Reality television is a genre of television programming which, it is claimed, presents unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and features ordinary people rather than professional actors. It could be described as a form of artificial or "heightened" documentary. Although the genre has existed in some form or another since the early years of television, the current explosion of popularity dates from around 2000.
Reality television covers a wide range of television programming formats, from game or quiz shows which resemble the frantic, often demeaning programmes produced in Japan in the 1980s and 1990s (a modern example is Gaki no tsukai), to surveillance- or voyeurism- focused productions such as Big Brother.
Critics say that the term "reality television" is somewhat of a misnomer and that such shows frequently portray a modified and highly influenced form of reality, with participants put in exotic locations or abnormal situations, sometimes coached to act in certain ways by off-screen handlers, and with events on screen manipulated through editing and other post-production techniques.
Part of reality television's appeal is due to its ability to place ordinary people in extraordinary situations. For example, on the ABC show, The Bachelor, an eligible male dates a dozen women simultaneously, travelling on extraordinary dates to scenic locales. Reality television also has the potential to turn its participants into national celebrities, outwardly in talent and performance programs such as Pop Idol, though frequently Survivor and Big Brother participants also reach some degree of celebrity.
Some commentators have said that the name "reality television" is an inaccurate description for several styles of program included in the genre. In competition-based programs such as Big Brother and Survivor, and other special-living-environment shows like The Real World, the producers design the format of the show and control the day-to-day activities and the environment, creating a completely fabricated world in which the competition plays out. Producers specifically select the participants, and use carefully designed scenarios, challenges, events, and settings to encourage particular behaviours and conflicts. Mark Burnett, creator of Survivor and other reality shows, has agreed with this assessment, and avoids the word "reality" to describe his shows; he has said, "I tell good stories. It really is not reality TV. It really is unscripted drama."
Task 3
Choose the best way to fill in each space in the following phrases. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
17. The government ………….major changes to the education system today.
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Warned B. declared C. announced D. expressed
18. We got off the bikes because the hill was to ………….to cycle up.
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High B. steep C. straight D. tall
19. I ………………..on the news that the price of petrol is going up again.
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Looked B. listened C. heard D. watched
20. It’ll take you over an hour to get to the city centre in the …………….hour.
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Rush B. busy C. run D. crowded
21. It was very hot in Egypt, so we set ……………at dawn to visit the Pyramids.
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Off B. about C. back D. in
22. I’ve just taken …………….sailing, and I’m going to do a special course next month.
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To B. over C. up D. after
23. I found it very stressful
living in the centre of town, so I was pleased when we moved to a quiet residential area in the …………….. .
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Edge B. suburbs C. estate D. outskirts
24. I prefer string instruments so the ………….is my favourite.
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Flute B. saxophone C. cello d. drum
25. The ……………from Dover to Calais only takes about an hour when the sea is calm.
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Trip B. crossing C. voyage D. travel
26. The ……….of the thriller I saw last night was so complicated I want to see the whole film again.
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Plot B. subtitle C. soundtrack D. trailer
Task 4
Fill in the gaps with phrasal verbs from the box which mean the same as the verbs in brackets. Put the phrasal verb into correct forms. There are more phrasal verbs than you need. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
Turn up care for make out carry on cut down pick up fill in put off bring up ring up take off set off take in turn down make up
I had been doing the same job for years and I didn't really ……27…….(
like) it any more but it was extremely well paid. Then one day I decided to look for another job, realizing I would need to ……28………..(
reduce) what I spent on luxuries. I ………29……. (
completed) lots of forms but all my applications were ……30………….(
rejected). I (
continued) …………31………….. looking for a job but nothing suitable ………32………(
appeared) so I booked a holiday. The day before I was due to ………33………..(
leave) I was ……34……… (
telephoned) by a TV company who asked me to go for an interview the next day. I ………35…………(
postponed) my holiday immediately. It was the job of my dreams. I could hardly ……36…………(
absorb) the news when they offered it to me. And I never went on that holiday.
Task 5
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given. For each fully correct answer you will get two points. For an answer with a minor grammar or spelling mistake you will get one point.
Write only the missing parts of the sentences on your answer sheet.
Example:
It is essential that all library books are returned by July 5th.
Bring
You ………
must bring back…………………all library books by July 5
th.
37-38. It isn’t worth asking Philip to tidy up.
Point
There’s …………………………………………………..…………. Philip to tidy up.
39-40. I suggest phoning your aunt before turning up at her house.
You
I suggest …………………………………….……………………. your aunt before turning up at her house.
41-42. You’ll miss your plane if you don’t hurry up.
Unless
You’ll miss your plane …………………………………………………….. up.
43-44. This special offer will end on Monday!
Last
This special offer ……………………………………………….………….. Monday!
45-46. He regretted not inviting her to his birthday party.
Wished
He …………………………………………………………….. to his birthday party.
47-48. Although he was exhausted, he managed to finish the race.
Despite
………………………………………….…………………………….. to finish the race.
49-50. He does almost no work.
Hardly
He ………………………………..……………………………………. work.
Task 6
Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
It is probable that until two hundred years ……
ago…0…… Antarctica had never been seen by any human eyes. The first people who are known to have seen it ………51……….. hunters on ships in 1819. Two years later, one of them managed to land there even ………52………… conditions prevented him from exploring very far. Larger scientific expeditions later came to the Antarctic to find out more. By the end of the nineteenth century they ……………….. succeeded in mapping
the coast of the continent, in ……54……… of the fact that Antarctica is almost entirely covered by a thick layer of ice which in places stretches far beyond the edge of the land onto the sea.
There was something else ………55…….. attracted people to Antarctica besides scientific research. This was the South Pole. A number ………56………… attempts to reach it were made in the early years of ………57………….. twentieth century, and the first person ………58……….. get there was the Norwegian, Roald Amundsen, in 1911. Travelling with dogs to pull the sledges that carried his party’s supplies, he arrived ………59……. the pole five weeks before his rivals, a British group headed by Robert Scott.
Despite the terrible weather conditions, many nations now have scientific bases on Antarctica, carrying out research on a great range …………60………. subjects.
Task 7
Fill in each of the gaps with an appropriate word that combines with the others. Use only one word in each gap. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
Example: He paid a lot of money for his first-……class……………. ticket.
61. I’m sure you’ll like him. He’s very friendly and easy-………….. .
62. She needs thick glasses because she is very short-………………. .
63. He refuses to even listen to anyone else’s point of view. He is very narrow-……………….. .
64. Although most people hold their tennis racket in their right hand, a lot of the top players are left-………………. .
65. My grandfather was a marvelous story-………….. .
66. I’m sorry, I didn’t hear that. Could you ………………..what you’ve just said?
67. They always have very heated ………………….about money and end up shouting at each other.
68. This telephone line is very bad. Could you …………………up a bit, please?
69. She ……………….. out of milk so she went to the shop to get some more.
70. Could you ring up the station and ……………… out when the next train to Venice leaves?
Task 8
Translate the following phrases into English. For a correct translation you will get two points. For an answer with a minor grammar or spelling mistake you will get one point. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
71-72. Сколько времени вам понадобилось, чтобы добраться до аэропорта?
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73-74. Вы не будете против, если я закрою окно? В комнате слишком холодно.
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75-76. Она заставила меня повторить весь рассказ с самого начала.
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77-78. Когда я его увидел, я вспомнил, где мы раньше встречались.
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79-80. В этой задаче нет ничего трудного. Тебе просто нужно немного подумать.
__________________________________________________
Task 9
Fill in the gaps in the text with appropriate prepositions. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
The wedding took place last Saturday ……
of……0…….. a couple who fell ………81……….love through the Internet. Penny and Peter had communicated by email for six months until they discovered ……82……. accident that they worked in the same building. ‘Actually, I had noticed her before and liked her, but I was too shy to speak to her ……83……… public,’ said blushing Peter. ‘When I realized she was my Internet friend, at first I suspected her ……84……………. laughing at me, and I was quite angry ……85…………… it. But luckily she succeeded in persuading me that I was wrong. Now we’re looking forward ………86……… spending our lives together.
Task 10
Melvin Hughes wants to travel to Scotland, and is talking to a clerk at a travel agency. Complete their conversation. For each fully correct answer you will get two points. For an answer with a minor grammar/ spelling mistake you will get one point. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
87-88. Melvin: Hello. I wonder….…….……………………………………….. information.
Clerk: Yes, of course. What would you like to know?
89-90. Melvin: ……………………………………………………………………………….?
Clerk: Yes, there are several flights a day.
91-92. Melvin: ……………………………………………………………………………….?
Clerk: About ₤100, depending on the time of the flight.
93-94. Melvin: ……………………………………………………….……………………….?
Clerk: Oh yes, you can go by train or coach.
95-96. Melvin: …………………………………………………………………….………….?
Clerk: By coach? About twelve hours, but it depends on the traffic.
97-98. Melvin: Is………………………………………………..…………………………….?
Clerk: Yes, it’s much faster.
99-100. Melvin: OK, I’ll take the train then. Do you know when …………………………………………………………..……………?
Clerk: Yes, the next one leaves at 16.45 from Euston station.