Unit 8: Exercise 1 - Tài liệu ôn tập chung | Đaị học Hoa Sen

Unit 8: Exercise 1
In this unit, you will learn about IELTS Listening Section 4 and practise the
skills you need to answer summary and note completion questions.
Read the information. Then listen and match the recordings with the student’s notes.
Try to make notes as you listen – this can help you to make an educated guess for any
answers you don’t get. You may guess correctly, and if you leave an answer blank, it is
definitely incorrect! Remember to check your spelling as you transfer your answers to the answer sheet.
music links to culture: people together = music, e.g. ceremonies, sports events
unreal? = not visual – hear only (air changes)
songs / politics: developed agreements & disagreements –used for 100s years
country’s official song = strong feelings; citizens only = connect
everyone ‘speaks’ music but meaning different due to beliefs / ideas
good music = ?; people like different things – depends on education / feelings Unit 8: Exercise 2
Read the information. Then read the headings. Listen and choose the correct answers.
In note completion and sentence completion tasks, the answers appear in the order of the
audio and there are headings and signposting phrases to help you follow the audio. If you
miss one answer, move on to the next question, and remember that words and phrases in the
headings can also be paraphrased. List of headings 1 The beginning 2 Graffiti today 3 Changes 4 Globalisation 5 A cause for disagreement
Hello. I’m here today to talk to you about the history of graffiti and how it’s
become a global phenomenon. Whilst I’m sure many of you consider graffiti
unique to modern-day society, it may surprise you to know that it actually dates back millennia.
OK, so, first I’ll begin by telling you a bit about its origins. As I’ve touched on
previously, some of the first examples of wall art appeared in caves in
prehistoric times. Later, Romans and Greeks wrote poems and other writing
and symbols on the walls of buildings to express emotions or political views,
and it can be argued that this is still the same today.
Right, now, moving to modern graffiti. As I said, street artists – as they are
sometimes called – still use walls to spread their thoughts and ideas. The act,
which is often carried out on our streets illegally, is typically undertaken when
the streets are deserted and in darkness. However, there are subtle differences
between the messages of the past and present, which we’ll consider next.
Of course, there have been significant changes in the materials and tools
available to the artist – there weren’t, for example, cans of spray paint available
in Roman times. As a result, graffiti today must be carefully considered and
completed rapidly. Designs and artwork, which can be both detailed and
vibrant, are becoming extremely commercial.
These days, we find pieces being sold in galleries worldwide for increasingly
large amounts. Indeed, many cities regularly hold street art parties and even
festivals, where famous artists are invited to design and paint huge murals.
Moving on to the effects of an increase in world trade, the advent of the internet
means messages are spread at the touch of a button. New art, appearing, for
example, in the UK, can be seen within seconds anywhere in the world
wherever there is either an internet connection or mobile coverage.
Finally, I’d like to talk about the controversy surrounding modern-day graffiti.
Is it art or vandalism, and who decides? What one person sees as an ugly,
offensive and disrespectful act of vandalism, carried out by an empty-headed
criminal who has no thought for others, is a beautiful work of art in the eyes of
another, worthy of becoming a tourist attraction or being sold in a gallery.
OK, so, we’ve covered the main areas I wanted to discuss. Are there any questions?
1. What does the speaker say to signpost the first heading? o
As I’ve touched on previously o
I’ll begin by telling you a bit about o
I’m here today to talk to you about the history of
2. Which phrase indicates a move to the second heading? o as a result o as I said o now, moving to
3. Which phrase indicates a move to the third heading? o However, there are o Of course, there have been o which we’ll consider next
4. Which phrase indicates a move to the fourth heading? o Indeed o Moving on to o the advent of
5. Which phrase indicates a move to the fifth heading? o
Finally, I’d like to talk about o
New art, appearing, for example o
so, we’ve covered the main areas Unit 8: Exercise 3
Listen again and complete the notes. Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
Hello. I’m here today to talk to you about the history of graffiti and how it’s
become a global phenomenon. Whilst I’m sure many of you consider graffiti
unique to modern-day society, it may surprise you to know that it actually dates back millennia.
OK, so, first I’ll begin by telling you a bit about its origins. As I’ve touched
on previously, some of the first examples of wall art appeared in caves in
prehistoric times. Later, Romans and Greeks wrote poems and other writing
and symbols on the walls of buildings to express emotions or political views,
and it can be argued that this is still the same today.
Right, now, moving to modern graffiti. As I said, street artists – as they are
sometimes called – still use walls to spread their thoughts and ideas. The act,
which is often carried out on our streets illegally, is typically undertaken when
the streets are deserted and in darkness. However, there are subtle differences
between the messages of the past and present, which we’ll consider next.
Of course, there have been significant changes in the materials and tools
available to the artist – there weren’t, for example, cans of spray paint
available in Roman times. As a result, graffiti today must be carefully
considered and completed rapidly. Designs and artwork, which can be both
detailed and vibrant, are becoming extremely commercial.
These days, we find pieces being sold in galleries worldwide for increasingly
large amounts. Indeed, many cities regularly hold street art parties and even
festivals, where famous artists are invited to design and paint huge murals.
Moving on to the effects of an increase in world trade, the advent of the
internet means messages are spread at the touch of a button. New art,
appearing, for example, in the UK, can be seen within seconds anywhere in
the world wherever there is either an internet connection or mobile coverage.
Finally, I’d like to talk about the controversy surrounding modern-day graffiti.
Is it art or vandalism, and who decides? What one person sees as an ugly,
offensive and disrespectful act of vandalism, carried out by an empty-headed
criminal who has no thought for others, is a beautiful work of art in the eyes
of another, worthy of becoming a tourist attraction or being sold in a gallery.
OK, so, we’ve covered the main areas I wanted to discuss. Are there any questions?
Graffiti – past and present The beginning
drawings in caves thousands of years ago
Romans and Greeks used it to show strong feelings or 1 ___________ opinions Graffiti today usually against the law
often done in 2 ____________ , when nobody is around Changes
3 ______________ and materials very different must be done quickly
plans may include lots of information and the drawings may be 4 _____________ often for sale
cities have street celebrations and 5 ____________ , which well-known artists may attend Globalisation
new graffiti quickly spread by the internet
A cause for disagreement
seen by some as unattractive but by others as 6 _______________ artwork
people visit and buy it in galleries Unit 8: Exercise 4
Read the information. Then listen and complete the summary. Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
The skills used for summary completion questions are like those for note completion.
However, the summary will typically be in the form of one short paragraph with a single heading.
Quickly read the paragraph and try to predict the missing words. Remember: the phrases
surrounding the gaps will be paraphrases of the words used in the recording.
So, I’ve talked a bit about the history of graffiti, which I hope has been of
interest. But, before we come to the end of the lecture, I’d like to talk about the idea of art and culture.
Through the ages, art and culture have coexisted. Artists, who are adept at
expressing creativity and imagination, are ‘fed’ by the culture by which they
are surrounded, both globally and locally. What I mean is, art takes inspiration
from what’s happening in society at the time. Art, which I use to refer to a
diverse range of human activities (auditory, visual and performing), provides us
with a historical record. Without this, much of what happened before the
introduction of the written word would have been lost. We are aware, for
example, that the knowledge gained about what life was like thousands of years
ago from the primitive drawings found in caves would simply not have been
revealed without art. Of course, art today is more technical and, as you’ve
already heard me discuss, commercial. However, it still manages to tell its
stories in a way that can capture our attention and fill us with wonder. Art and culture
Both have existed together throughout history. Artists have great skill in showing originality
and 1 _____________ . Global and local culture provides the ideas for art. This includes
things you can hear, see and also the 2 _____________ arts. Art gives us information about
the past, when things weren’t 3 ______________ down. We know something about
prehistoric society because of primitive art discovered in 4 ______________ . Today, stories
continue to 5 ______________ our interest, even though art is more commercial. Unit 8: Exercise 5
Look at the completed summary and listen again. Which words in the recording
signpost the answers to the summary completion questions? Choose the correct letter, A, B or C. Art and culture
Both have existed together throughout history. Artists have great skill in showing originality
and imagination. Global and local culture provides the ideas for art. This includes things you
can hear, see and also the performing arts. Art gives us information about the past, when
things weren’t written down. We know something about prehistoric society because of primitive art discovered in . Today, stories continue to caves our interest, even though capture art is more commercial.
So, I’ve talked a bit about the history of graffiti, which I hope has been of
interest. But, before we come to the end of the lecture, I’d like to talk about the idea of art and culture.
Through the ages, art and culture have coexisted. Artists, who are adept at
expressing creativity and imagination, are ‘fed’ by the culture by which they
are surrounded, both globally and locally. What I mean is, art takes inspiration
from what’s happening in society at the time. Art, which I use to refer to a
diverse range of human activities (auditory, visual and performing), provides
us with a historical record. Without this, much of what happened before the
introduction of the written word would have been lost. We are aware, for
example, that the knowledge gained about what life was like thousands of
years ago from the primitive drawings found in caves would simply not have
been revealed without art. Of course, art today is more technical and, as
you’ve already heard me discuss, commercial. However, it still manages to
tell its stories in a way that can capture our attention and fill us with wonder.
1. In the recording, which phrase is a paraphrase of ‘throughout history’? o A come to the end o
B the history of graffiti o C through the ages
2. In the recording, which phrase is a paraphrase of ‘have great skill in showing’? o
A are adept at expressing o
B creativity and imagination o
C ‘fed’ by the culture
3. In the recording, which phrase is a paraphrase of ‘provides the ideas’? o A a diverse range of o B takes inspiration o C What I mean is
4. In the recording, which phrase is a paraphrase of ‘hear’? o A auditory o B ‘fed’ by o C heard me discuss
5. In the recording, which phrase is a paraphrase of ‘know something’? o A have been revealed o B knowledge gained o C We are aware Unit 8: Exercise 6
Listen and complete the notes. Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
I’m here today to talk about the phenomenon that is the selfie. Loved by many
and hated by some, the rise of taking and sharing self-portraits on social media
appears to be here to stay – at least for now. But why are they so popular? Well,
let’s start by defining what we mean by ‘selfie’. Put simply, it is the taking of
one’s own photograph, usually at arm’s-length, with a handheld mobile device.
The basic concept is to capture the moment in real time. Think of it as sharing memories immediately.
This takes me to the second point I’d like to make, and that is what we do with
selfies. Well, the usual idea is that they are shared with thousands of others,
some of whom we may be unfamiliar with, using social media via the internet.
Now, moving to the distortion of reality. Of course, the action or sharing
generally occurs after our looks have been digitally enhanced using a photo-
editing tool. We’ve all taken a selfie and made small changes, haven’t we?
Perhaps our eyes were too small or we wanted to hide a spot. Maybe our teeth
needed to be a little whiter. And so, we may present a version of ourselves that
is slightly false – the person we would prefer to look like. This sounds perfectly
innocent, but there are potential risks, which I’ll discuss next.
Firstly, as we compare our selfies with those of others, we may question our
self-image – from which, we may see a drop in self-esteem. Secondly, we must
ask ourselves why we feel the need to present a slightly unreal version of
ourselves to the world. And finally, whilst we stop and pose momentarily,
either as our dinner arrives or whilst walking around a museum, we might like
to ask ourselves if we are going to miss what is going on in the real world.
But enough of the dangers. Let’s end by focusing on the benefits, and there are
many. As I mentioned initially, the selfie allows us to record what is happening
as it happens, and that really is quite remarkable. Just think, we can keep safe a
piece of our own personal history, which we can choose to share with
whomever we wish, whenever we want. Whether we get tired of selfies remains
to be seen, but they have found their place in our society – not to mention in our dictionaries! The rise of selfies What are they?
photographs of yourself using a 1 _____________ mobile device How are they used?
photos shared online with those we are perhaps 2 _____________ with Not real
Our appearance may be 3 _________________ .
The form of the person we present may be 4 _________________ . Dangers
Problems with how we see ourselves could result in low 5 __________________ .
Consider why we feel the need to present ourselves differently.
While pausing to take photos, we might not see what’s happening around us. Positives
Being able to record something as soon as it happens is 6 ________________ .
A person’s individual 7 _______________ can be saved. Unit 8: Exercise 7
Listen and complete the summary. Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
So, assuming that selfies, as a cultural phenomenon, are here to stay, let’s end
by giving some consideration to selfie safety, by which I mean physical rather than mental.
People who have wished to take the ultimate selfie have sometimes found
themselves in trouble. When we think of people facing physical danger, there
have been several instances when, in our search for the perfect angle or the
right light, the sheer act of taking a self-portrait has become life-threatening –
for example, leaning over a cliff edge or walking in the middle of the road. A
number of countries have even had to run campaigns, which both highlight
these dangers and issue recommendations on how to take selfies in a safe and non-life-threatening manner.
Therefore, whilst the association between self-admiration and selfies is more
commonly criticised, it may pay us to focus on examining the physical dangers
and introduce guidelines on when and how to take selfies. Then, they can
continue to be enjoyed and thrive in our societies. Selfie safety
For people who want to take the perfect selfie, there have been a number of dangerous 1
_______________ of people putting themselves at risk when trying to get into the right
position. It has been necessary to have safety 2 _______________ in some countries to help
people take selfies without harming themselves. The connection between self-interest and
selfies is generally 3 _______________ . It would be beneficial if societies thought about the
bodily dangers and issued 4 ______________ on taking selfies safely. Then, people could
keep enjoying them and their success would continue.