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RC Passage
Direction for the questions 1 to 4: The passage below is accompanied by a set of four questions. Choose the best answer to each question.
Umberto Eco, an Italian writer, was right when he said the language of Europe is translation. Netflix and other deep-pocketed global firms speak it well. Just as the EU employs a small army of translators and interpreters to turn intricate laws or impassioned speeches of Romanian MEPs into the EUâs 24 official languages, so do the likes of Netflix. It now offers dubbing in 34 languages and subtitling in a few more. . . .
The economics of European productions are more appealing, too. American audiences are more willing than before to give dubbed or subtitled viewing a chance. This means shows such as âLupinâ, a French crime caper on Netflix, can become global hits. . . . In 2015, about 75% of Netflixâs original content was American; now the figure is half, according to Ampere, a media-analysis company. Netflix has about 100 productions under way in Europe, which is more than big public broadcasters in France or Germany. . . .
Not everything works across borders. Comedy sometimes struggles. Whodunits and bloodthirsty maelstroms between arch Romans and uppity tribesmen have a more universal appeal. Some do it better than others. Barbarians aside, German television is not always built for export, says one executive, being polite. A bigger problem is that national broadcasters still dominate. Streaming services, such as Netflix or Disney+, account for about a third of all viewing hours, even in markets where they are well-established. Europe is an ageing continent. The generation of teens staring at phones is outnumbered by their elders who prefer to gawp at the box.
In Brussels and national capitals, the prospect of Netflix as a cultural hegemon is seen as a threat. âCultural sovereigntyâ is the watchword of European executives worried that the Americans will eat their lunch. To be fair, Netflix content sometimes seems stuck in an uncanny valley somewhere in the mid-Atlantic, with local quirks stripped out. Netflix originals tend to have fewer specific cultural references than shows produced by domestic rivals, according to Enders, a market analyst. The company used to have an imperial model of commissioning, with executives in Los Angeles cooking up ideas French people might like.
Now Netflix has offices across Europe. But ultimately the big decisions rest with American executives. This makes European politicians nervous.
They should not be. An irony of European integration is that it is often American companies that facilitate it. Google Translate makes European newspapers comprehensible, even if a little clunky, for the continentâs non-polyglots. American social-media companies make it easier for Europeans to talk politics across borders. (That they do not always like to hear what they say about each other is another matter.) Now Netflix and friends pump the same content into homes across a continent, making culture a cross-border endeavour, too. If Europeans are to share a currency, bail each other out in times of financial need and share vaccines in a pandemic, then they need to have something in commonâeven if it is just bingeing on the same series. Watching fictitious northern and southern Europeans tear each other apart 2,000 years ago beats doing so in reality.
RC Line-wise Explanation
Paragraph 1
Original: Umberto Eco, an Italian writer, was right when he said the language of Europe is translation.
Explanation: Translation is so important in Europe that it could be considered the true shared language of the continent, as Eco suggested.
Original: Netflix and other deep-pocketed global firms speak it well.
Explanation: Companies like Netflix are effectively using translation to reach European audiences.
Original: Just as the EU employs a small army of translators and interpreters to turn intricate laws or impassioned speeches of Romanian MEPs into the EUâs 24 official languages, so do the likes of Netflix.
Explanation: Like the EU, Netflix also uses many translators to make its content accessible in different languages.
Original: It now offers dubbing in 34 languages and subtitling in a few more.
Explanation: Netflix provides audio translations in 34 languages and subtitles in even more, showing its wide linguistic reach.
Paragraph 2
Original: The economics of European productions are more appealing, too.
Explanation: Producing content in Europe has become financially attractive.
Original: American audiences are more willing than before to give dubbed or subtitled viewing a chance.
Explanation: Viewers in the US are now more open to watching foreign-language content with translations.
Original: This means shows such as âLupinâ, a French crime caper on Netflix, can become global hits.
Explanation: As a result, non-English shows like Lupin have gained international popularity.
Original: In 2015, about 75% of Netflixâs original content was American; now the figure is half, according to Ampere, a media-analysis company.
Explanation: The share of American content on Netflix has dropped from 75% in 2015 to 50%.
Original: Netflix has about 100 productions under way in Europe, which is more than big public broadcasters in France or Germany.
Explanation: Netflix is producing over 100 shows in Europeâmore than traditional national broadcasters.
Paragraph 3
Original: Not everything works across borders.
Explanation: Some types of content donât translate well between cultures.
Original: Comedy sometimes struggles.
Explanation: Humor can be hard to understand or appreciate across different cultures.
Original: Whodunits and bloodthirsty maelstroms between arch Romans and uppity tribesmen have a more universal appeal.
Explanation: Murder mysteries and historical dramas tend to be popular everywhere.
Original: Some do it better than others.
Explanation: Some countries produce better exportable content than others.
Original: Barbarians aside, German television is not always built for export, says one executive, being polite.
Explanation: Apart from the show Barbarians, German TV isn't typically designed for international success.
Original: A bigger problem is that national broadcasters still dominate.
Explanation: Traditional TV channels still control most of the TV audience.
Original: Streaming services, such as Netflix or Disney+, account for about a third of all viewing hours, even in markets where they are well-established.
Explanation: Even where streaming is popular, it only makes up about a third of total viewing time.
Original: Europe is an ageing continent.
Explanation: Europe has a large elderly population.
Original: The generation of teens staring at phones is outnumbered by their elders who prefer to gawp at the box.
Explanation: Older people, who prefer watching traditional TV, outnumber younger, mobile-watching audiences.
Paragraph 4
Original: In Brussels and national capitals, the prospect of Netflix as a cultural hegemon is seen as a threat.
Explanation: European policymakers see Netflix's cultural dominance as dangerous.
Original: âCultural sovereigntyâ is the watchword of European executives worried that the Americans will eat their lunch.
Explanation: European officials emphasize maintaining control over their own cultural output amid fears of American takeover.
Original: To be fair, Netflix content sometimes seems stuck in an uncanny valley somewhere in the mid-Atlantic, with local quirks stripped out.
Explanation: Netflix content often lacks distinct cultural identity, feeling neither fully American nor local.
Original: Netflix originals tend to have fewer specific cultural references than shows produced by domestic rivals, according to Enders, a market analyst.
Explanation: Compared to local producers, Netflixâs shows generally contain fewer local cultural details.
Original: The company used to have an imperial model of commissioning, with executives in Los Angeles cooking up ideas French people might like.
Explanation: Previously, Netflixâs central team in LA would decide what kind of content to create for international markets.
Original: Now Netflix has offices across Europe.
Explanation: Netflix has expanded and opened offices in various European countries.
Original: But ultimately the big decisions rest with American executives.
Explanation: Despite local offices, final decisions are still made in the U.S.
Original: This makes European politicians nervous.
Explanation: European leaders are concerned about this imbalance of control.
Paragraph 5
Original: They should not be.
Explanation: The author believes these concerns are exaggerated.
Original: An irony of European integration is that it is often American companies that facilitate it.
Explanation: Ironically, American firms help bring Europe closer together.
Original: Google Translate makes European newspapers comprehensible, even if a little clunky, for the continentâs non-polyglots.
Explanation: Tools like Google Translate help Europeans understand content from different countries.
Original: American social-media companies make it easier for Europeans to talk politics across borders.
Explanation: US-based social platforms help Europeans engage in cross-border political conversations.
Original: (That they do not always like to hear what they say about each other is another matter.)
Explanation: Sometimes, people donât enjoy hearing othersâ political opinions.
Original: Now Netflix and friends pump the same content into homes across a continent, making culture a cross-border endeavour, too.
Explanation: Netflix and similar services distribute the same shows across Europe, fostering a shared cultural experience.
Original: If Europeans are to share a currency, bail each other out in times of financial need and share vaccines in a pandemic, then they need to have something in commonâeven if it is just bingeing on the same series.
Explanation: For real unity (economic and political), Europeans also need cultural common groundâeven if itâs just TV shows.
Original: Watching fictitious northern and southern Europeans tear each other apart 2,000 years ago beats doing so in reality.
Explanation: It's better for Europeans to engage in shared historical dramas than real conflict.
RC Paragraph Explanation
Paragraph 1 Summary
Creativity is innate in every human and thrives best in the presence of others. While often thought to belong to individual geniuses, it is actually a collaborative and social process.
Paragraph 2 Summary
Cities foster creativity through their diversity, dense social interactions, and infrastructure. These features allow new ideas to emerge and be quickly turned into real-world innovations.
Paragraph 1 Summary
This paragraph introduces the importance of translation in Europe and praises how companies like Netflix effectively use multilingual content to cater to European audiences, much like the EU does.
Paragraph 2 Summary
It discusses how European content is becoming more popular and economically viable for Netflix, with non-English shows like Lupin achieving global fame. Netflix is increasingly investing in European productions.
Paragraph 3 Summary
The paragraph highlights the limitations of content crossing borders, noting that comedy often doesnât travel well. It also points out that national broadcasters remain dominant, especially in a continent with an ageing population.
Paragraph 4 Summary
This section addresses European concerns over cultural dominance by American companies like Netflix. Although Netflix has localized offices, its creative control still lies in the U.S., which worries European policymakers.
Paragraph 5 Summary
The final paragraph argues that rather than fear Netflix, Europeans should embrace the cultural integration it fosters. American tech platforms inadvertently help unify Europe by promoting shared cultural and political experiences.
RC Quick Table Summary
| Paragraph Number | Main Idea |
|---|---|
| Paragraph 1 | Netflix uses translation effectively to cater to multilingual European viewers. |
| Paragraph 2 | European productions are gaining global success and Netflix is investing more. |
| Paragraph 3 | Cultural differences affect content appeal; national TV still dominates. |
| Paragraph 4 | European leaders fear Netflixâs U.S.-centric cultural influence. |
| Paragraph 5 | American platforms like Netflix are ironically helping European integration. |
RC Questions
Ques 1. The author sees the rise of Netflix in Europe as:
Ques 2. Which one of the following research findings would weaken the authorâs conclusion in the final paragraph?
Ques 3. Based only on information provided in the passage, which one of the following hypothetical Netflix shows would be most successful with audiences across the EU?
Ques 4. Based on information provided in the passage, all of the following are true, EXCEPT:
