Questions 27-32
The reading passage has six paragraphs labelled A-F.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A-F in boxes 27-32 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
The answer is F. Paragraph F discusses how, after the release of The Jazz Singer, European filmmakers began using sound: "Talkies were not purely an American phenomenon. European filmmakers, following the release of The Jazz Singer in September of 1928, realized the potential and joined the fray." It details how filmmakers in Europe embraced the technology and produced two versions of films while theaters caught up, highlighting the spread of sound in film to another part of the world.
Associated Text:
Talkies were not purely an American phenomenon. European filmmakers, following the release of The Jazz Singer in September of 1928, realized the potential and joined the fray. In 1929, most major filmmakers in Europe embraced the new technology, but they had to shoot their films abroad while their domestic studios scrambled to catch up technologically. And it wasn’t only studios that lagged behind the filmmakers; conversion of theaters happened somewhat slowly, which meant that many European filmmakers created two versions of each movie: one with sound, one without.
The answer is E. Paragraph E refers to the first ground-breaking sound film: “In October of that year came Warner Brothers release of The Jazz Singer, the first full-length feature film incorporating sound.” This clearly identifies The Jazz Singer as a significant milestone in the use of sound in film, marking a pivotal moment in film history.
Associated Text:
In October of that year came Warner Brothers release of The Jazz Singer, the first full-length feature film incorporating sound. Using the most advanced sound-on-disc technology of the time, it was a resounding success.
The answer is A. Paragraph A covers how the early movie industry was influenced by new technology: "The early twentieth century brought a multitude of changes to the entertainment business. In the 1920s, innovators advanced the medium of film by playing with new technology and new styles. Color processors were added and multiple projectors were used. The television was invented and screen sizes expanded…yet, more significant…was the addition of sound to film in the 1920s." This account demonstrates how contemporary advancements affected the film industry.
Associated Text:
The early twentieth century brought a multitude of changes to the entertainment business. In the 1920s, innovators advanced the medium of film by playing with new technology and new styles. Color processors were added and multiple projectors were used. The television was invented and screen sizes expanded. Yet, more significant than the transition from black and white to Technicolor or the expansion of size was the addition of sound to film in the 1920s. These early “talking pictures,” or simply “talkies,” would eventually become all the rage and change the direction of cinema forever.
The answer is C. Paragraph C details the difficulties faced by early sound innovators: "Before World War One, innovators had played with adding sound to recorded movies. As early as 1900, public exhibitions of sound films had taken place. However, the technology available didn’t match filmmakers’ ambitions. Not only were recording and amplification quality poor, but it was difficult to synchronize sound and film reliably. The result – a poor quality recording out of sync with the action on film - made viewers of the 1920s skeptical about the future of sound in films." This outlines the technical challenges encountered.
Associated Text:
Before World War One, innovators had played with adding sound to recorded movies. As early as 1900, public exhibitions of sound films had taken place. However, the technology available didn’t match filmmakers’ ambitions. Not only were recording and amplification quality poor, but it was difficult to synchronize sound and film reliably. The result – a poor quality recording out of sync with the action on film - made viewers of the 1920s skeptical about the future of sound in films.
The answer is B. Paragraph B talks about motion pictures before sound was developed: "Before this change, silent films were not in fact 'silent.' A variety of sounds were created to enhance the motion picture experience for the patron. Almost every theater had a piano or an organ that a musician would play to accompany the action on screen. Some theaters employed even more elaborate set-ups. In Japan, for instance, 'benshi' provided live narration; the voice actors stood to one side of the screen, sometimes voicing multiple roles alongside the original musical compositions." This clearly describes the era of silent films before synchronized sound.
Associated Text:
Before this change, silent films were not in fact 'silent.' A variety of sounds were created to enhance the motion picture experience for the patron. Almost every theater had a piano or an organ that a musician would play to accompany the action on screen. Some theaters employed even more elaborate set-ups. In Japan, for instance, 'benshi' provided live narration; the voice actors stood to one side of the screen, sometimes voicing multiple roles alongside the original musical compositions.
The answer is D. Paragraph D discusses other contemporary innovations and how they increased demand for sound: “The phone was being developed in this era, and wireless technologies began to surface. In the United States, firms like the American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) and General Electric (GE) emerged as industry leaders, as they pursued new forms of sound technology and all potential avenues for commercial exploitation. Commercial radio programming began, spawning an entirely new outlet for entertainment and news. Clearly, the world was enjoying the newfound success in sound technology, and it was only a matter of time before the film industry caught up.” This outlines how developments in related fields influenced the desire for sound in movies.
Associated Text:
The phone was being developed in this era, and wireless technologies began to surface. In the United States, firms like the American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) and General Electric (GE) emerged as industry leaders, as they pursued new forms of sound technology and all potential avenues for commercial exploitation. Commercial radio programming began, spawning an entirely new outlet for entertainment and news. Clearly, the world was enjoying the newfound success in sound technology, and it was only a matter of time before the film industry caught up.
Questions 33-37
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage? In boxes 33-37 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.
The answer is TRUE. In paragraph B, it is stated: “Before this change, silent films were not in fact 'silent.' A variety of sounds were created to enhance the motion picture experience for the patron. Almost every theater had a piano or an organ that a musician would play to accompany the action on screen. Some theaters employed even more elaborate set-ups. In Japan, for instance, 'benshi' provided live narration.” This confirms that movies used live music and narration before 'talkies.'
Associated Text:
Before this change, silent films were not in fact 'silent.' A variety of sounds were created to enhance the motion picture experience for the patron. Almost every theater had a piano or an organ that a musician would play to accompany the action on screen. Some theaters employed even more elaborate set-ups. In Japan, for instance, 'benshi' provided live narration; the voice actors stood to one side of the screen, sometimes voicing multiple roles alongside the original musical compositions.
The answer is FALSE. In paragraph C, it is stated: “Many thought that it would soon fade. Though critics of early sound films disregarded their ongoing popularity, innovative filmmakers continued their experiments.” This means early mainstream filmmakers did not simply follow the public's demand, but continued to experiment despite skepticism, so the statement contradicts the passage.
Associated Text:
Many thought that it would soon fade. Though critics of early sound films disregarded their ongoing popularity, innovative filmmakers continued their experiments.
The answer is TRUE. Paragraph E indicates that after the release of The Jazz Singer, other studios were slower to adapt, but when Warner Bros. continued to release successful sound films, the other studios realized they could not compete without adopting the new technology: "But other major studios were rather slow to join the movement. Warner Bros. released three more successful feature-length talkies in the following year...Seeing the profits that Warner Bros. was reaping, all of the other major studios followed suit over the next year and a half."
Associated Text:
But other major studios were rather slow to join the movement. Warner Bros. released three more successful feature-length talkies in the following year, and it wasn’t until September 1928 that another studio – Paramount – brought out its own sound film: Beggars of Life. Seeing the profits that Warner Bros. was reaping, all of the other major studios followed suit over the next year and a half.
The answer is FALSE. In paragraph F, the passage explains the causality was the opposite: “conversion of theaters happened somewhat slowly, which meant that many European filmmakers created two versions of each movie: one with sound, one without.” So, theaters were slow to convert, and as a consequence, filmmakers had to make two versions, not the other way around.
Associated Text:
conversion of theaters happened somewhat slowly, which meant that many European filmmakers created two versions of each movie: one with sound, one without.
The answer is TRUE. Paragraph E states that by 1930, sound films had been widely accepted in the United States: "The trend was so swift that by 1930, virtually all American theaters had been retrofitted for sound." Paragraph F adds that Britain matched the pace of America, though France lagged behind: "Eventually, Britain matched the pace of conversion in America, with well over half of theaters becoming sound-equipped by the end of 1930." This confirms sound films were widely accepted in the US and much of Europe by the end of the 1920s.
Associated Text:
The trend was so swift that by 1930, virtually all American theaters had been retrofitted for sound. Eventually, Britain matched the pace of conversion in America, with well over half of theaters becoming sound-equipped by the end of 1930. In France, on the other hand, a majority of venues were still fully silent in late 1932.
Questions 38-40
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Write your answers in boxes 38-40
on your answer sheet.
38. Which of the following is true about the film “The Battleship Potemkin”?
39. Some people believed that sound in films would not achieve popularity because …
40. What is the significance of the film Beggars of Life?
The answer is D. The relevant lines are in paragraph B: “And in some cases, original music was composed to go along with a particular film. An example of these original musical films can be seen in the 1925 soviet film ‘The Battleship Potemkin,’ screened in Berlin. When The Battleship Potemkin first played outside the USSR in Berlin, Germany, director Sergei Eisenstein teamed up with Austrian composer Edmund Meisel to produce a musical score that matched sound to image.” Of the options: (A) is unsupported, (B) is incorrect as Meisel wrote the score but did not write the film, (C) is not stated, and (D) correctly identifies that an original score premiered with the film in Berlin.
Associated Text:
And in some cases, original music was composed to go along with a particular film. An example of these original musical films can be seen in the 1925 soviet film “The Battleship Potemkin,” screened in Berlin. When The Battleship Potemkin first played outside the USSR in Berlin, Germany, director Sergei Eisenstein teamed up with Austrian composer Edmund Meisel to produce a musical score that matched sound to image.
The answer is B. In paragraph C: “The result – a poor quality recording out of sync with the action on film - made viewers of the 1920s skeptical about the future of sound in films.” Of the options: (A) and (C) are not discussed, (D) is unsupported, and (B) matches the passage by explaining that skepticism existed because early attempts at sound films were of poor quality.
Associated Text:
The result – a poor quality recording out of sync with the action on film - made viewers of the 1920s skeptical about the future of sound in films.
The answer is D. Paragraph E states: “…it wasn’t until September 1928 that another studio – Paramount – brought out its own sound film: Beggars of Life.” Of the options: (A) is incorrect as The Jazz Singer was first, (B) and (C) are unsupported by the passage, and (D) clearly fits, since Beggars of Life was the first full-length sound film by a studio other than Warner Bros.
Associated Text:
it wasn’t until September 1928 that another studio – Paramount – brought out its own sound film: Beggars of Life.
