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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In what state does Cage say he grew up?

2. Cage says he remembered Robert Rauschenberg's black paintings from what state?

3. In what month did Cage first present his lecture "45' for a Speaker"?

4. Cage and his friend accidentally steal what item of clothing from a party to which he was not invited?

5. What is the name of the type of Robert Rauschenberg work that involves multiplicity and cannot be rolled up?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Cage and David Tudor react when food shipped to them from India came in all mixed up?

2. How does Cage say "Where Are We Going? And What Are We Doing?" should be delivered?

3. What does Cage say about the form of "Where Are We Going? And What Are We Doing?"

4. Why did Vera Williams' children cry when she served them mushrooms on their steak?

5. What does the author say about modern dance and whether it works?

6. What happened when Cage told a technician during a recording session what to expect from his music?

7. What does Cage say about silence at the end of "45' for a Speaker"?

8. What does Cage say about change in "Where Are We Going? And What Are We Doing?"

9. In the fourth layer of "Where Are We Going? And What Are We Doing?", what does Cage say about moving into the field of experience and being?

10. How is the essay "Lecture on Nothing" formatted?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explore the contradictory nature between Cage's desire to be random but his use of form. How does he show throughout the book that he is dedicated to randomness? What random things does he do? How might his random actions, especially in his presentation on the page, be seen as not random? Is anything really random if it is planned out in advance?

Essay Topic 2

Explore Varese's significance in the book. How does Cage characterize Varese's work? Why does he say that he has established the present nature of music? What examples does he present to prove this statement? What does he say to claims that Varese is a figure of the past?

Essay Topic 3

Explore Cage's concern with his own creative process in relation to his concern with what the audience receives? When do you first get a sense of Cage's concern with experimenting with process? What does he seem most concerned with? Why might he feel this way? How does this prioritization relate to his overall non-traditional approach to creating?

(see the answer keys)

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