JOHN's BOARD
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Listening Comprehension Questions:
1. What type of plant strangles trees in South America?
2. What types of fruit does the plant produce?
3. How does the vine grow?
4. When does the vine kill the tree?
5. What happens to the vine after the tree dies?
[Lesson Credits: Listening Building MP3 TOEFL, Track 22]
09 Botany
M1: Imagine the slowest, most agonizing death possible. Imagine being strangled to death over the course of a century. Pretty nasty, huh? Well, there’s a vine in some South American rainforests that kills in this manner.
W: Really? So this vine kills animals and people?
M1: Fortunately, no. Such a death is unlikely for any animal.
But it’s a very possible fate for trees in Costa Rican
rainforests. They often fall victim to this parasite known
as the strangler vine.
M2: How can a vine kill a tree?
M1: Well, it’s an interesting process. First, you need to
know that these vines are from the ficus family, so they produce fruits called figs. Lots of animals feed on these figs, like birds, bats, and monkeys. They eat the figs and their seeds. When one of these animals drops the fig’s seeds at the top of a tree, the vine’s life begins.
W: Do the seeds fall through the canopy of leaves and then to the ground?
M1: No. That’s what’s so interesting. They actually begin growing, seemingly harmlessly, at the top of the trees. This is the second step. As they get older, they grow downwards, and they begin to wrap themselves around all of the tree’s branches.
M2: So, it kills the tree by strangling its trunk?
M1: No, it doesn’t actually kill the tree until it roots itself into
the ground. At this point, the vines begin to expand.
They get thicker and flatten out, so that they can merge
with each other. They do this until they completely
encase the tree. Finally, the vines become a giant shell
that eventually will kill the tree. It does so by either
squeezing it to death or by depriving it of sunlight.
W: Well, if the tree dies, then won’t the vine eventually die,
too? Isn’t it dependent on the tree as its host?
M1: That’s a good question. However, after the vine has
completely encased the tree, it no longer needs it to
survive. The roots of the tree will rot away, and the vine
will take on the appearance of the dead tree, using
the dried up trunk and branches as a skeleton that
supports this shell of vines.
1. What was discussed in class?
2. Who was Pablo Picaso's friend?
3. Why did Picaso use depressing colors during the Blue period?
4. What kind of paintings did he paint during the Rose period?
5. Who enjoyed Picasso's paintings?
10 Fine Arts
M1: So, today we’ll discuss Pablo Picasso’s Blue Period.
W: Didn’t we talk about that on Tuesday?
M1: [pause] Uh, yeah, you’re right. Did I say his “blue”
period? Sorry. We went over that last time. We’re actually discussing his Rose Period today. During this period, Picasso steps away from the dark colored blues of the Blue Period. Does anyone remember why Picasso used such depressing colors during the Blue Period?
M2: Wasn’t he mourning the death of his friend?
M1: Yes, his close friend Carlos Casagemas died tragically in 1901. It seems that because of this, Picasso’s paintings became sad pictures reflecting a struggling society. But then another major life event brought Picasso out of his depression. He fell in love. Fernande Olivier entered his life in 1904. This year is considered
the beginning of his Rose Period.
W: So did his paintings become happier during this
period?
M1: Yes they did. Suddenly, his paintings begin to display
happy pink pigments and joyful oranges. It seems that
his relationship with Olivier made him more optimistic.
M2: What kind of stuff did he paint? Did he still paint
mournful paintings?
M1: Well, no, Picasso’s subject matter also changed during
this period. He actually began to paint a lot of circus performers. Seems odd, huh? But believe it or not, he was especially interested in painting clowns. His favorite subject to paint was a clown called a harlequin, which was dressed in checkered patterned clothing.
W: Why was Picasso so interested in painting clowns?
M1: Well, he seems to be rejecting the popular art of his time, which pictured upper-class members of society. Picasso’s depiction of clowns, during the Rose Period, seems to be his way of celebrating members who were outside of upper-class society. In this sense, by celebrating the circus performers, he was also
celebrating artists.
M2: Well, if he painted subjects that weren’t popular, then
how did he make money?
M1: It’s strange, but the Rose Period actually marked the
beginning of his commercial success. An art collector, Clovis Savigo, who happened to be a former clown, enjoyed Picasso’s paintings during this period. So, he exhibited Picasso’s art, and soon people began to recognize Picasso’s work. He was finally able to sell his paintings.