200 Years of Australian Landscapes at the Royal Academy in London
Read 200 Years of Australian Landscapes at the Royal Academy in London and check the IELTS Reading answers. For the casual viewer, the exhibition of landscapes, *Australia*, selected by the Royal Academy of Art, will be a spectacular guide through Australian art history. Included in the exhibition…
Passage preview
For the casual viewer, the exhibition of landscapes, *Australia*, selected by the Royal Academy of Art, will be a spectacular guide through Australian art history. Included in the exhibition are a range of artists and styles, dating from the earliest days of colonial art and progressing through expressionism and modernism to the greats of the 20th century, culminating with the current generation of Australian artists. It is hardly surprising, then, that this results in a flexible, wide-ranging notion of landscape.
Vocabulary from this passage
9 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- albeit adverb
Although; used to add a fact that slightly weakens what you just said.
In the passage:
"embracing the peculiarities of Australian art ... albeit within the boundaries of landscape": it limits the writer's praise.
Synonyms: although, though
- condescending adjective
Behaving as if you are better or smarter than other people.
In the passage:
"To consider it condescending is perhaps too strong": the writer softens the criticism of Britain's attitude.
Synonyms: patronising, superior
Opposites: respectful
- culminate in verb phrase
To reach a final point or result after a long process.
In the passage:
"culminating with the current generation of Australian artists": the exhibition's route ends at the present day.
Synonyms: end with, result in
- formative years noun phrase
The early period in which a person or movement develops its character.
In the passage:
Q29 says "early Australian landscape painting"; the passage says "during Australian art's formative years".
Synonyms: early, early years
- give rise to verb phrase
To cause something to happen or exist.
In the passage:
"this landmark exhibition gives rise to some questions": a formal alternative to cause that suits Writing Task 2.
Synonyms: cause, lead to
- periphery noun
The outer edge of an area, group or system.
In the passage:
"the centre and the periphery": the main art world and the places far from it.
Synonyms: edge, outskirts
Opposites: centre
- telling adjective
Revealing something important about a person, group or situation.
In the passage:
"a telling attitude towards Australian art": it means revealing, not talking.
Synonyms: revealing, significant
- warrant verb
To deserve something or be a good reason for it.
In the passage:
"these works warrant a prominent position": it means deserve, not a legal order.
Synonyms: deserve, justify
- wide-ranging adjective
Covering many different subjects or a large area.
In the passage:
Q27 says "narrow interpretation of landscape"; the passage says "a flexible, wide-ranging notion of landscape", the opposite.
Synonyms: broad, extensive
Opposites: narrow
Answers with explanations
- 27. NO
The statement says **narrow interpretation of landscape**, but the writer says the selection gives **a flexible, wide-ranging notion of landscape**. Those are opposites, so the answer is NO. The later word **conservative** describes the style of work chosen, not how broadly landscape is understood.
- 28. NOT GIVEN
Look for who chose the theme. The writer says **British artistic values have directed** the exhibition, but never says Australians **suggested** a subject or that the Academy **rejected** a suggestion. The text does not say either way: NOT GIVEN.
- 29. YES
The colonial relationship is **colonial ties**, **early** is **formative years**, and **followed the traditions of English landscape painting** is the art **reflecting Britain's devotion to the beloved landscape**. The writer calls this inevitable, so the writer agrees: YES.
- 30. YES
**Its own particular qualities** matches **the peculiarities of Australian art**, and **reflects** matches the Academy **embracing** them. This is the writer's own comment, not just a quote from the curator, so the answer is YES.
- 31. NO
The deciding word is **rejected**. The writer says there is **little denying** that British landscape painting is **still relevant** to **a current generation of Australian** artists. Artists who still draw on it have not generally rejected it, so the answer is NO.
- 32. C
The paragraph builds to Mendelssohn's view that **British artistic values have directed this exhibition, rather than allowing Australia the freedom**. **Imposing its principles** is a paraphrase of **directed … rather than allowing freedom**. Derivation from the British tradition is a later paragraph's point (colonial ties), and the other options are never argued.
- 33. B
Look for **found surprising**. What surprised her was that **the underlying rules for the selection of works** were **so conservative**. **Guidelines for the choice of work** paraphrases the rules for selection, and **very traditional** paraphrases conservative. Landscape being a strong British theme is stated, but it is not what surprised her.
- 34. A
The writer calls Gladwell **a good example** of tradition mixed with something personal: his work acknowledges landscape tradition, **colored by Gladwell's own individualism**, and he says he wanted to **make it personal**. That is a **subjective approach**. Skateboarding, storms and Bondi are only details of his video, not the reason for including it.
- 35. C
Soriano gives her reason at the end of her quote: Aboriginal art is **part of Australian art history, rather than a separate area**. "Not independent of it" is a paraphrase of **rather than a separate area**. The passage says London has already held **many successful exhibitions** of Aboriginal art, so "not well known" is wrong.
- 36. A
Read the writer's summary before the China quote: **London is increasingly less important to today's generation of artists**. China is her example that **the world has changed**, so an exhibition in London matters less than it used to. Her students want Venice and Art Basel, and New York was the choice of her own student days.
- 37. F
**In spite of its conservatism** is the writer's **while … concern over the exhibition's conventional selection is valid, … nevertheless**. What follows is that the Academy is **embracing the peculiarities of Australian art**, which is the ending about an acceptance of the unique qualities.
- 38. E
Look for **early to mid-1800s**. Soriano says the influence of **English, French, or German art** is **much more evident** in those years, which is a strong European flavour. The unique qualities she describes come as Australian art later **develops**.
- 39. A
Find **Gladwell** and his own explanation: he was interested in **the idea of atmosphere affecting vision**, shown in a video of a storm lingering offshore. **Atmosphere** matches the mood created by the natural environment. Turner shows a European link, but atmosphere is the idea he stresses.
- 40. C
Soriano says landscape was the right theme **because Aboriginal art started in and on the landscape**. Including it shows an understanding that the land has long mattered historically, which is the ending about the **historical importance of the land**.