Culture and Art
Culture and Art
Pictures
1. Describe the pictures and discuss when you
last went to these places and cultural events. What did you see? Did you enjoy it?
2. Which of these art forms do you prefer and why?
Who is your favourite personality connected to these art forms?
3. Discuss and compare these art-forms. What do you know about them? Do
you have any experience with them?
4. Choose one picture and describe it. Which cultural events shown in these pictures would you
recommend your English friend visiting Slovakia? Why?
Discussion
1. What is art? What is the position of art in
your life?
2. Describe the cultural possibilities in your town/village/area?
3. What cultural events would you recommend to your English
friend visiting Slovakia?
4. Could you name kinds of films/plays? What kinds of films/plays do you/young people/children/elderly people prefer?
Why?
5. Which of the following do you consider to be culturally enriching and why? /going to discos, writing poetry, watching soap operas,
visiting museaums, reading magazines/
6. Give some advantages of cable TV.
7. What play or film has made the deepest impression on you?
Give your reasons.
8. Do you like to see the same film or play several times? Why? Why not?
9. Do you think famous people are happier than
ordinary ones? Why? Why not?
10. How do you decide whether any performance, exhibition or concert is worth seeing?
- What
does music mean in your life?
- What kind of music do you like to listen most often and when?
- What are your favourite
music groups and songs?
- Do you play a musical instrument? Why did you choose this instrument? If you don’t play any musical
instrument, would you like to learn to play one?
- Do you like to listen to music at home or do you prefer life concerts?
- What composers and music pieces do you enjoy most?
- What type of concert have you been to? Describe your experience.
- Music is often called an international language. Do you agree or disagree and why?
- How often do you go to the theatre?
What was the most memorable theatre performance you have seen?
- What kind of museums do you find interesting?
- Why
are films one of the most popular forms of entertainment throughout the world?
- In your opinion, what are the qualities of
a good movie?
- Tell us about the most interesting movie that you have seen.
- Do you think burning CDs at home kills
music?
- Do you prefer seeing a play in the theatre, or its adaptation in the cinema or on TV? Why?
- Do you like
to dance? What kind of music do you like to dance to?
- Do you like going to the cinema or do you prefer watching films on TV? What
types of movies do you like and who are your favourite actors?
- What style of art do you like and who is your favourite painter?
Tell us about an art gallery you have visited.
- What kind of museums do you find interesting? Do you like to visit castles?
- Have you ever visited any musical /theatrical/film festival? Describe the atmosphere and your feelings.
- Could you
name some kinds of films/plays?
- Do you admire any famous personality from the area of art and culture? Why? Why not?
-
Talk about the most impressive cultural event you have been to.
Role-plays and simulations
- You are
going to the cinema with a friend. You offered to buy the tickets, but the film you wanted to see is sold out. You have decided to buy
tickets for another film. Talk to your friend and ask him/her if he/she agrees. Use the following information: film sold out, title and
time of new film, time and place to meet. /Role-play/
- You collect oil portraits and last week had an exceptional
possibility to buy another one in an antique shop. Later, after you had got home, you found out that it was a fake. Complain to the owner
of the shop where you bought the picture and ask for getting your money back. /Role-play/
- Your friend does not like operas or
anything connected to classical music. But now you have got two tickets to an opera and would like your friend to go. Try to persuade
him/her to go with you. /Role-play/
4. You want to be an actress/actor. Your parents do not like your choice. They would like you to
study something more serious, e.g. medicine or pharmacy. Give them the pros of being famous. /Role-play/
- You would like to
visit the live concert with your boyfriend/girlfriend in Bratislava. Your father does not agree with that. He does not think your friend is a
good driver. Try to persuade him about your friend‘s skills and responsibility. /Role-play/
- You and your partner
are going to be the DJs at a birthday party. Discuss and agree on what kind of music you should play. Agree on the first 10 songs that will
definitely get everybody dancing. /Role-play/
- Present your favourite album to the class – describe the artist briefly,
give details of the album /year of release, length, number of songs, guest artists, musicians, describe the genre, songs/, say why you like
the album, recommend the album to your classmates. /Simulation/
- Present a film you saw recently to the class – give details
of the film /year of release, length, director, other members of crew, actors in main and supporting roles, soundtrack, special effects/,
give a brief summary of the plot, say what you liked/disliked about the film, recommend the film to your classmates. /Simulation/
- You and your friend love playing your guitars together and have done so since you were little. Now, your friend wants to start
a band and play publicly, maybe even for money. You’re not very happy about this idea. Try to talk your friend out of his idea. Give at
least two reasons to persuade him to leave things as they are. /Role-play/
- You and your friend love playing your
guitars together and have done so since you were little. You’ve decided that you’re both good enough to start your own band. Convince your
friend to join you. Give at least two reasons why you think it’s a great idea. /Role-play/
Kultúra
a umenie
- možnosti kultúry v meste a na vidieku /múzeá, výstavy, divadlá, kiná, koncerty,
cirkus, tanec/
- obľúbená oblasť kultúry a umenia / žánre, známe osobnosti/
- návšteva
kultúrneho podujatia
- hudobné, filmové a divadelné festivaly, atmosféra
- ďalšie druhy umenia – folklór, maliarstvo, sochárstvo, architektúra – najznámejšie
osobnosti
A.
What is art?
Art is often defined as the creation of
something that is “aesthetically pleasing“. Art is an act of creation, when images and objects, sights and sounds or drawings and carvings convey
the beauty and splendour of the world, or realize the imagination of the artist. Art is something that visually or orally stimulates individual’s
thoughts, emotions, beliefs and ideas because it is the realized expression of an artist’s idea. Things which generally come under the heading of
the “arts“are:
a. literature which includes novels, short stories, biographies, drama and poetry
b. performing arts are represented by
dance, opera, cinema, theatre, ballet and concerts
c. fine arts refer to painting and sculpture
d. we also include architecture within
arts.
Art has also a great impact on human development, because it develops person’s sense of beauty and aesthetics, so that a person is
able to differentiate between nice and ugly. It also develops person’s imagination and artistic expression of a human being.
In any country
of the world, works of art are displayed in art galleries or museums. Shops that sell these are also called galleries. Visiting an art gallery is a
popular leisure activity for a large number of people. The largest museums in Britain are the British Museum, the Science Museum, the Natural
History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. The most popular galleries in Britain are the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery
and the Tate Gallery, which specializes in the work of British artists.
Cultural life in our town
Cultural life
in our town is not as rich as in large cities. In spite of that, there are some ways of spending leisure time. We can go to the cinema, or we can
stay at home and listen to the radio, watch television and read books.
There is a cinema here which offers film shows twice a day all the
year round. The repertory of the cinema is not specialized, the films do not have a long run and they change every two or three days. It is
important to book the tickets for a performance in advance if you want to avoid long queuing in front of the box office or the tickets may also be
sold out. But you can also get the tickets straight away at the cinema, about half an hour before the performance. Before people decide to go to the
cinema, they choose the film very carefully. Some of them also follow the reviews and try to go and see first-run or highly regarded films or those
which won an Oscar or another award at festivals. Many people prefer foreign films which are not dubbed but provided only with subtitles because it
is a good opportunity for them to test their knowledge of foreign languages. Although the price of admission is quite high today, many cinemas try
to attract visitors by offering the latest films, often action-packed star-studded Hollywood blockbusters. Going to the cinema is an important part
of youth culture in today’s society. Young people like the cinema and see it as an excellent place to meet friends. After the film, they enjoy
chatting about the plot, cast and scenes they liked most.
Small towns provide little opportunity to see theatre performances. There is not
a permanent theatre building in our town and so when theatre companies come to give a performance here they act on the stage of our cultural
house. Many people like going to the theatre, the opera or to a ballet no matter what is on the programme because they just like the atmosphere of
the theatre.
In the cultural house discos, balls, concerts are also held. Concerts of classical chamber music and recitals are held in the
concert hall in the Town Hall. Pop music concerts are usually given in the cultural house. There is also a beautiful Baroque church where people go
to listen to church organ music.
Those who like fine art enjoy going to the art gallery to see exhibitions of classical or modern art
/photographs, paintings, sculptures and book illustrations/ that are held all year round.
Museums are full of visitors at any time as people
like to learn about the history of our region or country and look at the exhibits showing what the lives of our forefathers were like.
Vocabulary
music – listen to music, have a liking for music, have a music ear, melody, lyrics,
rhythm, folk song, pop song, anthem /hymna/, Christmas carol, compose, aria, chamber music, choir, duet, ensemble, oratorio, symphony, symphonic
orchestra, string quartet /sláčikové kvarteto/, brass band /dychovka/, jazz band, pop group, concert hall, give a concert, concert-goer, album,
LP, DJ, hit, juke-box, record company, chart, single, worldwide hit, lyric, musical instruments, stringed instruments /banjo, bass, cello, guitar,
harp, mandolin, viola, violin/, brass instruments /bugle, cornet, French horn, trombone, trumpet/, woodwind instruments /bass clarinet, clarinet,
English horn, flute, oboe, piccolo, saxophone/, keyboard instruments /piano, organ/, percussion instruments /bass drum, bongo, castanets, chimes,
cymbals, gong, tambourine, triangle/, other instruments /accordion, bagpipes, harmonica, recorder/, types and genres of music /alternative
classical, country, dance, disco, house, techno, folk, heavy metal, hip hop, jazz, opera, pop, R &B, reggae, rock, soul/
cinema - thriller, western, animated cartoon, What´s on at the cinema?, queue for tickets at the box-office, screenplay
/scenár/, screenwriter, producer, cinema-goer, go to the cinema/to the pictures/to the theatre, to a concert, repertory, have a long run, be
running, shoot a scene, screen a novel, first-run films, follow the reviews, direct, director, dubbed films, subtitles, sentimental love stories,
thriller, horror stories, psychological dramas, science fiction, travelogues, comedies, documentaries, short films, biographical stories, historical
films, silent comedies, trailer, feature film /full-length film/, films in colour, black-and-white films, cameraman /director of photography/,
costume designer, make-up artist
theatre – at the theatre, open-air theatre, seat, book seats, row, aisle, stalls /predná
časť hľadiska v prízemí, obyčajné kreslá/, box /lóža/, stage, backstage, curtain, stage props /rekvizity/, prompter, spotlights, scenery
design, costumes, act /dejstvo/, scene, actor/actress, act/perform, role/part, dress rehearsal /generálka/, premiere, theatre-goer, audience,
spectators, burst into applause /prepuknúť potlesk/, call for an encore /žiadať opakovanie/, comedy, tragedy, variety show, farce, /fraška/,
puppet show /bábkové divadlo/, ballet, melodrama, pantomime, soliloquy, review /recenzia/, hire opera glasses, leave one’s coat in the cloakroom,
usher, usherette, attendant, tickets, programme, cast a play, star, supporting role, synopsis, design the stage scenery, stage, curtain, auditorium,
foyer, applaud, applause, clap,
dance – tango, rumba, cha-cha, Viennese waltz, polka, disco
galleries and
exhibitions
– visual arts /výtvarné umenie/, draw, paint, portrait, still life /zátišie/, landscape,
caricature, scenery, oil painting, collage, poster, palette, brush, apply to stretched canvas /naniesť na napnuté plátno/, pencil, charcoal
/uhoľ/, crayon, masterpiece, drawing, photography, mosaic, collage, water-colour, still life, landscape, sketch, tapestry, silhouette, illustration,
fresco, caricature, pottery, ceramics, craftwork, woodworking, embroidery, patchwork, egg decorating
– sculpture – carve
a statue out of /vyrezať sochu z/, statuary /súsošie/, bust /busta/, memorial /pamatník/, plaque /pamätná tabuľa/,
architecture – style, Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, cubism, avant-garde
museums – air
and space, art, history, natural history, natural science, science and industry, technology, wax
art – Baroque art, Byzantine
art, classicism, folk art, gothic art, naturalism, pop art, realism, romanticism, surrealism
B.
•
Do you like music and why? – I like music because........ I don’t listen to music much – I prefer
/reading/sports/...
• What kind of music do you like to listen to most often and when? – My favourite kind of
music is /country/rock/classical/pop/. I like to listen to it when I want to /relax/think/cheer up/..... I like to listen to several types of
music, such as........ My choice of music depends on the mood that I am in. For example, when I’m happy, I listen to ......, when I’m sad,
I listen to........
• What are your favourite music groups and songs? What composers and music pieces do you enjoy
most? - My favourite music group is.......I like them because....... The song I like best is....... It is about....... I don’t
really have a favourite /music group/song/...because..... My favourite composer is........I appreciate him/her because.... As far as a music piece,
I like..... It gives me a feeling of....... I like different music from different composers because....
• Do you like to
dance? What kind of music do you like to dance to? – I like /modern dancing/ballroom dancing/... I enjoy /disco
music/polkas/waltzes/...I really don’t like any form of dancing because..... Rather than going to dances, I prefer to.....
•
Do you play a musical instrument? Why did you choose this instrument? – I play the piano/violin/flute... which I have
been playing since the age of.... I chose this instrument because..... At present, I don’t play an instrument, though I /used to/ would like
to/....The reason is that I don‘t have /a musical talent/time to practise/...
• Do you like going to the cinema or do you
prefer watching films on TV? What types of movies do you like and who are your favourite actors? – I favour going to the cinema
rather than watching TV because... I prefer staying at home and watching TV because it /is more comfortable/costs no money/... The types of movies
I really enjoy are comedies /romances/ fairy tales/...because.... I dislike horror/war/western/ movies because.... The actors I like best
are.....because....
• How often do you go to the theatre? What was the most memorable theatre performance you have
seen? – I go to the theatre /quite often/from time to time/ seldom/. The reason is that...... I find theatre plays
delightful/entertaining/uninteresting/.... Of the stage plays that I have seen, the one called......was the most memorable because......
I haven’t seen any theatre performance that really impressed me.
• What style of art do you like and who is your favourite
painter? Tell us about an art gallery you have visited. – My favourite art style is /pop art/impressionism/surrealism/... because...
I dislike......art because.... A painter that I think highly of is .......because..... An art gallery that I have been to was in the town/city
of....where I saw.... . What I liked most about the exhibitions was......
• What kind of museums do you find interesting? Do
you like to visit castles? – I like /history/science and technology/natural history/...museums because.... Museums don’t really
interest me because..... I enjoy visiting castles because..... Castles are not that interesting to me because.....
Famous
personalities
¨ Charlie Chaplin - English film actor and director. He made his reputation as a tramp with a smudge moustache,
bowler hat and a twirling cane in silent comedies from the mid-1910s, including the Gold Rush, City of Lights, The Great Dictator, and Limelight.
¨ Alfred Hitchcock – British film director. He was a master of the suspense thriller and a supreme technician and visual artist.
¨
Walt Disney – American film producer who created the first animated cartoon film. He is the author of cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse,
Minnie, Donald Duck, Pluto and Goofy. He planned and built Disneyland. He also produced full-length entertainment films such as Pinocchio,
Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan.
¨ Marilyn Monroe – American actress, a beautiful blonde who became the man’s idol of her
time. She starred in films such as Bus Stop, Some Like It Hot and Misfits.
¨ Luis Armstrong – American trumpet player born in New Orleans.
¨ Yeduhi Menuhin – American violinist and conductor. He conducted his own chamber orchestra and founded schools in England and Switzerland
for training young musicians.
¨ Elvis Presley – American singer and guitarist, the most influential performer of the rock&roll era.
¨ The Beatles – a famous British pop group. The members, all born in Liverpool, were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo
Star. Their songs Love me do, Yellow submarine and Yesterday are world famous.
¨ Sir Christopher Wren – English architect, designer of
St.Paul‘s Cathedral in London.
¨ Andy Warhol – American Pop artist and filmmaker. He made his name in the 1960s with paintings of Campbell
soup cans and Coca-Cola bottles.
C.
Concert review /Layout/
1.
Start of concert – give information about the venue, the group and how the concert started
Last night, 1500 young
people went to the Bournemouth Centre to see Elastica, a pop rock group with a growing number of fans. All the tickets were sold and there was not
an empty seat anywhere. Elastica started at ten o’clock. Although it started so late, it was worth it.
2. The
performance – describe the music in the concert and your reactions to it
Elastica played short, 3-minute songs and there were no long
guitar solos. Justine, lead singer and guitarist in the group, proved that he is a true performer. The sound quality in the hall was poor but the
audience could still hear her strong voice. Although they are a traditional pop group, it‘s nice to see the three girl guitarists at the front of
the stage.
3. Audience reaction – describe how the audience reacted
From the start, the fans were
jumping up and down to the rhythm and they did not stop until the very end. The audience loved the final song, ‘Connection‘, and excellent song
from their first album.
4. End of the concert – describe the end of the concert
Everyone left the hall
feeling excited. Although it was very cold in Bournemouth, a small crowd of fans was waiting outside. The group happily signed autographs before
they got on their tour bus and left for Bristol. ‘We‘ll be back‘, said Justine.
Useful vocabulary – exciting/boring,
brilliant/disappointing, spectacular/poor, clear/incomprehensible, clear/distorted, solid/weak, audience/crowd/fans, lightning/stage effects/ stage
design, lyrics/songs
Similar structure: a theatrical performance, a ballet performance, a film show, a circus show
Include features: when
it took place, where it took place, who starred in it, how it started and finished, the audience and their reactions, your personal reaction to it,
your recommendations
D.
Festivals
Topoľčany is the main cultural centre of the area. As
for cultural facilities, there are several good establishments, such as the house of culture and the cinema, where various performances and cultural
events can be held, e.g. the concerts of Music Autumn and Music Spring of Topoľčany, just to mention some of them. In the house of culture
a dance festival called Top Dancing is held every May. Another area famous for festivals is Duchonka, which not far from Topoľčany. A new
festival called Orange Summer Duchonka is held there every summer. Many famous pop singers and groups come here to perform and play their latest
hits.
Zones.sk – Zóny pre každého študenta