Andy Warhol

 Andy Warhol is known for his pop art, including one of the most recognized pieces of the 20th century, known as Marilyn and featuring Marilyn Monroe. He was born in 1928 in Pittsburgh, and raised there, but was most famous as a resident of New York City. His most famous works were silkscreen paintings, including Marilyn, \but he also did painting, photography, and film; he was a director and producer of experimental films.

As a prolific silkscreen producer he was a prolific artist, and today he's considered a bellwether of the art world. That is, because his art sells frequently and for high prices, it is a good determiner of which way the market will go. His studio was known as "the Factory" and is still a notable landmark of New York City. In 1968 he was shot by a woman who had been his fan, but he survived; he died in 1987 at age 58. He had had a gall bladder surgery which was riskier than usual, due to the gunshot wound, and died in his sleep shortly after.

___ 1. What is Marilyn?
a. his wife
b. a silkscreen painting
c. painting, photography, and film
d. a resident of New York City

___ 2. Where did he do his art?
a. in Pittsburgh
b. in "the Factory" in New York City
c. in a movie studio
d. on the street

___ 3. What is a "bellwether"? a. the most expensive art
b. the one whose price changes a lot
c. the one that tells you how the whole market is doing
d. the one that is most famous

George Clooney

George Clooney was born in 1961 in Lexington, Kentucky. His father was an anchorman and television host, so he grew up with awareness of acting and performance. In high school, his face was paralyzed for about nine months, and this was difficult for him, but he ended up appreciating the fact that it made him able to make fun of himself.

He has won three Golden Globe awards and two Academy Awards; he is one of the U.S.'s most famous actors, but he's also a producer, director and screenwriter. He has appeared in a number of well-known television shows and movies, including ER, The Perfect Storm, O Brother Where Art Thou?, and Catch-22, among many. In short, he has been very busy acting and producing for many years, and is a very prominent and visible presence in Hollywood. With his wife, Amal Almuddin, he owns houses in various parts of the world, including Britain, Italy, Mexico, and Los Angeles.

___ 1. What is one reason suggested that he could have become an actor?
a. he went to California on vacation
b. his face was paralyzed
c. he was familiar with acting through his family
d. he won two Golden Globe awards

___ 2. Why is he so busy?
a. because he owes a lot of money
b. because he makes and produces a lot of movies
c. because he travels constantly
d. becuase he makes three movies at once

___ 3. One thing he learned in high school was:
a. how to make his face paralyzed
b. how to make a joke about his own condition
c. how to be a perfect actor
d. how to play high school sports

Bela Fleck

Bela Fleck was born in 1958 in New York City. He was named after two classical music composers, but was attracted to the banjo as a child and became one of the best banjo players in history. When he graduated from high school, he moved to Boston and played there, but eventually moved to Nashville.

He is most famous for playing all kinds of music proficiently on the banjo. He also went to Africa, at one point, to play music with Africans and to explore the origins of the banjo, which is originally an African instrument. His band, the Flecktones, tours aggressively and constantly, and his concerts are considered masterpieces of banjo skill and quality. In 2007, he married Abigail Washburn, who is also a banjo player, and their son is often referred to as the Holy Banjo Emperor because of the assumption that he would receive banjo skills from both parents. Abigail Washburn had been famous in her own right, having brought the banjo to China.

___ 1. What can we say is Bela Fleck's occupation?
a. classical music composer
b. musician
c. mayor of New York City
d. historian

___ 2. What was one of the reasons he went to Africa?
a. to learn where the banjo came from
b. to tour with his band in the major cities
c. to change the nature of the banjo
d. to make his style more African in nature

___ 3. What is the Holy Banjo Emperor?
a. the world leader of all banjo players
b. a nickname given to Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn's son
c. a name you get when you are extremely good at the banjo
d. an indication that banjo is a religious instrument

John Lennon

John Lennon was born in 1940 in Liverpool, England. He is most famous for his songwriting in partnership with Paul McCartney. He wrote songs for the Beatles, and later songs that he played with his second wife, Yoko Ono. After he moved to New York City in 1971, his criticism of the Vietnam War led the US government to try to deport him. In 1975, he stopped producing music to be with his infant son, Sean, and people were angry with him, since he was a first-rate musician and songwriter. But he was shot and killed in 1980 by a Beatles fan, Mark David Chapman, and those years before his murder were the only ones that he shared with that son.

His songs have lasted the test of time and are still very popular. Most Americans over the age of 60 also remember the years when the Beatles first arrived on American television, and the fascination with them and their music was almost universal in the US. The Beatles today remain one of the most universally recognized and admired bands worldwide.

___ 1. How old was John Lennon when he was killed? 
    a. about 40  
    b. about 30  
    c. about 35   
    d. about 53

___ 2. Why did the US government want to deport him?
    a. because he was unpopular
    b. because he was a first-rate musician
    c. because he publicly opposed the war
    d. because he was on television a lot

___ 3. Why were people angry with him in 1975?
    a. because they didn't like Yoko Ono
    b. because they wanted him to keep playing and writing songs
    c. because he was against the war
    d. because he shot and killed someone