Felix, and Richard

In this section you will hear six people of different ages give their opinions about the positive and negative effects of various forms of media.

BEFORE THE INTERVIEWS

PERSONALIZING THE TOPIC

1 Work with a partner and read the following positive and negative effects of the media. Discuss each effect and find an example that you and your partner agree about. Write the examples in the blanks.

Positive effects Example

Keeps the user well informed NewCpape-K tell t/C tvhah к happe-ning in #ie – world

Is entertaining

Is a good use of time

Is a good form of communication __

Allows users to share opinions _________________________________________

(Other positive effect)

Negative effects Example

Causes users to waste time

Encourages violence

Has too much advertising______________________________

Encourages people to think alike

(Other negative effect)

Now look at the forms of media below. Choose three. Explain to your partner the positive and negative effects each one has on you.

• Television • Video games • Magazines • Internet

• Telephone • Newspapers • Movies • Other?

INTERVIEW WITH EDDIE, LESLIE, AND RALPH:

Opinions about media

Here are some words and phrases from the interview with Eddie, Leslie, and Ralph printed in bold and given in the context in which you will hear them. They are followed by definitions.

Eddie

maybe a wasteful effect: something that makes you use time badly Video games restrict the things kids do: limit

Do big kids know the difference between fantasy and reality: something in your imagination, not real

The reason is not because they’ll make you deranged: crazy, mentally disturbed Violent games. . . just make Lhe kid a little bit more antisocial: less friendly Leslie

I used to think they were just trendy: the latest fashion a status symbol thing: sign of being rich or important She is able to keep tabs on us: know where we are Ralph

You’ve got to keep an eye on the movies your children watch: pay attention to You’ve got to check out the program: become familiar with

Q LISTENING FOR SPECIFIC INFORMATION

Work with a partner. Read the descriptions of the people who were interviewed in the left column. Then listen to parts of their interviews. Write the form of media they are discussing in the right column.

Person Type of media

Eddie is 15 years old. He is interested in sports, music, and traveling.

Leslie is 24 years old. She is currently studying

to become a teacher.

Ralph is 40 years old. He is a plumber and

electrician.

Now listen to the entire interview with these three people. As you listen, take notes on the positive and negative effects of the form of media each person is discussing. Write your notes in the chart on page 86.

З і Compare your notes with your partner.

INTERVIEW WITH VANESSA, FELIX, AND RICHARD:

Opinions about media

Here are some words and phrases from the interview with Vanessa, Felix, and Richard printed in bold and given in the context in which you will hear them. They are followed by definitions.

Vanessa

It’s completely drained of all real information: without, empty of

[News is influenced by] the corporate and political interests: powerful corporations and political groups

The news is totally manipulated: controlled

anything that is not prepackaged: prepared in advance

Felix

Sports give you a lot of character: good qualities

I like a good whodunit: mystery movie (from the words “Who done it?")

Parents are the nucleus of the family: center

Especially when the kids are in their formative years: young age when good or had qualities are developed Richard

You have to look at the trade-off: disadvantages 1 link up with people: communicate

О GETTING STARTED

In this section you are going to think about the positive and negative influences of the media. You will also take notes on statistical information about television ownership.

READING AND THINKING ABOUT THE TOPIC

1 Read the following passage.

The media has become one of society’s most important agents of socialization. Television, radio, newspapers, the Internet, and other forms of media have a strong effect on the way we think and act. However, there is disagreement about exactly what the effect is. For example, access to television allows us to be better informed and gives us an increased understanding of the world. TV can also be used to entertain us. However, television exposes us to negative images, too. Furthermore, some critics argue that it may make us passive, violent, or too materialistic.

Other forms of mass media, such as video games, magazines, and movies, may influence our ideas strongly, too. We do not yet really understand the extent of their impact on society.

2 I Answer the following questions according to the information in the passage.

1 Does everyone agree about the kind of effects the media has on society?

2 What are some positive effects of TV? What are some negative effects?

Read these questions and share your answers with a partner.

1 Do you watch a lot of TV? Are you concerned about its possible negative effects? Explain.

2 What steps do you think parents, schools, and the government should take to protect children and adolescents from the negative effects of on-screen violence?

3 Of all the forms of media mentioned in the paragraph, which one seems to have the most influence on you? Why?

PERSONALIZING THE TOPIC

1 What kind of entertainment do you enjoy? Fill in the chart below.

2 Share your responses with a small group.

RECORDING NUMERICAL INFORMATION

It will often be necessary to record the numerical information you hear in conversations, interviews, or lectures. Practice by visualizing numbers when you hear them and then writing them down quickly.

1 TV is one of the most popular and influential forms of mass media in the world. Work with a partner. Look at the map below that highlights four areas of the world. Guess how many TVs per one hundred people you think each area has. Write your guess in the blank next to each area.

Area 1:______ Area 2:________ Area 3:___________ Area 4:________

Listen to a report on television ownership in each of the four areas of the world in the map in step 1. Write the number of televisions per one hundred people next to

the area being described.

Compare your answers to step 2 with vour partner. Then compare those answers with your guesses in step 1.

Discuss the following questions in a small group.

1 What information in the report surprises you? Why?

2 In which areas of the world do you think TV has the most influence on people? Why? How do you think it influences them?

APPLYING WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED

1 Work as a class. Choose a day when you will all buy the same edition of the same newspaper. Read the paper before you go to class.

In small groups, analyze the following sections of the newspaper. Decide how good you think each section is. Circle the word that best describes your opinion of the quality of each section.

Compare your opinions and give reasons for your choices. You can use these phrases in your discussion:

GUESSING VOCABULARY FROM CONTEXT

1 The following items contain important vocabulary from Part One of the lecture. Work with a partner. Using the context and your knowledge of related words, lake turns trying to guess the meanings of the words in bold.

1 whether or not the story is accurate

2 The public would have been misinformed.

3 Bill Jones could decide to sue the paper for misrepresenting his character.

4 That’s called libel, and it’s something judges take very seriously.

5 Every controversial fact should be supported by two different sources.

6 There must be no uncorroborated facts.

Work with vour partner. Match the vocabulary terms with their definitions by writing the letter of each definition below’ in the blank next to the sentence containing the correct term in step 1. Check your answers in a dictionary if necessary.

a given incorrect d the crime of telling untrue stories about a person

information e bring a legal case against

b unchecked f people or documents from which you get information

c correct, true

Now listen to Part Two of the lecture and take notes on your own paper. Pay attention to the signal words to help you follow the lecture.

Complete your organized notes for the lecture by adding information about Part Two to the column or outline format you chose for Part One. Then compare your notes with a partner.

When you brainstoi-m about a topic, you allow yourself to think about it freely and can generate unexpected ideas and reactions. A good way to brainstorm is to use a word map that indicates your ideas about different aspects of the topic.

1 Work with a partner. Look at the word map below. Think about crime and

brainstorm different aspects of crime. You may, for example, focus on types of crime, causes and effects of crime, personal experiences with crime, punishments for crime, or any other aspects of crime that occur to you. Write notes about vour thoughts on the word map. Add as many lines to the word map as you wish.

2 Share your ideas with another pair of classmates.

О BUILDING BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE ON THE TOPIC: TECHNICAL TERMS

Many fields of study have technical terms that you need to know in order to understand and discuss topics in that field.

Read the technical terms for various types of crime and their definitions (given in parentheses) in the left column of the chart below. Then listen to a series of radio crime reports. As you listen, write the number of the report next to the type of crime that is being reported.

2 t Compare your answers with a partner.