The Hollywood film industry Reading Answers

The Hollywood film industry reading practice tests is provided with answers and explanations. This passage comprises 13 questions divided into three question types - match the headings, true/false/not given and complete the summary. 

Table of contents:

• Solution for The Hollywood film industry
• The Hollywood film industry IELTS Reading Practice Test
• Passage
• Questions
• Answers with Explanations

Solution for The Hollywood film industry

The Hollywood film industry reading answers are listed in the table below. Verify your answers against our answer table, then correct any inaccuracies.

Answer Table

14. iv	18. v	22. NOT GIVEN	26. DIVESTITURE
15. ii	19. vi	23. TRUE
16. vii	20. FALSE	24. VERTICAL INTEGRATION
17. i	21. TRUE	25. MOVIE MOGULS

The Hollywood film industry  IELTS Reading Practice Test - Exam Review

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The Hollywood film industry reading answers are given here, which will help you excel in the  IELTS reading practice test to challenge your reading skills. Paraphrasing can help you to understand the ideas clearly which makes you able to efficiently answer the questions.

Passage

We’ve provided the reading passage of The Hollywood film industry. Read the passage and carefully complete the questions. Check the answers with our The Hollywood film industry reading answer with locations.

The Hollywood film industry

A. This chapter examines the ‘Golden Age’ of the Hollywood film studio system and explores how a particular kind of filmmaking developed during this period in US film history. It also focuses on the two key elements which influenced the emergence of the classic Hollywood studio system: the advent of sound and the business ideal of vertical integration. In addition to its historical interest, inspecting the growth of the studio system may offer clues regarding the kinds of struggles that accompany the growth of any new medium. It might, in fact, be intriguing to examine which changes occurred during the growth of the Hollywood studio, and compare those changes to contemporary struggles in which production companies are trying to define and control emerging industries, such as online film and interactive television.

B The shift of the industry away from ‘silent’ films began during the late 1920s. Warner Bros.’ 1927 film The Jazz Singer was the first to feature synchronized speech, and with it came a period of turmoil for the industry. Studios now had proof that ‘talkie’ films would make them money, but the financial investment this kind of filmmaking would require, from new camera equipment to new projection facilities, made the studios hesitant to invest at first. In the end, the power of cinematic sound to both move audiences and enhance the story persuaded studios that talkies were worth investing in. Overall, the use of sound in film was well-received by audiences, but there were still many technical factors to consider. Although full integration of sound into movies was complete by 1930, it would take somewhat longer for them to regain their stylistic elegance and dexterity. The camera now had to be encased in a big, clumsy, unmoveable soundproof box. In addition, actors struggled, having to direct their speech to awkwardly-hidden microphones in huge plants, telephones or even costumes.
C Vertical integration is the other key component in the rise of the Hollywood studio system. The major studios realized they could increase their profits by handling each stage of a film’s life: production (making the film), distribution (getting the film out to people) and exhibition (owning the theaters in major cities where films were shown first). Five studios, ‘The Big Five’, worked to achieve vertical integration through the late 1940s, owning vast real estate on which to construct elaborate sets. In addition, these studios set the exact terms of films’ release dates and patterns. Warner Bros., Paramount, 20th Century Fox, MGM and RKO formed this exclusive club. ‘The Little Three’ studios – Universal, Columbia and United Artists – also made pictures, but each lacked one of the crucial elements of vertical integration. Together these eight companies operated as a mature oligopoly, essentially running the entire market.
D During the Golden Age, the studios were remarkably consistent and stable enterprises, due in large part to long-term management heads – the infamous ‘movie moguls’ who ruled their kingdoms with iron fists. At MGM, Warner Bros, and Columbia, the same men ran their studios for decades. The rise of the studio system also hinges on the treatment of stars, who were constructed and exploited to suit a studio’s image and schedule. Actors were bound up in seven-year contracts to a single studio, and the studio boss generally held all the options. Stars could be loaned out to other production companies at any time. Studio bosses could also force bad roles on actors, and manipulate every single detail of stars’ images with their mammoth in-house publicity departments. Some have compared the Hollywood studio system to a factory, and it is useful to remember that studios were out to make money first and art second.
E On the other hand, studios also had to cultivate flexibility, in addition to consistent factory output. Studio heads realized that they couldn’t make virtually the same film over and over again with the same cast of stars and still expect to keep turning a profit. They also had to create product differentiation. Examining how each production company tried to differentiate itself has led to loose characterizations of individual studios’ styles. MGM tended to put out a lot of all-star productions while Paramount excelled in comedy and Warner Bros, developed a reputation for gritty social realism. 20th Century Fox forged the musical and a great deal of prestige biographies, while Universal specialized in classic horror movies.
F In 1948, struggling independent movie producers and exhibitors finally triumphed in their battle against the big studios’ monopolistic behavior. In the United States versus Paramount federal decree of that year, the studios were ordered to give up their theaters in what is commonly referred to as ‘divestiture’ – opening the market to smaller producers. This, coupled with the advent of television in the 1950s, seriously compromised the studio system’s influence and profits. Hence, 1930 and 1948 are generally considered bookends to Hollywood’s Golden Age.

Questions 14-19

Reading Passage 2 has six paragraphs, A-F. Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.

List of Headings

i The power within each studio
2 The movie industry adapts to innovation
iii Contrasts between cinema and other media of the time
1. The value of studying Hollywood’s Golden Age
2. Distinguishing themselves from the rest of the market
3. A double attack on film studios’ power
vii Gaining control of the industry
viii The top movies of Hollywood’s Golden Age

14 Paragraph A
15 Paragraph B
16 Paragraph C
17 Paragraph D
18 Paragraph E
19 Paragraph F

Questions 20-23

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2?
TRUE                            if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE                          if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN               if there is no information on this
20 After The Jazz Singer came out, other studios immediately began making movies with synchronised sound.
21 There were some drawbacks to recording movie actors’ voices in the early 1930s.
22 There was intense competition between actors for contracts with the leading studios.
23 Studios had total control over how their actors were perceived by the public.

Questions 24-26

Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

THE HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
Throughout its Golden Age, the Hollywood movie industry was controlled by a handful of studios. Using a system known as (24)……………………………… , the biggest studios not only made movies, but handled their distribution and then finally showed them in their own theatres. These studios were often run by autocratic bosses – men known as (25)………………………………… , who often remained at the head of organisations for decades. However, the domination of the industry by the leading studios came to an end in 1948, when they were forced to open the market to smaller producers – a process known as (26)…………………………

Answers for The Hollywood film industry With Explanations

The Hollywood film industry reading answers with explanations is given below. Refer to the following answers with an explanation section in order to correct your errors.

(Note: The text in italics mentions the location and referring lines written in the reading passage.)

14. Answer: iv 

Explanation: Located in paragraph A, lines 1-7, "This chapter investigates the 'Golden Age' of the Hollywood film studio system and investigates how a specific type of filmmaking emerged during this period in US film history." It also focuses on two major factors that influenced the development of the classic Hollywood studio system: the introduction of sound and the commercial goal of vertical integration. In addition to its historical significance, studying the development of the studio system may provide insights into the types of difficulties that precede the creation of every new medium." These lines provide light on the advantages and takeaways of knowing about the golden age of Hollywood, the paradigm shift in the industry, and the transitions that the industry went through over time.

15. Answer: ii

Explanation:  Located in paragraph B, lines 1-4, "In the late 1920s, the industry began to shift away from silent' films." The Jazz Singer, a Warner Bros. picture released in 1927, was the first to contain synchronised speech, ushering in a time of turbulence for the business. Studios now had proof that 'talkie' pictures were profitable..." These lyrics allude to the beginning of the adoption and move from traditional silent films to speech-synchronised films.

16. Answer: vii

Explanation:   Located in paragraph C, lines 1-6,"The other key component in the rise of the Hollywood studio system is vertical integration." The major studios saw that they could boost their earnings by handling each step of a film's life: production (creating the picture), distribution (getting the film out to audiences), and exhibition (owning theatres in large cities where films were first screened). Through the late 1940s, five studios known as 'The Big Five' attempted to achieve vertical integration, owning huge real estate on which to build complex sets." These lines explain how the studios became great dictatorial and overpowering factors through numerous tactics, such as vertical integration. The entire paragraph C is about the studios' dominance and monopoly.

17. Answer: i

Explanation:   Located in paragraph D, lines 1-6, "During the Golden Age, the studios were remarkably consistent and stable businesses, thanks in large part to long-term management heads - the infamous movie moguls' who ruled their kingdoms with iron fists." For decades, the same guys oversaw MGM, Warner Bros., and Columbia Studios. The growth of the studio system was partly dependent on how stars were produced and used to fit a studio's image and timetable." These lines demonstrate the dominance and control of the major studios of the time. The studios relished not just the fame and money associated with their films, but also the influence they had over each of the procedures associated with their films and the actors who played them.

18. Answer: v

Explanation:  Located in paragraph E, lines 2-9, Studio executives realised they couldn't keep making nearly the same film with the same cast of stars and expect to keep turning a profit." They also needed to differentiate their product. Examining how each production firm attempted to distinguish itself has resulted in broad characterizations of unique studio styles. MGM specialised in all-star productions, while Paramount specialised in humour and Warner Bros. earned a reputation for grim social realism. Universal excelled in legendary horror films, while 20th Century Fox created the musical and numerous prestige biographies." These lines demonstrate how prominent studios specialised and differentiated themselves in various genres. Some distinguished themselves from the competition by clinging to the genre of comedy while others chose horror or biographies as their genres. 

19. Answer: vi

Explanation:  Located in paragraph F, lines 1-6, In 1948, struggling independent filmmakers and exhibitors finally won their battle against the monopolistic conduct of the major studios. The studios were required to give up their theatres in what is generally described to as 'divestiture' in the United States versus Paramount government decision that year, opening the market to smaller producers. This, combined with the introduction of television in the 1950s, severely harmed the studio system's dominance and earnings." This implies that the movie moguls' authority ended in 1948, when the procedure known as divestiture forced them to give up a fair portion of the opportunity to ambitious and blooming production businesses. Aside from that, the second strike was the introduction of television series that departed from the norm.

20. Answer: FALSE 

Explanation:  Located in paragraph B, lines 2-6, "Warner Bros.' 1927 film 'The Jazz Singer' was the first to feature synchronised speech, ushering in a period of turmoil for the industry." Studios now had confirmation that 'talkie' pictures would generate money, but the financial expenditure required in this type of filmmaking, from new camera equipment to new projection facilities, made studios wary of investing at first." This shows that the filmmakers were not immediately ready to adjust to the changes brought about by the incorporation of synced speech. Initially, the adoption process was a little shaky, and the folks involved were a little unsure.

21. Answer: TRUE 

Explanation:  Located in paragraph B, lines 9-13, "Although sound was fully integrated into movies by 1930, it would take a little longer for them to regain their stylistic elegance and dexterity." The camera has to be enclosed in a large, cumbersome, immovable soundproof housing. Furthermore, performers had difficulty since they had to direct their words to awkwardly hidden microphones in enormous plants, telephones, or even clothes." These lines illustrate the disadvantages of the movie actors' dubbing procedure. This included difficulties in recording voices, camera portability, and so forth.

22. Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: There is no reference for the competition between the actors in the whole passage.

23. Answer: TRUE

Explanation:   Located in paragraph D, lines 6-10, "Actors were bound to a single studio in seven-year contracts, and the studio boss generally held all the options." At any time, stars can be rented to other production companies. With their massive in-house publicity departments, studio executives could also put terrible roles on actors and manage every facet of stars' images." These sentences make it very evident that the studios had complete control over everything from distribution to loaning stars to giving them roles--good or bad--regardless of the players' desires. As a result, the assertion is correct.

24. Answer: VERTICAL INTEGRATION

Explanation:  Located in paragraph C, lines 2-7, "The major studios recognized that they could increase their profits by handling each stage of a film's life: production (making the film), distribution (getting the film out to people), and exhibition (owning the theatres in major cities where films were first shown)." Through the late 1940s, five studios known as 'The Big Five' attempted to achieve vertical integration, owning large real estate on which to build elaborate sets. Furthermore, these studios determine the precise terms of film release dates and patterns." These phrases imply that, through the process of vertical integration, the studios with repressive and autocratic rule seized control of every procedure of a movie released under their studios' names.

25. Answer: MOVIE MOGULS

Explanation:   Located in paragraph D, lines 1-4, "During the Golden Age, the studios were remarkably consistent and stable businesses, thanks in large part to long-term management heads - the infamous movie moguls' who ruled their kingdoms with iron fists." "For decades, the same men ran MGM, Warner Bros., and Columbia." These phrases imply that the persons who exercised influence over the movies and the actors who were cast in them were referred to as movie moguls. These were persons who were totalitarian and authoritarian in their temperament and exercise of power.

26. Answer: DIVESTITURE

Explanation:   Located in paragraph F, lines 2-5, "In the United States versus Paramount federal decree of that year, the studios were ordered to give up their theatres in what is commonly referred to as 'divestiture' - opening the market to smaller producers." This shows that in 1948, these studios' hegemony and monopoly came to an end after they were compelled to go through the divestiture process, in which the studios were obliged to open markets for smaller aspiring movie studios.

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