Unit 2 News media

Warming upHow many different

forms of news media do you know?

TV Radio

Magazines

Newspapers

Group work

Discuss in groups:

Are there any differences among the five media?

Which of the news media above is the most reliable? Give your reasons.

Are there any differences among the five major media?

Kinds of media

Differences and reasons

TV cheap,quick, with pictures and sounds// have to own a TV set

Internet update, much information, quick, you can comment on the affairs immediately if you want/ have a computer which is linked to the Internet

Radio quick, convenient // can’t enjoy pictures

Newspaper much information, quick // can’t express one’s idea freely

Magazine provide people with detailed information on a certain subject / focused on a topic /published weekly / monthly // news comes late

Listening

Listen carefully to what is said and tick the information you hear in each part.

Part 1 Part 2 Both Neither

The man was fired

The man faced difficulties

The man was careful

The man talked too much

The man was funny

The man was nosy

The man was generous

The man was honest

The man was a nice person

The man was very clever

Discussion

What kind of person is Jim Gray?

Speaking

Imagine you are an editor of Suqian Daily. Here are ten things that happened today, form which you can choose five and decide which events you are going to put in your newspaper. Give your reasons for your choices.Then act out your discussion .

Ten things for you to choose from:

200 people died in an earthquake in Turkey.

France elected a new president.

Two men robbed a bank in Shanghai.

A house in your city burnt down..Nobody was injured.

2,000 people in your city moved into new buildings today and were happy.

A Chinese scientist has invented a new car engine that does not pollute the air.There is a rumour that a large company wants to build a factory in your city.China beat Brazil 2-1 in football.Three children from your city were killed.Food prices are going up.

Events ReasonsFood prices are

going up.Food is very important to

people’s life. On one hand, going-

up prices can increase

farmers’ income; on the other hand, it will affect other

people’s living standards.

Three children from your city were killed.

Many people are interested in

social problems. They may be

eager to know the causes and

the results of the accident.

Events Reasons

2000 people in your city were happy today and moved to new buildings.

People want to know what happened to the people and why they moved to new buildings and who built the houses.

France elected a new president.

People who care for international problems would like to read the news, especially those who want to know the result of the election in France.

There is a rumor that a large company wants to build a factory in your town.

People, especially in my town, want to know if it’s a rumor or not. If a new factory is built, they can get jobs, which are important to their lives.

Example:

A: What do you think of these events?

B: I think we should choose the story about the three children in our city. This event is the most important because the people in our city need to know about this.

C: Maybe it would be better to choose the story about the earthquake in Turkey. 2oo people died there, not just three.

D:I agree that we should report that too, but the story about the children is more important. What’s your opinion?

When you ask your partner, you may say:

What do you think of …?

What’s your opinion?

Why do you choose…?When you answer the question, you may say:

I would rather choose…

I don’t think we should choose…

Maybe it would be better to choose..

Our readers want to know about…

Useful expressions

Prepare the reading passage.

Behind the headlines.