English Reading Exercises for B1- Street art

1. Complete the definitions of things you can find in the street.

1   a place where you park your bike: b___________ r___________

2   a piece of furniture on which a number of people can sit: b___________

3   the area at the side of the road where pedestrians walk: p___________

4   a tall post with a strong light on the top: l___________ p___________

5   a place where you can ring somebody: p___________ b___________

6   a model of somebody, usually made of stone: s___________

7   a machine at the side of the road where you pay to park your car: p___________ m___________

8   a place where you catch a form of public transport: b___________ s___________

9   something which tells drivers not to go: s___________ s___________

10   a jet or stream of water usually coming from a pool: f___________

2. Read the text. Are the sentences true (T) or false (F)?

1   Łódź was famous before the work of the Urban Forms Foundation.

2   The Foundation’s art project didn’t cost anything.

3   The project is now completed.

A BRIGHTER CITY!

The city of Łódź in Poland was another unremarkable industrial city until a few years ago. In 2009, an organisation called the Urban Forms Foundation was set up by a well-known art historian and an actress. Their idea was to bring the tired urban landscape to life again.

The Foundation planned an art project that would change the city’s image and regenerate the centre, and presented it to the city council. It wanted the council to ask street artists to paint on walls around the city centre as a permanent outdoor exhibition. The mayor of the city supported the idea and the Foundation was given permission to go ahead and raise the money needed. Famous street artists from all over the world were invited by the Foundation to come to Poland to work, including Os Gemeos from Brazil, Aryz from Spain and Remed from France, as well as local talent like M-City and Etam Cru. In total, artists from eight countries took part in the project over the next few years, and more than twenty huge murals were created on the sides of buildings in public spaces.

Łódź is now the second city in the world for street art after New York, and people visit there especially to see the amazing artworks. With a special map, tourists can walk round the city and view them all in a couple of hours. Now, once a year, the Foundation organises an art festival which attracts participants from all over the world. And in the future, the project will be continued with other pieces of urban art – statues, sculptures and ‘street jewellery’. The transformation goes on!

3. Read the Reading Strategy. Circle the correct answers.

1   Two people started an organisation in Łódź to

a   provide more industry in the city.

b   rebuild the city centre.

c   hold more art exhibitions.

d   improve the look of the city.

2   The Urban Forms Foundation.

a   asked the mayor to help.

b   needed the city council to agree to the project.

c   asked the council for money for their idea.

d   told the city council what to do.

3   Famous street artists

a   weren’t interested at first in the project.

b   from abroad only were invited.

c   were asked to take part in the project.

d   asked the Foundation for work.

4   Because of the Foundation’s work,

a   the city has become famous in the art world.

b   the city now has more street art then New York.

c   tourists are allowed to paint on the city walls.

d   there is no need for more artwork in the city.