Category 1
Long before he acted in car chases, John Cena played with toy cars alongside his brothers. He still loves cars and collects them. His film Matchbox brings this interest into his work again. Although trained drivers handle most of its driving scenes, Cena enjoys driving a large vehicle across desert sand himself.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. Driving in Matchbox gives Cena a new interest in cars, so he starts collecting them after filming.
B. Cena's childhood love of cars continues in his life and helps make his Matchbox work enjoyable.
C. Cena's experience with cars allows him to take over most of the difficult driving scenes in Matchbox.
B. Cena's childhood love of cars continues in his life and helps make his Matchbox work enjoyable.
Moss: The Forgotten Relic brings two games about a brave mouse into one collection. Players can now enjoy the adventures without wearing a virtual-reality headset. Some actions feel less direct with a normal controller. Still, the reviewer says the games keep their charm and are a good way for new players to meet the mouse.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. Two charming mouse adventures now work without a headset, although some actions feel less direct.
B. A new headset makes two mouse adventures easier to play and their actions feel more direct.
C. Two mouse adventures keep their familiar controls, but the new collection loses much of their charm.
A. Two charming mouse adventures now work without a headset, although some actions feel less direct.
As a boy, Murray Bartlett already wanted to act. Then an accident damaged his teeth and made some words difficult to say. A woman who helped him speak clearly asked him to perform poems and short speeches. These lessons encouraged his imagination, and he enjoyed dressing up as characters at home.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. Bartlett began wanting to act after a woman helping his speech noticed the characters he performed at home during childhood.
B. An accident interrupted Bartlett's childhood acting lessons, so he practised poems at home to catch up.
C. Speech lessons supported Bartlett's early acting interest and his imagination while helping him overcome a childhood problem.
C. Speech lessons supported Bartlett's early acting interest and his imagination while helping him overcome a childhood problem.
In Whale Rider, Pai gives a school speech about her family and her grandfather. She respects their history, but she also has an idea for the future. Everyone should have a chance to learn. Then more people can become leaders, and the whole community can be stronger.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. Pai explains that her community can become stronger by teaching the people already chosen to lead it.
B. Pai respects her family and wants learning open to everyone, helping more people lead a stronger community.
C. Pai honours her family by explaining that future leaders should learn from her grandfather instead of the wider community.
B. Pai respects her family and wants learning open to everyone, helping more people lead a stronger community.
As a young actor, Ke Huy Quan sometimes felt afraid while filming an adventure movie. After one difficult scene, Harrison Ford stayed with him until he felt calm. There were also jokes and laughter on set. Quan remembers these adults because they helped him feel safe and part of a family.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. Adults made filming fun, although the young actor had to deal with frightening moments alone.
B. A young actor felt welcome because the adults taught him to hide his fear during filming.
C. Kindness and fun on a film set helped a young actor feel safe and welcome.
C. Kindness and fun on a film set helped a young actor feel safe and welcome.
Digger is a comedy about a powerful oil businessman. His company causes a problem that puts the world in danger, and the president asks him to solve it. Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu wants people to laugh, then think about their laughter. The trouble comes from people's choices, so the film raises questions about power and responsibility.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. A comedy about a businessman facing his company's disaster invites viewers to think about how people use power.
B. A comedy follows a responsible businessman whose efforts to stop a natural disaster teach viewers about the environment.
C. A comedy explores a president's poor choices after his oil company puts a powerful businessman in danger.
A. A comedy about a businessman facing his company's disaster invites viewers to think about how people use power.
A former soldier and his dog must survive after their plane crashes in Heart of the Beast. Director David Ayer was deeply moved by their close relationship. It reminded him of losing his father. His own time in the military also helped him understand the soldier. For Ayer, the adventure has a strong personal meaning.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. A director uses a soldier's survival story to show how military training matters more than close relationships in a crisis.
B. A director tells the true story of his father's plane crash through a soldier and the dog that survived.
C. A survival film about a man and his dog connects with its director's memories of loss and military life.
C. A survival film about a man and his dog connects with its director's memories of loss and military life.
The makers of Hunt for the Wilderpeople remember working outdoors with a small crew. Everyone helped, and the friendly mood made filming enjoyable. The story includes many details about New Zealand, which some foreign viewers might miss. However, people at an American film festival still enjoyed it. Local details did not stop the film reaching a wider audience.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. The crew enjoyed the outdoor work, although foreign audiences struggled to enjoy a story rooted in New Zealand.
B. The film's success abroad came mainly from removing New Zealand details and making the crew more international.
C. A happy team made a film full of New Zealand life that people abroad could also enjoy.
C. A happy team made a film full of New Zealand life that people abroad could also enjoy.
Turning Thelma & Louise into a stage musical means making changes. Writer Callie Khouri adjusts conversations and some smaller roles, while new songs express the two women's private feelings. Different actors also bring their own ways of playing the friends. Even with these changes, Khouri wants the musical to keep the heart of the original story.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. The musical uses new songs and performance choices to retell the friends' story while keeping its central meaning.
B. Changes to the cast, songs and smaller roles allow the musical to replace the film's central friendship with a new story.
C. The musical keeps the film's conversations and performances closely alike, adding songs to explain the friends' feelings.
A. The musical uses new songs and performance choices to retell the friends' story while keeping its central meaning.
While making The Frighteners, Peter Jackson learnt that the film might take too long and cost too much. He expected producer Robert Zemeckis to ask the studio for more money. Instead, Zemeckis asked Jackson to find a solution. Jackson removed a planned road scene and learnt to manage a film's time and money more carefully.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. Zemeckis shortened the filming schedule himself, teaching Jackson that producers should make difficult decisions about money.
B. By cutting a planned scene, Jackson learnt to take responsibility for managing his film's costs and schedule.
C. Extra money from the studio helped Jackson keep his planned scenes and complete the film more carefully.
B. By cutting a planned scene, Jackson learnt to take responsibility for managing his film's costs and schedule.
Before filming Nuts in May, director Mike Leigh and his actors spent eight weeks developing the characters. They did not begin with a finished script. Instead, the actors went on trips while behaving as their characters. They also met other actors without knowing much about their roles. These experiences helped them discover how their characters would speak, react and behave together.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. Leigh's actors spent eight weeks learning a finished script, using outdoor trips to practise the lines they would later perform.
B. Leigh asked his actors to prepare their characters separately, then discover how to work together once the cameras started filming.
C. Leigh's actors built their characters through shared experiences before filming, using practice situations instead of starting with a finished script.
C. Leigh's actors built their characters through shared experiences before filming, using practice situations instead of starting with a finished script.
At first, Whalefall sounds like a simple story of danger: a teenage diver is trapped inside a huge whale with little air left. However, Jay is also dealing with his father's death. Memories reveal how difficult their relationship was. While he struggles to get out of the whale, he must also face these feelings and begin to understand his father.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. After his father's death, a young diver forgets his family problems during a dangerous underwater adventure.
B. Trapped inside a whale, a young diver must survive while learning to understand his painful relationship with his father.
C. A young diver trapped inside a whale fights to survive so he can return home and repair his relationship with his father.
B. Trapped inside a whale, a young diver must survive while learning to understand his painful relationship with his father.
Some film fans travel across countries to see The Odyssey in IMAX 70mm, a special large-screen format. They want its huge images and the excitement of watching with others. Tickets sell quickly, but few cinemas can show it this way. Many buildings lack the space for the tall screen and large equipment. Strong public interest therefore meets a practical problem.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. Fans travel to find a shared cinema experience because local audiences show little interest in watching the film together.
B. The special large-screen cinema experience attracts travelling fans, but limited space stops many cinemas from meeting the strong demand.
C. Cinemas struggle to attract viewers to the large-screen film because its equipment takes up too much of their space.
B. The special large-screen cinema experience attracts travelling fans, but limited space stops many cinemas from meeting the strong demand.
In The Christophers, two artists, Julian and Lori, often argue. Julian once hurt Lori's feelings by criticising her work in public. As they spend time together, their interest in art helps them form a connection. Yet Lori's feelings remain mixed, and Julian still speaks unkindly about another young person's work. Their friendship brings a small change, rather than solving every problem.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. Two artists become close friends after Julian learns to offer kind advice and Lori puts her past hurt behind her.
B. Two artists share an interest in painting, but an earlier public argument prevents them from developing a personal connection.
C. Two artists grow closer through art, but their new connection leaves some old hurt and unkind behaviour in place.
C. Two artists grow closer through art, but their new connection leaves some old hurt and unkind behaviour in place.
Four Empire writers discuss why Indiana Jones remains an appealing hero. He knows a great deal and can handle danger, yet his plans sometimes fail. The writers admire the series, but they value different things. Most choose Raiders of the Lost Ark as the best film. Chris prefers The Last Crusade, especially because of the relationship between Indiana and his father.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. The writers admire Indiana Jones as a capable but imperfect hero, while differing over which film offers the most.
B. The writers admire Indiana Jones because he overcomes each problem, and they favour films that show his skills most clearly.
C. The writers' different favourite films reveal disagreement about whether Indiana Jones is an appealing hero despite his knowledge and skills.
A. The writers admire Indiana Jones as a capable but imperfect hero, while differing over which film offers the most.
New footage of Avengers: Doomsday brings several groups of heroes closer to a dangerous enemy. Doctor Doom has great scientific knowledge as well as magical powers. He was once a friend of two heroes, but he is no longer the caring person they remember. His exact aim remains unclear. He may be trying to save his own universe, although the report says another purpose is possible.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. Several hero teams face an enemy with great powers, but new information about his past still leaves his true aim uncertain.
B. New information reveals that a powerful former friend threatens several hero teams in order to protect the universe he comes from.
C. Several hero teams face a powerful enemy who has returned to his caring nature and now hopes to rebuild old friendships.
A. Several hero teams face an enemy with great powers, but new information about his past still leaves his true aim uncertain.
Paul Greengrass wanted The Uprising to look like a large historical adventure, although he had limited money. In long action scenes, stunt performers appeared again and again in different clothes, helping a small group seem larger. The work was physically tiring. However, Andrew Garfield described the director as a supportive team leader. Practical ideas and encouragement helped the group meet the demands of an ambitious film.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. With limited funds, The Uprising used repeated performers and supportive teamwork to create demanding scenes on a large scale.
B. The Uprising achieved its large scale by spending more on extra performers, while encouragement made the physical work easier.
C. With limited funds, The Uprising reduced the size of its action scenes so performers could avoid tiring work together.
A. With limited funds, The Uprising used repeated performers and supportive teamwork to create demanding scenes on a large scale.
To make Street Fighter, director Kitao Sakurai brought together actors, musicians, wrestlers and comedians. He wanted the film to feel as lively and playful as the game. Creating that fun took serious work: leading actors trained for weeks, and the team used real performers to do difficult moves. Their careful preparation supported a colourful adventure that would not take itself too seriously.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. A varied cast and demanding physical preparation helped the Street Fighter team bring the game's playful energy to the screen.
B. Street Fighter's unusual cast made the film feel lively, so the team could spend less time preparing its difficult physical scenes.
C. Hard training and a varied cast helped Street Fighter replace the game's playful energy with a serious mood.
A. A varied cast and demanding physical preparation helped the Street Fighter team bring the game's playful energy to the screen.
In Wild Horse Nine, two American agents have a difficult friendship. The older man begins to question things he has done. Director Martin McDonagh uses their story to examine America's actions in the past, yet their relationship remains central. Some events may remind viewers of today's world. However, he says those links were not planned; his interest was in the earlier period.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. Through two officers' troubled friendship, McDonagh examines past American actions, without deliberately making a statement about what is happening today.
B. McDonagh shifts from two officers' personal troubles to a historical account in which their friendship becomes less important.
C. McDonagh creates a troubled friendship in an earlier period mainly to explain his planned criticism of present-day American actions.
A. Through two officers' troubled friendship, McDonagh examines past American actions, without deliberately making a statement about what is happening today.
Jason Klamm clearly loves the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and his book contains a great deal of research. The reviewer enjoys learning about the film's background and later influence. However, long sections describe small events during filming and add details about many people interviewed. These facts show hard work, but they often interrupt the story instead of making it more interesting.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. Klamm's carefully researched book has interesting sections, but too much minor information makes the overall story less enjoyable.
B. Klamm describes filming well, but says little about the film's background and its later influence.
C. Small filming details make Klamm's film book more interesting by filling gaps in its research.
A. Klamm's carefully researched book has interesting sections, but too much minor information makes the overall story less enjoyable.
The Platt family already has problems when their town suddenly moves back to the time of dinosaurs. In The End of Oak Street, they must stay alive while still dealing with family worries. The reviewer finds the action exciting and the people believable. Some choices seem foolish, and the film never explains the move through time. Even so, its strong characters help this unlikely adventure work.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. The dinosaur adventure feels real because the family makes sensible decisions and the film clearly explains time travel.
B. The realistic family and exciting action cannot save this dinosaur adventure from the confusing, unexplained time travel.
C. Despite missing explanations and some foolish choices, this dinosaur adventure succeeds through exciting action and a believable family at its centre.
C. Despite missing explanations and some foolish choices, this dinosaur adventure succeeds through exciting action and a believable family at its centre.
The magazine describes a strong summer for cinemas, but success was uneven. Some familiar film series sold huge numbers of tickets, while other famous names struggled. Young viewers also supported two small horror films made by first-time film directors. Many already knew the directors' online videos. The season suggests that cinemas could attract large audiences in different ways, and that a well-known film name was no promise of success.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. Cinemas had a strong summer because familiar film series attracted young viewers away from small horror films by new directors.
B. Cinemas enjoyed a successful summer through varied films and audiences, although familiar names alone did not mean strong ticket sales.
C. New horror films drove a successful cinema summer, showing that audiences had lost interest in returning to established film series.
B. Cinemas enjoyed a successful summer through varied films and audiences, although familiar names alone did not mean strong ticket sales.
When other Disney characters began getting more attention, the studio planned a special cartoon to make Mickey Mouse popular again. His face and body were redesigned so he could show feelings more clearly. The cartoon became so expensive that it helped lead to the longer film Fantasia.
Although that film lost money at first, later audiences valued it, and Mickey's role remained an important part of his lasting popularity.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. Disney's new design for Mickey failed to help his popularity because Fantasia lost money when it opened.
B. An expensive plan to make Mickey popular again grew into Fantasia, which eventually strengthened his popularity despite losing money at first.
C. Fantasia's early financial success allowed Disney to redesign Mickey, whose new look then helped a separate short cartoon become popular with audiences.
B. An expensive plan to make Mickey popular again grew into Fantasia, which eventually strengthened his popularity despite losing money at first.
Vision has his old memories, but he does not feel connected to them. During the day, the robot explores the world. Later, he discusses these experiences with several artificial minds inside his head. Their different views help him learn. Yet these talks also let him keep his distance from real life. The series uses his search for an identity to explore human feelings and family relationships.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. Vision studies human life with artificial minds whose different opinions prevent him from learning about himself and lead him to withdraw from relationships.
B. Vision's memories fully explain his identity, while artificial minds prepare him to teach others about human feelings and families.
C. Vision seeks to understand himself through life and inner conversations, which help him learn but also allow him to avoid closer connections.
C. Vision seeks to understand himself through life and inner conversations, which help him learn but also allow him to avoid closer connections.
Rather than sending its heroes on constant space adventures, Lanterns follows a mystery on Earth. The reviewer enjoys the uneasy partnership between an older hero and the man training to replace him. Strong acting and thoughtful stories give the series value. Some parts move slowly, and action scenes are quite far apart. Fans wanting more space adventures may be disappointed, but the review remains positive about the show's different approach.
Which is the correct summary for this paragraph?
A. Lanterns succeeds because its frequent action and exciting space journeys balance the weaker story about an older hero and his replacement.
B. Lanterns earns praise for its characters and Earth-based mystery, despite slow sections and fewer space adventures than some fans might expect.
C. Lanterns offers impressive acting, but its slow Earth-based mystery leaves the reviewer disappointed and hoping for a return to space adventures.
B. Lanterns earns praise for its characters and Earth-based mystery, despite slow sections and fewer space adventures than some fans might expect.