Excerpt from The Musician's Daughter
by Susanne Dunlap
I thought a lot, at the beginning, about my father playing the violin. I still remember the first time I ever saw a concert. I was very small, and we had just come to Esterhaza, a magnificent palace in Sopron, Hungary, when the prince's household moved there from his winter palace, at Eisenstadt, near Vienna. I think it may have been the first concert Papa took part in there. I had a new dress for the occasion, and Mama looked beautiful. I don't think Toby was born yet, or if he was, he was a small baby and stayed in our rooms with a nurse.
The palace at Esterháza was so new that it still smelled of raw wood and paint. The rooms were very grand. I had never seen so many candles in one place before. And they were expensive wax candles, not foul-smelling tallow. We stood to the side to watch the fine ladies enter. I thought they looked like dolls; their faces were so perfect. Later my mother told me that they painted them with white lead to make their skin artificially smooth and pale, and then rubbed rouge into their cheeks and lips, and drew lines of charcoal around their eyes so they would appear larger. And the headdresses-in those days the fashion was to have hair that towered up, stuck into place with diamond combs, with ribbons and pearls festooned around. And no matter what color it was naturally, ladies powdered their hair to snowy whiteness, so that the light of the candies was magnified by the glow from the people themselves.
And the men, too, were powdered and patched. Their gold buttons and lace were almost as gaudy as the ladies' finery. But the enormous panniers that held the ladies' skirts out to the side so far that they had to move sideways through doorways fascinated me most of all. I could barely be persuaded to turn my eyes to the orchestra when the concert started.
We were not seated with the guests. In fact, I think we were tucked away in an anteroom. The door was open so we could see through, and everyone pushed me forward to let me watch my father, who looked up now and again from the music and gave me a quick smile. The candlelight danced over the rich wood of his violin, the beautiful Italian instrument, an old Amati, that my grandfather had given him. Kapellmeister Haydn-who was also my godfather-sat at the harpsichord, smiling broadly all the time, waving one hand in the air to direct, then putting it back on the keys and instead using his head, bobbing and nodding to bring the winds in, or to indicate the entrance for the cellos. He looked like the music, 1 remember thinking. I wish I could bring that particular sound to my mind, but it has since blended with countless, other concert. I’ll always remember what it looked like, though. The light shimmering glow of everything and everyone.
sselect two of the four details from the excerpt into the chart to show which main idea each supports. 1. The narrator is imaginative. 2. The narrator is observant.
- A. The narrator thinks the director looks like the music.
- B. The narrator notices the candlelight reflected off the violin.
- C. The narrator stands to the side while the ladies pass by.
- D. The narrator has a new dress for the concert.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A, B
Option A supports the idea that the narrator is imaginative, as it illustrates creative thinking by comparing the director's appearance to music, showcasing a unique perspective. Option B aligns with the narrator being observant, as it highlights attention to detail by noticing the candlelight's reflection on the violin, indicating a keen awareness of the surroundings. Option C does not directly demonstrate imagination or observance; instead, it shows the narrator's position without revealing insights about their thoughts or perceptions. Option D, while mentioning a new dress, does not provide evidence of either imagination or observance, focusing instead on a superficial detail unrelated to the narrator's cognitive engagement with their environment.
Option A supports the idea that the narrator is imaginative, as it illustrates creative thinking by comparing the director's appearance to music, showcasing a unique perspective. Option B aligns with the narrator being observant, as it highlights attention to detail by noticing the candlelight's reflection on the violin, indicating a keen awareness of the surroundings. Option C does not directly demonstrate imagination or observance; instead, it shows the narrator's position without revealing insights about their thoughts or perceptions. Option D, while mentioning a new dress, does not provide evidence of either imagination or observance, focusing instead on a superficial detail unrelated to the narrator's cognitive engagement with their environment.
Other Related Questions
What influenced the Gregory brothers' decision to include an exotic animal farm at their facility?
- A. the location of their property in a rural area
- B. a high expectation for a successful business
- C. the search for an appropriate boundary fence
- D. a desire to please the environmentalists
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C
The inclusion of an exotic animal farm is closely linked to the need for a suitable boundary fence to ensure the safety and containment of the animals. Without proper fencing, managing exotic animals poses significant risks. Option A, while highlighting the rural setting, does not directly relate to the specific needs of exotic animal care. Option B focuses on business expectations, which may influence decisions but does not address the practical requirements of animal management. Option D suggests appeasing environmentalists, yet this motivation is less relevant than the immediate necessity of securing the animals' habitat through effective fencing.
The inclusion of an exotic animal farm is closely linked to the need for a suitable boundary fence to ensure the safety and containment of the animals. Without proper fencing, managing exotic animals poses significant risks. Option A, while highlighting the rural setting, does not directly relate to the specific needs of exotic animal care. Option B focuses on business expectations, which may influence decisions but does not address the practical requirements of animal management. Option D suggests appeasing environmentalists, yet this motivation is less relevant than the immediate necessity of securing the animals' habitat through effective fencing.
Which sentence from the blog supports Rodriguez's claim that the Equal Protection Clause was too narrow in scope when first adopted?
- A. The Court even confirmed its prejudicial position in 1875 when it upheld state laws that extended the right to vote only to men.'
- B. Clearly, the Court was relegating as women to a second-class status.'
- C. The 14th Amendment, which was ratified in 1868, applied only to men.'
- D. This decision remained the law until ratification of the 19th Amendment, giving us women the right to vote, 45 years later.'
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
Option A highlights the Court's 1875 decision to uphold laws that restricted voting rights to men, illustrating how the Equal Protection Clause initially failed to encompass all citizens, particularly women. This directly supports Rodriguez's argument about the clause's narrow scope. Option B, while indicating the second-class status of women, does not specifically reference the Equal Protection Clause or its limitations. Option C states that the 14th Amendment applied only to men, but it lacks context about the Court's decisions and their implications. Option D discusses the timeline of women's voting rights but does not address the initial constraints of the Equal Protection Clause.
Option A highlights the Court's 1875 decision to uphold laws that restricted voting rights to men, illustrating how the Equal Protection Clause initially failed to encompass all citizens, particularly women. This directly supports Rodriguez's argument about the clause's narrow scope. Option B, while indicating the second-class status of women, does not specifically reference the Equal Protection Clause or its limitations. Option C states that the 14th Amendment applied only to men, but it lacks context about the Court's decisions and their implications. Option D discusses the timeline of women's voting rights but does not address the initial constraints of the Equal Protection Clause.
What is the relationship between paragraphs 9 and 10?
- A. Paragraph 10 presents a solution to the problem raised in paragraph 9.
- B. Paragraph 10 explains the effect of the ideas in paragraph 9.
- C. Paragraph 10 adds supporting information to the ideas in paragraph 9.
- D. Paragraph 10 contradicts some information in paragraph 9.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C
Paragraph 10 provides additional details that reinforce the ideas presented in paragraph 9, enhancing the reader's understanding. This supporting information helps clarify and expand upon the concepts introduced earlier. Option A is incorrect as there is no explicit solution offered in paragraph 10. Option B misinterprets the relationship, as paragraph 10 does not focus on the effects but rather on supporting the ideas. Option D is also inaccurate; paragraph 10 does not contradict the information in paragraph 9, but rather complements it, maintaining coherence in the text.
Paragraph 10 provides additional details that reinforce the ideas presented in paragraph 9, enhancing the reader's understanding. This supporting information helps clarify and expand upon the concepts introduced earlier. Option A is incorrect as there is no explicit solution offered in paragraph 10. Option B misinterprets the relationship, as paragraph 10 does not focus on the effects but rather on supporting the ideas. Option D is also inaccurate; paragraph 10 does not contradict the information in paragraph 9, but rather complements it, maintaining coherence in the text.
What challenge does Burl face?
- A. the isolation in his work
- B. how to improve his health
- C. how to manage his time
- D. the survival of the hives
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D
Burl's primary challenge revolves around the survival of the hives, which is crucial for his beekeeping livelihood. This concern encompasses factors such as environmental threats and colony health, directly impacting his work. Option A, the isolation in his work, might be a factor but does not capture the central issue affecting his beekeeping. Option B, improving health, while important, is not Burl's main focus in the context of his responsibilities. Option C, managing time, is relevant but secondary to the urgent matter of hive survival, which ultimately determines the success of his beekeeping efforts.
Burl's primary challenge revolves around the survival of the hives, which is crucial for his beekeeping livelihood. This concern encompasses factors such as environmental threats and colony health, directly impacting his work. Option A, the isolation in his work, might be a factor but does not capture the central issue affecting his beekeeping. Option B, improving health, while important, is not Burl's main focus in the context of his responsibilities. Option C, managing time, is relevant but secondary to the urgent matter of hive survival, which ultimately determines the success of his beekeeping efforts.