Sculpture Reading Answers

Dec 8, 2022

Sculpture Reading Answers is an IELTS reading topic that has been addressed in this article. Sculpture Reading Answers comprises of a total of 14 questions that that are to be answered within 20 minutes. The question types included in this IELTS reading passage are; one word only, no more than two words, and no more than three words. These questions are to be solved by candidates by attempting a thorough reading of IELTS reading passage. Moreover, candidates must ensure that they strictly abide by the word limits mentioned and not exceed them. There are numerous topics found in IELTS reading practice papers for practice.

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Reading Passage Questions

Sculpture, the practice of creating a three-dimensional object for artistic and aesthetic purposes, dates back as far as prehistoric times. Since objects created are intended to be enduring, traditionally sculptures have been forged from durable materials such as bronze, stone, marble and jade; however, some branches of the art also specialise in creating figurines of a more ephemeral nature, ice sculpture, for example. The practice of sculpting in many countries has traditionally been associated with religious philosophy; for example, in Asia many famous sculptures are related to Hinduism or Buddhism.
In Africa, perhaps more than any other region in the world, three-dimensional artwork is favoured and given more emphasis than two dimensional paintings. Whilst some experts hold that the art of sculpture in the continent dates back to the Nok Civilization of Nigeria in 500 BC, this is disputed due to evidence of the art’s existence in Pharaonic Africa.
To the expert eye, African art is clearly defined by the region from which it is from and easily identifiable from the differences in technique used and material from which it is made. Figurines from the West African region are sculpted in two distinctly different forms. The first is characterised by angular forms and features with elongated bodies, such sculptures being traditionally used in religious rituals. Conversely, the traditional wood statues of the Mande speaking culture possess cylindrical arms and legs with broad, flat surfaces. Metal sculptures which hail from the eastern regions of West Africa, are heralded by many as amongst the most superior art forms ever crafted.
Central African sculpture may be a little more difficult to identify for the novice observer as a wider variety of materials may be used, ranging from wood to ivory, stone or metal. However, despite tills, the distinct style of usage of smooth lines and circular forms still helps to define the origin of such works. In both Eastern and Southern Africa, typically, art depicts a mixture of human and animal features. Art from the former region Is usually created in the form of a pole carved in human shape and topped with a human or animal image which has a strong connection with death, burial and the spiritual world. Such creations are less recognised as art in the traditional sense than those from other parts of Africa. In Southern Africa, the human/animal hybrid representations are fashioned from clay, the oldest known examples dating back to between 400 and 600 A.D.
Although these distinct and defining regional differences in artistic expression exist, there are also universal similarities which define African art as a whole. Primarily a common characteristic is that focus is predominantly on representation of the human form. A second common trait of African art is that it is often inspired by a ceremonial or performance-related purpose; the meaning behind the art and its purpose often intended to be interpreted in a different way depending on an individual’s age, gender or even social and educational status.
Throughout the African continent, artworks tend to be more abstract in nature than intending to present a realistic and naturalistic portrayal of the subject in question. Artists such as Picasso, Van Gogh and Gauguin are said to have been influenced and inspired by African art. Its ability to stimulate emotional reaction and imagination generated a great deal of interest from western artists at the beginning of the 20th century. As a result, new European works began to emerge which were of a more abstract nature than previously conceived. More intellectually and emotionally stimulating art was born than had been seen before in a culture which had traditionally faithfully represented and depicted the true and exact form of its subjects.
The ‘Modernism’ movement of the 20th century embraced innovation in literature and art, its devotees wishing to move beyond realism in artistic expression. The sculptor Henry Spencer Moore, born in 1898 in Yorkshire, was one of the key players involved in introducing and developing his own particular style of modernism to the British art world. He is best known for his abstract bronze sculptures of the human form, many critics drawing parallels between the undulating landscapes and hills of his home county Yorkshire and the shapes and lines of his sculptures.
By the 1950s, Moore’s work was increasingly in demand and he began to secure high profile commissions including an artwork for the UNESCO building in Paris. By the end of Moore’s career, due to his popularity and the scale of the projects he undertook, the sculptor was extremely affluent; however, a huge proportion of his wealth was donated to the Henry Moore Foundation established with the aim of supporting education and promotion of the arts. The foundation is a registered charity and has continued to offer funding to a wide range of projects including grants to arts institutions and bursaries and fellowships for students and artists since Moore’s death in 1986.

Solution and Explanation
Question answer: 1-4
Complete the summary
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 14-17 on your answer sheet.
[Guide: Candidates need to select up ONE word to fill the blanks]

In Africa, sculpture is more predominant and more highly 1) ______________ than canvas art, for example. In Asia, many prestigious works are connected to 2) ______________ values. Sculpture is an ancient art in which figurines are created from materials which are, in the main, 3) _____________ to ensure longevity of the art form; however, though more 4) ____________, materials such as ice are used in certain spheres.

Answers -

Question 1

Answer: Favoured
Supporting answer: “In Africa, 3D Sculptures are preferred (Favoured) than 2D paintings. This 3D sculpture shows as the prime artworks.”
Keywords: Region, three-dimensional artwork, two-dimensional paintings.
Keyword location: In paragraph B, lines 1-3
Explanation: The answer can be concluded from paragraph B of the reading passage. The reading passage quotes that three dimensional artworks are favoured more in Africa in comparison to other regions around the globe.

Question 2

Answer: Religious
Supporting answer: “Many sculptures are made to practice god. These traditional philosophy help to connect with religion.”
Keywords: religious philosophy.
Keyword location: In paragraph A, lines 7-9
Explanation: It has been effectiely explained in the reading passage that religious philosophy has inspired the work of sculpturing since ages. Religious based sculpturing has been a major practice in countries globally.

Question 3

Answer: Durable
Supporting answer: “Material which is made up of metal, stone, marble are said to be long- lasting (Durable).”
Keywords: traditional sculpture.
Keyword location: In paragraph A, lines 4-5
Explanation: It is conclusive from the reading passage that durable metals were used in order to carve out traditional sculptures. These durbale metals included bronze, stone, marble, and jade and many more.

Question 4

Answer: Ephemeral
Supporting answer: “Ephemeral means things that live for a short time and Ice sculpture is one of them”
Keywords: figurines, ephemeral nature, ice sculpture.
Keyword location: In paragraph A, lines 5-7
Explanation: It can be concluded from paragraph A, few of the approaches of art deals in creation of figurines of a more ephemeral nature, ice sculpture.

Question answer: 5-8

Complete the table.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

REGIONAL AFRICAN ART
Region	Style	Additional Information
Eastern Africa	Subjects similar to the 5) _____________ area of the country.	Less sought-after than other styles of African art.
Southern Africa	Artwork representing human & animal form	Made from 6) ________________
Western Africa	Style 1 Sharp lines, long bodies	Conventionally made for the purpose of 7) ________________
Style 2Cylindrical, broad and flat lines crafted from 8) _______________	Made by Mande speakers
Central Africa	Smooth lines & circular forms	Often more difficult to recognise due to the diversity of 9)_____________used.

[Guide: candidates need to read the passages carefully and complete the table]

Answers:

Question 5

Answer: Southern
Supporting answer: “both eastern and southern Africa are art depicting mixtures of human and animal features.”
Keywords: human & animal features.
Keyword location: In paragraph D, lines 5-7
Explanation: Paragraph D in the reading passage quotes that the art style in Eastern and Southern Africa depicted a collaborative nature with human and animal features.

Question 6

Answer: Clay
Supporting answer: “the artwork in southern Africa is made up of clay.”
Keywords: hybrid representation.
Keyword location: In paragraph D, lines 11-13
Explanation: As mentioned in the above sentence from reading passage, it can be potentially concluded that human/animal hybrid representations were moulded out of clay.

Question 7

Answer: Religious rituals
Supporting answer: “In the West African region, the subcultures are made due to regional rituals.”
Keywords: Figurines, elongated bodies.
Keyword location: In paragraph C, lines 3-7
Explanation: There are two major styles of sculpture used in West African figurines. The first is distinguished by sculptures with angular characteristics and elongated bodies that have historically been employed in religious rites.

Question 8

Answer: Wood
Supporting answer: “The traditional wood statues of Mande are made up of Wood.”
Keywords: traditional wood statues of Mande.
Keyword location: In paragraph C, lines 7-9
Explanation: On the other hand, the Mande speaking culture's traditional wood statues have flat, broad, cylindrical arms and legs.

Question 9

Answer: Materials
Supporting answer:“The materials are used in such a form that it can help anyone to identify the unique style of Central African Sculpture.”
Keywords: Central Africa sculpture.
Keyword location: In paragraph D, lines 1-2
Explanation: Since a wider range of materials may be used, Central African sculpture may be a little more challenging to distinguish for the inexperienced observer.

Question answer: 10-14

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

10) Verification of art in which civilization sheds doubt on the theory that African art dates back to the Nok period?
11) What material is used for the African sculptures many consider to be the best?
12) What ceremonial events are the creations from Eastern Africa connected with?
13) Due to African influence, what did Western art become that allowed it to be more intellectually and emotionally stimulating?
14) What did Moore most often depict which brought him the greatest recognition?

[Guide: Candidate need to study the passage and select not more than three words to answer each question]

Answers:

Question 10

Answer :Pharaonic Africa
Supporting answer: “some expertise says based on some proof that Pharaonic Africa civilization sheds doubt on the theory that African art dates back to the Nok Civilization.”
Keywords: Nok Civilisation of Nigeria, Pharaonic Africa.
Keyword location: In paragraph B, lines 3-6
Explanation: The Nok Civilization of Nigeria in 500 BC is where some experts place the origin of sculpture on the continent, but there is evidence that the art existed in Pharaonic Africa, which calls into question this claim.

Question 11

Answer :Metal
Supporting answer:“Generally, at that time Metal material was introduced in the Eastern region of West Africa. They are used for American sculpture and considered to be best.”
Keywords: Metal sculptures, superior art form.
Keyword location: In paragraph C, lines 9-11
Explanation: Many consider the metal sculptures that are produced in the eastern parts of West Africa to be some of the finest works of art ever created.

Question 12

Answer: Burial
Supporting answer: “the art forms the prior region is usually created in the form of a pole carved in human shape and topped with human and animal. They have a strong connection with dead, burial & spiritual world”
Keywords: pole carved in human shape, burial, spiritual world.
Keyword location: In paragraph A, lines 5-10
Explanation: The artwork from the earlier region is typically made in the shape of a pole with a human figure on top. They have a close relationship with the afterlife, burial, and spiritual realm.

Question 13

Answer: Abstract
Supporting answer: “Due to African Influence, artworks tend to be more Abstract in nature which allows it to be more intellectually and emotionally stimulating. Artists like Picasso, Van Gogh, etc. have been influenced and inspired by African culture.”
Keywords: naturalistic portrayal, African art, Picasso, Van Gogh, Gauguin.
Keyword location: In paragraph F, lines 1-9
Explanation: African art generally leans toward abstraction rather than attempting to present a realistic and naturalistic portrayal of the subject. African art is thought to have influenced and inspired artists like Picasso, Van Gogh, and Gauguin. At the start of the 20th century, western artists were very interested in it due to its capacity to arouse emotional response and imagination. As a result, more abstract works from Europe than had previously been thought of started to appear.

Question 14

Answer :the human form
Supporting answer: “Moore is best known for the abstract bronze sculpture of the human form and many more things.”
Keywords: Yorkshire, Henry Spencer Moore, bronze sculpture.
Keyword location: In paragraph G, lines 3-7
Explanation: The abstract bronze sculpture of the human form that Moore is best known for, among many other things, is.

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