Life in an International Orchestra Reading Answers

Dec 3, 2022

Life in an International Orchestra Reading Answers has a list of 13 questions which the candidates are required to attempt in the given time of 20 minutes. The topic contains two different sorts of questions, like choose the correct heading and choose the correct letter. The candidates needs a neat understanding of the passage and then opt for the correct heading. Candidates should analyze the passage given below for recognizing the keywords and understanding the concept. For choosing the correct option, a complete study of the IELTS passage is mandatory for the candidates in order to understand the statement provided in the passage.

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Reading Passage Questions

Playing in a big international orchestra is one of life's most exciting experiences, yet it is also a very tough job. Players are part of a team of eighty or more musicians playing some of the world's greatest music. They work very long hours - turning up early for rehearsals on dark, cold, winter's mornings in a chilly, empty hall; working till late in the evening on the night of a concert; traveling on trains and planes at all hours of the day and night; eating and sleeping when they can; trying to play well when they are tired or hungry or have a headache. There's not much time left for home, family or friends. In fact, their 'family' is the rest of the orchestra. The musicians share the hectic pace and the worries, but they also share the wonderful moments when they are all playing together and feel on top of the world.

Much of an orchestra's time is spent in rehearsal. The players may already know the music by heart, but every conductor has his or her own ideas about how a piece of music should be played. That is one reason why rehearsals are necessary. Another reason is the problem of orchestral balance of sound. With the rest of the orchestra around them, players cannot always hear themselves properly (sometimes not at all), and so they cannot gauge the balance of sound between their own instruments or section and the rest of the orchestra. At rehearsals this is something that the conductor is able to put right.

Some conductors like to go through a piece of music bar by bar, stopping the orchestra each time they want to make a comment. Others let an orchestra play for long stretches at a time, then go back to a particular point they want to rehearse again. Whatever the conductor's method, it is important that the musicians are happy with it. If the players don't like the conductor they can become very difficult, interrupting the session with questions or complaints. At one time conductors, such as Toscanini, used to get such fine performances out of an orchestra by shouting at the musicians and almost frightening them into playing well. That sort of behavior would not work with most orchestras today. After all, orchestral musicians are highly trained and experienced people and they should be treated with respect.

If a rehearsal is held in the morning of a concert, it probably takes place in the concert hall. In the morning, everybody will still be in casual clothes but in the evening they will change into formal dress. Most will arrive at least an hour early to unpack and inspect their instruments - violinists to check their strings and bow, woodwind players to check their reeds and change them if need be, and everyone to run over any difficult passages of music. If they want a bit of peace and quiet some members of the orchestra may even hide themselves away in the toilets or creep down to the boiler room! Players whose instruments are too big for them to carry, such as timpani, harps and double-basses, will arrive on the platform before the rest to make their last minute checks.

About five minutes before the concert is due to start, everybody except the leader or concert master, files on and takes their place. Then the leader comes on to a round of applause from the audience and calls for silence, while the oboist sounds the note A. The rest of the orchestra tune their instruments to this note. Finally, on comes the conductor, to more applause, and, when it is quiet once more, the concert begins.

However well the orchestra may have rehearsed, problems may still occur. In a warm, crowded concert hall the acoustics are different from those in a cool, empty building, and this can change the balance of the sound. Also, the instruments may go out of tune after some time in a warm atmosphere.

Musicians, like actors, are aware of the audience; they notice whether the audience is a good one or not. A good audience will listen and respond to the music, whereas a difficult audience coughs and fidgets throughout the performance. Above all, the musicians are also aware of whether they are playing well, not just individually but as a team. Knowing they are giving a good performance makes all the difference at the end of a long, hard day.

Solution and Explanation

Questions 1-6:
The reading passage has seven paragraphs (A-G).
Choose the correct heading for Paragraphs A-G from the list of headings (i-x) below.
Write your answers in boxes 1-6 on the answer sheet.

NB There are more headings than paragraphs so you will not use all of them.

(Guide: In these kinds of questions, the aspirants are expected to follow the passage thoroughly and answer the questions numbered from 1 - 6. Each question’s answer is directed to choose from paragraphs A to G.)

List of Headings

i	The need for a high quality instrument
ii	Formalities at the beginning of the concert
iii	Problems with changes in sound in the hall
iv	Poor and ineffective conducting method
v	The highs and lows of being a member of an orchestra
vi	Pre-concert arrangements
vii	The response of the audience
viii	The need for detailed rehearsal
ix	The importance of the conductor's management style
x	Correct adjustment of each instrument

Paragraph A

Answer: (v) the highs and lows of being a member of an orchestra
Supporting sentence: In paragraph A the author has tried to convey the life of a player in the orchestra including the feeling of the player.
Keyword: rehearsals, musicians, tough job
Keyword location: paragraph A
Explanation: Paragraph A in the passage explains that the narrator has attempted to capture the life of an orchestra player, including the player's feelings. The player must travel to practise regardless of whether it is sweltering hot or bitter winter, he continues. It starts at morning and ends at ten o'clock. Additionally, he claims that the musicians in the orchestra are members of his family. Thus, option v is the right choice.

Paragraph B

Answer: (viii) the need for detailed rehearsals
Supporting sentence: In paragraph B the writer pens about the rigorous practice an orchestra player has to go through in order to steal the show.
Keyword: by heart, gauge, rehearsals
Keyword location: paragraph B, line 2 and 3
Explanation: The lines 2-3 of Paragraph B in the passage states that in a piece about the value of diligent practise, the author describes the sound of another player's instrument on stage. It becomes difficult to distinguish the two when it is mixed with your own instrument, and each player has a unique understanding of the song. Therefore, practise sessions are required in order for them to repeatedly synchronise. Thus, option viii is the correct answer.

Paragraph C

Answer:(ix) The importance of the conductor's management style
Supporting sentence: All the conductors have their own way of practice, some prefer interrupting the performance when it’s not up to the par and the others prefer to re-rehearse the portion which was loose.
Keyword: conductors, interrupting, performance, trained
Keyword location: paragraph C lines; 1, 3, 5
Explanation: Lines 1, 3 and 5 of paragraph C suggests that each and every conductor practises in a different way. Some prefer to stop a performance when it isn't, by taking an instance of Toscanini. The author wants to describe the exact way to put on a performance. He also says that the orchestra's musicians are experts and should be treated with the utmost respect. Thus, option ix is the correct choice.

Paragraph D

Answer: (vi) pre concert arrangements
Supporting sentence: In order to commence the practice on scheduled time, players arrive at spot one hour early.
Keyword: formal, harps, woodwind, last minute
Keyword location: paragraph D
Explanation: Paragraph D explains that the players arrive at the practise location one hour early to ensure that the practise starts at the stated time. The first people with large instruments, such as harps, arrive to inspect their instruments. Thus, option vi will be the right choice after analyzing the passage.

paragraph E

Answer:(ii) formalities at the beginning of the concert.
Supporting sentence: During the last minutes of commencement of the concert the stage is set to welcome the concertmaster with applause.
Keyword: conductor, master, oboist
Keyword location: paragraph E, lines; 2, 3
Explanation: Lines 2-3 of paragraph E states that the stage is prepared to applaud the concertmaster in the opening moments of the performance. When there is complete silence, the music starts, the conductor is greeted with even more applause. Thus, option ii is the right choice here.

paragraph G

Answer: (vii) the response of the audience
Supporting sentence: Musicians like other artists observe the behavior of the audience. A good audience always remains silent and keeps the performance going without any interruptions.
Keyword: good, hard, fidgets
Keyword location: paragraph G
Explanation: Paragraph G in the passage suggests that alike other artists, the musiciana also have a keen observation on how their audiences are accepting their shows. To maintain the silence and maintaining the peace of the performance are the signs of a good audience. Thus, option vii is the right choice.

Questions 7-13:
Choose the letter A-D that gives the best completion to each sentence below for the orchestra passage.
Write your answers in boxes 7-13 on the answer sheet.

Playing in a large orchestra requires long hours because

Answer: B
Supporting sentence: long hours is taken because of the long hours of the practice
Keyword: rehearsals
Keyword location: paragraph A
Explanation: Paragraph A suggests that playing in the big orchestra takes a lot of time because of the long hours of rehearsal that start early in the morning and end late at night to achieve the proficiency. Thus, option B is appropriate.

Frequent rehearsals may be needed because

Answer: D
Supporting sentence: to sync the sound of the instrument with other players frequent rehearsals are needed.
Keyword: harps, adjustment
Keyword location: paragraph D
Explanation: Paragraph D explains that in order to maintain the synchronization of the sound of the instrument with other players players, a repeated practice session are required. Thus, option D is the right one.

An effective conductor is one who

Answer: A
Supporting sentence:has the players’ approval
Keyword: experienced, respected
Keyword location: paragraph C
Explanation: The paragraph C in the passage states that every coach manages the team differently; some are severe, while others are liberal and don't halt the entire session. The former is typically disliked by players because they are seasoned artists who merit respect. Thus, option A is the right choice.

Today, a conductor who loudly criticizes the players

Answer: D
Supporting sentence: these conductors do not get good music from the team.
Keyword: trained, respect, interrupting
Keyword location: paragraph C
Explanation: Paragraph C in the passage describes that the conductor who constantly berates the players fails to inspire good music from them instead of receiving hate in return. Hence, option D is the right choice.

On the evening of a concert, the players will

Answer: C
Supporting sentence: the players will make sure their instrument are working properly
Keyword:arrive, harps, check
Keyword location: paragraph D
Explanation: Pargraph D suggests that in order to check the conditions of their instruments, the players actually reaches at spot prior the starting of the concert. Thus, option C is the best choice for the answer.

Problems in a concert may occur if

Answer:A
Supporting sentence: problem may occur if the audience does not applaud the music.
Keyword: applaud
Keyword location: paragraph G
Explanation: A bad audience interrupts the concert by coughing and fidgets while a good audience lauds the good part, a musician observes everything. Paragraph G suggests that if a concert's audience doesn't cheer the music, problems could arise. Thus, option A is the right choice.

Players feel satisfaction in their music when

Answer: C
Supporting sentence: players will be satisfied when they know they have delivered a good performance.
Keyword: fidget, good, performance
Keyword location: paragraph G
Explanation: Paragraph G in the passage states that when players are aware of the performance's excellent delivery, they will feel satisfied; a strong performance soothes all of the day's aches. Thus, option C is the correct answer.

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