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          The most important phenomenon in the film industry, nowadays, is not a magic device but a humble circular piece of plastic: the Digital Versatile Disc.

          Next year, for the first time, sales of movies in DVD format are forecast to outsell those on video cassette in America, reaching a total of $9.5 billion, according to Morgan Stanley. Already, some 24 Million American households have DVD players, 80% more than a year ago. This technology, which was considered a flop when it was launched in 1997, is now the basis for the fastest-growing consumer appliance ever.

          People appear to want to build up collections of DVDs, rather as they do of recorded music. The DVD is steadily gaining shelf space, even in the movie-rental store, and it should overtake the cassette even there within three years. And shops like DVDs, not least because they take up less space.

          But how lasting will the DVD effect be? Some 80% of a film's revenue comes from its distribution after the cinema release: to home video and pay-TV for example. "The largest single portion of that revenue will be the DVD business," says Christopher Dixon of UBS Warburg - an investment bank, which in turn will help to reduce the risk involved in making movies. "The DVD is the most exciting development in the film industry," he adds, "but every eight years there has been a new distribution platform in the entertainment business. None of them lasts forever.

 

  1. COMPREHENSION              [15 POINTS]

     

    1. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?      (1 pt)

       

      1. The DVD Influence
      2. The DVD Market
      3. The DVD & Movies

       

    2. Are these sentences True or False? JUSTIFY.      (3 pts)

       

      1. In America, DVD will sell more than video cassettes.
         

         

      2. Shops prefer DVDs to cassettes.
         

         

      3. Dixon says the DVD effect will last long.
         

       

    3. Answer these questions:      (3 pts)

       

      1. What does 'DVD' stand for?  
      2. When did the DVD first appeared on the market?  
      3. What is the role of UBS Warburg?  

       

    4. Find in the text words or expressions that mean the same as:      (2 pts)

       

      1. "families" (paragraph 2)    
      2. "failure" (paragraph 2)    
      3. "pass" (paragraph 3)    
      4. "income" (paragraph 4)    

       

    5. What do the underlined words in the text refer to?      (4 pts)

       

      1. "it" (paragraph 2, line 4)    
      2. "they" (paragraph 3, line 1)    
      3. "there" (paragraph 3, line 3)    
      4. "he" (paragraph 4, line 5)    

       

    6. Complete this sentence      (2 pts)

       

      1. The DVD business is growing faster because   

     

  2. LANGUAGE

     

    1. Give the correct form of the words between brackets      (3 pts)

       

      1. He didn’t succeed because most of his answers were (error)   .
      2. It is hard to (entertainment)   our guests with this type of films.
      3. In general, it is (law)   to sell copyrighted material.

       

    2. Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate phrasal verb.      (3 pts)
      switch off log out put off find out log in put up

       

      1. We cannot finish today. Why don't we the whole thing till tomorrow?.
      2. First we must how the DVD player was damaged.
      3. Don't forget to save your work before you the computer

       

    3. Rewrite the sentences beginning with the words given      (3 pts)

       

      1. They won't sell the DVD player for less than $38.
        - The DVD player

         

      2. They bought a DVD player because they didn't have one.
        - If

         

      3. "Did you use this DVD last night?" The father asked his son
        - The father wanted to know

       

    4. Put the verbs between brackets in the correct tense.      (3 pts)

       

      1. Don't worry, by tomorrow, they (forget)   about the tragic incident.
      2. After they had finished, the students (hand)   in their papers and left the room.
      3. I was trying to memorize a funny poem, when I (fall)   asleep.

       

    5. Match the sentences with its appropriate function.      (3 pts)
      a. advice b. cause & effect c. request d. regret e. opinion f. defining
      1. If only I hadn’t seen that horror film. I can't sleep.
      2. To my mind electronic gadgets are good only when they are brand new.
      3. Since my computer froze, I had to restart it.

     

  3. WRITING

 

"Laughter is the Best Medicine". Write an article about the advantages of laughter and humour; and the impact they have on health and social relationships.

These terms may help you:
Personal: strengthen immune system, fight stress, augment energy, reduce pain ….
Social: trust, joy, amusement, happiness, intimacy, connect you to others, reinforce relationships….

[In no more than 200 words]

 

                                         

 


                                                                                                                                               

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