Carnegie Hall, which is a famous concert hall in New York City, has again undergone a restoration. While this is not the first, it is certainly the most extensive in the building’s history. As a result of this new restoration, Carnegie Hall once again has the quality of sound that it had when it was first built.
Carnegie Hall owes its existence to Andrew Carnegie, the wealthy owner of a steel company in the late 1800s. The hall was finished in 1891 and quickly gained a reputation as an excellent performing arts hall where accomplished musicians gained fame. Despite its reputation, the concert hall suffered from several detrimental renovations over the years. During the Great Depression, when fewer people could afford to attend performances, the directors sold part of the building to commercial businesses. As a result, a coffee shop was opened in one corner of the building, for which the builders replaced the brick and terra cotta walls with windowpanes. A renovation in 1946 seriously damaged the acoustical quality of the hall when the makers of the film Carnegie Hall cut a gaping hole in the dome of the ceiling to allow for lights and air vents. The hole was later covered with short curtains and a fake ceiling, but the hall never sounded the same afterwards.
In 1960, the violinist Isaac Stern became involved in restoring the hall after a group of real estate developers unveiled plans to demolish Carnegie Hall and build a high-rise office building on the site. This threat spurred Stern to rally public support for Carnegie Hall and encourage the City of New York to buy the property. The movement was successful, and the concert hall is now owned by the city. In the current restoration, builders tested each new material for its sound qualities, and they replaced the hole in the ceiling with a dome. The builders also restored the outer walls to their original appearance and closed the coffee shop. Carnegie has never sounded better, and its prospects for the future have never looked more promising.
Question 36. What is this passage mainly about?
A. Changes to Carnegie Hall
B. The appearance of Carnegie Hall
C. Carnegie Hall’s history during the Great Depression
D. Damage to the ceiling in Carnegie Hall
Question 37. In the second paragraph, what is the meaning of the word “detrimental”?
A. Dangerous B. Significant C. Extreme D. Harmful
Question 38. What major change happened to the hall in 1946?
A. The acoustic dome was damaged.
B. Space in the building was sold to commercial businesses.
C. The walls were damaged in an earthquake.
D. The stage was renovated.
Question 39. Who was Andrew Carnegie?
A. A violinist B. An architect
C. A steel mill owner D. The mayor of New York City
Question 40. What was Isaac Stern’s relationship to Carnegie Hall?
A. He made the movie “Carnegie Hall” in 1946.
B. He performed on opening night in 1891.
C. He tried to save the hall, beginning in 1960.
D. He opened a coffee shop in Carnegie Hall during the Depression.
Question 41. What was probably the most important aspect of the recent renovation?
A. Restoring the outer wall. B. Expanding the lobby.
C. Restoring the plaster trim. D. Repairing the ceiling.
Question 42. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “unveiled” in the last paragraph?
A. Announced B. Restricted C. Overshadowed D. Located
14. Đề thi thử THPT 2021 - Tiếng Anh - Nhóm GV MGB - Đề 14 - có lời giải
