Richard "Kinky" Friedman was born November 1, 1944 in Chicago, but his parents moved when he was young to a ranch near Kerrville, Texas, in the heart of Hill Country. Both his parents were the children of Russian Jewish immigrants, and he always felt a strong sense of being different as he grew up in Texas.
He wanted to be a country music singer, but from the beginning he preferred satire and making fun of everyone. His songs featured political commentary and sharp-edged humor. His first band was called King Arthur and the Carrots. Finally his band Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys became well known, but it was known more for making fun of people and making people mad than anything else. His father and many other people objected to the use of "Jewboys" in the name as that had always been an insult to Jews.
He became well known in Texas and had a lot of important allies. When his music wasn't doing too well he started writing novels and using his friends and people he knew as main characters. Finally he turned his parents' ranch into a shelter for animals, the Utopia Ranch. He ran for many political offices, but never won; still, he was very popular and well known around Texas at least, if not the rest of the country.
___ 1. What does "sharp-edged humor" mean in par. 2, second sentence?
a. It was extremely funny.
b. It hurt some people.
c. There was a large number of jokes.
d. It was racist in nature.
___ 2. Why did his father object to the name "Jewboys?"
a. Because he wasn't Jewish.
b. Because he didn't want people to know he was Jewish.
c. Because "Jewboys" was a slur.
d. Because his father liked "King Arthur and the Carrots" better.
___ 3. What is a feature of his novels?
a. They are best sellers.
b. They are all about country music.
c. Somebody else actually wrote them.
d. The characters are real people who he knew.
Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Sunday, December 19, 2021
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809, and that day was celebrated as a holiday for many years after his death, as he was one of the most important presidents in American history. The 16th president, he served during the Civil War, and used the presidency to lead the North into war against the South to keep the country together.
He was born in Kentucky, but grew up for a while in Indiana and ended up in Illinois. His childhood was famously without electricity, and he was often used as an example to schoolchildren, because he read prolifically in spite of having to do his reading by firelight most of the time. In his childhood he had to cut a lot of wood, but when he had the chance he would read and thus began a career of knowing and using words very well. His most famous speech was the Gettysburg Address. When the Civil War was over, he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at a theater. He had four sons, but only one lived to maturity.
___ 1. What happened during the Civil War?
a. the North fought the South
b. the US was invaded by another country
c. it was started on February 12
d. nobody was president
___ 2. Why did they tell school children about Lincoln?
a. he was an example of someone who cut a lot of wood
b. he was an example of someone who was killed in a theater
c. he was an example of someone who read a lot because he wanted to
d. he was an example of someone who was born in Kentucky
___ 3. What did John Wilkes Booth do?
a. he gave a famous speech
b. he owned a theater
c. he killed Lincoln
d. he had four sons
___ 4. Why did Lincoln always read by firelight?
a. because he could see better that way
b. becuase his family did not have electricity
c. because he was always behind in his school work
d. because he was a poor reader
He was born in Kentucky, but grew up for a while in Indiana and ended up in Illinois. His childhood was famously without electricity, and he was often used as an example to schoolchildren, because he read prolifically in spite of having to do his reading by firelight most of the time. In his childhood he had to cut a lot of wood, but when he had the chance he would read and thus began a career of knowing and using words very well. His most famous speech was the Gettysburg Address. When the Civil War was over, he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at a theater. He had four sons, but only one lived to maturity.
___ 1. What happened during the Civil War?
a. the North fought the South
b. the US was invaded by another country
c. it was started on February 12
d. nobody was president
___ 2. Why did they tell school children about Lincoln?
a. he was an example of someone who cut a lot of wood
b. he was an example of someone who was killed in a theater
c. he was an example of someone who read a lot because he wanted to
d. he was an example of someone who was born in Kentucky
___ 3. What did John Wilkes Booth do?
a. he gave a famous speech
b. he owned a theater
c. he killed Lincoln
d. he had four sons
___ 4. Why did Lincoln always read by firelight?
a. because he could see better that way
b. becuase his family did not have electricity
c. because he was always behind in his school work
d. because he was a poor reader
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda was a famous actress and anti-war activist during the Vietnam War. Soldiers and pro-war activists hated "Hanoi Jane" because she allowed herself to be photographed with North Vietnamese, and advocated American withdrawal from the war.
She was born in 1937 in New York City; her father was Henry Fonda, who was also a famous actor. Her mother, however, committed suicide when she was 12. Although her father remarried, this marriage ended in divorce. Jane went into acting and was very successful especially throughout the fifties, sixties and early seventies. with movies like Cat Ballou, Barefoot in the Park, and Klute. She won awards for her acting and was considered one of the best. She is actually still working although she is in her eighties.
She is most famous for her visit to Hanoi during the Vietnam War, which many Americans considered made her a traitor. She spoke to North Vietnamese leaders at a time when no other Americans did, and the government was unwilling to have talks with them. Because the US ultimately withdrew from the war, many people consider her talking to them as signalling Americans' unwillingness to keep fighting the war.
She was married three times, but when asked later what she had learned about love, she said, "Nothing. I'm not cut out for it."
____ 1. When Jane Fonda went to Vietnam, what did she want?
a. She wanted the US to get out of the war.
b. She wanted to get a vacation from acting.
c. She wanted to make the government angry.
d. She wanted to trick them.
___ 2. What is "Klute?"
a. One of her husbands
b. One of her more successful movies
c. Her father's second wife
d. A place where she worked
___ 3. Which is not true about her acting career?
a. She never retired.
b. She won many awards and is considered a good actress.
c. Her political activism hurt her career.
d. She worked in acting for over fifty years.
___ 4. Why are her enemies mad at her?
a. Because she gave secrets to the North Vietnamese.
b. Because talking to the enemy makes her a traitor.
c. Because she got the government to give up on the war.
d. Because she insulted the government.
She was born in 1937 in New York City; her father was Henry Fonda, who was also a famous actor. Her mother, however, committed suicide when she was 12. Although her father remarried, this marriage ended in divorce. Jane went into acting and was very successful especially throughout the fifties, sixties and early seventies. with movies like Cat Ballou, Barefoot in the Park, and Klute. She won awards for her acting and was considered one of the best. She is actually still working although she is in her eighties.
She is most famous for her visit to Hanoi during the Vietnam War, which many Americans considered made her a traitor. She spoke to North Vietnamese leaders at a time when no other Americans did, and the government was unwilling to have talks with them. Because the US ultimately withdrew from the war, many people consider her talking to them as signalling Americans' unwillingness to keep fighting the war.
She was married three times, but when asked later what she had learned about love, she said, "Nothing. I'm not cut out for it."
____ 1. When Jane Fonda went to Vietnam, what did she want?
a. She wanted the US to get out of the war.
b. She wanted to get a vacation from acting.
c. She wanted to make the government angry.
d. She wanted to trick them.
___ 2. What is "Klute?"
a. One of her husbands
b. One of her more successful movies
c. Her father's second wife
d. A place where she worked
___ 3. Which is not true about her acting career?
a. She never retired.
b. She won many awards and is considered a good actress.
c. Her political activism hurt her career.
d. She worked in acting for over fifty years.
___ 4. Why are her enemies mad at her?
a. Because she gave secrets to the North Vietnamese.
b. Because talking to the enemy makes her a traitor.
c. Because she got the government to give up on the war.
d. Because she insulted the government.
Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Tom Petty
Tom Petty was one of the best-selling music artists of all time, making music in a career that lasted from about 1970 to 2017. He was born in Florida in 1950 and had a brother seven years younger than him. He once described his father as a "wild, gambling, drinking guy" who didn't accept the fact that he was mild-mannered and interested in the arts.
He met Elvis Presley in the summer of 1961, and became an instant Presley fan; he went home and traded a slingshot for a collection of Elvis 45's. But when he saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show a few years later, that was when he decided he could be a rock star. He dropped out of high school at age 17 to start a rock band.
He played with a number of bands, but was most famous with the Heartbreakers. His final tour ended in Los Angeles, where he lived. According to friends, he seemed to be in a good mood, but he died of a drug overdose which most people considered accidental. He had apparently been suffering from pain and taking pain medications, so there was great interest in how it happened, but it was taken as a tragedy by the music world, as he was universally popular.
___ 1. Which describes his personality as a kid?
a. wild
b. addicted to drugs
c. serious about studying
d. mild-mannered
___ 2. What performance made him want to be a rock star?
a. a performance of Elvis Presley in the mid-sixties
b. a performance of the Beatles in the mid-sixties
c. a performance of the Heartbreakers
d. a perfomance of Ed Sullivan
___ 3. Why did he drop out of high school?
a. to play music
b. because he didn't get along with his father
c. his father had a rock band
d. he moved to Los Angeles
___ 4. When he traded his slingshot, what did he get in return?
a. Elvis' gun
b. records
c. drugs
d. a fan
He met Elvis Presley in the summer of 1961, and became an instant Presley fan; he went home and traded a slingshot for a collection of Elvis 45's. But when he saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show a few years later, that was when he decided he could be a rock star. He dropped out of high school at age 17 to start a rock band.
He played with a number of bands, but was most famous with the Heartbreakers. His final tour ended in Los Angeles, where he lived. According to friends, he seemed to be in a good mood, but he died of a drug overdose which most people considered accidental. He had apparently been suffering from pain and taking pain medications, so there was great interest in how it happened, but it was taken as a tragedy by the music world, as he was universally popular.
___ 1. Which describes his personality as a kid?
a. wild
b. addicted to drugs
c. serious about studying
d. mild-mannered
___ 2. What performance made him want to be a rock star?
a. a performance of Elvis Presley in the mid-sixties
b. a performance of the Beatles in the mid-sixties
c. a performance of the Heartbreakers
d. a perfomance of Ed Sullivan
___ 3. Why did he drop out of high school?
a. to play music
b. because he didn't get along with his father
c. his father had a rock band
d. he moved to Los Angeles
___ 4. When he traded his slingshot, what did he get in return?
a. Elvis' gun
b. records
c. drugs
d. a fan
Monday, October 4, 2021
John Glenn, Jr.
John Glenn Jr. was born in Cambridge, Ohio on July 18, 1921, but his family moved to New Concord, Ohio, soon after his birth. His father was a plumber and his mother was a teacher. He was to become the first American to orbit the earth in space; he did it in 1962, and most Americans who were alive then remember the event.
He first flew in an airplane when he was eight years old, and remained fascinated with flight for most of his life. He played football, basketball, and tennis in high school, and football again in college. He married his high school sweetheart, who he had known since he was a young child; later they were to say that they never knew a time when they didn't know each other.
He quit college to join the military during World War II, and chose to fly planes for most of his service. He also served in the Korean War. Around that time, the late 50's, was the "Space Race," and he was recruited by NASA to become an astronaut. The Russians had already orbited the earth and the U.S., with Glenn, would do it in 1962.
He won the role of Senator from Ohio in 1974 and again in 1980, and decided to run for president in 1984. His presidential campaign did not have any success, probably because of bad strategy decisions. He was already famous from his days as an astronaut, and he used this general fame and popularity to win the Senate again in 1986 and 1992.
However, his reputation was stained by what became known as the Keating scandal; he was one of five senators who had accepted large campaign donations from Charles Keating related to Savings and Loan business. The outcome was that though he could keep being re-elected, he had lost some of his general reputation. He died in 2016.H
___ 1. What two things were his father known for?
a. he orbited the earth and was a Senator
b. he fixed sinks and flew airplanes
c. he orbited the earth and fixed sinks
d. he was a teacher and flew airplanes
___ 2. When did he meet his wife?
a. in high school
b. in college
c. as a young child
d. when he ran for President
___ 3. How old was he when he died?
a. 85
b. 75
c. 95
d. 87
___ 4. How many terms did he serve in the Senate?
a. two
b. four
c. three
d. one
He first flew in an airplane when he was eight years old, and remained fascinated with flight for most of his life. He played football, basketball, and tennis in high school, and football again in college. He married his high school sweetheart, who he had known since he was a young child; later they were to say that they never knew a time when they didn't know each other.
He quit college to join the military during World War II, and chose to fly planes for most of his service. He also served in the Korean War. Around that time, the late 50's, was the "Space Race," and he was recruited by NASA to become an astronaut. The Russians had already orbited the earth and the U.S., with Glenn, would do it in 1962.
He won the role of Senator from Ohio in 1974 and again in 1980, and decided to run for president in 1984. His presidential campaign did not have any success, probably because of bad strategy decisions. He was already famous from his days as an astronaut, and he used this general fame and popularity to win the Senate again in 1986 and 1992.
However, his reputation was stained by what became known as the Keating scandal; he was one of five senators who had accepted large campaign donations from Charles Keating related to Savings and Loan business. The outcome was that though he could keep being re-elected, he had lost some of his general reputation. He died in 2016.H
___ 1. What two things were his father known for?
a. he orbited the earth and was a Senator
b. he fixed sinks and flew airplanes
c. he orbited the earth and fixed sinks
d. he was a teacher and flew airplanes
___ 2. When did he meet his wife?
a. in high school
b. in college
c. as a young child
d. when he ran for President
___ 3. How old was he when he died?
a. 85
b. 75
c. 95
d. 87
___ 4. How many terms did he serve in the Senate?
a. two
b. four
c. three
d. one
Sunday, August 22, 2021
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden was the founder of Al Qaeda and therefore the mastermind of the infamous 9/11 attacks against the United States in 2001. He was born on March 10, 1957 in Saudi Arabia. His father, originally from Yemen, was wealthy from a construction company; his mother was Syrian originally. He grew up in Saudi Arabia but as he became more political he was banished, and moved to first Sudan, then Pakistan and Afghanistan.
He declared war against the United States well before 9/11, but people didn't take him seriously right away. After 9/11, there was a $25 million bounty on him, and he was shot and killed on May 2, 2011 in Pakistan. The influence of 9/11 was enormous, in that it caused the United States to take much more extensive security precautions on all international flights, raising the price of everything involving international flights and transit. It could be said that his biggest legacy was making an empire spend so much money that it couldn't continue to sustain itself.
___ 1. What does the passage suggest when it says he "became more political?"
a. he declared war against Saudi Arabia
b. he actively worked toward war against the United States
c. he ran for office in his home country
d. he ran for office in the countries where he moved
___ 2. What is not true of 9/11?
a. It caused the United States to spend an enormous amount of money
b. bin Laden himself was on one of the airplanes
c. It made bin Laden famous
d. It made people take him more seriously
___ 3. Where was he living when he was shot and killed?
a. Pakistan
b. New York
c. Saudi Arabia
d. Syria
He declared war against the United States well before 9/11, but people didn't take him seriously right away. After 9/11, there was a $25 million bounty on him, and he was shot and killed on May 2, 2011 in Pakistan. The influence of 9/11 was enormous, in that it caused the United States to take much more extensive security precautions on all international flights, raising the price of everything involving international flights and transit. It could be said that his biggest legacy was making an empire spend so much money that it couldn't continue to sustain itself.
___ 1. What does the passage suggest when it says he "became more political?"
a. he declared war against Saudi Arabia
b. he actively worked toward war against the United States
c. he ran for office in his home country
d. he ran for office in the countries where he moved
___ 2. What is not true of 9/11?
a. It caused the United States to spend an enormous amount of money
b. bin Laden himself was on one of the airplanes
c. It made bin Laden famous
d. It made people take him more seriously
___ 3. Where was he living when he was shot and killed?
a. Pakistan
b. New York
c. Saudi Arabia
d. Syria
Thursday, April 29, 2021
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway was a novelist, short story writer, journalist and sportsman, and his fame really came from his ability to combine those. he wrote about fishing; he covered wars and sent dispatches from the front lines to the newspapers he worked for; he was a man of his age, and that included a lot of wars.
He was born in 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois, but wrote from the mid 1920's to the mid 1950's, and won the Nobel Prize in 1954. He was injured (as an ambulance driver) in World War I and wrote about other wars, so some of his writing covers these war experiences. He is famous for living in Paris for an extended period, and this was in the early 1920's; he wrote about it, and became one of the US's most famous expatriates. In later life he lived in Key West, Florida, and Cuba, and it seemed he was able to get some fame just by being associated with them. He was married four times. He is most famous for a very bold, direct writing style which was loved by some and despised or ridiculed by others. Eventually his war experiences and hard drinking caught up with him; he spent his later years in pain, and he killed himself in his last house, which was in Idaho, in 1961.
___ 1. Why was he considered an expatriate?
a. he fought in several wars
b. he lived away from his native country
c. he was a good writer
d. he didn't take sides in the war
___ 2. Which is not true about his writing style?
a. it is complicated and difficult to read
b. some people make fun of it
c. it made him very popular
d. it is very straightforward
___ 3. What does the passage infer about his death?
a. he committed suicide partly because he was in pain
b. he was killed by one of his enemies
c. he died from drinking too much
d. he was in good health when he died
He was born in 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois, but wrote from the mid 1920's to the mid 1950's, and won the Nobel Prize in 1954. He was injured (as an ambulance driver) in World War I and wrote about other wars, so some of his writing covers these war experiences. He is famous for living in Paris for an extended period, and this was in the early 1920's; he wrote about it, and became one of the US's most famous expatriates. In later life he lived in Key West, Florida, and Cuba, and it seemed he was able to get some fame just by being associated with them. He was married four times. He is most famous for a very bold, direct writing style which was loved by some and despised or ridiculed by others. Eventually his war experiences and hard drinking caught up with him; he spent his later years in pain, and he killed himself in his last house, which was in Idaho, in 1961.
___ 1. Why was he considered an expatriate?
a. he fought in several wars
b. he lived away from his native country
c. he was a good writer
d. he didn't take sides in the war
___ 2. Which is not true about his writing style?
a. it is complicated and difficult to read
b. some people make fun of it
c. it made him very popular
d. it is very straightforward
___ 3. What does the passage infer about his death?
a. he committed suicide partly because he was in pain
b. he was killed by one of his enemies
c. he died from drinking too much
d. he was in good health when he died
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