reading unit 3

Read these extracts from the video. Match the correct form of each bold word to its definition.

"Everyone looks really peaceful but at the same time it just looks really surreal and something, you know, otherworldly." "The overall tone of it was just very relaxing in what was a very chaotic scene." "A photograph like this has got to be like a chessboard, where everything is there and there's no foreground."

1. ​ (a)   (adj) strange; dreamlike

2. ​ (b)   (adj) not having any order or organization

3. ​ (c)   (n) the front part of a picture

4. ​ (d)   (v) the general character or feeling of something, for example a place or piece of writing

• surreal
• tone
• foreground
• chaotic

What criteria for judging the photos do the judges mention? A winning photo ... (Cách trả lời: a, b, c, d,...)

a. should have just one main element.

b. touches the viewer emotionally.

c. must be good technically.

d. must have good composition.

e. needs to look natural.

f. has good use of color and light.

g. shows something new and unusual.

Answer explanation

• b. touches the viewer emotionally. (Mentions "touch me emotionally," "gut reaction," "really touched us and touched me")

• c. must be good technically. (Mentions "first and foremost, it's technical. I mean that's the base level. It just has to technically be executed well.")

• d. must have good composition. (Mentions "unbelievable composition," "everything is there," "no foreground")

• e. needs to look natural. (Mentions "it doesn't look Photoshop.")

• f. has good use of color and light. (Mentions "in a very poetic way with color and light," "the overall tone of it was just very relaxing")

• g. shows something new and unusual. (Mentions the owl photo "was a moment I don't get to see owls in that way. I looked and said, wow, you brought me into see an animal in a way that I never have seen and I probably won't get to see.")

Watch the video again. Match each image from the video (a–e) with a statement.

1. 1. It took time for the judges to appreciate it. ​ (a)  

2. 2. The judges had divided opinions about it. ​ (b)  

3. 3. A judge felt that it offered a new perspective. ​ (c)  

4. 4. The judges felt it had a calming effect on them. ​ (d)  

5. 5. It was rejected by the judging panel. ​ (e)  

• c. the wildebeest
• a. the swimming pool
• b. the owl
• d. the train
• e. the basketball game

What does the judge mean when he says "gut reaction"?

Answer explanation

Gut reaction = A strong and immediate feeling, judgment, or response that comes from instinct rather than careful thought. (gut = intuition) = Phản ứng theo bản năng, cảm giác hoặc đánh giá xảy ra ngay lập tức, không qua phân tích hay suy nghĩ kỹ.

Example:

"My gut reaction was that something was wrong, even though I had no proof.