a person a more fruitful life.
E) there is no true spirit or soul; rather, only when we talk about something does it exist at all.

Question 31

Modernist poetry has been described as ____________________ for the casual reader.

Question 32

Jackson Pollock and Hans Koenigsberger are proponents of this late 20^th century artistic movement:

Question 33

After World War I, the mass communications media of ____________________ and ____________________ came into their own.

Question 34

James Joyce has been recognized as one of the most successful writers to use the "stream of consciousness" technique, which allows artists to portray

A) themselves and their lives without giving away their true feelings.
B) the life of an ordinary person as if that person is telling about a dream, thus allowing the unconscious to take over.
C) the disillusionment of the modern era.
D) the lives of the wealthy in a way that middle class readers can understand and appreciate.
E) the individual person's development over a lifetime of experiences.

Question 35

The medium that has most often been the "path breaker" when changes begin to take place in what is called the "high culture" is

A) sculpture.
B) novels.
C) painting.
D) music.
E) poetry.

Question 36

As modern artists have developed their new forms of expression, they have discovered

A) that life does indeed imitate art, despite the feelings they may be trying to express.
B) that in being true to themselves, they have often lost the larger proportion of people who enjoy art, because the new art is different and difficult.
C) a reality that is difficult to express but that makes a tremendous impression on people once they understand the message.
D) that the classical past really does have something to teach them.
E) that young people frequently understand their work better than do their elders.

Question 37

In modern art, ____________________ is often emphasized much more than ____________________.

Question 38

Picasso's ____________________, depicting the bombing of a small Spanish town by fascists, is one of the most evocative works depicting war's brutality.

Question 39

The statement, "Art is a private matter; the artist does it for himself," is applicable to the ____________________ movement.

Question 40

The pace of change in music over the last few decades has accelerated, mostly due to

A) the invention of radio.
B) the invention of the phonograph.
C) the technology of the Internet.
D) Walkman tape players and iPods.
E) the exponentially increasing changes in technology in general.