The history of Hollywood consists of alternating cycles of euphoria and despair, of confidence and uncertainty, of boom and bust. The boom periods, Hollywood’s “ golden ages, ” are characterized not only by profits and artistic successes, but also by active communication between moviemakers and moviegoers which reflects shared values. On the other hand, the bust periods are marked by decreased profits, a scarcity of masterworks, and the absence of communication between filmmaker and their audience, Historically, Hollywood crises have been associated with technological innovations : the coming of sound in the late 1920s brought an end to the great age of silent film ; the coming of television in the fifties speeded up the decline of the studio system ; and the increased popularity of cable television and videorecorders in the late 1970s marked the end of Political Hollywood, the brief but very golden age of the late sixties and early seventies when films reflected American concerns with political themes.
- What is the most appropriate title for this passage ?
- Silent Films in Hollywood
- Successful Hollywood Films
- Historical Hollywood Films
- History of Hollywood’s Film Industry
- The word “ euphoria ” (line 1) can be replaced by .......... .
a. happiness b. admiration c. fear d. worry
3. In addition to profits, what else can be an indication of Hollywood’s success ?
a. good studio system
b. advanced technology
c. big number of movies made
d. production of good movies
4. According to the passage, how many crises has Hollywood gone through?
a. one b. two c. three d. four
5. Based on the pattern of Hollywood’s history, what can be expected of Hollywood after a crisis?
a. It will declineeven more.
b. It will establish a new technology.
c. It will offer a new set of shared values.
d. I will come up with more innovations and prosper again.
Key
1. D 2. A 3. D 4. C 5. D
