Holly老師的英語新天地

以下來個幾組完整的Part2及Part3 Questions之參考答案，幫助考生腦力激盪囉！加油J

Compare two information sources (Internet, TV, Newspaper, radio, etc.).

You should mention:

  how you get information

  which media you prefer to use

  why you prefer that media

and discuss the importance of getting information in your life.

Notes

• Ø  We all live in the age of information explosion, so it’s important to know what is going on around us. To me, getting news every day is routine work. I like surfing the Internet to get news because it is the most efficient way. We can get news immediately after an incident happens. When one clicks on a piece of news, all the relevant information will pop up, and this saves a lot of time searching. I also like watching the news on TV after I come home. 1 turn on the TV and at the same time, I can do many other things like cleaning the house or having meals. I sometimes read newspapers to get daily news. I seldom listen to the radio because it’s boring. I prefer to get both national and international news because national news is closely related to my life and I can know the latest policies or some information about reform. I think international news is also important because we can know the relationship between Taiwan and many other countries.

Follow-up Questions

1. How often do you watch TV / listen to the radio?

• Ø  I listen to the radio because I have no other choice. I cannot find any newspapers or TV sets on the campus.

2. Why do you enjoy listening to the radio?

²  I listen to the radio because it won’t distract me too much while I read or do my homework.

²  There is more communication between the hosts on the radio and its listeners. I can sometimes phone the host to request my favourite song.

²  I listen to the radio when I feel upset. I usually find someone who is more upset than me talking to the hosts, and then I feel much better.

²  I listen to the radio because I like pop music. I enjoy myself when I am listening to pop songs.

Part 3

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of media such as TV, radio, newspapers and magazines?

2. Do you think radio is less entertaining than television?

3. How do people generally get the news? // What’s the trend in ways that people get the news?

4. Can you explain “the medium that can turn anywhere into somewhere”?

5. Do you agree that radio is like an old and valued friend?

6. Do you agree that reading newspapers is a waste of time?

7. What are the differences between reading newspapers and looking over news on the Internet?

8.   Do you think newspapers and magazines will disappear with the growing popularity of the Internet?

9. What do you think of TV programmes?

10. What should be done to control violence on TV?

11. How do people feel about the violence in news broadcasts?

12. Why are news reports and articles censored in some countries?

13. Do you think that the media can report news about famous people?

14. What qualities do you think a journalist or a reporter should have? // What makes good newspaper reporting?

15. What do you think of the future of media?

Reference

1   What are the advantages and disadvantages of media such as TV, radio, newspapers and magazines?

TV — Advantages:

²  It provides us with the latest news as vividly as it can.

²  We can get a lot of information from its programmes.

²  We can watch wonderful performances or sports events on television.

²  We can play video games.

TV — Disadvantages:

²  Children are likely to become near-sighted if they spend too much time in front of it.

²  There are too many ads during the programmes.

²  There is a lot of violence on TV.

²  Sometimes it’s difficult to get away from TV.

²  People will lack imagination if they watch too much TV.

Radio — Advantages:

²  It’s cheap.

²  It’s convenient. Whenever and wherever you want to listen to the radio, you can.

²  Sometimes a person will have dreams when listening to the radio.

²  It is usually more than just a medium; it is company like an old and valued friend.

²  What I appreciate most is the intimacy and friendliness of the radio.

Radio — Disadvantages:

²  Its programmes are not as vivid as television programmes and therefore won’t impress the listeners as deeply.

²  You have to buy new batteries from time to time if you often leave it on for a long time.

²  There is a lack of communication between radio and its listeners.

Newspapers — Advantages:

²  It’s convenient to skip what you do not like.

²  Newspapers are cheap.

²  They can be used for other purposes. For example, they can be used to wrap something or for cleaning.

Newspapers — Disadvantages:

²  You can find similar news items in different newspapers.

²  You may think it’s a waste of paper and money to read some of the newspapers.

Magazines — Advantages:

²  Usually there are colourful pictures in them.

²  You can choose what you like to read.

²  You can keep up with fashions if you read fashion magazines often.

²  There are well-written articles or book reviews in magazines.

Magazines — Disadvantages:

²  Most of them are very expensive.

²  You cannot find the latest information.

• Ø  Summary — In my opinion, it is vivid to watch news on TV because you can watch the pictures and listen to the news report at the same time. Young people like surfing the Internet because it’s efficient and fast. You can find any news that you are interested in and you don’t have to waste time on boring news. Some people like reading news because the news report is in detail and you can read it anytime anywhere. You can read a newspaper when you are waiting for the bus or when you are at home.

2   Do you think radio is less entertaining than television?

• Ø  Yes, I think radio is less entertaining than television. Television is much more colourful and vivid than radio. TV viewers are more attracted by the pictures than they are by the sound. TV programmes like the Animal World and live sports programmes can reach a much bigger audience and are very exciting. People would feel lost if one day there were no electricity and they had no TV programmes to watch. But radio is different. I can manage without radio for several days, or even months.
• Ø  No, I don’t think so. I don’t watch TV very often, but wherever I go, I carry my radio with me in my pocket. But two years ago, things were different. I would sit in front of the TV all day long even though I felt very tired. I never used my Walkman to listen to my tapes. I found TV so attractive that I couldn’t live without it. Now I think I cannot live without radio. It is my friend. When I feel discouraged, I listen to the radio. It usually turns out that I feel much better after listening to the radio. It is a form of relaxation to listen to music on radio. I think radio is more entertaining than TV in the sense that the pleasure radio provides is more lasting.

3   How do people generally get the news? // What’s the trend in ways that people get the news?

• Ø  We get the news by watching TV, reading the newspaper, surfing the Internet or listening to the radio. Messages on mobile phones are also becoming popular. People may get news from their mobile phones in the future.

4   Can you explain “the medium that can turn anywhere into somewhere”?

• Ø   It means that radio is the medium that can make people appreciate places which were unfamiliar or unappealing to them. That is, radio can make miracles. The author, who felt so lonely and homesick driving through the Mississippi Delta, found it almost a magical experience to listen to the radio when driving — “radio did even more than preserve my sanity and defeat my homesickness. It provided me with a wealth of information on, and a hearty appreciation for, a place as different from my home town as any in the country.”

5   Do you agree that radio is like an old and valued friend?

• Ø  I agree that radio is like an old and valued friend. A radio is indispensable to me. I take it with me wherever I go. I listen to it in order to enjoy the songs and music it plays and to know what is happening in the world. Without it I would be lonely and feel ignorant about current events throughout the world. Before my college days, I seldom listened to the radio. Instead, I often watched TV. Now I find that the radio is my intimate friend. If I’m in low spirits, I listen to the radio alone and it makes me feel better. I can learn something from radio programmes hi the same way as I learn from my friends.
• Ø  I don’t think the radio is like an old friend. I’m only a passive listener when I’m listening to the radio. There is a lack of communication between the radio and me. If I’m happy. I still won’t be able to share my happiness with the radio. It seems to me that although the radio can have an influence on me, I can’t influence it in the least. It’s unlike the relationship between old friends.

6   Do you agree that reading newspapers is a waste of time?

• Ø  I agree that reading newspapers is a waste of time. I find that many articles in newspapers are very short and not worth reading. I used to read everything in the newspaper, including the ads, but gradually I came to the realization that I was wasting my time. Almost nothing left any impression on me. Choose something that was seemingly interesting to read. But another problem arose. I could find the same piece of news in different newspapers. It seemed to me that all newspapers were alike. Then I turned to TV news programmes. But to my great disappointment, TV news programmes were also alike, with the same pictures and the voice of the same commentator. What should I do?
• Ø  I think newspapers are still worth reading. I have the habit of reading the daily newspapers before I have breakfast when I’m at home. It enables me to know what has happened in the world in the past 24 hours. I especially like to read the first page and the sports page. If the newspapers haven’t arrived yet when I get up, I am at a loss about what to do. I find that newspapers are now much better than before. They provide us with more information and are more colourful. I find it really relaxing to read newspapers on the weekends. To some extent) newspapers are indispensable for me.

9   What do you think of TV programmes?

• Ø  TV plays an important role in our life and TV programmes can affect our study and work directly because TV programmes bring a vivid world right before our eyes. We can appreciate the beautiful landscapes of other countries through TV programmes, and we know all kinds of events happening in the world clearly. Moreover, we not only get entertainment but also receive education through more and more insightful TV programmes. However, it also has its negative side. There is too much violence on TV and TV commercials are flooding into the programmes, which spoil our enjoyment of them.

10  What should be done to control violence on TV?

• Ø  Well, a lot of people are concerned about how films of violence affect children. They are particularly worried that children will try to behave like the stars. I think something should be done by the government, say, some rules and regulations should be made on the right time for violent programmes. For example, violent programmes should only be broadcasted after 10 p.m. when most children are already in bed. Of course, violent films cannot be banned altogether.

11  How do people feel about the violence in news broadcasts?

• Ø  I think most people feel that violence in news broadcasts is more acceptable as it’s real. Although it is unpleasant, it is important to keep in touch with reality. Still, I believe that it would be better to restrict violent scenes o late evenings.

12  Why are news reports and articles censored in some countries?

²  Government’s fear — Its faults may be exposed and therefore will have to take responsibility.

²  An incorrect report — may lead to confusion or even chaos, e.g. food scare

²  Inappropriate content — sex and violence in newspapers

²  Confidentiality — Some state secrets are not to be disclosed, e.g. military intelligence.

13  Do you think that the media can report news about famous people?

• Ø  It depends. I believe it is OK as long as the news report doesn’t affect the private lives of famous people. The public are interested in the lives of famous people because it is far away from them and it’s fun to know something that is different from their own lives.

14  What qualities do you think a journalist or a reporter should have? // What makes good newspaper reporting?

• Ø  Excellent reporters must be honest and brave because sometimes they need to report the down side of society. Besides they must have integrity and a sense of responsibility.

²  To tell the truth, not to bend it, objective, unbiased

²  Have a point of view; independent position

²  not too serious; entertaining

²  relevant, to the point, having a focus

²  paying attention to issues of common concern

²  timeliness: news his to be new

²  plain language; not pedantic in style

²  illustrated with pictures, photos

15  What do you think of the future of media?

• Ø  Media will be highly developed in the future. Computers may become the most popular medium. People can watch live shows on computers or listen to a news report. Maybe computers will be the only medium in society.

Additional Topic-related Questions

1    How do you predict the future of television?

²  Digital TV; on-line TV shows; satellite TV; cable TV

²  More international programmes; more live shows; more live news reports on the spot; more specialized channels: history, nature, biography, comedy, football, other sports

²  Looser censorship

2 What page do young people read first when they buy a newspaper? // How about old people?

²  First page — most important events (home; international)

²  Feature — general articles

²  Columnists — writers contributing to newspaper regularly

²  Sports news — about highlights of sports matches, the most exciting

²  Entertainment — news about movie, music, fiction; stars and perhaps gossips about them

²  Money & business — stocks and exchange

3   More about newspapers.

• Ø  Newspapers have existed in various forms for several centuries, and as such, constitute the oldest means of mass communication. Until the dawn of radio in the early years of the 20th century, newspapers were the main source of news and information. Depending on the size of the country, newspapers were distributed at a national or a regional level.

There is often debate concerning the power of the press. Although there is no question as to whether newspapers influence public opinion, it is difficult to measure to what extent they can actually form or create public opinion. Perhaps it depends on the scale of the issue or the event.

4   More about Radios.

• Ø  Invented at the turn of the century, radios became widespread throughout North America and Europe by the 1930s. The early radio was large and cumbersome but over the years the radio has become increasingly smaller and more portable. People now listen to the radio in their cars or carry a Walkman when going from one place to another. Radio is perhaps the most convenient of all the media. The influence of the radio began to decline in the 1950s with the advent of television. But many people still consider radio superior in quality when it comes to analytical news programmes.

5   More about TV Programmes.

• Ø  Contrary to radio programmes, television programmes are extremely expensive to produce. Throughout the West, this has led to the creation of powerful networks which sell news and entertainment shows to local television stations. It has also resulted in the marketing of popular programmes on a global scale. In most countries, it is much cheaper to buy a television series such as ER or Discovery and have them dubbed in the appropriate language than ills to locally produce a similar program.

Television is undoubtedly the most popular medium of mass communication. But as a medium, it has disadvantages in comparison to the older media like newspapers and radio that allow for slow in-depth analysis of issues at the local, national and international level. The colourful visual dimension of television tends to put most programmes, including news broadcasts, into the realm of entertainment. Despite certain limitations, television is a wonderful medium for films, plays, sports events and nature programmes.

6   Is radio eclipsed by other media?

• Ø  Nowadays there are more and more media available. Television, cable and the Internet can provide services and entertainment that radio cannot offer. Does that mean that radio has been eclipsed by other media? The answer is “No” because radio still inspires a loyalty that prime time programmes and Web sites have not achieved. Radio is an intimate medium, like an old friend who is always there when we need him.

It is true that radio can’t dazzle us with visual spectacles of live programmes. But it can still hold our attention mentally and aurally. We can close our eyes and lose ourselves in a world of sound. We can use our imagination to “see” the people we hear and to create beautiful images.

Radio is a convenient medium. It doesn’t interfere with our daily activities as much as television. We can enjoy our favourite local station while we are walking, riding our bikes or doing our laundry. We can keep informed, or just listen to music without changing the pace of our daily routine.

Radio provides a strong connection o the world. People can carry their Walkman in their pocket all day long. They spend most of the time between working hours and on their walks listening to the radio. Thanks to the radio, people can feel like an integral part of the world. A small radio can connect people to the world and prevent them from feeling isolated.