Graffiti Reading Answers

Jan 7, 2023

Graffiti Reading Answers contains sample answers about Graffiti and its development. Graffiti Reading Answers comprises 13 different questions. IELTS Graffiti Reading Answers contains three types of questions: choose the correct heading, true/false/not given and. Complete the sentences. Candidates are required to read the IELTS Reading passage to answer which heading suits which paragraph. Candidates need to thoroughly go through each paragraph to answer whether the given statement is true or false, write not given if the information is not stated. Candidates are required to complete the sentences using the correct ending from the given options. Candidates gain proficiency on diverse topics by undertaking IELTS Reading practice papers.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Graffiti Reading Answers

The word 'graffiti' derives from the Greek word graphein, meaning to write. This evolved into the Latin word graffito. Graffiti is the plural form of graffito. Simply put, graffiti is a drawing, scribbling, or writing on a flat surface. Today, we equate graffiti with the 'New York' or 'Hip Hop' style which emerged from New York City in the 1970s. Hip Hop was originally an inner-city concept. It evolved from the rap music made in Brooklyn and Harlem in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Donald Clarke, a music historian, has written that rap music was a reaction to the disco music of the period. Disco was centred in the rich, elitist clubs of Manhattan and rap emerged on street corners as an alternative. Using lyrical rhythms and 'beat boxing', the music was a way to express feelings about inner-city life. Hip Hop emerged as turntables began to be used to form part of the rhythm by 'scratching' (the sound created by running the stylus over the grooves of an LP). As Hip Hop music emerged so did a new outlet for artistic visibility. Keith Haring began using posters to place his uniquely drawn figures and characters in public places. Soon he began to draw directly on subway walls and transit posters. The uniqueness of his drawings eventually led to their being shown in galleries and published in books and his art became 'legitimate'.

At about the same time as Keith Haring, a delivery messenger began writing 'Taki 183' whenever he delivered documents. Soon his name was all over the city. Newspapers and magazines wrote articles about him and Keith Haring, and soon both became celebrities. This claim to fame attracted many young people, especially those involved with rapping, and they began to imitate 'Taki 183', as a means to indicate the writer's presence, i.e. the age-old statement of I was here. Graffiti was soon incorporated into the Hip Hop culture and became a sort of triad with rapping and breakdancing. Breakdancing has since lost much of its initial popularity, while rapping has emerged as a major style in American music. New York City was inundated with graffiti during the late seventies and early eighties, but as media coverage faded so did the graffiti. Then, in the mid-eighties, a national TV program did a graffiti story and set off a graffiti wildfire that has since gone global.

In the past, graffiti artists usually worked alone, but the size and complexity of pieces, as well as safety concerns, motivated artists to work together in crews, which are groups of graffitists that vary in membership from 3 to 10 or more persons. A member of a crew can be 'down with' (affiliated with) more than one crew. To join a crew, one must have produced stylish pieces and show potential for developing one's own, unique style. A crew is headed by a king or queen who is usually that person recognized as having the best artistic ability among the members of the crew. One early crew wrote TAG as their crew name, an acronym for Tuff Artists Group. The tag has since come to mean both graffiti writing, 'tagging' and graffiti, a 'tag'. Crews often tag together, writing both the crew tag and their tags. Graffiti has its own language with terms such as piece, toy, wild-style, and racking

At first pens and markers were used, but these were limited as to what types of surfaces they worked on, so very quickly everyone started using spray paint. Spray paint could mark all types of surfaces and be quick and easy to use. However, the spray nozzles on the spray cans proved inadequate to create more colourful pieces. Caps from deodorant, insecticide and other aerosol cans were substituted to allow for a finer or thicker stream of paint. As municipalities began passing graffiti ordinances outlawing graffiti implements, clever ways of disguising paint implements were devised. Shoe polish, deodorant roll-ons, and other seemingly innocent containers were emptied and filled with paint. Markers, art pens, and grease pens obtained from art supply stores were also used. Nearly any object which can leave a mark on most surfaces is used by taggers, though the spray can is the medium of choice for most taggers.

As graffiti has grown, so too has its character. What began as an urban lower-income protest, graffiti now spans all racial and economic groups. While many inner-city kids are still heavily involved in the graffiti culture, taggers range from the ultra-rich to the ultra-poor. There is no general classification of graffitists. They range in age from 12-30 years old, and there are male and female artists. One tagger recently caught in Philadelphia was a 27-year-old stockbroker who drove to tagging sites in his BMW. Styles have dramatically evolved from the simple cursory style, which is still the most prevalent, to intricate interlocking letter graphic designs with multiple colours called 'pieces' (from master-pieces). Gang markings of territory also fit the definition of graffiti, and they mainly consist of tags and messages that provide 'news' of happenings in the neighbourhood.

Graffiti shops, both retail and online, sell a wide variety of items to taggers. Caps, markers, magazines, T-shirts, backpacks, shorts with hidden pockets, and even drawing books with templates of different railroad cars can be purchased. Over 25,000 graffiti sites exist on the world wide web; the majority of these are pro-graffiti. Graffiti vandalism is a problem in nearly every urban area in the world. Pro-graffiti websites post photos of graffiti from Europe, South America, the Philippines, Australia, South Africa, China, and Japan. Billions of dollars worldwide are spent each year in an effort to curb graffiti.

While most taggers are simply interested in seeing their name in as many places as possible and as visibly as possible, some taggers are more content to find secluded warehouse walls where they can practise their pieces. Some of these taggers can sell twelve-foot canvases of their work for upwards of $10-$12,000. As graffiti was introduced to the art world, two trends happened. One, the art world of collectors, dealers, curators, artists, and the like helped graffitists evolve in style, presumably by sharing their artistic knowledge with the newcomers. Two, the exposure helped to expand graffiti into all parts of the world. Furthermore, more progressive cities have recognized the talent of graffitists by providing a means for them to do legal graffiti art, which has helped to foster the art form and lessen the amount of graffiti art that appears in the city vandalism. Likewise, organisations that support graffiti artists seek out places to do legal graffiti such as abandoned buildings, businesses, or community walls in parks. What this shows is that some graffiti, particularly in the form of a spray can art, is recognized as art by the conventional art world

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 1-7

Reading Passage 1 has seven paragraphs, A-G.

Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.

Becoming mainstream art
The Culture Of Graffiti
Tools Of The Trade
Internet Art Styles
Crossing Boundaries
Cashing In On The Craze
Trends In Street Music
Gradually gaining popularity
A Solitary Existence
From Ancient To Modern

Paragraph A

Answer: x
Supporting Sentence: we equate graffiti with the 'New York' or 'Hip Hop' style which emerged from New York City in the 1970s
Keyword: graffiti,new york, hip hop, 1970
Keyword Location: paragraph A, line 3-4
Explanation: The word "graffiti" is derived from the Greek word graphein, which means "to write," as demonstrated in paragraph A. The Latin word "graffito" was born out of this. Graffito is most commonly spelled as graffiti. Graffiti is essentially anything that is written, drawn, or scrawled on a flat surface. In modern times, we associate graffiti with the "New York" or "Hip Hop" movement that originated in New York City in the 1970s. The idea of hip hop originated in inner cities. These lines hint at the development of graffiti from the past to the present. Therefore, the answer is x.

Paragraph B

Answer: viii
Supporting Sentence: Newspapers and magazines wrote articles about him and Keith Haring, and soon both became celebrities.
Keyword: newspapers, magazines, articles
Keyword Location: paragraph B, line 3
Explanation: According to paragraph B, he and Keith Haring were the subjects of articles in newspapers and journals, and they both quickly rose to fame. Many young individuals were drawn by this claim to fame. Those who were active in rapping in particular started to mimic "Taki 183" to signal the writer's presence. Graffiti quickly joined rapping and breakdancing as a type of trinity in Hip Hop culture. These words convey how it acquired popularity over time. The answer is therefore viii.

Paragraph C

Answer: ii
Supporting Sentence: In the past, graffiti artists usually worked alone, but the size and complexity of pieces
Keyword: graffiti, work, size, complexity
Keyword Location: paragraph C, line 1
Explanation: According to paragraph C, graffiti artists used to typically work alone. However, the enormity and complexity of the pieces, along with worries about safety, encouraged artists to work in crews. Graffiti crews like these might include anywhere from three to ten or more individuals. A crew member may be "down with" (connected to) multiple crews at once. To join a crew, one must have created fashionable pieces and exhibit the ability to create their own distinctive style. The graffiti culture is suggested by this information. So, ii is the correct answer.

Paragraph D

Answer: iii
Supporting Sentence: At first pens and markers were used, but these were limited as to what types of surfaces they worked on
Keyword : pens, markers, used, surfaces
Keyword Location: paragraph D, line 1
Explanation: It is suggested in paragraph D that markers and pens were initially used. But because of the limitations on the surfaces that they could be used on, spray paint quickly became the standard. Spray paint is quick and simple to use, and it can mark many kinds of surfaces. The spray cans' spray nozzles, meanwhile, were insufficient to produce more coloured pieces. To enable a finer or thicker jet of paint, the caps from deodorant, insecticide, and other aerosol cans were used instead. These sentences suggest that paragraph D serves as an example of the tools of the trade. The answer is therefore iii.

Paragraph E

Answer: v
Supporting Sentence: What began as an urban lower-income protest, graffiti now spans all racial and economic groups.
Keyword : urban, lower-income, spans, racial, economic group
Keyword Location: paragraph E, line 1-2
Explanation: The growth of graffiti and its character are both shown in paragraph E. Graffiti, which started as a lower-income urban protest, is today present throughout all racial and economic categories. While many inner-city children are still quite active in the graffiti scene, taggers come in all social strata. Graffiti artists cannot be put into any broad categories. These lines represent boundary crossings. The answer is therefore v.

Paragraph F

Answer: vi
Supporting Sentence: Graffiti shops, both retail and online, sell a wide variety of items to taggers.
Keyword : retail, online, taggers, items
Keyword Location: paragraph F, line 1
Explanation: As seen in paragraph G, taggers can purchase a wide range of supplies from graffiti businesses both offline and online. One can get hats, markers, magazines, T-shirts, backpacks, shorts with concealed pockets, and even drawing books with models of various railroad vehicles. On the internet, there are over 25,000 websites dedicated to graffiti, most of which support graffiti. Vandalism involving graffiti is a problem in almost every city in the globe. Graffiti advocacy websites publish images of graffiti from the Philippines, Australia, South Africa, China, and Europe. Every year, the global graffiti problem costs billions of dollars to fix. These lines indicate the cashing in on the craze. So, vi is the correct answer.

Paragraph G

Answer: i
Supporting Sentence: Two, the exposure helped to expand graffiti into all parts of the world.
Keyword : exposure, graffiti, expand, world
Keyword Location: paragraph G, line 7
Explanation: According to paragraph G, two patterns emerged after graffiti entered the art world. First, the art world—collectors, dealers, curators, artists, and others—helped graffiti writers develop their own distinctive styles. Perhaps by imparting their artistic knowledge to the newbies. These lines demonstrate how graffiti has evolved into a form of popular art. So, i is the correct answer.

Questions 8-10

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?

In boxes 8-10 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE – if the statement agrees with the writer’s claims
FALSE – if the statement contradicts the writer’s claims
NOT GIVEN – if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

The introduction of anti-graffiti laws managed to curb its spread in some cities.

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: The passage does not contain relevant information regarding the statement.

Along with Hip Hop music came a new way of visual expression.

Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: Hip Hop emerged as turntables began to be used to form part of the rhythm by 'scratching'
Keyword : hip-hop, emerged, turntable, scratching
Keyword Location: paragraph A, line 9
Explanation: According to the ninth line of paragraph A, hip hop evolved as turntables started to be used to create rhythm by "scratching." Hip Hop music and a new platform for artistic visibility both arose along with it. These lines make it clear that a new form of visual expression coexisted with hip hop music. Since the information and the statement are identical, the answer is True.

There was hostility towards graffiti artists among the established art community.

Answer: False
Supporting Sentence: In the past, graffiti artists usually worked alone, but the size and complexity of pieces, as well as safety concerns
Keyword : past, graffiti, size, complexity
Keyword Location: graffiti, alone, size, complexity
Explanation: Graffiti artists used to typically operate alone, as shown in paragraph C. However, the enormity and complexity of the pieces, along with worries about safety, led artists to work in crews. They are organisations made up of 3 to 10 or more graffiti artists. It is obvious from these sentences that the established art world did not harbour any animosity toward graffiti artists. The answer is False because the statement goes against the information.

Questions 11-13

Complete each sentence with the correct ending A-F below.

use it as a means of expression of rebellion against law enforcement.
becomes increasingly more difficult to succeed in the art world.
transcends race, status, and gender.
realise that inner-urban areas where poverty is the norm are decreasing.
conceal their intentions from law enforcement officers.
embraces it as a means of expression.

Graffiti is flourishing in the 21st century as people from all backgrounds have begun to ……………………….

Answer: F
Supporting Sentence: Today, we equate graffiti with the 'New York' or 'Hip Hop' style which emerged from New York City in the 1970s.
Keyword : graffiti, new york, hip-hop
Keyword Location: paragraph A, line 3-4
Explanation: According to paragraph A, the word "graffiti" is derived from the Greek word "graphein," which means "to write." The Latin word "graffito" came from this. Graffito is most commonly spelled as graffiti. Graffiti, expressed simply, is any writing, scribbling, or drawing on a flat surface. Graffiti is often associated with the "New York" or "Hip Hop" style that originated in New York City in the 1970s. These lines make it abundantly evident that graffiti is thriving in the twenty-first century. As people from all walks of life have started to use it as a form of self-expression. The solution is therefore F.

As graffiti has developed, it has come to ……………………….

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: As graffiti was introduced to the art world, two trends happened
Keyword : graffiti, art world, two trends
Keyword Location: paragraph G, line 4
Explanation: As graffiti entered the art world, two trends emerged, as stated in paragraph G. First, the art world helped graffiti writers develop their own distinctive styles. Two, the publicity contributed to the global spread of graffiti. The ability to create legal graffiti art is another way that more forward-thinking cities have acknowledged the talent of graffiti artists. Graffiti art has been less frequently used in acts of urban vandalism, which has helped to promote the art form. According to these lines, graffiti has evolved to transcend racial, social, and gender boundaries. The answer is C, so.

Graffiti artists used many ingenious methods to ……………………..

Answer: E
Supporting Sentence: municipalities began passing graffiti ordinances outlawing graffiti implements,
Keyword : municipalities, ordinances, graffiti
Keyword Location: paragraph E, line 6
Explanation: As towns started implementing anti-graffiti laws, paragraph D reports, graffiti tools became illegal. Paint tools have been disguised in inventive ways. Graffiti artists used a variety of inventive tactics to disguise their intentions from law enforcement agents, as we can see. So, the answer is E.

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