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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. What is the second aria Ryan sings in the final of the Met's competition for young singers?

2. Which of the following laws did DeJarnette advocate for the passage of?

3. Which famous rap star grew up in a high-rise complex next to the one Valerie, Ryan's mother, grew up in?

4. Who is the bass-baritone Ryan is competing against in the Met competition?

5. Which of the following was Dr. Joseph DeJarnette known for?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Ryan feel after he gives his father Cecil a tour of the Met in Chapter 7?

2. Who is the juvenile detention center that Ryan is placed in in Chapter 7 named after?

3. What is the major difference between Ryan and his fellow singer and competitor, Philippe?

4. In Chapter 7, what is Ryan worried is contributing to his difficulties with Italian pronunciation?

5. In Chapter 5, what is the conductor, Patrick Summers, worried there might be too much of an emphasis on in opera these days?

6. When Ryan works with the conductor Patrick Summers in Chapter 5, how does their practice session go?

7. Why does Ryan like Arnold Schwarzenegger so much?

8. What does Gayletha Nichols' experience with the operatic arts entail?

9. Why does Valerie still seem bitter about the way Cecil proposed to her?

10. Why does Valerie get so angry at Cecil when she flies home to her apartment after being stationed in Korea?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At several different points in Ryan's career, he is drawn to compositions that deal with emotional situations and issues that resonate directly with him because of his own experience. Select one specific piece of music that Ryan has a special, significant connection with because of his own experiences and write an essay analyzing that connection, using specific examples from the text to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

What particular character traits and aspects does Ryan possess that he attributes to his father, Cecil? How does Ryan's mother seem to feel about Ryan's affection for his father? Write an essay explaining your answer, citing specific references to the text in support.

Essay Topic 3

Ryan's family is perplexed when they realize he is serious about studying opera, to the point that his aunt Esther says "Isn't that a white thing?" (118). Write an essay analyzing the reasons Bergner puts forward explaining why black opera singers are still facing a more difficult road in building successful careers at the highest levels of opera.

(see the answer keys)

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