skills TEST 6 B units 11–12

Name: _________________________________________ Score: ____________ / 20 points

READING SKILLS
1 Read about the five films and match each statement to the correct one. (10 points)
A Dirty Harry was the name of Clint Eastwood’s D The spaghetti westerns were set in the Wild West
character, Harry Callahan, who worked for the San of America but directed by Italians and filmed in
Francisco police department. There were five films Spain. The most famous examples are the trilogy
made altogether, although it is generally agreed that of films starring Clint Eastwood as ‘the man with
only the original is really worth watching. Dirty Harry no name’. In the films, Eastwood’s character is
is famous for shooting suspects he could have safely a bounty hunter, someone who earns money by
arrested and torturing those who he feels can give bringing criminals to justice for the reward money.
him information which will save innocent victims’ As most rewards at the time were offered ‘dead or
lives. The film made it clear that Harry was the hero alive’ it could be said that, unlike the characters
and those following the rules and regulations were in the other films here, he is acting within the law.
responsible for the crime wave engulfing the city. In the original film, Clint Eastwood comes across
Despite criticisms, Harry was a very popular film a small town which is dominated and terrorised
character and his catchphrase: ‘Go ahead, make by two feuding families who live at each end of the
my day, punk’ is often quoted even now, almost forty main street. Eastwood manages to play them off
years after the film was released. against each other, finally causing the deaths of all
of them. As the film finishes, though, we are left
B Death Wish starred Charles Bronson. In the film,
not knowing whether his primary motivation was
his wife is killed and the police tell him that they are
to help the suffering villagers who he has
doubtful that they will ever be able to catch the
befriended or to enrich himself with the families’
criminals. Allowed time off work, Bronson goes to
wealth. In the second film, Eastwood is joined by
Arizona where he learns to use a gun. Back in New
a second bounty hunter who, at the end, allows
York he starts his fight against crime. He isn’t
Eastwood to collect all the reward money as he
specifically looking for the killers of his wife but
had been chasing the villains in revenge for the
declares war on every criminal he meets, killing
death of his daughter. Unlike other film series, it is
eleven before he is wounded and caught by the
commonly acknowledged that the films got better
police. Public opinion is such that the police decide
as the series went on with the third, and final film,
not to punish him but, in an echo of the western
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, often nominated
films, he is told to ‘leave town and never come
as one of the best 100 films ever made.
back’. The film ends with him arriving in Chicago,
although the second of the series of five films is set E Bonnie and Clyde was an Oscar winning film
in Los Angeles. Despite critical disapproval of the about two bank robbers played by Warren Beatty
violence shown, cinema goers often reacted to each and Faye Dunaway. It was a hugely influential film
of the shootings of criminals with loud cheers. and said to be part of the ‘New Hollywood’ in
which action films became more realistic and
C The Sting has moments of comedy as well
violent. In the film, Bonnie and Clyde are
as violence but the revenge taken is financial.
romanticised anti-heroes who, despite their criminal
Robert Redford stars as a small-time conman in the
lifestyle, are portrayed sympathetically. The film was
1930s who, with his partner, robs a member of
criticised for this glorification of murderers,
a mafia-style gang. When his partner is murdered
especially as the real life Bonnie and Clyde were not
and with the police after him as well, Redford
at all like the characters in the film. Other critics
leaves town to seek help from a renowned but
complained that the film made the subject matter,
semi-retired con artist played by Paul Newman.
robbery and murder, comical in parts. Interestingly,
Together they plot their revenge on the gang boss,
the police who ambushed and killed the real Bonnie
tricking him out of a huge sum of money and
and Clyde were also accused of taking the law into
arranging a fake FBI raid in which they are both
their own hands. A lot of people said that, as they
‘killed’. The gang boss is then hurried away by a
had the element of surprise and superior numbers,
real policeman who has no idea what is going on.
they could have arrested the two outlaws rather than
Because of the light-hearted nature of the film and
shooting them.
the historical setting, the film avoided criticism of
making heroes of criminals and was accepted as
a piece of Hollywood fantasy in a way that Dirty
Harry and Death Wish never were.

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 skills TEST 6 B units 11–12

  1 The film helped to change the way films Talk three

were made. 5 During the Second World War it wasn’t
2/3 The film was criticised for its portrayal of difficult to get
violence. a zips.
  4 We don’t know the hero’s real reasons for b a variety of colours.
acting as he does. c certain materials.
d buttons.
  5 The film was considered to be simply
harmless entertainment. 6 The New Look
a was presented in 1949.
  6 A character didn’t want financial reward for
b concerned women’s clothes only.
his actions even though it was offered.
c gave us shorter skirts than ever before.
7/8 The same actor starred in both of these film d appeared after the end of rationing.
series.
  9 People reacted positively to the hero’s 2 For questions 7–10, decide which period the
actions whilst watching the film. statements refer to. Write A – Victorian times,
B – the early twentieth century, C – the war and just
10 The last film in the series was the best.
afterwards. (4 points)
In which period
LISTENING SKILLS 7 was there an item of clothing easy to put
1 CD Track 7 Listen to the talks on fashion and, for
on?
questions 1–6 choose the correct answers a–d. 8 were there two different types of headwear
(6 points) for both women and men?
Talk one 9/10 was there a pattern on men’s clothes?
1 Which was NOT true about Victorian fashion?
a Women started wearing hats.
b Black became a popular colour for men’s
clothes on all occasions.
c The bowler hat was used on formal
occasions.
d Dresses became less often supported.
2 At NO time in Victorian times would you be
likely to see
a a bonnet.
b checked suits.
c petticoats.
d a woman’s ankles.
Talk two
3 Women’s dresses at the beginning of the
twentieth century
a were influenced by political changes.
b were not very practical.
c became wider and larger.
d hadn’t changed much from the previous
decades.
4 In the 1920s we didn’t see so many
a turn ups on men’s trousers.
b women’s legs.
c frock coats.
d pin stripe suits.

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