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نمونه سوالات آزمون cae
- شروع کننده موضوع melika
- تاریخ شروع
Reading 1
The Egg Chair
The Egg Chair, one of the most enduring symbols of the Modernist movement in design, was created in a Danish garage over fifty years ago. Today, the quirky futuristic armchair is more extraordinarily popular than ever before. For five decades, the unmistakable swivel-seats have brightened up fashionable interiors all over the world, starred in Hollywood blockbusters such as Men in Black, and jazzed-up countless trendy hotels, offices, bars and clubs. Genuine Egg Chairs, still made by the Danish company Fritz Hansen and priced at a hefty £5,000, sell by the thousand all over the world. Cheaper reproductions, at anything from £500 to £2,000, have been snapped up by the million. Right now, they've never been more popular and original examples from the 1950s have sold at auction in New York for up to $70,000.
For all this, we must thank one man: Arne Jacobsen, a reclusive architect who rarely left his Copenhagen studio. He designed the Egg Chair as part of a commission to create a new landmark hotel in the centre of the city in the 1950s. The SAS Royal Hotel, which was owned by the airline of the same name, was to be the largest hotel in Denmark, and the first skyscraper in the country's history. Compared by critics to a 'glass cigarbox', the rectangular steel structure remains a sort of monument to the Modernist movement, and Jacobsen, who is arguably the most important Scandinavian designer of the twentieth century, pioneered the Modernist movement in which architects began to design both the interiors, and the actual day-to-day contents of their buildings.
'At the SAS hotel, this meant he created everything from the door handles and cutlery to the carpets and colour scheme,' says Gemma Curtin, a curator at the Design Museum.'His philosophy was described as “from spoon to city”, and the chair was part of that. The Egg Chair has soft sides. It's really organic, and stems from nature: it looks like a broken shell that a little chick has just run out of. It's sophisticated and minimalist, but still has a sense of fun. You can't imagine a child walking past without wanting to jump in. It's just incredibly warm and relaxing.'
Jacobsen built the prototype of the chair in his garage in Copenhagen in 1957. After several minor adjustments, it was unveiled to the public at a local design show. When the hotel opened, Egg Chairs filled the lobby and bar area, and were found in every bedroom. Fritz Hansen, then an up-market, family-owned furniture manufacturer, was handed a contract to build replicas for fashion-conscious homeowners. In keeping with the tradition that true classics develop gradually, the Egg Chair took a while to catch on, and initial sales were disappointing. But by the mid 1960s, buyers had grown to love its revolutionary design.
The design expert Stephen Bayley includes the Egg Chair in Design: Intelligence Made Visible, his new guide to modern design classics co-authored by Sir Terence Conran. He believes that 'chair design ended' in the late 1950s. 'This was when Charles Eames produced his Aluminium Group classics, and Arne Jacobsen his Egg,' he says. 'Since then, there have been no changes in human physiology, nor the discovery of any relevant new materials, and no genuine improvements in what a modern chair might be. Jacobsen's achievement was to turn the austerity of functionalism into something elegant and spare, yet luxurious as well. He thought of architecture and furniture design as two expressions of the same desire to achieve both physical and psychological comfort.'
Antique Egg Chairs can now command a staggering sum. 'I've watched this grow and grow since the birth of the modern design auction in 1999 or 2000,' says James Zematis, the director of twentieth-century design at Sotheby's in New York. 'There's a surging demand for all postwar Danish furniture.' The sky-high prices have led to a burgeoning market in Egg Chair thefts, which Fritz Hansen are attempting to combat by holding a database of serial numbers which all genuine Eggs have carved into the foot. 'And you can always tell a fake,' says the company's spokesman, Jan Helleskov. 'I look at things like the stitching and the dimensions, and the basic shape and the fabric. We have never come across a fake that we couldn't spot at a glance.'
Fritz Hansen still sells thousands of the original model each year. Cheaper reproduction pieces are also made by a host of fashionable furniture retailers. 'They've been incredibly popular in the past year or so,' says John Cohen, the manager of Modern Classics Direct, one such company. 'I think the biggest reason is actually the increasing number of new-build properties on the market. Egg-style chairs sit very well with minimalist architecture. You don't often see many of them being sold to people who own period properties. All designs go in and out of fashion, of course, but with the Egg, you always know it'll eventually come back in
The Egg Chair
The Egg Chair, one of the most enduring symbols of the Modernist movement in design, was created in a Danish garage over fifty years ago. Today, the quirky futuristic armchair is more extraordinarily popular than ever before. For five decades, the unmistakable swivel-seats have brightened up fashionable interiors all over the world, starred in Hollywood blockbusters such as Men in Black, and jazzed-up countless trendy hotels, offices, bars and clubs. Genuine Egg Chairs, still made by the Danish company Fritz Hansen and priced at a hefty £5,000, sell by the thousand all over the world. Cheaper reproductions, at anything from £500 to £2,000, have been snapped up by the million. Right now, they've never been more popular and original examples from the 1950s have sold at auction in New York for up to $70,000.
For all this, we must thank one man: Arne Jacobsen, a reclusive architect who rarely left his Copenhagen studio. He designed the Egg Chair as part of a commission to create a new landmark hotel in the centre of the city in the 1950s. The SAS Royal Hotel, which was owned by the airline of the same name, was to be the largest hotel in Denmark, and the first skyscraper in the country's history. Compared by critics to a 'glass cigarbox', the rectangular steel structure remains a sort of monument to the Modernist movement, and Jacobsen, who is arguably the most important Scandinavian designer of the twentieth century, pioneered the Modernist movement in which architects began to design both the interiors, and the actual day-to-day contents of their buildings.
'At the SAS hotel, this meant he created everything from the door handles and cutlery to the carpets and colour scheme,' says Gemma Curtin, a curator at the Design Museum.'His philosophy was described as “from spoon to city”, and the chair was part of that. The Egg Chair has soft sides. It's really organic, and stems from nature: it looks like a broken shell that a little chick has just run out of. It's sophisticated and minimalist, but still has a sense of fun. You can't imagine a child walking past without wanting to jump in. It's just incredibly warm and relaxing.'
Jacobsen built the prototype of the chair in his garage in Copenhagen in 1957. After several minor adjustments, it was unveiled to the public at a local design show. When the hotel opened, Egg Chairs filled the lobby and bar area, and were found in every bedroom. Fritz Hansen, then an up-market, family-owned furniture manufacturer, was handed a contract to build replicas for fashion-conscious homeowners. In keeping with the tradition that true classics develop gradually, the Egg Chair took a while to catch on, and initial sales were disappointing. But by the mid 1960s, buyers had grown to love its revolutionary design.
The design expert Stephen Bayley includes the Egg Chair in Design: Intelligence Made Visible, his new guide to modern design classics co-authored by Sir Terence Conran. He believes that 'chair design ended' in the late 1950s. 'This was when Charles Eames produced his Aluminium Group classics, and Arne Jacobsen his Egg,' he says. 'Since then, there have been no changes in human physiology, nor the discovery of any relevant new materials, and no genuine improvements in what a modern chair might be. Jacobsen's achievement was to turn the austerity of functionalism into something elegant and spare, yet luxurious as well. He thought of architecture and furniture design as two expressions of the same desire to achieve both physical and psychological comfort.'
Antique Egg Chairs can now command a staggering sum. 'I've watched this grow and grow since the birth of the modern design auction in 1999 or 2000,' says James Zematis, the director of twentieth-century design at Sotheby's in New York. 'There's a surging demand for all postwar Danish furniture.' The sky-high prices have led to a burgeoning market in Egg Chair thefts, which Fritz Hansen are attempting to combat by holding a database of serial numbers which all genuine Eggs have carved into the foot. 'And you can always tell a fake,' says the company's spokesman, Jan Helleskov. 'I look at things like the stitching and the dimensions, and the basic shape and the fabric. We have never come across a fake that we couldn't spot at a glance.'
Fritz Hansen still sells thousands of the original model each year. Cheaper reproduction pieces are also made by a host of fashionable furniture retailers. 'They've been incredibly popular in the past year or so,' says John Cohen, the manager of Modern Classics Direct, one such company. 'I think the biggest reason is actually the increasing number of new-build properties on the market. Egg-style chairs sit very well with minimalist architecture. You don't often see many of them being sold to people who own period properties. All designs go in and out of fashion, of course, but with the Egg, you always know it'll eventually come back in
Reading 2
New Directions
Four women who risked everything to make their fortune
A Nicky Archibald has her own recruitment consultancy called Archibald & Dutch.
'I'd worked for years in marketing, but despite having an MBA degree, I never seemed to be in the running for a more senior position, which was frustrating. One day, a work contact asked if I knew anyone suitable for a post he was trying to fill. I put some names forward, and one of those people was recruited. That got me thinking about becoming a recruitment consultant. I did a bit of discreet networking, asking some business contacts if they'd use me if I set myself up as one. The response was good, but it still took me a year to summon up the courage to resign from my job and go for it. My first job was to find six salespeople for a communications company. I placed an advert in a local business paper and waited. Gradually the CVs came in. I did dozens of interviews and filled all the places. After that, the work rolled in and I'm now well ahead of my projected turnover for the year. I thought I'd struggle financially, but I needn't have worried. The company has exceeded all my expectations and now I have to think about how big I want to go.'
B Sally Allen runs a clothing company called Glamour To Go.
'I was lying on a beach trying to think of something to wear one evening that I didn't have to iron. That sparked an idea: how fantastic if all my dresses could be wrinkle-free and ready-to-wear. I got very excited and couldn't wait to get home and start researching. I was a complete novice in the fashion world. I was working as a sports marketing and publicity consultant but my heart wasn't in it. Starting my own business seemed to be the answer to a lot of problems. Using my savings, I got on a plane to Thailand and spent a couple of weeks researching fabrics and having dresses made up as cheaply as possible. I came back having found the right material – it looked silky and expensive yet was almost crease-free. I promptly gave up my job and did a business plan. It was scary, but I had faith that the dresses would sell. My lucky break came when a friend managed to get me a cheap advert in an upmarket glossy magazine. She helped me arrange a photo shoot with glamorous models wearing the dresses. It cost a lot, but after that the orders flooded in. You have to be a risk-taker to make a business work, but if you're successful, the rewards are huge.'
C Amanda Barnes runs an event planning business called B & K Events
'The idea for the business came when I was asked to arrange a social event for members of the gym I went to. It occurred to me that arranging this sort of thing was a service that you could sell to companies, and it was something I could do without huge amounts of experience. I had no idea if it would work. My first event was a golf day with a gourmet meal in the evening. I went for a date six weeks ahead and booked everything up, but set aside part of my life savings to cover my costs if it was a disaster. I made up some flyers on my computer, then spent a weekend in town handing them out and emailing everyone I knew. Initially there wasn't much interest and I thought I'd made a terrible mistake. But then the phone started ringing and the event was soon fully booked. The day was a great success and I made a profit. The business grew and I soon found myself working more hours than ever. I'm exhausted but love every minute.'
D Sue Houlston has her own web-design business called Sitemaid.
'I started up my business through necessity – I was made redundant from my job at an accountancy firm, and couldn't get another. I thought if I brushed up on my computer skills it might help, so I did a course. But I wasted my money because it wasn't up to much. Not to be discouraged, I bought lots of books on computer skills and taught myself. I'd always been interested in website design and thought it was an area where I could make some money. A friend saw some designs I'd done and mentioned my name to someone who wanted a website for his hypnotherapy business. I'd no idea what to charge, so I said the first number that came into my head, which was £700, and he agreed. It only took me a couple of days and he was delighted with the results. Word spread among the alternative therapy community and I got more work than I could cope with. I only needed to design two websites a week to make the salary I'd been earning before. In my first month I designed four websites and in the second month I did six. Now I average between four and seven websites a week, designing sites for everything from rock bands to law firms. Having my own business has given me a boost. I never thought I'd be doing a job I loved so much and be making such a fantastic living from it
New Directions
Four women who risked everything to make their fortune
A Nicky Archibald has her own recruitment consultancy called Archibald & Dutch.
'I'd worked for years in marketing, but despite having an MBA degree, I never seemed to be in the running for a more senior position, which was frustrating. One day, a work contact asked if I knew anyone suitable for a post he was trying to fill. I put some names forward, and one of those people was recruited. That got me thinking about becoming a recruitment consultant. I did a bit of discreet networking, asking some business contacts if they'd use me if I set myself up as one. The response was good, but it still took me a year to summon up the courage to resign from my job and go for it. My first job was to find six salespeople for a communications company. I placed an advert in a local business paper and waited. Gradually the CVs came in. I did dozens of interviews and filled all the places. After that, the work rolled in and I'm now well ahead of my projected turnover for the year. I thought I'd struggle financially, but I needn't have worried. The company has exceeded all my expectations and now I have to think about how big I want to go.'
B Sally Allen runs a clothing company called Glamour To Go.
'I was lying on a beach trying to think of something to wear one evening that I didn't have to iron. That sparked an idea: how fantastic if all my dresses could be wrinkle-free and ready-to-wear. I got very excited and couldn't wait to get home and start researching. I was a complete novice in the fashion world. I was working as a sports marketing and publicity consultant but my heart wasn't in it. Starting my own business seemed to be the answer to a lot of problems. Using my savings, I got on a plane to Thailand and spent a couple of weeks researching fabrics and having dresses made up as cheaply as possible. I came back having found the right material – it looked silky and expensive yet was almost crease-free. I promptly gave up my job and did a business plan. It was scary, but I had faith that the dresses would sell. My lucky break came when a friend managed to get me a cheap advert in an upmarket glossy magazine. She helped me arrange a photo shoot with glamorous models wearing the dresses. It cost a lot, but after that the orders flooded in. You have to be a risk-taker to make a business work, but if you're successful, the rewards are huge.'
C Amanda Barnes runs an event planning business called B & K Events
'The idea for the business came when I was asked to arrange a social event for members of the gym I went to. It occurred to me that arranging this sort of thing was a service that you could sell to companies, and it was something I could do without huge amounts of experience. I had no idea if it would work. My first event was a golf day with a gourmet meal in the evening. I went for a date six weeks ahead and booked everything up, but set aside part of my life savings to cover my costs if it was a disaster. I made up some flyers on my computer, then spent a weekend in town handing them out and emailing everyone I knew. Initially there wasn't much interest and I thought I'd made a terrible mistake. But then the phone started ringing and the event was soon fully booked. The day was a great success and I made a profit. The business grew and I soon found myself working more hours than ever. I'm exhausted but love every minute.'
D Sue Houlston has her own web-design business called Sitemaid.
'I started up my business through necessity – I was made redundant from my job at an accountancy firm, and couldn't get another. I thought if I brushed up on my computer skills it might help, so I did a course. But I wasted my money because it wasn't up to much. Not to be discouraged, I bought lots of books on computer skills and taught myself. I'd always been interested in website design and thought it was an area where I could make some money. A friend saw some designs I'd done and mentioned my name to someone who wanted a website for his hypnotherapy business. I'd no idea what to charge, so I said the first number that came into my head, which was £700, and he agreed. It only took me a couple of days and he was delighted with the results. Word spread among the alternative therapy community and I got more work than I could cope with. I only needed to design two websites a week to make the salary I'd been earning before. In my first month I designed four websites and in the second month I did six. Now I average between four and seven websites a week, designing sites for everything from rock bands to law firms. Having my own business has given me a boost. I never thought I'd be doing a job I loved so much and be making such a fantastic living from it
Reading 3
The Star without a Face
In the mid 1990s, when stencilled images by the graffiti artist known as Banksy started to pop up overnight on walls, bridges and other public spaces across UK cities, they were hastily painted over or scrubbed off by local authorities and disgruntled residents. Now those in possession of a blank wall may well be crossing their fingers that the invisible street artist, known for his subversive designs and comments, will pay them a visit in the wee hours. This is not representative of a general swing in attitude towards graffiti but is specific to the popular thirty-something Bristolian spray-painter, who has become the contemporary art market's darling – a 'Banksy' on the side of your house may well increase the value of your property.
In 2003, the art dealers Bonhams were the first to dare to sell a Banksy at auction; it fetched £580. In 2006, Bonhams sold one on behalf of an anonymous vendor for more than a hundred times that amount – it was a spray-on-steel work featuring an embracing couple wearing divers' helmets that had been used on the cover of an album by the pop group Blur. The sale hit headlines everywhere and the chunky lettering of the artist's sprayed name tag – once iconic to teenage graffiti-heads only – became a sought-after brand in UK contemporary art circles. 'The sale was packed out,' says Bonhams' Emma Cork. 'It was attended mainly by young wealthy media types under forty.' Other sales followed as owners of early works by Banksy – often people who bought from the artist himself for only a few hundred pounds – were keen to seize the moment.
The artist, however, was not present at any of his sales. As far as anyone knows, that is. All dealings with the auction houses have been via his agent of five years, Steve Lazarides. While Banksy's name proliferates in the press almost nobody knows who he is (even his mother and father apparently think he is just an ordinary painter and decorator). This anonymity is a hangover from his early days tagging in Bristol when remaining incognito was the only way to avoid arrest, and indeed he is still an authentic graffiti pest who regularly adorns public property across the UK. In addition to this urban al fresco work, he is also known for his pranks. For example, he has shown his disregard for the art establishment by smuggling examples of his work into major UK and US galleries. His hoax cave painting, which showed a primitive man pushing a shopping trolley, was on display for two days in the British Museum before it was discovered. It now forms part of the permanent collection. 'They are good enough to be in there – so I don't see why I should wait,' he commented.
Banksy's stunts are not only for fun, or to make a point, they are also a maverick form of marketing, assuring maximum media coverage and public excitement. Banksy whipped the art scene into a frenzy by casually announcing on his website that he was to hold a three-day exhibition entitled Barely Legal in a Los Angeles warehouse. The opening night was surprisingly star-encrusted; Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie reportedly spent £200,000. It has since been revealed, however, that the supposedly spontaneous show had been planned for six months.
It seems that, by his wrongdoings, Banksy can do no wrong. This should ensure that the value of his works continues to escalate. But with unauthorised Banksy stencil kits for sale on the internet and his unwillingness to reveal his identity, surely it is tough for dealers and auction houses to know a real Banksy when they see one? Chairman of contemporary art at Sotheby's auction house, Cheyenne Westphal, explains that this is not the case: Banksy's agent, Lazarides, authenticates all real Banksys with a thumb-printed certificate. Whether it is Banksy's own smudge or not, Westphal doesn't know. This is Banksy and Lazarides' attempt to keep the artist's commercial art (mainly stencil-on-canvas work and vandalised oils) separate from his street art, which they wish to remain free for all. But there is no doubt that Banksy's status has shifted. While he still keeps one foot in the street – which saves him from selling out in the eyes of the graffiti community – the other is making its mark on the lucrative world of contemporary art
The Star without a Face
In the mid 1990s, when stencilled images by the graffiti artist known as Banksy started to pop up overnight on walls, bridges and other public spaces across UK cities, they were hastily painted over or scrubbed off by local authorities and disgruntled residents. Now those in possession of a blank wall may well be crossing their fingers that the invisible street artist, known for his subversive designs and comments, will pay them a visit in the wee hours. This is not representative of a general swing in attitude towards graffiti but is specific to the popular thirty-something Bristolian spray-painter, who has become the contemporary art market's darling – a 'Banksy' on the side of your house may well increase the value of your property.
In 2003, the art dealers Bonhams were the first to dare to sell a Banksy at auction; it fetched £580. In 2006, Bonhams sold one on behalf of an anonymous vendor for more than a hundred times that amount – it was a spray-on-steel work featuring an embracing couple wearing divers' helmets that had been used on the cover of an album by the pop group Blur. The sale hit headlines everywhere and the chunky lettering of the artist's sprayed name tag – once iconic to teenage graffiti-heads only – became a sought-after brand in UK contemporary art circles. 'The sale was packed out,' says Bonhams' Emma Cork. 'It was attended mainly by young wealthy media types under forty.' Other sales followed as owners of early works by Banksy – often people who bought from the artist himself for only a few hundred pounds – were keen to seize the moment.
The artist, however, was not present at any of his sales. As far as anyone knows, that is. All dealings with the auction houses have been via his agent of five years, Steve Lazarides. While Banksy's name proliferates in the press almost nobody knows who he is (even his mother and father apparently think he is just an ordinary painter and decorator). This anonymity is a hangover from his early days tagging in Bristol when remaining incognito was the only way to avoid arrest, and indeed he is still an authentic graffiti pest who regularly adorns public property across the UK. In addition to this urban al fresco work, he is also known for his pranks. For example, he has shown his disregard for the art establishment by smuggling examples of his work into major UK and US galleries. His hoax cave painting, which showed a primitive man pushing a shopping trolley, was on display for two days in the British Museum before it was discovered. It now forms part of the permanent collection. 'They are good enough to be in there – so I don't see why I should wait,' he commented.
Banksy's stunts are not only for fun, or to make a point, they are also a maverick form of marketing, assuring maximum media coverage and public excitement. Banksy whipped the art scene into a frenzy by casually announcing on his website that he was to hold a three-day exhibition entitled Barely Legal in a Los Angeles warehouse. The opening night was surprisingly star-encrusted; Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie reportedly spent £200,000. It has since been revealed, however, that the supposedly spontaneous show had been planned for six months.
It seems that, by his wrongdoings, Banksy can do no wrong. This should ensure that the value of his works continues to escalate. But with unauthorised Banksy stencil kits for sale on the internet and his unwillingness to reveal his identity, surely it is tough for dealers and auction houses to know a real Banksy when they see one? Chairman of contemporary art at Sotheby's auction house, Cheyenne Westphal, explains that this is not the case: Banksy's agent, Lazarides, authenticates all real Banksys with a thumb-printed certificate. Whether it is Banksy's own smudge or not, Westphal doesn't know. This is Banksy and Lazarides' attempt to keep the artist's commercial art (mainly stencil-on-canvas work and vandalised oils) separate from his street art, which they wish to remain free for all. But there is no doubt that Banksy's status has shifted. While he still keeps one foot in the street – which saves him from selling out in the eyes of the graffiti community – the other is making its mark on the lucrative world of contemporary art
Reading 4
And the Winner is....
In various branches of the arts and entertainment, the annual awards ceremony is now a key event
A TV audiences love moments of revelation and few match the one when it all goes quiet, save for the rustle of an envelope and the words: 'And the winner is...' Awards shows work every time because they invite drama, controversy and stellar performances, even if it's only a famous person tripping on the stairs or unwittingly snubbing a rival in an acceptance speech. Meanwhile the shows are selling both a product and TV itself. But when the organiser's priority is maximising the celebrity factor, the result may be deals struck behind the scenes, possibly at the expense of the recognition of new or genuine talent.
B The one awards event that has maintained its reputation as above such manipulation is also the most prestigious; Hollywood's Academy Awards or Oscars as they are more commonly known. The voting system used is complex, with most technical categories being decided by one branch (i.e. the cinematographers' branch votes for nominees for best cinematography, etc.) and then the general membership (between 5,000 and 7,000) voting on the final nominations list to determine the bigger categories. The process is overseen by a firm of accountants and nobody knows they've won until the envelope is opened. Genuinely. And it is precisely because the Oscars remain inviolate that film companies instead concentrate their promotional tactics on rival events like The Golden Globes which are strategically staged during the Academy's voting period and in recent years have played a key role in alerting Academy voters to which films they should try to see. The event's ability to predict, even pre-empt, the outcome of the larger prize has increased its own standing.
C A jury system, is used to pick the winner of awards like the Booker Prize in literature and the Mercury Music Prize, the latter having a floating panel of the 'great and the good' under a permanent chairperson. This approach has been adopted by other prestige awards shows with varying degrees of conviction. The Mercury Prize has built the standing it enjoys today on a reputation for the utmost integrity. It's routinely described as the most honourable of music awards shows, the industry's equivalent in status to the Oscars – and on first look, the voting methods would seem to bear that view out. The Mercurys work on the basis that only two types of music exist: good and bad. In this way its judges, who sift through upwards of 400 CDs each year, seek to compare modern classical, jazz, folk, pop, rock, hip hop, soul and all the sub-divisions of heavy metal. The nominations work like this: An independent panel of judges selects the 12 albums of the year and then meets again on the night of the show in September, to choose the overall winner of the prize. 'The music is the only thing the judges discuss' – or so the story goes. But while it trades on eclecticism, the Mercury is, at its heart, tokenist. The classical and folk and jazz albums are included every year, but never seem to win.
D Experienced committee chairpersons rarely ask for a vote without first ensuring the outcome. The chairman of the Turner Prize jury, instituted in 1984 to promote contemporary art, officially has no more power in terms of awarding the prize than anyone else on the panel, though nobody believes this. The manipulation with the Turner, according to Tracy Emin who was shortlisted in 1999 for her work entitled My Bed, is there in the in-crowd nature of art. In Emin's take on the process, the four judges nominate four individuals they want to win. Then one judge says: 'I'm not having person X on the shortlist – over my dead body'. The second one replies: 'In that case, you can't have so-and-so', and so on until you end up with a watered-down list of artists, that at least none of them objects to – but they may not be the artists any of the judges originally wanted. And of course, as with any prize awarded by a panel of judges, the organisers are free to select the judges who'll give them the kind of winner they want.
E Former judge Erica Wagner says the way in which the Booker Prize winner is chosen is 'part literature, part horse-trading, part personal chemistry'. The prize was set up in 1969 to encourage an interest in contemporary quality fiction, and aims to reward the best novel of the year. Judges are selected from critics, writers and academics and the winner receives £50,000 and a guaranteed worldwide audience. A panel of five or six experts shortlist around 120 titles – often complaining bitterly about having to read all of them within tight deadlines. But the Booker is probably the most important marketing tool for literary fiction in English, and publishers are only allowed to submit two books each, plus any by a previous winner. Fine, you might think. But some well-known authors are asking for a 'must submit' clause in their book contracts which means the publisher's choice is further reduced. Less obvious authors can only hope to get on the list via hint and hype.
According to the article, which award or set of awards ....
A The Oscars
B The Golden Globes
C The Mercury Prize
D The Turner Prize
E The Booker Prize
And the Winner is....
In various branches of the arts and entertainment, the annual awards ceremony is now a key event
A TV audiences love moments of revelation and few match the one when it all goes quiet, save for the rustle of an envelope and the words: 'And the winner is...' Awards shows work every time because they invite drama, controversy and stellar performances, even if it's only a famous person tripping on the stairs or unwittingly snubbing a rival in an acceptance speech. Meanwhile the shows are selling both a product and TV itself. But when the organiser's priority is maximising the celebrity factor, the result may be deals struck behind the scenes, possibly at the expense of the recognition of new or genuine talent.
B The one awards event that has maintained its reputation as above such manipulation is also the most prestigious; Hollywood's Academy Awards or Oscars as they are more commonly known. The voting system used is complex, with most technical categories being decided by one branch (i.e. the cinematographers' branch votes for nominees for best cinematography, etc.) and then the general membership (between 5,000 and 7,000) voting on the final nominations list to determine the bigger categories. The process is overseen by a firm of accountants and nobody knows they've won until the envelope is opened. Genuinely. And it is precisely because the Oscars remain inviolate that film companies instead concentrate their promotional tactics on rival events like The Golden Globes which are strategically staged during the Academy's voting period and in recent years have played a key role in alerting Academy voters to which films they should try to see. The event's ability to predict, even pre-empt, the outcome of the larger prize has increased its own standing.
C A jury system, is used to pick the winner of awards like the Booker Prize in literature and the Mercury Music Prize, the latter having a floating panel of the 'great and the good' under a permanent chairperson. This approach has been adopted by other prestige awards shows with varying degrees of conviction. The Mercury Prize has built the standing it enjoys today on a reputation for the utmost integrity. It's routinely described as the most honourable of music awards shows, the industry's equivalent in status to the Oscars – and on first look, the voting methods would seem to bear that view out. The Mercurys work on the basis that only two types of music exist: good and bad. In this way its judges, who sift through upwards of 400 CDs each year, seek to compare modern classical, jazz, folk, pop, rock, hip hop, soul and all the sub-divisions of heavy metal. The nominations work like this: An independent panel of judges selects the 12 albums of the year and then meets again on the night of the show in September, to choose the overall winner of the prize. 'The music is the only thing the judges discuss' – or so the story goes. But while it trades on eclecticism, the Mercury is, at its heart, tokenist. The classical and folk and jazz albums are included every year, but never seem to win.
D Experienced committee chairpersons rarely ask for a vote without first ensuring the outcome. The chairman of the Turner Prize jury, instituted in 1984 to promote contemporary art, officially has no more power in terms of awarding the prize than anyone else on the panel, though nobody believes this. The manipulation with the Turner, according to Tracy Emin who was shortlisted in 1999 for her work entitled My Bed, is there in the in-crowd nature of art. In Emin's take on the process, the four judges nominate four individuals they want to win. Then one judge says: 'I'm not having person X on the shortlist – over my dead body'. The second one replies: 'In that case, you can't have so-and-so', and so on until you end up with a watered-down list of artists, that at least none of them objects to – but they may not be the artists any of the judges originally wanted. And of course, as with any prize awarded by a panel of judges, the organisers are free to select the judges who'll give them the kind of winner they want.
E Former judge Erica Wagner says the way in which the Booker Prize winner is chosen is 'part literature, part horse-trading, part personal chemistry'. The prize was set up in 1969 to encourage an interest in contemporary quality fiction, and aims to reward the best novel of the year. Judges are selected from critics, writers and academics and the winner receives £50,000 and a guaranteed worldwide audience. A panel of five or six experts shortlist around 120 titles – often complaining bitterly about having to read all of them within tight deadlines. But the Booker is probably the most important marketing tool for literary fiction in English, and publishers are only allowed to submit two books each, plus any by a previous winner. Fine, you might think. But some well-known authors are asking for a 'must submit' clause in their book contracts which means the publisher's choice is further reduced. Less obvious authors can only hope to get on the list via hint and hype.
According to the article, which award or set of awards ....
A The Oscars
B The Golden Globes
C The Mercury Prize
D The Turner Prize
E The Booker Prize