(1) The term "film noir," meaning "dark cinema," or "black film" in French, was first used by French film critic Nino Frank in 1946 to describe a type of Hollywood film of the 1940s and 50s. (2) These films featured black-and-white cinematography, often with nighttime settings and menacing themes, suggesting an unstable world full of danger and moral corruption. (3) Dark shadows, streaks of bright light, and, off-balance compositions were all typical of the visual style. (4) These elements created an effect of disillusionment and bitter realism (5) Many of these elements were brought to Hollywood by German directors fleeing their war-torn land.
(6) Many of the stories and a lot of the attitude of classic film noir come from the hardboiled school of detective and crime fiction that became popular in the United States during the Great Depression. (7)
American writers such as Dashiell Hammett, whose novel The Maltese Falcon was made into one of the first big-budget film noirs, and James M. Cain being particularly influential. (8) Film noir can include a wide range of plots: the main character may be a private detective, a plainclothes policeman, an aging boxer, a con man, or a law-abiding citizen lured into a life of crime. (9) Betrayals and double-crosses also play an important role in many of these plots.
(10) Famous examples of film noir include Double Indemnity (1944), directed by Billy Wilder, The Big Heat (1953), directed by Fritz Lang; and Touch of Evil (1958), directed by Orsorr Welles. (11) Billy Wilder also directed many famous comedies, such as Some Like It Hot. (12) Although classic film noir is associated with American productions of the 1940s and '50s, many films from around the world and from the 1960s onward share many classic film noir traits. (13) For example, the films of Quentin Tarantino such as Pulp Fiction though, shot in color, have been heavily influenced by the genre of film noir.
What change needs to be made to sentence 7 (reproduced below) to make the sentence grammatically correct? American writers such as Dashiell Hammett, whose novel The Maltese Falcon was made into one of the first big-budget film noirs, and James M. Cain being particularly influential.
- A. Change 'such as' to 'like'
- B. Change 'whose' to 'which'
- C. Change 'was made' to 'making'
- D. Change 'being' to 'were'
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D
To ensure grammatical correctness, the verb form must agree with the subject. Option D, changing "being" to "were," corrects the sentence by providing a proper verb to match the plural subject "American writers." Option A, substituting "such as" with "like," does not address the grammatical issue and merely alters style without improving clarity. Option B's change from "whose" to "which" is incorrect since "whose" appropriately refers to the novel's author. Option C's shift from "was made" to "making" disrupts the intended meaning and does not resolve the grammatical error. Thus, only option D effectively corrects the sentence.
To ensure grammatical correctness, the verb form must agree with the subject. Option D, changing "being" to "were," corrects the sentence by providing a proper verb to match the plural subject "American writers." Option A, substituting "such as" with "like," does not address the grammatical issue and merely alters style without improving clarity. Option B's change from "whose" to "which" is incorrect since "whose" appropriately refers to the novel's author. Option C's shift from "was made" to "making" disrupts the intended meaning and does not resolve the grammatical error. Thus, only option D effectively corrects the sentence.
Other Related Questions
At the end of Passage 2. ('While... them'), the expert emphasizes
- A. function over form
- B. theory over practice
- C. ethics over ambition
- D. quality over quantity
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D
The emphasis on quality over quantity highlights the importance of substance in achieving meaningful results. Focusing on quality ensures that efforts lead to impactful outcomes, rather than merely increasing the number of tasks or projects. Option A, function over form, suggests prioritizing practicality, which is not the main point in this context. Option B, theory over practice, implies valuing ideas over action, contradicting the emphasis on tangible quality. Option C, ethics over ambition, shifts the focus to moral considerations rather than the value of high-quality efforts. Thus, the passage underscores the significance of quality in any endeavor.
The emphasis on quality over quantity highlights the importance of substance in achieving meaningful results. Focusing on quality ensures that efforts lead to impactful outcomes, rather than merely increasing the number of tasks or projects. Option A, function over form, suggests prioritizing practicality, which is not the main point in this context. Option B, theory over practice, implies valuing ideas over action, contradicting the emphasis on tangible quality. Option C, ethics over ambition, shifts the focus to moral considerations rather than the value of high-quality efforts. Thus, the passage underscores the significance of quality in any endeavor.
The author of Passage 2 suggests that 'some' would most likely view the description in Passage 1 ('the world... successful') as
- A. surprisingly apt
- B. overly optimistic
- C. needlessly pedantic
- D. insufficiently detailed
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B
The description in Passage 1 presents an idealized view of the world, which may lead some readers to perceive it as overly optimistic, especially if they believe it does not account for real-world challenges. Option A, "surprisingly apt," implies a positive reception that does not align with the critical tone suggested by the author. Option C, "needlessly pedantic," suggests an excessive focus on trivial details, which is not applicable here since the passage discusses broader concepts rather than minutiae. Option D, "insufficiently detailed," indicates a lack of information, whereas the passage's description may be seen as too idealistic rather than lacking substance.
The description in Passage 1 presents an idealized view of the world, which may lead some readers to perceive it as overly optimistic, especially if they believe it does not account for real-world challenges. Option A, "surprisingly apt," implies a positive reception that does not align with the critical tone suggested by the author. Option C, "needlessly pedantic," suggests an excessive focus on trivial details, which is not applicable here since the passage discusses broader concepts rather than minutiae. Option D, "insufficiently detailed," indicates a lack of information, whereas the passage's description may be seen as too idealistic rather than lacking substance.
Which of the following, if true, would most challenge the 'implication' mentioned in the fourth sentence?
- A. Çatalhöyük's farmers obtained through trade the wheat and barley that Rosen analyzed.
- B. Çatalhöyük's farmers understood the impact of soil conditions on crop productivity.
- C. Çatalhöyük's farmers shared wheat and barley fields with neighboring villages.
- D. Çatalhöyük's farmers used wood that deteriorated in the damp environment.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
Option A challenges the implication by suggesting that the wheat and barley analyzed by Rosen were not locally produced but rather obtained through trade. This undermines any claims about the agricultural practices or productivity of Çatalhöyük's farmers. Option B, while informative about farmers' understanding, does not directly dispute the source of the crops. Option C introduces a communal aspect to farming but does not negate the potential local production of wheat and barley. Option D discusses environmental factors affecting wood, which is unrelated to the production or sourcing of crops and does not challenge the implication at all.
Option A challenges the implication by suggesting that the wheat and barley analyzed by Rosen were not locally produced but rather obtained through trade. This undermines any claims about the agricultural practices or productivity of Çatalhöyük's farmers. Option B, while informative about farmers' understanding, does not directly dispute the source of the crops. Option C introduces a communal aspect to farming but does not negate the potential local production of wheat and barley. Option D discusses environmental factors affecting wood, which is unrelated to the production or sourcing of crops and does not challenge the implication at all.
In sentence 13, the narrator most likely uses the image of 'a tightly woven fruit basket' to suggest that the rain is
- A. a physical challenge that must be endured
- B. falling so heavily that she can barely see through it
- C. a reminder of the weather in harvest season
- D. important because it allows crops to survive
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
The image of "a tightly woven fruit basket" conveys the idea of something dense and tightly packed, suggesting that the rain is overwhelming and challenging to endure. This aligns with option A, which emphasizes the physical challenge of the rain. Option B misinterprets the imagery; while heavy rain can obscure vision, the fruit basket metaphor does not directly imply visibility issues. Option C incorrectly suggests a seasonal reminder, while the metaphor focuses more on the immediate experience of rain rather than its seasonal context. Option D, while acknowledging the rain's importance for crops, overlooks the emphasis on the struggle implied by the basket imagery.
The image of "a tightly woven fruit basket" conveys the idea of something dense and tightly packed, suggesting that the rain is overwhelming and challenging to endure. This aligns with option A, which emphasizes the physical challenge of the rain. Option B misinterprets the imagery; while heavy rain can obscure vision, the fruit basket metaphor does not directly imply visibility issues. Option C incorrectly suggests a seasonal reminder, while the metaphor focuses more on the immediate experience of rain rather than its seasonal context. Option D, while acknowledging the rain's importance for crops, overlooks the emphasis on the struggle implied by the basket imagery.