5-minute listening: Dutch artist paints 10 pictures at the same time with hands and feet; goes viral on social media

2. Why did the artist start to paint with two hands?
A. to impress people at parties
B. to challenge herself
C. to become a professional artist
D. to better express herself

3. When did Rajacenna realise she was ambidextrous?
A. after undergoing a brain scan
B. while learning to paint
C. while trying to paint faster using two hands
D. after an accident

4. Which word can replace “profession” in the podcast?
A. career
B. art
C. calling
D. business

5. What did the journalist mentioned in the podcast challenge Rajacenna to do?
A. paint on a canvas that is upside down
B. paint with both hands
C. paint with her eyes closed
D. paint with her feet

6. Why did Rajacenna put sticky tape and plasticine on her toes?
A. to keep the paintbrushes from falling off
B. so that she can paint more accurately
C. because the canvases were too large for her feet
D. to prevent the paint from sticking to her feet

7. What does the word “exploits” refer to?
A. Rajacenna’s feet
B. Rajacenna’s paintings
C. Rajacenna’s fans
D. Rajacenna’s videos

8. What happened after the artist posted a video of her foot painting online?
A. She received negative feedback on her technique.
B. The video was ignored and gained no attention.
C. She was contacted by scientists who wanted to find out how she did it.
D. It went viral and became very popular.

9. How much does one of her paintings cost?
A. less than €5,000
B. at least €6,000
C. about €15,000
D. information not given

10. Can Rajacenna tell the difference between her hand-painted and foot-painted works?
A. No, she cannot tell them apart.
B. Sometimes she can because of the smudges on the paintings from her toes.
C. Yes, she can because the foot paintings are not as detailed.
D. Yes, she can because the foot paintings are more precise.

11. What did a neurologist find out about Rajacenna’s brain?
A. Both sides were more connected than average.
B. It was completely different to a typical brain.
C. Her left brain was larger than a regular person’s.
D. There was nothing unusual about it.

12. What happened to the artist when she was a teenager?
A. She moved to Italy.
B. She wanted to study painting.
C. She painted for a celebrity.
D. She lost interest in drawing.

13. A “portrait” is …
A. a brush that is used for painting
B. a material for artists to paint on
C. a painting of a person
D. none of the above

14. Which word best describes how Justin Bieber reacted to Rajacenna’s work?
A. impressed
B. outraged
C. critical
D. indifferent

15. How does Rajacenna feel while painting multiple canvases at a time?
A. frustrated
B. relaxed
C. worried
D. energetic

1. C
2. B
3. C
4. A
5. D
6. A
7. B
8. D
9. B
10. C
11. A
12. D
13. C
14. A
15. B

Adapted from Agence France-Presse

Voice 1: Rajacenna van Dam is a Dutch artist with a unique painting technique. With two paintbrushes between her toes and two in her hands, she simultaneously brings to life 10 different paintings. These creations are a testament to her exceptional talent: the works include an astronaut, a self-portrait, a bespectacled panda and seven other captivating images.

Voice 2: For Rajacenna, who goes by her artist name, her painting style began as just a party trick, but now, it has transformed into a profession that has catapulted her to viral fame. Her journey to success is a testament to her determination and unique talent. Every stroke of her paintbrush is meticulously planned in her mind before she sets to work with her hands and feet. This is a testament to her exceptional artistic vision and skill.

Voice 1: The 31-year-old artist, who is technically left-handed, explained that she divides her attention by working a bit on one canvas and then moving to another. She started painting with both hands five years ago because she wanted to challenge herself and speed up her work. This led her to discover she was ambidextrous.

Voice 2: Then, a journalist asked her as a joke whether she could also use her feet, and the artist started trying this for fun. After a few mishaps with sticky tape between her toes, Rajacenna tried using plasticine clay to keep the brush between her toes.

Voice 1: It was a success, and she posted a video of her exploits online, which quickly went viral. Orders flooded in. Her paintings sell for between €6,000 and €12,000, which is about HK$50,000 to HK$100,000. She is so skilled that only she can tell the difference between paintings crafted with her hands and those with her feet – those painted with the latter are a little less precise.

Voice 2: A study on her brain by a Turkish-German neurologist, Onur Gunturkun, showed that her brain’s left and right sides are three times more connected than average. He said that Rajacenna was capable of things that neuroscience deems impossible.

Voice 1: Rajacenna has loved drawing since she was a small child. After a short adolescent dip in interest, her passion was rekindled by an Italian street artist. She has attracted some famous admirers, notably pop star Justin Bieber. He described her work as amazing when she presented him with a portrait of himself.

Voice 2: Today, her videos on social media attract millions of views, especially when she paints 10 canvasses at a time with her hands and feet. While this might stress most people out, Rajacenna says that doing all 10 paintings at the same time gives her a calm, meditative feeling.