Grammar for ielts fiona Aish & Jo Tomlinson ■L& 11

Now listen to the model answer on Track 
27 
of the 
CD 
and compare it with your answer.
How many reporting verbs and reported speech structures did you use?
Read the text below and then complete the sentences with the correct verb forms.
The decline of poetry in the modern age
The decline of poetry readings as a form of mass e n tertainm ent in modern society has 
been w e ll documented by academics and critics alike and there are various theories 
which may account fo r it. According to Professor Jackson at Barnes State University, the 
rise of various form s of popular culture such as m usic festivals, comedy and m usical 
theatre means that it is not surprising that poetry is in decline. However, he also believes 
that ‘the speed w ith which it has declined overall is s u rp ris in g ’. Professor Jackson has 
been criticized by Dr A ru n d e ll from Clivedale University who thinks that his research is 
m isleading. 'Professor Jackson has m isrepresented a change as a decline.' Dr A rundell's 
view is supported by the poet and w rite r, Sam Henderson, who states that ‘people who 
attend poetry readings also frequent the cinema, m usical theatre and classical concerts 
nowadays so the decline is not in the num ber of people but in the num ber of tim es 
these people attend poetry readings.' This subtle difference is the main conclusion of Dr 
A rundell's study. She would like poets and spoken word perform ers to use this inform ation 
as the basis of widening th e ir audience; as she argues, ‘If poetry lovers have a wide range 
of c u ltu ra l interests, then cinema or theatre goers w ill also have a wide range of interests.' 
She concludes that 'there is no reason why these people can't be urged to try poetry 
readings too.'
1
Professor Jackson said that the speed w ith w hich p o e try ___________ overall
___________ surprising.