Louis Armstrong

During Armstrong’s childhood, he…

• used music as an escape.
• was encouraged to play the trumpet.
•  faced several obstacles.
• was uninterested in music.

Throughout Armstrong’s career, he…

• explored different styles of music.
• struggled with reading music.
• tried to branch away from jazz.
•  continued to work with Joe Oliver.

After Armstrong’s heart attack, he…

• took a break from making music.
• retired from performing.
• committed himself to social activism.
• continued to produce music and perform.

Which of the following best identifies the main idea about Armstrong in the text?

• He succeeded internationally as a jazz musician and introduced new styles of music.
• He didn’t realize his full potential until he was an adult due to hardships as a child.
• He is well-remembered musician but his style is no longer practiced today.
• He used his popularity to address injustices during the Civil Rights movement.

Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Question #4?

• “Armstrong himself had to leave school in 5th grade to work and earn money for the family. The neighborhood he lived in was so poverty-stricken and run-down people called it ‘the battlefield.’” (Paragraph 2)
• “One of their pieces, “West End Blues,” is considered to be one of the most artful pieces of jazz, and it brought greater respect to the musical style and introduced it to a wider audience.” (Paragraph 6) 
• “In the 1940s he recognized that swing music’s days were numbered, so he formed a smaller band that he would play with for the rest of his career.” (Paragraph 7) 
• “but after he saw the consequences of school segregation on TV, he made a public statement condemning segregation.” (Paragraph 9) 

How does the characterization of Armstrong’s neighborhood in paragraph 2 contribute to author’s description of his life?

• It shows that he overcame difficulties at a young age
• . It suggests that he got into fights when he was younger
• It proves that he didn’t feel at home in his neighborhood.
• It provides reasoning for why he was motivated to leave his neighborhood.

^{Which of the following best describes the progress of Armstrong’s career?}

•  Armstrong was less successful as styles other than jazz began became popular
•  Armstrong’s career never fully recovered from his mouth injury that forced to take a break from music. 
• Armstrong’s contributions to music were not fully accepted or respected until after his death. 
• Armstrong produced successful music from the beginning of his career until the end, despite challenges along the way.