HOMEWORK

PART 1: BACKGROUND AND VOCABULARY

Reading One: The Cellist of Sarajevo

I. The boldface words are in Reading One. Before you read the passage below, read the words and
study their meanings.

anticipation: expectation (of something good)

carnage: killing and wounding of many people, especially in a war
cherished: a cherished memory is one that is very important to you
defy: oppose; resist
exuberant: happy and cheerful, and full of energy and excitement
furor: sudden expression of anger among a large group of people
haunting: sad but also beautiful and staying in your thoughts for a long time
repertoire: all of the plays, pieces of music, etc. that a performer or group has earned and can
perform
solitary: alone
soothe: make someone feel calmer and less anxious, upset, or angry
unassuming: showing no desire to be noticed or given special treatment

II. As you read the background information of the subject of the unit, fill in the blanks with one
of the new vocabulary words.

Whether we are professional artists or not, the creative arts play an important role in our lives. Through the
attention that we pay to colors, materials, shapes and sounds when we select our clothes and decorate our
homes, our creative instincts are continually at work. Our visual, auditory, and tactile choices help us to
express our identity as we strive to make our mark in the world. They reflect our ______________ values,
our ______________ feelings about being alive, and even our moments of sadness and grief.

It is also through creativity—through the language of music, for example— that people reach out and
connect with each other. Even the loneliest and most ______________ among us, those whose shy and
______________ personalities never make them the center of attention, experience the power of music.
Regardless of the musical ______________ people choose to play, music allows them to share emotions
and feelings that are common to us all. Music can ______________ and comfort us in a harsh world.
One of the harshest realities that people must face is the cruelty and destruction of war. Between March
1992 and November 1995, in the former republic of Yugoslavia, the people of the city of Sarajevo suffered
the agony caused by the ______________ of war. Once a prosperous, tolerant city where people of many
backgrounds lived together, Sarajevo was torn apart by ethnic conflict. People had to call on all their
strength to stay firm in their humanity and ______________ the appeals to hatred and violence. Somehow,
they found the strength to clean up the bloody remains of the ______________ in the streets and continue
living. In ______________ of a peace they hoped would come someday, the people of Sarajevo sought the
assistance of the international community, which eventually brought the conflict to an end.

Although the war ended more than a decade ago, people are still deeply upset by the dark ______________
memories of those times. During the war, many artists tried to ease the suffering of the people of Sarajevo
by coming to their aid. The first reading in this unit, which combines the beauty of music with the ugly
sounds of war, grew out of this struggle.

PART 2: VOCABULARY

I. Complete each of the sentences with one of the words from the box.

anticipation exuberant obscurity resonating

comeback furor promote solitary
defy haunting repertoire soothe

1. The children’s ______________ was seen in their excited faces as they waited for the concert to
begin.
2. The music had a ______________ quality because its sad tones made the audience think of their
unhappy past.
3. Handel’s Messiah, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture are all
important parts of an orchestra’s ______________ of Western music.
4. Much of the classical music of the nineteenth century reflected the ______________ and violence
of revolutionary times.
5. Throughout history, creative artists have had to ______________ the standards of society in order
to produce new music and art.
6. When people are depressed, listening to music can ______________ their pain.
7. The folk music made the people feel so happy and ______________ that they became very hopeful
about the future.
8. The artist is often a solitary ______________ figure, unknown and misunderstood by a society that
offers no help.
9. These days, because of popular culture’s interest in drama and gossip, it is difficult to
______________ artists with unassuming or boring personalities, no matter how great their creative
genius.
10. The ______________ qualities of the violin vibrated so clearly through the musician’s mind that
he began to completely identify with his music.
11. People who have grown up in ______________ do not easily adjust to becoming “superstars” after
their talent has been discovered.
12. Making a ______________ after a long time away from the theater can be a difficult task without
a first-class manager.