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Question

Difficulty: HardEstablishing Introductions and Thesis Statements

Hilma af Klint

[1] __________________________________________________ Long before Vasily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, and Kazimir Malevich were credited with pioneering abstract art, the Swedish artist had quietly created a massive body of non-representational paintings. Influenced by spiritualism and the natural world, af Klint believed the world was not ready for her visionary art, which featured vibrant geometric shapes and biomorphic forms. Consequently, she stipulated in her will that her paintings must not be displayed to the public until twenty years after her death.

Which choice most effectively introduces the paragraph and establishes the central subject of the passage?

  1. A
    The history of modern abstract art, which traditionally begins in the early twentieth century, ignore the contributions of Swedish painter Hilma af Klint.
  2. B
    Hilma af Klint painted in relative isolation; because she believed that spiritual forces guided her hand to create non-representational art.
  3. Swedish artist Hilma af Klint (1862–1944) was a groundbreaking pioneer of abstraction whose work remained virtually unknown during her lifetime by her own design.Answer
  4. D
    Although Hilma af Klint, a Swedish painter who created a massive body of abstract work decades before her male peers.

Answer

The correct choice is the option that identifies Swedish artist Hilma af Klint as a pioneering abstract artist whose work remained unknown during her lifetime by her own choice.
The correct option successfully introduces the passage's subject (Hilma af Klint), her pioneering role in abstract art, and her decision to keep her work hidden during her lifetime. This directly sets up the facts presented in the rest of the paragraph regarding her creating abstract art before her male contemporaries and specifying in her will that her art remain private.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context of the paragraph following the blank to determine the main theme.
The paragraph discusses how Hilma af Klint created abstract paintings before other famous male abstract artists, but kept her work hidden from the public by specifying in her will that it should not be shown until twenty years after her death.
An effective introduction must establish the central subject and foreshadow these key narrative details.
2
Evaluate the grammatical correctness of each option to eliminate grammatically flawed choices.
Three options contain grammatical errors: one is a sentence fragment starting with 'Although', one has a subject-verb agreement error ('history... ignore'), and one improperly uses a semicolon before a dependent 'because' clause.
ACT English questions require the correct option to be grammatically precise.
3
Confirm that the remaining grammatically correct option provides the most effective introduction.
The option beginning with 'Swedish artist Hilma af Klint...' is grammatically correct and perfectly introduces her pioneering role and the secrecy of her work, matching the paragraph's focus.
This option satisfies both the grammatical and rhetorical requirements of the question.

Key Concept

Establishing Introductions and Thesis Statements
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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Topics

Establishing Introductions and Thesis Statements

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