Applied English for American Society & Culture through Music

Name ________________________

Reading and Lecture Comprehension - Chapter 2
Use your lecture notes from Professor Doan's class and the text: Mark T or F or fill in the blank. Correct incorrect information.

  1. ____ In general, the places of origin of American folk music are Britain, other European countries, and East Africa.
  2. ____ When the Pilgrims first came to North America in the 1600's, they brought a lot of stringed and wind instruments with them.
  3. ____ The violin was also known as "the fiddle" when used to play folk music.
  4. ____ A lot of the folk music played and sung today in rural and mountainous areas of the U.S. is similar in style to the music of old Britain.
  5. ____ The dulcimer was a popular instrument in early North America.
  6. ____ The strophic form of music has verses with new words each time the strophe repeats. The music is the same, but the words in each strophe are different (AAAAA). An example of songs in strophic form are ballads.)
  7. ____ People performed folk music because it was fun and they loved it. "Amore" from Latin is the root of the English word "amateur". "Amateur" musicians are not professional musicians; that is, they are not paid to play. The noun is "amateurism" = not being very good at something but loving it.
  8. ____ We know the names of most of the people who wrote the first folk songs.
  9. ____ The oldest folk ballads have survived since the Middle Ages.
  10. ____ "Barbara Allen" is a lullaby.
  11. ____ Blacks were first brought to America at about the same time as the Puritans and Pilgrims came.
  12. ____ Field hollers were long, expressive improvised calls used by African slaves in America.
  13. ____ The banjo was created by Africans in Africa.
  14. ____ African slaves in America came especially from West Africa.
  15. Sweet slow songs (sometimes also nonsense songs) that are sung to put children to sleep are l__________________ .
  16. ____________________ are sea songs that were sometimes sung in bars by drunken sailors!
  17. Story songs are called _______________________ .
  18. __________________ _________________ is music that is (1) often from obscure origins, (2) simple and unpretentious, (3) enjoyed by sophisticated and inexperienced listeners, and easy to remember.
  19. Music that is made up (created) as you sing or play is im_ _ _ _ _ _ _ d (often jazz and blues).
  20. Is rhythm or is melody more important in African music? ____________________
  21. Is African musical rhythm simpler or more complicated than rhythm in European folk music? ______________________