EBAU Practice

 OPTION 2 STREET ART FINDS PERMANET HOME IN BERLIN

Question1:[2 POINTS] Indicate whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

1. The importance of street art in Berlin is a very recent phenomenon.

FALSE “For decades, street art has been an essential part of Berlin’s cultural DNA”

2. The new museum only displays exhibits from Germany.

FALSE “of urban contemporary art from around the globe”

3. Graffiti is the only type of exhibit on display in the new museum.

FALSE “to now include digital works, hyper-realistic paintings, sculpture and more”

4. Some of the exhibits at the new museum are outside the actual building.

TRUE “The art isn’t limited to the inside of the museum”

Question 2:[2 POINTS] Answer the following questions in your own words according to the text

1. Why is Berlin known for street art?

Different reasons:

• It has been culturally important for a long time.

• Before reunification it was used to express political ideas.

• After reunification, this was also true.

• Many tourists have visited the city to see the graffiti.

• The new museum is another reason to visit the city.

Model answer:

Berlin has been famous for its graffiti for a long time, as both before and after reunification, it is a way that people used to express their political ideas. Nowadays a lot of people specifically visit the city to see the street art and the new museum is also encouraging this trend.

2. What different things make the new museum special?

Different things:

• There are a lot of exhibits from around the globe.

• The history and evolution of graffiti is also presented.

• There are different types of exhibit: painting, sculpture and digital.

• The museum took a long time to plan and organize.

• There are also exhibit outside the actual museum building.

Model answer:

The new museum is special because of the range of different origins of the exhibits – there are works from all over the world, and also because there are different formats, such as drawings, sculptures and digital exhibits. It also uses the buildings around the museum to display some of the works, so the art is both inside and outside the building.

Question 3:[1,5 POINTS]Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words given.

1. vital (paragraph 1) essential

2. famous (paragraph 2) well-known

3. generally ( paragraph 3) commonly

4.to keep ( paragraph 4)(to) preserve

5.what`s more ( paragraph 5 ) additionally

Question 4:[1,5 POINTS]Choose the correct option, a, b, c or d for each question and COPY the sentence onto your answer sheet.

1. The text says that…

a. many people visit the city of Berlin because of its street art.

b. many people visit the city of Berlin despite its street art.

c. many people visit the city of Berlin in order to create new street art.

d. many people will not visit the city of Berlin unless more street art is created.

2. Yasha Young …

a. worked completely on her own to choose the works for the new museum.

b. worked with a small team of museum staff to choose the works for the new museum.

c. worked with a very large group of artists to choose the works for the new museum.

d. worked with a group of more than one hundred museum staff to choose the works for the museum.

3. Various artists…

a. have asked to create artwork in the Schoenberg neighbourhood.

b. have been asked to create artwork in the Schöenberg neighbourhood.

c. have to be asked to create artwork in the Schoenberg neighbourhood.

d. have to ask to create artwork in the Schoenberg neighbourhood.

 

Question 5:[3 POINTS]Write a short essay (about 120-150 words) on the following topic: Do you think government should spend/invest more money to make art more attractive to younger people? Justify your opinion.

Many people’s lives are richer because of art. However, some people feel that governments should spend money on housing, medical care, or defence, instead of on art. It is clear this is not a waste of resources but a way of support and promote culture.

From my point of view, there are several reasons why governments should not finance artists. First of all, artists should have to follow the same rules as the rest of the market. If there is a demand for their music or sculpture, then they will get benefits. Secondly, I believe that politicians generally do not have good taste, so they may waste public money on popular art or on their own preferences. In my opinion, there are more important areas like housing, roads, hospitals, and factories which need the money first.

On the other hand, it would be wrong to say that governments should not spend any money at all on art. I think that everybody needs some beauty in their life, but not everyone can afford a Picasso or attending a music opera or concert.  As I see it, governments should provide money for museums or concert halls for everyone. Another point is that art allows people to express themselves and this is good for society, culture and thought. However, I do not agree with the fact that artists can be good for the economy by producing music, films, and attracting tourists.

All in all,  I strongly believe that governments should prioritize their spending carefully, but they should also allocate some of their budget for art as it is part of their duty to society and to future generations.  I have no doubt that this might promote arts to young people.