NEW YORK STATE REGENTS EXAMS
COMPREHENSIVE ENGLISH - JUNE 2000

Overview:

For this part of the test, you will listen to a speech by blues musician
B. B. King, answer some multiple-choice questions, and write a
response based on the situation described below. You will hear the
speech twice. You may take notes on the next page anytime you wish
during the readings.

The Situation:

As part of a concert series offered by your local arts council, blues
musician B. B. King is scheduled to perform in your community.
In anticipation of King's forthcoming concert, the editor of the
school newspaper has asked you to prepare a feature article for 
the newspaper in which you describe how King's early experiences
helped to shape King's career as a blues musician. In preparation
for writing your feature article, listen to a speech by B. B. King.
Then use relevant information from the speech to write your
article.

Now I will read the passage aloud to you for the first time.