Reading
Read the following passage to answer Questions 10-14.
Thad is considering buying an old Stingl baby grand piano from Luc, the piano shop owner. Thad is playing this piano for the first time.
from "The Piano Shop on the Left Bank" by Thad Carhart
1 I sat on the bench and smiled at Luc. I was nervous, almost spellbound; suddenly this great impractical hulk was the gateway to a territory from which I had been absent for too long. Something said “Yes!” before I even touched the keyboard. I trusted Luc but I realized, too, that I wanted to love this piano, I wanted to invite music back into my life. I tried a few scales, then some harmonic progressions, and finally, with more certainty, some arpeggios. A thrill that I had not expected ran through me as the notes resounded. The Stingl had a good, clean action, but it took some work to move the keys. None of the vaunted silkiness of the Steinway or the velvet touch of other famous makes; no, this was a profoundly physical undertaking, almost athletic in its requirements. And yet the tone it produced was very sweet and full, a strange and wonderful combination of the robust and the delicate.
2 “It’s a nice one, no?” Luc was beaming at my very apparent pleasure.
3 “It’s a nice one, yes! It takes some work, but what a beautiful sound.”
4 “You’re a big guy, you can play a piano like this properly. Not everyone could.” I wasn’t sure if this was flattery or a dispassionate estimation of my capabilities. A bit of both, no doubt.
5 This was not just any old piano, Luc assured me. It had been made in Vienna in the thirties at a time when Vienna still had a craftsman’s tradition worthy of the name (only B endorfer remains today), and its clear tone and solid feel suggested a solid pedigree. Never mind its pluck, this had all the marks of a rare find, a fine piano disguised as something simple and dependable. I could imagine it surviving the assaults of my young children, to say nothing of my own.
6 I laughed inwardly at all these musings; the combination of my vanity and artistic longings, together with the ungainly beauty of the piano itself, struck me as funny and vaguely absurd. I imagined myself flawlessly playing Chopin’s Heroic Polonaise in A-flat at the keyboard of this unassuming instrument, an impossibility that nonetheless appealed to my sense of fantasy. One of the most difficult compositions for the piano, it would never be within my grasp, but the daydream itself was strangely satisfying. What would a visitor from another century think of this notion of personal fulfillment that sought a pedigree in the past? My expression must have reflected the deep sense of irony I was feeling because Luc asked me why I was looking puzzled.
7 “It’s just occurred to me how much of ourselves we project onto a piano when we consider what we’re going to buy.”
8 “Ah, but of course, that’s the beauty of a piano. It’s not just another instrument like a flute or a violin that you put away in the closet. You live with it and it with you. It’s big and impossible to ignore, like a member of the family. It’s got to be the right one!”
9 “And if one were interested, how much would this piano cost?”
10 “Fifteen thousand francs,” was his unhurried response. “Of course, that includes delivery and tuning.”
11 I made noises about having to measure my apartment to be sure, but I think that we both knew I was going to buy it. Actually, I think he knew well before I and it puzzles me still to consider how he made that assessment after our brief encounters. But then, we reveal far more of ourselves than we suspect when we enter the bedizened world of our passions and our longings.
12 I returned two days later, having measured my apartment carefully.
13 My wife, Simo, was surprised to hear that all my practical arguments in favor of an upright—the cost, the size, the children—had vanished virtually overnight. “What happened to the idea of a small piano?”
14 I listed all my points in favor of a grand, babbling with enthusiasm as I recited the litany.
15 She listened silently, gave me a long look that mixed skepticism and understanding, then responded to my fervor with the practical point: “Well, we’d better figure out where your new baby is going to live.”
Together we found a corner between the window and the bookcase that formed an acute angle where the Stingl could be wedged in our apartment’s main room. We adjusted our budget for the price Luc quoted. It was a lot of money, particularly since I was just setting out on a new career path as a freelance writer, but my wife encouraged me to indulge my newfound sense of freedom: “Think of it as an investment in personal expression.”
16 This time at the atelier I did bring sheet music, and Luc nodded approvingly when he saw me set it on the music stand. I’ve never been comfortable playing in front of others, but somehow this was different; his presence seemed encouraging as we listened together to the particular voice of this instrument among so many other pianos. I played for perhaps ten minutes, pieces I knew reasonably well and could listen to while I sight-read: some Beethoven bagatelles, a few of Schumann’s pieces for children, an early Mozart fantasy. I was not disappointed. The Stingl’s resonance filled the room with tones at once clear and robust, and a sharp sense of pride welled up at the prospect of owning this distinctive piano, of seeing and playing it daily, of living with it. Good God, I thought, this is a kind of love; and, as in love, my senses amplified and enhanced the love object, all with an insouciance and willing enthusiasm.
17 I finished playing and turned to Luc with what must have been a delighted look on my face.
18 “I would say that you have found your piano.” His eyes sparkled, the successful matchmaker rejoicing in his skill.
19 “And I would say that you were right.”
Question 10 (1 point)
Read this quotation from paragraph 17 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.
I thought, this is a kind of love; and, as in love, my senses amplified and enhanced the love object, all with an insouciance and willing enthusiasm.
Why does the narrator use a metaphor to describe his response to playing the piano?
Question 10 options:
To explain how he is able to remember a piece of music
To show how sharing music increases enjoyment
To suggest that owning a piano can spark enthusiasm
To reveal the depth of his feelings toward the piano
Question 11 (1 point)
In paragraph 8 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, Luc suggests that the narrator —
Question 11 options:
trust his ability to make decisions
reflect on the commitment of buying a piano
be willing to consider other pianos
think about playing different instruments
Question 12 (1 point)
In paragraph 1, which idea is introduced?
Question 12 options:
the power of intuition
an unachievable goal
impractical choices
the wisdom of experience
Question 13 (1 point)
Read this quotation from paragraph 16.
“Think of it as an investment in personal expression.”
What can the reader infer about the narrator’s wife based on her words?
Question 13 options:
The wife believes it is more important to invest in the arts than in other things.
The wife does not believe people should deny themselves things that they want.
The wife views the piano as an attractive addition to their living room.
The wife sees music as a necessary outlet for her husband's creativity.
Question 14 (1 point)
Read this quotation from paragraph 1.
I was nervous, almost spellbound; suddenly this great impractical hulk was the gateway to a territory from which I had been absent for too long. Something said “Yes!” before I even touched the keyboard.
What is the narrator’s purpose for including this description?
Question 14 options:
To explain where he is shopping for a piano
To highlight his doubts about wanting a piano
To show how he exaggerates when describing events
To reveal the strength of his desire to play the piano again
1 answer
Here are the answers to Questions 10-14 based on the excerpt from "The Piano Shop on the Left Bank" by Thad Carhart:
Question 10: Answer: To reveal the depth of his feelings toward the piano
The metaphor of love emphasizes the profound emotional connection the narrator feels towards the piano, illustrating how it affects him deeply.
Question 11: Answer: reflect on the commitment of buying a piano
Luc's statement about the piano being a member of the family implies that purchasing it requires consideration and commitment, reflecting on the responsibilities that come with such a decision.
Question 12: Answer: the power of intuition
The introduction of the narrator's intuition, as he feels a strong, almost instinctual sense of attachment before even playing the piano, highlights the theme of intuition in making decisions.
Question 13: Answer: The wife sees music as a necessary outlet for her husband's creativity.
Her encouragement to view the piano as an investment in personal expression suggests that she understands the importance of music in his life and supports his creative endeavors.
Question 14: Answer: To reveal the strength of his desire to play the piano again
The description of feeling “spellbound” and sensing a “Yes” before interacting with the piano signifies a powerful urge and longing to reconnect with music after his absence from it.
Feel free to ask if you have any questions or need further clarification!
1 answer