Passage Six

Questions 26-30 are based on the following passage.

Where did the movies begin? It is often said that they are an American invention, but this is not entirely true. The motion picture has been the most international of arts before the dawn of the 20th century.

Soon after 1889, when the famous American inventor Thomas Edison first showed motion pictures through a device called the kinetoscope, other devices for the same purpose appeared all over the world. One other important contribution by Edison was the introduction of 35mm as the international standard film width. When it became possible to use any 35mm machine for showing movies from any part of the world, the international trading of films could begin.

During the first years, there were no special movie theaters. Films were often shown in buildings which had formerly been stores. In America, these became known as nickelodeons because each member of the audience paid a nickel (five cents) to watch the movie.

(66)

(67)

(65)

(64)

What does the statement “All men are created equal.” mean according to the passage?

It was twenty years ago and I was living in Paris. [63 I had a tiny apartment in the Latin Quarter overlooking a cemetery and I was earning barely enough money to keep body and soul together.] She had read a book of mine and had written to me about it. I answered, thanking her, and presently I received from her another letter saying that she was passing through Paris and would like to have a chat with me; but her time was limited and the only free moment she had was on the following Thursday; she was spending the morning at the Luxembourg and would I give her a little luncheon at Foyot’s afterwards? [64 Foyot’s is a restaurant at which the French senators eat and it was so far beyond my means that I had never even thought of going there. ][65 But I was flattered and I was too young to have learned to say no to a woman.] (Few men, I may add, learn this until they are too old to make it of any consequence to a woman what they say.)[ 66 I had eighty francs (gold francs) to last me the rest of the month, and a modest luncheon should not cost more than fifteen.]If I cut out coffee for the next two weeks I could manage well enough.

I answered that I would meet my friend—by correspondence—at Foyot’s on Thursday at half past twelve. [67 She was not so young as I expected and in appearance imposing rather than attractive.]She was, in fact, a woman of forty (a charming age, but not one that excites a sudden and devastating passion at first sight), and she gave me the impression of having more teeth, white and large and even, than were necessary for any practical purpose. She was talkative, but since she seemed inclined to talk about me I was prepared to be an attentive listener. 

(From The Luncheon)

（63）

What’s the function of education in a society? Why does the public education show great interest in exceptional children?

(60)

(58)

(59)