Vocabulary activities

1. Read the following extract. Fill each of the gaps with a correct word.

significant education expertise facilities

primary opportunity behaviour habit

performed entertainment loss

Theatre is a powerful instrument of 1 . The theatre has always been very strong in Britain. Its centre is, of course, London, where successful plays can sometimes run without a break for many years. But every large town in the country has its theatres. Even small towns often have “repertory” theatres (rep), where different plays are 2 for short periods by the same group of professional actors (a repertory company). Another 3 feature of English theatre is the way in which the actors have brought drama to young people, even into 4 schools.

It seems that the conventional format of the theatrical play gives the undemonstrative British people a safe 5 to look behind the mask of accepted social 6 The country’s most successful and respected playwrights are usually those who explore the darker side of the personality.

In contrast, the cinema in Britain is often regarded as not quite part of “the arts” at all – it is simply 7 . Partly for this reason, Britain is unique among the large European countries in giving almost no financial help to its film industry.

Therefore, although cinema-going is a regular 8 for a much larger number of people than is theatre-going, British film directors often have to go to Hollywood because the resources they need are not available in Britain. As a result, comparatively few films of quality are made in the country. This is not because 9 in film making docs not exist. It does. American productions often use studios and technical 10 in Britain. Moreover, some of the films which Britain does manage to make become highly respected around the world. But even these films often make a financial 11 .

2. For Questions 16-30, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space. There is an example at the beginning (0).

The Globe Theatre

The Globe theatre (0) was built in 1598 by the Burbage brothers, (16) ............... inherited it from their father, James. It was (17) ............... west of London Bridge on the south bank of the River Thames, (18) ............... another two theatres, the Swan and the Rose had already been founded. William Shakespeare was one of the original seven owners of the Globe and he not (19) ............... wrote theatrical plays that were performed there, but he also performed in these plays as an actor (20) ............... . In 1613, (21) ............... a performance of Henry VTII, the thatched roof caught fire and (22)................ entire theatre was destroyed within one hour.

The foundations of the original building (23) ...............found much later and they were studied by the architects who were responsible (24) ............... the design and reconstruction of the Globe theatre. To keep the atmosphere and reality of the XVI century, (25) ............... is no electronic equipment, microphones or stage lighting, apart from floodlights that give the impression of daylight. Traditionally, performances in outdoor playhouses like the Globe took (26) ............... in daylight. Similarly, there is no scenery except for (27) ............... furniture, such as a throne for the king, a few stools and chairs.

Performances have (28) ............... held since 1980 and the aim has always been to recreate the spirit of the Elizabethan theatre, following traditional methods and (29) ............... traditional materials. The motto of the theatre is still “the whole world is a stage”. A flag still flies above the theatre (30) ............... summer during performances representing Atlas carrying the globe of the world.

3. For questions 1-6, read the text below and decide which answer (А, В, С or D) best fits each gap.