2021 STAAR English 2 - Fiction + Informational: The Piano Shop on the Left Bank + Those Old Piano Blues - Huntsville ISD | Library

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1.

Use The Piano Shop on the Left Bank (pp. 26–28) to answer questions 1-7.

Read this quotation from paragraph 17 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.

Why does the narrator use a metaphor to describe his response to playing the piano?

E2.4F

2.

In paragraph 8 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, Luc suggests that the narrator —

E2.4F

3.

In paragraph 1 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, which idea is introduced?

E2.4F

4.

Read this quotation from paragraph 16 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.

What can the reader infer about the narrator’s wife based on her words?

E2.4F

5.

In paragraph 17 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, how does the narrator feel about playing the Stingl piano in the piano shop?

E2.4F

6.

In paragraph 1 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, why does the narrator describe the piano as “a strange and wonderful combination of the robust and the delicate”?

E2.8F

7.

Read this quotation from paragraph 1 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.

What is the narrator’s purpose for including this description?

E2.8F

8.

Use “From Those Old Piano Blues” (pp. 29–30) to answer questions 8-15.

In the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues,” how does the author mainly organize his ideas?

E2.7D.ii

9.

Read this quotation from paragraph 2 of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues.”

What does the author’s use of musical terminology convey in the quotation?

E2.4F

10.

Which quotation best shows that the author of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues” is relieved someone wants his old piano?

E2.4F

11.

What is the purpose of the information in the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

E2.8A

12.

Read this dictionary entry.

Which definition most closely matches the meaning of boom as it is used in paragraph 4 of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

E2.2A

13.

In the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues,” what is the primary purpose of paragraph 7?

E2.8A

14.

Which word from the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues” means “an approximate amount”?

E2.2B

15.

Which is the best summary of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

Many families in America once owned acoustic pianos, but there are now fewer families who want them. In fact, if you have an old piano, it can be very hard to sell it or find someone who wants it. That’s why there are companies now offering to pick up old pianos. It is sad these instruments were once prized but have little value today, unless someone is willing to restore them to their original working condition.

Although acoustic pianos were once a popular item in American life, many are now being disposed of or recycled for parts. Changes in American entertainment, as well as the space and upkeep required to own an acoustic piano, have led people to pursue other interests or purchase less expensive digital pianos. However, the number of Americans learning to play the piano has not changed, which shows that the instrument is still appreciated.

E2.5D

16.

Use The Piano Shop on the Left Bank and “Those Old Piano Blues” to answer questions 16-19.

In the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank and the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues,” with which statement would both authors most likely agree?

E2.4F

17.

While the narrator of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank finds an old Stingl valuable enough for him to spend a lot of money on it, the author of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues” —

E2.2B

18.

What is one notable difference between the two excerpts?

E2.4F

19.

What feeling is conveyed by both the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank and the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

E2.4F

2021 STAAR English 2 - Fiction + Informational: The Piano Shop on the Left Bank + Those Old Piano Blues

Use The Piano Shop on the Left Bank (pp. 26–28) to answer questions 1-7.Read this quotation from paragraph 17 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.Why does the narrator use a metaphor to describe his response to playing the piano?

In paragraph 8 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, Luc suggests that the narrator —

In paragraph 1 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, which idea is introduced?

Read this quotation from paragraph 16 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.What can the reader infer about the narrator’s wife based on her words?

In paragraph 17 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, how does the narrator feel about playing the Stingl piano in the piano shop?

In paragraph 1 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, why does the narrator describe the piano as “a strange and wonderful combination of the robust and the delicate”?

Read this quotation from paragraph 1 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.What is the narrator’s purpose for including this description?

Use “From Those Old Piano Blues” (pp. 29–30) to answer questions 8-15.In the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues,” how does the author mainly organize his ideas?

Read this quotation from paragraph 2 of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues.”What does the author’s use of musical terminology convey in the quotation?

Which quotation best shows that the author of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues” is relieved someone wants his old piano?

What is the purpose of the information in the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

Read this dictionary entry.Which definition most closely matches the meaning of boom as it is used in paragraph 4 of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

In the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues,” what is the primary purpose of paragraph 7?

Which word from the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues” means “an approximate amount”?

Which is the best summary of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

Use The Piano Shop on the Left Bank and “Those Old Piano Blues” to answer questions 16-19.In the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank and the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues,” with which statement would both authors most likely agree?

While the narrator of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank finds an old Stingl valuable enough for him to spend a lot of money on it, the author of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues” —

What is one notable difference between the two excerpts?

What feeling is conveyed by both the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank and the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

Use The Piano Shop on the Left Bank (pp. 26–28) to answer questions 1-7.

Read this quotation from paragraph 17 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.

Why does the narrator use a metaphor to describe his response to playing the piano?

Read this quotation from paragraph 16 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.

What can the reader infer about the narrator’s wife based on her words?

Read this quotation from paragraph 1 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.

What is the narrator’s purpose for including this description?

Use “From Those Old Piano Blues” (pp. 29–30) to answer questions 8-15.

In the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues,” how does the author mainly organize his ideas?

Read this quotation from paragraph 2 of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues.”

What does the author’s use of musical terminology convey in the quotation?

Read this dictionary entry.

Which definition most closely matches the meaning of boom as it is used in paragraph 4 of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

Use The Piano Shop on the Left Bank and “Those Old Piano Blues” to answer questions 16-19.

In the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank and the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues,” with which statement would both authors most likely agree?