PASSAGE 8
It is very difficult to succeed in the music business; nine out of ten bands that release a first record fail to produce a second. Surviving in the music industry requires luck and patience, but most of all it requires a detailed knowledge of how a record company functions. The process begins when a representative of a company’s Artists and Repertoire (A&R) department visits bars and night clubs, scouting for young, talented bands. After the representative identifies a promising band, he or she will work to negotiate a contract with that band. The signing of this recording contract is a slow process.
A company will spend a long time investigating the band itself as well as current trends in popular music. During this period, it is important that a band reciprocate with an investigation of its own, learning as much as possible about the record company and making personal connections with the different departments that will handle its recordings.
Once a band has signed the contract and has finished recording an album, the Publicity and Promotions department takes over. This department decides whether or not to mass produce and market the band’s album. Most bands fail to make personal contacts in this second department, thus losing their voice in the important final process of producing and marketing their album. This loss of voice often contributes to the band’s failure as a recording group.
1. It can be inferred from the passage that.
A. the cost of recording an album is very expensive
B. the A&R department has a very large staff
C. the music industry is full of opportunities for young bands
D. most bands do not fully understand how record companies operate
2. The word “it” in paragraph I refers to__ .
A. surviving in the music industry B. negotiating a contract
C. luck and patience D. producing a first album
3. Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the passage?
A. Nine out of ten bands fail to produce a second record.
B. The main factors in a band’s success are luck and patience.
C. Making personal connections will help the band in the final decisions about the promotion of their album.
D. It is important for a band to have an intricate knowledge of how a recording company works.
4. As used in line paragraph 1, the word “release” is closest in meaning to .
A. itemize B. distribute C. overturn D. pay for
5. The author mentions that a band’s success is dependent on all of the following factors EXCEPT
A. understanding how a record company functions
B. playing music that sounds like music of famous bands
C. making personal contacts with people in the company
D. having patience
(Đề thi Tuyển sinh vào lớp 10 THPT môn Tiếng Anh năm học 2020-2021 - TP Đắk Lắk)
