TOPIC: ART

Vocabulary
1. Modern art: nghệ thuật đương đại
2. An art exhibit: cuộc triển lãm mỹ thuật
3. Ancient art: nghệ thuật cổ xưa
4. A gallery: phòng triển lãm
5. Cultural art: nghệ thuật về văn hóa
6. An educational tool: công cụ giáo dục
7. Performance art: nghệ thuật biểu diễn
8. Structural art: nghệ thuật cấu trúc
9. Dull: nhàm chán
10. Delicacies: cao lương mỹ vị
11. Inventive: sáng tạo
12. Sketching: vẽ phác họa
13. An original idea: ý tưởng độc đáo
14. Graffiti: hình vẽ trên tường
15. To broaden one’s mind and outlook: mở rộng tầm nhìn và sự hiểu biết
16. A field trip: chuyến đi thực tế
17. An artifact: tác phẩm tạo tác
18. To inspire: truyền cảm hứng
19. Rich culture: nền văn hóa phong phú
20. To spark an interest in sb: gợi cho ai sự yêu thích điều gì
21. a work of art/a work of music/a work of literature
Meaning: a painting, sculpture, book, play, piece of music etc
Example: Shakespeare’s plays are considered as one of the greatest works of literature in the English
language.
22. the aesthetic qualities of something
Meaning: The qualities related to beauty and understanding the beauty of something.
Example: One advantage of studying the arts is that students learn to appreciate the aesthetic qualities of
paintings, literature, and music
23. the portrayal of something/somebody
Meaning: the act of showing or describing something/somebody in a book, painting, play or film
Example: In the past, the portrayal of women in art was often as possessions, owned by rich men.
24. a private viewing
Meaning: an occasion when a few people are invited to look at an exhibition of paintings before it is open to
the public.
Example: Paintings are sometimes considered as a form of investment, and art dealers arrange private
viewings for art collectors to purchase works of value.
25. to be a connoisseur of
Meaning: an expert on matters involving the judgment of beauty, quality or skill in art or music
Example: In order to enjoy beautiful paintings, it is not necessary to be a connoisseur of works of art.
26. a priceless portrait
Meaning: a painting of a person that is extremely valuable
Example: Private art collections may sometimes include priceless portraits of kings or queens painted by
famous artists.
27. to commission a work of art
Meaning: to officially ask somebody to paint a picture or compose a piece of music for you
Example: Artists in the past often relied on wealthy people to commissionpaintings or music from them.
28. an art movement
Meaning: a group of artists who share similar ideas
Example: The creative aspect of art is demonstrated by the number of art movements over the centuries –
including the Impressionists, the Romantics and the Modernists.
29. performance art
Meaning: A form of art in which the artist performs something, rather than producing a physical work of art
Example: Some tourist destinations offer performance art by actors to recreate events from local history,
such as battles or local legends.
30. funding for the arts
Meaning: the act of providing money for artists, writers, musicians etc
Example: Government funding for the arts encourages people of artistic ability to express their talent to the
public.
31. a mixed funding model for the arts
Meaning: a model in which some money to support the arts is given by the government and some money is
provided by private individuals or commercial organizations.
Example: I would argue that a mixed funding model for the arts is the best way to support artists, musicians
and writers by combining public and provide funds and even donations.
32. the imposition of censorship
Meaning: the act of preventing something from being available to the public, because it is considered
offensive or a political threat
Example: I believe that the imposition of censorship is sometimes necessary to protect young people from
exposure to pornographic writing or images.
Speaking questions (part 1)
Do you like art?
Sample answer: I have a lifelong passion for art since I was a child. Beside the official art class in school, I also joined
a drawing class in The Children’ House and my teachers were very pleased with my drawings. I also participated in
some drawing competitions back then. Until now I still draw in my free time, although not as often as I used to do.

Did you enjoy doing art lessons when you were a child? [Why?/Why not?]
I did enjoy learning art lessons when I was a child primarily because I felt like I could actually “create” something on
my own with the help of my colouring pencils and drawing papers only. Another reason, for which I enjoyed drawing,
was that I was actually very good at it as a child.

Is art popular in your country?

I would say, art surely does gets importance as people really like to see great art work but when it comes down to
choosing arts as a career it is not a very popular choice among people. They prefer pursuing their art goals a mere
hobby.

Do you think art classes are necessary?

Definitely yes. Art is the one subject, I believe, that allow you to be creative. So, here nothing is right or wrong, it is
about what you could think of. It allows children to realise the happiness of creating something and it is powerful.

How often do you visit art galleries?

To tell you the truth, I have never visited art galleries before. Unless I have a guide to acknowledge me, art galleries
would be quite boring for me.

Do you like taking photographs?

Why yes of course. They are a way to capture a moment in time. Moreover, I like to be able to show them to people
so they can imagine that they were there with me. As I’m a big traveler, photos are my way of sharing my
experiences without words.

What kind of photos do you like to take?

Mostly, I like to take pictures of nature or of beautiful scenery. Also I like to take silly pictures with my friends. We
always laugh a lot and have a good time. Animals and nature, I hate taking pictures of people because they are
always posing and looking unreal, but animals and nature, are so natural and beautiful. I am in no way a professional
photographer, but I like to carry my camera around just in case I see something of interest, something beautiful that
I'd like to capture. I also like to take photos of the people around me. Years later, I look at these photos and they
help me to remember some great times in my life.
Which do you use when taking photos, a camera or a phone?
I usually use the latter because it’s convenient and user-friendly. I don’t need a special skill to understand the
technicalities when taking photos. I just simply tap the camera application on the phone and click the button to start
taking pictures. And that’s a no-brainer!

In which situation do you like taking photos?

Any situation! But especially when I see something out of the ordinary. For example, I like to take photos when the
light is setting just right on my street, or when I catch a glimpse (a look) of two children holding hands.

Do you prefer to take photographs yourself or to have other people take photos?
Definitely myself. As I’m quite picky about the photos that I take and post, I take this responsibility upon myself. Call
me a snob (a person who feels superior to others), but I feel that most people don’t have any idea of what makes a
good photo and end up taking unflattering photos of me.

How do you keep your photos?

On my iCloud! I’m really grateful for this type of technology that keeps this record of my photos for me. Moreover, I
post my photos on social media, such as Facebook and Instagram, so that also keeps them secure.

What kind of pictures do you like having in your home? [Why?]

I have had pretty much all kinds of pictures and paintings at my home. I mostly bought famous artworks by Leonardo
da Vinci and Vincent van Gogh and pictures of my favourite sportsmen and musicians when I was in my early teens.
However, the kind of pictures, which I really like to hang on the walls of my room now, are of those which portrays
the beautiful natural sceneries, such as trees, rivers and sky, in a very lively manner. But if you ask me to explain it
even further, I would say that I like the pastel paintings the most as it offers a very pure and deep rendering on the
pictures.

Do you prefer to take pictures of people or of scenery?

Definitely people. I like to capture the raw (real; candid) emotions on their faces. I feel that photos of people can be
quite powerful. Moreover, I feel that scenery photography never does the actual place any justice.

Do you want to take professional lessons on photography?

Nowadays, everything is available on the internet, so I do not need professional photography lessons. I watch
various photography-related videos on YouTube and learn from it.

Do you like paintings?

Yes, I do love paintings. I think that paintings can help one to express things better. So, instead of 10000 words
hanging on my wall, I will prefer a painting of something on my wall.
What are some famous paintings that you like?
There is nothing peculiar about the paintings that I like.So, you can say that I don’t follow the great artist and buy
paintings just because they drew them. When I buy painting it is mostly because I can relate to them. There is this
painting that I have of a woman who is staring at the sky and feet on ground. I loved it because of the way and colors
used to show it.

What benefits can you get from painting as a hobby?

There are many advantages to painting for a person if he/she does painting as a hobby. First of all, it boosts your
imagination power. In addition to this, it helps to express emotions and ideas in front of others. Moreover, a person
can improve their financial status by selling their painting. Painting increases your patience level because to express
something; sometimes, a person has to paint again and again. It not only takes you out of depression but increases
your concentration power and confidence also.

What can you learn from western paintings?

We can learn many things from western painting such as culture, significant events that give us a clear picture of the
past, symbolsthat present essential messages.

What kinds of things do you like to draw?

My main inspiration is Japanese manga. The drawing topic is extremely varied, however only manga seems to show
great potency for my level. I have a big collection at home and as I sometimes go through it again, I can see how
much I’ve improved.

Do you ever draw or paint pictures now?

No, I don't draw or paint these days, because there's never any need for me to create art at work, and I still don't
enjoy art as a hobby.

Is it easy to learn how to draw?

I think I must say it’s even challenging for a lot of people. I absolutely failed when it comes to drawing still life
paintings like fruit and flowers. I think for those who succeed in drawing or arts in general, they first must have God-
gifted talent, then comes to the long-term commitment to arts that requires extreme practice and high patience.

 What kind of paintings do Vietnamese people like?

Speaking questions (part 2)
Describe a piece of artwork that you have seen before.
You should say:
 Where you saw it
 What it was about
 When you saw it
 And explain how you felt about it
Sample answer:
To tell the truth, I am not exactly a big fan of art as I find them quite difficult to understand. However, there is this
painting that really mesmerized right at the moment I laid my eyes on it. It was an oil-painting portrait named “Little
Thuy” by Tran Van Can, who is a nationally-acclaimed Vietnamese painter.
To the best of my recollection, it was in my 4th grade when I saw this picture for the first time. Actually, I didn’t saw
it in person but in my art textbook as the real McCoy was displayed in Hanoi – the capital of Vietnam. Of the
paintings in my fine art textbook at that time, “Little Thuy” stood out to me most because of her angelic face and the
exceptional painting technique of the painter. The painting featured a girl named Thuy, who lived next door to his
house. Judging from her appearance, I guessed that she was about 8 to 10 years old. The girl dressed in white, half
sitting on a chair with her eyes widely open. She wasn’t smiling cheerfully like her peers found in other paintings, but
looked rather emotionless and inscrutable. It was believed that her eyes reflect the soulful world of Chan Van Can as
he witnessed the then westernization of Vietnamese society. According to the textbook, this painting was considered
one of the best artworks in the first half of the 20th century, when oil painting was newly introduced to Vietnam.
Speaking of my feelings about “Little Thuy”, it’s hard to put into words but there’s some charm about this painting
that appealed me to this day. Hopefully, I can have the opportunity to visit Hanoi to admire the beauty of this
masterpiece with my own eyes.
 laid my eyes on: lần đầu tiên nhìn thấy
 oil-painting portrait: bức tranh sơn dầu chân dung
 nationally-acclaimed: được đánh giá cao trong nước
 see ST in person: nhìn thấy tận mắt
 angelic face: gương mặt thiên thần
 exceptional: đặc biệt, xuất chúng
 smiling cheerfully: cười vui vẻ
 emotionless: vô cảm
 inscrutable: không thể hiểu được
 reflect: phản chiếu, phản ánh
 westernization: tây hóa
 tobe considered: được xem là
 appeal: kháng cáo
  to this day: cho đến ngày nay
 admire the beauty: chiêm ngưỡng vẻ đẹp

Describe a photo you have taken

You should say:
• Where you took it.
• When you took the photo.
• What/who is in the photo.
• How you felt about the photo.
I am going to talk about a photo that I took some years ago when my family went on holiday in Phan Thiet beach.
The picture captured the memory of a very happy family. This is a priceless possession to me and I would like to keep
it with me for the rest of my life.
I have seen it thousands times and still I look at it with an indescribabledelight. In the picture, everyone was smiling
cheerfully. My father’s eyes were sparkling and the corners of his eyes crinkled. To tell the truth, it was very rare to
see my father’s smile as he always kept a serious facial expression. Needless to say, my mother was standing next to
him with warm happiness glowing in her face. My younger brothers and sisters were not really photogenic because
they were bursting out laughing for a reason I could not remember clearly.
In the back ground, the sun looked like it was gradually receding into the waters below. The sky consisted of an
assortment of shades, a blend of reds, oranges and yellows. The water below was mirroring this effect. The scene
was beautiful.
I have to admit that I know very little about the technical aspects of camera and to be honest I take photos from my
own preference rather than maintaining aspects a professional photographer would do. Though the photo was not
professionally shot, it is still the most treasured photo I could have.
• capture: catch
• possession: something that you own
• indescribable: so extreme or unusual it is almost impossible to describe
• delight: a feeling of great pleasure
• cheerfully: in a way that shows you are happy
• sparkle: shine brightly
• crinkle: form a lot of thin folds or lines
• facial expression: a gesture executed with the facial muscles
• photogenic: looking attractive in photographs
• recede: move gradually away from
• an assortment of: a variety of
• mirror: show the image of
• technical: connected with the practical use of machinery