Read the following passage and answer the questions. As a toddler growing up in the 1950s, Richard Wawro threw violent tantrums. Often, he would tap the same piano key for long stretches of time. When he was three, his parents took him for testing at a nearby hospital. They were told that he was moderately to severely retarded. His family. however. never believed that his IQ was as low as the experts claimed. A special education teacher began working with Richard when he was six. She introduced him to drawing with crayons, which he took to quickly. He began filling sketchbooks (and the wallpaper of his Scotland home) with startlingly accurate depictions of cartoon characters like Yogi Bear. When Richard was 12, his artwork astounded a visiting artist who said that his drawings were created “with the precision of a mechanic and the vision of a poet.” Richard could never read or write well. His speech renamed limited. But his involvement with the art world spurred his social development. He participated in dozens of exhibitions and became a well-known artist. His artwork was celebrated by the media and in a documentary. “With Eyes Wide Open.” Both Margaret Thatcher and Pope John Paul II owned Wawro’s originals. Richard was a savant. an individual with a spike in a particular ability combined with an impairment or disability. In Richard's case, that underlying condition was autism. Autism is a condition characterized by social and communication challenges. like difficulty making eye contact or making conversation, along with repetitive behaviors or intense interests. It turns out that many savants have autism. But when the astounding abilities are there. they are often rooted m extreme memory, excellent attention to detail and passionate interests - traits also Iinked to autism. In many ways prodigies look a lot like savants. They have the same preternatural abilities. They have the same prolific output. But there's a key difference between the two. While in savants, these extreme abilities are paired with an underlying impairment or disability, prodigies don’t typically have any such disability. Even though prodigies are not typically autistic, they have the same excellent memories, extreme attention to detail and passionate interests linked to autism and autistic savants.
Which ONE of the options makes the meaning of ‘savant’ as it emerges in the passage clear?
an autistic with preternatural abilities, exhibiting exceptional skill or brilliance in a special field
Understanding the Meaning of 'Savant' from the Passage
The question asks for the meaning of the term 'savant' specifically as it is presented and defined within the provided passage. It's important to focus only on the information given in the text to arrive at the correct definition according to the passage.
The passage introduces Richard Wawro, who is described as a savant. It then explicitly defines a savant:
Richard was a savant, an individual with a spike in a particular ability combined with an impairment or disability.
The passage also notes that Richard's underlying condition was autism and states that many savants have autism.
It compares savants to prodigies, stating they have similar preternatural abilities
and prolific output,
but the key difference is that savants have an underlying impairment or disability,
which prodigies typically lack. The passage also links the astounding abilities in savants to traits like extreme memory, excellent attention to detail and passionate interests - traits also linked to autism.
Analyzing the Options Based on the Passage
Let's examine each option in light of the passage's definition and description of a savant:
- Option 1:
an autistic who exhibits exceptional skill or brilliance in all fields
This option incorrectly states "in all fields." The passage defines a savant as having aspike in a particular ability
or skill in aspecial field,
not universal brilliance. Also, while many savants have autism, the passage's primary definition isan individual with a spike in a particular ability combined with an impairment or disability,
which is broader than just "an autistic." - Option 2:
a person of learning, especially one with detailed knowledge in some specialized field
This is a general dictionary definition of a savant, often referring to a scholar or learned person. However, it does not include the crucial element mentioned in the passage: the combination of exceptional ability with animpairment or disability.
The question asks for the meaning *as it emerges in the passage*, which includes this specific characteristic. - Option 3:
an autistic with preternatural abilities, exhibiting exceptional skill or brilliance in a special field
This option aligns well with the passage. The passage states Richard, an autistic person, was a savant. It links savants (and prodigies) to havingpreternatural abilities.
It specifies the skill is in aparticular ability
orspecial field
(like art for Richard). While the passage's *initial* definition is broader than just "an autistic," the context heavily links savants to autism and provides an autistic individual as the primary example, making this description, which includes "autistic," "preternatural abilities," and "special field," the closest fit derived *from the passage*. - Option 4:
an autistic who exhibits exceptional skill or brilliance in some limited field
This option is similar to Option 3 but uses "limited field" instead of "special field" and omits "preternatural abilities," which the passage *does* mention in the context of savants and prodigies. The term "special field" or "particular ability" used in the passage is better reflected by "special field" in Option 3.
Considering the explicit definition provided and the characteristics described in the passage (particular ability, impairment/disability, link to autism, preternatural abilities, special field), Option 3 most accurately captures the meaning of 'savant' as it is conveyed in this specific text.
Revision Table: Key Concepts in the Passage
| Term | Meaning/Characteristics (as per passage) |
|---|---|
| Savant | Individual with exceptional skill (spike in a particular ability, preternatural abilities) combined with an impairment or disability. Often linked to autism. Skill is in a special field. |
| Prodigy | Individual with preternatural abilitiesand prolific output, similar to savants, but typically without an underlying impairment or disability. |
| Autism | Condition characterized by social and communication challenges, repetitive behaviors, or intense interests. Traits linked to savant abilities include extreme memory, attention to detail, passionate interests. |
Additional Information on Savants and Related Concepts
The passage provides a clear context-specific definition of a savant. While the term 'savant' can sometimes be used more broadly, within this text, its meaning is tied to the presence of extraordinary skill alongside a significant challenge or disability, often (in the context of this passage and example) autism.
- Exceptional Skill: Savant abilities are often concentrated in specific areas such as music, art, calculation, mapmaking, or memory. These skills are far beyond what would be expected given the individual's overall cognitive profile. Richard Wawro's art is presented as an example of such a skill.
- Underlying Condition: The definition in the passage highlights the presence of an impairment or disability. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is frequently associated with savant syndrome, though other developmental or neurological conditions can also be present.
- Memory and Detail: The passage points out that traits like extreme memory and attention to detail, often seen in autism, might be foundational to the exceptional abilities exhibited by savants.
Understanding these components helps clarify the distinction the passage makes between a savant and a prodigy, emphasizing the presence of a disability as a defining feature of a savant in this context.
Important Questions from Reading Comprehension
Why, according to the writer can't people be motivated to use a resource prudently?
1. They feel that others may overuse the resource
2. It is possible to substitute the resource
3. Abundance of the resource availability
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
When do people use resources exhaustively?
The self-interest of people affects the use of renewable resources
People rooted in a locality
Which among the following is closest in meaning with the word 'deplete'?
