Leon Bridges: Overcoming Childhood Isolation

Based on this profile, with which of the following statements do you think Leon Bridges would most likely agree?

• A. You can never predict the direction in which life will take you.

• Luck has nothing to do with whether or not a person finds success.

• Soul is the only genre of music worth listening to.

• Everybody can achieve their dreams if they work hard enough.

What is most closely the meaning of the word timbre as it is used in the following passage (paragraph 4)?

Bridges has a beatific gospel timbre that suggests church-choir experience — but he was too insecure to actually audition. "I didn't think I could sing," says Bridges. "I knew I could do stuff here and there, but didn't think I was good enough to fit."

• A. rattle

• B. religion

• C. melody

• D. tone

The following passage (paragraph 7) adds to the development of the text mainly by showing

At a nearby community college, Bridges studied dance, inspired by seeing his dad moonwalk as a kid, he says. He picked up singing and guitar as a hobby at first, and eventually began playing at open mics and small shows. His sound evolved from neo-soul, to folky R&B to traditional soul with horn — ideal for the last slow dance of the night. "A friend asked if Sam Cooke was an inspiration. I'd never listened, but I wanted to know my roots, so I looked him up on YouTube and Pandora," says Bridges. "Once I heard it, I saw it — that was the music that I wanted to write."

• A. that Bridges enjoyed slow-dancing

• B. why Bridges preferred playing guitar

• C. the origins of Bridges’ love of soul music

• D. how difficult it is to be discovered at open mics and small shows

Which of the following selections is best supported by the paragraph below (paragraph 6)?

Bridges idly dreamed of escape, drowning himself in the same music other kids his age were listening to. He didn't even know of the soul greats he'd later be compared to. "Nostalgia for me isn't Sam Cooke," he says, "as much as it's listening to a Ginuwine song or hearing Dallas hip-hop and remembering dancing to it in my garage."

• A. As a child, Bridges wished he could leave Texas.

• B. Bridges’ earliest musical interests were much different than the music he makes now.

• C. Bridges only listened to hip-hop as a kid.

• D. Bridges didn’t like any of the music that his peers listened to, preferring to listen to the music of his parents’ generation instead.

Which statement about Austin Jenkins is best supported by the passage below (paragraph 9)?

"He's singing to you, not at you," says Jenkins, who co-produced Coming Home with fellow White Denim partner Joshua Block, recording live on all-analog gear, including a soundboard once owned by The Grateful Dead. "He listened to Texas blues, gospel and R&B, and filtered it through himself. It's authentic and direct."

• A. Jenkins helped Bridges launch his career.

• B. Jenkins is extremely jealous of Bridges.

• C. Jenkins is also a soul musician.

• D. Jenkins used to tour with The Grateful Dead.

In paragraph 4 which type of text structure does the author use to convey the challenges Bridges faced in gaining recognition?

A century ago, his effortlessness and out-of-nowhere ascent would've led people to suspect a crossroads pact with the devil a la blues legend Robert Johnson. But to sing soul like he does takes hard work and hard times. Painfully shy as a kid (and still noticeably reticent when he's not onstage), Bridges has a beatific gospel timbre that suggests church-choir experience—but he was too insecure to actually audition. "I didn't think I could sing," says Bridges. "I knew I could do stuff here and there, but didn't think I was good enough to fit."

• Cause and effect, by showing how Bridges’ rise to fame sparked comparisons to legends like Robert Johnson, illustrating the difficulty of being recognized for his talent.

• Compare and contrast, by comparing Bridges’ experience to Robert Johnson’s, emphasizing how different their paths to success were.

• Problem and solution, by stating the problem of being overlooked and then offering the solution of Bridges' dedication and perseverance.

• Chronological order, by showing the step-by-step process of Bridges’ rise to fame, leading to the comparison to Robert Johnson.

In the paragraph that begins, "He describes his childhood persona in much the same way—as a pariah," the author primarily uses which text structure to highlight the impact of Bridges’ early life on his music?

He describes his childhood persona in much the same way—as a pariah. After his parents separated when he was 7, he split time between suburban Fort Worth and inner-city Dallas, where his father worked at a community center. His family was poor, and shortly after Hurricane Katrina, 10 relatives from New Orleans temporarily came to live with him, his mother and his half-sister. He was surrounded by people, but still felt alone. "I didn't know where I fit in," he says. "I didn't have any friends at school. People didn't want to be friends [with me]. I had no place.

• A) Sequence, by outlining the steps in Bridges' difficult childhood and showing how they led to his musical development.

• B) Problem and solution, by explaining how Bridges’ struggles with isolation were resolved through his musical journey.

• C) Compare and contrast, by comparing Bridges’ sense of isolation with his eventual growth as a soul artist.

• D) Descriptive structure, by focusing on specific details of Bridges’ childhood experiences to help the reader understand his emotional development.

How does the author’s use of descriptive language and imagery in the first few paragraphs contribute to the author's purpose?

• A) The detailed descriptions of Leon Bridges' appearance and performance highlight his old-fashioned, nostalgic style and emphasize how he blends past musical influences with contemporary culture, supporting the text’s theme of authentic soul music.

• B) The author uses vivid descriptions of Bridges' clothing and the music video to suggest that his success is based purely on his image, not his talent.

• C) The focus on physical appearance in the text creates a sense of superficiality, detracting from the deeper themes of personal hardship and growth.

• D) The author’s use of imagery in the opening scenes is intended to create suspense about Bridges' career but does not relate to the main purpose of the text.

How does the author’s use of narrative structure in this text help advance the purpose of showcasing Leon Bridges’ personal and musical journey?

• A) The author organizes the text chronologically, allowing the reader to follow Bridges' life from his childhood to his rise in the music industry, which emphasizes his growth and the challenges he overcame to become a successful artist.

• B) The author begins with a description of the music video and jumps back and forth in time, which creates confusion but highlights the mysterious and unpredictable nature of Bridges' rise to fame.

• C) The text is structured as a list of Bridges' achievements, which focuses solely on his success without explaining the personal struggles behind his music.

• D) The narrative structure is non-linear and focuses primarily on Bridges' early musical influences, which detracts from the central theme of his journey as an artist.

In the excerpt below (paragraph 7),  how does the author’s use of a sequence structure contribute to the reader’s understanding of Bridges' artistic development?

At a nearby community college, Bridges studied dance, inspired by seeing his dad moonwalk as a kid, he says. He picked up singing and guitar as a hobby at first, and eventually began playing at open mics and small shows. His sound evolved from neo-soul, to folky R&B to traditional soul with horn—ideal for the last slow dance of the night. "A friend asked if Sam Cooke was an inspiration. I'd never listened, but I wanted to know my roots, so I looked him up on YouTube and Pandora," says Bridges. "Once I heard it, I saw it— that was the music that I wanted to write."  

• A) By outlining the sequence of events from Bridges’ early dance studies to his eventual involvement in music, the author highlights how his diverse interests helped shape his unique artistic style.

• B) By detailing Bridges' education and musical journey step by step, the author suggests that his talent was solely the result of formal training rather than personal passion or experience.

• C) Through a sequence of personal achievements, the author shows how Bridges’ growing fame is the result of his ability to perfect his dance and singing techniques.

• D) By presenting his early musical influences in chronological order, the author illustrates that Bridges’ music is rooted in traditional genres without any personal innovation.