Directions (91-95): Read the following passage and answer the
given questions.

One key development in the evolving discussion surrounding
popular culture which occurred during the early twentieth century
was the association of popular culture with the United States of
America. Through Hollywood and associated modes of popular
entertainment, USA was beginning to exercise international
cultural influence. The term ‘Mass culture’ is particularly
relevant in this context as it refers to both the effects of American
culture as well as to a specific theoretical debate that emerged in
America during the post-war period.

Dominic Strinati contends in his An Introduction to Theories of Popular Culture

(1995) that ‘mass culture refers to popular culture which is produced by the
industrial techniques of mass production, and marketed for profit
to a mass public of consumers’. Such a view of popular culture
argues that the industrial revolution produces a series of atomised
individuals who had not only lost touch with the communities of
shared interest to which they once belonged but that they had also
been subjected to the process of mechanisation and alienation.

This rendered them ripe for systematic cultural manipulation
through uniform, mass produced formulaic products designed to
evoke frivolous, escapist and superficial pleasures.

When did the popular culture get associated with U.S.A.?

The correct answer is Early Twentieth Century.

This question is based on a reading comprehension passage about the evolution of popular culture and its association with the United States of America. To find the answer, we need to carefully read the very first paragraph of the passage.

The passage states:

"One key development in the evolving discussion surrounding popular culture which occurred during the early twentieth century was the association of popular culture with the United States of America."

Let us break this down step by step:

Step 1 – Identify the key question:
The question asks: When did popular culture get associated with the USA?
This is a direct information retrieval question, meaning the answer is explicitly stated in the passage.

Step 2 – Locate the relevant portion of the passage:
The opening sentence of the passage directly answers this question. It tells us that the association of popular culture with the USA was "one key development" that occurred during a specific time period.

Step 3 – Extract the time reference:
The passage clearly mentions the phrase "early twentieth century" as the time when this association took place. The passage further supports this by mentioning Hollywood and its role in giving the USA international cultural influence during that era.

Step 4 – Eliminate incorrect options:
Options that simply say "Century" (without specifying "Early") are incomplete and do not accurately reflect what the passage states. The passage is very specific — it was not just any part of the twentieth century, but the early part of it. Therefore, the options that only say "Century" are incorrect.

Step 5 – Confirm the correct answer:
The options that include "Early Century" (referring to the Early Twentieth Century) are correct because they directly match the language and information provided in the passage.

Conclusion:
Popular culture got associated with the USA during the Early Twentieth Century. This was made possible through Hollywood and other associated modes of popular entertainment, through which the USA began to exercise significant international cultural influence. The term "Mass culture" also emerged in this context, referring both to the effects of American culture and to a theoretical debate that followed in the post-war period.