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Read the selection. Then choose the best answer to
each question.
The Montnay Magazine nbout the Arts
Friday, November
8
Vol.14, No.
8
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by Jan Brooks
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. ArtBeal Writer
It's hard work, but Spinney loves
Have you ever wondered how puppets
work? What kind of person becomes
Have you guessed who the puppet is?
It's Big Bird! As Big Bird, Spinney has
entertained children and adults alike
for about forty years.
a puppeteer? We visited two famous
Kevin Clash is also
FJ
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3
G
6o
6
E
a puppeteer.
He
puppeteers last week.
makes puppets for television
Caroll Spinney works inside an eightfoot bird puppet. The puppet is yellow.
It has 4,000 feathers on the outside.
Inside, however, there is room for
only Spinney, a script, and a small TV
screen. The puppet has no eye holes.
Spinney looks at the TV screen to see
where he is walking.
movies. Perhaps Clash's most famous
puppet is a scrawny, little red monster
named Elmo.
In addition, Spinney holds his right
U
it.
hand above his head to work the bird's
mouth. With his left hand, he moves
long handles and strings to work the
bird's eyes and wings. He also has to
read all of his lines correctly.
and
Clash is six feet tall. He weighs almost
200 pounds, He has a deep voice. You
would not expect him to be the voice
of Elmo. But he is.
To work Elmo, Clash lies on
the
ground. TWo pillows cushion his head
and back. He reaches up with his right
arm. His arm works the Elmo puppet
above him. He watches a TV screen
so that he can tell what the audience
sees.
Continued on next page
,
E
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U
Practice Test 2
Puppetry continued
B
How did these two men become
puppeteers? They both started
building puppets and putting on
puppet shows as children. Spinney
started when he was eight, He built a
puppet theater out of orange crates,
Then he advertised his puppet show,
Admission was two cents. Spinney
had only two puppets, a monkey and
a stuffed green snake. Spinney's show
lasted about 20 minutes, and he made
32 cents.
Clash made his first puppet when he
was ten, Later, he made puppets for a
school history project. The teacher
liked the performance. In fact, she
had Clash perform for the entire
school. A local newspaper wrote about
him. By tenth grade, Clash was
performing on a Baltimore television
show. He made 200 dollars per week.
10
What
is the key to these men's
success? For one thing, puppeteers
must make their puppets seem real.
The puppets need human qualities.
Giving a puppet human qualities is
not easy to do. Before Clash, two
other puppeteers had tried to make
Elmo appear real. But they couldn't
do it, Clash used a high-pitched voice.
He decided that Elmo should be happy
and hopeful, but touchy. It's easy to
hurt Elmo's feelings. Clash's decision
worked. Everyone loves Elmo.
Practice Test 2
Spinney says that even though Big
Bird acts like a bird in many ways (for
11
example, he lives in a nest), he seems
quite human. It's the human quality
that people relate to.
Today, Clash also helps other
12
puppeteers. He puts together his own
shows, He scouts for new puppets.
He also performs in videos, movies,
television specials, and parades. He is
one busy man,
Spinney is busy too. Even though he's
been a puppeteer for more than
40 years, he isn't going to retire until
he has to. He can't imagine not playing
Big Bird.
13
Editor's note: The Strand Theater is
14
putting on puppet shows all this week.
Call for more details. Use the coupon
below.
What is the title of the article?
A ArtBeat
B The Monthly Magazine About the Arts
10
C
ArtBeat Writer
D
Puppetry: It's Hard Work
In paragraph 1, the word puppeteer means
-
F a person who likes watching puppets
G a person who works a puppet
H a person who builds a puppet
J
11
a person who gives away puppets
Paragraph 2 is mostly about
-
A how Caroll Spinney works the mouth of a puppet
B
how Caroll Spinney makes a large bird puppet walk
C what it is like inside an eight-foot bird puppet
D how Kevin Clash works the Elmo puppet
L2
What can the reader tell about puppeteers from this article?
F All puppeteers
start when they are children.
G Puppeteers are well paid.
H Being a puppeteer can be hard, uncomfortable work,
:
i
J
Puppeteers do not like to retire.
:
=
i
Practice Test 2
13
Caroll Spinney moves long handles and strings to
-
A move Big Bird's legs
B work Big Bird's eyes and wings
C make Big Bird talk
D
14
see where he is going
Which sentence from the article suggests that Spinney still loves being the
puppeteer for Big Bird?
F Caroll Spinney works inside an eight-foot bird puppet.
G Spinney started when he was eight.
H lt's the human quality that people relate
I
15
to.
He can't imagine not playing Big Bird.
Look at the coupon from the Strand rheater, Imagine a child goes to the puppet
show and uses this coupon. How much less would the child's ticket cost?
A 25 cents less
B 50 cents less
C 75 cents less
D
one dollar less
Practice Test 2
16
Read the
first sentence of the summary below'
)ummary of
This SelecIion
e ^rc^ll
zre bnlh
?finnq)' zny' Kevin CVrh
Irffeleere.
Which of the following completes the summary above?
F
The men are also the voices of the puppets. Kevin Clash is six feet tall. He weighs
almost 200 pounds, No one would expect by looking at him that he is the voice of
the Elmo puppet,
G The men have worked hard to give these puppets human qualities.
Big Bird is
ways, too.
in
other
like
a
bird
He
acts
very human even though he lives in a nest.
Howeve; it is his human qualities that people relate to.
H Clash made his first puppet at the age of ten. Lateri he made puppets for a
school project, In high school, Clash earned 200 dollars per week on a Baltimore
television show,
J
Spinney works inside the eight-foot Big Bird puppet, Clash works the Elmo
puppet. Both men have enjoyed puppetry since they were young. Even though
the work is difficult, they love being puppeteers.
Practice Test 2
L7
This article was written mainly to
-
A explain the work of two successful puppeteers
B encourage people to go to a puppet show
C tell a very funny story about Big Bird
D describe what Elmo looks like
18
When was this article Published?
F
Friday, November
B
G Monday, JanuarY 11
H Tuesday, MaY 3
J
Thursday, JulY 17
3
L)
e
Practice Test 2