Reading 08 - 02

Line
5 10 15 20	Accustomed though we are to speaking of the films made before 1927 as "silent,"the film has never been, in the full sense of the word, silent. From the very beginning,music was regarded as an indispensable accompaniment ; when the Lumiere films were shown at the first public film exhibition in the Unites States in February 1896, they were accompanied by piano improvisations on popular tunes. At first, the music playedbore no special relationship to the films ; an accompaniment of any kind was sufficient.Within a very short time, however, the incongruity of playing lively music to a solemnfilm became apparent, and film pianists began to take some care in matching theirpieces to the mood of the film.      As movie theaters grew in number and importance, a violinist, and perhaps a cellist,would be added to the pianist in certain cases, and in the larger movie theaters smallorchestras were formed. For a number of years the selection of music for each filmprogram rested entirely in the hands of the conductor or leader of the orchestra, andvery often the principal qualification for holding such a position was not skill or taste so much as the ownership of a large personal library of musical pieces. Since theconductor seldom saw the films until the night before they were to be shown(if,indeed, the conductor was lucky enough to see them then), the musical arrangementwas normally improvised in the greatest hurry.      To help meet this difficulty, film distributing companies started the practice of publishing suggestions for musical accompaniments. In 1909, for example, the EdisonCompany began issuing with their films such indications of mood as "pleasant," "sad,""lively." The suggestions became more explicit, and so emerged the musical cue sheetcontaining indications of mood, the titles of suitable pieces of music, and precisedirections to show where one piece led into the next. Certain films had music especially composed for them. The most famous of theseearly special scores was that composed and arranged for D.W. Griffith's film Birth of a Nation , which was released in 1915.
10. The passage mainly discusses music that was (A) performed before the showing of a film (B) played during silent films (C) specifically composed for certain movie theaters (D) recorded during film exhibitions 11. What can be inferred from the passage about the majority of films made after 1927 ? (A) They were truly "silent." (B) They were accompanied by symphonic orchestras. (C) They incorporated the sound of the actors' voices. (D) They corresponded to specific musical compositions. 12. The word "solemn" in line 7 is closest in meaning to (A) simple (B) serious (C) short (D) silent 13. It can be inferred that orchestra conductors who worked in movie theaters needed to (A) be able to play many instruments (B) have pleasant voices (C) be familiar with a wide variety of music (D) be able to compose original music 14. The word "them" in line 17 refers to (A) years (B) hands (C) pieces (D) films 15. According to the passage, what kind of business was the Edison Company? (A) It produced electricity. (B) It distributed films. (C) It published musical arrangements. (D) It made musical instruments. 16. It may be inferred from the passage that the first musical cue sheets appeared around (A) 1896 (B) 1909 (C) 1915 (D) 1927 17. Which of the following notations is most likely to have been included on a musical cue sheet of the early 1900's? (A) "Calm, peaceful" (B) "Piano, violin" (C) "Key of C major" (D) "Directed by D.W. Griffith" 18. The word "composed" in line 26 is closest in meaning to (A) selected (B) combined (C) played (D) created 19. The word "scores" in line 26 is closest in meaning to (A) totals (B) successes (C) musical compositions (D) groups of musicians 20. The passage probably continues with a discussion of (A) famous composers of the early twentieth century (B) other films directed by D.W. Griffith (C) silent films by other directors (D) the music in Birth of a Nation
10. B 11. D 12. B 13. C 14. D 15. B 16. B 17. A 18. D 19. C 20 D