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Modern operas are performed far less frequently than favorites such as La Traviata. Theaters are afraid to take chances. The cost of producing any opera is so high that even with the support of generous patrons, companies can barely break even. None can depend on ticket sales alone. Frequently, patrons demand time-honored classics. Now and then, however, a company dares to break with tradition and will commission a work by a composer whose credentials are above question.
—Janaro & Altshuler, The Art of Being Human 7th ed., p. 301.
6. The sentence, "Theaters are afraid to take chances" is an example of
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7. "The cost of producing any opera is so high that even with the support of generous patrons, companies can barely break even."
A biased word in this sentence is
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8. "The cost of producing any opera is so high that even with the support of generous patrons, companies can barely break even."
This sentence is an example of
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9. "Frequently, patrons demand time-honored classics."
The biased word in this sentence is
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A pioneer work in American opera was composed in 1911 by Scott Joplin (1868–1917), famous for his innovations in ragtime. Titled Tremonisha, it was the first major opera by an African American, and in 1911 it was snubbed by the opera establishment. Joplin, already a success because of his ragtime achievements, had to publish the work himself. In 1915 it was finally produced and received generally unfavorable notices.
—Janaro & Altshuler, The Art of Being Human, 7th ed., p. 301.
10. The sentence "A pioneer work in American opera was composed in 1911 by Scott Joplin (1868–1917), famous for his innovations in ragtime" is an example of
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11. "Titled Tremonisha, it was the first major opera by an African American, and in 1911 it was snubbed by the opera establishment."
This statement expresses
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12. "Joplin, already a success because of his ragtime achievements, had to publish the work himself."
This statement expresses
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13. "In 1915 it was finally produced and received generally unfavorable notices."
This is an example of
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Two possible reasons come to mind to explain the opera's failure. One may be that the opera world, almost exclusively a white institution, resented Joplin's effort to create grand opera rather than continue producing music "appropriate" for his cultural heritage. Another may be that audiences who knew and loved Joplin's music were expecting a ragtime opera, but Joplin wanted to go lightly in his use of the tempo that had served him so well. Although there is some ragtime, he may have wanted to show that music transcended narrow racial ties.
—Janaro & Altshuler, The Art of Being Human, 7th ed., pp. 301–302.
14. The sentence "One may be that the opera world, almost exclusively a white institution, resented Joplin's effort to create grand opera rather than continue producing music 'appropriate' for his cultural heritage" states
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15. "Another may be that audiences who knew and loved Joplin's music were expecting a ragtime opera, but Joplin wanted to go lightly in his use of the tempo that had served him so well."
This sentence is an example of
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16. "Although there is some ragtime, he may have wanted to show that music transcended narrow racial ties."
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As happens over and over in the history of humanities, time has reversed the original criticism. Tremonisha is now widely accepted as the first truly American opera, using American subject matter and American folk themes along with a symphonic score inspired by Wagner's music. Although Joplin did in fact admire Wagner above all composers and even followed in the German composer's footsteps by writing both libretto and music, the result has been a recognized masterpiece in the romantic tradition that combine traditional forms with American motifs.
17. In this passage, the first sentence states
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18. "Tremonisha is now widely accepted as the first truly American opera, using American subject matter and American folk themes along with a symphonic score inspired by Wagner's music."
A biased word in this sentence is
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19. "Tremonisha is now widely accepted as the first truly American opera, using American subject matter and American folk themes along with a symphonic score inspired by Wagner's music."
This sentence expresses
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20. "Although Joplin did in fact admire Wagner above all composers and even followed in the German composer's footsteps by writing both libretto and music, the result has been a recognized masterpiece in the romantic tradition that combine traditional forms with American motifs."
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Step 2: Read the following paragraphs, and answer the questions that follow.