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The story of how the song Happy Birthday to You came to be, began as a sweet one, that later
soured. Two sisters, Mildred Hill, a teacher at the Louisville, Kentucky Experimental Kindergarten, and
Dr. Patty Hill, the headmaster of the same school, together wrote a song for the children, named Good
Morning to All. As the local expert on spiritual songs, and as the organist(风琴师) for her church,
Mildred combined her musical talents with her sister's knowledge in the area of Kindergarten Education,
Good Morning to All was sure to be a success.
The sisters published the song in a collection called "Song Stories of the Kindergarten" in 1893.
Thirty-one years later, after Dr. Patty Hill became the head of the Department of Kindergarten Education
at Columbia University's Teache
r College, a gentleman by the name of Robert H. Coleman published the
song, without the sisters' permission. What was worse, he added a second lyric, the familiar Happy
Birthday to You
Mr. Coleman's addition of the second lyric made the song famous and popular and, eventually, the
sisters' original first lyric disappeared. Happy Birthday to You the one and only birthday song, had
altogether replaced the sisters' original title Good Morning to All.
After Mildred died in 1916, Patty, together with a third sister named Jessica, discussed the issue
together and took Mr. Coleman to court. In court, they proved that they, indeed, owned the melody
(曲调). Because the family legally owns the song, they can earn royalties(取版税)on it, whenever it is
sung for commercial purposes.
1. Why was the song Good Morning to All successful?
A. Because both of the two sister liked music a lot.
B. Because the two sisters are experts on music and education.
C. Because both of the sisters are passive and patient.
D. Because the two sisters are teachers of kindergarten.
2. What do the underlined words later soured mean (in Paragraph 1)?
A. The song was completely changed in the end.
B. The song later had a sad development story.
C. The son didn't become popular years later.
D. The song is meant for commercial use later.
3. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The Hill family got a lot of money eventually.
B. Mr. Coleman got a lot of money from the song.
C. The Hill sisters got support from the court.
D. Mr. Coleman published the song secretly.
4. What's the main idea of the passage?
A. The origin of a famous song.
B. The addition of a famous song.
C. The life of the two sisters.
D. The story of a family's fame.
