Diagnostic Exercise 5

Featured skill: Understanding the main idea

Featured question type: Main idea questions

Featured question formats: Matching subheadings to paragraphs; Cloze summary questions; Multiple-choice
cloze questions; Error correction

Read the text and answer questions 1–12 on pages 3–7. (40 marks)

Unequal fortunes of the film industry

1 [1] Fortunes in the film industry have shifted dramatically over the past 20 years. While
mainland China’s film industry has grown markedly, Hong Kong’s influence has waned.
What does the future hold for these two markets?

[2] When the Chinese-made film Monster Hunt was launched in 2015, no one could
5 have predicted it would become a blockbuster. The comedy animation/live-action film,
which cost 350 million yuan to make, became the highest-grossing Chinese film ever and
earned more at the box office in a single day than any other Chinese film. The figure is all
the more impressive when you consider that, on average, only 15 per cent of Chinese
films are profitable.

10 [3] Sceptics argue that the film had an unfair advantage because its release was set for
July, the month when the Chinese government bans the release of foreign movies in
order to protect domestic films. But others point out that Chinese film companies are
increasingly coming up with new and innovative business models that are turning the
industry on its head and are the source of such new-found success.

15 [4] Tencent, Asia’ second-biggest Internet company, provided financial backing for the
film and helped to promote it. It sees a future where the film-making process will operate
in reverse; namely, marketing teams find out what viewers want to see, and this forms
the basis of the film the company makes. The pioneer plans to use big data, online ticket
sales and social media to get a more accurate picture of what viewers want. This is a
20 radical departure from the usual business model, where viewers are spoon-fed movies
that have been approved by company executives in a boardroom.

[5] The future certainly looks rosy for the Chinese film industry, which is now the
second largest film market after the USA. Box office takings have grown 36 per cent since
2013, and the country is building 5,000 new cinema screens every year. With such
25 optimistic belief in the movie industry, it is not surprising that big businesses are keen to
invest, and not just in the mainland market. One such player is Alibaba Pictures Group, a
subsidiary of Alibaba, the biggest Internet company in China, which recently went into
business with Paramount Pictures to promote the latest film in the Mission: Impossible
franchise. Now China’s movers and shakers are looking beyond their shores to
30 Hollywood.

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 [6] As mainland China’s film industry has flourished, Hong Kong’s film industry has
withered. Back in the 1980s, Hong Kong films were respected around the world. This
was Hong Kong’s golden era, when it was considered as a leading player, behind only
Hollywood and Bollywood. Hong Kong films such as A Chinese Ghost Story and A Better
35 Tomorrow were hugely popular across Southeast Asia, and films made in Hong Kong
regularly won awards at international film festivals. Sadly, the last time a Hong Kong
film was shown at an international festival was in 2009, when Vengeance was screened at
the Cannes Film Festival. In the mid-1990s, Hong Kong was making more than 200 films
a year. By 2000, this number had fallen to less than 70. So what went wrong?

40 [7] The first problem was over-production: it is possible to have too much of a good
thing. As hundreds of movies were churned out each year, production values fell,
storylines became clichéd and the industry focused more on production quantity, rather
than quality. Then a wave of piracy hit takings at the box office and DVD sales. The
Asian financial crisis was the final nail in the coffin for many film-makers.

45 [8] Politics have also played a role. When Hong Kong returned to China in 1997, film-
makers began looking to the north, where the riches lay. Hong Kong’s studios, producers
and directors were only too aware that the mainland market was burgeoning, and they
wanted a piece of the action. In order to tap into this lucrative market, film-makers began
collaborating with partners on the mainland. The money-spinners came thick and fast,
50 but something else was lost in the process.

[9] Film-makers catered to mainland tastes, rather than the local tastes in Hong Kong.
The films were also subject to stricter censorship regulations, with topics such as
gambling, crime and superstition being off-limits. In the race to boost their bottom line,
some film-makers have been accused of selling out, of forgetting their roots and
55 abandoning their creativity. The end result is a local film industry that has lost its
identity, as the local market and traditions were all but forgotten.

[10] Thankfully, attempts are now being made to revive the Hong Kong film industry.
The Hong Kong government established the Film Development Fund in 2007 in a bid to
help new film-makers, and competitions such as the Fresh Wave short film competition
60 are encouraging a new generation of film-makers to tell their stories. These initiatives are
already starting to bear fruit as up-and-coming talents produce films such as Still Human,
Trivisa and Mad World that address local issues without thinking too much about the
potential market or costs.

[11] China’s movie industry juggernaut will continue to charge ahead and Hong Kong’s
65 film industry will probably never be able to compete with it in terms of scale. But the
new breed of films emerging from Hong Kong show that they can succeed by following a
different route: telling thoughtful, honest stories that resonate with audiences around the
world. In the end, Hong Kong’s film industry may be like the phoenix that rises from the
ashes, and all the stronger for the struggle it has endured.

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These diagnostic exercises may be adapted by teachers. OUP accepts no responsibility for changes made to original materials.
1 Complete the summary of paragraph 1 by selecting the best option from the choices below.
(3 marks)

There has been a (i) change in the film industry in the last twenty years.
Mainland China has become a market (ii) while Hong Kong’s role has
(iii) .
i) A striking
B minor
C sudden A B C D
D slow    
ii) A stall
B place
C leader A B C D
D share    
iii) A grown
B shrunk
C remained A B C D
D wavered    

2 Complete the summary of paragraphs 2–3 by writing ONE word in each blank. You
should make sure your answers are grammatically correct. (4 marks)

Monster Hunt (2015)

The success of the film

No one had expected Monster Hunt to (i) so much money. It cost 350
million yuan to make, but became the most successful Chinese film ever, despite the fact
that only 15 per cent of Chinese films make a (ii) .

How the film became so successful

The film’s release in July meant it was (iii) , because foreign movies
are banned in this month. In addition, mainland companies are using new business
models that are leading to increased (iv) .

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These diagnostic exercises may be adapted by teachers. OUP accepts no responsibility for changes made to original materials.
3 Match the missing subheadings to paragraphs 1–3 of the article. Write the number
corresponding to each section (1–3) in the box next to the subheadings. One is NOT used
and should be marked with an ‘X’. (3 marks)

Subheading Paragraph

i) Reasons for success 3

ii) Competition heats up X

iii) China’s strength grows, Hong Kong’s fades 1

iv) A Chinese success story

4 Complete the summary of paragraphs 4–5 by writing ONE word in each blank. You
should make sure your answers are grammatically correct. (4 marks)

The film-making process in future

Film-makers will start by asking (i) what they want to watch. They will also
use big data, online tickets sales and social media to understand the audience’s preferences.
This is (ii) different from the current approach of approving film
concepts in advance in a boardroom.

The future of the Chinese film industry

The Chinese film industry is now second only to the USA, with box office earnings
growing and 5,000 new cinema screens being (iii) every year.
Businesses are (iv) in overseas projects as well as projects on the
mainland.

5 Complete this summary of paragraph 6 by choosing a word from the eight options given
below. Write the correct word in the space provided. Each word can be used ONCE only.
(3 marks)

country declined major minor

region soared unexpected won

In the 1980s, Hong Kong was a (i) player in the global film industry.
Hong Kong films were successful across the (ii) and won international
awards. By the year 2000, Hong Kong’s film industry had (iii) dramatically.

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These diagnostic exercises may be adapted by teachers. OUP accepts no responsibility for changes made to original materials.
6 Match the missing subheadings to paragraphs 4–6 of the article. Write the number
corresponding to each section (4–6) in the box next to the subheadings. One is NOT used
and should be marked with an ‘X’. (3 marks)

Subheading Paragraph

i) A bright future ahead 5

ii) A new approach to filmmaking 4

iii) Little room for growth X

iv) An industry in decline

7 Complete the summary of paragraphs 7–8 by writing ONE word taken from paragraphs
7–8 in each gap. (4 marks)

At the peak of its success, the Hong Kong film industry probably produced too many
films that were of low (i) . In addition, (ii) had a negative
effect on profits and the Asian financial crisis hit film-makers hard. After 1997, Hong
Kong film-makers turned their attention to the (iii) mainland market.
Profits climbed, but critics say something else was (iv) .

8 Below is a summary of paragraph 9. In three of the lines there is ONE mistake. If you find
a mistake, underline it and replace the word with one that expresses the correct idea. Write
the word in the box on the right. Both grammar and spelling must be correct. In one of the
lines there is no mistake; put a tick () in the box. One has been done for you as an
example. (4 marks)

Summary Correction

e.g. Film-makers began making films with Hong Kong in mind. the mainland

i) Films could not cover topics like money, crime and

ii) superstition. Film-makers have been accused of caring

iii) more about tradition than about their creativity. Some

iv) say Hong Kong film-makers have found their identity.

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These diagnostic exercises may be adapted by teachers. OUP accepts no responsibility for changes made to original materials.
9 Match the missing subheadings to paragraphs 7–9 of the article. Write the number
corresponding to each section (7–9) in the box next to the subheadings. One is NOT used
and should be marked with an ‘X’. (3 marks)

Subheading Section

i) A series of setbacks 7

ii) Discovering new talent X

iii) Losing track of traditions 9

iv) Working with the mainland

10 Complete the flow chart describing new initiatives for the Hong Kong film industry by
writing ONE word taken from paragraphs 10–11 in each blank below. Your answers must
be grammatically correct. (3 marks)

New film-makers Hong Kong film-

Funding and
are thinking less makers can be
competitions have
about making a successful by
been set up to help
profit and more creating storylines
(i) .
about featuring that are
Hong Kong’s film
important (iii) .
industry.
(ii) . and appeal to global
on the big screen. audiences.

11 Match the missing subheadings to paragraphs 10–11 of the article. Write the number
corresponding to each section (10–11) in the box next to the subheadings. One is NOT
used and should be marked with an ‘X’. (2 marks)

Subheading Section

i) International awards likely X

ii) Breathing new life into the industry 10

iii) A focus on quality after difficult years 11

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These diagnostic exercises may be adapted by teachers. OUP accepts no responsibility for changes made to original materials.
12 Below is a summary of paragraph 11. In three of the lines there is ONE mistake. If you
find a mistake, underline it and replace the word with one that expresses the correct idea.
Write the word in the box on the right. Both grammar and spelling must be correct. In one
of the lines there is no mistake; put a tick () in the box. One has been done for you as an
example. (4 marks)

Summary Correction

e.g. Hong Kong’s film industry will continue to grow at a China’s

i) rapid pace. But Hong Kong’s film-makers can win in

ii) a different way: they can create storylines that appeal to

iii) directors worldwide. Hong Kong’s film industry may end

iv) up being weaker because of its past struggles.

END OF DIAGNOSTIC EXERCISE 5

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These diagnostic exercises may be adapted by teachers. OUP accepts no responsibility for changes made to original materials.