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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What was Johnson's instrument of choice?
(a) Harmonica.
(b) Saxophone.
(c) Guitar.
(d) Piano.

2. Who does Marcus compare Phillips to in the beginning of "Harmonica Frank - 1951"?
(a) Harmonica Frank.
(b) Huck Finn.
(c) Starbuck.
(d) Elvis Presley.

3. With whom is Carmen walking in the song "To Kingdom Come"?
(a) Robert Johnson.
(b) Robbie Robertson.
(c) The worried man.
(d) The devil.

4. Which of the following performers will NOT be discussed in Mystery Train?
(a) Randy Newman.
(b) Sly Stone.
(c) Chuck Berry.
(d) Elvis Presley.

5. According to the critics Marcus references in "The Band," who was Robbie Robertson's "foil"?
(a) Robert Manuel.
(b) The manager.
(c) The audience.
(d) The Band.

Short Answer Questions

1. In "Harmonica Frank -1951," what song does Marcus say "set the stage for rock 'n' roll"?

2. According to Marcus, what was country music doing in the early 50s?

3. In "Harmonica Frank -1951," Marcus claims that Phillips was looking for music to do what?

4. According to Marcus in "Robert Johnson -1938," what is the American struggle?

5. Who wrote Why Are We in Vietnam?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why might "The Band" be subtitled "Pilgrim's Progress"?

2. According to Marcus in "The Band," how are Harmonica Frank and Robert Johnson relevant to The Band?

3. What imagery does Robert Johnson often use in his music? What do these images convey?

4. What is the relationship between the rock 'n' roll artist and audience according to Greil Marcus in the prologue?

5. In the prologue, what four artists does Marcus say he will write about and why these performers?

6. Describe Robert Johnson's musical career. How did his contemporaries feel about his abilities? Is his music still relevant?

7. According to Marcus in "The Band," why is the story of Virgil Cane in "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" appealing to all Americans?

8. In "The Band," why do the other members of the Band become known as Robbie Robertson's foil?

9. Compare and contrast Ahab and Huck using Marcus' descriptions from "Harmonica Frank - 1951." How are they different? How are they similar?

10. There are several dualisms that Marcus identifies the Band reflecting on in "The Righteous Land " section of "The Band." What are two of these dualisms and what aspect of America do they reflect?

(see the answer keys)

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