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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. Which of Cage's friends obsessed over a box of spices and food that came from overseas?

2. In "45' for a Speaker," Cage says a trip from where he is to what country is a complex series of experiences?

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

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

5. "On Robert Rauschenberg, Artist, and His Work" was first published in what city?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the author think music will evolve in regard to percussion instruments?

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

3. In the third layer of "Where Are We Going? And What Are We Doing?", what does Cage say about where "we are going"?

4. What happened when Cage attended a party to which he was not invited and asked the hostess for rum to drink?

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

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

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

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

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

10. What does Cage say on the subject of poetry in "Lecture on Nothing"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explore Cage's writings about Satie and Varese and compare and contrast his opinions of each one. What opinions does he have about what each man contributed to the evolution of music?: What does Cage say about the relevance of each composer? What does he seem to attribute to them? Whom does he seem to admire more?

Essay Topic 2

Explore the first-person perspective used in the book. How would Cage's lessons on music and art be different if they were written from a third-person perspective, like they would be in a text book? What could the reader gain from a less personal perspective? What is gained from the first-person perspective that Cage uses instead?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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