Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Fernando Botero. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Fernando Botero was born in 1932 in Medellin, Colombia. He paints in the neo-figurative style and calls himself "the most Colombian of Colombian artists". He largely paints large people – figures that are much larger than life in all parts of their body. His critics often call them “fat people”. Botero doesn’t know the reason why he paints such obese forms.
Botero grew up looking at paintings in his local Catholic church. These were in the centuries-old Baroque style and influenced his style. He was never rich enough to visit galleries and see other works. He held his first exhibition when he was 20, in the capital Bogota. He used the money he received to go to Europe to study art.
Throughout the 1960s he lived in New York. He found a new inspiration in the Italian Renaissance. He began to experiment with creating volume in his figures by expanding them and compressing the space around them. This became his unique and trademark style. In 1997, Colombian terrorists destroyed his sculpture ‘Bird’ in Medellin. Seventeen people died in the attack.
Botero’s works now hang in galleries all over the world. He is guaranteed millions of dollars for each painting he does. His works instantly become collector’s items and many people buy them as investments. In 2005, Botero painted a series of 50 paintings that graphically showed the horror of the events in Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison. This is typical of Botero using art for social commentary.
245 words
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.
Mail this lesson to friends and teachers. Click the @ below.
SYNONYM MATCH
Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are your answers the same as other students’?
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
style
a.
affected
2
largely
b.
got
3.
obese
c.
fashion
4.
influenced
d.
wealthy
5.
rich
e.
fat
6.
received
f.
mainly
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
inspiration
g.
immediately
8.
volume
h.
paintings
9.
compressing
i.
explanation
10.
works
j.
mass
11
instantly
k
influence
12
commentary
l
squashing
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
He paints in the
a.
of Botero
2
figures that are much
b.
neo-figurative style
3.
the reason why he paints such
c.
galleries all over the world
4.
He was never rich
d.
the space around them
5.
He held his first
e.
enough to visit galleries
6.
expanding them and compressing
f.
obese forms
7.
This became his unique and
g.
collector’s items
8.
Botero’s works now hang in
h.
larger than life
9.
His works instantly become
i.
trademark style
10.
This is typical
j.
exhibition when he was 20
LISTENING GAP FILL
Fernando Botero was born in 1932 in Medellin, Colombia. __________ the neo-figurative ____________ himself "the most Colombian of Colombian artists". He largely paints large people – figures that are much larger than life ____________ their body. His critics often call them “fat people”. Botero doesn’t know the reason why he ________________.
Botero grew up looking at paintings in his local Catholic church. These were in __________________ Baroque style and influenced his style. He was never _______________ visit galleries and see other works. He held his first exhibition _______________, in the capital Bogota. He used the money he received _______________ to study art.
_______________ 1960s he lived in New York. He found a new inspiration in the Italian Renaissance. He began to experiment with creating _______________ figures by expanding them and compressing the space around them. This became _______________ trademark style. In 1997, Colombian terrorists _______________ ‘Bird’ in Medellin. Seventeen people died in the attack.
Botero’s works now _______________ all over the world. He is guaranteed millions of dollars for each _______________. His works instantly become _______________ and many people buy them as investments. In 2005, Botero painted a series of 50 paintings that graphically showed the horror of the events in Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison. _______________ Botero using art for social commentary.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Fernando Botero was born / birth in 1932 in Medellin, Colombia. He paints in the neo-figurative stylish / style and calls himself "the most Colombian of Colombian artists". He largely paints large people – figures that are much / many larger than life in all parts of their body. His critics often call them “fat people”. Botero doesn’t know the reason why he paints such obese / obesity forms.
Botero grew up looking at paintings in his local / focal Catholic church. These were in the centuries-old Baroque style and influenced / influence his style. He was never rich enough to / for visit galleries and see other works. He held / took his first exhibition when he was 20, in the capital Bogota. He used the money he received to go to Europe to study art.
Throughout the 1960s he lived in New York. He found a new inspiration / inspiring in the Italian Renaissance. He began to experiment with creating volume in his numbers / figures by expanding them and compressing the space around them. This became his unique and trademark / logo style. In 1997, Colombian terrorists destroyed his sculpture ‘Bird’ in Medellin. Seventeen people died / killed in the attack.
Botero’s works now hung / hang in galleries all over the world. He is guaranteed / warranty millions of dollars for each painting he does. His works instant / instantly become collector’s items and many people buy them as investments. In 2005, Botero painted a series of 50 paintings that graphically showed the horror of the events in Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison. This is typical / typically of Botero using art for social commentary.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
He paints in the neo-figurative syelt
2.
He gylelra paints large people
3.
His ristcic often call them “fat people”
4.
such beeos forms
Paragraph 2
5.
Botero grew up oilgnko at paintings
6.
eludincfen his style
7.
visit lsgerilae
8.
He held his first bieotxniih when he was 20
Paragraph 3
9.
uuhgTtohro the 1960s he lived in New York
10.
He began to emetprxein with creating volume in his figures
11.
Colombian terrorists destroyed his puclruest
12.
Seventeen people died in the ataktc
Paragraph 4
13.
He is neeuadatgr millions of dollars for each painting
14.
His works nntyitlas become collector’s items
15.
Botero painted a ierses of 50 paintings
16.
This is talpyci of Botero
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
typical of Botero using art for social commentary.
( )
in the Italian Renaissance. He began to experiment with creating volume in his figures by expanding them and compressing
( )
destroyed his sculpture ‘Bird’ in Medellin. Seventeen people died in the attack.
( 1 )
Fernando Botero was born in 1932 in Medellin, Colombia. He paints in the neo-figurative style and calls himself
( )
life in all parts of their body. His critics often call them “fat people”. Botero doesn’t know
( )
a series of 50 paintings that graphically showed the horror of the events in Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison. This is
( )
Botero’s works now hang in galleries all over the world. He is guaranteed millions of dollars for each painting he
( )
"the most Colombian of Colombian artists". He largely paints large people – figures that are much larger than
( )
exhibition when he was 20, in the capital Bogota. He used the money he received to go to Europe to study art.
( )
Botero grew up looking at paintings in his local Catholic church. These were in the centuries-old Baroque style and
( )
does. His works instantly become collector’s items and many people buy them as investments. In 2005, Botero painted
( )
influenced his style. He was never rich enough to visit galleries and see other works. He held his first
( )
the reason why he paints such obese forms.
( )
the space around them. This became his unique and trademark style. In 1997, Colombian terrorists
( )
Throughout the 1960s he lived in New York. He found a new inspiration
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
neo the in paints He style figurative -
2.
figures are larger life that much than
3.
why reason the forms obese such paints he
4.
to enough rich never was He galleries visit
5.
held he his was first 20 exhibition He when
6.
he 1960s the Throughout York New in lived
7.
sculpture ‘Bird’ terrorists his Colombian destroyed
8.
become instantly works His items collector’s
9.
painted series 50 Botero a of paintings
10.
Botero for This of art commentary typical using social is
FERNANDO BOTERO DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Fernando Botero?
2.
Would you like to meet Fernando Botero?
3.
What would you like to know about Fernando Botero and why?
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Fernando Botero. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. FERNANDO BOTERO POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Fernando Botero. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?
4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Fernando Botero. Include an imaginary interview with him. Write about what he does every day and what he thinks about.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
5. LETTER: Write a letter to Fernando Botero. Ask him three questions about his life. Give him three suggestions on what he should do in his future. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Fernando Botero expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
style
a.
fashion
2
largely
b.
mainly
3.
obese
c.
fat
4.
influenced
d.
affected
5.
rich
e.
wealthy
6.
received
f.
got
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
inspiration
g.
influence
8.
volume
h.
mass
9.
compressing
i.
squashing
10.
works
j.
paintings
11
instantly
k
immediately
12
commentary
l
explanation
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
He paints in the
a.
neo-figurative style
2
figures that are much
b.
larger than life
3.
the reason why he paints such
c.
obese forms
4.
He was never rich
d.
enough to visit galleries
5.
He held his first
e.
exhibition when he was 20
6.
expanding them and compressing
f.
the space around them
7.
This became his unique and
g.
trademark style
8.
Botero’s works now hang in
h.
galleries all over the world
9.
His works instantly become
i.
collector’s items
10.
This is typical
j.
of Botero
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
HELP SUPPORT THIS WEBSITE
Recommend the site on blogs,Twitter, Facebook, forums and other sites.
