Reading Worksheet 19

Film-Making

In the 1920s, new technology allowed filmmakers to attach to each film a soundtrack of speech, music and sound effects synchronized with the action on the screen. These sound films were initially distinguished by calling them talking pictures, or talkies. The next major step in the development of cinema was the introduction of color. While the addition of sound to film revolutionized the medium, quickly driving out silent movies, color was adopted more gradually. The public was relatively indifferent to color photography as opposed to black-and-white. But as color processes improved and became as affordable as black-and-white film, more and more movies were filmed in color after the end of World War II, as the industry in America came to view color an essential to attracting audiences in its competition with television, which remained a black-and-white medium until the mid-60s. By the end of the 1960s, color had become the norm for filmmakers.

1. We can understand from the passage that the introduction of sound films ----.

A) occurred at the time of the introduction of color films
B) was not easy because it was not affordable
C) made color movies a possibility on a commercial basis
D) was an important milestone in the film industry
E) was delayed until after the end of World War II

2. It is stated in the reading that ----.

A) 1920s marked the end to the era of sound films
B) the transition to color films was not as rapid as the transition to sound
        films
C) color movies did not appear until the mid- 60s
D) television didn't become popular until the mid-60s
E) color TVs were expensive initially

3. One can understand from the passage that ----.

A) black-and-white films are still a wonderful source of entertainment
B) the film industry fell into a serious crisis after the end of World War II
C) the' arrival of sound films ended the popularity of silent movies
D) the introduction of color to movies didn't help movie industry in its
        competition with television
E) the public was indifferent to sound films

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