Oblivious to the Music by Bassi Gruen

1. Oblivious to the Musicby BassiGruen Would you notice one of the world's greatest violinists playing in the midst of rush hour?

2. Title First Sentence Last Sentence

3. Oblivious to the Music by BassiGruenWould you notice one of the world's greatest violinists playing in the midst of rush hour? What would happen if one of the greatest violinists alive, playing on a Stradivarius worth several million dollars, was plunked into the sterile environment of a Washington D.C. metro station at the height of morning rush hour? But, in my haste that morning, I saw none of it. I was deaf to the music surrounding me on all sides.

4. Begin Questions

5. 1 Lines 1-4 ______ the title. • contradict • elaborate upon • answer • recognize

6. Translate

7. Oblivious to the Music by BassiGruenWould you notice one of the world's greatest violinists playing in the midst of rush hour? What would happen if one of the greatest violinists alive, playing on a Stradivarius worth several million dollars, was plunked into the sterile environment of a Washington D.C. metro station at the height of morning rush hour? Would anyone stop to listen? Would anyone recognize the genius, the soaring beauty of the playing?

8. 1 Lines 1-4 ______ the title. • contradict • elaborate upon • answer • recognize

9. 2 Who are the “creatures” that the writer refers to in line 10? • Members of the public • Musicians • Keyboards • Ragged looking men

10. 2 Who are the “creatures” that the writer refers to in line 10? • Members of the public • Musicians • Keyboards • Ragged looking men

11. 2 Who are the “creatures” that the writer refers to in line 10? • Members of the public • Musicians • Keyboards • Ragged looking men

12. Lines 1-10 The idea was born two years ago, when Weingarten left a crowded metro station and noticed a ragged-looking man playing the keyboard. The musician was quite good, but he was receiving virtually no notice. Looking at the amorphous mass of humanity rushing by, Weingarten felt a surge of anger. The thought crossed his mind that even the greatest of musicians wouldn't be able to touch these rushing creatures. But he decided to test his hypothesis before indicting the public.

13. Lines 1-10 The idea was born two years ago, when Weingarten left a crowded metro station and noticed a ragged-looking man playing the keyboard. The musician was quite good, but he was receiving virtually no notice. Looking at the amorphous mass of humanity rushing by, Weingarten felt a surge of anger. The thought crossed his mind that even the greatest of musicians wouldn't be able to touch these rushing creatures. But he decided to test his hypothesis before indicting the public.

14. Lines 1-10 The idea was born two years ago, when Weingarten left a crowded metro station and noticed a ragged-looking man playing the keyboard. The musician was quite good, but he was receiving virtually no notice. Looking at the amorphous mass of humanity rushing by, Weingarten felt a surge of anger. The thought crossed his mind that even the greatest of musicians wouldn't be able to touch these rushing creatures. But he decided to test his hypothesis before indicting the public.

15. Looking at the amorphous mass of humanity rushing by, Weingarten felt a surge of anger. The thought crossed his mind that even the greatest of musicians wouldn't be able to touch these rushing creatures.

16. 2 Who are the “creatures” that the writer refers to in line 10? • Members of the public • Musicians • Keyboards • Ragged looking men

17. 3

18. Gene Weingarten

19. Gene Weingarten Gene Weingarten, a Washington Post staff writer, was determined to find out.

20. Gene Weingarten Gene Weingarten, a Washington Post staff writer, was determined to find out.

21. 3

22. Joshua Bell

23. Joshua Bell The result was an intriguing social experiment. Weingarten approached Joshua Bell, one of the finest classical musicians in the world.

24. Joshua Bell The result was an intriguing social experiment. Weingarten approached Joshua Bell, one of the finest classical musicians in the world.

25. Less is more

26. 3

27. Antonio Stradivari

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29. Antonio Stradivari The result was an intriguing social experiment. Weingarten approached Joshua Bell, one of the finest classical musicians in the world. Bell, 39, is a consummate violinist who plays before awe-struck crowds across the globe. His instrument is a violin crafted by Antonio Stradivari in 1713, at the end of the Italian master's career. Bell purchased the violin at an auction several years ago, for 3.5 million dollars. Bell and his violin are musical mastery at its absolute height.

30. Antonio Stradivari The result was an intriguing social experiment. Weingarten approached Joshua Bell, one of the finest classical musicians in the world. Bell, 39, is a consummate violinist who plays before awe-struck crowds across the globe. His instrument is a violin crafted by Antonio Stradivari in 1713, at the end of the Italian master's career. Bell purchased the violin at an auction several years ago, for 3.5 million dollars. Bell and his violin are musical mastery at its absolute height.

31. Less is more

32. 3

33. 4 What does the word “his” in line 14 refer to? ___

34. his The result was an intriguing social experiment. Weingarten approached Joshua Bell, one of the finest classical musicians in the world. Bell, 39, is a consummate violinist who plays before awe-struck crowds across the globe. His instrument is a violin crafted by Antonio Stradivari in 1713, at the end of the Italian master's career. Bell purchased the violin at an auction several years ago, for 3.5 million dollars. Bell and his violin are musical mastery at its absolute height.

35. his The result was an intriguing social experiment. Weingarten approached Joshua Bell, one of the finest classical musicians in the world. Bell, 39, is a consummate violinist who plays before awe-struck crowds across the globe. His instrument is a violin crafted by Antonio Stradivari in 1713, at the end of the Italian master's career. Bell purchased the violin at an auction several years ago, for 3.5 million dollars. Bell and his violin are musical mastery at its absolute height.

36. 4 What does the word “his” in line 14 refer to? Bell

37. 5 According to lines 17-20 it was more __________ to find a place to carry out the experiment than to persuade _________ to take part.

38. 17-20 Bell acquiesced to the request with surprising ease. Finding a venue proved more difficult, as metro laws forbid busking, but Weingarten overcame this obstacle when he discovered a station with an indoor arcade owned by a private company. The owner graciously agreed to allow the experiment to take place. The stage was set.

39. 17-20 Bell acquiesced to the request with surprising ease. Finding a venue proved more difficult, as metro laws forbid busking, but Weingarten overcame this obstacle when he discovered a station with an indoor arcade owned by a private company. The owner graciously agreed to allow the experiment to take place. The stage was set.

40. 17-20 Bell acquiesced to the request with surprising ease. Finding a venue proved more difficult, as metro laws forbid busking, but Weingarten overcame this obstacle when he discovered a station with an indoor arcade owned by a private company. The owner graciously agreed to allow the experiment to take place. The stage was set.

41. 5 According to lines 17-20 it was more difficultto find a place to carry out the experiment than to persuade Bellto take part.

42. 6 In lines 21-26 we are told what Bell wore. Why do you think this is important?

43. 6 In lines 21-26 we are told what Bell wore. Why do you thinkthis is important?

44. Bell

45. 6 In lines 21-26 we are told what Bell wore. Why do you think this is important? Weingarten didn’t want people to know that Bell was a famous musician. Bell wanted to look like a train station musician.

46. 7 According to lines 21-26, about how long did each piece take to play on average? • 4 minutes • 5 minutes • 6 minutes • 7 minutes

47. 7 According to lines 21-26, about how long did each piece take to play on average? • 4 minutes • 5 minutes • 6 minutes • 7 minutes

48. 21-26 On Jan. 12, 2007, at 7:51 on a Friday morning, Bell, dressed in jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and a Washington Nationals baseball cap, opened his violin case, threw a few dollars in as seed money, and began to play. The pieces he performed were not popular, well-known ditties. They were complex, breathtaking masterpieces that have endured for centuries. Bell put his heart and soul into his music, coaxing pristine, resonant notes from his instrument. He played six pieces in 43 minutes.

49. 21-26 On Jan. 12, 2007, at 7:51 on a Friday morning, Bell, dressed in jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and a Washington Nationals baseball cap, opened his violin case, threw a few dollars in as seed money, and began to play. The pieces he performed were not popular, well-known ditties. They were complex, breathtaking masterpieces that have endured for centuries. Bell put his heart and soul into his music, coaxing pristine, resonant notes from his instrument. He played six pieces in 43 minutes.

50. Maths 43/6 = 7.167