Carnegie Hall, the famous concert h

Carnegie Hall, the famous concert hall in New York, 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, however, 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 encouraged 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 Hall has never sounded better, and its prospects for the future have never looked more promising.
Question 11: The word “extensive” in the first paragraph could be best replaced by which of the following?
A. thorough​B. devoted​C. continuous​D. fabulous
Question 12: The author uses the word “spurred” in the third paragraph to show that Stern ________.
A. was stimulated to act​B. predicted the result
C. probed the plans​D. was told in advance
Question 13: What was probably the most important aspect of the recent renovation?
A. restoring the plaster trim​B. restoring the outer wall
C. expanding the lobby​D. repairing the ceiling
Question 14: What major change happened to the hall in 1946?
A. The walls were damaged in an earthquake.
B. The acoustic dome was damaged
C. Space in the building was sold to commercial businesses.
D. The stage was renovated
Question 15: What is the meaning of the word “detrimental” in the second paragraph?
A. extreme​B. harmful​C. significant​D. dangerous
Question 16: What was Isaac Stern’s relationship to Carnegie Hall?
A. He tried to save the hall, beginning in 1960.
B. He opened a coffee shop in Carnegie Hall during the Depression.
C. He performed on opening night in 1891.
D. He made the movie “Carnegie Hall” in 1946.
Question 17: Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “unveiled” in the third paragraph?
A. announced​B. restricted​C. overshadowed​D. located
Question 18: Which of the following would most likely be the topic of the next paragraph?
A. a description of people’s reactions to the newly renovated hall.
B. further discussion about the activities of Isaac Stern in 1960.
C. a discussion of the coffee shop that once was located in the building.
D. a scientific explanation of acoustics and the nature of sound
Question 19: How does the author seem to feel about the future of Carnegie Hall?
A. optimistic​B. guarded​C. negative​D. ambiguous
Question 20: This passage is mainly about ________
A. Carnegie Hall’s history during the Great Depression.
B. changes to Carnegie Hall.
C. damage to the ceiling in Carnegie Hall.
D. The appearance of Carnegie Hall.