ART GALLERY BERLIN

1. Read the text. Then read the statements and find proof in the text to show that they are all
FALSE. (5 x 2 = 10 points)

There is a small art gallery in Berlin where Leonardo da Vinci’s famous portrait, the
Mona Lisa, is exhibited next to a landscape by Van Gogh. These paintings look like
the original masterpieces, but they aren’t. They are imitations that were painted by
three Russian brothers: Yevgeny, Semyon and Mikhail Posin.
The Posin brothers started painting when they were children. After studying at the
Leningrad Academy of Arts, they moved to Germany. They were talented artists, but it
was difficult to make money selling their paintings. However, they quickly discovered
that they could make a lot of money by making copies of paintings by famous artists.
The brothers are serious about their work. They don’t copy a painting until they have
studied the artist’s personality and his life. They think that understanding the artist
contributes to a more realistic reproduction. In addition, all their paintings are
completed in exactly the same time it took the real artist to finish the work. This could
take only a few hours or several months.
People buy these imitations for different reasons. Some clients may want a traditional
gift for someone in their family. Other clients love great art, but haven’t got enough
money to buy original paintings. Also, some art collectors have got the original
painting in their home, but they are afraid that it will be stolen. They hide the authentic
painting in a safe place, and put the reproduction on the wall.
Although many people think that copying a painting is not really art, the Posins feel
differently. They are proud of their work and they are also happy that they make
money from it. A Posin copy can cost anywhere from €600 to more than €20,000.
“Some people think artists have to be poor to make good art, but being hungry doesn’t
improve one’s paintings,” Yevgeny said.

1. The original Mona Lisa is in Berlin.

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2. The brothers went to art school in Germany.
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3. Every Posin reproduction takes a long time to create.
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4. All of the Posins’ clients haven’t got enough money to buy originals.
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5. Copies made by the Posins are all the same price.
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2. Answer the questions. (4 x 3 = 12 points)

1. Why did the Posin brothers begin copying paintings?
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2. How do they prepare for work on a new reproduction?
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 3. Why do some people who have got original masterpieces decide to buy an imitation?
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4. How do the Posin brothers feel about their work?
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3.Complete the sentences. (5 x 2 = 10 points)

1. In a small Berlin gallery, you can see ..................................................................................... .
2. The brothers could not survive by selling ............................................................................... .
3. The brothers learn all about an artist before ........................................................................... .
4. Clients sometimes buy a Posin imitation to give to ................................................................ .
5. According to many people, reproductions .............................................................................. .

1. Choose the correct answer. (4 x 1 = 4 points)

1. Oil and drawing / clay / watercolour are two kinds of paint.
2. Many artists draw a sculpture / masterpiece / sketch with a pencil before they paint.
3. Pizza is a complex / traditional / smooth food from Italy.
4. A clean mirror is usually shiny / talented / rough.

2. Tick the sentences true (T) or false (F). Replace the words in bold in the false sentences with
a suitable word below. (8 x 2 = 16 points)

realistic • complex • rough • charcoal • portraits

T F
1. Sculptures are three-dimensional. …… ……
……………………
2. Artists paint landscapes of people. …… ……
……………………
3. Bright colours are cheerful. …… ……
……………………
4. The road was smooth and full of holes. …… ……
……………………
5. The maths problem was simple and difficult to solve. …… ……
……………………
6. Museums have got exhibitions of paintings. …… ……
……………………
7. Artists sometimes use clay to draw. …… ……
……………………
8. Abstract paintings sometimes look like photos. …… ……
 ……………………

2.Complete the sentences with the words below. There are more words than you need.
(10 x 1 = 10 points)

talented • exhibition • timetable • store •

The art gallery has got an …………………………… of paintings by Van Gogh.

Susan is a very …………………………… musician and has won many prizes.
We …………………………… the pictures in the basement..
According to the …………………………… , the museum opens at 10:00.

2.Complete the text with the correct form of the verbs in brackets. (8 x 2 = 16 points)
1
If you drive north past Gateshead, England, you …………………… (see) an enormous sculpture.
2
It’s 20 metres tall with wings that are 54 metres across. It …………………… (call) the Angel of the
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North. The sculpture …………………… (create) by Antony Gormley in 1998. Gormley thought of
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many things while he …………………… (build) this large structure. For example, ……………………
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it …………………… (fall) down if there were a strong wind? Gormley …………………… (include)
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engineers in the project to help him solve this problem. When it …………………… (complete),
the Angel could stand in winds of around 160 kilometres an hour! At first, critics weren’t happy with
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the Angel. However, today most British people …………………… (think) the Angel of the North is
a masterpiece of modern art.

1. Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets. Use the Present Simple Passive.
(3 x 2 = 6 points)
1. Books …………………… (not make) from glass.
2. Dinner …………………… (serve) at 6 pm.
3. …………………… English …………………… (speak) all over the world?

2. Complete the sentences with the verbs below. Use the Past Simple Passive. (4 x 2 = 8 points)

not identify • invent • not write • steal

1. …………………… the bicycle …………………… by Leonardo da Vinci?

2. This book …………………………… by J K Rowling.
3. Two paintings …………………………… by the thief yesterday evening.
4. The suspect …………………………… by the witness last week.

3. Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets. Use the Future Simple Passive.
(3 x 2 = 6 points)
1. The tickets …………………… (not sell) at the theatre tomorrow morning.
2. …………………… the test …………………… (take) by all the students next Monday?
 3. In the future, many simple things …………………… (do) by robots.

4. Rewrite these sentences in the Passive. (5 x 2 = 10 points)

1. A famous architect didn’t design this building.
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2. Picasso painted Guernica in 1937.
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3. He won’t complete the sculpture in two weeks.
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4. Will they send the letter tomorrow?
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5. They sell many paintings every week.
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Write a description of the drawing. Use the information in the chart to help you. Include a
description of the objects, shapes and lines of the painting and your opinion of the drawing.

Name of drawing: Woman by Hearth

Date: 1885
Artist: Vincent van Gogh