Semester Test in Reading 9-th Form

Read the text and fill in the gaps (1-5) with the correct sentences (A-F). One sentence is extra.

Chose the right answer for 1____ gap

Have you ever been walking through an art gallery, when suddenly you thought that you had accidently wandered into a crèche? Our idea of what art is has changed a lot in the last century.1____ Abstract paintings, especially, often look like they were painted with random disorganised brush strokes, but these paintings are often sold for million of pounds! So, what’s the difference between an abstract artist’s masterpiece in a gallery and a child’s painting hanging on the door of a fridge? Or is there any difference at all?

In 2007, Estelle Lovatt, a teacher at an art college in England, did an experiment to find out. Her two-year-old son, Freddie, had just learned how to hold a brush, and was enjoying painting random shapes and lines.2____  So, Estelle took pictures of some of Freddie’s paintings and tried to sell them on an online gallery. She didn’t reveal her child’s identity, though. Instead, she claimed that the artist was a successful abstract painter who was popular abroad. 3____ One painting was sold to an English art collector who said he liked the “flow and energy in the picture”, while a gallery in Berlin asked if they could display Freddie’s paintings in an exhibition!

But that wasn’t the only time the art world was fooled by a toddler. In 2009, Nikka Kalashnikova showed some paintings to the owner of an art gallery in Melbourne, Australia, without telling him that they were by her daughter Aelita who was just twenty-two months old! Immediately, the owner decided to display the paintings, and started advertising an exhibition for them in local papers.4____  In fact, one art collector even bought one of Aelita’s paintings … for $24,000!

So what do these stories teach us about modern art? 5____ After all, people have different tastes, so it’s not surprising that a small minority might like a toddler’s paintings. The huge majority of art experts, though, would surely see the talent and effort behind a real abstract painting. Or would they? Whatever the case, it’s clear that the question of ‘What is art?’ is not going to go away anytime soon.

In 2007, Estelle Lovatt, a teacher at an art college in England, did an experiment to find out. Her two-year-old son, Freddie, had just learned how to hold a brush, and was enjoying painting random shapes and lines. 2_____ So, Estelle took pictures of some of Freddie’s paintings and tried to sell them on an online gallery.

She didn’t reveal her child’s identity, though. Instead, she claimed that the artist was a successful abstract painter who was popular abroad.3_____  One painting was sold to an English art collector who said he liked the “flow and energy in the picture”, while a gallery in Berlin asked if they could display Freddie’s paintings in an exhibition!

But that wasn’t the only time the art world was fooled by a toddler. In 2009, Nikka Kalashnikova showed some paintings to the owner of an art gallery in Melbourne, Australia, without telling him that they were by her daughter Aelita who was just twenty-two months old! Immediately, the owner decided to display the paintings, and started advertising an exhibition for them in local papers.4_____  In fact, one art collector even bought one of Aelita’s paintings … for $24,000!

So what do these stories teach us about modern art? 5___ After all, people have different tastes, so it’s not surprising that a small minority might like a toddler’s paintings. The huge majority of art experts, though, would surely see the talent and effort behind a real abstract painting. Or would they? Whatever the case, it’s clear that the question of ‘What is art?’ is not going to go away anytime soon.

Read the four texts (A-D) about film production jobs. For questions 1-6, choose the correct text.

BEHIND THE LENS

When most people think of jobs in the film industry, they think of actors, directors, camera operators or scriptwriters, but what about the hundreds of other positions that have to be filled in order to bring a film to the silver screen?

A   LOCATION SCOUT

A lot of work has to be done before the director can shout ‘Action’. In the pre-production stage, among other things, the script has to be written, the cast and crew hired and the locations for filming found. This last job is the responsibility of the location scout. Location scouts travel all over the country, or even the world, looking for the perfect locations to film in. But it’s not all fun and games. The scout has to keep in mind a number of factors when visiting sites including available accommodation, noise levels in the surrounding area and the cost and permission needed to use certain areas.

B   ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Also involved in the pre-production stage is the assistant director (AD). They are responsible for planning the production and making the filming schedule. They have to work out how to create the film on budget in the time available. Therefore, they work closely with the director to break down the script and work out the best way to film it. They also have to make sure that the production stage of the film keeps to the time schedule and budget worked out in pre-production. Essentially, they are the director’s right-hand person on set taking responsibility for the smooth running of the production. This allows the director to concentrate on being creative.

C   GRIP

One of the many crew members on set during filming is the grip. A grip works in the camera and lighting department. Grips must work out how to safely get the shot that the director wants no matter where it is. They have to unload, set up the camera equipment and ensure the safe use of that equipment during filming. Whether the shot is on a mountain side, underwater or on the side of a building, the grip has to ensure that nobody gets hurt and no equipment is damaged. They have to safely turn the director’s vision into reality overcoming any problems with the location and equipment.

D   FOLEY ARTIST

Did you ever wonder where the sound of someone walking on snow in a film comes from? Because of the problems of creating authentic sounds during filming, it’s unlikely that the sound was captured on set. It most likely was created in a soundproofed room by a person squeezing an unopened bag of cornflour. Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of the Foley artist! They join in the third stage of making a film; post-production. This is also the last stage. Foley artists use a collection of everyday objects in an imaginative way to create the sounds that the production’s sound team could not capture while filming. They give the film its atmosphere making the environment on screen seem real.

Which answer mentions text B :

Read the four texts (A-D) about film production jobs. For questions 1-6, choose the correct text.

BEHIND THE LENS

When most people think of jobs in the film industry, they think of actors, directors, camera operators or scriptwriters, but what about the hundreds of other positions that have to be filled in order to bring a film to the silver screen?

A   LOCATION SCOUT

A lot of work has to be done before the director can shout ‘Action’. In the pre-production stage, among other things, the script has to be written, the cast and crew hired and the locations for filming found. This last job is the responsibility of the location scout. Location scouts travel all over the country, or even the world, looking for the perfect locations to film in. But it’s not all fun and games. The scout has to keep in mind a number of factors when visiting sites including available accommodation, noise levels in the surrounding area and the cost and permission needed to use certain areas.

B   ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Also involved in the pre-production stage is the assistant director (AD). They are responsible for planning the production and making the filming schedule. They have to work out how to create the film on budget in the time available. Therefore, they work closely with the director to break down the script and work out the best way to film it. They also have to make sure that the production stage of the film keeps to the time schedule and budget worked out in pre-production. Essentially, they are the director’s right-hand person on set taking responsibility for the smooth running of the production. This allows the director to concentrate on being creative.

C   GRIP

One of the many crew members on set during filming is the grip. A grip works in the camera and lighting department. Grips must work out how to safely get the shot that the director wants no matter where it is. They have to unload, set up the camera equipment and ensure the safe use of that equipment during filming. Whether the shot is on a mountain side, underwater or on the side of a building, the grip has to ensure that nobody gets hurt and no equipment is damaged. They have to safely turn the director’s vision into reality overcoming any problems with the location and equipment.

D   FOLEY ARTIST

Did you ever wonder where the sound of someone walking on snow in a film comes from? Because of the problems of creating authentic sounds during filming, it’s unlikely that the sound was captured on set. It most likely was created in a soundproofed room by a person squeezing an unopened bag of cornflour. Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of the Foley artist! They join in the third stage of making a film; post-production. This is also the last stage. Foley artists use a collection of everyday objects in an imaginative way to create the sounds that the production’s sound team could not capture while filming. They give the film its atmosphere making the environment on screen seem real.

Which answer mentions text A :

C   GRIP

One of the many crew members on set during filming is the grip. A grip works in the camera and lighting department. Grips must work out how to safely get the shot that the director wants no matter where it is. They have to unload, set up the camera equipment and ensure the safe use of that equipment during filming. Whether the shot is on a mountain side, underwater or on the side of a building, the grip has to ensure that nobody gets hurt and no equipment is damaged. They have to safely turn the director’s vision into reality overcoming any problems with the location and equipment.

D   FOLEY ARTIST

Did you ever wonder where the sound of someone walking on snow in a film comes from? Because of the problems of creating authentic sounds during filming, it’s unlikely that the sound was captured on set. It most likely was created in a soundproofed room by a person squeezing an unopened bag of cornflour. Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of the Foley artist! They join in the third stage of making a film; post-production. This is also the last stage. Foley artists use a collection of everyday objects in an imaginative way to create the sounds that the production’s sound team could not capture while filming. They give the film its atmosphere making the environment on screen seem real.