Unit 4: Fine Arts The Q Classroom Activity B., Page 77 Teacher: The unit question is: Why do people do things by hand? What do you think, Marcus? Marcus: People do things by hand because it s cheaper. If you have to pay someone to do everything for you, it s not very economical. If you know how to paint a wall or fix your roof, it s much cheaper than hiring someone to do it for you. That s why people do those things. Teacher: That s true for do-it-yourself projects like repairing your home. But sometimes it costs more money to knit a sweater than to buy one in a department store. Why would people prefer to do crafts in that case? Sophy: Because it s fun! I like to wear clothes that are unique. If you buy a sweater in a department store, you know that thousands of people have that same sweater. If you buy the yarn and knit your own sweater, you have a unique product. Teacher: What do you think, Yuna? Why do people do things by hand? Yuna: Because the industrial process pollutes the environment. It s greener and more environmental to do things at home. Teacher: Hmm. Are you sure about that? Does making things by hand always pollute less? Yuna: I don t know if it always pollutes less. But many things that industries use chemicals for can be done naturally. For example, my aunt buys plain white fabric for her projects and then uses natural things to dye the fabric. Like, to make fabric green, she uses plants from her garden. And to make something brown or orange, she uses onion skins. It s totally natural and much better than the industrial things some companies use. Teacher: What s your opinion, Felix? Why do people do things by hand? Felix: Well, a good reason to do stuff by hand is because it becomes a hobby. And having something relaxing and fun to do in your free time is important. I would like to be able to make something beautiful and useful. I d rather create something nice than sit around watching TV in my free time. Sophy: That s right. And if you have a nice hobby like crafts, you meet other people who like the same thing. You make friends that way. My sister is part of a knitting group and she really likes knitting, but she likes having a reason to get together with her friends even more. She said she d teach me to knit, too, and I think I d like to learn. LISTENING 1: Quilting s New Popularity Activity A., C., Page 80 Reporter: It s possible that you ve heard of quilting. Quilting is a craft in which pieces of fabric are sewn together in patterns by hand or by machine and then made into an item such as a blanket to keep you warm in winter. There are usually two or more layers to a quilt and that makes it different from a regular blanket. For many years, people stopped quilting when it became possible to buy quilts and blankets to cover their beds. These store-bought quilts were often less expensive, and, of course, you could have one immediately without waiting the weeks or months it takes to produce a quilt. But, in the 1980s, quilting made a comeback, and now you can find quilting materials, classes, books, and magazines even TV shows everywhere. What s the big deal about quilting? We visited a popular convention and asked around. Stacy Riley is a designer for a fabric company. Riley says all the major fabric companies have Copyright Oxford University Press Page 1 of 6
taken note of the rise in quilting s popularity. Ms. Riley, the quilts I recall from my childhood featured fairly traditional quilting designs. They were always square or rectangular and made for beds, and generally had simple patterns and quiet colors. You say that today s quilting isn t like the quilting of old, or even the quilting of thirty years ago? The fabrics are more interesting, as are the designs, techniques, and colors? Stacy Riley: That s right. Our generation grew up with an entirely different kind of quilts. Our grandmothers, in the 1930s and 40s, sewed their own clothes. It was cheaper. They saved up the scraps from the clothes they made to make quilts. And these quilts were often beautiful, but more often they were functional. Their purpose was to keep you warm at night. Nowadays, it s cheaper to buy a bed covering in a store. So people make quilts these days because it s a fantastic hobby. Reporter: But they still use scraps of fabric from sewing clothes? Stacy Riley: Nowadays, it s usually cheaper to buy clothes than to make them. And that created a shift for those of us who work in the fabric industry. When we design new fabrics, we think much less about what will look good in a person s clothing and much more about how quilters will like it. Will it look fun, interesting, and exciting in a quilt? And we don t design one fabric at a time. We design a whole series of fabrics in certain colors because quilters often use these fabrics together. Reporter: Today s quilting, unlike quilting in the past, appeals to a different breed of crafters, people who quilt for fun and not out of necessity. Tina Martin is the parent of three active children, but she finds time to attend conventions and invest in her hobby. Tina Martin: Quilting is really great. I enjoy having a hobby that I can do in the few spare minutes of free time I get every day. Being the mother of little children is a full-time job. But knowing that when my little guys are taking a nap I have a quilt to work on, I have the energy to keep going. It makes me so happy to have something nice to put on the family s beds, something I made. At this convention last year, I saw Margaret Wilson. I couldn t believe it! She has won so many awards and made so many quilts that I love. These conventions are really cool because sometimes you get to meet famous quilters. Reporter: Quilting s comeback in recent years means a great hobby for people like Tina, but it can also mean big money. After our encounter with Tina, we spoke to Anna Roberts, a UCLA student who s studying business. She explained her plans for the future. Anna Roberts: Crafts are growing fast. People are learning that there are lots of things they can create for their homes without the help of outsiders. They re learning to make furniture, sew quilts, and knit their own sweaters. So what I want to do when I graduate is open a topnotch craft store. Quilting alone is a multi-million dollar industry. Reporter: Neil Brown is the owner of a quilting store in Topeka, Kansas, and he has a different take on quilting s popularity. He s part of a panel that will talk later today about quilting and its new role in schools. I asked him if his quilt store had classes for children. Neil Brown: Oh, yes, definitely. We ve got afterschool classes for children in elementary school and Saturday classes for teenagers. Quilting has become wildly popular among children. I ve set up a small library of books on quilting, and those books are in constant circulation. We have a waiting list and I m thinking we ll need to expand the classroom section of my store to make room for more classes. Copyright Oxford University Press Page 2 of 6
Reporter: So, there s a connection between quilting and lots of other areas in the school curriculum? Neil Brown: That s true. In quilting, lots of subject areas are involved: math, design, history, reading, even science sometimes. I ve seen it happen a lot. Children develop an interest in quilting and suddenly teachers see development in the classroom. You know, most kids don t do crafts at home. Their parents are so busy and no one has time to teach kids some of the basic things they need to know in life, like baking a cake, sewing buttons on clothes, making a kite, or creating a scrapbook. I love teaching. For me, anything that helps young people have an appreciation for hard work and dedication to a project is terrific. LISTENING SKILL: Making Inferences Examples, Page 83 Tina Martin: At this convention last year, I saw Margaret Wilson. I couldn t believe it! She has won so many awards and made so many quilts that I love. These conventions are really cool because sometimes you get to meet famous quilters. Activity A., Page 84 Excerpt 1: Neil Brown: In quilting, lots of subject areas are involved: math, design, history, reading, even science sometimes. I ve seen it happen a lot. Children develop an interest in quilting and suddenly teachers see development in the classroom. Excerpt 2: Reporter: Tina Martin is the parent of three active children, but she finds time to attend conventions and invest in her hobby. Excerpt 3: Reporter: Ms. Riley, the quilts I recall from my childhood featured fairly traditional quilting designs. They were always square or rectangular and made for beds, and they generally had simple patterns and quiet colors. You say that today s quilting isn t like the quilting of old, or even the quilting of thirty years ago? Activity B., Page 84 Excerpt 1: Neil Brown: Oh, yes, definitely. We ve got afterschool classes for children in elementary school and Saturday classes for teenagers. Quilting has become wildly popular among children. I ve set up a small library of books on quilting and those books are in constant circulation. We have a waiting list and I m thinking we ll need to expand the classroom section of my store to make room for more classes. Excerpt 2: Stacy Riley: When we design new fabrics, we think much less about what will look good in a person s clothing and much more about how quilters will like it. Will it look fun, interesting, and exciting in a quilt? And we don t design one fabric at a time. We design a whole series of fabrics certain colors because quilters often use these fabrics together. NOTE-TAKING SKILL Activity A., Page 85 Podcast host: If you enjoy cycling and you re thinking about buying a new bike, there are several reasons to build your own rather than buy a new one. First of all, you may not find the perfect bike for you anywhere. Maybe you want a bike that s especially light, or especially fast, or just the right size. By building a bike on your own you can guarantee that it s the right one for you. You may also save money in the process. A great bicycle can be extremely Copyright Oxford University Press Page 3 of 6
expensive. But when you buy the individual parts you need and you can buy them new or used you can often find them at affordable prices, especially online. Of course, building a bike is not a short project. Plus, it s not easy. You ll have to learn the skills necessary to do it right. You also need to have an experienced bike mechanic advise you along the way and check your work when you re finished. This will help you build a bike that is safe and avoid some of the mistakes beginners often make. With some hard work and learning, you ll soon have the pleasure of knowing that the bicycle you re riding represents your own creativity and hard work. If you ask me, that s the best part of taking on a project like this. LISTENING 2: A Different Path in Life Activity A., D., Page 87 Reporter: Some people choose a different path in life. They choose to do things by themselves and teach others their craft at the same time. I m standing here with Carl Baxter, outside a small cabin near Browning, Montana. A cabin he built with his own hands, with the help of his newest apprentice, Dave Black. Carl, tell me about your apprentice program. Carl Baxter: Well, I mean, it s not a program so much as something I just do. I worry about kids these days. They spend all their time with video games, on cell phones, and in front of the TV. I can t identify with that at all. I ve always loved making things, being outdoors, learning stuff. I think today s kids would love to learn to make things too, but they don t have anyone to show them how. So I started teaching a few teenagers some skills, the stuff I know. I make cabins, so I teach them basic carpentry to help me make my cabins. Reporter: Do you have a lot of kids in your program? Carl Baxter: Not really, just a few. But the ones I have really like it. They always start out wondering if it will be fun, but the first time I tell them to cut a piece of wood that will actually be used to make someone s home and they do it well, and it is used they feel a real sense of accomplishment. And they want to learn more. Reporter: So none of these kids have had any experience with crafts. Carl Baxter: Oh, heck no. I mean, I was a complete amateur when I started, too. I didn t know what I was doing, but I read a few books and practiced making things for a few years and suddenly I had learned most of what I needed to and was ready to go. It s the same with these kids. They don t think it s going to be interesting till they get started and next thing you know, they re dreaming of building their own cabins to live in. Reporter: Have any of your apprentices gone out and built a cabin by themselves? Carl Baxter: One has, so far. He helped me build two cabins and then started trying to design his own. He didn t want to clone the work I d done you know, do the same thing he d already done twice, so he sat down and planned something just for him. I helped him build it and we got it done in just under a year. It s a unique place that he built, and he likes hanging out there because no one has anything like it. He can point to it and say, I made that. Since then, he has gotten a few orders for cabins. He has started his own business. I love that. Reporter: How do you design the cabins you build? And what input do your apprentices have in the process? Carl Baxter: Mostly I just listen to the client. I try really hard to understand the person s lifestyle. You know, no one lives the same way, so I try to incorporate a person s attitudes towards life into my cabins. I regard my work as Copyright Oxford University Press Page 4 of 6
an extension of that person. And I m trying to teach these kids to do the same thing. Listen. Really listen. Don t build your dream. Build their dream. Reporter: Tell me about this cabin here. Carl Baxter: Dave and I built this for a professional potter. She makes vases and bowls and plates; her work is incredible, but she needed lots of light. So I made sure there were incredible windows and that the house was situated on a beautiful piece of land. Dave did all the work on the windows. Nice, isn t it? And after moving in and doing her ceramic work here, her work has appeared in a fantastic gallery in New York. So maybe we had a small hand in helping her improve in her craft. Reporter: Do you pay your apprentices? Carl Baxter: Yeah, I pay them a percentage of the total I receive for a cabin. And business is good because of it. People like the idea of a product that supports education of teenagers. I set up a website for my cabins and with just that little bit of marketing, I ve got more clients than I can handle. Some of them are overseas. I recently got a request for a cabin in Japan. Can you imagine that? I ve never been outside of the United States. Reporter: Are you going to expand your operation to keep up with the orders? Carl Baxter: I m not sure. I can only teach so many kids at one time. And I build cabins because I love working with my hands. I really enjoy the process and don t want to turn it into some kind of industry. That s not what I m about. I do it out of love both love for building cabins and love of these kids. So I m going to keep my operation small for the time being, at least until I find someone to help me, someone who s interested in both the cabins and the kids. Till then, I ll keep it small and simple. And that s good enough. Pronunciation: Basic Intonation Patterns Activity A., Page 95 1. How much do these books cost? 2. Is the library open? 3. We re looking for the craft shop. 4. Walk north for two blocks. 5. Are you sure? 6. Please sign on the dotted line. 7. Call me tomorrow at six. 8. Have you read her new book? Activity B. Page 96 Alex: Have you seen Kim s latest sculpture? Lee: Yeah, Jae and I saw it last weekend. Alex: What did you think of it? Lee: It was really creative. Alex: That s it? Come on. Tell me what you thought. Lee: Well I could tell she worked hard on it. But it s really not my style. I mean, I wouldn t decorate my apartment with it. Alex: I see. I guess we all have different tastes. Lee: That s for sure. Did you like it? SPEAKING SKILL: Avoiding answering questions Activity A., Page 97 1. A: How old are you? B: I d rather not say. 2. A: What did you think of that book? B: You might say it gives a very unique point of view. 3. A: Hello. Is Nick there? B: Who s calling? 4. A: Is Joseph doing a good job? B: Joseph is a very hard worker. 5. A: Can I have your address, please? B: I m sorry, but I don t give out that information. 6. A: Where were you on Friday? B: Why do you need to know? 7. A: Where do you want to have dinner? B: Where would you like to go? Copyright Oxford University Press Page 5 of 6
8. A: How much did you pay for that car? B: It was affordable, and we re very happy with it. Copyright Oxford University Press Page 6 of 6