A Diverging Media – IELTS Reading Answers

The ‘A Diverging Media’ is an IELTS Academic Reading passage, which is a good resource for anyone who is preparing for the IELTS Reading test. The passage in this test is similar in difficulty to the passages that you will encounter on the actual IELTS Reading test.

The question types in this Reading Passage include:

• True/False/Not Given (Q1 – 5)
• Summary Completion (Q 6-13)

Reading Passage

A Diverging Media

1. Joe Swanberg makes films about the romantic lives of young urbanites. He shoots quickly with a digital camera and asks actors to wear their own clothes. His films, which tend to cost between $30,000 and $50,000 to make, are almost never shown in cinemas. Instead, they are available on pay television as video-on-demand, as downloads from iTunes (Apple’s digital store), or as DVDs. By keeping his costs down and distributing digitally, Mr Swanberg is making a living.
2. Technology was expected to help young artists like Mr Swanberg. In 2006 Chris Anderson, the author of “The Long Tail”, predicted that the internet would vastly increase the supply of niche media products and bring audiences to them. That has certainly happened. But so has the opposite. In film, music, television, and books, blockbusters are tightening their grip on audiences and advertisers. The growth of obscure products has come at the expense of things that are merely quite popular. The loser in a world of almost limitless entertainment choice is not the hit, but the near-miss.
3. There are several reasons for this. Some are as old as Charles Dickens (or perhaps even Homer). People still want to have something to talk about with their friends. Thus “American Idol” and “The X-Factor” do pretty much as well as TV hits did ten years ago, “New Moon” set a new record at the box office and bestselling books sell better than ever. Research shows that people enjoy hits more than they do obscure stuff, often because they are the only thing that many people try in that genre: lucky Dan Brown and Katie Price.
4. But some things are new. All that technology that has made niche content so much more accessible has also proved handy for pushing blockbusters. Missed “Twilight”, the predecessor of “New Moon”? There will be other chances to catch it, in a wide variety of formats. Technology helps hits zip around the world, too-even in the art market.
5. Blockbusters are doing well not in spite of the fact that people have more choice in entertainment, but because of it. Imagine walking into a music shop containing 4m songs (the number available on We7, a free music-streaming service in Britain) or more than 10m (the choice on iTunes), all of them arranged alphabetically in plain boxes. The choice would be overwhelming. It is far easier to grab the thing everybody is talking about or that you heard on the radio that morning.
6. Is this increasing polarisation into blockbusters and niches good or bad? It certainly makes life harder for media companies. In a world of growing entertainment options, it is more important than ever to make a splash. Miss the top of the chart, even by a little, and your product ends up fighting for attention along with thousands-perhaps millions of other offerings. That prospect makes for jitters and, sometimes, conservatism. Broadcast television programmes must succeed quickly or they will be cancelled. It is becoming even harder to talk studio bosses into approving some kinds of film. Want to make a complicated political drama, based on an original screenplay, with expensive actors in exotic locations? Good luck with that.
7. Yet the challenge for the moguls is a boon to consumers. In the past firms made a lot of money supplying content that was not too objectionable to people who did not have much of a choice. In a world of hugely expanded options, they cannot get away with this. These days there is rarely anything good on television. So media companies must raise their game.
8. Creative types who are accustomed to lavishing money on moderately appealing projects will have to do more with less. Or they must learn how to move between big-budget blockbusters and niche, small-budget fare, observing the different genres and budget constraints that apply in these worlds. A few forward-looking folks, such as Steven Soderbergh, a filmmaker, are already doing this. Some will find shelter. Premium television channels such as HBO, which are built on passion more than popularity, offer some protection from chill market winds. So do state broadcasters like the BBC.
9. Thinking people naturally deplore the rise of lowest-common-denominator blockbusters and wish that more money were available to produce the kind of music, films, and television programs they like. The problem is that everybody has different ideas about exactly what they want to see. Some may be thrilled to a documentary about Leica cameras; others may want to spend an hour being told how to cook a better bouillabaisse. But not many want to do either of these things, which explains why such programs are niche products. There are only a few things that can be guaranteed to delight large numbers of people. They are known as blockbusters.

Questions 1 – 5

1. Joe Swanberg makes romantic films for the cinema.

2. Chris Anderson’s prediction in 2006 proved to be incorrect.

3. Blockbusters are not suffering despite the range of entertainment now available.

4. We7 and iTunes are beginning to make life harder for blockbusters.

5. Studio heads are less willing to make expensive films.

Questions 6-13

Hitting the number two spot these days means that your production has to compete with an abundance of 6…………… from other media companies. For this reason, 7…………… is the approach favored by some publishers. This 8…………… for media bosses could however be a benefit for consumers. The choice now available to us means they must 9…………… their standards. 10…………… people will need to be more flexible and able to work with a range of 11……………. Still, people who make up the 12…………… markets will not be happy as many companies strive to produce something 13…………… to please the mass market.

For additional practice, try more IELTS Reading Practice Tests!

A Diverging Media Reading Answer With Location and Explanations

1. FALSE

Answer Location: Para A, Line 2

Question Type: True/False/Not Given

Answer Explanation: The text states that Joe Swanberg’s films are almost never shown in cinemas, so he does not make films for the cinema.

2. FALSE

Answer Location: Para B, Line 2

Question Type: True/False/Not Given

Answer Explanation: The text mentions that in 2006, Chris Anderson predicted that the internet would increase the supply of niche media products and bring audiences to them. This prediction has come true.

3. TRUE

Answer Location: Para E, Line 1

Question Type: True/False/Not Given

Answer Explanation: The text states that blockbusters are doing well because of the increased choice of entertainment. People tend to choose popular options in a world with extensive entertainment choices.

4. FALSE

Answer Location: Para E, Line 3

Question Type: True/False/Not Given

Answer Explanation: The text does not suggest that We7 and iTunes are making life harder for blockbusters. It simply mentions the vast number of songs available on these platforms.

5. TRUE

Answer Location: Para F, Line 6

Question Type: True/False/Not Given

Answer Explanation: The text mentions that it’s becoming harder to convince studio bosses to approve certain kinds of films, which suggests that studio heads are less willing to make expensive films.

Tips for Answering the Question Types in A Diverging Media Reading Answers

Now let’s get started with the tips for each question type. It’ll help you understand how to approach the problem.

True/False/Not Given

1. Focus on keywords: Identify the keywords in the statement and look for those exact words or synonyms in the passage.
2. Refer to the passage: For each statement, go back to the passage and carefully locate the relevant information. Pay close attention to the wording of the statement and compare it to the information in the passage.
3. Read the instructions carefully: Understand the difference between “True,” “False,” and “Not Given.” “True” means the information is directly stated in the passage, “False” means it contradicts the information in the passage, and “Not Given” means the information isn’t mentioned in the passage.
4. Beware of paraphrasing: Sometimes, the statement is paraphrased in the passage, so be vigilant about synonyms and rephrase sentences.
5. Watch out for distractors: The passage may contain information that seems related to the statement but isn’t directly addressing it. Don’t be tricked by these distractors; the answer should directly match the statement.

Summary Completion

1. Use your vocabulary: Draw on your vocabulary to come up with a suitable word for the gap. Ensure that the word you choose makes sense in the context of the sentence.
2. Look for clues: Scan the surrounding sentences for clues that can help you determine the missing word. Sometimes, the sentence structure or the words nearby can provide hints.
3. Read the sentence carefully: Begin by reading the sentence with the gap or blank. Try to understand the context and the type of word that should fit the gap (e.g., noun, verb, adjective).
4. Identify grammatical clues: Pay attention to the grammar of the sentence. If the sentence requires a verb, make sure you choose a verb form that fits the context. The same goes for nouns, adjectives, and other parts of speech.
5. Check for coherence: After you’ve filled in the gap, read the entire sentence to ensure that it flows naturally and makes sense. The completed sentence should be grammatically correct and logically coherent.

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