READING COMPREHENSION
Bill Haley and the Comets were the first stars of Rock’n’roll, with their songs “Shake Rattle and Roll“, and the world famous “Rock around the Clock”. Chuck Berry, the famous black musician, was the next star, with “Maybelline” in 1955.
The biggest rock’n’roll star was Elvis Presley. In January 1956 his record “Heartbreak Hotel” was Number 1 in America and Number 2 in England. In the next 21 years he sold millions of records, more than any other singer or group (except Bing Crosby and The Beatles)
Elvis, born in 1935, lived in Memphis, Tenessee, with his parents. He worked as a driver for the Electricity Company. The Presley family was very religious, and so Elvis grew up singing a lot of religious songs. When he was 18, his parents bought him a guitar, and he sang in school shows.
It all started with his mother’s birthday. In 1953 he went to a small recording studio, where he made a record for his mother, for $1. He only took one copy, but the person in the studio, Marion Keiske, liked the record and made another copy. She played the song to Sam Phillips, the manager of the studio. When he heard Elvis’s record, he really liked it. Phillips brought Elvis into the studio, where he made a record, “That’s alright Mama“, in 1954. The radio stations in Memphis played it and, in March 1955, Elvis was on television. Since then, and until he died in 1977, he made a lot of records, a lot of films, gave concerts and became the first real rock music personality.
1.- What was really “Maybelline”? (line 3)
a. Chuck Berry´s rock’n’roll band.
b. a song.
c. Chuck Berry’s wife.
d. a black musician.
2.- “Rock around the Clock” was:
a. a pub where Bill Haley and the Comets played “Shake, Rattle and Roll” for the first time.
b. the name of Chuck Berry´s rock’n’roll band.
c. a song that became popular in many countries.
d. a song that talked about time, comets and stars.
3.- Which of these statements is correct?
a. Elvis Presley was more popular than Bill Haley and the Comets.
b. Bill Haley and the Comets were more popular than Elvis Presley.
c. Bill Haley and the Comets were the most important rock’n’roll stars.
d. Elvis Presley was the tallest rock’n’roll star.
4.- According to the text,
a. Elvis sold more records than Bing Crosby and the Beatles.
b. Elvis sold millions of records before he was 21 years old.
c. Bing Crosby and The Beatles sold more records than Elvis Presley.
d. Bing Crosby and The Beatles sold more records than any other singer or group (except Elvis).
5.- Before Elvis became a famous singer…
a. He worked as an electrician.
b. His father worked as a driver.
c. He lived with his mother.
d. He had a job in Memphis.
6.- When Elvis made his first record…
a. They paid him one dollar.
b. It cost him one dollar.
c. His mother made a second copy.
d. He sang with his mother.
7.- Say whether these statements are true aor false: (0,5 points each)
a. Marion Keisker played with Elvis at the small recording studio.
b. Elvis bought his first guitar when he was 18.
c. Elvis played “That´s alright Mama” on the radio before he was on TV.
d. At the small recording studio Elvis made two copies but took only one.
e. Marion Keisker and Sam Phillips liked Elvis Presley’s record.
f. Elvis played “That’s alright Mama” before he recorded “Heartbreak Hotel“.
g. Elvis made many films.
h. Elvis was 43 years old when he died.
KEY
Bill Haley and the Comets were the first stars of Rock´n´roll, with their songs “Shake Rattle and Roll”, and the world famous “Rock around the Clock“. Chuck Berry, the famous black musician, was the next star, with “Maybelline” in 1955.
The biggest rock´a´roll star was Elvis Presley. In January 1956 his record “Heartbreak Hotel” was Number 1 in America and Number 2 in England. In the next 21 years he sold millions of records, more than any other singer or group (except Bing Crosby and The Beatles)
Elvis, born in 1935, lived in Memphis, Tenessee, with his parents. He worked as a driver for the Electricity Company. The Presley family was very religious, and so Elvis grew up singing a lot of religious songs. When he was 18, his parents bought him a guitar, and he sang in school shows.
It all started with his mother´s birthday. In 1953 he went to a small recording studio, where he made a record for his mother, for $1. He only took one copy, but the person in the studio, Marion Keiske, liked the record and made another copy. She played the song to Sam Phillips, the manager of the studio. When he heard Elvis´s record, he really liked it. Phillips brought Elvis into the studio, where he made a record, “That´s alright Mama”, in 1954. The radio stations in Memphis played it and, in March 1955, Elvis was on television. Since then, and until he died in 1977, he made a lot of records, a lot of films, gave concerts and became the first real rock music personality.
1.- What was really “Maybelline”? (line 3)
a. Chuck Berry´s rock´n´roll band.
b. a song.
c. Chuck Berry´s wife.
d. a black musician.
2.- “Rock around the Clock” was:
a. a pub where Bill Haley and the Comets played “Shake, Rattle and Roll” for the first time.
b. Chuck Berry´s rock´n´roll band.
c. a song that became popular in many countries.
d. a song that talked about time, comets and stars.
3.- Which of these statements is right?
a. Elvis Presley was more popular than Bill Haley and the Comets.
b. Bill Haley and the Comets were more popular than Elvis Presley.
c. Bill Haley and the Comets were the most important rock´n´roll stars.
d. Elvis Presley was the tallest rock´n´roll star.
4.- According to the text:
a. Elvis sold more records than Bing Crosby and the Beatles.
b. Elvis sold millions of records before he was 21 years old.
c. Bing Crosby and The Beatles sold more records than Elvis Presley.
d. Bing Crosby and The Beatles sold more records than any other singer or group (except Elvis).
5.- Before Elvis became a famous singer:
a. He worked as an electrician.
b. His father worked as a driver.
c. He lived with his mother.
d. He had a job in Memphis.
6.- When Elvis made his first record:
a. They paid him one dollar.
b. It cost him one dollar.
c. His mother made a second copy.
d. He sang with his mother.
7.- Say whether these statements are true aor false:
a. Marion Keisker played with Elvis at the small recording studio. false
b. Elvis bought his first guitar when he was 18. False
c. Elvis played “That´s alright Mama” on the radio before he was on TV. False
d. At the small recording studio Elvis made two copies but took only one. False
e. Marion Keisker and Sam Phillips liked Elvis Presley´s record. True
f. Elvis played “That´s alright Mama” before he recorded “Heartbreak Hotel”.True.
g. Elvis made many films. True
h. Elvis was 43 years old when he died. False
Blog for Level BÁSICO 1 