Q1

[tzyc]

Isn't the last sentence of the 1st paragraph the main point?
If the author says "...cannot be blamed on the ideals of its founders", it sounds like the author admits there were failures...also doesn't (D) contradict the answer of Q5 which says it seems practical issues supersede the aesthetic concern?
This passage's main idea is really unique...

[tommywallach]

Hey Strawberry,

You're absolutely right. The main idea of the passage is best encapsulated in the last sentence of the first paragraph. However, this matches up just fine with (D). The passage argues that only worrying about practical issues (rather than aesthetic issues) is a failing. But Otto Wagner (who was a founder of modern architecture) did not argue for this, so his book does indicate that the founders (i.e. Wagner) did not believe that practical issues should supersede aesthetic concerns.

As for question #5, that's asking about what we definitively know in regards to some actual buildings. We know from the second sentence that many buildings (From the 60s and 70s) are more about cost/practicality than aesthetics. But this has nothing to do with Otto Wagner's philosophy, which is from 1896, so there's no contradiction.

Hope that helps!

-t

[deedubbew]

What about E and B? I still have trouble understanding why the answer is D. My understanding of Wagner's argument is that Modern architecture can encompass practical issues and aesthetic concerns together, even if practical issues supersede aesthetic ones since there is no way to return to the traditional models and conditions. Help!

[renata.gomez]

Hi!

would a correct explanation of why D works is that although the buildings reflect a shift in concerns, it isn't because their ideals changed? He's a not denying a shift occurred, just the cause behind.

Thanks!

[JinZ551]

What about E and B? I still have trouble understanding why the answer is D. My understanding of Wagner's argument is that Modern architecture can encompass practical issues and aesthetic concerns together, even if practical issues supersede aesthetic ones since there is no way to return to the traditional models and conditions. Help!

I think Wagner definitely thinks aesthetic concerns supersedes practical issue, according to line 43: "Art was to exercise the controlling influence."

To eliminate E, we know from line 29: "that opponents have identified as the intellectual basis of modern architecture." Thus content in answer choice E is not derived from Wagner's seminal text, but rather is a point of view from his opponents.