20 Текст для чтения. 9-11 классы

Reading and Writing

1.     Scan the text "The British Press" to get the full idea of it. Find the paragraphs about:

–   the characteristic features of quality press;

–   the purpose of the tabloid press;

–   the newspapers, reflecting different political opinions.

2.     Find in the text the English equivalents to:

-    с одной / другой стороны;

-    сообщения об основных национальных и интернациональных событиях;

-    больше развлекать читателя, чем информировать;

-    являться собственностью правительства или политических партий;

-    содержать больше материала для чтения, чем ежедневные газеты.

3.     Read and translate the text for getting the detailed content.

THE BRITISH PRESS

The British are one of the biggest newspaper-reading nations in the world. Probably in no other country are there such great differences between the various national daily newspapers¹ – in the type of news they report and the way they report it.

On the one hand, there are the "quality" newspapers: "The Times", "The Independent", "The Guardian", "The Financial Times", and "The Daily Tele- graph". These concern themselves with factual reports of major national and international events, with the world of politics and business and with the arts and sport.

On the other hand, there are "tabloids", so-called because of their smaller size. The tabloids – the most widely read of which are "The Daily Mail", "The Daily Express", "The Daily Mirror", "The Sun", and "The Daily Star" – concen- trate on more emotive reporting of stories often featuring violence, the Royal family, film and pop stars, sport. It's often said that the popular press aims to

entertain its readers rather than inform them. The tabloid press is much more popular than the quality press.

In some countries, newspapers are owned by government or by political parties. This is not the case in Britain². Newspapers here are mostly owned by individuals or by publishing companies and the editors of the papers are usually allowed considerate freedom of expression. This is not to say that newspapers are without political bias. Papers like "The Daily Telegraph", "The Daily Express", for example, usually reflect conservative opinions in their comment and reporting, while "The Daily Mirror" and "The Guardian" have a more left-wing bias.

In addition to the twelve national daily newspapers there are nine national papers which are published on Sundays. Most of the "Sundays" contain more reading matter than daily papers, and several of them also include "colour sup- plements" – separate colour magazines which contain photographically illu- strated feature articles. Reading a Sunday paper, like having a big Sunday lunch, is an important tradition in many British households.

Besides, nearly every area in Britain has one or more local newspapers.

¹ Probably in no other country are there such great differences… – Вероятно, ни в одной другой стране нет таких больших различий… – случай стилистической инверсии, когда в повествовательном предложении нарушается установленный порядок слов (подлежащее, сказуемое, второстепенные члены) с целью эмфазы, т.е. логического выделения слова (сказуемого), усиления его значения.

² This is not the case in Britain. – В Британии дело обстоит не так.

Names:

"The Daily Mail" ['deili 'meil] – "Дейли мэйл" – ежедневная газета консервативного направления, основана в 1896; с 1917 является малофор- матной газетой.

"The Daily Express" [,deili iks'pres] – "Дейли экспресс" – ежедневная газета правоконсервативного направления, основана в 1900 г.

"The Daily Mirror" [,deili 'mirə] – "Дейли мирро" – ежедневная мало- форматная газета, рассчитанная на массового читателя; по некоторым вопросам поддерживает Лейбористскую партию.

"The Daily Star" [,deili 'sta:] – "Дейли стар" – ежедневная малофор- матная газета, рассчитанная на массового читателя; печатает сенсацион- но-развлекательные материалы. Основана в 1978 г.

"The Daily Telegraph" [,deili 'teligra:f] – "Дейли телеграф" – ежеднев- ная газета правоконсервативного направления.

"The Financial Times" [fai,næn∫əl 'taimz] – "Файнэншл таймс" – еже- дневная финансово-экономическая газета консервативного направления, публикует материалы по внутриполитическим и международным вопро- сам; печатается на розовой бумаге.

"The Guardian" ['ga:djən] – "Гардиан" – ежедневная газета либераль- ного направления, основана в 1821.

"The Independent" [,indi'pendənt] – "Индепендент" – независимая по- литическая газета.

"The Sun" [sΛn] – "Сан" – ежедневная газета бульварного толка.

Издаётся в Лондоне, выходит с 1964 г.

"The Times" [taimz] – "Таймс" – ежедневная газета консервативного направления.

Vocabulary:

comment ['komənt] – комментарий

conservative [kən'sə:vətiv] – консервативный

considerate freedom [kən`si:d(ə)rət `fri:dəm] – значительная свобода

daily ['deili] – ежедневный

editor [`editə] – редактор

emotive [i'məutiv] reporting – эмоциональная подача материала

factual ['f æktjuəl] – фактический, основанный на фактах

feature article ['fi:t∫ə 'a:tikl] – большая статья в газете (посвящённая какой-л. одной теме), очерк

household ['haushəuld] – семья; люди, живущие в одном доме

in addition [ə`di∫n] to – кроме, помимо

individual [,indi'vidjuəl] – личность, частное лицо

it's often [ofn] said – часто говорят

left-wing bias [`left,wiŋ `baiəs] – "левые" пристрастия (полит.) local [`ləuk(ə)l] – местный

on the one / other hand – с одной / другой стороны "popular" [`popjulə] – газета для широкой публики publishing company [`pΛbli∫iŋ `kΛmpəni] – издательство

"quality" newspapers [`kwoliti `njus,peipəz] – пресса "высокого качест- ва" (для бизнесменов, политиков и т.д), газеты полного формата

reading matter – материал для чтения

"Sundays" – газеты, публикуемые по выходным

supplement ['sΛplimənt] – приложение

"tabloid" ['tæbloid] – малоформатная газета со сжатым текстом и большим количеством иллюстраций; бульварная пресса

to aim [eim] – стремиться

to allow [ə`lau] – позволять, разрешать, делать возможным, to be al- lowed – быть разрешённым

to concern [kən`sə:n] oneself with smth. – заниматься, интересоваться чем-л.

to concentrate ['konsəntreit] on smth. – сосредоточиваться на чём-л.

to entertain [`entətein] rather than inform – скорее развлекать, чем информировать

to feature ['fi:t∫ə] – помещать в газете

to own [əun] – владеть, to be owned by smb. – быть под управлением кого-л., во владении у кого-л.

to reflect [ri'flekt] – отражать

violence [`vaiələns] – насилие, жестокость

For self-examination

Answer the questions:

1.  What UK "quality" newspapers do you know?

2.  What does a term "tabloid" mean?

3.  What UK "popular" newspapers do you know?

4.  It's often said that the aim of the popular press is to entertain its readers rather than inform them. What kind of material do these newspapers concen- trate on?

5.  Are "quality" papers more popular than "tabloids"? Why?

6.  In some countries newspapers are owned by government or by political parties. What about Britain?

7.  What's the difference between daily newspapers and "Sundays"?

Fill in the blanks:

1.     The         newspapers are "The Times", "The Independent", "The Guardian", "The Financial Times" and "The Daily Telegraph".

2.     The most widely   are "The Daily Mail", "The Daily Express", "The Daily Mirror", "The Sun" and "The Daily Star".

3.     The tabloid press is much more popular than the .

4.     Newspapers here are mostly owned by           or by     com- panies.

5.     Most of the      contain more reading matter than daily papers, and several of them also include "colour supplements".

6.     Nearly every area in Britain has one or more       .

Put the words in the correct order to make a sentence:

1)    the, one of, British, are, the biggest, in, newspaper-reading, the, world, nations;

2)     the, press, tabloid, is, popular, than, much more, the, press, quality;

3)     mostly, owned, newspapers, are, by, individuals, by, companies, or, publishing;

4)  every, nearly, area, has, local, newspapers, one or more, in, Britain.

4. Make up a plan (logical scheme) and then summarize the content of the text "The British Press" in writing.