Vocabulary:

conversation — разговор common — общий world trade — мировая торговля to get along with — ладить, уживаться foreign — иностранный to develop — развивать(ся) science — наука satellite — спутник to be afraid — бояться

6-1-Mass Media There are different ways of getting information — mass media, books, travelling, visiting museums, meeting people. Which do you prefer?   To live in the modern world is impossible without expanding your knowledge in all spheres. There are several ways of communicating the world to individuals — mass media, books, travelling, museums, meeting eminent people. Of all the existing ways, there are two which are the easiest ones, that is mass media and travelling. One more reason why I prefer them is that they provide the fullest and the most reliable information in the fields you are interested in.   6-2-Mass Media Mass media play an important role in our life. How and why do they shape public opinion ?   Mass media play an important role in our life. They are usually defined by encyclopedias as any of the means of communication, such as radio, television, newspapers, magazines, etc. that reach and influence a very large audience, at least as large as the whole population of a nation. The term was coined in 1920s with emerging of nationwide radio networks and of mass-circulation newspapers and magazines. I believe mass media are so influential because they can be used for various purposes: popularisation, for business or social concerns (advertising, marketing, public relations, and political communication), education, entertainment, video and computer games, journalism, public service announcements. Media include radio and television, films, various types of discs or tapes used for music and computer, Internet, publishing on paper (books, magazines, and newspapers). Mass media play a crucial role in forming public opinion. They do it in a number of ways: first, they communicate the world to individuals. Much of the news media is made up of newsgathering by large organizations. Just four main news agencies — AP, UPI, Reuters and Agence France Presse — claim together to provide 90 % of the total news output of the world's press, radio and television. Second, they reproduce modern society's self-image by forcing attention to certain issues. They build up public images of political figures. They are constantly presenting objects suggesting what individuals in the mass should think about, know about, have feelings about. Because some of the media produce material which often is good, impartial, and serious, they have respect and authority. If we look into the reasons why the mass media shape public opinion, we will see, first of all, that in practice the ethics of the press and television provides a vital support for the existing order. Second, many of the mass media in practice cater for the tastes of some social group. Shaping the public opinion inside this group, they create the audience which supports them financially by buying the newspaper or watching the TV channel. But how much do the media influence the modern society? Early critiques suggested that the media destroys the individual's capacity to act autonomously. Later studies, however, suggest a more complex interaction between the media and society. People actively interprete and evaluate the media and the information it provides. Translate the following sentences into English. 1. Средства массовой информации — это средства коммуникации, такие как радио, телевидение, газеты, журналы, которые создают очень большую аудиторию. 2. Средства массовой информации так влиятельны, поскольку используются для популяризации в интересах бизнеса или общества, для образования, развлечения, объявлений и т. д. 3. Средства массовой информации играют ведущую роль в формировании общественного мнения, так как они, во-первых, доносят до людей информацию о мире, во-вторых, воспроизводят созданный современным обществом его собственный имидж, в-третьих, они потворствуют вкусам определенной социальной группы. 4. Четыре основные агентства новостей предоставляют 90 % общего объема новостей прессы, радио и телевидения в мире. 5. Средства массовой информации привлекают внимание к определенным вопросам, создают имидж политических деятелей и представляют различные объекты, одновременно предлагая, что люди должны думать о них. 6. Поскольку определенная часть информации, которую они представляют, является объективной и серьезной, они пользуются уважением и авторитетом. 7. Они создают аудиторию, которая поддерживает их в финансовом отношении.

6-3-Mass Media (1)

Mass media are one of the most characteristic features of modern civilization. People are united into one global community with the help of mass media. People can learn about what is happening in the world very fast using mass media. The mass media include newspapers, magazines, radio and television.

The earliest kind of mass media was newspaper. The first newspaper was Roman handwritten newssheet called «Acta Diurna» started in 59 B.C. Magazines appeared in 1700's. They developed from newspapers and booksellers' catalogs. Radio and TV appeared only in 20th century.

The most exciting and entertaining kind of mass media is television. It brings moving pictures and sounds directly to people's homes. So one can see events in faraway places just sitting in his or her chair.

Radio is widespread for its portability. It means that radios can easily be carried around. People like listening to the radio on the beach or picnic, while driving a car or just walking down the street. The main kind of radio entertainment is music.

Newspapers can present and comment on the news in much detail in comparison to radio and TV newscasts. Newspapers can cover much more events and news.

Magazines do not focus on daily, rapidly changing events. They provide more profound analysis of events of preceeding week. Magazines are designed to be kept for a longer time so they have cover and binding and are printed on better paper.

Questions:

1. What kinds of mass media do you know? 2. What was the earliest kind of mass media? 3. Why is the television so exciting? 4. What is the reason for widespread use of radios? 5. What advantages do newspapers have over the other kinds of mass media? 6. What is the difference between a newspaper and a magazine?

Vocabulary: feature — черта mass media — средства массовой информации handwritten — написанный от руки newssheet — листовка bookseller — книготорговец entertaining — развлекательный portability — портативность newcast — обзор новостей to focus — сосредоточиваться profound — глубокий cover — обложка binding — переплет

 

6-4-Mass Media (2)

Mass Media has become an important part of our life. We all have already become listeners, readers, viewers long time ago. We get information we need while we are reading newspapers and magazines, watching TV, listening to the news on the radio. If you want to relax, you can just switch on any FM station and enjoy music or you switch on your TV set, choose one of the music channels and have a fun. Now you can hardly imagine that just 15 years ago there were no FM radio in the state, no satellite television and internet at all.

Newspapers, with their enormous circulation report, different kinds of news can supply any kind of information. They carry articles that cover the latest international and national events, all kind of rumours, advertising, fun stories, biographies of well-known people, etc. You can buy newspapers also for the radio and TV programs, where a full coverage of commercial, financial and public affairs is given. There are newspapers and magazines for young people. They give a wide assortment of news, events and reports on education, sports, cultural life, entertainment, fashion, etc. There are many advertising programs now. If you like to know more about the World, you can watch Discovery channels that represent a huge massive of information on people lives, biographies (Discovery People channel), new discoveries in science (Discovery Science, Discovery Sci-Tech channels). If you are keen on traveiling, ancient extinct civilizations, Discovery Civilization is your channel. There are about dozen of Discovery Channels, with the help of which we can choose everything we want. Our television provides so much information which can vary from social and economic crises, conflicts, wars, disasters, earthquakes, to diplomatic visits, negotiations; from terrorism, corruption, to pollution problems, strikes, social movements that sometimes we are lost in this information ocean.

Radio broadcasts are valued mainly for their music programs (Europe Plus, Russian Radio, etc.).

Viewers are fond of watching different show, movies, sports, plays, games, educational and cultural programs and soon.

As for me my family is also a mass media consumer, one of millions. I have a TV set in my room. I like «Culture Program» It is my mother's favourite program too. My father is a hockey and football fan, he likes to watch sport channels. My elder brother Andrey likes adult programs, my younger brother Igor is keen on Discovery Channels. I'm not keen on special programs. I like to see a bit this and a bit that. Also, I can say I like programs about travelling and traditions of other countries and nations. These programs educate and relax me at the same time.  

Questions:

1. How do we get information that we need? 2. What information can we find in newspapers? 3. What kind of programs do Discovery channels broadcast? 4. Why can one be lost in the information ocean of television? 5. What is the main value of radio broadcasts?

Vocabulary: viewer — зритель to relax — расслабиться to switch on — включать (телевизор, радио) hardly — едва satellite television — спутниковое телевидение enormous — огромный to supply — обеспечивать, поставлять rumours — слухи to advertise — рекламировать coverage — освещение в печати, по радио event — событие entertainment — развлечение fashion — мода huge — огромный discovery — обнаружение, открытие to be keen on — увлекаться чем-либо to provide — снабжать, обеспечивать disaster — катастрофа earthquake — землетрясение negotiations — переговоры pollution — загрязнение strike — забастовка broadcast — трансляция

6-5-Mass Media (3)

Mass media or mass communications are the press, radio and television.

Every day we read newspapers and magazines, listen to radio and watch TV. Nowadays there are so many newspapers and magazines, radio stations and TV channels that we have to be very -selective and give preference^to some of them.

What newspapers and magazines do I prefer to read? I like to read the following newspapers: «Komsomolskaya Pravda», («KomsomolTruth»), «Nezavisimost» («Independence»), «Argumenty i Fakty» («Arguments and Facts»).

Several periodicals are available in English. As far as newspapers are concerned they may be daily, or weekly. Magazines may be weekly, monthly and quarterly.

The newspapers and magazines I read are the most readable and have a large readership or circulation. For example, « Argumenty i Fakty» has a circulation of more than 23 000 000. It is the largest in the world. The newspapers contain and give coverage of local, home and foreign affairs. Their publications deal with very burning problems of our history, latest events and forecasts for future. They also touch upon cultural, sport news. I like the way they present different points of view, approaches to the problems. My parents and I subscribe to some periodicals, so we are subscribers. We buy some of newspapers and magazines in a kiosk.

I often listen to radio, especially in the morning before I leave for school. I prefer to listen to «Mayak» («Lighthouse») programm. They broadcast much news and music. I like to listen to weekend programmes, some of them are very amusing and entertaining.

As to the TV, we have 24 channels. I prefer to watch youth programmes.

In addition I like to see interesting films. They might be feature, adventure, scientific, horror, cartoon and other films. I enjoy seeing Walt Disney's cartoons. Now and then I like to see the programme «Love at First Sight». It is an enjoyable and entertaining one.  

Questions:

1. What do we read every day? 2. Why do we have to be Very selective nowadays? 3. What do the newspapers contain and give? 4. What do radio programmes broadcast? 5. Where do you buy newspapers? 6. Which programmes do you prefer to watch?

Vocabulary: mass media, mass communications — средства массовой информации to be selective — быть разборчивым to give preference to — отдавать предпочтение periodical — периодическое издание daily — ежедневный weekly — еженедельный, еженедельник monthly — ежемесячный, ежемесячник quarterly — ежеквартальный readable — интересный readership — читатели circulation — тираж to contain — содержать to give coverage — освещать local affairs — местные события home (national, domestic, internal) affairs (events) — внутренние события, события в стране foreign (international, world, external) affairs (events) — зарубежные события, события за рубежом to deal with — рассматривать a burning problem — актуальная проблема forecast — прогноз to touch upon — затрагивать to present — подавать approach — подход to subscribe to — подписываться to broadcast — передавать по радио to telecast — передавать по телевидению amusing — забавный entertaining — развлекательный, интересный to enjoy doing smth — нравиться что-либо делать

 

6-6-Mass Media (4)

Nowadays information communication is an important part of our life. It goes without saying that mass media has become an integral part of modern people's life. People live with a constant necessity of getting new information. How can they satisfy their need? They may communicate with one another or just use the immense space of means of communication. People need information in order to keep up with the whole world around them — with vogue, new trends of life, discoveries and inventions. We live to learn news; we breathe and live with this.

Let's concentrate on one of mass media branches — television. As we know, it appeared much later than such kinds of mass media as radio, newspapers and magazines. Nowadays almost everybody has got at least one TV-set at home. Television now plays an important role in our life. It takes a steady place in our daily timetable. However, watching television has two sides: not only advantages but also disadvantages.

On the one hand, TV keeps people informed of current events; TV gives us wonderful possibilities for education. We can choose any programme according to our interests, mood and needs. There is a great amount of channels which are specialized in various spheres. It can be the sphere of politics, news, sports, animals, feature films, soap operas, art, talk-shows, cartoons, educational programmes, music, fashion and many others. Such channels as "History", "Discovery", "Animal Planet", "365", enrich our knowledge in different fields. There are also channels which offer to our attention some educational programmes for children and adults, for example "Happy English" — a programme focused on teaching the English language, "Memory" — a programme which offers a number of exercises for children in order to develop their memory.

The second advantage of watching television is that it gives families an opportunity to spend some time together. Nowadays adults are often too busy to give enough attention to their children. When they come home from work in the evening, so tired and exhausted, — the only possible way to relax for many is just lay on the sofa in front of TV In such situations it's high time to choose a family comedy and see it together with your spouse and children. So, watching TV helps us to relax and forget about it all — work, worries and problems that are on our mind.

Moreover, television is a great source of entertaining. Every day there is a wide choice of films and serials on TV — detectives, dramas, comedies, action films, thrillers, horrors, cartoons and others. If you have some spare time, switch on your TV-set and see a good movie with famous and talented actors or actresses, like Johnny Depp, Robert De Niro, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts or Dakota Fanning. Nowadays you are not limited in your choice, for even if there is no film you'd like to see in a TV-programme, you can always see it on DVD or download it in the Internet. Besides, sometimes television is the only opportunity to watch concerts of world-famous celebrities, like Michael Jackson, Madonna, Pink, Britney Spears or Justin Bieber.

However, watching television has its negative side. It is well-known that television may turn to be harmful for our health. Spending too much time in front of a TV screen may affect our eyesight badly. There are many cases when children become TV-addicted. Every spare minute they try to switch the TV on. Their progress in studies suffers due to the fact that children try to do their homework as fast as they can in order to have more time for watching TV.

Moreover, nowadays some TV programmes and films include a lot of violent scenes that can have a negative influence on a child's psychic development.

Another disadvantage of television is an enormous amount of advertising. Firstly, it makes people buy some useless or unnecessary things. Bright and beautiful ads don't reveal any drawbacks of the products they advertise. So, it often turns out that the goods quality is far worse than expected. Secondly, many ads deal with the pearl of beauty — a very slim and tall girl. The result of it may be the fact that children become too much concentrated on their appearance, which may lead to depression or to the feeling of inferiority.

Finally, many children nowadays would rather spend a day glued to a TV-set than go outdoors to play with their peers.

Undoubtedly, we need TV, for it is one of the main and most convenient means of mass media. However, taking into account all its merits and drawbacks, we must try to organize our time in the right way so as not to become a TV slave.

Questions:

1. What kinds of mass media do you know? 2. Have you got a TV-set at home? 3. How often do you usually watch it? 4. What are your favourite channels? 5. Do you usually watch TV alone or with your family? 6. What films do you prefer to see? 7. Do you like soap operas? 8. Are you a TV-addict? 9. Do you prefer to see films on TV or at the cinema? 10. What disadvantages of watching television can you name?

Vocabulary: mass media — средства массовой информации it goes without saying — само собой разумеется integral part — неотъемлемая часть necessity — необходимость to satisfy — удовлетворять immense — безграничный, огромный means of communication — средства связи to keep up with — быть в курсе, поспевать за vogue — мода discovery — открытие invention — изобретение branch — ветвь to appear — появляться steady — постоянный advantage — достоинство disadvantage — недостаток on the one hand — с одной стороны possibility — возможность according to — в соответствии с mood — настроение channel — канал to be specialized in — специализироваться на various — разный feature film — художественный фильм soap opera — сериал cartoon — мультипликационный фильм fashion — мода to enrich — обогащать knowledge — знание inner world — внутренний мир attention — внимание to be focused on — быть нацеленным на to develop — развивать exhausted — измотанный, обессиленный to relax — отдыхать, расслабляться it's high time — самое время spouse — супруг, супруга to reveal — открывать, показывать moreover — более того source — источник entertaining — развлечение thriller — триллер horror — фильм ужасов action film — боевик to limit — ограничивать to download — загружать spare time — свободное время celebrity — знаменитость harmful — вредный screen — экран eyesight — зрение TV-addicted — зависимый от телевизора progress in studies — успеваемость to suffer — страдать to include — включать, содержать violent — жестокий to have a negative influence on — оказывать негативное влияние на psychic development — психическое развитие enormous — огромный advertising — реклама useless — бесполезный ad = advertising — реклама drawback — недостаток goods — товары pearl of beauty — эталон красоты appearance — внешность feeling of inferiority — чувство неполноценности to glue — прилипать peers — ровесники undoubtedly — несомненно convenient — удобный to take into account — принимать во внимание slave — раб to deceive — обманывать