The last sentence of the passage



Gives you a clue that B is the answer.

C is wrong because in the same passage you do not have a history of Mozart's work, in the sense of chronological order or similar

Regards

For question 3, I argue that "C" is the best answer. "conservative Viennese" is a group of Viennese who didn't like the play. But the question is about Viennese and the statement "a practice heretofore unknown among the composer’s works" general audience.

E says just this: the audience wanted operas in line with existing stylistic conventions.

C says people did not know that the composer was attempting to mix musical styles. The passage instead says that Mozart attempted an opera as a mix never seen before, actually unusual for the time. The public is not mentioned, so you can not infer C.

Regards

PS: conservative means they do not like innovation or something new. They like classical things or operas in this case.

BUT 3rd question ask about audience response to opera play Don Giovanni ,then we shouldn't more focus on the response of audience?

Hi

I never get tired to underline that that the key to WIN the RC game and nail a question correctly is to READ the passage and UNDERSTAND what it says

I will explain the portion to tackle the third question



Two important fact
1) the response was ambivalent which mean some people like some people do not
2) Basically the audience was conservative which mean that Mozart in the DG proposed an alternative finale but the audience liked the classic end of the story


It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following is true about the response of Viennese audiences to Don Giovanni?

(A) The audiences preferred purely moralistic works.

No mention in the portion above

(B) The response was unequivocally positive.

The audience was ambivalent

(C) They did not know that the composer was attempting to mix musical styles.

They do know and the wanted the old style finale

(D) The play’s moral themes were offensive to Viennese audiences.

No offensive is mentioned

(E) They preferred operas that followed existing stylistic conventions.

The audience was conservative and preferred the old style finale

30 seconds approach

Regards

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) relate the story of a somewhat likable antihero
(B) discuss how a work of art was met by diverging responses. Correct.
(C) give a history of the work of Mozart
(D) make a case for the renown of Don Giovanni
(E) emphasize the moral aspects of a musical work

relevant lines from the passage:

While Don Giovanni is widely considered Mozart’s greatest achievement, eighteenth century audiences in Vienna— Mozart’s own city— were ambivalent at best. The opera mixed traditions of moralism with those of comedy — a practice heretofore unknown among the composer’s works— resulting in a production that was not well-liked by conservative Viennese audiences. Meanwhile, however, Don Giovanni was performed to much acclaim throughout Europe.


2. The author mentions the mixing of “traditions of moralism with those of comedy” primarily in order to

(A) explain a work’s lackluster reception among a particular group of people. Correct.
(B) remind the reader of the plot of Don Giovanni
(C) highlight a practice common in contemporary opera
(D) argue for an innovative approach to opera
(E) undermine a previously presented assertion

relevant lines from the passage:

The opera mixed traditions of moralism with those of comedy — a practice heretofore unknown among the composer’s works— resulting in a production that was not well-liked by conservative Viennese audiences.


3. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following is true about the response of Viennese audiences to Don Giovanni?

(A) The audiences preferred purely moralistic works.
(B) The response was unequivocally positive.
(C) They did not know that the composer was attempting to mix musical styles.
(D) The play’s moral themes were offensive to Viennese audiences.
(E) They preferred operas that followed existing stylistic conventions. Correct.

The opera mixed traditions of moralism with those of comedy — a practice heretofore unknown among the composer’s works— resulting in a production that was not well-liked by conservative Viennese audiences.

Hello from the GRE Prep Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GRE Prep Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.