Additional Language Exercises
Date: 2015-10-07; view: 1045.
4. Match the idioms with their meanings.
| 1. | bread and circuses | mass entertainment produced to amuse the population of a country, esp. to prevent them from casing trouble; | a. |
| 2. | in the can | coll. finished, agreed, or decided upon; If a film is in the can, it is made. | b. |
| 3. | a shaggy dog story | a very long joke with a pointless end; | c. |
| 4. | a household name | a person or thing whose name is known by everyone; | d. |
| 5. | be rolling in the aisles | be laughing a lot and not be able to stop while watching a film, a play, etc. | e. |
| 6. | not be (exactly) a barrel of laughs. | humorous. someone or something is not very funny or enjoyable. | f. |
| 7. | go out in a blaze of glory | to finish your job, career, or your time of performing in public or playing a sport, by doing something very successful that everyone admires. | g. |
| 8. | sb's blood runs cold | sb feels very frightened or shocked; | h. |
5. Fill in the gaps in the sentences with the idioms from the exercise above.
1. I want to make sure I've got my grant in the can before I accept the place at college. 2. A joke is a good way to start a meeting – you don't want them to be rolling in the aisles, but it creates a good atmosphere. 3. "What did you thing of Huskins' wife?" "Well, she is not really a barrel of laughs, is she? 4. In a film like this, you just know the young pilot is going to lead a raid on the bridge, crash his plane, and go out in a blaze of glory. 5. The very first scene of "Saving Private Ryan" makes your blood run cold. 6. Research suggests that men prefer shaggy dog stories, while women prefer witty comments or anecdotes. 7. The wide spread of Hollywood films made a number of American actors and actresses household names across the world.
6. The categories of films listed in Ex.1 break into a lot more. Group all the sub-genres under the two categories below to which they belong.
| Action & Adventure | Drama | ||
| Monster Movies On the Road Parody & Spoof [6] Police & Detective Films Political Thriller Prison Films Psychological Thriller Slapstick[7] Sword & Sorcery[8] Romantic Adventures Science Fiction Sea Adventures Superheroes Swashbucklers[9] Thrillers Martial Arts Jungle Action | Alien Invasion Caper[10] Chase Movies Costume Adventures Escape Films Gangster Films Horror Treasure Hunts Blackmail Murder & Mayhem[11] Comic Action Crime Disaster Films Espionage Futuristic[12] James Bond | Innocence Lost Kids in Trouble Living with AIDS Melodrama Miscarriage of Justice[13] Parenthood Political Drama Prostitution Race Relations Rural Life School Days Small Town Life Social Injustice Teen Drama Underdogs[14] Urban Life Women's Friendship | Addiction & Alcoholism Artists & Writers Biography Brothers & Sisters Buddies Class Differences Culture Clash Doctors & Patients Domestic Violence Dying Young Fighting the System Generation Gap Haunted by the Past Historical Epic Holocaust |
7. Translate the sentences using the words from the previous exercise.
1. He wouldn't mind seeing a good slapstick comedy at leisure. 2. The sea has been eating away at this cliff for centuries. 3. Curiosity moved me to open the box. 4. The team was given a rousing reception by the fans. 5. She kept telling us about her acting in the most graphic detail. 6. Despite his popular image, he doesn't show much flair for acting. 7. This film was designed as a spoof horror movie to oppose the numerous horror flicks that had flooded the big screen. 8. Caper movie "heroes" will often represent corrupt morals. 9. I dread to think that I could invite her to a murder & mayhem film. 10. The tagline is the same: ”The body dies, but fame survives”. 11. These reports have fuelled speculation about a royal marriage. 12. At the conference she made acquaintance with a scientist of international stature. 13. Children are more susceptible to some diseases than adults. 14. To my great chagrin, the trick did not work. 15. It was a deserted street where houses were dark and grisly. 16. For six days they made a stoic defence. 17. After the elections came to light new political machinations. 18. I don't doubt the veracity of your story. 19. The film was keeping her in thrall from its first scene to the credits. 20. I can't answer you anything because the situation is still fluid. 21. I had been running around the south of the country in a whirlwind of activity. 22. He was a bright, brisk, lad, fresh from Oxford. 23. The character defies the threats in the efforts to rescue the people. 24. The wilderness of Western territories was squatted by people who lusted after gold and strived to become rich. 25. It needed a twisted mind to have thought of such crime.
8. Translate the sentences using the vocabulary from the list above.
corrupt, rehash, savoir-faire, relentless, heart-rending, vacuity[15], stomach, paucity, redeeming, atrocious
1. Her relentless pursuit of perfection gave us a double Olympic champion. 2. The local population spoke a corrupt form of French. 3. He could not stomach the study of the Latin language. 4. We have paucity of evidence to bring in a verdict. 5. His essay was just a rehashed version of my lecture notes. 6. The sole redeeming feature of this job is the good salary. 7. This nice fellow speaks French with an atrocious accent. 8. The present management will have to have good savoir-fair to find the way out. 9. The film reminded of soap opera with the vacuity of dialogue and absence of drama. 10. I can't remember a more heart-rending story.
9. This exercise is to consolidate the knowledge of the vocabulary of the Comments. Provide synonyms or synonymous expressions from the list below to substitute the vocabulary in brackets.
Gary Oldman is in great, over-the-top form as the (1) villain (bad character). Why did she end up with the worst character in the film, one without any (2) redeeming (positive) features? The film Patriot follows a similar (3) pattern (outline). The director resorted to some trite (4) rehash (old trick). Many people lawfully resent Hollywood (5) ridiculing (mocking)history. After a long delay he (6) got around to (went about) writing the new version of the much filmed story. The film boasts (7) masterful (expert)cinematography and a refined story. There is a number of unsuited and annoying (8) atrocious (appalling) scenes. The sequel was much awaited and cheered by the (9) cinephiles (cinemaddicts). The poor psychology, the mediocre (10) scenery (setting)and the bad editing turns the whole thing into an average (11) flick (film) with lots of visual effects to compensate the lack of (12) substance (essence). Many people point to the (13) vacuity (emptiness)of the script and the (14) mediocrity (weakness)of its production! Many critics attribute its success to its favorable contrast to even more (15) mundane (boring)movies.
The poor character (16) sketching (design)and inexcusable holes in the plot drown the film in (17) oblivion (nothingness). Generally, owing to the glaring flaws, it seems to be (18) overrated (overvalued).Sure it has many classic dramatic scenes that are almost (19) heart-rending (heartbreaking).(20) Running to (applying for) the Oscar nominations as the clear favorite, Gladiator's final number of Oscars ended up being somewhat like a big disappointment (there were only five).
10. Read a comment on the film "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" and fill in the gapped places with expressions proceeding the comment.
"Terminator 2: Judgment Day", the excellent sequel to the original sci-fi thriller, is the ultimately the best movie of its kind, and that's for sure. The outstanding story, the astounding visual effects and everything as a whole is just perfect.
The action scenes still entertain me beyond belief and I can't get enough of anything in this movie even after watching the movie a hundred times.
Every single important character is extremely well-developed. There is no usual paucity of the dialogue and the simplism of the screenplay. The movie flows effortlessly from scene to scene while at the same time creating ultimate intensity and nail-biting excitement. James Cameron knows a thing or two about action. The direction, photography, story, and effects are at the top of their game. The absolutely perfect score captures the mood of the movie.
James Cameron must be commended for this.
Although the film's story isn't quite as tight or inventive as the original Terminator, there might be a few plot holes, director James Cameron has crafted an intense, exciting rollercoaster ride, filled with jaw-dropping special effects, breakneck action and a surprisingly effective emotional undercurrent,a movie that looks good and grasps our heart. Most notable for being one of the first films to seamlessly combine a large amount of computer graphics with live action. Considering its plot and its message, I see this movie as first and foremost, a human story. The whole premise of this story is the fight for humankind. Humans vs. Machines.
T2 capitalizes on Arnold Schwarzenegger's increased stardom by changing the character from creature of destruction to lovable protector.in all its wonder and marvel Arnold has the looks that work perfectly with his role. Arnold Schwarzenegger may have never won an Oscar, but he was definitely born for the role of the Terminator. He knows how to act like a machine, and he also knows how to add a small human touch to the character of the machine.This elevates action to the next stage. The acting in the movie more than lives up to expectations. The nice Terminator, the creepy and evil T-1000 – a relentless, ruthless killing machine, Sarah Connor, John Connor and others are so memorable and so great.
I was blown out of my seat with the EXTREME, continuously dazzling, eye-candy special effects, and chase scenes.This movie certainly provides a lot more than a two-hour adrenaline rush. I would recommend it to anyone who can stomach intensity and enjoy a sci-fi story. .
11. Read the sentences and fill in the gaps with the words listed below:
| sheer | mere | in-flight |
| light | mass | popular |
There is considerable truth in the theory, once put to me by the American director and writer, Paul Schrader, that Hollywood is world cinema, since so many talents from all over the world have made films there. It is certainly by far the greatest source of popular entertainment in the film business.
For perhaps the fullest fantasy escape from our very present grim reality, a dose of Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge is in order. A wondrous[16] cinematographic musical coup[17], a send-up[18], yet a tearjerker. It is a film in which the cinema-goer becomes caught up in a communal moment of sheer entertainment.
The sense of London during the Blitz is strong and the story, with its mix of real history and believable invention, is fast-paced, twisting and tense. These elements combine to produce a novel that is sheer entertainment.
In the circumstances, how can such a film be considered great? There are three good reasons. Firstly, the film wasn't just ground-breaking in its technique; it was the way in which that technique was applied to dramatise the story that was impressive. To take one example, the length of each shot was designed to influence our emotional response, with dramatic scenes cut faster. Astonishingly, Griffith did all this, using one camera and two lenses, in a mere nine weeks. Secondly, this film marked - in America at least - the effective birth of a cinema that wasn't just light entertainment but a fully fledged art form that could be appreciated by the masses.
That event, so widely seen as mere entertainment by the rest of the world, was always treated more seriously by Americans.
Where Scott really scores is in his big Rome set-pieces, especially Crowe's combat with men and tigers in a computer-enhanced Coliseum much bigger and more monumental than the original.
For all its implausible[19] silliness and towering high camp[20], Scott's film tells an engaging story, and the central arena fight sequence in which Maximus and his gladiators playing the doomed Carthaginians end up defeating the Romans and reversing history is wittily and adroitly[21] done: a sly demonstration of the confluence[22] of politics and mass entertainment. You will find your thumb tilting upwards.
| Part 3. Mogul | Unit 2 CINEMA | Key |
12. Below are some terms referring to people who take part in decision making in film industry. Match the terms to the definitions.
| mogul | editor | producer | director | auteur | scriptwriter |
| Powerful decision-maker in Hollywood, especially a studio boss. | The individual who decides what scenes are to be used, how, where, in what sequence, and at what length they will appear. | Person who is in charge of organising and making arrangements for a film, controlling the film budget, exercising general supervision over the production and personnel. | Manager of the interpretive aspects of film production, person who actually makes the film and tells the actors what to do. | Director with "artistic" ambitions. | Person who writes the screenplay. |
13. Translate the sentences making use of the vocabulary of the previous exercise?
1. Being cast for extras was mighty disappointing. 2. Her infatuation with drama finally led her into filmmaking. 3. The band's search of new expressive means in music was met by critics' accolades. 4. He started a new project in the conviction that success would not elude him this time. 5. Mr Brook's attitude to this opportunity was ambivalent: on the one hand, this was a promotion; on the other hand, he didn't associate himself with that work. 6. Every encounter with fine arts imbued her with a sense of beauty and refinement. 7. He could have passed the interview, save for his last ambiguous answer about the previous employer. 8. The girl grew in an atmosphere where the father was the epitome of parental love and understanding. 9. After a few roles in romantic comedies she tried to break that light-comedian typecast. 10. The latitude of his knowledge and work experience now opened him a number of career opportunities.
14. Match the collocations to restore the original meanings and render their context in the text above.
e. g. "veritable epitome". Gordon Gekko in the film Wall Street was seen as a veritable epitome of American economy of that period.
| veritable | epitome | creative | latitude | |
| moral | lapses | craft | characters | |
| charismatic | characters | star | vehicle | |
| eschew | typecasting | body | of work | |
| ambivalent | characters | bottom-line | heart | |
| outright | positive type | commit | to a project | |
| condone | choices | keep | my ego in line | |
| cottage | colony | throw | weight around | |
| play | hooky | cut | myself short | |
| imbue | life | collaborative | family | |
| quirky | choices | pitfalls | of celebrity |
Additional Vocabulary Exercises
Below is a list of cinematographic terms used in the industry. Match the terminology with appropriate definitions.
| Acoustics | The study of sound reverberation[23] and absorption. |
| Action | The movement of the subject within the camera field of view. Also, such movement as represented on film. |
| Audition | Tryout of live voice, recording or other elements prior to final selection for the film. |
| Background | (a) Music or other sound that is kept below the level of a speaker's voice; (b) scenery or setting for a scene; (c) the characters or objects appearing farthest from the camera. |
| close-up | A fairly tight shot of the performer or the subject matter. In small-studio parlance, this would refer to the head of a performer. An extreme close-up might mean a selected portion of the face, such as the eyes. |
| Contingencies | Unforeseen situations, events, or circumstances that might delay the production schedule of the picture. |
| Credits | Titles of acknowledgement for story, sets, direction, etc. |
| Dubbing | The addition of sound (either music or dialogue) to a visual presentation via a recording process, which prepares a complete sound track that can be transferred to, and synchronised with, the visual presentation. |
| Editing | The process of assembling, arranging, and trimming the desired shots and sound tracks to best advantage for the purpose at hand. |
| Frame | One individual picture on a piece of motion picture film. |
| Monochrome | Having shades of only one colour. refers to black-and-white pictures. |
| Narration | The commentary for a film, spoken by an off-screen voice. |
| Production | The general term used to describe the processes involved in making all the original material that is the basis for the finished motion picture. |
| Prop | Theatrical abbreviation for "property", meaning any portable article used by performers in visual presentation. |
| Running time | The actual time it takes for the presentation of a given film or show. |
| Scenery | Curtains, drapes, painted canvasses or other artificial background materials for visual studio recording. |
| Script | Written plan, action, narration and dialogue for an audio-visual presentation. |
| Set | Scenery or other artificial background for motion picture production. |
| Shot | (a) A single run of the camera; (b) the piece of film resulting from such a run. |
| Sound effect | A non-musical, non-vocal sound – frequently artificial – that is included in or added to an audio presentation for dramatic purposes. |
| Sound track | The portion of a length of film reserved for the sound record. |
| Stereophonic sound | A sound recording system with two or more sound tracks or channels, each of which is fed to an individual speaker. |
| Stock footage | Motion picture film material obtained from film libraries rather than shot specifically for a film production. |
| Take | A term used to indicate the number of times a given shot has been made. Takes are usually numbered sequentially. |
| Target audience | The specific identifiable group or groups of persons toward which a film is aimed. |
15. Fill in the gaps in the sentences below with the terms from the previous exercise.
1. The hall has excellent acoustics. 2. We need more action, and less talk. 3. He failed the audition for the part of the prince. 4. In the background there were waiters hovering over the tables. 5. The camera focuses on the heroine in close-up. 6. The plan envisaged all possible contingencies that could disrupt the schedule. 7. The film ends with a Celine Dion song over the endcredits. 8. The poster featured a few frames from the film's most graphic scenes. 9. The film incorporates a good deal of monochrome stock footage to give it more historic veracity. 10. Saving Private Ryan was a co-production with Paramount. 11. Galton and Simpson wrote some excellent comedy scripts. 12. Then we took photos of the set, from which we created a 3-D computer model. The entire set is computer-generated. 13. The Dolby Surround has opened a new dimension for sound effects. 14. We had to do six takes for this particular scene.
| Unit 2 Part 4Ukrainian Scene | CINEMA | Key |
16. Translate the sentences below incorporating the vocabulary from the previous exercise.
1. The politician made a speech whose message was somewhat elusive. 2. His first play had a three-month run in the West End. 3. By the second part of the century the populations of the two cities became numerically equal. 4. All the ladies were sumptuously dressed in black evening dresses. 5. The author's second novel is in very much the same vein as the first. 6. We have attracted a record entry this year. 7. Notwithstanding the illness and poverty the writer produced his greatest opus. 8. The documentary features some of the worst atrocities of war. 9. The sightseeing tour includes time to admire the opulent splendour of the Sultan's palace.
It's not intended to be a serious movie – it's sheer escapism. The November issue will publish the new instalment of the novel. Despite all the media hype, the film flopped. The organisation of the festival was panned by the critics. Making public details of her private life offended her sensibilities.
17. Match the collocations to restore the original meanings and render their context in the text above.
e. g. " running in competition". It says in the article that some films will participate in the contest, that is, run in competition for being the best in different nominations.
| round off | the program | image | compositions | |
| opulent | images | sumptuously | loaded table | |
| hefty | argument | in an assertive | vein | |
| stormy | life | selection | committee | |
| political | mystification | promotional | campaign | |
| committed | atrocities | numerically | small part | |
| baroque | opus | anything | but simple |
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| Comments for American Beauty (1999) | | | Glossary |