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Reading Terminology and Jargon Study Guide
Reading Terminology and Jargon Practice Exercises
Practice 1: Quiet on the Set!
Read the selection, and then answer the questions that follow.
| (1) |
Last summer I visited my uncle Ron. The public relations firm he works for was handling the ads for an upcoming movie, and he took me to watch a shoot! "Let's go meet the a.d.," Ron said when we got to the studio. |
| (2) |
"You meet an ad?" I asked, a little confused. |
| (3) |
"Oh, sorry, that's the assistant director," he laughed. "You get so used to the jargon on the set that you figure everyone else knows it." |
| (4) |
The a.d., whose name was Mim, pointed out that "The d.p. is using a dolly to track some actors running a scene." I guess I looked confused because she smiled, "He's the director of photography, or cinematographer . . . around here we just call him the d.p. He runs the camera; it's his job to get the best shot every time!" |
| (5) |
"And the camera's on a dolly," I said knowingly, "I saw a platform on wheels like that at my dad's store. It's on tracks, like a train. Is it always there?" |
| (6) |
"No, we move them after the d.p. gets the final shot," she replied. |
| (7) |
Just then, someone called, "Where's the gaffer? We need a blue gel. And can someone just close the barn door on that one?" he called, pointing up. |
| (8) |
"They need an electrician," Uncle Ron whispered. "They want a blue filter over the light . . . blue light is softer, not so harsh." |
| (9) |
"Got it," I replied. "But what's a barn door?" |
| (10) |
Mim pointed up at the huge lights. "See the flaps on the front of the light? They can be opened or closed to give more or less light. We call them barn doors." |
| (11) |
I didn't say it, but I thought, "That's silly; why not just call them flaps?" |
| (12) |
Later, I saw two actors filming a sword fight in front of a green wall. "Without scenery, how will anyone know if they're in a castle or on a cliff?" I asked. |
| (13) |
"That's where c.g.i. comes in," explained Mim. "The action is filmed in front of a blue or green screen, then a computer-generated image is dropped in for the background. It'll make them look like they're dueling atop the Statue of Liberty or in a hall at Buckingham Palace, whatever the filmmakers want." |
| (14) |
"So if I see an actor riding a camel in a desert, is he really doing it?" I asked. |
| (15) |
"Sometimes," Mim replied. "Some films are shot on location at different spots around the world. But it costs less to use blue-screen and c.g.i., so it's up to the filmmakers and their budget. They may want movie magic." |
| (16) |
"We need background people for the next scene," someone called to Mim. |
| (17) |
She nodded. "Time for me to make sure the people you may know as extras are in place," she confided. "They're the ones who give the scene a sense of reality—folks walking down a street or shopping in a mall as the stars do their thing." |
| (18) |
After lunch, we watched more filming. "Quiet on the set!" someone called. "Rolling! Action!" |
| (19) |
The background people began to move, then into the scene rode the hero, the star of the movie, on a real motorcycle! No green screen needed! |
| 1. |
In which would you most likely use jargon like cinematographer? |
| a. |
medicine |
| b. |
sports |
| c. |
construction |
| d. |
film production |
| 2. |
What is the meaning of a.d. as used in the selection? |
| a. |
after delivery |
| b. |
artistic director |
| c. |
assistant director |
| d. |
actors' directory |
| 3. |
A gaffer is |
| a. |
in charge of serving lunch on a movie set. |
| b. |
a worker for an advertising agency. |
| c. |
the star of a movie. |
| d. |
an electrician. |
| 4. |
A c.g.i. is dropped in as background for action that's shot in front of |
| a. |
a live audience. |
| b. |
a blue or green screen. |
| c. |
Buckingham Palace. |
| d. |
a white screen. |
Practice 2: Money Matters
Read the selection, and then answer the questions that follow.
| (1) |
Today we use two basic kinds of currency, or money: metal coins and paper bills. But once people bartered, or traded, for things they needed or wanted. In ancient Africa, salt was really valuable because people in many places didn't have it, and they needed it to flavor and preserve their food. So people would trade a bag of gold for a bag of salt! |
| (2) |
Then, about 3,500 years ago, people started using seashells as money. The North American Indians used wampum, beads made of clamshells. In about 1,000 B.C., the Chinese minted the first metal coins. They had holes in the centers so they could be carried on a string, kind of like a key ring. Later, the Chinese invented paper money. |
| (3) |
Before long, people around the world used coins and paper money to buy goods. Most people kept their money at home, tucked under a mattress or a floorboard, or stuffed in a jar. But often the money was stolen or lost in a flood or fire. And sometimes people just forgot where they had hidden it! That's why banks were built. The special buildings were equipped with vaults—rooms where everyone's money was locked up and guarded. People who put their money in a bank felt that the cash was safe. |
| (4) |
The first bank in the United States opened in 1791. Today there are thousands. To open an account at a bank, a person must be at least 18 years old. That's because only adults can legally sign papers needed to open the account. An account holder can deposit, or put in, more money from time to time. It's added to the balance, or total already in the account. He or she can also withdraw, or take out, money that's then subtracted from the balance. |
| (5) |
People can deposit or withdraw money at the bank or at an ATM (Automatic Teller Machine). Each account holder is given a plastic card that electronically holds information about the account. The machine scans the card, then allows the person to deposit or withdraw money, or check the current balance. |
| 5. |
Jargon like currency, deposit, and ATM are used in the field of |
| a. |
baking. |
| b. |
science |
| c. |
banking. |
| d. |
auto racing. |
| 6. |
What is the meaning of mint as used in the selection? |
| a. |
a flavored candy |
| b. |
flawless |
| c. |
green, leafy plant |
| d. |
produced |
| 7. |
What is the meaning of vault as used in the selection? |
| a. |
to leap over |
| b. |
a burial chamber |
| c. |
a room for the safekeeping of valuables |
| d. |
to cover |
| 8. |
Wampum was currency made from |
| a. |
clamshells. |
| b. |
turkey feathers. |
| c. |
salt. |
| d. |
paper. |
| 9. |
To open a bank account, a person must be |
| a. |
an American citizen. |
| b. |
at least 18 years old. |
| c. |
at least 21 years old. |
| d. |
a high school graduate. |
| 10. |
The meaning of balance as used in the selection is |
| a. |
steadiness. |
| b. |
set of scales. |
| c. |
total. |
| d. |
compare. |
Practice 3: Manage Minerals
Read the selection, and then answer the questions that follow.
| (1) |
Rocks are made of minerals. Those are substances that can't be classified as "animals" or "vegetables." There are many different minerals. Each can be identified by its properties, or characteristics. To identify a mineral, scientists test its streak, hardness, luster, color, and cleavage. |
| (2) |
To test the streak, the mineral is rubbed on a marble slab to see if it leaves a mark, and if so, what color mark. To test hardness, the mineral is scratched on glass to see if it scratches the glass, and if so, how much. Scientists can see the mineral's luster, or shininess, to know if it's metallic or nonmetallic. The mineral's color is also obvious to the eye. Finally, the mineral is checked for cleavage—breaks, or fractures, along weak points. |
| (3) |
An accurate identification of a mineral can't be done by checking just one property. Many minerals have similar properties, such as the same hardness or color. Always test all the properties before stating for sure which mineral it is. |
| 11. |
In which topic would you most likely find words like minerals and metallic? |
| a. |
music |
| b. |
cooking |
| c. |
science |
| d. |
ballet |
| 12. |
Every substance is classified as either an animal, a vegetable, or a |
| a. |
mineral. |
| b. |
human. |
| c. |
solid. |
| d. |
liquid. |
| 13. |
What is the meaning of streak as used in the article? |
| a. |
run fast |
| b. |
a mark of color |
| c. |
to distort |
| d. |
to stretch |
Answers
| 1. |
d |
| 2. |
c |
| 3. |
d |
| 4. |
b |
| 5. |
c |
| 6. |
d |
| 7. |
c |
| 8. |
a |
| 9. |
b |
| 10. |
c |
| 11. |
c |
| 12. |
a |
| 13. |
b |
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From Reading in 15 Minutes A Day. Copyright © 2008 by LearningExpress, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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