CELPIP Reading for Viewpoints Music Industry

CELPIP Reading for Viewpoints Music Industry Passage

Jack Moore is a unique 18-year-old. He is quite different from the rest of his generation due to his intense dislike towards music. Music, he believes, is a very baseless and meaningless concept where people just react to some noise. They would either sing along or dance along to a melody which at its core is a combination of very basic sounds made by the vibrations of strings or connection of matter. There is nothing more to it. It does not provide any value like a good or service usually provides. It is, in fact, the most random thing on the planet that has the most non-random impact.

To elaborate further on the latter, he talks about how the music industry is a multi-billion dollar empire in North America and probably worth trillions when the worldwide influence is taken into account. “Then this word triggers me more, A.K.A. ‘influence’. It is poison. Especially for our generation, it can cloud the youth’s judgement. You often see the passed-out teenagers on dance floors as well as the metalheads who insist on looking anything but normal when under the trance of music,” he boldly asserts.

Ian Nelson, 67, a senior by quite a margin, goes in a completely opposite argument, even though you would think the contrary. For him, he misses how music rejuvenated him during his youth through motivation, and provided for him when he was down.

“As a teenager, I used to suffer with a lot of depression along with mental and psychological struggles, just like any normal teenager. Music was always the light at the end of the tunnel for me, lifting me up in my spirits and helping me go through hard times. What’s interesting about Jack’s arguments is that he also mentioned possibly the biggest benefit of music and that is towards the economic area where it creates jobs for millions of people while creating some really lucky superstars who measure their worth in billions now, all thanks to music. It is after all a service that does provide value. Entertainment is value and cannot be overlooked If you think of what music does to a dance floor or how it makes even the weakest presentations or business advertisements into something that captivates people’s attention and makes them listen, it becomes a force to reckon with. It also is used to compliment a lot of things like movies, occasions such as marriages or funerals, memory albums, and so much more. If this were not a needed service then so wouldn’t be many things like movies or massages or even decorating houses. We can live without all those things too. The point is that somethings just make us happier as human beings even if they have a very little impact or ‘appear’ to provide no meaning”.

Complete each statement by selecting the best option:

1. To what extent is Jack against music?

A. Not at all
B. To some extent
C. To a great extent
D. He is indifferent

2. Jack and Ian…

A. have different opinions due to their ages
B. are pessimistic and optimistic people respectively
C. cannot agree on a single point
D. both comment on the randomness of music

3. Ian Nelson…

A. is aware of youth issues
B. enjoys music with something else
C. calls music a need
D. exaggerates by saying music lights up a tunnel

4. Against which group was sarcasm used?

A. teenagers
B. Americans
C. nightclub’s customers
D. metalheads

5. According to Ian, which of the following is NOT an impact of music?

A. financial
B. social
C. political
D. psychological

Now read the following, and answer the multiple choice questions.

Wow, Ian completely won this argument just by explaining the various 6. _______ as well as his 7. _______ which makes it all the more real for him. He’s also correct about how it assists people in 8. _______. It is kind of awkward when he compares music to 9. _______ like movies or massages but I see where he’s going with this. What’s ironic is that Jack complains about how music does not provide value but then goes on to talk about how metalheads and people in nightclubs enjoy it so much. I think Jack needs to 10. _______.

Q6.
A. uses of music
B. job opportunities
C. movies
D. social factors

Q7.
A. childhood story
B. life story
C. memory albums
D. career advantages

Q8.
A. cheap advertising
B. clout chasing
C. office meetings
D. job hunting

Q9.
A. similar areas
B. entertaining services
C. random things
D. questionable areas

Q10.
A. be more open-minded
B. loosen up a bit more
C. be less aggressive
D. be a music lover

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CELPIP Reading for Viewpoints Music Industry Answers

1. To a great extent.
They used the words ‘intense dislike’ in the first paragraph.
2. cannot agree on a single point.
Option B would be incorrect since we don’t know if their personalities are like that.
3. is aware of youth issues.
While talking about his own past teenage issues, he referred to other teenagers by saying ‘just like any normal teenager”. This shows he is mindful of the troubles for the youth.
4. metalheads.
Jack mentioned: “as well as the metalheads who insist on looking anything but normal when under the trance of music”

5. political.
Nothing about music and politics was mentioned.
6. uses of music.
While other answers may also be correct, the first one incorporates all of them.
7. childhood story.
He talked about how music lifted him from depression when he was young.
8. office meetings.
He mentioned how music makes presentations better.
9. random things.
There was no relation between music, movies, and massages.
10. loosen up a bit more.
From the tone of the sentence, this is the best choice.