GRAFFITI – IELTS Reading Answers

‘Graffiti’ is an academic reading passage that has appeared in an IELTS Test. Since questions get repeated in the IELTS exam, these kinds of reading passages are ideal for practice. If you want more practice, try taking an entire IELTS reading practice test.

Since IELTS Reading is considered the second easiest module of the exam after Listening, try to solve and review ‘Graffiti’ Reading passages and similar passages to ensure that your reading skills are up to the mark.

Reading Passage

GRAFFITI

Questions 1-7

1. Becoming mainstream art
2. The Culture Of Graffiti
3. Tools Of The Trade
4. Internet Art Styles
5. Crossing Boundaries
6. Cashing In On The Craze
7. Trends In Street Music
8. Gradually gaining popularity
9. A Solitary Existence
10. From Ancient To Modern

1 Paragraph A

2 Paragraph B

3 Paragraph C

4 Paragraph D

5 Paragraph E

6 Paragraph F

7 Paragraph G

Questions 8-10

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

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

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

Questions 11-13

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

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

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

A use it as a means of expression of rebellion against law enforcement.

B become increasingly more difficult to succeed in the art world.

C transcend race, status, and gender.

D realize that inner-urban areas where poverty is the norm are decreasing.

E conceal their intentions from law enforcement officers.

F embrace it as a means of expression.

1 Answer: x

Question type: Matching Heading

Answer location: Paragraph A

Answer explanation: Paragraph A illustrates that 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. These lines suggest how graffiti has evolved from ancient to modern times. Thus, the answer is x.

2 Answer: viii

Question type: Matching Heading

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 2

Answer explanation: The 2nd line of paragraph B states that 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. These lines suggest how it gradually gained popularity. Hence, the answer is viii.

3 Answer: ii

Question type: Matching Heading

Answer location: Paragraph C

Answer explanation: Paragraph C suggests, “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.” These lines suggest the culture of graffiti. Thus, the answer is ii.

4 Answer: iii

Question type: Matching Heading

Answer location: Paragraph D

Answer explanation: Paragraph D suggests that at first pens and markets 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 colorful pieces. Caps from deodorant, insecticide and other aerosol cans were substituted to allow for a finer or thicker stream of paint. We can deduce from these lines that Paragraph D illustrates the tools of the trade. Hence, the answer is iii.

5 Answer: v

Question type: Matching Heading

Answer location: Paragraph E

Answer explanation: Paragraph E illustrates that 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. These lines indicate crossing boundaries. Hence, the answer is v.

6 Answer: vi

Question type: Matching Heading

Answer location: Paragraph F

Answer explanation: Paragraph G illustrates, “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.” These lines indicate the cashing in on the craze. Hence, the answer is vi.

7 Answer: i

Question type: Matching Heading

Answer location: Paragraph G

Answer explanation: Paragraph G states that 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 practice their pieces. Some of these taggers are able to 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. We can understand from these lines that graffiti becomes mainstream art. Hence, the answer is i.

8 Answer: Not Given

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph A – G

Answer explanation: When we go through Paragraphs A – G, we do not find any reference to the statement that the introduction of anti-graffiti laws managed to curb its spread in some cities. Thus, the answer is Not Given.

9 Answer: True

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 9

Answer explanation: The 9th line of paragraph A states that 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. It is evident from these lines that along with Hip Hop, music came a new way of visual expression. Thus, the statement agrees with the information, so, the answer is True.

10 Answer: False

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph C

Answer explanation: Paragraph C illustrates that 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. It is clear from these lines that there was not any hostility towards graffiti artists among the established art community. Thus, the statement contradicts the information, so, the answer is False.
11 Answer: F

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph A

Answer explanation: Paragraph A suggests that 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. It is clear from these lines that Graffiti is flourishing in the 21st century as people from all backgrounds have begun to embrace it as a means of expression. Thus, the answer is F.

12 Answer: C

Question type: Sentence Completion

Answer location: Paragraph G

Answer explanation: In Paragraph G, it is mentioned that 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. These lines suggest that as graffiti has developed, it has come to transcend race, status, and gender. So, the answer is C.

13 Answer: E

Question type: Sentence Completion

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 5

Answer explanation: The 5th line of paragraph D states that as municipalities began passing graffiti ordinances outlawing graffiti implements, clever ways of disguising paint implements were devised. We can understand that Graffiti artists used many ingenious methods to conceal their intentions from law enforcement officers. Thus, the answer is E.

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