Painters of Time – IELTS Reading Answers

1 Answer: vi

Question type: Matching Heading

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 1

Answer explanation: The introductory line of Paragraph A illustrates the works of Aboriginal artists, who are now much in demand throughout the world, and not just in Australia, where they were already fully recognised. Opened in 2001, the National Museum of Australia, has designated 40% of its exhibition space to works by Aborigines. We can deduce from these lines that Paragraph A explains about the increasing recognition and demand for aboriginal art across the world. Thus, the suitable heading for Paragraph A is vi. The increasing acclaim for aboriginal art. 

2 Answer: v

Question type: Matching Heading

Answer location: Paragraph B 

Answer explanation: The initial lines of paragraph B states that their (aboriginal art) artistic movement began about 30 years ago. but its roots go back to time immemorial. All the works refer to the founding myth of the Aboriginal culture, ‘the Dreaming’. These lines indicate the history of artistic movement which began around 30 years ago. Paragraph B also refers to the founding myth of the Aboriginal culture. So, the appropriate heading for paragraph B is v. Mythology and history combined. 

3 Answer: viii

Question type: Matching Heading

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 3

Answer explanation: We find reference in the 3rd line of paragraph C, which states the original ‘natives’ have been living in Australia for 50.000 years, but they were undoubtedly maltreated by the newcomers. Driven back to the most barren lands or crammed into slums on the outskirts of cities, the Aborigines were subjected to a policy of ‘assimilation’, which involved kidnapping children to make them better ‘integrated’ into European society, and herding the nomadic Aborigines by force into settled communities. These lines suggest the different ways through which the nomadic aborigines were ill-treated and forced into settled communities. Thus, the suitable heading for paragraph C is viii. Oppression of a minority people. 

4 Answer: i

Question type: Matching Heading 

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 3

Answer explanation: The fifth line of paragraph D illustrates that in 1971, a white school teacher, Geoffrey Bardon, suggested to a group of Aborigines that they should decorate the school walls with ritual motifs, so as to pass on to the younger generation the myths that were starting to fade from their collective memory, lies gave them brushes, colors and surfaces to paint on cardboard and canvases. He was astounded by the result. These lines indicate that a school teacher encouraged a group of aborigines to decorate the school walls with ritual motifs to pass on their expiring myth to the younger generation and that the result of this project was amazing. Thus, the appropriate heading for paragraph C is i. Amazing results from a project. 

5 Answer: iv 

Question type: Matching Heading

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 4

Answer explanation: The fourth line of paragraph E illustrates that artists turned out a steady stream of works, supported by the churches, which helped to sell them to the public, and between 1950 and I960 Aboriginal paintings began to reach overseas museums. Painting on bark persisted in the north, whereas the communities in the central desert increasingly used acrylic paint, and elsewhere in Western Australia women explored the possibilities of wax painting and dyeing processes, known as ‘batik’. We can deduce from these lines that Paragraph E explains the marketing of aboriginal artworks and that the artists used different painting techniques including painting on bark using acrylic paint, wax painting, and dyeing process known as baitik. Thus, the perfect heading for paragraph E is iv. Early painting techniques and marketing systems.

6 Answer: vii

Question type: Matching Heading

Answer location: Paragraph F, line 8

Answer explanation: The eighth line of paragraph F illustrates that the moment has never ceased to exist for aborigines. It is perpetuated by the cycle of the seasons and the religious ceremonies that the Aborigines organize. Indeed the aim of those ceremonies is also to ensure the permanence of that golden age. The last line states that Dreaming is both past, present and future. We understand the belief of the aborigines in the elements in paragraph F. Further, the phrase, ‘Dreaming’ is past, present, and future refers to the aborigine’s belief which is passed on to them by their ancestors, which they follow rigorously. Thus, the suitable heading for paragraph F is vii. Belief in community. 

7 Answer: thousands of years

Question type: Flowchart Completion 

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 8

Answer explanation: The 8th line of paragraph D states that their art did not come like a bolt from the blue, for thousands of years, Aborigines had been painting on the ground using sands of different colors and on rock faces. These lines reveal that the artwork of Aborigines didn’t come like a bolt from blue, but for thousands of years, they had been painting on the ground. Thus, the answer is thousands of years. 

8 Answer: (tree) bark

Question type: Flowchart Completion 

Answer location: Paragraph E 

Answer explanation: The initial lines of paragraph E states that in the early twentieth century, Aboriginal communities brought together by missionaries in northern Australia had been encouraged to reproduce on tree bark the motifs found on rock faces. We can deduce from these lines that the aborigines were encouraged by missionaries (churches) to reproduce the motifs on the tree barks. Thus, the answer is tree bark. 

9 Answer: Overseas museums

Question type: Flowchart Completion 

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 4

Answer explanation: The 4th line of paragraph E illustrates that artists turned out a steady stream of works, supported by the churches, which helped to sell them to the public, and between 1950 and I960 Aboriginal paintings began to reach overseas museums. It is evident that from 1950 to 1960, aboriginal paintings started to reach overseas museums. Thus, the answer is overseas museums. 

10 Answer: School walls 

Question type: Flowchart Completion 

Answer location: Paragraph D

Answer explanation: The introductory line of paragraph D elucidates that it was in one such community, Papunya, near Alice Springs, in the central desert, that Aboriginal painting first came into its own. In 1971, a white school teacher. Geoffrey Bardon, suggested to a group of Aborigines that they should decorate the school walls with ritual motifs. We understand that the aboriginal paintings came into light in the Papunya community and it was in 1971, a school teacher suggested the aborigine group decorate the school walls with ritual motifs to pass it to the younger generation. Thud, the answer is school walls. 

11 Answer: B 

Question type: Multiple Choice Question 

Answer location: Paragraph G 

Answer explanation: The initial line of paragraph G states that each work is created individually, with a form peculiar to each artist, but it is created within and on behalf of a community who must approve it. These lines reveal that though art is created by an individual, it is created within and on the behalf of the community as a whole, who must approve it. Here, we can understand that community’s approval is important, which signifies the importance of a group. So, the answer is B. 

12 Answer: D

Question type: Multiple Choice Question 

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 4

Answer explanation: The 4th line of paragraph G states that an artist cannot use a ‘dream’ that does not belong to his or her community, since each community is the owner of its dreams, just as it is anchored to a territory marked out by its ancestors, so each painting can be interpreted as a kind of spiritual road map for that community. We can deduce from these lines that there’s an important relationship between a territory and its ancestors and that the painting acts as a spiritual road map for the community. Thus, the answer is D. 

13 Answer: C

Question type: Multiple Choice Question 

Answer location: Paragraph I, line 5

Answer explanation: We understand from the 5th line of paragraph I that masterpieces have been created. Their undeniable power prompts a dialogue that has proved all too rare in the history of contacts between the two cultures. These lines indicate that masterpieces created have a significant power, which prompts a dialogue proving all too rare in the history of contacts between the two cultures. Here, culture refers to the Aborigine culture.