高级时事英语EnglishEnglish in in Current Affairs Affairs

Unit 1 The media

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Unit 1 The mediaActivity 1 The MediaActivity 2 NewspapersActivity 3 Listening to a ConversationActivity 4 Finding Your Way around a NewspaperActivity 5 News in Conversation(Listening)Activity 6 Reading More Newspaper Articles

( Supplementary materials)

Activity 1

• Task 1: Mass Media

• Task 2: Examples of Mass Media

• Task 3: Spreading News

Task 1 Mass Media • What does “mass media” mean to you?• Does it equal to “multimedia”?• Mass: a large number• Media: You can refer to television, radio,

newspapers and magazines as the media.

• The mass media are television, radio, and newspaper. E.g. The mass media now play an increasing role in shaping our opinions.

Task 2 Examples of Mass Media

• TV and radio programmes

• Films

• Ads

• the Internet

• * News agencies are responsible for spreading information to newspapers so news agencies can also be

classed as an example of media.

Task 3 Spreading News

• Press: all published newspapers and magazines.

• Newspaper: the oldest and most basic type of mass media.

• Newspapers & magazines

• (Generally speaking, zero article is used in front of the names of magazines)

Activity 2 Newspapers

• Task 1 A News Item• Task 2 Identifying Personal Details • Task 3 Distinguishing Fact from Conjecture• Task 4 Expressing Fact and Conjecture• Task 5 Avoiding Repetition • Task 6 Examining Newspaper Headlines• Task 7 Other Aspects of the Article

Task 1. A News Item

Text 1: Good-bye Fergie (P.13)

1. Skim Text 1 and do the choices on P.12

2. Who are the main characters in Text 1?

3. This part is mainly about_______.

4. How do you understand the title of this article?

Task 2 Identifying Personal Details (P.14)

Now let’s go to the detailed info of Text 1.

Ask at least one question about the contents of Text 1 by using the W5H1 ( the basic 6 factors of news-reporting ).

There is one more name : Forgie(in the title)

Task 3. Distinguishing Fact from Conjecture(P.15)

Conjecture: is the formation of ideas or opinions from incomplete or doubtful information.

Sensational: 1. Something that is ~ is so remarkable that it causes great excitement and interest. 2. You can describe sth. as ~ when you think that it is extremely good.

Scandalous: immoral and shocking

Task 4Expressing Fact and Conjecture(P.16)

Task5 Avoiding Repetition (P.18)

Task6 Examining Newspaper Headlines(P.19)

Headline: 【 Features of Headlines】1. A ~ is the title of a newspaper story, printed in

large letters at the top of the story. E.g. The headlines that day were full of news of the kidnapping.

2. The headlines are also the main points of the news which are read on radio or TV. E.g. And now for the main headlines again.

Task7 Other Aspects of the Article (P.20)

A. The author/writer of the article.

B. Related articles ( comments, certain features )

C. Three types of articles: (news) reports, features, and leaders.

Activity 3 (P.22)Listening to a Conversation

Task 1: Identifying Names of Publications

Task 2: Listen for Details

Task 3: Extracting Information

Task 4: Listen for Specific Information

Activity 4 Finding Your Way around a Newspaper

• Task 1 Components of Newspaper

• Task 2 Which section?

• Task 3 Selecting Headlines

• Task 4 Identifying Features of Headlines

Task 1: Components of Newspaper(P.26)

• 1.caption: the words printed underneath a picture or cartoon which explain what it is

about. • 2. An announcement • 3. An ad. • 4. A cartoon. • 5. A contents list • 6. A book review. • 7. An editorial • 8. A headline. • 9. ‘What’s on’ • 10. A crossword

Task 2: Which section?(P.29)Indicate the newspaper section: 1. Milosevic says 'sorry' in prison interview 2. Pickpockets menace tourists in Paris 3. Coke, Nike unaffected by spreading US gloom 4. Five years in jail for the Mormon with five wives 5. Moscow to get Diana statue by flamboyant sculptor. 6. Kangaroo tail 'bribe' has poll rival hopping 7. Mexican president marries spokesman 8. Short stature linked to shorter life: study 9. Top Wimbledon seed to Sampras 10. Drugs give gamblers relief from temptations

Task 3: Selecting Headlines(P.30)

You seldom need to read a news item intensively.

Find out what has happened, what interests us.

Headlines will guide us.Identify the NEW info / KNOWN info

Task 4: Identifying Features of Headlines(P.32)

( Source: Slides 35-38)

Activity 6 Reading More Newspaper Articles

• Task 1: W5H1• Task 2. (Text 2) Man kills family (P.40)

hysterical: a. [1] uncontrollably emotional or agitated [2] of hysteria; relating to ~

verdict: [1] any judgment or decision;

[2] the finding of a jury in a court of law • (Text 3) Family Woman Saw Red over Blue Movie

89-year-old sails across Atlantic twice

• An 89-year-old grandmother has fulfilled a lifetime ambition by finishing an 8,000-mile round trip across the Atlantic.

• Helen Tew arrived back in Beaulieu River Sailing Club, Hants, in a 26ft boat designed by her late husband 60 years' ago.

• Mrs Tew said that she had been inspired to make the crossing ever since her father refused to let her join him on a similar trip in 1934.

Hillary's brother caught in the act by jealous fiance

By Ben Fenton in Washington(Filed: 22/08/2001)

Hillary's brother caught in the act by jealous fiancéBy Ben Fenton in Washington(Filed: 22/08/2001)

• HILLARY CLINTON's brother Tony Rodham has been beaten up by a jealous man who allegedly caught him making love to the man's fiancée, police said yesterday.

• The alleged incident happened while Mr Rodham was staying at his family's holiday home at Lake Winola, near Scranton, Pennsylvania, last weekend.

• He was allegedly engaged in sexual intercourse with 36-year-old Kelly Quick at about 5am on Sunday when her fiancé, Daniel Coyne, climbed over the railings of the cottage's porch and spotted them through a window.

• According to court documents, Mr Coyne walked into the building and confronted the couple, kicking Mr Rodham and shouting at him. The commotion awoke Hugh Rodham, the former First Lady's other brother, who arrived and ordered Mr Coyne to leave the house.

• It is alleged that the 45-year-old shop steward at a local timber mill returned shortly afterwards and attacked Tony Rodham again. He later surrendered to police and was charged with burglary and assault.

• Both of Mrs Clinton's brothers have caused repeated embarrassment to their sister through their efforts to exploit their relationship with her. Tony Rodham, who is 47, was in the news recently after Congress began an investigation into his efforts to obtain pardons for friends from Bill Clinton in the final days of his presidency.

• He has worked in the past as an insurance salesman, prison guard, repossession enforcer and private investigator. Mr Rodham, who is living in Washington, lists his present occupation as a "consultant". He was married to Nicole Boxer, daughter of Senator Barbara Boxer of California, but the marriage ended in divorce last year.

Affairs(=events and info)(P.6)• Affair:1. an event or a situation when you are talking

about it very generally. E.g. The wedding was a quiet affair… An enquiry will be connected into the whole affair. 2. affairs refer to all the important facts or activities that are connected with a particular subject. E.g. … a specialist in Eastern European affairs…

• current affairs(=events and info that are related to our present lives):political and social events which are discussed in newspapers and on television and radio programmes. E.g. … the BBC’s current affairs programmes.

Current(P.6)

• Something that is current is happening, being done or being used at the present time(NOW, THESE DAYS).e.g. Our current methods of production are too expensive… The conversation shifted onto what is current in art and music.

Major News Agencies in the World

• Xinhua News Agency– Xinhua—China ( 新华社 )• Reuter(‘s) News Agency– Reuter– B.( 路透社 )• Associated Press– AP– USA （美联社）• United Press International –UPI—USA （合众国际社）• Agence France-Press –APF---F. ( 法新社 )• Deutsche Presse Agentur – DPA – G. ( 德新社 )• Ansa News Agency --- ANSA– IT. ( 安莎社 )• Agencia Efe, S.A. --- EFE—SP. ( 埃菲社 )• TASS – USSR-- （塔斯社）• Kyodo News Agency– KYODO– JAP. ( 共同社 )• Middle East News Agency – MENA– Egypt( 中东社 )

The Features of Newspaper Headlines(I)

• 1. Abbreviations and acronyms are widely used.

E.g.1. UFO sighted

(UFO= unidentified flying object)E.g. 2. PM to see MP over foot and mouth

（ PM= Prime Minister, MP= Member of Parliament ）

EU, WTO, WHO, NATO, UNESCO…?

The Features of Newspaper Headlines(II)• 2. Omission of some words. • 1) articles • Boy, 7, Killed by Ejection From Cockpit of Navy Jet • (= A boy, 7, killed by Ejection from the Cockpit of a

navy jet)• 2) linking verbs• (The ) Bankers (keep/are) silent as (the) dollar falls• 3) all forms of “to be”• Pompeii reported seriously damaged• =Pompeii is reported to have been seriously damaged

The Features of Newspaper Headlines(III)

• 4) pron. • Anny and baby are well• (=Anny and her baby are well)• 5) prep.• Police killer’s jail death not unexpected• (= the death in the jail of the man who kille

d a policeman…)• Sharp Refugee Rise Worries HK• (=sharp rise in arrivals of refugees)

The Features of Newspaper Headlines(IV)

• 3. Tenses often used in newspaper headlines

• 1) simple present to refer to a past event

• 2) “to do ” to indicate the future

• 3) simple past to indicate the past event

1) simple present to refer to a past event

Heart pioneer Barnard dies CHRISTIAAN BARNARD, the South African

surgeon who carried out the world's first heart transplant, died yesterday at the age of 78.

(Http://www.telegraph.co.uk Monday 3 September 2001)• More examples:

• 1 、 Non-aligned body makes new effects

• 2 、 Judge issues KKK restraint

• 3 、 Mount St. Helens erupts• 1 、不结盟机构重做努力• 2 、法官通令限制三 K 党活动• 3 、圣海伦斯火山爆发

2) “to do ” to indicate the future•Australia to ship out refugees

By Barbia Dutter in Christmas IslandTHE indigo waters off Christmas Island were churned up by military activity yesterday as naval vessels and helicopters made urgent preparations to transfer 438 stranded asylum seekers into a troop ship and out of Australian territory.

• More examples:• 1 、 Australia to import diesels from China(China Daily)• 澳大利亚计划进口中国内燃机• 2 、 Florida Freeze To Increase Area Produce Prices• (The Washington Post)• 佛罗里达严寒将使本地区农产品涨价

Heart pioneer Barnard diesBy Tim Butcher in Durban

(Filed: 03/09/2001)

CHRISTIAAN BARNARD, the South African surgeon who carried out the world's first heart transplant, died yesterday at the age of 78.

• Dr Barnard was found dead at a hotel in Cyprus where he was on holiday. A post mortem examination was being carried out but early indications were that he died of heart failure.

• Dr Barnard successfully transplanted the heart of a car crash victim into 53-year-old Louis Washkansky at Cape Town's Groote Schuur hospital on Dec 3, 1967.

• "His death is a great loss to the country after all the contributions he made," said Nelson Mandela. "He was very vocal against apartheid."

• Although best known as a pioneering surgeon, Dr Barnard was a notorious womaniser with three broken marriages and numerous affairs with stars such as Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida.