Reading 10

COMPREHENSION

Music from Two Sides of the Atlantic

There were many pop music groups in the 1960s. Two groups stand out for their songwriting
and the wideness of their appeal. On different sides of the Atlantic Ocean, both the Beatles and
Simon and Garfunkel were a big hit with reviewers and with the general public.
The Beatles all grew up in Liverpool, England. The group started in 1957 with guitar players
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison. Like many youngsters in Liverpool, they
were huge fans of American rhythm and blues music. The Beatles played shows around their
city, then around England, and later Germany. Drummer Ringo Starr joined in 1962. The
Beatles’ first hit records, “Love Me Do” and “Please Please Me,” were simple, thrilling
rock-and-roll songs written by McCartney and Lennon. These two musicians wrote almost all of
the Beatles’ songs. Sometimes they wrote together. At other times, one of them wrote a song by
himself. However, the pair made an agreement to list both names on every song written by either
one of them.
At first, Lennon and McCartney wrote love songs about young boys and young girls. Then
the Beatles’ music began to change. As the years passed, the group became interested in new
forms of music. They began to write more personal, unusual songs. Songs like these were
popular not only with teenagers and young adults, but also with older adults. The Beatles wrote
songs in different styles, and they added instruments that were new to rock music. For example,
many songs used instruments like violins, trumpets, and French horns. George Harrison wrote
songs featuring instruments from India. Finally, the Beatles broke up in 1970. Each of the four
musicians continued to play music by himself or with other groups.
Simon and Garfunkel grew up in New York City. As teenagers, classmates Paul Simon and
Art Garfunkel gave music performances under the name Tom and Jerry. In 1957, they recorded a
hit song, “Hey, Schoolgirl.” However, the pair broke up when they could not build on their
early success. In 1964, they got together again to record an album of folk songs and original
songs by Paul Simon. In 1966, their recording of “The Sounds of Silence” was a big hit.
Simon and Garfunkel made four more albums. As usual, Garfunkel was singer and Simon
was songwriter, guitar player, and singer. The duo was known for pretty harmonies and poetic
lyrics. The music blended parts of folk music and rock music. In their last recordings, the duo
created a rich sound using classical instruments. After the duo’s split in 1970, Paul Simon began
to write and play songs in African and South American styles. Art Garfunkel recorded songs as a
solo performer.
 Directions
Choose the item that best answers each question about the selection you just read. Circle
the letter next to the answer.

____ 1 What type of music did the Beatles write?

A rhythm and blues
B rock and roll
C folk
D none of the above
____ 2 Which generalization can you make from the second paragraph?
F The Beatles never enjoyed playing live.
G Guitar was the primary instrument of the Beatles’ music.
H The Beatles’ first hits were original songs.
J The Beatles disliked Liverpool.
____ 3 Which generalization can you make from the second paragraph?
A The Beatles never played pop songs.
B Lennon and McCartney were equals.
C Lennon didn’t trust McCartney.
D The Beatles were really a duo.
____ 4 Which generalization can you make from the third paragraph?
F The Beatles’ early music was simple.
G The Beatles’ later songs were boring.
H The Beatles wrote songs in different styles.
J The Beatles’ songs matured over time.
____ 5 Which statement best contrasts the music of these two groups?
A Simon and Garfunkel’s first hit came before the Beatles’ first hit.
B The Beatles broke up once, but Simon and Garfunkel broke up more than once.
C Simon wrote his group’s songs, whereas several Beatles wrote songs.
D Both groups used classical instruments.
____ 6 What generalization can you make from the fourth paragraph?
F Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel always worked hard and did not give up.
G The group’s early success prepared them for stardom.
H Simon and Garfunkel is a better name than Tom and Jerry.
J Paul Simon never wrote original songs for the group.
____ 7 How did the Beatles’ audience change over time?
 A Over time, older people joined younger people in enjoying their music.
B Classical music fans began to enjoy their songs.
C Their audience gradually got younger and younger.
D Fans of American rhythm and blues finally began to like the Beatles’ music.
____ 8 What generalization can you make from the fifth paragraph?
F Simon and Garfunkel always were more poetic than the Beatles.
G Simon’s role in the group usually was more varied than Garfunkel’s role.
H Folk music and rock music were never important to Simon and Garfunkel’s work.
J Simon continued his career as a songwriter after the group broke up.
Reading 10
Answer Section

1 ANS: B PTS: 1
NAT: G6_CCSS_Literature 1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. | G6_CCSS_Informational Text 1. Cite
textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
2 ANS: G PTS: 1
NAT: G6_CCSS_Literature 2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is
conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal
opinions or judgments. | G6_CCSS_Informational Text 1. Cite textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. |
G6_CCSS_Informational Text 2. Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed
through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or
judgments.
3 ANS: B PTS: 1
NAT: G6_CCSS_Literature 2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is
conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal
opinions or judgments. | G6_CCSS_Informational Text 1. Cite textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. |
G6_CCSS_Informational Text 2. Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed
through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or
judgments.
4 ANS: J PTS: 1
NAT: G6_CCSS_Literature 2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is
conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal
opinions or judgments. | G6_CCSS_Informational Text 1. Cite textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. |
G6_CCSS_Informational Text 2. Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed
through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or
judgments.
5 ANS: C PTS: 1
NAT: G6_CCSS_Literature 1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. | G6_CCSS_Literature 7. Compare and
contrast the experience of reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio,
video, or live version of the text, including contrasting what they “see” and “hear” when reading
the text to what they perceive when they listen or watch. | G6_CCSS_Literature 9. Compare and
contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy
stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics. | G6_CCSS_Informational
Text 9. Compare and contrast one author’s presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a
memoir written by and a biography on the same person).
6 ANS: F PTS: 1
NAT: G6_CCSS_Literature 2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is
conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal
opinions or judgments. | G6_CCSS_Informational Text 1. Cite textual evidence to support
 analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. |
G6_CCSS_Informational Text 2. Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed
through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or
judgments.
7 ANS: A PTS: 1
NAT: G6_CCSS_Literature 1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. | G6_CCSS_Informational Text 1. Cite
textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
8 ANS: G PTS: 1
NAT: G6_CCSS_Literature 2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is
conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal
opinions or judgments. | G6_CCSS_Informational Text 1. Cite textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. |
G6_CCSS_Informational Text 2. Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed
through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or
judgments.