Reality Television

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."
Questions
Q1 - In the first line, the writer says 'it is claimed' because
they agree with the statement.
everyone agrees with the statement.
no one agrees with the statement.
they want to distance themselves from the statement.
Q2 - Reality television has
always been this popular.
has been popular since well before 2000.
has only been popular since 2000.
has been popular since approximately 2000.

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Q3 - Japan
is the only place to produce demeaning TV shows.
has produced demeaning TV shows copied elsewhere.
produced Big Brother.
invented surveillance focused productions.
Q4 - People have criticised reality television because
it is demeaning.
it uses exotic locations.
the name is inaccurate.
it shows reality.
Q5 - Reality TV appeals to some because
it shows eligible males dating women.
it uses exotic locations.
it shows average people in exceptional circumstances.
it can turn ordinary people into celebrities.
Q6 - Pop Idol
turns all its participants into celebrities.
is more likely to turn its particiapants into celebrities than Big Brother.
is less likely to turn its particiapants into celebrities than Big Brother.
is a dating show.
Q7 - The term 'reality television' is inaccurate
for all programs.
just for Big Brother and Survivor.
for talent and performance programs.
for special-living-environment programs.
Q8 - Producers choose the participants
on the ground of talent.
only for special-living-environment shows.
to create conflict among other things.
to make a fabricated world.
Q9 - Paul Burnett
was a participant on Survivor.
is a critic of reality TV.

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 thinks the term 'reality television' is inaccurate.
writes the script for Survivor.
Q10 - Shows like Survivor
are definitely reality TV.
are scripted.
have good narratives.
are theatre.

Use of English
Part One
Multiple-choice cloze
For questions 1-15, read the text and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each space. Example (0)
C
TWINS
New Scientist magazine (0) ........C....... published a report by researchers at Sheffield University. The
researchers studied identical twins who had been separated at (1) ................. and had been taken
(2) ............ of by different families. The results showed that the twins were often very similar, not only in
(3) ................. but also in intelligence and personality.
More (4) ...................... , however, were the other coincidences which were almost (5) ................ to
explain. For example, one set of female twins met again for the first time when they were 39. They both
(6) ................ the same dress, had seven rings on their fingers, and the same bracelets. There were also
some male twins who (7) .................... part in the study. They too (8) ................ a great deal in common.
Both of them worked in the police force, and (9) ..................... their holidays in Majorca. They drove the
same kind of car and had a dog called Toy. (10) ...................... of them had married and divorced women
called Linda, and their second wives were called Elizabeth.
The researchers intend to (11) ........ out more studies in the future. This is because these coincidences are
so remarkable and have occurred so often with twins that they have almost (12) ............. count. The
coincidences are so extraordinary that it is (13) ...................... to simply say that they happen because of
(14) ................... . It seems that there must be a more (15) .................... explanation, but so far nobody
has found out what it is.

0A newly B lately C recently D freshly

1A first B beginning C start D birth
2A care B responsibility C concern D worry
3A look B sight C appearance D form
4A disgraceful B shocking C insulting D suprising
5A impossible B incredible C unlikely D dissimilar
6A carried B wore C put D dressed
7A held B came C took D played
8A did B were C had D made
9A passed B spent C stayed D went
10 A All B Each C Two D Every
11 A bring B follow C do D carry
12 A dropped B fallen C missed D lost
13 A illiterate B illegal C illegible D illogical
14 A opportunity B chance C possibility D occasion

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 15 A correct B logical C intelligent D proper

Part Two
Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space.

EDINBURGH
Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, (0) .....is..... regarded by many people (16) ................ the most
beautiful city in Europe. Whether or (17) ............ that is true, no visitor can fail to (18) ................
impressed by its dramatic surroundings, its magnificent buildings, or its dark stone churches.
Edinburgh Castle dominates (19) .............. city centre. Built in the eleventh century, (20) .............. sits
high on a rock. The old town developed from this point, stretching down the slope to form what is
(21) ................ as the Royal Mile. This street remains (22) ................... of the city's main tourist
attractions, with Holyroodhouse (a royal palace) at the lower end, and the castle at the top.
The new town (23) ................. built in the eighteenth century in order to cope (24) ................. the
increasing population of the city. It is located in the flat land to the north (25) ................ the castle. Before
it was developed, (26) ................. competition was arranged for the best design. The Scottish architect,
James Craig, won with a simple grid pattern of streets and squares.
But perhaps Edinburgh is most famous (27) ............... its annual International Festival of Music and
Drama. This massive three-week event has been held every August (28) ................ 1947. It attracts
thousands of theatre and music lovers, and hundreds of artists, from (29) .............. over the world. Not
surprisingly, many Edinburgh locals take their holidays at this time - and go in (30) ............... of some
peace and quiet!

Part Three
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. Use the word in bold
and other words. Use between two and five words.
31 Smoking in the library is forbidden.
allowed
You ____________________________________________________ in the library.
32 It is much too cold to go to the lake today.
warm
It _________________________________ to go to the lake today.
33 Magda saw Ela as she was going to work.
way
Magda saw Ela ___________________________________ work.
34 I regret not taking your advice.
followed
If only ___________________________________ your advice.
35 You might get thirsty, so I put a flask of tea in your bag.
case
I put a flask of tea in your bag _________________________________ thirsty.
36 Joanna likes swimming more than jogging..
prefers
Joanna ___________________________________________ jog.
37 Her voice was so quiet that we could hardly hear her.
such
She __________________________ that we could hardly hear her.
38 Going to parties was not something I did very often.
use
I ____________________________________________ to parties very often.
39 "I'll start saving money every month, I promise," Hania said.

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 putting
Hania promised ______________________________ every month.
40 Nobody knows why Donata quit her job.
made
Nobody knows _________________________________________ her job.

Part Four
Read the text below and look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are correct, and some have a word
which should not be there.
I LOVE LANGUAGES
0 My family and I moved to England from Poland last (correct)
00 month ago because of my mother's job. I want to go to (ago)
41 university to study also languages but I know my English
42 is not good enough. I studied English at school in Gorzów
43 but the accents here in northern England make it to sound
44 completely different from what I have been learnt in the
45 classroom. I'm thinking of taking over a course in English first
46 and then going on to a degree course in Russian and Polish.
47 I believe I will pass my Polish course without no difficulty
48 as long as I improve my grammar. Studying Russian
49 will be challenging but I am luck because of I won't have
50 to spend too much time on Polish and will be able to
51 concentrate more on Russian. I did chose the Russian
52 language because it has always fascinated by me, and I
53 hope that after studying it for four years I will be able
54 to use it in a profession such as translating. I'm looking
55 very forward to visiting Moscow one day. I might even
get the chance to teach Polish there.

Part Five
Use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits in the space in the same line.
There is an example at the beginning (0).

A VISIT TO A BOOKSHOP
On hearing that my favourite (0) novelist was going to visit NOVEL
a local bookshop, I made the (56) ________________ to go along and DECIDE
meet him in person. I have always had the greatest (57) ____________ ADMIRE
for him. His novels, which are basically (58) _____________ have been HISTORY
of great (59) ______________ benefit to me throughout the years. Not EDUCATE
surprisingly, his work has received popular (60) ________________ . RECOGNISE

On arriving, I saw him with a (61) __________________ of his books in SELECT

front of him. (62) __________________ , he was alone. I approached him and FORTUNATE
(63) ________________ asked him to autograph my book. His handwriting POLITE
was (64) __________________ and therefore I had trouble reading the LEGIBLE
dedication. Nevertheless, it was a (65) __________________ experience. MEMORY