Can someone read the passage and answer the questions that follows?

Reading #2: "Jelly Roll" Morton

One of the most important musicians to emerge from the New Orleans style was the pianist and composer “Jelly Roll” Morton (1885-1941). His career is typical of the successful musicians of his time. He was born in New Orleans. He learned the skills of a ragtime pianist there. As an adult, he traveled throughout the country. In Chicago, around 1926, he founded a New Orleans-style jazz band. They were named the “Red Hot Peppers.” He made a series of important recordings with the group. Morton was an unusual New Orleans musician. His music was composed and often written down before a performance. This aspect of his work clearly comes from his background in ragtime. Many of his pieces were first written for piano and later copied for jazz band. Toward the end of his life, the American folklorist, Alan Lomax, interviewed him. This interview left a valuable record of Jelly’s activities. At this time, he made the claim that he was the inventor of jazz.

[Adapted from Simms, The Art of Music, 1993.]

You are already familiar with this passage because you read it earlier in the Active Reading Strategies Module. This time, however, determine which sentence is the stated main idea, and explain why you chose it. You will apply the Three-Step Method that you used in Reading #1.

Topic of the Passage

As you read, ask yourself, "What is the passage about? How are the ideas related?"

What is the topic of the passage?

1. The passage is about a musician name Jelly Roll Morton(1885-1941) who was the composer and a pianist.

Key Supporting Details

What details does the author use to support the topic?

List the key supporting details:

Main Idea

What is the main idea? Why do you think the author wrote this passage?

Which sentence presents the stated main idea?