501 Critical Reading Questions

(Sean Pound) #1
misnomer. This is the only sentence from Passage 2 that fits the
focus of Passage 1; the others concern the development or
defining characteristics of the blues.


  1. a. The passage is a neutral narration of Mozart’s childhood and
    the beginnings of his musical career. Choices c,d, and ecan be
    eliminated because the author does not take a side or try to
    prove a point. Choice bis incorrect because the author does not
    make any generalizations about the classical music “scene.”

  2. c. The passage clearly states that Wolfgang took an interest in the
    clavier when his sister was learning the instrument.

  3. c. The passage states (lines 18–19) that Wolfgang’s first public
    appearance was at Linz and that after this concert word of his
    genius traveled to Vienna. The passage states earlier that
    Vienna was the capitalof the Hapsburg Empire.

  4. b.The author’s tone toward Leopold is mild—neither strongly
    approving nor disapproving. In a few places, however, the
    author conveys some disappointment, especially lines 34–36 in
    which she states that Leopold set an exhausting schedule for
    Wolfgang.

  5. c. Lavishmeans expended or produced in abundance. Both waste-
    fuland extravagantare synonyms for lavish,but, because it is
    modifying palace, extravagantis the more logical choice.

  6. d.The author’s language emphasizes Mozart’s imagination. The
    phrase engrossed in the intricacies of his make-believe courtsuggests
    a child with a lively imagination. None of the other choices is
    directly supported by the text.

  7. e.The text directly states that the pattern established in his childhood
    would be the template for the rest of his short life. Choice dcould be
    misleading as the text states that Mozart was buried in an
    unmarked grave. However, it also states that this was customary
    at the time so one cannot infer that he died an anonymous pau-
    per.

  8. b.Laudedmeans praised or blessed. The meaning of the word can
    be inferred from the structure of the paragraph. The paragraph
    begins by summing up Mozart’s childhood, and then describes
    how the features of his childhood were mirrored in his adult
    life. In his childhood Mozart played for, and amazed, the heads of
    the British and French royal familiesand likewise as an adult he
    was lauded for his genius. From the structure, one can infer that
    to be lauded is something positive. Of the positive choices,
    praisedmakes more sense in the sentence than coveted.

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