For seven decades, Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986) was a major figure in American art. Remarkably, she remained independent from shifting art trends and her work stayed true to her own vision, which was based on finding the essential, abstract forms in nature. With exceptionally keen powers of observation and great finesse with a paintbrush, she recorded subtle nuances of colour, shape, and light that enlivened her paintings and attracted a wide audience.
Born in 1887 near Sun Prairie, Wisconsin to cattle breeders Francis and Ida O’Keeffe, Georgia was raised on their farm along with her six siblings. By the time she graduated from high school in 1905, she had determined to make her way as an artist. She studied the techniques of traditional painting at the Art Institute of Chicago school (1905) and the Art Students League of New York (1907-8). After attending university and then training college, she became an art teacher and taught in elementary schools, high schools, and colleges in Virginia, Texas, and South Carolina from 1911 to 1918.
During this period, O’Keeffe began to experiment with creating abstract compositions in charcoal, and produced a series of innovative drawings that led her art in a new direction. She sent some of these drawings to a friend in New York, who showed them to art collector and photographer Alfred Stieglitz in January 1916. Stieglitz was impressed, and exhibited the drawings later that year at his gallery on Fifth Avenue, New York City, where the works of many avant-garde artists and photographers were introduced to the American public.
With…
Questions 1–7
Complete the notes below.
ONE WORD ONLY
1.– studied art, then worked as a ___ in various places in the USA
2.– created drawings using ___ which were exhibited in New York City
A. All around the world, nations are already preparing for, and adapting to, climate change and its impacts. Even if we stopped all CO2 emissions tomorrow, we would continue to see the impact of the CO2 already released since industrial times, with scientists forecasting that global warming would continue for around 40 years. In the meantime, ice caps would continue to melt and sea levels rise. Some countries and regions will suffer more extreme impacts from these changes than others. It’s in these places that innovation is thriving.
B. In Miami Beach, Florida, USA, seawater isn’t just breaching the island city’s walls, it’s seeping up through the ground, so the only way to save the city is to lift it up above sea level. Starting in the lowest and most vulnerable neighbourhoods, roads have been raised by as much as 61 centimetres. The elevation work was carried out as part of Miami Beach’s ambitious but much-needed stormwater-management programme. In addition to the road adaptations, the city has set up new pumps that can remove up to 75,000 litres of water per minute. In the face of floods, climate-mitigation strategies have often been overlooked, says Yanira Pineda, a senior sustainability coordinator. She knows that they’re essential and that the job is far from over. ‘We know that in 20, 30, 40 years, we’ll need to go back in there and adjust to the changing environment,’ she says.
C. Seawalls are a staple strategy for many coastal communities, but on the soft, muddy northern shores of Java, Indonesia, they frequently collapse, further exacerbating coastal erosion.…
Questions 14–17
Reading Passage has six paragraphs, A–F.
14.how a type of plant functions as a natural protection for coastlines
Livestock guard dogs, traditionally used to protect farm animals from predators, are now being used to protect the predators themselves
A. For thousands of years, livestock guard dogs worked alongside shepherds to protect their sheep, goats and cattle from predators such as wolves and bears. But in the 19th and 20th centuries, when such predators were largely exterminated, most guard dogs lost their jobs. In recent years, however, as increased efforts have been made to protect wild animals, predators have become more widespread again. As a result, farmers once more need to protect their livestock, and guard dogs are enjoying an unexpected revival.
B. Today there are around 50 breeds of guard dogs on duty in various parts of the world. These dogs are raised from an early age with the animals they will be watching and eventually these animals become the dog’s family. The dogs will place themselves between the livestock and any threat, barking loudly. If necessary, they will chase away predators, but often their mere presence is sufficient. ‘Their initial training is to make them understand that livestock is going to be their life,’ says Dan Macon, a shepherd with three guard dogs. ‘A fluffy white puppy is fun to be around, but too much human affection makes it a great dog for guarding the front porch, rather than a great livestock guard dog.’
C. The evidence indicates that guard dogs are highly effective. For example, in Portugal, biologist Silvia Ribeiro has found that more than 90 per cent of the farmers participating in a programme to train and use guard dogs to protect…
Questions 27–31
Which paragraph contains the following information ?.
27.An example of how one predator has been protected by the introduction of livestock guard dogs
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Answers & explanations
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40 answers3 explanations open
1
teacher
The correct answer is 'Teacher' because the passage explains that Georgia O'Keeffe taught in elementary schools, high schools, and colleges from 1911 to 1918 after she studied art. The text says she became an art teacher, which supports that she worked as a teacher.
2
charcoal
The correct answer is 'charcoal' because the passage explains that during her time as an art teacher, O'Keeffe began to experiment with creating abstract compositions in charcoal. These drawings were important because they led her art in a new direction and were exhibited in New York City.
3
skyscrapers
The correct answer is 'skyscrapers' because it refers to the buildings that Georgia O'Keeffe painted when she became famous in New York City. In the passage, it says she was recognized for her paintings of the city's 'soaring skyscrapers'.
4
flowers
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5
bones
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6
landscape
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7
rivers
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8
FALSE
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9
TRUE
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10
FALSE
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11
TRUE
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12
NOT GIVEN
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13
NOT GIVEN
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14
C
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15
A
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16
D
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17
F
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18
pumps
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19
dams
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20
float
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21
crops
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22
trees
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23
B
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24
E
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25
A
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26
C
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27
D
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28
G
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29
B
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30
C
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31
B
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32
D
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33
E
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34
B
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35
C
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36
A
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37
jackals
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38
diseases
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39
food
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40
foxes
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Understand why, not only what.
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