Vocabulary

“quality” – пресса высокого качества, заслуживающая доверия

popular press – газета для широкой публики

“tabloid” [ ] – бульварная пресса (малоформатная газета со сжатым текстом и большим количеством иллюстраций)

supplement – приложение

circulation – тираж

headline – заголовок

thrive on smth. – процветать на чем-либо

vigorous – сильный, решительный

enormous – громадный

glossy – глянцевитый (на глянцевой бумаге)

a cover – обложка

to cover – распространяться, охватывать

strip cartoon – история в картинках

ethnic – этнический

periodical – периодическое издание

formidable – значительный, громадный

to live off – жить за счет кого-либо, чего-либо

Ex.1 Insert the correct prepositions where necessary:

1. National daily newspapers in Britain can be divided … two groups.

2. The first group consists … the “quality” newspapers.

3. “The Times”, “The Independent”, “The Guardian” and other “quality” newspapers provide their readers … a full account … the important political, economic and cultural news.

4. The popular newspapers or “tabloids” thrive … sensational stories and excitement.

5. The “quality” Sunday papers devote large sections … literature and the arts.

6. There are also a substantial number … regional newspapers in Britain.

7. Glossy weekly or monthly illustrated magazines cater … women or … any … thousand special interests.

8. All these magazines are supported mainly … their advertisers.

9. Across the world the name … Britain’s formidable news agency Reuters, has become an assurance … objectivity, accuracy and reliability.

Ex.2 Form the degrees of comparison of the following adjectives:

big, famous, good, old, small, much, many, important, informative.

Ex.3 Choose the correct form of the verb in the following sentences:

1. There (is, are) five “quality” newspapers in Britain.

2. There (is, are) a substantial number of regional newspapers in Britain.

3. In addition to the daily newspapers, there (is, are) also national papers which are published on Sundays.

4. There (is, are) a lot of glossy illustrated magazines for women or for any of thousand special interests.

5. For every activity there (is, are) a magazine, supported mainly by its advertisers.

Ex.4 Find in the text sentences with Passive constructions. Translate them from English into Russian.

Ex.5 Make these sentences Passive:

1. The British usually divide national daily newspapers into two groups.

2. They print “tabloids” on small sheets of paper.

3. The tabloid papers use enormous headlines for the leading items of the day.

4. The “quality” Sunday papers devote large sections to literature and the arts.

5. The weekly political and literary journals regularly contain well-written articles.

6. Advertisers support a great number of glossy illustrated magazines for women or for any thousand special interests.

Ex.6 Give English equivalents to the following word combinations:

национальная ежедневная газета, международные события, небольшой (маленький) лист бумаги, чрезмерно упрощенный, еженедельный политический журнал, цветное приложение, цветная обложка, ежемесячный иллюстрированный журнал для женщин, информационное агентство, предстоящие передачи, сообщение на политическую тему.

Ex.7 Make up word combinations with the following words:

newspaper, news, supplement, journal, article, national, circulation, glossy, information.

Ex.8 Agree or disagree:

1. The “quality” newspapers are widely read by people who run the country.

2. The “tabloids” publish serious articles about political events, major national and international events and business.

3. “The Independent”, “The Times” and “The Financial Times” are popular tabloids.

4. No papers at all are published in Britain on Sundays.

5. Interesting and useful articles can be found in the weekly political and literary journals.

6. Glossy illustrated magazines for women or for any of a thousand special interests are not popular in Britain.

7. Reuters reports are filed only in English.

Ex.9 Complete the sentences:

1. National daily newspapers in Britain … .

2. The “quality” newspapers … .

3. The “popular” newspapers … .

4. The Tabloid papers thrive on … .

5. In addition to the daily newspapers … .

6. Good English writing … .

7. Glossy weekly or monthly illustrated magazines … .

8. They live off … .

9. No newspaper can compete … .

Ex.10 Which word or phrase in the text above means:

1. printed publication, usually issued every day with news, advertisements, etc;

2. a small size newspaper with many pictures, strip cartoons, etc and with its news presented in simplified form;

3. number of copies of a newspaper or other periodical sold to the public;

4. paper-covered (usually weekly or monthly, and illustrated) periodical, with stories, articles, etc. by various writers;

5. magazine or other publications which appears at regular intervals (monthly, quarterly, etc);

6. person regularly contributing local news or special articles to a newspaper.

Ex.11 Answer the questions:

1. Do the British buy more newspapers than any other people in the world?

2. Are there any differences between various national daily newspapers in Britain?

3. What are “popular” newspapers?

4. What are “quality” newspapers?

5. What regional newspapers are printed in Britain?

6. Do Britain’s ethnic minority communities produce their own papers?

7. What are the most popular periodicals in Britain?

8. What is Reuters?

Ex.12 You and a friend of yours are trying to decide which of the two categories of Britain’s newspapers is worth reading and why. Give reasons for your own decision and argue against that of your friend. Use as much information from the text as possible.

Ex.13 Give your opinion of the British press and what you think its good and bad points.

Ex.14 Make comparisons between British newspapers and newspapers in Russia.