🔥Museum Blockbuster (thi máy 20/08/2022) IELTS READING ACTUAL TEST - Làm bài online format computer-based, kèm giải thích từ vựng ​

A. Since the 1980s, the term “blockbuster” has become the fashionable word for special spectacular museum, art gallery or science centre exhibitions. These exhibitions have the ability to attract large crowds and often large corporate sponsors. Here is one of some existing definitions of blockbuster: Put by Elsen (1984), a blockbuster is a “… large scale loan exhibition that people who normally don’t go to museums will stand in line for hours to see …”James Rosenfield, writing in Direct Marketing in 1993, has described a successful blockbuster exhibition as a “… triumph of both curatorial and marketing skills …”

My own definition for blockbuster is “a popular, high profile exhibition on display for a limited period, that attracts the general public, who are prepared to both stand in line and pay a fee in order to partake in the exhibition.” What both Elsen and Rosenfield omit in the descriptions of blockbusters, is that people are prepared to pay a fee to see a blockbuster, and that the term blockbuster can just as easily apply to a movie or a museum exhibition.

B. Merely naming an exhibition or movie a blockbuster however, does not make it a blockbuster. The term can only apply when the item in question has had an overwhelmingly successful response from the public. However, in literature from both the UK and USA the other words that also start to appear in descriptions of blockbusters are “less scholarly”, “non-elitist” and “popularist”.

Detractors argue that blockbusters are designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator, while others extol the virtues of encouraging scholars to cooperate on projects, and to provide exhibitions that cater for a broad selection of the community rather than an elite sector.

C. Maintaining and increasing visitor levels is paramount in the new museology. This requires continued product development. Not only the creation or hiring of blockbuster exhibitions, but regular exhibition changes and innovations. In addition, the visiting publics have become customers rather than visitors, and the skills that are valued in museums, science centres and galleries to keep the new customers coming through the door have changed.

High on the list of requirements are commercial, business, marketing and entrepreneurial skills. Curators are now administrators. Being a director of an art gallery no longer requires an Art Degree. As succinctly summarised in the Economist in 1994 “business nous and public relation skills” were essential requirements for a director, and the ability to compete with other museums to stage travelling exhibitions which draw huge crowds.

D. The new museology has resulted in the convergence of museums, the heritage industry, and tourism, profit-making and pleasure-giving. This has given rise to much debate about the appropriateness of adapting the activities of institutions so that they more closely reflect the priorities of the market place and whether it is appropriate to see museums primarily as tourist attractions. At many institutions you can now hold office functions in the display areas, or have dinner with the dinosaurs.

Whatever commentators may think, managers of museums, art galleries and science centres worldwide are looking for artful ways to blend culture and commerce, and blockbuster exhibitions are at the top of the list. But while blockbusters are all part of the new museology, there is proof that you don’t need a museum, science centre or art gallery to benefit from the drawing power of a blockbuster or to stage a blockbuster.

E. But do blockbusters held in public institutions really create a surplus to fund other activities? If the bottom line is profit, then according to the accounting records of many major museums and galleries, blockbusters do make money. For some museums overseas, it may be the money that they need to update parts of their collections or to repair buildings that are in need of attention.

For others in Australia, it may be the opportunity to illustrate that they are attempting to pay their way, by recovering part of their operating costs, or funding other operating activities with off budget revenue. This makes the economic rationalists cheerful. However, not all exhibitions that are hailed to be blockbusters will be blockbusters, and some will not make money. It is also unlikely that the accounting systems of most institutions will recognise the real cost of either creating or hiring a blockbuster.

F. Blockbusters require large capital expenditure, and draw on resources across all branches of an organisation; however, the costs don’t end there. There is a Human Resource Management cost in addition to a measurable ‘real’ dollar cost. Receiving a touring exhibition involves large expenditure as well, and draws resources from across functional management structures in project management style. Everyone from a general labourer to a building servicing unit, the front of house, technical, promotion, education and administration staff, are required to perform additional tasks.

Furthermore, as an increasing number of institutions in Australia fry their hand at increasing visitor numbers, memberships (and therefore revenue), by staging blockbuster exhibitions, it may be less likely that blockbusters will continue to provide a surplus to subsidise other activities due to the competitive nature of the market. There are only so many consumer dollars to go around, and visitors will need to choose between blockbuster products.

G. Unfortunately, when the bottom-line is the most important objective to the mounting of blockbuster exhibitions, this same objective can be hard to maintain. Creating, mounting or hiring blockbusters is exhausting for staff, with the real costs throughout an institution difficult to calculate. Although the direct aims may be financial, creating or hiring a blockbuster has many positive spinoffs; by raising their profile through a popular blockbuster exhibition, a museum will be seen in a more favorable light at budget time. Blockbusters mean crowds, and crowds are good for the local economy, providing increased employment for shops, hotels, restaurants, the transport industry and retailers.

Blockbusters expose staff to the vagaries and pressures of the market place, and may lead to creative excellence. Either the success or failure of a blockbuster may highlight the need for managers and policy makers to rethink their strategies. However, the new museology and the apparent trend towards blockbusters make it likely that museums, art galleries and particularly science centres will be seen as part of the entertainment and tourism industry, rather than as cultural icons deserving of government and philanthropic support.

H. Perhaps the best pathway to take is one that balances both blockbusters and regular exhibitions. However, this easy middle ground may only work if you have enough space, and have alternate sources of funding to continue to support the regular less exciting fare. Perhaps the advice should be to make sure that your regular activities and exhibitions are more enticing, and find out what your local community wants from you. The question (trend) now at most museums and science centres, is “What blockbusters can we tour to overseas venues and will it be cost effective?”

Questions 1-4
The reading Passage has seven paragraphs A-H. Which paragraphs contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A-H, in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use an letter more than once.
1. A reason for changing the exhibition programs.
2. The time people have to wait in a queue in order to enjoy exhibitions.
3. Terms people used when referring to blockbuster
4. There was some controversy over confining target groups of blockbuster

Questions 5-8
Complete the following summary of the paragraphs of Reading Passage, using no more than three words from the Reading Passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 5-8 on your answer sheet.
Instead of being visitors, people turned out to be____5_____, who require the creation or hiring of blockbuster exhibitions as well as regular exhibition changes and innovations. Business nous and ____6_____simply summarized in a magazine are not only important factors for directors, but also an ability to attract a crowd of audiences. _____7_____ has contributed to the linking of museums, the heritage industry, tourism, profit-making and pleasure-giving. There occurs some controversy over whether it is proper to consider museums mainly as_____8______.

Questions 9-10
Choose TWO letters A-E.
Write your answer in boxes 9-10 on your answer sheet. The list below gives some advantages of blockbuster.
Which TWO advantages are mentioned by the writer of the text?
A. To offer sufficient money to repair architectures.
B. To maintain and increase visitor levels.
C. Presenting the mixture in the culture and commerce of art galleries and science centres worldwide.
D. Being beneficial for the development of local business.
E. Being beneficial for the directors.

Questions 11 – 13
Choose THREE letters A-F. Write your answer in boxes 11-13 on your answer sheet. The list below gives some disadvantages of blockbuster.
Which THREE disadvantages are mentioned by the writer of the text?
A. People felt hesitated to choose exhibitions.
B. Workers has become tired of workloads.
C. The content has become more entertaining rather than cultural.
D. General labourers are required to perform additional tasks
E. Huge amounts of capital invested in specialists.
F. Exposing staff to the fantasies and pressures of the market place.

A

1. Spectacular

   • Meaning: Đẹp mắt, ấn tượng
   • Vietnamese: Ấn tượng, ngoạn mục
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “The term 'blockbuster' has become the fashionable word for special spectacular museum, art gallery or science centre exhibitions.”
   • Example in Vietnamese: Thuật ngữ "bom tấn" đã trở thành từ thời thượng để chỉ các triển lãm bảo tàng, phòng trưng bày nghệ thuật hoặc trung tâm khoa học đặc biệt ấn tượng.

2. Triumph

   • Meaning: Chiến thắng hoặc thành công lớn
   • Vietnamese: Chiến thắng, thành công vang dội
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “…a successful blockbuster exhibition as a '…triumph of both curatorial and marketing skills…’"
   • Example in Vietnamese: Một triển lãm bom tấn thành công là "chiến thắng của cả kỹ năng bảo quản lẫn tiếp thị."

B

1. Scholarly

   • Meaning: Học thuật, mang tính học giả
   • Vietnamese: Học thuật
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “The other words that also start to appear in descriptions of blockbusters are 'less scholarly'...”
   • Example in Vietnamese: Các từ khác cũng bắt đầu xuất hiện để mô tả bom tấn là "ít học thuật hơn."

2. Non-elitist

   • Meaning: Không dành riêng cho tầng lớp tinh hoa
   • Vietnamese: Không mang tính tinh hoa
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “…'non-elitist' and 'popularist'.”
   • Example in Vietnamese: Không mang tính tinh hoa và phù hợp với đại chúng.

3. Detractors

   • Meaning: Người chỉ trích, phản đối
   • Vietnamese: Người phản đối, người chỉ trích
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “Detractors argue that blockbusters are designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator…”
   • Example in Vietnamese: Những người phản đối cho rằng các bom tấn được thiết kế để thu hút sở thích chung thấp nhất.

C

1. Paramount

   • Meaning: Quan trọng hàng đầu
   • Vietnamese: Quan trọng nhất
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “Maintaining and increasing visitor levels is paramount in the new museology.”
   • Example in Vietnamese: Việc duy trì và gia tăng số lượng khách tham quan là tối quan trọng trong bảo tàng học mới.

2. Entrepreneurial

   • Meaning: Mang tính doanh nhân, kinh doanh
   • Vietnamese: Mang tính khởi nghiệp, doanh nhân
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “High on the list of requirements are commercial, business, marketing and entrepreneurial skills.”
   • Example in Vietnamese: Đứng đầu danh sách yêu cầu là kỹ năng thương mại, kinh doanh, tiếp thị và khởi nghiệp.

D

1. Convergence
   • Meaning: Sự hội tụ, sự kết hợp
   • Vietnamese: Sự hội tụ, sự giao thoa
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “The new museology has resulted in the convergence of museums, the heritage industry, and tourism…”
   • Example in Vietnamese: Bảo tàng học mới đã dẫn đến sự hội tụ của bảo tàng, ngành di sản và du lịch.

E

1. Surplus

   • Meaning: Số dư, lợi nhuận vượt trội
   • Vietnamese: Thặng dư, dư thừa
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “But do blockbusters held in public institutions really create a surplus to fund other activities?”
   • Example in Vietnamese: Nhưng liệu các bom tấn tổ chức tại các cơ sở công cộng có thực sự tạo ra thặng dư để tài trợ cho các hoạt động khác không?

2. Economic rationalists

   • Meaning: Những người ủng hộ lý thuyết kinh tế thực dụng
   • Vietnamese: Nhà lý luận kinh tế thực dụng
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “This makes the economic rationalists cheerful.”
   • Example in Vietnamese: Điều này khiến các nhà lý luận kinh tế thực dụng vui vẻ.

F

1. Capital expenditure

   • Meaning: Chi phí đầu tư vốn
   • Vietnamese: Chi tiêu vốn, chi phí đầu tư
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “Blockbusters require large capital expenditure…”
   • Example in Vietnamese: Các bom tấn đòi hỏi chi tiêu vốn lớn.

2. Competitive nature

   • Meaning: Tính cạnh tranh
   • Vietnamese: Bản chất cạnh tranh
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “…due to the competitive nature of the market.”
   • Example in Vietnamese: Do tính chất cạnh tranh của thị trường.

G

1. Vagaries

   • Meaning: Sự thay đổi bất thường
   • Vietnamese: Sự thất thường
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “Blockbusters expose staff to the vagaries and pressures of the market place…”
   • Example in Vietnamese: Các bom tấn khiến nhân viên phải đối mặt với những sự thất thường và áp lực của thị trường.

2. Spinoffs

   • Meaning: Lợi ích phụ, tác dụng phụ tích cực
   • Vietnamese: Tác dụng phụ tích cực
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “Creating or hiring a blockbuster has many positive spinoffs…”
   • Example in Vietnamese: Việc tạo ra hoặc thuê một bom tấn mang lại nhiều tác dụng phụ tích cực.

3. Philanthropic

   • Meaning: Từ thiện, nhân đạo
   • Vietnamese: Nhân đạo, từ thiện
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “…rather than as cultural icons deserving of government and philanthropic support.”
   • Example in Vietnamese: Thay vì là biểu tượng văn hóa đáng nhận được sự hỗ trợ từ chính phủ và tổ chức từ thiện.

H

1. Alternate sources

   • Meaning: Nguồn thay thế
   • Vietnamese: Nguồn thay thế
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “…have alternate sources of funding to continue to support the regular less exciting fare.”
   • Example in Vietnamese: Có các nguồn tài trợ thay thế để tiếp tục hỗ trợ các chương trình thông thường ít hấp dẫn hơn.

2. Enticing

   • Meaning: Hấp dẫn, lôi cuốn
   • Vietnamese: Lôi cuốn, hấp dẫn
   • IELTS TUTOR xét ví dụ từ bài đọc: “…to make sure that your regular activities and exhibitions are more enticing…”
   • Example in Vietnamese: Để đảm bảo rằng các hoạt động và triển lãm thông thường của bạn hấp dẫn hơn.