Name: Mark:

Unit 3 Test
Written Comprehension

Read the text and answer the questions that follow.

A New (and Better) World?

I Are you someone who enjoys watching films depicting widespread destruction, environmental disaster
and imaginary new worlds, such as in The Hunger Games? Then you are not alone – millions of young
people around the world are also into dystopian and apocalyptic films. Tales of doomsday and dystopian
societies have crept into all aspects of pop culture – especially onto the big screen, but also into music,
video games, books and blogs.
Dystopian and apocalyptic storylines portray the vision of a society after a major disaster, such as
II nuclear war or an environmental catastrophe. These events cause civilisations to try and adapt to the
changes and build a faultless way of life. 1
III These types of stories about building new societies are not new. 2 People have been creating
stories about the end of life as we know it for as long as we’ve been around, and many of them have
been made into blockbuster films.
IV Going back to Biblical times, the tale of Noah’s Ark depicts a new, better world after a flooding disaster.
In modern times, The Hunger Games depicts a future society where America is divided into districts
which produce their own resources for the dictator state in order to maintain peace. 3 In this
novel, the perfect community of the protagonist, Jonas, lacks nothing except freedom and equality.
V So, why do these often depressing films appeal to teenagers? Firstly, they can of course be extremely
entertaining and exciting. Secondly, these films can encourage us to think about what the possible
consequences of our irresponsible, wasteful behaviour could be for our planet. 4 Young adults
who are trying to figure out who they are and what they want to be in life can identify with them and
their message.

VI 5 The dystopian and apocalyptic film genre is just a recent addition to our fascination with the
end of the world and the quest for a better life. In fact, the only thing that might stop people from
watching an apocalyptic film is, of course, an apocalypse!

1 Five sentences have been removed from the text. From sentences A-F, choose the one that fits
each gap. There is one extra sentence. (5 x 2 = 10 points)
A Narratives questioning society’s mortality are certainly not a new theme.
B Another dystopian work of fiction is The Giver by Lois Lowry.
C However, this attempt at a “perfect” society often goes wrong.
D The idea that humans will one day undergo a day of reckoning has confronted every generation.
E For as long as mankind has existed, there have been rulers.
F Lastly, they are told from a teenager’s perspective through the actions of young heroes.

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 Unit 3 Test

2 Decide if the following sentences are true (T) or false (F). Find evidence in the text to
support your answers. (4 x 2 = 8 points)
1 Dystopian societies are a popular pop culture theme. ..........
........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

2 In The Giver, Jonas has a perfect life. ..........

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3 The writer mentions an environmental connection to apocalyptic films. ..........

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4 The dystopian and apocalyptic film genre has been around for a long time. ..........
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3 Find words or expressions in the text that mean: (6 x 2 = 12 points)

1 appeared gradually (paragraph I) ............................................................
2 perfect (paragraph II) ............................................................
3 existed (paragraph III) ............................................................
4 attract (paragraph V) ............................................................
5 understand (paragraph V) ............................................................
6 search (paragraph VI) ............................................................

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