READING WHAT'S A FILM WITHOUT POPCORN
Popcorn has been associated with cinemas and films for as long as we can remember. But
where did this connection begin and will it carry on into the future?
Popcorn became a popular snack food in North America in the 19th century and was sold at
circuses and fairs. No kitchen was needed to prepare it and once the mobile steam owered popcorn
maker was invented, it became possible to mass produce the snack. Popcorn had an appealing smell
when popped and this attracted many people to buy it.
In the 1930s, people began flocking to the cinema but at first, popcorn was not sold inside the
cinemas. Cinema owners wanted to protect the costly carpets that they had put in their cinemas.
They were also concerned that the sound of people eating snacks would disturb the other people
watching the film. So, enterprising salesmen set up popcorn machines outside the buildings. As lots
of people began buying popcorn on their way into the cinema, cinema owners understood that they
could make money from the popular snack. Thus, they decided to allow the salesmen to sell
popcorn in the cinema lobby for a daily fee. Eventually, cinemas began selling snacks themselves.
This decision helped save many of the cinema owners from going out of business.
Today, popcorn is still economically important to cinemas. Because popcorn is so cheap to
make, cinemas make a lot of profits on every box they sell. Yet, there are those that suggest that
popcorn in cinemas may be on its way out. In recent years, luxury cinemas have become
increasingly popular. These cinemas try to give people a more “exclusive" experience by serving
gourmet food in addition to traditional popcorn.
Yet despite this development, it is unlikely that popcorn will vanish completely from cinemas.
For many of us, eating popcorn is an integral part of the experience of watching a film. Even when
we watch a film on TV at home, we often make ourselves some microwave popcorn, Old habits, it
seems, are hard to break!
a
Task. Paraphrase the given sentences so it has similar meaning. Use the given beginnings of
sentences.
Example, No kitchen was needed to prepare popcorn.
Preparation
Answer, Preparation of popcorn did not need any kitchen.
1. Enterprising salesmen set up popcorn machines outside the building,
Popcorn machines
[1]
2. Selling snacks themselves helped save many of the cinema owners from going out of business
Many cinema
3. In recent years, luxury cinemas have become increasingly popular.
Popularity
Ξ Ξ Ξ Ξ
a
4. When we watch a film on TV at home, we often make ourselves some microwave popcorn.
Home made
Task. Answer the questions
5. Why have cinemas sold popcorn since the 19h century?
[1]