Task 3. Complete the sentences, according to the information from the article. (8 points)
1. American film-makers left New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. Land was . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. Hollywood is situated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. Only big film companies could . . . . . . . . . . . because . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. Amblin is . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. The Times of London and 20th Century Fox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7. Paramount and Fox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8. Hollywood is successful today because . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
HOLLYWOOD: LIFE AND TIMES
At the start of the 20th century, a new city was beginning to grow on some flat land near the sea in southern California; its name was Los Angeles - the name of the old Spanish mission that had been there for many years.
At the same time, a new industry was just being born; the cinema. In America, they talked of "motion pictures", but this soon became shortened to "movies".
America's movie industry began life in New York; but by 1910, movie-makers were moving to Los Angeles. In New York, everything was too expensive; workers, land, taxes. Worse than that, it was difficult to make movies in winter, because it was too cold.
By contrast, the Los Angeles region was full of advantages. In California, they could make films all through the year; and everything was cheaper. In particular, there was lots of land for sale.
The movie-makers found what they needed a few miles outside Los Angeles; and before long, large new studios were being built in an area called Hollywood, at the foot of some small dry hills.
Movies quickly became very popular, particularly after "talkies" first appeared in 1925. Nevertheless, movies were expensive to make, and film companies needed money - lots of it. For this reason, Hollywood rapidly became dominated by a small number of big companies such as MGM, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros. and Paramount.
Since then, the big companies have had their ups and downs, but most of them are still there. Some old names have disappeared, but some new ones have appeared, companies like Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg's company Amblin.
Naturally, Hollywood has changed a lot in 80 years! Today the biggest studios belong to huge international firms. For instance, News Corporation, which now owns Fox, also owns newspapers on three continents (including the Times of London), and satellite TV networks in America, Europe and Asia.
It is only huge companies like Fox that can afford to make today's very expensive films; and for Titanic - which was at the time the most expensive film ever - Fox had to get help from another big company, Paramount!
Once Hollywood could make films just for America; today it has to make them for the world. The suburb of Los Angeles has become the headquarters of a global dream-machine. Perhaps we dreamed differently in the past. Today, thanks in part to Hollywood, people everywhere have similar dreams.
We now live in the age of global culture. Hollywood did not invent this culture - but for better or for worse, it has become one of the most powerful elements in it. Like it or not, we all now live on planet Hollywood.
Task 4. Circle the correct preposition. (14 points)
1.She had never heard for/of/from the effects of global warming.
2.Did you hear of/about/from the robbery which took place yesterday?
3.I’m fed up of/for/with tidying up after those boys.
4.My brother is very good at/to/for me. He always looks after me.
5.Richard failed in/with/to his attempt to cross the Atlantic in a hot air balloon.
6.He was found guilty about/of/for theft and sentenced for 3 months in prison.
7.I hope for/of/to travel the world when I finish university next year.
8.He is completely ignorant for/about/to British history.
9.She prides herself on/to/in keeping the house clean and tidy.
10.We must remind the staff about/on/from the new policy.
11.He can afford a holiday. He earns more enough to live on/with/for.
12.The children took no notice from/ of/ for the new teacher.
13.This restaurant is regarded of/by/as one of the best in the country.
14.His lack in/with/of/ money meant that he had to sell his car.