1.16. Revision

Task 1. Your teacher will now give you the same newspaper as you described at the first class this term. Describe it again in the written form in as much a detailed way as you can. Then compare the two descriptions.

UNIT 2. TELEVISION AND RADIO

 VOCABULARY PRACTICE

2.1. Television

Task 1. Study the given vocabulary.

1. Television: TV; telly (colloq.), the box (BE); the tube (AE), portable television (set); colour television (set); video; video tape-recorder (VT/VTR); cable television; satellite television; network; viewer; viewing; peak viewing hours; prime time (8-11 p.m.); theme tunes; TV addict; compulsive viewing.

2. Operating TV set: to switch on/off; to turn on/off; to turn the sound up/down; to switch (over)/ change to another programme/channel; to watch television; to see smth on televi­sion; a test card; to correct the picture; to have the TV set fixed.

3. Personnel/ People in television: to be in television; an­nouncer; newsreader/newscaster; anchorman/woman (AE); presenter; TV reporter/correspondent; commentator; inter­viewer; speaker; quizmaster; cameraman; editor; pro­ducer; technician; soundman; a film crew; a programme crew.

4. Programmes: programme; show; daily; weekly; monthly; the news; current affairs programme; special report; factual reportage; live footage (AE), talk (chat) show; discussion, panel discussion; interview; documentary; magazine programme; children's programme; cartoon; educational programme; wild/ nature life programme; sports programme; the weather report/ forecast; variety show; musical variety; game show; quiz pro­gramme; feature film, movie (AE); television play/film; tele­vision version of a play (adapted for television); thriller; Western; serial (a play broadcast in parts, e. g. a three-part serial); instalment (a part of a serial); sitcom (situational come­dy); soap opera; commercial; video clip; a regular character of the programme; a regular feature of the programme.

5. Television techniques: to broadcast; to telecast (AE); a live broadcast/show programme; to do a live broadcast; to be on the air; to go on the air; a broadcast speech/interview/discussion; to be on TV (What's on TV tonight?); to appear on the programme; to show on television; to cover smth; news cover­age; television coverage; to record/tape/videotape; recorded/ taped/videotaped programme; to do a television show; sound track; sound effects; test card; picture; general view; close-up; caption; still; library film/pictures (= archives material); location (= geographical position of an event); microphone, mike, neck mike; monitor; screen time.

Task 2. Guess a word or phrase from Task 1 by its definition.

1. television programmes that are broadcast using satellites in space, and which you need a special piece of equipment to be able to watch;

2. the time in the evening when the largest number of people are watching television;

3. to be in the business of making and broadcasting programmes on television;

4. someone who reads news or information on the television or radio;

5. someone who introduces the different parts of a television or radio show;

6. a television or radio programme or a performance that consists of many different shorter performances, especially musical and humorous ones;

7. a competition or game broadcast on TV in which people have to answer questions;

8. a full-length film that has a story and is acted by professional actors, and which is usually shown in a cinema;

9. a film that tells an exciting story about murder or crime;

10. a funny television programme in which the same characters appear in different situations each week;

11. an advertisement on television or radio;

12. to send out radio or television programmes;

13. to be broadcasting on the radio or television at the present moment;

14. when a subject or event is reported on television or radio, or in newspapers;

15. a photograph or part of a film in which the camera seems to have been very close to the picture it took.

Task 3. Put each of the following words or phrases in its correct place in the passage below.

quiz shows subjective mass media indoctrinate viewers

channels switch soap operas commercials objective

(1)_____________ is a term often used to describe ways of giving information and entertainment to very large numbers of people. It includes newspapers, advertising and radio and, of course, television. In most countries people can (2)_____________ to any of three or four different (3)_____________. Do television programmes influence our minds? Do they (4)_____________us? Is the news completely (5)_____________ (neutral) or is it (6)_____________ (considered from one particular point of view)? Don't the (7)_____________ for alcohol, food and other goods condition our minds? Even the (8)_____________ going on week after week telling the story of one family or group of people sometimes make us want to copy the life-style we see on the screen. Also (9)_____________ which give people big prizes for answering simple questions make us greedy. Some programmes are watched by tens of millions of (10)_____________.

Task 4. Use the vocabulary from Task 1 in answering the following questions:

1. What are your favourite programmes? Refer to specific programmes to illustrate your preferences.

2. What qualities do you look for in a television programme?

3. What are the programmes that appeal to specific age groups?

4. What is the amount of weekend TV time devoted to sports programmes? Would you rather watch a favourite sport on TV or view it in person? Give your arguments/reasoning.

5. What genres seem to dominate prime-time viewing? First check a week's TV schedule and make a list of all prime-time TV and break it into genres.

6. Should musical concerts and theatrical performances be broadcast on TV?

7. What are the challenges of video/ DVD?

8. Do you think the emergence of music video clips present some problems to musicians? What problems?

9. What advan­tages, if any, does television have over radio? Will television oust radio in the future?

  READING&SPEAKING