The oldest form of art is storytelling. Humans have been capable of speech for 100,000 years. Archaeologists have evidence of ritual behavior in human habitation and burial sites between 60,000 and 80,000 years ago. This is significant, because if humans were engaged in symbolic behavior, then they were also capable of symbolic language—language that told of the past and speculated about the future. Symbolic language would be part of the rituals and ceremonies performed and of the stories people told each other.
Stories have been told by all societies throughout human history. Storytelling occurred when human societies were all nomadic and foragers and have continued to the present. There is evidence of very ancient stories in much of the folklore from societies through all parts of the world. Much of this ancient folklore is retold in what are now children’s fairy tales and stories of heroes.
With the development of writing, stories started to be documented for others to read. The Greeks and Romans even wrote down plays that reflected their oral traditions; some that are still extant today. In the early part of the twentieth century motion pictures (movies) started telling stories, both old and new. But even the new stories had elements from the past. Today, some of us sit around campfires listening or telling stories, but most of us sit around our digital campfires—televisions and computers—watching stories. As with our books and movies, many of these stories reflect elements of our own and others’ oral traditions.
Think about the movies, television shows, or even plays that you’ve seen recently. Some of them are simply entertainment: to make you laugh, cry, or even scare you. But others can be of educational or inspirational value. An example is the movie Schindler’s List, the story of a man who saved many Jewish people from the Nazi Holocaust during World War II. The movie told people about a little-known man—one who should be known and remembered for his heroism. The movie will continue to educate people about the Holocaust for generations to come, much like the plays of Shakespeare continue to inform us about Elizabethan England. The film also inspires people.
(Adapted from “Exploring Movie Construction and Production” by John Reich)
Question 81: What is the oldest form of art?
A. painting B. movies C. music D. storytelling
Question 82: When did humans start using speech?
A. 60,000 years ago B. 100,000 years ago
C. 80,000 years ago D. 20,000 years ago
Question 83: Where was the evidence of humans’ ritual behavior found?
A. in human habitation and burial sites B. in habitual caves
C. in human habitation D. in burials sites
Question 84: Humans are found to have ritual behavior ______.
A. from 60,000 to 80,000 years ago B. for 100,000 years
C. 100,000 years ago D. over 80,000 years ago
Question 85: Where could symbolic language be seen in humans’ life?
A. rituals and ceremonies B. rituals and stories
C. rituals, ceremonies, and symbolic behavior D. rituals, ceremonies, and stories
Question 86: In the human history, storytelling has been present in ______ human societies.
A. some B. many C. all D. few
Question 87: Storytelling began in societies that ______.
A. live the life of a nomad B. settle down permanently
C. rely on hunting for living D. have rich oral heritage
Question 88: According to passage 2, ancient stories are manifested in ______ nowadays.
A. movies and music lyrics B .fairy tales and stories of heroes
C. stories of heroes and music lyrics D. movies and documentaries
Question 89: What did the Greek and Romans use to keep their oral stories?
A. songs B. plays C. paintings D. books
Question 90: What are considered as digital campfires according to passage 3?
A. televisions and computers B. television and radio
C. computers and radio D. computers and cellphones
Question 91: Humans document their oral traditions in ______.
A. stories, books, and movies B. stories
C. books and movies D. books
Question 92: According to passage 4, movies can be ______.
A. entertaining B. educational C. inspirational D. all of the above
Question 93: The movie Schindler’s List is given as an example of a movie that is ______.
A. entertaining B. educational and informative
C. both entertaining and educational D. educational and inspirational
Question 94: The movie Schindler’s List portray a man in _____ for his heroism.
A. World War II B. World War I C. Shakespeare’s time D. Elizabeth era
Question 81: What is the oldest form of art?
A. painting B. movies C. music D. storytelling
Question 82: When did humans start using speech?
A. 60,000 years ago B. 100,000 years ago
C. 80,000 years ago D. 20,000 years ago
Question 83: Where was the evidence of humans’ ritual behavior found?
A. in human habitation and burial sites B. in habitual caves
C. in human habitation D. in burials sites
Question 84: Humans are found to have ritual behavior ______.
A. from 60,000 to 80,000 years ago B. for 100,000 years
C. 100,000 years ago D. over 80,000 years ago
Question 85: Where could symbolic language be seen in humans’ life?
A. rituals and ceremonies B. rituals and stories
C. rituals, ceremonies, and symbolic behavior D. rituals, ceremonies, and stories
Question 86: In the human history, storytelling has been present in ______ human societies.
A. some B. many C. all D. few
Question 87: Storytelling began in societies that ______.
A. live the life of a nomad B. settle down permanently
C. rely on hunting for living D. have rich oral heritage
Question 88: According to passage 2, ancient stories are manifested in ______ nowadays.
A. movies and music lyrics B .fairy tales and stories of heroes
C. stories of heroes and music lyrics D. movies and documentaries
Question 89: What did the Greek and Romans use to keep their oral stories?
A. songs B. plays C. paintings D. books
Question 90: What are considered as digital campfires according to passage 3?
A. televisions and computers B. television and radio
C. computers and radio D. computers and cellphones
Question 91: Humans document their oral traditions in ______.
A. stories, books, and movies B. stories
C. books and movies D. books
Question 92: According to passage 4, movies can be ______.
A. entertaining B. educational C. inspirational D. all of the above
Question 93: The movie Schindler’s List is given as an example of a movie that is ______.
A. entertaining B. educational and informative
C. both entertaining and educational D. educational and inspirational
Question 94: The movie Schindler’s List portray a man in _____ for his heroism.
A. World War II B. World War I C. Shakespeare’s time D. Elizabeth era
