Online TOEFL - TOEFL trực tuyến, TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, TOEFL online, online TOEFL, luyện thi TOEFL, TOEFL test, test TOEFL, TOEIC online, luyện thi TOEIC, học tiếng Anh online, tiếng Anh sách giáo khoa

Script:

Listen to part of a lecture in an Art History class. The professor has been talking about colossal statues.

Professor: We′ve been looking at colossal statues—works of exceptionally huge size—and their essentially public role, in commemorating a political or religious figure. We′ve seen how some of these statues date back thousands of years . . . like the statues of the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt—which you can still visit today . . . and how others, though surviving only in legend, have fired the imagination of writers and artists right up to our own time, such as the Colossus of Rhodes, that 110-foot statue of the Greek god Helios (HEE-lee-us). Remember, this same word, "colossus"—which means a giant or larger-than-life-size statue—is what today′s term "colossal" derives from.

Now, it was one thing to build such statues, at an equally colossal cost, when the funds were being allocated by ancient kings and pharaohs. But if we′re going to think about modern-day colossal statues, we need to reexamine more closely their role as social and political symbols—in order to understand why a society today—a society of free, tax-paying citizens—would agree to allocate so much of its resources to erecting them. A good example to start out with would be Mount Rushmore.

Now, many of you have probably seen pictures of Mount Rushmore; perhaps you′ve actually visited the place. Mount Rushmore, in South Dakota, is a colossal representation of the faces of four U.S. Presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, carved directly into a mountain. Imagine: Each of those faces in the rock is over sixty feet high! Now, carving their faces took over six and a half years, and cost almost a million dollars. And this was in the 1930′s, during the worst economic depression in U.S. history! Does that strike any of you as odd?

Well, I personally think that the Great Depression of the 1930′s actually makes this more understandable, not less so. Often it′s the case that, precisely at times of hard-ship—when the very fabric of society seems to be unraveling and confidence is eroding—uh, that people clamor for some public expression of strength and optimism, perhaps as a way of symbolizing its endurance in the face of difficulty.

So, with that in mind, let′s go back to Mount Rushmore. Actually, the original motivation for a colossal monument in South Dakota had very little to do with all this symbolism . . . and everything to do with money: you see, it was first conceived of basically as a tourist attraction, and it was supposed to feature the images of legendary figures of the American West, like the explorers Lewis and Clark. The government of South Dakota thought it would bring lots of money into the state.

It was only later on that the sculptor—the artist who designed and oversaw the project, a man named Gutzon Borglum—decided the project should be a monument honoring four of the most-respected Presidents in U.S. history—much more than a tourist attraction . . . its very prominence and permanence became perceived as a symbol of the endurance of U.S. ideals and the greatness of the country′s early leaders. So, you see, what began as a tourist attraction became something far loftier.

Let′s look at another example of this phenomenon.

The Statue of Liberty is another colossal statue—(indicating by his tone of voice that his assumption is a near certainty) one that I assume a number of you are familiar with. But, umm, I would guess that—like many people today—you don′t realize that, when it was designed, over a century ago—by a French sculptor—it was intended to symbolize the long friendship between the people of France and the people of the United States—one which dated back to France′s support of the American colonies′ war for independence from the British.

But the shift in the statue′s meaning started soon after it was built. Back in 1883, Emma Lazarus wrote that famous poem—you know, the one that goes: "Give me your tired, your poor . . . ." (pause)and so on and so forth. That poem describes the Statue of Liberty as a beacon of welcome for the entire world. Well, in the early 1900′s, it was put on a plaque on the pedestal that the Statue of Liberty stands on.

From that point on, the Statue of Liberty was no longer perceived as just a gift between friendly republics. It now became a tribute to the United States′ history of immigration and openness.

This association was strengthened in the imagination of the general public just a few decades after the statue′s completion, with the immigration waves of the early 20th century . . . especially since the statue happened to be the first sign of America seen by those immigrants sailing into the port of New York. So, as with Mount Rushmore, the original motivation for this colossal statue was forgotten, and the statue is now valued for more important reasons.

4. According to the professor, why did the state of South Dakota originally want to create a colossal monument?

A.

To symbolize the unity of society

B.

To honor United States Presidents

C.

To commemorate the Great Depression

D.

To generate income from tourism

5. Listen again to part of the lecture, then answer the question. Why does the professor discuss the poem by Emma Lazarus?

A.

To illustrate how the meaning associated with a monument can change

B.

To stress the importance of the friendship between France and the United States

C.

To point out a difference between Mount Rushmore and the Statue of Liberty

D.

To emphasize the close relationship between literature and sculpture

6. What does the professor imply about the poem by Emma Lazarus?

A.

Lazarus was not able to complete the poem.

B.

Few people have read the entire poem.

C.

He does not need to recite the full text of the poem.

D.

It is one of his favorite poems.

Script:

Listen to a conversation between a student and a worker in a university office.

Office worker: Yes, how can I help you?

Student: I’m not sure if I’m in the right place . . . I’m looking for an application for the Academic Scholarship program. Is that something I can pick up here?

Office worker: Yes, you’re in the right place. Applications for the Academic Scholarship program are right here. Let me get one for you. . . . Here you are.

Student: Thanks very much. ... By the way, is there anything I need to know to complete the application, or is the application self-explanatory?

Office worker: It’s fairly self-explanatory, but let me go over a few things with you, just to be sure. .. . OK, the first really important thing is the date. The application’s due by March 1, by the end of the business day on March 1.

Student: That′s really soon . . .

Office worker: It is, and the date is absolute. No applications will be accepted after the first.

Student: I’ll have to hurry to get it done.

Office worker: You will.

Student: Anything else?

Office worker: Uh, yes . . . make sure you fill the application out completely. Every single question must be answered. If you omit any questions, your application won′t be considered.

Student: But some of these questions don′t seem to pertain to me.

Office worker: Like what, for example?

Student: Well, look, question number 20 asks about my high school ranking.

Office worker: Why doesn’t that pertain to you?

Student: Well, the high school I attended didn’t give rankings. I didn′t go to high school here in the United States, and my high school didn’t give out rankings.

Office worker: Well, for that question, just give the explanation you gave me. Just be sure not to omit any questions; if you think a question doesn′t pertain to you, then write an explanation why.

Student: OK, I can do that. . . . Anything else you can tell me?

Office worker: Well, there’re the essays. . . . You know you have to write two essays to accompany the application?

Student: Oh, my. That’s a lot of work. I assume the essay questions are included somewhere in the application?

Office worker: Yes, on page seven of the application. .. . Do you see them . . . at the bottom of the page?

Student: Yes, I see them . . . there are four questions there. ... I thought you said I needed to write two essays . . . oh . . . I see. It says to choose two of the four essay questions to answer. . . . Now, is that all I need to do? That must be all. . . .

Office worker: Well, not quite.

Student: Oh, no! What else?

Office worker: There are the letters of reference.

Student: Letters of reference? Are these letters that I write?

Office worker: (laughs) Oh, no . . . you don′t write the letters of reference yourself. You need to get three people to write letters of reference for you.

Student: Do the letters of reference need to be written by professors, or can they be written by other people?

Office worker: Two of the three letters need to be written by professors . . . you’re applying for an academic scholarship, after all.

Student: So I need two letters of reference from professors and one from someone else?

Office worker: Yes.

Student: Can the third letter of reference be written by a friend, by a student?

Office worker: No, the third letter can’t be written by a student.

Student: How about by my advisor? Would that be OK?

Office worker: That would be great.

Student: And do I need all of this by March 1st, even the letters of reference?

Office worker: All of it, if you want to be considered for the Academic Scholarship program.

7. Why does the student go to see this office worker?

A.

To ask for an application for university admission

B.

To find out how to apply for a particular program

C.

To turn in an application for a scholarship

D.

To ask for a letter of reference

8. Which items are emphasized by the office worker?

A.

The length of the essays

B.

The need to answer all questions

C.

The information to be included in the reference letters

D.

The date the completed application is due

9. Which items are NOT emphasized by the office worker?

A.

The need to answer all questions

B.

The date the completed application is due

C.

The length of the essays

D.

The information to be included in the reference letters

10. Why does the student ask about the question on high school ranking?

A.

It seems like a question that would take too much time to answer.

B.

He thinks that his high school ranking might be too low.

C.

It is an example of a question he finds difficult to answer.

D.

He thinks the question should be answered by someone else.

11. What does the advisor say about the essays?

A.

The student needs to answer the four essay questions on page two.

B.

The student needs to answer the two essay questions on page four.

C.

The student needs to answer two of the four essay questions on page seven.

D.

The student needs to answer all four essay questions on page seven.

12. What does the advisor say about the letters of reference?

A.

The student needs two of them.

B.

Two must be written by professors.

C.

The student needs three of them.

D.

Only one can be written by a professor.

Script:

Listen to part of a lecture in a film studies class.

In the first two decades of the twentieth century, cinema established itself as a powerful mass medium. Movies were a popular entertainment for working people, but they were more than just entertainment. Movies were also regarded as high art by the intellectuals of the day. Many people believed that cinema—or film—would be the defining art form of the new century.

Even in its earliest years, film was developing its own style—a style that was distinct from that of the theater. But what do we mean when we speak of film style? To put it simply, style is the texture of a film’s images and sounds. It’s the filmmaker’s systematic use of the techniques of the medium—for example, staging, lighting, performance, camera framing and focus. Editing and sound also contribute to style.

A few filmmakers of the silent era were already developing film style, most notably in the editing technique of cutting. Cutting is when the action is broken up into separate shots, or pieces of film, and then the shots are recombined to tell the story in a coherent way. Before cutting, the action in films was like it was in the theater. The action took place far away from us. and it was continuous—it wasn’t interrupted by any closer views of the actors.

Early film critics didn’t like films that looked too much like theater. Theater was a well recognized art form with its own traditions and methods. However, film was something new. and well, it was an art form that owed its birth to the technology of the moving picture camera. The critics preferred to see stylistic camera work and editing—the techniques that set film apart from theater. A lot of critics felt that editing was the most important film technique. Cutting -the change from shot to shot - was regarded as the key to film artistry.

Another film technique—called cross-cutting—made it possible to tell two stories at the same time. Cross-cutting—it’s also called parallel action—it involves showing segments from two different sequences, moving back and forth from one to the other so the two stories appear to be taking place at the same time. Cross- cutting was used in the 1903 film The Great Train Robbery. The film shows bandits escaping from the scene of their crime, and then it cross cuts to a scene where the townspeople are dancing at a party, unaware the robbery has taken place. The audience easily understands that the two scenes are going on at the same time.

The person who usually receives the credit for inventing most film techniques is D.W′ Griffith. While Griffith didn′t invent everything about film actually he defined and redefined the innovations of other filmmakers—he created movies that critics and audiences recognized as a unique narrative form. This is because he perfected the elements of film “grammar” and the art of the story film.

Instead of having one camera shoot a scene from one position. D.W. Griffith filmed each scene from many angles, and then he pieced together the sequences in the editing room. He used editing to heighten and control the dramatic impact of a scene. He introduced analytical editing, that is breaking down a scene into shots that show closer views of people′s faces or gestures. These closely framed shots are known as close ups. The close up conveys a character’s emotions through subtle changes in the eyes, mouth, and brow. After D.W. Griffith, the close-up became a standard tool in the language of film.

13. What is the lecture mainly about?

A.

How film criticism influenced art

B.

The film techniques of D.W. Griffith

C.

The development of film style

D.

Media of the twentieth century

14. Which of the following contribute to the style of a film? Click on TWO answers.

A.

Camera framing

B.

Theater design

C.

Acting awards

D.

Film cutting

15. According to the professor, why did early film critics dislike films that resembled theater?

A.

They thought that film was a distinct art form.

B.

They disagreed with the politics of theater owners.

C.

They did not understand the traditions of theater.

D.

They felt that films should not be shown in theaters.

16. Why does the professor discuss cross-cutting?

A.

To convince students that film should be regarded as high art

B.

To explain why film critics disliked certain types of films

C.

To describe a technique that confused early film audiences

D.

To give an example of an early advancement in film style

17. Listen again to part of the lecture. Then answer the question. What does the professor mean when he says this?

A.

D.W. Griffith invented most of the film techniques we use today.

B.

The actors in Griffith's films always spoke with perfect grammar.

C.

D.W. Griffith improved film techniques, making film a literary art.

D.

Critics liked Griffith's films, but audiences did not understand them.

Script:

Listen to part of a lecture in a United States history class.

The battle at Antietam Creek in 1862 was the bloodiest twenty -four hours of the Civil War. Nearly 8,000 men lost their lives and another 15,000 were severely wounded. No single day in American history has been as tragic. Antietam was memorable in another way, too—it saw the advent of the war photographer.

The best known pictorial records of the Civil War are the photographs commissioned by Mathew Brady, a leading portrait photographer of the lime. Brady owned studios in New York and in Washington, and was known for his portraits of political leaders and celebrities. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he turned his attention to the conflict. He wanted to document the war on a grand scale, so he hired twenty photographers and sent them into the field with the troops. The battlefield carried dangers and financial risks, but Brady was persistent.

Brady himself did not actually shoot many of the photographs that bore his name. His company of photographers took the vast majority of the pictures—images of camp life, artillery, fortifications, railroads, bridges, battlefields, officers, and ordinary soldiers. Brady was more of a project manager. He spent his time supervising his photographers, preserving their negatives, and buying negatives from other photographers.

Two days after I he battle at Antietam. Two photographers from Brady′s New York gallery took a series of photographs that ushered in a new era in the visual documentation of war. This was the first time that cameras had been allowed near the action before the fallen bodies of the dead were removed. Within a month of the battle, the images of battlefield corpses from Antietam were on display at Brady’s gallery in New York. A sign on the door said simply, "The Dead of Antietam.” America was shocked. The exhibition marked the first time most people had ever seen the carnage of the war. The photographs had a sensational impact, opening people’s eyes as no woodcuts or lithographs had ever done.

The New York Times wrote. “If Mr. Brady has not brought bodies and laid them in our door yards, he has done something very like it." Thousands of people, especially mothers and wives of men serving in the Union forces, flocked to look at these first dramatic images of death and destruction. Suddenly the battlefield was no longer comfortably distant—the camera was bringing it closer, erasing romantic notions about war.

Mathew Brady’s work was the first instance of the comprehensive photo- documentation of a war the Civil War—which as a result became the first media war. Photography had come of age. although it was still a relatively new technology with several limitations. For example, the exposure lime of the camera was slow, and negatives had to be prepared minutes before a shot and developed immediately afterwards. This meant «hat it was not possible for photographers to lake action pictures. They were limited to taking pictures of the battlefield after the fighting was over. Another limitation was that newspapers couldn’t yet reproduce photographs. They could print only artists’ drawings of the scene. Nevertheless, photography made a huge impact, and media coverage of war—and public opinion about war—would never be the same again.

18. What is the main idea of the lecture?

A.

Photography changed the nature of war reporting.

B.

The battlefield is too dangerous for photographers.

C.

People should protest against war photography.

D.

Photographers recorded the battle at Antietam.

19. Listen again to part of the lecture. Then answer the question. What does the professor mean by this statement?

A.

Antietam was the only battle in which Americans died.

B.

Deaths were counted for the first time at Antietam.

C.

More Americans died on that day than on any other day.

D.

Antietam was the shortest battle of the Civil War.

20. Who was Mathew Brady?

A.

A portrait painter in New York

B.

The owner of a photography business

C.

The inventor of photography.

D.

A military leader during the Civil War

21. Listen again to part of the lecture. Then answer the question. Why does the professor say this?

A.

To encourage students to study photography

B.

To emphasize the power of photography

C.

To contrast different photographic styles

D.

To warn students not to look at the pictures

22. What were some of the limitations of photography during the Civil War? Click on TWO answers.

A.

The slow exposure time did not allow action shots.

B.

There were only a few schools that taught photography.

C.

Photographers were not permitted on the battlefield.

D.

Newspapers were not able to reproduce photographs.

23. What does the professor imply about Mathew Brady?

A.

He took more photographs during his life than anyone else did.

B.

His work had a lasting effect on photography and journalism.

C.

He was unfairly criticized for his photographs of the dead.

D.

His Civil War photographs are worth a lot of money today.

Script:

Listen to a conversation between two students.

W: Our design class is getting really interesting, don′t you think?

M: Yeah. I like Professor Vargas, but sometimes he goes too fast, and I feel like I′m missing something. There’s a lot we have to remember.

W: True. There are a lot of details about all the different styles.

M: Yeah, there′s Art Nouveau, and Art Deco, and Art Moderne ... I have a hard time keeping it all straight.

W: I know what you mean.

M: For example, it seems to me that Art Deco and Art Moderne are the same thing.

W: Well, there is some overlap. They were both popular in the 1930s, although Art Deco came a little before Moderne. I think Professor Vargas said Art Deco started at an exhibition in Paris in 1925.

M: So, they were about the same time. That′s one thing that gets confusing. Another thing is, they seem so similar it’s hard to see why they′re considered different styles.

W: Art Deco has more decoration than Art Moderne. Art Deco is the style you see in a lot of movie theaters and hotels that were built in the twenties and thirties. It has facades with geometric designs ... and uh ... strips of windows with decorative spandrels. Art Deco uses a lot of straight lines and slender forms. “Sleekness” is the word that comes to mind. At the time, it was considered “modernistic”.

M: But that′s what gets confusing! Doesn′t “modernistic” also apply to Art Moderne?

W: Art Moderne is simpler than Deco. It has ... uh ... things like more rounded corners. Hat roofs, and ... the walls are smooth and don’t have any decoration. It’s more streamlined than Deco. Art Moderne buildings remind me of boats. The walls are smooth, and the trim is usually stainless steel. A lot of the windows are round, kind of like the portholes on a boat.

M: Oh ... I know a building like that. It′s right here in town, on Second Avenue. It has a rounded corner and round windows. It used to be a gas station, but now it’s a restaurant. We should go there sometime.

W: Yeah, I′d like to see that. My favorite building is the Maritime Building. It’s downtown, right across from my father′s office. Its Art Deco -built in 1927—I know that from the cornerstone. You should see the lobby! It′s just beautiful. There’s a geometric pattern in the tile on the floor kind of a big circle with lots of triangles. And you should see the elevator doors. They’re gorgeous.

M: You know we should go around and look at some of these buildings.

W: Yeah, that would be fun.

M: And ... you know what else ... this is an idea Tor our project. We could take pictures of the buildings and do a slide show in class.

W: Oh, that′s a cool idea! But don’t we need to get permission to take photographs? Especially of the interior ... we need pictures of the lobby of the Maritime Building.

M: We could ask for permission. That shouldn′t be a problem. Let’s talk to Professor Vargas and see what he thinks.

W: OK. Why don′t you do that, and I’ll go down to the Maritime Building and see if there′s anyone there— like a building superintendent—who can give us permission. I’ll let you know. Why don’t we meet again on Thursday?

M: OK. Fine with me.

24. What are the students mainly discussing?

A.

Popular styles of the 1930s

B.

Characteristics of two design styles

C.

Taking photographs of buildings

D.

The relationship of design to architecture

25. Listen again to part of the conversation. Then answer the question. Select the sentence that best expresses how the man probably feels.

A.

“I'm pleased that our professor knows so much.”

B.

“I'm concerned about the amount we have to learn.”

C.

“I'm bored with the designs we are studying.”

D.

“I'm surprised that so many styles exist.”

26. How does the woman help the man?

A.

She traces the history of architectural design.

B.

She contrasts the details of two design styles.

C.

She promises to speak to their professor.

D.

She offers to help him study for an examination.

27. Choose true sentence that describes Art Moderne.

A.

This is the style of a downtown building that the woman likes.

B.

This style has rounded corners, smooth walls, and little decoration.

C.

This style has straight lines, slender forms, and geometric patterns.

28. Choose true sentences that describe Art Deco.

A.

This style has rounded corners, smooth walls, and little decoration.

B.

This is the style of a downtown building that the woman likes.

C.

This style has straight lines, slender forms, and geometric patterns.

29. What can be inferred from the conversation?

A.

The students' professor is not available for help outside class.

B.

The woman's father is the superintendent of an office building.

C.

The students are required to do a project for their design class.

D.

The man does not care much about the history of design.

Script:

Listen to part of a lecture in a geology class.

Mount St. Helens is in the Cascade Range, a chain of volcanoes running from southern Canada to northern California. Most of the peaks are dormant what I mean is, they’re sleeping now. but are potentially active. Mount St. Helens has a long history of volcanic activity, so the eruptions of 1980 weren′t a surprise to geologists. The geologists who were familiar with the mountain had predicted she would erupt.

The eruption cycle had sort of a harmless beginning. In March of 1980, seismologists picked up signs of earthquake activity below the mountain. And during the next week, the earthquakes increased rapidly, causing several avalanches. These tremors and quakes were signs that large amounts of magma were moving deep within the mountain. Then, suddenly one day there was a loud boom, a small crater opened on the summit. St. Helens was waking up.

The vibrations and tremors continued. All during April, there were occasional eruptions of steam and ash. This attracted tourists and hikers to come and watch the show. It also attracted seismologists, geologists, and—of course -the news media.

By early May. the north side of the mountain had swelled out into a huge and growing bulge. The steam and ash eruptions became even more frequent. Scientists could see that the top of the volcano was sort of coming apart. Then there were a few days of quiet, but it didn’t last long. It was the quiet before the storm.

On the morning of May 18—a Sunday at around eight o’clock, a large earthquake broke loose the bulge that had developed on the north face of the mountain. The earthquake triggered a massive landslide that carried away huge quantities of rock. Much of the north face sort of swept down the mountain.

The landslide released a tremendous sideways blast.

Super heated water in the magma chamber exploded, and a jet of steam and gas blew out of the mountain’s side with tremendous force. Then came the magma, sending up a cloud of super-heated ash. In only 25 seconds, the north side of the mountain was blown away. Then, the top of the mountain went too. pouring out more ash, steam, and magma. The ash cloud went up over 60.000 feet in the air. blocking the sunlight.

Altogether, the eruptions blew away three cubic kilometers of the mountain and devastated more than 500 kilometers of land. The energy of the blast was equivalent to a hydrogen bomb of about 25 megatons. It leveled all trees directly to the northeast and blew all the water out of some lakes. The blast killed the mountain′s goats, millions of fish and birds, thousands of deer and elk and around sixty people. The ash cloud drifted around the world, disrupting global weather patterns.

For over twenty years now. Mount St. Helens has been dormant. However, geologists who’ve studied the mountain believe she won’t stay asleep forever. The Cascade Range is volcanically active. Future eruptions are certain and— unfortunately we can’t prevent them.

30. According to the professor, how did the cycle of volcanic eruptions begin?

A.

Magma poured out of the top of the mountain.

B.

Several earthquakes and avalanches occurred.

C.

The volcano erupted suddenly without warning.

D.

A cloud of ash traveled around the world.

31. Why does the professor say this?

A.

To explain why the events were a surprise to geologists

B.

To criticize the media for interfering with the scientists

C.

To show that the eruptions interested a lot of people

D.

To tell of his own experience of watching the mountain

32. Listen again to part of the lecture. Then answer the question. What does the professor mean when he says this?

A.

The public suddenly lost interest in watching the eruptions.

B.

It had been a long time since the previous eruption of St. Helens.

C.

The small eruptions paused briefly just before the major eruption.

D.

Scientists took a few days off before continuing their work.

33. What can be concluded about Mount St. Helens?

A.

It is a harmless inactive volcano.

B.

It is likely to erupt in the future.

C.

It is the largest volcano in the world.

D.

It is no longer of interest to geologists.

34. What were some effects of the eruption? Click on TWO answers.

A.

The ash cloud affected weather around the world.

B.

Large numbers of animals and people were killed.

C.

Geologists were criticized for failing to predict it.

D.

Tourists were afraid to visit the Cascade Range.

35. The professor explains what happened when Mount St. Helens erupted. Choose THREE sentences were part of the event.

A.

The mountain gained sixty feet in height.

B.

An earthquake caused a huge landslide.

C.

The mountain's side and top exploded.

D.

Ash and steam rose from the mountain.

elearn site

PARTNERS

NEWS