55- ] Model SAT Tests - Test Fifty Five

55- ] Model SAT Tests 

- Test Fifty Five 

The definition of aesthetic pleasure is a popular subject for many different fields . In the following , adapted from an article found in a science journal , a physicist discusses the unique perspective that his discipline allows him .

            Since time immemorial , countless scholars have asked the question : What is beauty ? As philosophers engage in weighty discourses , designers update the latest fashions , and artists create their masterpieces , what is considered beautiful changes at an alarming pace . Fifty years ago , the full-figured Marilyn Monroe embodied the American aesthetic value ; today , a legion of Hollywood actresses vastly different in appearance from Marilyn’s have taken her place . However , aesthetic values not only differ from generation to generation , but do so along cultural lines as well . The conventions that govern painting and music vary greatly from East to West . Often , what is considered repellent to one civilization is the pinnacle of aesthetic appeal in another . Thus , when left to the sphere of human design , the search for an absolute definition of beauty remains an elusive one at best .

            As fundamental physicists , my colleagues and I like to believe that we are involved in a search for a beauty that does not remain impervious to definition . The beauty that we search for is not that which is laid down through the work of people and subject to ephemeral tastes , but rather that which has been established by Nature . Those not involved with physics tend to think of it as a precise and predictive science - certainly not a field of study fit for the contemplation of the beautiful . Yet , one of physics’ greatest gifts is that it allows its students to look past extrinsic appearances , into a more overwhelming beauty . As a human being , I am captivated by the visual appeal of a wave crashing on the beach . As a physicist however , I possess the ability to be captivated by the much deeper beauty of the physical laws that govern such a phenomenon . Where the non-physicist sees a lovely but inexplicable event , the well-schooled physicist is able to perceive a brilliant design .

            In truth , since the day that Albert Einstein first proposed the notion that there might be one over-aching physical theory that governs the universe , aesthetics have become a driving force in modern physics . What Einstein and we , as his intellect6ual descendants , have discovered is this : Nature at its most fundamental level , is beautifully constructed . The remarkable simplicity of the laws that govern the universe is , at times , nothing short of breath-taking . And at every step , as new discoveries and technologies allow us to examine the physical world on deeper and deeper levels , we find that the beauty itself becomes more profound . As Einstein himself said , it would seem more likely that we should find-ourselves living in a “chaotic world , in no way graspable through thinking .” Yet here we are , closer than ever to a full understanding of the universe’s beautiful clockwork .

1 . The reference to “Marilyn Monroe” in line 4 primarily serves to        

(A) provide an example of today’s standards of beauty

(B) discuss her abilities as an actress

(C) demonstrate how susceptible aesthetics are to change

(D) compare traditions of East and West

(E) illustrate that the standard definition of beauty remains constant

2 . The author’s assertion in lines 8 - 9 (“what is considered repellent…. in another”) suggests that

(A) cultures are naturally destined to clash

(B) many civilizations are prone to disgusting behavior

(C) different societies are tied together by an appreciation for physics

(D) it is nearly impossible to say what is truly beautiful

(E) individuals tend to disagree on what they find beautiful

3 . As used in paragraph two the underlined phrase “laid down” most nearly means

(A) rested (B) slept (C) created (D) set (E) secured

4 . The author uses the underlined words “ephemeral” and “Nature” in order to  

(A) contrast the concept of impermanent beauty with the beauty for which physics searches (B) evaluate the effectiveness of physics as an art form 

(C) discuss how physics visualize beauty

(D) argue against the relevance of traditional forms of beauty

(E) criticize people who don’t understand physics

5 . In the course of outlining the various gifts of physics , the author cites all of the following EXCEPT

(A) the ability to look for a beauty that is unchanging

(B) appreciating the visual beauty of a wave crashing

(C) understanding both extrinsic and intrinsic beauty

(D) a greater comprehension of Nature’s ways

(E) seeing a deeper design in natural events

6 . In the third paragraph , Albert Einstein’s proposal of an “overarching …. theory” suggests that

(A) the author believes that there is beauty in simplicity

(B) the universe is infinitely complex

(C) aesthetics has no place in physics

(D) the physical world will never be understood rationally

(E) the discovery of a full understanding of the universe is imminent

7 . As used in paragraph three the underlined word “driving” most nearly means

(A) leading (B) controlling (C) traveling (D) escaping (E) pounding

8 . The author quotes Albert Einstein at the end of the passage in order to  

(A) detail the way physical laws affect chaos

(B) emphasize the scope of Einstein’s influence

(C) suggest that Einstein might have doubted the beauty of physics .

(D) stress just how remarkable the order of the universe really is

(E) cast doubt upon Einstein’s abilities

9 . The passage is primarily concerned with

(A) discussing the way various cultures assess beauty

(B) explaining the beauty that is unmasked through an understanding of physics

(C) demonstrating the way concepts of beauty change over time

(D) recounting the achievements of Albert Einstein

(E) finding new relevance for different physical laws

Answer Key

1 . C 2 . D 3 . C 4 . A 5 . B C . A 7 . A 8 . D 9 . B