UNIT 5 Optional Reading Read the text and answer the questions that

follow.

What’s a Film without Popcorn?

I Popcorn has been associated with cinemas and films for as long as we can remember. But where did this connection begin and
will it carry on into the future?
II Popcorn became a popular snack food in North America in the 19th century and was sold at entertainment sites like circuses
and fairs. No kitchen was needed to prepare it and once the mobile steam-powered popcorn maker was invented, it became
possible to mass produce the snack. Popcorn had an appealing smell when popped and this attracted many people to buy it.
III In the 1930s, people began flocking to the cinema but at first, popcorn was not sold inside the cinemas. Cinema owners wanted
to protect the costly carpets that they had put in their cinemas. They were also concerned that the sound of people eating snacks
would disturb the other people watching the film. So, enterprising salesmen set up popcorn machines outside the buildings. As
more and more people began buying popcorn on their way into the cinema, cinema owners started to understand that they could
make money from the popular snack. As a result, they decided to allow the salesmen to sell popcorn in the cinema lobby for a
daily fee. Eventually, cinemas began selling snacks themselves. This decision helped save many of the cinema owners from
going out of business.
IV Today popcorn is still economically important to cinemas. Because popcorn is so cheap to make, cinemas make a lot of profit
on every box they sell. Yet, there are those that suggest that popcorn in cinemas may be on its way out. In recent years, luxury
cinemas have become increasingly popular. These cinemas try to give people a more “exclusive” experience by serving
gourmet food in addition to traditional popcorn.
V Yet despite this development, it is unlikely that popcorn will vanish completely from cinemas. For many of us, eating popcorn
is an integral part of the experience of watching a film. Even when we watch a film on TV at home, we often make ourselves
some microwave popcorn. Old habits, it seems, are hard to break!

1 Write T (true) or F (false). Find evidence in the text to justify your answers. (3 x 2 = 6 points)
...... 1. Popcorn has been sold in cinemas since the 19th century…………………………………………………………………
...... 2. Cinema owners paid salesmen to sell popcorn in the cinema lobby………………………………………………………
...... 3. Selling popcorn is very profitable………………………………………………………….
2 Complete the sentences. (2 x 3 = 6 points)
1. Popcorn became popular at outdoor events because ……………………………………………………………………………………….. .
2. Because they began selling popcorn, cinema owners were able to ………………………………………………………………………...
3 Answer the questions. (2 x 3 = 6 points)
1. What were the reasons that cinema owners did not want to sell popcorn?
.......................................................................................................................................
2. Why did cinema owners eventually agree to sell popcorn?
.......................................................................................................................................
4 Choose the correct answer. (1 x 2 = 2 points)
The writer believes that people ...... .
a. like to do what they have always done
b. prefer to eat gourmet food at cinemas
c. prefer to watch films on TV at home
d. will not go to luxury cinemas
5 Find words or phrases in the text that mean: (5 x 1 = 5 points)
1. continue (paragraph I) .................................................................................
2. pleasing (paragraph II) .................................................................................
3. expensive (paragraph III) .................................................................................
4. losing popularity (paragraph IV) .................................................................................
5. disappear (paragraph V)
 Books, Films and Music

You are going to hear people talking in eight different situations. For questions 1-8, choose the best answer, a, b or c.
(8 x 1 = 8 points)
1 You hear two teenagers talking about a film that was based on a book. What do the speakers agree about?
a. Films aren’t as good as the books they’re based on.
b. Films are better than the books they’re based on.
c. Films that are based on books are very interesting.
2 You hear a conversation at the ticket office of a cinema. When is the man going to see the film?
a. Friday
b. Saturday
c. Sunday
3 You hear an actor talking about the village he grew up in. How does he feel about returning there?
a. He is anxious to return to New York.
b. He is happy to be back.
c. He is surprised at how small it is.
4 You hear a phone conversation between two friends. Why is the girl going to be late for the concert?
a. She left her ticket at home.
b. The taxi driver doesn’t know the way.
c. The train isn’t leaving on time.
5 You hear a man on the radio talking about his experience at music school. How did he feel when he left the school?
a. happy
b. unhappy
c. furious
6 You hear a film critic reviewing a film. What does she say about it?
a. The music makes it worth seeing.
b. Kevin Bacon directed it.
c. The actors give good performances.
7 You hear two friends talking about a music festival. What happened?
a. They missed the chance to go.
b. They were given free tickets.
c. They managed to buy tickets.
8 You hear an author giving a talk at a bookshop. What does she say about her readers?
a. They rarely express their opinions about her work.
b. They sometimes write unpleasant comments about her work.
c. They are honest about what they think of her work.