Mahalia Jackson
questions
Question 1
• What genre is Mahalia Jackson?
Expository Nonfiction
Biography will also be acceptable
Question 2
• What vocabulary word means a group of
singers who sing together, often in a church
service?
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Appreciate
Barber
Choir
Released
Religious
Slavery
Teenager
Choir
Question 3
• What is the author’s purpose? WHY?
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To entertain
To inform
To make you feel or think
To persuade
To inform – about a
persons life or blues
To make you feel or think
– blues is all about feeling something
deep inside, think about slavery and
it’s effects.
Question 4
• What vocabulary word means think
highly of; value; enjoy?
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Appreciate
Barber
Choir
Released
Religious
Slavery
Teenager
Appreciate
Question 5
• What is the main idea in the
following passage?
• “But the blues is not only a feeling. It’s
also a kind of music that cures the
blues. The words of a blues song might
be sad, but the music and the beat wrap
around your heart like one of your
grandmother’s hugs.”
The main idea is the blues
is not only a feeling, but a
kind of music to cure this
feeling.
Question 6
• What vocabulary word means much
interested in the belief, study, and worship
of God or gods; devoted to religion?
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Appreciate
Barber
Choir
Released
Religious
Slavery
Teenager
Religious
Question 7
• The roots of blues go back to slavery.
What is an antonym for slavery?
Freedom
Question 8
• What vocabulary word means person
whose business is cutting hair and shaving
or trimming beards?
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Appreciate
Barber
Choir
Released
Religious
Slavery
Teenager
Barber
Question 9
• What is the main idea in the
following paragraph?
• “One of the ways black people fought
against slavery was with the breath in their
bodies. They wove hope on the air by
singing songs called spirituals – songs for
the spirit. Their bodies were in slavery, but
it didn’t mean their spirits had to be buried
in sorrow as white as fog.”
Singing spirituals helped
people survive slavery.
Question 10
• What vocabulary word means the condition of
being owned by another person and being
made to work without wages?
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Appreciate
Barber
Choir
Released
Religious
Slavery
Teenager
Slavery
Question 11
• Is the following statement a fact or
opinion?
• “Her father worked on the docks
during the day…”
Fact
It can be proven true or false.
Question 12
• What vocabulary word means a
person in his or her teens?
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Appreciate
Barber
Choir
Released
Religious
Slavery
Teenager
Teenager
Question 13
• What is the main idea in the
following selection?
• “Mahalia grew up loving music, and the person she wanted
to sing like was none other than Bessie Smith. But
Mahalia’s aunt was very religious, and she took Mahalia to
church every day. When talking about her childhood,
Mahalia said that in her church, ‘everybody sang and
clapped and stomped their feet, a rhythm we held on to
from slavery days, and the music was so strong and
expressive, it used to bring the tears to my eyes.’ It was in
church that Mahalia first started singing.”
The main idea is that
Mahalia grew up loving
music.
Question 14
• What vocabulary word means permitted to
published, shown, sold, etc?
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Appreciate
Barber
Choir
Released
Religious
Slavery
Teenager
Released
Question 15
• Why do you think the author wrote, “She
could hold a note until you thought she
should run out of breath…”?
The author wanted to
help the reader visualize
Mahalia’s singing style.
Question 16
• What is the main idea of the whole
story?
The main idea is that the
roots of the blues go back
to slavery; they helped
enslave people survive
slavery by giving them a
chance to express their
feelings.