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Working In The Movies Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

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Updated on Sep 06, 2024, 08:41

The passage delves into the subtitling process in the translation industry, focusing on Virginie Verdier's insights. It covers the steps involved in subtitling movies, including interpreting scripts, syncing subtitles with speech, and manual adjustments. Verdier highlights the meticulous and demanding nature of subtitling, emphasising accuracy and attention to detail. 

 

The process involves timing, quality control, and adherence to specific guidelines. Additionally, it discusses the challenges of translating humour and cultural nuances in films. The passage underscores the importance of subtitling in making films accessible and enjoyable across different languages.

 

This passage aids in understanding detailed procedures and specific terminologies related to subtitling. It helps practice summarising complex processes, recognising key details, and identifying the importance of accuracy in translation tasks. Such skills are essential for handling IELTS Reading passages that involve technical or process-oriented content.

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1. Working In The Movies Reading Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 - 14 based on the Reading Passage below. 

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2. Working In The Movies Reading Answers & Questions

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Working In The Movies Reading Answers & Questions 

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1.

Working In The Movies Reading Passage

General Information

  • Read Instructions: Understand each question before answering.
  • Manage Time: Spend about 20 minutes per passage.
  • Skim and Scan: Quickly get the main idea and find specific information.
  • Highlight Key Info: Underline essential words or phrases.
  • Answer All Questions: Attempt every question; no penalty for wrong answers.
  • Stay Focused: Avoid distractions and keep your attention on the task.
  • Check Spelling: Ensure correct spelling and grammar.
  • Transfer Answers Clearly: Write answers neatly on the answer sheet.
  • Don’t Dwell: Move on if stuck and return later.
  • Review: If time allows, review your answers.

 

Learn about IELTS General Reading. 

 

 

 

Working In The Movies Reading Passage 

 

Paragraph A: 
Subtitling is an intriguing element in the translation industry. Melanie Leyshon discusses the glitz and bustle with Virginie Verdier of the London translation company VSI.

 

Paragraph B: 
Virginie Verdier, a French translator, surely finds it enticing to answer enigmatically when people ask her what she does for a living by saying, "Oh, me? I participate in movies." Certainly true, but she plays the lead role behind the scenes. Nothing is more exciting or glamorous in terms of translation than subtitling movies. If you're truly fortunate, you might have the opportunity to work on brand-new blockbuster movies before they are released in theatres, and if you're just plain lucky, you might have the opportunity to work on blockbuster movies that will be issued on video or DVD.

 

Paragraph C: 
The procedure begins when you receive the original script and a recording. "We would usually start by interpreting and modifying the script." The next phase is what we refer to as "timing," which consists of syncing the speech and pictures well with subtitles. Discipline is needed for this work. The film is played, the voice is heard, and the captions are displayed on the screen, ready to be synchronized. Once the appropriate sentence begins, you add the subtitle and remove it when it has finished. The videotape is labeled with a time code in hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. Consider it to be a clock. The subtitle system includes an insert key that you can use to record the time code for the target position of the subtitle. The time code at which you want the subtitle to vanish is recorded once you click the delete key. Hence, every subtitle would constitute a particular feature of the translation industry.

 

Paragraph D: 
Melanie Leyshon discusses the glamour and hardship with Virginie Verdier of the London translation company VSI. Virginie is eager to emphasize that this requires the same level of accuracy as any translation task. You put in a lot of effort. As you translate, you will discover that it is not entertaining. You require the abilities of both a leading editor and a proficient translator. Unlike the usual translation tasks, you must be relatively brief and accurate.

 

Paragraph E: 
The exact time that a subtitle appears and disappears is represented by an "in" point and an "out" point. A manual evaluation of the process is then performed, with each subtitle being inspected individually. Time codes are therefore updated to improve synchronization and consider alterations. To ensure that the subtitles comply with the visual rhythm of the movie, this method involves playing the movie frame by frame. Different subtitlers employ different methods. I frequently watch the film once, translate it, and then go back to the beginning to finish the timings. But you could do it in sections, translating, maybe, 20 minutes of the film, then timing and translating the subsequent 20 minutes, and so on. It's merely a different technique." For multilingual assignments, timing is done first to develop a "spotting list," or subtitle template, which is a list of English subtitles that have been pre-timed and adjusted for translation. This is then translated, and, with the translator's assistance, the time is corrected to the target language for quality control.

 

Paragraph F: 
According to Virginie, the subtitling process, like any other translation endeavor, cannot be rushed. It is obvious that if subtitles are translated and organized in a hurry, the quality will suffer. The majority of mistakes are made by the translator misinterpreting the actual dialogue because they are not fluent in the source language. As part of our responsibilities, we also examine and rewrite subtitles when a translation is insufficient. However, there are other factors involved in the requirement to redo the subtitles in addition to poor translation. A new version of the movie could need the subtitles altered because of a potential change in the time code. It's possible that the movie was altered or that the subtitles were written for the cinema instead of the video. If subtitles were made for movies on 35mm, the timing would have to be reformated for video since they could be out of sync or go too quickly. Naturally, we would appreciate the original translator's effort if the translation is accurate.

 

Paragraph G: 
According to Virginie, on a more pragmatic level, there seem to be basic subtitling principles that must be followed. Subtitles should ideally be displayed in the center and at the bottom of the screen, she says, noting that different countries follow different standards and regulations. For instance, subtitles are typically left-justified in Scandinavian countries and Holland. To make them easier to read against a white or light background, characters are generally displayed in white with a thin black border. When subtitles are being provided for the hearing impaired, we could utilize different colors for different individuals. There should only be two lines in a subtitle, with a maximum of 32 to 39 characters for each line. The criteria for our firm are 37 characters (standards vary among different organizations and nations).

 

Paragraph H: 
It's common for translators to have a favourite category, whether it be corporate shows, comedies, musicals, war movies, or comedies (one of the trickiest owing to the variations in comedy across nations and its complexities). Each demands a particular tone and manner. Because many of the films we subtitle are American, the fact that VSI seeks American subtitlers is quite advantageous, explains Virginie. It would be hard for an English person to recognise the meaning of a typical American remark and vice-versa. 

2.

Working In The Movies Reading Answers & Questions

Questions and Answers 1-5
  • Complete the flowchart below.
  • NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
  • Write your answers in boxes 1-5 in your answer sheet.

 

 

 

 

Working In The Movies Reading Answers with Explanations (1-5)

 

 

Type of question: Flow- Chart Completion

 

In the IELTS Reading section, flow chart completion questions require you to fill in missing information in a flow chart based on the provided reading passage. The flow chart represents a sequence of events, processes, or steps that are logically connected. The missing information can be words or phrases, and you need to extract this information directly from the passage.

 

How to best answer the question

 

  • Read the task instructions carefully, noting the word limit (usually NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER).
  • Skim the passage to understand its content and locate the process described in the flow chart.
  • Identify keywords in the flow chart to help find relevant information in the passage.
  • Locate these keywords and pay attention to the sequence of events.
  • Carefully read the sentences around the keywords to fill in the blanks, ensuring your answers fit logically and grammatically.


 

1. Timings


Reference: 
Paragraph C 
The next phase is what we refer to as 'timing,' which consists of syncing the speech and pictures well with subtitles.

Explanation: 
The second step of subtitling is timing the captions with the dialogues and pictures. The translator in this stage of the process times the subtitles with the appropriate conversational dialogue that is being spoken in the video.

 

2. insert, delete


Reference: 
Paragraph C 
The subtitle system includes an insert key that you can use to record the time code for the target position of the subtitle. The time code at which you want the subtitle to vanish is recorded once you click the delete key.

Explanation: 
These two keys are used to add and remove the captions at the correct time in the movies, ensuring that subtitles appear and disappear at the appropriate moments.

 

3. Manual review


Reference: 
Paragraph E 
A manual evaluation of the process is then performed, with each subtitle being inspected individually.

Explanation: 
The translators perform a manual evaluation of the whole process they did. This is done frame by frame to ensure that the subtitles are set correctly in the film.

 

4. synchronization


Reference: 
Paragraph E 
Time codes are therefore updated to improve synchronisation and consider alterations.

Explanation: 
With the help of manual scrutiny of the entire process, the time codes can be adjusted and synchronized well to match the visual rhythm of the movie.

 

5. spotting list


Reference: 
Paragraph E 
For multilingual assignments, timing is done first to develop a 'spotting list,' or subtitle template, which is a list of English subtitles that have been pre-timed and adjusted for translation.

Explanation: 
This list aids subtitlers in translating American or another language easily to English by providing a pre-timed template.
 

Read more about Dictation Words for IELTS: Practice and Preparation!

Questions and Answers 6-10
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?
In boxes 6-10 on your answer sheet, write

  • TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
  • FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
  • NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this in the passage

 

6. Few methods of subtitling are more efficient compared to others.
7. All film subtitling jobs are attractive to translators.
8. The tone and aesthetics of every single film are the same.
9. There is a prerequisite for subtitling work that does not apply to other translation work.
10. Few individuals are proficient when it comes to subtitling comedy.

 

Working In The Movies Reading Answers with Explanations (6-10)

 

Question Type:  True/False/Not Given

 

In this task, you are presented with a statement, and your task is to determine if it agrees with the information in the passage (True), contradicts the information in the passage (False), or if there is insufficient information in the passage to decide (not given).

 

How to best answer the question:

 

  • Read the statement carefully to ensure you understand exactly what it is saying. 
  • Pay attention to details such as dates, numbers, and specific information.
  • Scan the passage to find the section where the relevant information is likely to be located. 
  • Focus on finding evidence that either supports or contradicts the statement.
  • True: If the statement agrees with the information in the passage.
  • False: If the statement contradicts the information in the passage.
  • Not Given: If there is no information in the passage that confirms or contradicts the statement. 


     
6. Not Given


Reference: 
Not Applicable

Explanation: 
Although the passage mentions different methods of subtitling, it does not provide any relevant information about whether some of these methods are better than others.

 

7. True


Reference: 
Paragraph B 
Nothing is more exciting or glamorous in terms of translation than subtitling movies. If you're truly fortunate, you might have the opportunity to work on brand-new blockbuster movies before they are released in theatres.

Explanation: 
Translators consider themselves very fortunate if they can subtitle movies, as it is considered the most exciting and glamorous translation task.

 

8. false


Reference: 
Paragraph H 
It's common for translators to have a favorite category, whether it be corporate shows, comedies, musicals, war movies, or comedies (one of the trickiest owing to the variations in comedy across nations and its complexities). Each demands a particular tone and manner.

Explanation: 
Every genre of movie demands a different tone and style, indicating that the tone and aesthetics of every single film are not the same.

 

9. True



Reference: 
Paragraph D 
Discipline is needed for this work. The film is played, the voice is heard, and the captions are displayed on the screen, ready to be synchronised.

Explanation: 
This work requires discipline and accuracy, along with precision, unlike other translating jobs.

 

10. Not Given


Reference: 
Not Applicable

Explanation: 
Even though they have mentioned the subtitling of comedy movies is difficult, there is no mention of any translator being proficient in that. Hence, the answer is not given.

 

Read more about A Guide on Most Common English Words Used in Daily Life!

Questions and Answers 11-14
  • Complete the sentences below with the words from Reading Passage.
  • Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
  • Write your answers in boxes 11 - 14 on your answer sheet.

 

11. Normally, there is a _______ surrounding the subtitles.
12. The translator’s lack of proficiency in _________, results in poor subtitling.
13. To help _________, speakers can be differentiated among themselves.
14. It may be required to _________, to create captions for a video version of a movie.

 

Working In The Movies Reading Answers with Explanations (11-14)

 

Type of question: Sentence Completion

 

To answer sentence completion questions accurately, read the given sentence carefully and identify the missing word or phrase. Then, consider the context to determine the most suitable answer option that completes the sentence appropriately. Choosing the option that best fits the context will help you answer sentence completion questions accurately.

 

How to best answer the question

 

  • Carefully read the incomplete sentence and try to understand what information is missing.
  • Pay attention to the context and any clues provided in the sentence or the surrounding text.
  • Choose the option that best completes the sentence based on the information from the reading passage.

     
11. thin black border



Reference: 
Paragraph G 
To make them easier to read against a white or light background, characters are generally displayed in white with a thin black border.

Explanation: 
The thin black border around the subtitles makes them easier to read against various backgrounds.

 

12. the source language


Reference: 
Paragraph F 
The majority of mistakes are made by the translator misinterpreting the actual dialogue because they are not fluent in the source language.


Explanation: 
Mistakes in subtitling often occur due to the translator's lack of proficiency in the source language, leading to poor translation.

 

13. the hearing impaired


Reference: 
Paragraph G 
When subtitles are being provided for the hearing impaired, we could utilize different colors for different individuals.

Explanation: 
Different colors for subtitles can help the hearing impaired distinguish between different speakers.

 

14. reformat the timing


Reference: 
Paragraph F 
If subtitles were made for movies on 35mm, the timing would have to be reformated for video since they could be out of sync or go too quickly.

Explanation: 
When movie subtitles are transferred to video, the time codes may need reformatting because they could be unsynced or disappear quickly.

 

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FAQs

Q. What types of questions are in the IELTS Reading section?

Ans. The IELTS Reading section features various question types, including multiple-choice, true/false/not given, matching headings, summary completion, sentence completion, and short answer questions. These are designed to test a range of reading skills, such as understanding main ideas, detail, logical argument, and recognising writers' opinions, attitudes, and purposes.



 


 

Q. How long is the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. The IELTS Reading test lasts for 60 minutes. During this time, candidates must read three passages and answer a total of 40 questions. Time management is crucial to ensure all questions are attempted.


 


 

Q. Can I write on the question paper?

Ans. Yes, candidates are allowed to write on the question paper, which can help note key points or highlight important information. However, only answers written on the answer sheet will be marked, so it is essential to transfer answers accurately.