Reading

1 Read the text quickly. Then answer the questions. ____ / 0.4 point

a. Who is Rodin?___________________________________b. What is The Thinker? ___________________________________

2 Read the text again. Then circle T (true) or F (false). ____ / 0.6 point

a. Originally, The Thinker would be part of another sculpture, called Dante. T F

There is an aspect of self-portraiture in The Thinker. In Rodin’s day, artists, and especially sculptors, were often compared to manual laborers because they worked with their hands. With this figure, Rodin demonstrated that artists not only have the physical strength necessary to work with stone and bronze, but also the mental capacity to translate creative thought into visual art. Rodin later said that his Thinker thinks “with his knitted brow, his distended nostrils and compressed lips … his clenched fist and gripping toes.”When it was exhibited in 1904, critics called The Thinker “the new Adam,” “a modern father for all,” “a Hercules for the modern age,” and “a man for all time.” The Thinker was cast in three sizes, with the sculpture outside the Rodin Museum’s gate being an example of the largest, monumental version. There are twenty-two of these large versions around the world.The Thinker has become an almost universal symbol of man’s resourcefulness and humanity in an ever-changing world. The popularity of the work and its global visibility is one of the reasons Rodin is considered one of the greatest sculptors of all time.

RODIN Museum. A Teaching Resource: Activities for the Classroom. Available at:

<www.philamuseum.org/doc_downloads/education/rodin_teaching_kit.pdf>.

Rodin originally conceived of The Thinker as the focal point atop his Gates of Hell. At first, the sculpture represented the poet Dante (DAHN-tay) contemplating life, death, and his inevitable descent into hell. Over time, however, the figure evolved. Rodin recalled, “Guided by my first inspiration I conceived another thinker, a naked man, seated upon a rock, his feet drawn under him, his fist against his teeth, he dreams. The fertile thought slowly elaborates itself within his brain. He is no longer dreamer, he is creator.”

b. Rodin didn’t keep his original idea during the whole process of creating The Thinker. T Fc. With The Thinker, Rodin showed that sculptors were only manual laborers. T Fd. The critical reception of The Thinker was very positive in 1904. T Fe. There are several versions of The Thinker around the world. T Ff. The popularity of The Thinker contributes to Rodin’s reputation. T F

3 Read the text once more. Then complete the sentences with the words from the box. Not all words will be used. ____ / 1 point

a. In Rodin’s original plans, _______________ would represent Dante, a poet.b. Rodin’s view of his thinker evolved and his figure went from a _______________ to a creator.c. Rodin describes the position of his thinker’s _______________as well as his facial expression.d. Critics compared The Thinker to two mythological figures: _______________and Hercules.e. The Thinker is a symbol of man’s ability to solve problems and also of his _______________.

Vocabulary4 Complete the sentences with the names of these types of art.

____ / 0.6 point

a. ____________________: the art of representing objects, persons, etc. with paints, usually on canvas.b. ____________________: the art of representing objects, persons, etc. by shaping a substance, such as

stone or wood.c. ____________________: the art of representing objects, persons, etc. by means of lines.

5 Complete the sentences with the words from the box. ____ / 1 point

a. The use of ________________ help painters set the tone and the energy of their work of art. Bright yellow, for example, usually sets a vibrant tone.

b. This painter used vertical ________________ in his work to suggest height and strength.c. Some painters use ________________ in their artwork, in which they repeat or echo elements to

express a sense of balance, contrast or harmony.d. Painters use all types of ________________ in their works of art. They are usually either geometric (like

squares and triangles) or biomorphic (rounded and irregular).e. Some painters are very good at creating ________________ in their works of art. Look at this painting

depicting the beach – we can almost feel the grains of sand.

Adam • body • dreamer • Hercules • humanitymental • popularity • Rodin • sculptor • his thinker

colors • lines • patterns • shapes • texture

6 Unscramble the letters to write words to complete the sentences.___ / 0.8

point

a. Vik Muniz is one of the most ________________ Brazilian artists, famous for creating art with unconventional materials. (N O N E V V I A T I)

b. Some artists are creating ________________ works of art with satellite images taken from Google Maps.(O G U O S R E G)

c. The Louvre, in Paris, hosts some of the most ________________ paintings in the world.(C A P E L E N I X O T)

d. Las Meninas, by Spanish painter Velazquez, is a ________________ work of art.(M H L E N P A O N E)

7 Complete the sentences with some or any. ____ / 0.8 point

a. Visitors listen to _________ classical music while they visit the museum.b. Did you see _________ paintings by Velazquez at Museo del Prado?c. I don’t have _________ books about Rodin.d. Are there _________ boys in your art class?e. Our art teacher recommended _________ articles about van Gogh’s paintings.f. _________ of my friends are very good at painting.g. The museum doesn’t own _________ works by van Gogh.h. The workers need _________ time to carry the sculptures into the museum.

8 Underline the correct words to complete the sentences. ____ / 0.8 point

a. Critics don’t have many / much information about the works of art.b. Many / Much painters are interested in innovative painting techniques.c. How many / much artists are mentioned in the exhibition guide?d. Do you have many / much paintbrushes in your workshop?e. There isn’t many / much antique furniture in that museum.f. How many / much money do you need to organize the art exhibition?g. I don’t have many / much paint to finish my painting.h. There are many / much sculptures made by Rodin around the world.

9 Check () the correct words to complete the sentences. ____ / 0.8 point

a. The art teacher made __________ comments about our work.( ) few ( ) little

b. I have__________ homework today. Yay!( ) few ( ) little

c. __________ people went to the art exhibition last weekend.( ) Few ( ) Little

d. The students have __________ time to finish their paintings.( ) few ( ) little

e. There are __________ sculptures in that museum.( ) few ( ) little

f. Maria has __________ friends at the art school.( ) few ( ) little

g. That artist uses __________ material in his works of art.( ) few ( ) little

h. There is __________ water left in the bottle.( ) few ( ) little

10 Look at the pictures. Then complete the sentences with many, much, few or little.

____ / 0.8 point

There are ___________ chairs in the room. Jack has ___________ minutes to get to work.There is ___________ furniture in the room. He has ___________ time to get to work.

There is ___________ food in the fridge. Marianne has ___________ money.There are ___________ eggs and apples She has ___________ dollars.

Listening11 Listen to

some biographical information about J. M. W. Turner, an English artist. Then complete the summary with the words from the box.

____ / 1.2 points

• Joseph Mallord William Turner was born in London, in a. _______________.• He started b. _______________ when he was a boy. Some people bought his pictures at the time.• Turner started to study c. _______________ at the Royal Academy when he was d. _______________.

He drew statues from ancient Greece and e. _______________.• When Turner was 15, he showed his works at the f. _________________________ for the first time.

People said he had a lot of g. __________________.• He started traveling around h. __________________ when he was 17. Then he traveled around i.

__________________.• He visited the Louvre, in j. _______________. He started using oil k. _______________ after that.• He worked in unconventional ways. Once he asked sailors to tie him to the mast of a l. ______________

during a storm, so that he could see and feel it.

Writing12 Write a

paragraph about an artist you like or a work of art you admire.____ / 1.2

points

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1775 • 14 • art • Britain • drawing • Europepaints • Paris • Rome • Royal Academy • ship • talent

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