Artificial Artist? — IELTS Reading Answers

What is the writer suggesting about computer-produced works in the first paragraph?

1. APeople’s acceptance of them can vary considerably.
2. BA great deal of progress has already been attained in this field.correct
3. CThey have had more success in some artistic genres than in others.
4. DThe advances are not as significant as the public believes them to be.

“The Painting Fool is one of a growing number of computer programs which, so their makers claim, possess creative talents”

B: the opening describes 'a growing number of computer programs' claiming creative talents, implying considerable progress rather than public scepticism.

According to Geraint Wiggins, why are many people worried by computer art?

1. AIt is aesthetically inferior to human art.
2. BIt may ultimately supersede human art.
3. CIt undermines a fundamental human quality.correct
4. DIt will lead to a deterioration in human ability.

“It scares a lot of people. They are worried that it is taking something special away from what it means to be human.”

C: Wiggins says computer art is 'taking something special away from what it means to be human', so it undermines a fundamental human quality.

What is a key difference between Aaron and the Painting Fool?

1. Aits programmer’s background
2. Bpublic response to its work
3. Cthe source of its subject mattercorrect
4. Dthe technical standard of its output

“Unlike earlier ‘artists’ such as Aaron, the Painting Fool only needs minimal direction and can come up with its own concepts by going online for material.”

C: unlike Aaron, the Painting Fool 'can come up with its own concepts by going online for material', so its subject matter has a different source.

What point does Simon Colton make in the fourth paragraph?

1. ASoftware-produced art is often dismissed as childish and simplistic.
2. BThe same concepts of creativity should not be applied to all forms of art.
3. CIt is unreasonable to expect a machine to be as imaginative as a human being.
4. DPeople tend to judge computer art and human art according to different criteria.correct

“While some might say they have a mechanical look, Colton argues that such reactions arise from people’s double standards towards software-produced and human-produced art”

D: Colton blames reactions to the 'mechanical look' on 'double standards', meaning people judge computer and human art by different criteria.

The writer refers to the paintings of a chair as an example of computer art which

1. Aachieves a particularly striking effect.correct
2. Bexhibits a certain level of genuine artistic skill.
3. Cclosely resembles that of a well-known artist.
4. Dhighlights the technical limitations of the software.

“Some of the Painting Fool’s paintings of a chair came out in black and white, thanks to a technical glitch. This gives the work an eerie, ghostlike quality.”

A: a technical glitch produced black-and-white chair paintings with 'an eerie, ghostlike quality', an example of a strikingly effective result.

Simon Colton says it is important to consider the long-term view when

“Researchers like Colton don’t believe it is right to measure machine creativity directly to that of humans who ‘have had millennia to develop our skills’”

D: Colton says it is unfair to measure machine creativity against humans who 'have had millennia to develop our skills', a long-term comparison.

David Cope’s EMI software surprised people by

“Audiences were moved to tears, and EMI even fooled classical music experts into thinking they were hearing genuine Bach”

A: EMI 'fooled classical music experts into thinking they were hearing genuine Bach', so its output surprised people by seeming authentically skilled.

Geraint Wiggins criticized Cope for not

“Some, such as Wiggins, have blasted Cope’s work as pseudoscience, and condemned him for his deliberately vague explanation of how the software worked”

E: Wiggins condemned Cope for 'his deliberately vague explanation of how the software worked', so the criticism concerns a lack of openness.

Douglas Hofstadter claimed that EMI was

“Douglas Hofstadter of Indiana University said EMI created replicas which still rely completely on the original artist’s creative impulses”

C: Hofstadter said EMI's replicas 'rely completely on the original artist's creative impulses', so he regarded the music as derivative.

Audiences who had listened to EMI’s music became angry after

“When audiences found out the truth they were often outraged with Cope, and one music lover even tried to punch him”

G: audiences were 'outraged with Cope' once they 'found out the truth', so their anger followed learning the music was computer-generated.

The participants in David Moffat’s study had to assess music without

“The participants weren’t told beforehand whether the tunes were composed by humans or computers”

B: participants 'weren't told beforehand whether the tunes were composed by humans or computers', so they judged without knowing the composer.

Moffat’s research may help explain people’s reactions to EMI.

“A study by computer scientist David Moffat of Glasgow Caledonian University provides a clue”

YES: Moffat's study is said to 'provide a clue', so his research can plausibly explain why audiences reacted as they did to EMI.

The non-experts in Moffat’s study all responded in a predictable way.

“People who thought the composer was a computer tended to dislike the piece more than those who believed it was human. This was true even among the experts, who might have been expected to be more objective in their analyses.”

NOT GIVEN: the study found people who believed a computer composed the piece disliked it more, but never says all non-experts responded predictably.

Justin Kruger’s findings cast doubt on Paul Bloom’s theory about people’s prejudice towards computer art.

“Paul Bloom of Yale University has a suggestion: he reckons part of the pleasure we get from art stems from the creative process behind the work. This can give it an ‘irresistible essence’, says Bloom.”

NO: Kruger found enjoyment rises when people think more effort was needed, which supports Bloom's 'irresistible essence' idea rather than casting doubt on it.