The Violin
1 In the late 1500s, in Italy, a man named Andrea Amati set out to create a beautiful instrument. He determined it should have an hourglass-shaped body with four strings attached to it. It should also have a beautiful neck and fingerboard. When it was all put together, it would make beautiful music. The instrument Amati created was called the violin and it went on to be one of the most popular instruments of all time. [Picture: Violin. Caption: The violin has an hourglass shape.] 2 Everyone love the violin. Kings and queens enjoyed listened to it. Street musicians played it. Composers wrote music that featured it. Orchestras quickly filled their seats with violinists. So that anyone who wanted to could purchase a violin, Amati created a mold. This allowed him to create many violins and still ensure each one had the same shape and quality as the original. 3 The people who played the violin were called violinists. To play the violin, the violinist rested his chin on the chin rest. Then he held the neck of the violin in his hand. He drug a stick, called a bow, across the strings to make music. The bow was made of wood and horse hair. As the horse hair brushed across the strings, it caused them to vibration. The vibration was how the strings made music. [Picture: Violinist. Caption: A violinist plays the violin.] 4 The violin became part of a family of instruments called string instruments. Its cousins were the viola and cello. Of all the string instruments, the violin had the highest voice and, therefore, was called the soprano. With its beautiful voice, it could be used to convey all sorts of emotion in music. When the violin was plucked, it made a happy, energetic sound. If it was played softly and slowly, it sounded extremely sad. A loud, quickly played violin could easily sound angry. [Picture: Violin with music. Caption: A violin plays different types of music.] 5 In addition to playing music with different emotions, the violin was used in different genres of music. In fact, it continues to be played today. Violins are not only found in orchestras or playing classical music. They are also featured in country music songs, on rock tracks and even sometimes as part of hip hop music. [Picture: Orchestra violins. Caption: Violins are played in orchestras.]
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Q1) The purpose of this piece is to... (Determine central idea)
Share the history of the violin
Tell how the violin was made
Describe the different parts of the violin
Encourage others to play the violin
Share the history of the violin
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Q2) Why did Andrea Amati create a mold?
To create violins faster
To ensure all violins had the same quality
To let others make the violins
To preserve his violin design
To ensure all violins had the same quality
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Q3) What does the information in brackets mean? (Text structures and organization)
The author wanted to include additional information
Edits the author needs to make to the article
Pictures the author plans to include
Notes to help the reader understand the article
Pictures the author plans to include
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Q4) What is the main idea of paragraph four (Analyze a section of a text)
The violin was popular
The violin can convey many emotions
The violin can play many types of music
The violin is a beautiful instrument
The violin can convey many emotions
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Q5) How could the author better organize the passage? (Text structures and organization)
Add pictures of violins
Include names of people who played the violin
Adds pictures
Add headers for each paragraph/section
Adds pictures
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Q6) How does the author feel about the violin? (Author's point of view)
The author does not have an opinion on the violin.
The author cannot stand the violin.
The author thinks the violin is a great instrument.
The author thinks the violin makes beautiful music.
The author thinks the violin makes beautiful music.
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Q7) How does the violin make music? (Explain steps in a process)
Its strings vibrate by shaking.
The hair on the bow makes the strings vibrate.
The violinist holds the bow in his hand.
A chin rest gives the violinist a place to rest his chin.
The hair on the bow makes the strings vibrate.
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Q8) Which statement is an example of a fact? (Fact vs. Opinion)
The violin makes beautiful music.
Kings and queens like the violin.
The violin had the highest voice.
When plucked, the violin made a happy sound.
The violin makes beautiful music.
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Q9) What is the tone of the passage?
Informational
Persuasive
Laudatory
Dull
Informational
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Q10) Which statement does not show the popularity of the violin? (Cite textual evidence)
Kings and queens liked it.
Orchestras filled their seats with violinists
Street musicians played it.
Amati made a mold for it.
Amati made a mold for it.