Adapted from “Spectacular Visual Guides: A Shakespearean Theatre” by Jacqueline Morley (pages 6-7).
Part I: Word Formation
Complete the text about the origins of theatre with the correct form of the words given in the brackets.
A. The idea of a theatre — a place where live actors perform — is very old and began in the ancient world. The first theatres were holy places, often temple forecourts, where priests performed songs and dances to honour their gods.
1.
(WORSHIP) gathered to watch and, in time, seating was added along with an acting area where performers
2.
(CREATE) sacred legends. For both actors and audiences these performances were religious ceremonies. The notion that theatres were places where people went solely to be
3.
(ENTERTAINMENT) did not arise till Roman times.
Explanation
Correct Answer: worshippers
A plural noun is needed to refer to the group of people who gathered. ‘Worshippers’ are people who show reverence to a deity.
Explanation
Correct Answer: recreated
A past tense verb is needed to describe historical actions. ‘Recreated’ means to have created again or reproduced sacred legends.
Explanation
Correct Answer: entertained
A past participle is used here after ‘to be’. ‘Entertained’ (from entertainment) means provided with enjoyment.
B. In the East, just as in the West, theatres
4.
(RISE) out of religion. Eastern theatres have kept much closer ties with it. For example, the ancient sacred dance, Bugaku, was performed in Japanese temple forecourts. Based on thousand-year-old Asian court dances, Bugaku is still performed on
5.
(CEREMONY) occasions, at shrines or before the imperial court. In early drama, actors wore traditional masks, such as the Japanese Bugaku mask, to show the roles they played.
Explanation
Correct Answer: arose
A past tense verb is needed. ‘Arose’ is the past tense of rise, meaning to originate or come into being.
Explanation
Correct Answer: ceremonial
An adjective is required to modify ‘occasions’. ‘Ceremonial’ (from ceremony) relates to formal religious or public events.
C.All over the world people worship through dance. Images on Ancient Egyptians, c. 1550 BC, show them dressed as animal gods dancing in honour of their god Bes. Drama, which is
6.
(ROLE) before an audience, grew out of dances like these.
Explanation
Correct Answer: role-playing
A compound gerund/noun is needed to describe the act of acting. ‘Role-playing’ refers to acting out characters.
D. The first theatres of the western world grew out of
7.
(ARRANGE)for celebrating the festival of Dionysus, the ancient Greek god of fertility and wine. A group of men called the chorus chanted songs and danced in a circle surrounding an altar to the god. In 6th-century BC Greece, a new ingredient was introduced — single performers who exchanged comments with the chorus. This was how actors and plays came into
8.
(BE).Spectators watched from a semicircle of open air seating in Greek theatres.
Explanation
Correct Answer: arrangements
A plural noun is required after ‘out of’. ‘Arrangements’ refers to specific plans or preparations.
Explanation
Correct Answer: being
A noun/gerund is needed to complete the idiom ‘come into being’, which means to begin to exist.
E.Though based on the Greek idea, ancient Roman theatres were much bigger and had no
9.
(CENTRE) altar. By the 1st century BC,
10.
(THEATRE)was no longer a religious event. People expected to enjoy large spectacles and plenty of violent action. The focus of attention was now the stage, behind which was a wall of elaborate mock buildings from which the actors emerged.
Explanation
Correct Answer: central
An adjective is needed to modify the noun ‘altar’. ‘Central’ (from centre) means located in the middle.
Explanation
Correct Answer: theatre-going
A compound noun is required to act as the subject. ‘Theatre-going’ refers to the custom of visiting the theatre.
Part II: Matching Information
The passage has five paragraphs. Decide which paragraph gives you the information in each of the following sentences. Choose the correct letters (A-E). You can use any letter more than once.
1.While theatres in both the East and the West developed from religious traditions, those in the East have maintained a much stronger connection to religion.
Evidence (Paragraph B)
In the East, just as in the West, theatres arose out of religion. Eastern theatres have kept much closer ties with it.
2.The interaction between individual performers marked a new stage in theatre history.
Evidence (Paragraph D)
In 6th-century BC Greece, a new ingredient was introduced — single performers who exchanged comments with the chorus.
3.Theatres were originally places of worship long before becoming a form of entertainment.
Evidence (Paragraph A)
The first theatres were holy places, often temple forecourts… The notion that theatres were places where people went solely to be entertained did not arise till Roman times.
4.Religious ceremonies involving dance helped give rise to theatre around the world.
Evidence (Paragraph C)
Drama, which is role-playing before an audience, grew out of dances like these.
5.Theatres were initially built where religious performances took place.
Evidence (Paragraph A)
The first theatres were holy places, often temple forecourts, where priests performed songs and dances to honour their gods.
6.Ancient actors used masks to represent different characters in a performance.
Evidence (Paragraph B)
In early drama, actors wore traditional masks, such as the Japanese Bugaku mask, to show the roles they played.