Appendix (for reading content...etc)
Writing based on reading and listening
Read the passage 'Rembrandt'. On a piece of paper, take notes on the main points of the reading passage.
Reading time: 3 minutes
Rembrandt is the most famous of the seventeenth-century Dutch painters. However, there are doubts whether some paintings attributed to Rembrandt were actually painted by him. One such painting is known as Portrait of an Elderly Woman in a White Bonnet. The painting was attributed to Rembrandt because of its style, and indeed the representation of the woman's face is very much like that of portraits known to be by Rembrandt. But there are problems with the painting that suggest it could not be a work by Rembrandt.
First, there is something inconsistent about the way the woman in the portrait is dressed. She is wearing a white linen cap of a kind that only servants would wear -yet the coat she is wearing has a luxurious fur collar that no servant could afford. Rembrandt, who was known for his attention to the details of his subjects' clothing, would not have been guilty of such an inconsistency.
Second, Rembrandt was a master of painting light and shadow, but in this painting these elements do not fit together. The face appears to be illuminated by light reflected onto it from below. But below the face is the dark fur collar, which would absorb light rather than reflect it. So the face should appear partially in shadow -which is not how it appears. Rembrandt would never have made such an error.
Finally, examination of the back of the painting reveals that it was painted on a panel made of several pieces of wood glued together. Although Rembrandt often painted on wood panels, no painting known to be by Rembrandt uses a panel glued together in this way from several pieces of wood.
For these reasons the painting was removed from the official catalog of Rembrandt's paintings in the 1930s.
Now listen to the passage. On a piece of paper, take notes on the main points of the listening passage.
[audio|src:'\listening\toefl_blue\Test_3_091.mp3?20220419']
Narrator
Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about.
Professor
Everything you just read about Portrait of an Elderly Woman in a White Bonnet is true, and yet, after a thorough reexamination of the painting, a panel of experts has recently concluded that it's indeed a work by Rembrandt. And here's why.
First, the fur collar. X-rays and analysis of the pigments in the paint have shown that the fur collar wasn't part of the original painting. The fur collar was painted over the top of the original painting about a hundred years after the painting was made. Why? Someone probably wanted to increase the value of the painting by making it look like a formal portrait of an aristocratic lady.
Second, the supposed error with light and shadow. Once the paint of the added fur collar was removed, the original painting could be seen. In the original painting the woman is wearing a simple collar of light-colored cloth. The light-colored cloth of this collar reflects light that illuminates part of the woman's face. That's why the face is not in partial shadow. So in the original painting, light and shadow are very realistic and just what we would expect from Rembrandt.
Finally, the wood panel. It turns out that when the fur collar was added, the wood panel was also enlarged with extra wood pieces glued to the sides and the top to make the painting more grand-ă…¡and more valuable. So the original painting is actually painted on a single piece of wood-as would be expected from a Rembrandt painting. And in fact, researchers have found that the piece of wood in the original form of Portrait of an Elderly Woman in a White Bonnet is from the very same tree as the wood panel used for another painting by Rembrandt, his Self-Portrait with a Hat.
Narrator
summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they answer the specific problems presented in the reading passage.
You should understand the reasons presented in the lecture that address the concerns in the reading passage. While the reading passage explains why people do not think the painting Portrait of an Elderly Woman was created by Rembrandt, the lecture presents new evidence showing that the painting was indeed created by Rembrandt.
A high-scoring essay will include the following points made by the lecturer and will explain how they address the points made in the reading passage:
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Point made in the reading passage:
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Contrasting point from the lecture:
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| The fur collar in the painting does not match clothing typical of a servant woman, a detail that Rembrandt would not have overlooked. |
The fur collar was added later in an attempt to increase the painting's value. |
| The light and shadow appear incorrectly in the painting, but Rembrandt was a master of painting light and shadow. |
The light and shadow appeared incorrectly because of the fur collar that was added later. Once the fur collar was removed, revealing the original white collar, the light and shadow appeared correctly. |
| The portrait was painted on multiple wood panels, which was not typical of Rembrandt's works. |
The original was painted on a single wood panel. Additional wood panels were added to the painting later in an attempt to increase its value. |
Responses with scores of 4 and 5 generally clearly discuss all three main points in the table.
Question:
Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they oppose specific points made in the reading passage.
Sample Answer:
There are doubts whether Rembramdt painted Portrait of an Elderly Woman in a white Bonnet. The reading says that the painting wasn't paint by Rembrandt because of the leck of consistency observed. On the other hand the lecture says that Rembrandt is the real painter. The opinion expressed in the lecture is based on a third examination of the painting when the experts decided that Rembrandt is the real painter because of the examination of the fur colar, the light and shadow that were realistic and finally the elements of the wood panel.
Examining the fur colar from the painting, the experts noticed that the actual colar was painted over the top of the original painting over 100 years later. The reason of doing this was to increase the value of the painting.
Further on the light and color were very realistic, says the lecture. This opinion is formulated in opossition to the one from the reading that says that in this painting this elements do not fit together.
Finally the last reason why the lecture affirms that the painting belongs to Rebmrandt is based on the examination of the wood panel. Even though the wood panel was enlarged it was used the same tree that Rembrandt used in Self Portrait with a Hat.
In conclusion it seems that the argument given by the lecture overpower the reading part.
Rater Comments
Although this response clearly describes the relationship between the reading and the lecture in the first paragraph, it earns a mid-level score because it lacks some important details related to the three main points that follow. In the second paragraph, the writer does explain that the fur collar was added to the painting 100 years after it was created to increase its value, but the writer does not explain the initial problem mentioned in the reading (that the fur collar was not consistent with a servant woman's apparel). This makes it difficult for a reader who is not familiar with the passage and the lecture to see how the information about the collar is relevant to the topic. The third paragraph, in contrast, does indicate that the information from the reading and the information from the lecture regarding light and shadow differ, but this section lacks most of the important details. The third point, in paragraph 4, is not expressed precisely. The writer indicates that the fact that the wood came from the same tree as the wood for another Rembrandt painting is proof of its authenticity, yet it is not clear whether the writer is referring to the original panel or to the added panels. The writer also does not explain why the original panel was enlarged. Overall, the essay responds to the task and touches on all three main ideas, but these ideas are either vaguely or imprecisely conveyed. The language is generally clear, with only a few minor errors ("the painting wasn't paint by Rembrandt," "this elements do not fit together") that do not interfere with meaning.
Both texts deal with the question wheather or not the painting "Portrait of an Eiderly Woman in a White Bonnet" was painted by the most famous Dutch painter Rembrandt. The text clearly states, that many facts prove that it wasn't painted by Rembrandt himself, but just attributed to him because of its style. In the lecture however the professor gives proof why it is in fact a work of the famous Dutch painter.
The first contradicting fact are the clothes of the woman in the portrait. She is wearing a white linen cap which gives her the appearance of a simple servant, whereas the luxurious fur collar she also wears doesn't fit. In the lecture is said, that after a thorough research people found out that the fur collar was added to the painting about 100 years later in order to increase the value of the workpiece, because now it illustrated an aristocratic lady instead of a servant.
Another problem with the painting was the display of light and shadow. Rembandt was known as a master of painting light and shadow, yet contradictionally the elements in the work don't fit together. But this problem could also be explained by now. By removing the additional fur collar one could see that the lady is wearing a simple light colored cloth, which reflects light into her face.
The third aspect which let people wonder about the origins of the painting was the fact, that the panel was made of several pieces of wood glued together instead of just one panel which was usual for works of Rembrandt. But the additional panels were also added later to enlarge the paiting. by doing this the painting seemed to be more valuable.
Another interesting fact is, that the main panel is made from the same tree like another painting of Rembrandt, 'Selfportrait with a hat'.
In the end it is clea that this painting is indeed a work of the Dutch painter and it should be reintegrated in the catalog of Rembrandt's paintings.
Rater Comments
This essay earns a high score because it successfully explains the opposing relationship between the reading and the lecture and goes on to identify all the important points and details. The response is appropriately organized, with the topic stated in the first and final paragraphs and each main point discussed in separate body paragraphs. Each main point is discussed clearly and with a good amount of detail. The writer, for example, correctly represents in the second paragraph the idea that the fur collar was added to the painting at a later date to make it appear more valuable. In the third paragraph, the light-and-shadow inconsistency is not described in concrete terms, but the writer does indicate it in general terms and explains its cause. Connectors and connecting phrases ("Another problem," "By removing the additional fur collar," "In the end") help make the writing cohesive and easy to read. The language is generally accurate, and minor errors ("In the lecture is said," "after a thorough research," "contradictionally") do not interfere with meaning.
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