Problems at the Venice Art Show

Introduction

The Venice Biennale art show has many problems. People are angry because Russia and Israel are in the show.

Main Body

Five judges left the show. The European Commission stopped giving money. Seventy artists do not want prizes. They are angry at Russia and Israel. The leader of the show is Pietrangelo Buttafuoco. He says the show must be open to all countries. He wants people from all over the world to meet. Now, the public votes for the prizes. Before, the judges chose the winners. Some people think this new way is a mistake.

Conclusion

The art show is in a fight. It wants to be a place for talk, but people want to use it for politics.

Learning

⚡ Quick Shift: Past vs. Now

Look at how the story changes from before to now. This is a key A2 skill: comparing two times.

1. The Old Way (Past)

  • "The judges chose the winners."
  • (Action is finished \rightarrow use the -ed form or a special past word like chose).

2. The New Way (Present)

  • "The public votes for the prizes."
  • (Action is happening regularly \rightarrow add an -s for one group).

💡 Word Power: Simple Opposites

Now/OpenBefore/Closed
Open to all \rightarrow Anyone can comeStop money \rightarrow No more cash
Public votes \rightarrow Everyone decidesJudges chose \rightarrow Only a few decided

Vocabulary Learning

people
a group of humans; many individuals
Example:People are waiting for the bus.
angry
feeling or showing strong displeasure or annoyance
Example:She was angry because she lost her keys.
money
currency used for buying goods and services
Example:He saved his money for a vacation.
open
not closed; accessible
Example:The shop is open from 9 AM to 5 PM.
world
the Earth and all its people
Example:He traveled around the world.
meet
to come together with someone
Example:We will meet at the park.
public
available to everyone; not private
Example:The public library is free to use.
votes
the act of choosing by voting
Example:The votes were counted after the election.
winners
people who win a competition
Example:The winners received trophies.
fight
a physical or verbal conflict
Example:They had a fight over the last slice of pizza.