Application page views834,474

Design and coherence / Stretch

Making Different Parts Belong

Describe variety, fit, and the work of arranging a unified whole.

READING 1 OF 23 focus words

Variety needs a reason

Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.

For an exhibition about everyday writing, Selim assembled an eclectic collection of notebooks, shopping lists, postcards, and handwritten signs. He did not want a homogeneous display in which every object looked as though it came from the same desk. One polished metal trophy, however, seemed incongruous beside the paper objects because its connection to writing was unexplained. Rather than remove it immediately, he asked the lender why it belonged in the proposed collection and what story its inscription might add.

The trophy's engraved message eventually gave it a place in the eclectic exhibition, but Selim needed a label to explain that connection. Without the explanation, the object still looked incongruous even though its history fit the theme. A homogeneous visual style would have been easier to arrange, yet it might have hidden the variety of purposes handwriting could serve. Selim kept the different materials and concentrated on making their relationships understandable to a visitor seeing them for the first time.

Before you move on

Look away from the passage. Can you explain each focus word in your own words?

Original fictional passages for vocabulary practice.

Return to top