In the 1920s, new technology allowed filmmakers to attach to each film a soundtrack of speech, music and sound effects synchronized with the action on the screen. These sound films were initially distinguished by calling them talking pictures, or talkies. The next major step in the development of cinema was the introduction of colour. While the addition of sound to film revolutionized the medium, quickly driving out silent movies, colour was adopted more gradually. The public was relatively indifferent to colour photography as opposed to black-and-white. But as colour processes improved and became as affordable as black-and-white film, more and more movies were filmed in colour after the end of World War II, as the industry in America came to view colour an essential to attracting audiences in its competition with television, which remained a black-and-white medium until the mid-60s. By the end of the 1960s, colour had become the norm for filmmakers.
Answer the following questions
- We can understand from the passage that the introduction of sound films —-.
a occurred at the time of the introduction of colour films
b was not easy because it was not affordable
c made colour movies a possibility on a commercial basis
d was an important milestone in the film industry
e was delayed until after the end of World War II - It is stated in the reading that —-.
a 1920s marked the end to the era of sound films
b the transition to colour films was not so rapid as the transition to sound films
c colour movies did not appear until the mid- 60s
d television didn’t become popular until the mid-60s
e colour TVs were expensive initially - One can understand from the passage that —-.
a black-and-white films are still a wonderful source of entertainment
b the film industry fell into a serious crisis after the end of World War II
c the arrival of sound films ended the popularity of silent movies
d the introduction of colour to movies didn’t help movie industry in its competition with television
e the public was indifferent to sound films
