14th meeting The history of graffiti – level B2

Why was the seventies an important decade in the history of graffiti?

• a. That was when modern graffiti first appeared.

• b. That was when modern graffiti first became really popular.

• c. That was when graffiti first reached New York.

What is a 'masterpiece' in graffiti?

• a. A really high-quality piece of graffiti.

• b. A work of graffiti showing the artist's name.

• c. A full piece of graffiti, like those seen on subway trains.

What was the main motivation for the first taggers?

• a. Showing which streets belonged to which gangs.

• b. Creating a strong visual identity for their 'crew'.

• c. Sending coded messages to other gangs.

Who coined the phrase 'graffiti'?

• a. New York gangs who had a lot of Italian immigrant members.

• b. A newspaper and an author.

• c. The man who was the mayor of New York in the late seventies.

What does New York city councillor Peter Vallone say about graffiti?

• a. Graffiti can be good for cities as long as it is tasteful and conveys positive messages.

• b. Graffiti can be beautiful if it is done by a skilled artist.

• c. Graffiti is a crime if the artist does not have permission.

What do the Berlin-based group Reclaim Your City say about graffiti?

• a. Involving young people in graffiti stops them getting involved with serious crime.

• b. Graffiti helps the public to own the streets and take control away from advertisers.

• c. Graffiti actually increases the value of property by making the area more attractive.

How did things change after the first war on graffiti?

• a. It was considered a more serious crime.

• b. Graffiti artists had to find different places to paint.

• c. New York looked a lot cleaner.

What is the author's final point?

• a. Graffiti has now become mainstream and can make artists a lot of money.

• b. Graffiti is not a good way to become a respected artist.

• c. Some of the most popular graffiti artists end up being exploited by the art world.

People who graffiti their names are called ______________.

Taggers originally worked in groups called ______________