Passage 1

Dear Editor,

There’s nothing like driving that last mile of a long commute home from work and coming face-to-face with the world’s most obnoxious mural! The south side of our city’s historic library is now plastered with abstract blotches of paint that resemble a kindergarten class on a bad day. Whoever saw fit to destroy the pristine and elegant stone wall needs to have his or her head examined. I know some people go in for this sort of thing. I mean, everybody has a different idea of what makes beautiful art. But I think if you polled a sample of people in this city, the average person would prefer a nice landscape or a portrait that he or she can actually understand. If this was done in the name of bringing more art and culture to the citizens of this city, well, you should have asked us first.

Sincerely,

Rob Turner

Passage 2

City Commissions Abstract Artists for Mural Project

Take a stroll around the downtown streets and you are bound to see the eye-popping, abstract mural paintings, either finished or in process, on the walls of prominent buildings like the central library. City officials recently decided to embark on a “beautification project” to liven up the business section of downtown. But why abstract art? City Commissioner Diane Harvey says, “We felt it’s important to expose our citizens to a wide range of artistic styles, to appeal to a broad array of tastes. This year, we’re focusing on abstract works. Great abstract artists like Marcel Duchamp and Jackson Pollock had a tremendous influence on art and culture. We wanted to employ working artists to create pieces that bring viewers right up to the moment. This is what is happening right now in the world of art. It’s very exciting and provocative, and we hope it will inspire conversations among citizens young and old.” Of course, not everyone thinks the splashes of paint are “beautiful,” but others are overjoyed. For instance, five-year-old Emma Jerome shares her first impressions of the library mural: “I like it. It looks like something I painted.” Enough said.
1
Select the correct answer.
Which idea is found in the news article but not in the letter to the editor?
A.
It is important to ask citizens before putting art on city buildings.
B.
Provocative art can inspire people to think and debate.
C.
Abstract works have had a strong impact on the art world.
D.
To some, abstract art looks like a kindergartner painted it.