Английский язык. Тексты общественно-политической тематики «обзор английской прессы» = English language. Texts of socio-political topics «A glimpse of

English language. Texts of socio-political topics: “A glimpse of English press”

Task 3: Transform the words provided into the correct form to fill in the blanks

1.If a country __________ (be) politically unstable, it __________ (face) challenges in forming alliances.

2.Many citizens __________ (become) concerned when they see signs of civil unrest.

3.The government __________ (try) to maintain stability during times of crisis.

4.Political leaders __________ (need) to prioritize the welfare of their citizens.

5.Switzerland __________ (not/involve) in World War II, which contributed to its stability.

Task 4: Match the words on the left with their correct definitions on the right

Task 5: Answer the questions

1.Why is political stability important for the government?

2.Which countries are considered politically stable according to the text?

3.How did the events in the United States affect the perception of the country’s political stability?

4.What happened in Switzerland when it condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

5.What consequences could arise from political instability?

Task 6: Translate the following sentences into English

1.Политическая нестабильность может привести к экономическим проблемам.

2.Граждане ожидают, что их правительство будет обеспечивать стабильность.

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Английский язык. Тексты общественно-политической тематики: «обзор английской прессы»

3.Страны с сильными политическими институтами чаще формируют международные альянсы.

4.Протесты могут возникнуть, если люди чувствуют, что их права нарушаются.

5.Политическая стабильность способствует экономическому росту.

Task 7: Short Essay

Write a short essay (150–200 words) discussing the importance of international governmental organizations in today’s world. Use at least five vocabulary words from the text.

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Text 14

AS TRADITIONAL MEDIA FALTERS,

HYPERLOCAL NEWS IS ON THE UP

As an example of mass participatory journalism, where the voices of ordinary citizens are heard as much as public officials or PR professionals, the UK’s hyperlocal news network is second to none. Regional newspapers continue to struggle and local TV often falters, sometimes before it’s even begun but this emerging breed of news production seems to be thriving. Some are set up as news sites while others are blogs originally started to address a particular local issue, like a threat to close a local leisure centre or to cover a specific planning concern. They then grow to cover different topics and become the go-to site for people to find out about what is happening in their area. Few have much funding and many are precariously organized, but sites like these are starting to become powerful tools for people who want to hold power to account.

A truly local voice

There are around 600 active hyperlocal websites in the UK. They vary in size and scope, with some covering news in a single village and others stretching across heavily populated suburbs or towns. Some are run for profit, offering advertising to local businesses, while others seem to simply be aimed at contributing to civic wellbeing. Once such operation is the B31 Voices website in South Birmingham. The site is run by husband and wife team Sas and Marty Taylor, who gather up and redistribute news and information for the largely working-class suburbs in their area. Their patch is dominated by the former Longbridge motor works, a vast factory that once employed 22,000 workers but closed in 2005. The Taylors moved to the area in 2003 and started blogging in 2010. They were motivated by a concern about the way their estate was being represented in mainstream media. They felt the estate had a bad reputation and wanted to know more and share that with other people. Although Sas and Marty rely on a small network of occasional writers to help them publish stories on the website, they do most of the work themselves. Social media

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Английский язык. Тексты общественно-политической тематики: «обзор английской прессы»

takes up the most time and it isn’t unusual for the Taylors to be up in the middle of the night manning Facebook or Twitter. “We might have a missing person or a missing pet and I will check in the middle of the night to see if there’s any news,” Sas said. Everything from the apparently trivial (pet stories are always the most shared) to the more serious concerns of local governance and crime gets covered. It often seems that Sas and Marty’s role is becoming redundant since “the people formerly known as the audience” take control of the online space and offer every possible angle to a story. They contribute more than just opinions too — they often provide eyewitness accounts of the news before anyone else. At points, Sas and Marty intervene to try to bring some order to the online conversations that can sprawl out from B31 content. They introduced #B31Snowwatch when heavy snowfall hit the area and the posts associated with the hashtag built to paint a vivid picture of a suburb slowly grinding to a halt as buses stopped running, schoolchildren were sent home and supermarket shelves emptied as a result of panic-buying. As cuts to local services become more widespread and the legislative climate shifts the ownership and delivery of public amenities into the private or community domain, then the citizens of this community, and others, are revealed by hyperlocal news media to be ready and able to articulate their concerns online and challenge those in power in the way that the local press had long thought was their sole privilege.

Task 1: Vocabulary Matching

Match the words on the left with their correct definitions on the right.

Definitions

a.Involving citizens in decision-making

b.Relating to a city or town

c.Unstable or uncertain

d.Localized news coverage

e.Responsible for one’s actions

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English language. Texts of socio-political topics: “A glimpse of English press”

Task 2: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences using the words from the box below. Use the correct form of the word if necessary

(thrive, represent, rely, contribute, dominate)

1.The hyperlocal news sites have begun to ________ in areas where traditional media has struggled.

2.Many hyperlocal news outlets ________ on a small network of writers to help them publish stories.

3.The B31 Voices website aims to ________ the true essence of their community.

4.Local businesses often ________ to the funding of these hyperlocal news sites.

5.The former Longbridge motor works used to ________ the job market in South Birmingham.

Task 3: Synonyms and Antonyms

For each word, provide a synonym and an antonym

Task 4: Word Formation

Transform the words given in parentheses into the correct form to complete the sentences

1.The Taylors are motivated by their ________ (DESIRE) to improve their community’s image.

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Английский язык. Тексты общественно-политической тематики: «обзор английской прессы»

2.Hyperlocal news provides a ________ (ALTERNATE) to traditional media.

3.Many citizens have become ________ (ACT) participants in local governance discussions.

4.The ________ (POWER) of social media has changed how news is shared.

Task 5: Answe the questions

1.What are the main reasons why hyperlocal news is becoming popular?

2.What topics are most often discussed on the B31 Voices website?

3.What role do social media play in the work of Sas and Marty Taylor?

4.Why do traditional media face difficulties in the UK?

5.How do hyperlocal news sites help citizens express their opinions?

Task 6: Sentences for translation

1.Гиперлокальные новостные сайты часто создаются для решения конкретных местных проблем.

2.Сайт B31 Voices освещает как незначительные, так и серьезные вопросы, касающиеся местного управления.

3.Сас и Марти Тейлор начали вести блог, чтобы изменить представление о своем районе в средствах массовой информации.

4.Многие гиперлокальные новостные сайты функционируют без значительного финансирования.

5.Граждане могут использовать гиперлокальные новости, чтобы привлечь внимание к своим проблемам и вызвать изменения.

Task 7: Short Essay

Write a short essay (150–200 words) discussing the importance of hyperlocal news in your community. Use at least five vocabulary words from the tasks above.

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Text 15

ELON MUSK’S TEAM-UP WITH DONALD TRUMP IS DIFFERENT TO HOW MEDIA BARONS OPERATED IN THE PAST.

HERE’S WHY

Elon Musk’s regular posts of strong support for president-elect Donald Trump on his social media platform X and his expected role within the new US administration present a rolling live case study on the role of social media within public and political debate. Media owners who want to exert their influence and control the public agenda are nothing new. So what can the history of media magnates tell us about the current cosy relationship between Musk and Trump? In 1889, French author Jules Verne wrote a short story with his son Michel called In the Year 2889, which introduced the fictional Fritz Napoleon Smith, a newspaper magnate who is so influential he can tell any politician what to do. This portrayal anticipated the influence and control exerted by real “press barons” throughout the 20th century and into the 21st. Wealthy media owners becoming directly involved in politics throughout history highlights a complex relationship that can exist between populist politics and the interests of the very wealthy. The early 20th century newspaper owner, William Randolph Hearst, shifted from promoting working-class rights to using sensationalist rhetoric as he became increasingly right-wing during the 1930s. One of Italy’s richest men at the time of his death, Silvio Berlusconi served four terms as prime minister while he was owner of multiple television stations, magazines and newspapers. Both Hearst and Berlusconi were hugely politically influential in their time. The actions of press owners and potential owners has even provoked changes to the law in some countries. For instance, in May of this year, in Westminster ministers passed legislation to block sovereign wealth funds from controlling UK-based media. It was an attempt to control the influence foreign governments could exert through direct media ownership. In the past other methods have been used to limit media ownership. In 2017, the Murdoch family’s move to buy all of Sky (the satellite TV and broadband company) was blocked. Murdoch later sold his stake in Sky

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Английский язык. Тексты общественно-политической тематики: «обзор английской прессы»

Trump and Musk

Media ownership and the endorsement of media outlets — either directly or indirectly — can make or break politicians’ careers. So how is the Trump and Musk relationship different from the way press barons operated in previous times? The team-up between Trump and Musk extends far beyond the relationship between media owners and political agendas in the recent past. Trump is nominating Musk for a leading role in his planned Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which somewhatironicallyisnotagovernmentdepartment,but aconsultinggroup,and,with two co-directors, appears to already have an inefficient structure. Musk’s influence on Trump is immediately evident, not least in the department’s acronym. DOGEcoin is a cryptocurrency that Musk has long favoured. This is in part because of its origins as a parody of other cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin. It has been steadily increasing in value since the election.

Task 1: Vocabulary Matching

Match the words on the left with their correct definitions on the right

Definitions

A.The ability to affect or change someone or something.

B.A wealthy and influential person in business or industry.

C.Support or approval, especially in a public context.

D.The art of persuasive speaking or writing.

E.A supreme ruler or governing body, especially in a political context.

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English language. Texts of socio-political topics: “A glimpse of English press”

Task 2: Fill in the blanks

Complete the sentences using the words from the box below. Use the correct form of the word if necessary

(influence, endorsement, magnate, rhetoric, sovereign)

1.The newspaper ________ was known for his sensationalist articles that swayed public opinion.

2.Political ________ can significantly impact the outcome of elections.

3.The politician received a public ________ from several prominent figures in the community.

4.The king was considered the ________ authority in the realm, making decisions without question.

5.His speeches were filled with persuasive ________ that captivated the audience.

Task 3: Synonyms and Antonyms

Provide a synonym and antonym for the following words from the article:

Task 4: Word formation

1.The influence of media magnates has historically shaped (policy) agendas, highlighting their (power) role in society . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.Elon Musk’s (endorse) of Donald Trump exemplifies a new dynamic in political relationships, contrasting with past media practices.

3.The relationship between Musk and Trump is (precedent), showcasing how (wealth) individuals can directly impact government structures

4.The (legislate) passed to limit foreign media (own) reflects ongoing concerns about the influence of external entities on national agendas.

5.The (ensational) of past media owners like William Randolph Hearst underscores the (important) of ethical journalism in modern times.

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Английский язык. Тексты общественно-политической тематики: «обзор английской прессы»

6.Musk’s (involve) in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) raises questions about the (efficient) of such consultative groups.

Task 5: Answer the questions

1.How does Elon Musk’s relationship with Donald Trump differ from previous media barons?

2.What historical examples are given to illustrate the influence of media owners in politics?

3.What legislation was passed in Westminster to control foreign influence in UK media?

4.How did William Randolph Hearst’s political stance change over time?

5.What is the significance of the acronym DOGE in relation to Elon Musk’s influence?

Task 6. Translate the following sentences into English

1.Илона Маска назначили на важную должность в новом правительстве США.

2.Влияние газетных магнатов на политику было заметно в течение XX века.

3.Законодательство, принятое в этом году, направлено на ограничение иностранного контроля над СМИ.

4.Уильям Рэндолф Херст изменил свои взгляды на политику, став более правым в 1930-х годах.

5.DOGEcoin стал популярным благодаря поддержке Илона Маска и его пародийной природе.

Task 7: Short Essay

Write a short essay (150–200 words) discussing the importance of social media in modern political debates, using at least five of the vocabulary words from the previous sections.

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