Marching to Different Drummers

(18)  The author included paragraph 4 most likely to —

• F.  emphasize that football players in Texas deserve more attention than they receive.
• G.  imply that foot ball should not be the most popular sport in Texas.
• H.  suggest that marching bands are as important as football players.
• J. show that marching in a band is as demanding as playing football.

(19)  In paragraph 11, the word "logistics" means the —

• A.  raising of funds
• B.  supervising of details
• C.  recruiting of members
• D.  scheduling of practices

(20) By presenting the ideas included in paragraphs 1 through 3, the author is able to —

• F.  explain why students join marching bands in Texas
• G.  describe the equipment required by Texas marching bands.
• H.  emphasize that marching bands in Texas are a common sight
• J.  identify the most popular instruments in Texas marching bands

(21) The author chose the title of this selection to highlight the idea that —

• A.  Texas marching band members are talented.
• B.  there is variety among Texas marching bands.
• C.  Texas marching band members are dedicated.
• D.  there are a large number of Texas marching bands.

(22)  Which sentence from the selection is a commonplace assertion?

• F. We all know that Texans are mad about football, and the players usually get the attention.
• G.  Known as the Allen Eagle Escadrille (French for “squadron”), Allen’s band is considered the largest in the country—high school or college.
• H.  At some small schools, roughly half of the student body is in the band.
• J. Griffin’s organization was formed in 1991 to better represent small schools at band competitions.

(23) Which of these supports the idea that band members form strong bonds with one another?

• A. “We always called ourselves ‘band nerds.’ I don’t think it’s derogatory or anything. It doesn’t bother me one bit.”
• B.  “It’s like camaraderie,” Harwell said. “For four years, it’s your family.”
• C.  “In some places, being in the band is not the in thing; it’s not cool. It’s cool to be in the band in Sundown,” he said.
• D.  “You have your preps, your jocks and your band nerds,” said Jolynn Harwell, 24, who played clarinet and served as drum major for two years at Stephenville High School.

(24) What are paragraph 6 and 7 mainly about?

• F.  The results of studies about Texas high school marching bands
• G.  The high quality of Texas high school marching bands.
• H.  The benefits of being in a high school marching band.
• J.  The popularity of being in a high school marching band.

(25)  What does the word "alumni" mean in paragraph 7?

• A.  Former participants
• B.  Parent supporters
• C.  College applicants
• D.  Competition judges

(26)  What is the best summary of the section titled "Bands in All Sizes"?

• F. There are many marching bands in the state of Texas. Some of the bands are very small, consisting of as few as a dozen members. Kenneth Griffin’s organization, the Texas Association of Small School Bands, represents some of these small high school bands at competitions.
• G. With 5,000 students, Allen High School is a very large school. Its marching band has 650 members, which makes it larger than the bands at the University of Texas and Texas A&M University. On the other hand, the Sundown High School marching band has only 117 members.
• H. Class 5A Allen High School has the largest marching band in the United States. It is larger than any other high school marching band or any college marching band. This band’s 650 members fill an entire football field when they are playing. It takes 20 buses to transport the members to away games.
• J. Texas boasts the largest high school marching band in the nation, the Allen Eagle Escadrille, which has 650 members. There are also many small, award-winning marching bands in Texas, such as Sundown High School’s 117-member marching band, which has won many marching band titles.

(27) With which statement would the author most likely agree?

• A.  More bands members should pursue careers in music.
• B.  It is impossible for a school of any size to have a successful band program.
• C.  Band camps would be more effective if they didn't occur during the summer.
• D.  Large schools should consider including middle school students in marching band.