501 Critical Reading Questions

b
,
d
, and 
e
are all part of the ceremony
but not its main purpose. Choice 
c
is not explicitly supported by
the text.
322.
e.
This title indicates that the passage covers both popular and
ceremonial music and introduces the main theme of the pas-
sage: the unique (
extraordinary
) musical tradition of the Rio
Grand region. The other choices are all too narrow (choice 
d
),
or are totally inappropriate (choice 
c
).
323.
b.
The introductory and final paragraphs of the passage reveal the
author’s admiration for the music. In line 8 the author describes
the musical tradition as 
unique, rich
and lines 9–10 he or she calls
the ceremonial music 
some of the most extraordinary . . . in the His-
panic world
.” In line 62, the author describes the 
indita
as 
extraordi-
nary
. Although he or she describes the tradition in positive terms,
awe
overstates the case.
324.
c.
In Passage 1, the author provides a limited chronology of Johnson’s
life (paragraphs 2, 3, and 4) and briefly describes his influence on
blues and rock and roll (paragraphs 1 and 5).
325.
b.
In paragraph 3 of Passage 1, the author describes how Johnson was
not very good
at playing the guitar but that he 
wanted to learn
and so
spent his time in blues bars watching the local blues legends
(lines 19–20).
That he disappeared for some time and then returned as a 
first-rate
guitarist
(lines 26–27) also suggests Johnson’s determination.
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