The Hollywood Film Industry - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS Academic Reading Test 8 · Part 2 · Questions 14–26
Reading Passage
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14–26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 on the following pages.
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
Questions 14–19 Matching Headings
Reading Passage 2 has six paragraphs, A-F.
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
i. The power within each studio
ii. The movie industry adapts to innovation
iii. Contrasts between cinema and other media of the time
iv. The value of studying Hollywood's Golden Age
v. Distinguishing themselves from the rest of the market
vi. A double attack on film studios' power
vii. Gaining control of the industry
viii. The top movies of Hollywood's Golden Age
Questions 20–23 True / False / Not Given
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
Questions 24–26 Summary Completion
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 theaters. 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 & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q14 | iv | 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 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 |
Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says the text looks at the 'Golden Age' of movie studios. It explains that studying this time is useful because it is interesting and gives us hints ('clues') about the problems new media businesses face today. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Paragraph A explains why it is important or useful to learn about Hollywood's 'Golden Age.' Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'iv' because Paragraph A explains why looking at the history of the Hollywood studio system is useful. It mentions that investigating this era provides 'historical interest' and offers 'clues' to help us understand how new industries grow. The terms 'inspecting' and 'examining' are synonyms for 'studying,' which connects directly to the idea of 'the value of studying' in the heading. |
| Q15 | ii | 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 | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the film industry began to change from silent movies to ones with speech in the late 1920s. This new technology was hard to use at first because it required spending money on new tools like cameras, showing that the industry had to adjust to a new way of working. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Paragraph B describes how movie companies changed their methods to use a new invention, which was sound. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is chosen because Paragraph B explains the difficult move from silent movies to movies with talking. In this context, 'innovation' refers to sound technology, and 'adapts' refers to the way the industry had to buy new equipment, solve technical problems, and spend a lot of money to make these new kinds of films. |
| Q16 | vii | Together these eight companies operated as a mature oligopoly, essentially running the entire market | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that these eight companies worked together as a small group to control and lead the whole movie business. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Paragraph C describes how a few large movie companies took power and managed the entire film business. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'vii' because Paragraph C explains the strategy of 'vertical integration,' where a studio owns every part of making and showing a movie. By controlling production (making), distribution (sending), and exhibition (showing in theaters), a small group of studios could manage the whole film market. Keywords like 'running the entire market' show that they successfully gained control of the industry. |
| Q17 | i | 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 | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that movie companies were very steady because they were managed by bosses who had huge power and control over everything happening inside their companies. Answer Explanation: The answer means that this section of the text talks about how the leaders inside the film companies held total control over their business and the people working for them. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is correct because Paragraph D focuses on the internal management of film studios. It describes how powerful leaders, called 'movie moguls,' stayed in charge for a very long time and controlled every part of their business. It also explains how they had complete authority over their actors, including their contracts and how they appeared to the public. These points demonstrate how much power was held within each studio. |
| Q18 | v | 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 | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that studios needed to make their products different from others. Because every company tried to be unique, they each became known for having a specific style. Answer Explanation: The answer means that Paragraph E focuses on how movie companies made themselves different and unique compared to their competitors. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is v because the paragraph explains the concept of 'product differentiation.' Movie studios realized they could not just copy each other or repeat the same patterns if they wanted to keep making money. To solve this, each studio developed its own special style or genre that it became famous for, such as MGM making movies with many famous stars and Universal focusing on horror movies. This helped each studio stand out, or distinguish itself, in the market. |
| Q19 | vi | 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 | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that a legal order forced big studios to sell their movie theaters and that this event, along with the start of television, hurt the studios' control and how much money they made. Answer Explanation: The answer means Paragraph F explains two different events that happened around the same time to hurt the control and success of the big movie studios. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is vi because Paragraph F describes two distinct challenges that weakened the Hollywood studio system. The first 'attack' was a legal decision (the Paramount decree) that forced studios to sell their theaters, ending their monopoly. The second 'attack' was the arrival of television, which competed for the audience's attention. The word 'double' in the heading refers to these two separate problems occurring together to reduce the studios' power and profits. |
| Q20 | FALSE | 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 | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that even though studios knew sound movies (talkies) could be successful, they were afraid of the high costs. Because they had to buy many new things, they did not want to start making these films immediately. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the statement is wrong; movie companies did not start making films with sound immediately after "The Jazz Singer" was released. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage states that movie companies were actually 'hesitant to invest at first.' This means they were slow to act and unsure about spending money on the new technology needed for sound, such as new cameras and speakers. Although the film "The Jazz Singer" showed that sound movies could be popular and profitable, the high costs made the studios wait rather than starting right away. |
| Q21 | TRUE | 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 | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that because of sound recording, cameras became heavy and stuck in one place. It also says that actors had a hard time speaking into microphones that were hidden in odd places, which shows that recording voices had several disadvantages at that time. Answer Explanation: The answer means that there were some problems or difficulties when movie makers started recording the voices of actors in movies during the early 1930s. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage describes several problems (drawbacks) that happened when movies started using sound around 1930. For example, cameras became hard to move because they had to be placed in heavy, soundproof boxes. Additionally, actors had a difficult time because they had to speak into microphones hidden in strange or uncomfortable places like plants or their clothes. Words like 'struggled' and 'awkwardly-hidden' indicate that these were negative factors or drawbacks. |
| Q22 | NOT GIVEN | Actors were bound up in seven-year contracts to a single studio, and the studio boss generally held all the options | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage mentions that actors signed long contracts and were controlled by the studio owners, but it does not say if there was a lot of fighting or competition among actors to get these positions. Answer Explanation: The answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage does not provide any information about whether actors competed with each other to get jobs at the big movie studios. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because while the text discusses the existence of seven-year contracts and how studio bosses controlled actors, it never mentions the level of competition between actors to secure those contracts. It describes what happened once an actor was part of the studio system, but it ignores the process or the intensity of getting hired in the first place. |
| Q23 | TRUE | Studio bosses could also force bad roles on actors, and manipulate every single detail of stars' images with their mammoth in-house publicity departments | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the heads of movie studios were able to change every tiny part of how a star looked or acted for the public by using their huge teams of people who worked on fame and news. Answer Explanation: The answer confirms that movie companies were in charge of every part of how the public saw their famous actors. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because Paragraph D explains that movie bosses could change and control every part of an actor's public 'image.' They had very large 'publicity departments' whose job was to manage what people thought about the stars. This shows the studios had complete power or 'control' over the celebrities' reputations. |
| Q24 | vertical integration | 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) | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that vertical integration was a main part of how the Hollywood studio system grew. It says that big companies made more money by managing every step: creating the movie, delivering it to viewers, and showing it in theaters that they owned. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to a way of running a business where one company controls every step of a product's journey, from making it to selling it to customers. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is identified in Paragraph C as the method used by major studios to increase their earnings. According to the text, 'vertical integration' allowed these companies to control all three stages of a movie's life. These stages correspond to the 'handling' of production (making the movie), distribution (getting the movie to people), and exhibition (showing the movie in theaters), which matches the description in the summary. |
| Q25 | movie moguls | 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 | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that during this period, the movie companies were very stable because they were led by powerful people called movie moguls who controlled their businesses very strictly, like kings. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the powerful and strict leaders who controlled the Hollywood film studios for a long time. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "movie moguls" because the passage identifies the long-term leaders of the studios by this specific name. It describes them as heads of management who "ruled their kingdoms with iron fists," which matches the idea of being "autocratic bosses" mentioned in the summary. The passage also confirms that these men ran the studios for "decades," which aligns with the summary's description that they stayed in power for many years. |
| Q26 | divestiture | 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 | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that in 1948, a court order forced the big movie companies to stop owning theaters. This action is called 'divestiture,' and it allowed smaller, independent companies to compete in the film industry. Answer Explanation: The answer 'divestiture' refers to a specific legal action where large companies are forced to sell or give up parts of their business to allow for more competition. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the final paragraph of the text. It describes a legal decision in 1948 that ended the big studios' total control over the market. The text explains that the studios were forced to give up their theaters, which helped smaller producers. It explicitly identifies this specific process as 'divestiture.' Therefore, 'divestiture' is the name for the process that opened the market to smaller companies. |