1989

3)Mass media form public opinion.

4)Mass media build up public images of political figures.

5)People use mass media for various purposes.

19.Sum up and enrich your knowledge of mass media:

1)Interview your relatives and friends what kinds of the mass media they usually/seldom use. Compare the answers of the people of different age. Make up a story on the topic “Mass media in our life”.

2)Prepare a talk for a foreign audience on mass media in your country. Give this talk in class and answer the questions that may follow.

20.Say which of the existing mass media was the first to appear, prove your point of view.

21.Read the text and try to determine the main stages of mass media development:

HISTORY OF MASS MEDIA

Types of drama in numerous cultures were probably the first mass media, going back into the Ancient World. The first dated printed book known is the “Diamond Sutra”, printed in China in 868 AD, although it is clear that books were printed earlier. Movable clay type was invented in 1041 in China. However, due to the slow spread of literacy to the masses in China, and the relatively high cost of paper there, the earliest printed massmedium was probably European popular prints from about 1400. Although

these were produced in huge numbers, very few early examples survive, and even most known to be printed before about 1600 have not survived. Johannes Gutenberg printed the first book on a printing press with movable type in 1453. This invention transformed the way the world received printed materials, although books remained too expensive really to be called a mass-medium for

at least a century after that. Newspapers developed around from 1612, with the first example in English in 1620; but they took until the nineteenth century to reach a mass-audience directly.

During the 20th century, the growth of mass media was driven by technology that allowed the massive duplication of material. Physical duplication technologies such as printing, record pressing and film duplication allowed the duplication of books, newspapers and movies at low prices to huge audiences. Radio and television allowed the electronic

duplication of information for the first time. Mass media had the economics of linear replication: a single work could make money proportional to the number of copies sold, and as volumes went up, units costs went down, increasing profit margins further. Vast fortunes were made in mass media. In a democratic society, independent media serve to educate the public about issues regarding

government and corporate organizations. Some consider the concentration of media ownership to be a serious threat to democracy.

22. Find out which of these events were mentioned in the text:

Popular prints appeared in Europe.

Auguste and Louis Lumiere invented cinematograph. First newspaper in English was published in Amsterdam.

Philo T. Farnsworth created the first electronic television system. Johannes Gutenberh used his printing press to print the Bible. Tunable radio was invented.

Put them in the chronological order.

23.Say what happened in the following years:

868, 1041, 1453, 1612, 1620.

24.Look through these passages paying attention what influenced the development of mass media in the 20th century in America:

The 1900s

At the dawn of the new century, the media consisted mainly of newspapers and various periodicals. News, entertainment and advertising were packaged into one paper, and not divided into special sections. Newspapers and magazines were limited to local and regional news as there were no extensive communication systems like we have today.

The 1910s

Newspapers and magazines dominated the media in the second decade of the 20th century. Due to World War 1, the public looked for news they could trust in these sources. The war changed the relationship between the press, the public and the government. Military censorship was necessary for national security, leading to debates over the press concealing facts.

The 1920s

Radio dominated the Twenties, with roughly 3 million Americans owning radios by 1923. The appeal of the spoken word attracted audiences and advertisers, while publishers were forced to improve upon its image to retain profits. Television, capable of wireless transmission of moving pictures, was first demonstrated in 1926, combining sight and sound to rival radio.

The 1930s

In 1929, The Great Depression started with the collapse of the American stock market. At the lowest point in 1933, 16 million people, or one third of the United States working population were unemployed. Many advertisers switched to radio from newspapers, spending US$60 million in radio commercials. Radio infiltrated all aspects of American life, filling it with music, news, entertainment and advertisements.

The 1940s

Radio became the dominant form of media during and after World War II, as could provide war information much faster than newspapers, and people desired current news of the war situation and of their relatives fighting overseas. Radio was also more economical, as it was a one-time investment of a radio set. Newspapers still supplied daily information and advertising, and large media groups continued to grow throughout the 1940s.

The 1950s

Television dominated the media industry in 1950. There were 3.1 million television sets in American homes, and over 100 television stations operating in 38 states across the USA. Apart from being known as “The Golden Age of Television”, the Fifties were also remembered as the Cold War, when fear of nuclear destruction and takeover by the Communist was strong. Cinema, radio and print media were to compete with television that seemed to give the best of both worlds: pictures and sound. With the advent of television in the 1950s, print media, radio and film were forced to rethink their approaches towards news and entertainment.

The 1960s

The 1960s were a time of political, social and cultural change. Americans were confronted with cult movements, the Vietnam war, civil rights issues, student protests, all covered by national news organizations, and more immediately television. Television's effect on politics, public perception and advertising continued to grow. Since 1962, with the communications satellites space news reports from around the world could be transmitted directly to a broadcast center, giving television unique power to communicate major world events real-time.

The 1970s

In the 1970s, reporters took stronger roles in uncovering news. They revealed corruption in the government that lead all the way to the president. The Pentagon Papers started a legal battle between the powers of the government to protect its secrets and the press' freedom to publish information for the public good.

The 1980s

There was explosive growth of the media in the 1980s, especially television. With rising costs of materials and labour, and with competition from 24-hour cable television news, many newspapers disappeared, leaving many towns with only one print voice to service them. Satellite television reported events across the world. Cable news and cable television also rose in popularity, competing with network television.

The 1990s

With the Internet going public, electronic publishing and chat rooms sprang up, allowing individuals to express their opinions to a large audience. With minimal technical know-how, anyone could air his or her comments and views without the huge expense of traditional publishing. Still, advertising searched for new ways to use new media to promote their products.

25.Answer the following questions:

1)What discoveries were mentioned in the text?

2)What events took place during the 20th century?

3)Which mass medium dominated in each decade?

4)What kinds of information formed the main contents of mass media in each decade?

26.Integrate the information about the development of mass

media:

1)Sum up all the information and make a conclusion what factors determined the evolution of mass media during the 20th century.

2)Analyse what factors influenced the development of Russian mass media and compare your conclusions with ones based on the information about American mass media.

27.Express your opinion if it is necessary to know a foreign language to be an effective media consumer. Read the following passage and decide, whether you agree or not with it.

There are many reasons for people to learn foreign languages. One of the main reasons is the need to communicate orally or in writing with other people who use this language. You may communicate with them over the Internet or mail if they are far away. When you listen to tapes, radio, watch videos and read a book or newspaper in a foreign language it also means that you communicate. It is because you understand not only the words but thoughts and ideas of other people and you are ready to express your own thoughts in reply.

28.Read some facts about the English language.

1)English is a working language of the Internet service.

2)80% of all information in the world’s computers is in English.

3)More than 60% of the world’s radio stations broadcast in English.

4)More than 60% of all scientific journals are written in English.

5)The greatest number of press production is published in English as well.

Say which of these facts were unknown for you before.

29. Discuss the following statements with your partner. Say if you consider them to be true or false. Explain your point of view.

1)English was already an important world language four hundred years ago.

2)It is mainly because of the United States that English has become a world language.

3)One person out of seven in the world speaks perfect English.

4)There are few inflections in modern English.

5)In English, many verbs can be used as nouns.

6)English has borrowed words from many other languages.

7)In the future, all other languages will probably die out.

30. Read the text to find out if the statements above were true or false. Compare the received information with your answers given before. Then read the article in more depth.

ENGLISH IS A WORLD LANGUAGE

Today, when English is one of the major languages in the world, it requires an effort of the imagination to realize that this is relatively recent thing – that in Shakespeare’s time, for example, only a few million people spoke English, and the language was not thought to be very important by the other nations of Europe, and was unknown to the rest of the world.

English has become a world language because of its establishment as a mother tongue outside England, in all the continents of the world. This exporting of English began in the seventeenth century, with the first settlements in North America.

Above all, it is the great growth of population in the United States, assisted by massive immigration in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, that has given the English language its present standing in the world. It is widely spoken on six continents, and is the official language, or one of the official languages, in 55 countries.

People who speak English fall into one of three groups: those who have learned it as their native language; those who have learned it as a second language in a society that is mainly bilingual; and those who are forced to use it for a practical purpose – administrative, professional or educational. One person in seven of the world’s entire population belongs to one of these three groups. English is the language of politics and diplomacy, science and technology, business and trade, sport and pop music. 80% of all information in the world’s computers is in English, 75% of the world’s mail and 60% of the world’s telephone calls are made in English, more than 60% of all scientific journals are written in English.

The following are a few of the many reasons why English is so widely spoken.

English is the official language in many of Britain’s former colonies, such as America, Australia and New Zealand.

The economic power of Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries, and of the US in the 20th century, helped to make English the language of world trade.

Entertainment has helped to spread the use of English, because of the worldwide popularity of English-language films, TV programmes and pop music.

Unofficially, English has become the international language of travel and tourism, technology and computers, business, medicine and so on.

Officially, it is the international language of air traffic control and shipping. Also, in countries with several tribal or ethnic groups speaking different languages, English has often been chosen as the official language of government, as in Nigeria, India and Papua New Guinea.

Now let us dwell upon the basic characteristics of English.

Old English, like modern German, French, Russian and Greek, had many inflections to show singular and plural, tense, person, etc., but over the centuries words have been simplified. Verbs now have very few inflections, and adjectives do not change according to the noun. Some modern English words still inflect, but much less so than in other European languages. The English verb “to ride” inflects into five forms (ride, rides, riding, rode, ridden) whereas the equivalent German verb has sixteen forms. The trend towards simplicity of forms is considered to be a strength of English.

Another strength is a flexibility of function of individual words. Without inflections, the same word can operate as many different parts of speech. Look at these uses of the word “round”:

There was a round table, (adjective) He bought a round of drinks, (noun) He turned round, (adverb)

He ran round the field, (preposition)

The car tried to round the bend too quickly (verb).

Openness of vocabulary involves the free admissions of words from other languages and the easy creation of compounds and derivatives. Most world languages have contributed some words to English at some time, and the process is now being reversed. Purists of the French, Russian, and Japanese languages are resisting the arrival of English in their vocabulary.

These features have made English what it is today, an effective medium of international communication. English has achieved this in spite of the difficulties caused by written English, which is not systematically phonetic.

Geographically, English is the most widespread language on Earth, second only to Mandarin Chinese in the number of people who speak it. It is the language of business, technology, sport, and aviation. This will no doubt continue, although the proposition that all other languages will die out is absurd.

31. Explain the meaning of the following word-combinations from the text:

mother tongue, former colonies, economic power, worldwide popularity, air traffic control, tribal or ethnic groups.

Make your own sentences using these word-combinations.

32.Here are the answers to some questions. Work out the questions.

1)A few million.

2)Because it is the mother tongue of many countries outside England.

3)In the seventeenth century.

4)75%.

5)60%.

6)Yes, it had a lot of inflections.

7)Simplicity of form, flexibility, and openness of vocabulary.

8)Mandarin Chinese.

33.Answer the following questions and explain your point of

view:

1) Does the text come from …

-a brochure for an English language school?

-a preface to a book on modern language teaching?

-a dictionary?

-an encyclopaedia?

2)Why does the author of the text say that it is because of the United States that English is a world language?

3)Which of the three groups of English speakers do you belong to? What is your reason for learning?

4)What words are there in your language that have been borrowed from other languages?

34. Read the text and then do the task after it.

People have long been interested in having one language that could be spoken throughout the world. Such a language would help to increase cultural and economic ties and simplify communication between people. Through the years, at least 600 universal languages have been proposed,

including Esperanto. About 10 million people have learned Esperanto since its creation in 1887, but English, according to specialists, has better chances to become a global language.

Divide into several groups. Each group/student will represent (native) speakers of different languages. Following languages should be represented: English, Spanish, Esperanto, Italian, French, German, Chinese. Choose a name according to your supposed nationality. You are to prove that your language has a good chance to become an international language. Try to give at least three arguments for your language. One person will be an interviewer and should conduct the discussion, introduce people.

35. Discuss the following paragraph with your partner and express your opinion:

Of course, not all newspapers and TV programmes report events objectively, but serious journalists and TV reporters try to be fair and provide us with reliable information. It is true that the world today is full of dramatic events and most news seems to be bad news. But people aren’t interested in ordinary events. That is why there are so many programmes and articles about natural disasters, plane crashes, wars, murders and robberies. Good news doesn’t usually make headlines. Bad news does.

36.Look through the following text and answer the questions:

1)What is the main idea of the article?

2)What is meant by the term “relativistic ethic”?

3)What does the author consider to be real liberalism and real conservatism of mass media?

THE MASS MEDIA AND POLITICS:

AN ANALYSIS OF INFLUENCE

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!

The Wizard of Oz

Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one.

A.J. Liebling

All of the American broadcast media and most of the print media as well, are owned primarily by wealthy individuals. Direct ties to the biggest of big businesses are almost unbelievably extensive, and, we believe, these ties cannot help but seriously bias and compromise news coverage.

Moreover, the media empires are, first and foremost, profit-making corporations that conduct themselves like other corporations when it comes to corrupting American politics. That is, the parent corporations make socalled “campaign contributions” and also act against the public interest in other ways. As big winners in the corruption game, they show no signs of serious interest in political reform.

Allegations of political bias in the media are common, although there is considerable controversy concerning the nature of this bias: neither liberals nor conservatives are pleased. Conservatives allege that the media exhibit a liberal bias. On the other hand, liberals allege that the media exhibit a pro-corporate, plutocratic bias. However, we believe such charges rely on a faulty and simplistic analysis of the American political and economic spectrum. The truth is that the apparent liberalism of some of the mass media is primarily cultural, and rarely economic. In effect, and like most other American institutions, the mass media advance the economic interests of the wealthy few at the cost of the interests, and values, of the majority; and the self-indulgent, empire-building interests of the wealthy few are not those of either liberals or cultural conservatives.

At the heart of media pseudoliberalism is a shallow but highly serviceable relativistic ethic. We say “serviceable” because the fundamental corporate ethical premise, “if it’s profitable it’s good,” is fully compatible. This form of “liberalism” nicely advances the corporate profit agenda. The media is being

entirely logical when it also manifests pro-corporate, economic “conservatism.” Though the names and the products are different, the underlying ethos is not.

Against this, some have objected that the media often attack corporations. It’s true, certainly, that this or that individual corporation may be subjected to media criticism, sometimes even harsh criticism – but it is obvious that the sort of fundamental reforms needed to bring about real change are never mentioned.

37. Make rendering of the text “The Mass Media and Politics: An Analysis of Influence”.