unit-6-where-is-the-s-leading-us市公开课一等奖省赛课微课金奖课

Unit6Whereisthenewsleadingus?1/60Themanwhoreadsnothingatallisbettereducatedthanthemanwhoreadsnothingbutnewspapers.

——ThomasJefferson

Discussion

Wheredoyougeteverydaynewsfrom?Aremostofthemfromnewspaper,TV,radio,webpages,microblogs,mobilephoneportals,etc.?Why?2/601.Whatisyourmajorchannelforlearningthenews?Readingnewspapers,watchingTV,orsurfingtheInternet?Whatdoyouthink"news"shouldcover?2.WhatdoyouthinkisthejobofanewspaperreporteroraTVanchor?Isitjusttoreporttothepublicthenews,i.e.whatishappeningaroundtheworld?Arethey,knowinglyorunknowingly,influencingtheattitudeofthepublictowardswhattheyarereportinginparticularoreventheiroutlookonlifeingeneral?3/604/60ArgumentCombinedwithOtherPatternsofDevelopmentDefinitionofArgument

Argumentisareasonorasetofreasonsgiven

withtheaimofconvincing

othersthatanactionorideaisrightorwrongorpersuadingotherstobelieveinsomething.WhatisaGoodArgument

Apersonisconvincedwhenheisinducedbylogicalreasoningtogiveuphisbeliefandacceptwhatissaidtoberight,andheis

persuadedwhenheisledtoactinaccordwithwhatheisadvisedtodo.

5/60ExamplesfromText

NormanCousins'essay"WhereIstheNewsLeadingUs?"isagoodexampleofargument.Itaimstoargueforthepremisethattheresponsibilityofthenewsmediaistosearchoutandreportonimportantevents.Italsoaimsatpersuadingnewsmenandwomentotakeupthisresponsibility.

Insomearguments,theauthor'spositionispresentedatthebeginningofhiswritingandthenhegoesontosupportitinvariousways.Ortheauthormaypresenthisargumentattheendofhiswritingastheresultoflogicalinference.Butneitheroftheseisthe

wayinwhichCousinsorganizeshisessay.ItissomewherenearthemiddleoftheessaythatwefindCousins'presentationofhisviewpoint.6/60

Cousins'argumentisfoundinPara.9:theresponsibilityofthenewsmediaistosearchoutandreportonimportantevent—whetherornottheycomeundertheheadingofconflict,confrontation,orcatastrophe.

Inthefirst8paragraphs,Cousinshassuccessfullyledhisreaderstothisconclusion.Hebeginswithaquestionaddressedtotwojournalists:Whyarethenewspapersandthetelevisionnewsprogramssodisaster-prone(Para.3)?Thenhejudgestheiranswertobewrongbecausehedoesnotthinkthejournalistsarereallyresponsible.Ratherhethinksitisamatterofthedefinitionofnews

(Paras.4-6).7/60Ifnewsisdefinedexclusivelyaswhathashappenedinthepast24hours,itcanonlybetheeruptivehappenings,thusonlythedisasters.Humanprogressisnoteruptiveforithappensonlyinbitsandpieces.Butthesepositiveeventsarealsonewsandshouldbyallmeansbecoveredbythemedia(Paras.7&8),thushisargumentpresentedinPara.9.

Inthelast4paragraphsCousinsstrengthenshisviewpointbycitingexamplesofwhatheconsiderspositivedevelopmentsoftheworld(Para.10),andcallingattentiontotheresponsibilityjournalistshaveforaffectingthewaypeoplethinkandtherolethemediaplayinshapingthemindofthepeople(Paras.11-13).8/60OtherPatternsofDevelopmentinTextHowever,whatispresentedintheessayisnotmerelyanargumentfororagainstanissue.Asamatteroffact,theauthoremploysvariousotherpatternsofdevelopinganessaytomaketheargumentreasonable,convincing,andvalid.

Attheverybeginningoftheessay,itis

narration,tellingthereaderaboutthesettingandthepersonsinvolvedintheissue.ItwasanoccasionofapublicsymposiumontheroleoftheAmericanpress,andtwospeakers,atelevisionanchormanandanewspapereditor,werethecentreofattention.Thequestionraisedatthesymposiumwas"Whyarethenewspapersandthetelevisionnewsprogramssodisaster-prone?"

Inordertolendvaliditytotheargument,itisnecessarytoclarifythemeaningoftheword"news"first.Heretheauthormakesuseofdefinition.

9/60Notonlyis"news"defined,but"civilization,""progress,"and"positivenews"arealsoexplained.Theclarificationofthesetermsaffordstheargumentstrengthandeffectiveness.

The

cause-and-effect

patternisusedtoshowthereaderthatthepeople'sbeingover-informedaboutdisastersleadsto"apublicmoodofdefeatismanddespair,"whichisdetrimentaltoprogressandtosocietyasawhole.

Tofurtherhisargumentforreportingimportantevents,Cousinsprovidesan

example

—nitrogenfixation,whichisbynomeanseruptive,butwhichwillmakeaninvaluablecontributiontohumanlifeandprogress.

Furthermore,Cousinsurgesthenewsmediatopresent"atrueportrait,"butnot"acaricature"ofourselvesandoftheworld.Andhe

quotesdeChartres'wordsabout"dwarfsseatedontheshouldersofgiants."Thesearetheuseof

figuresofspeech.

10/6011/60adistinguishedTVanchormananexcellentTVanchormanwhohasgreatfamedistinguishedisanadjectiveusedespeciallyofpeoplewhoarefamousforseriousworkinscience,thearts,etc.e.g.adistinguishedscientist/physician/writer/artist,etc.anchormann.abroadcasterornewscasteratacentralstationwhocoordinatesandintegratesabroadcastconsistingofcoveragecomingfromseveraldifferentlocations12/60anewsmantothecoreanewsmanineveryway;anewsmanthroughandthrough;anewsmancompletelytothecore–completelyThesystemisrottentothecore.

savvyadj.intelligent,sensible,andknowledgeable;showingalotofpracticalknowledge

13/60waysandmeans1)methodsandmeansofaccomplishingsth.2)legislationandmethodsforraisingrevenuesforpublicexpensee.g.Hetriedeverywaysandmeanstogethisworkdoneaheadoftime.Hehasn'tgotajob,butheseemstohavewaysandmeansofgettingmoney.

14/60scrutinizev.examineindetailwithcarefulattentioninordertofindsomeusefulinformationaboutsomethinge.g.Sheleanedforwardtoscrutinizetheirfaces.

Thebuildinginspectorscrutinizedthearchitect'sdesign.15/60addressv.directspeechorwritingtosb.e.g.Sheaddressedherremarkstotheaudienceforcefully.Theletterwasaddressedtothestaffoftheuniversity.16/60disaster-proneadj.tendingtoreportdisasters/badnews;interestedinreportingdisastersproneadj.likelytosufferfromanillness;tendingtoshowaparticularnegativecharacteristice.g.Sheispronetoanger/exaggeration/flu.Itisbelievedthatpeoplewithfairskinwhosunburneasilyarepronetodevelopskincancer.Itmayalsobeusedafteranounwithahyphencombiningthetwo,e.g.accident-prone(oftenhavingaccidents),injury-prone(oftengettinginjuries).17/60Modify:tochangesthslightly,especiallyinordertomakeitmoresuitableforaparticularpurposeThesoftwareweusehasbeenmodifiedforus.Patientsaretaughthowtomodifytheirdiet.

Distortion:changingofsomethingintosomethingthatisnottrueornotacceptable;changingoftheappearanceorsoundofsomethinginawaythatmakesitseemstrangeorunclear.downsidenewsnewsofanegativenature18/60collidewithcrashviolentlyintoe.g.Thefully-loadedtruckcollidedwithastationwagon.Heransofastthathecollidedwithapedestrianinthestreet.19/60amisshapenpictureadistortedviewoftheworldMisshapen:sobadlyformedoroutofshapeastobeuglymisshapenvegetablesHerhandsweremisshapenbyarthritis.20/60thesumtotaltheentireamountofsomethingwhenallthevariouspartsareconsideredtogether;thewholee.g.Thesumtotalofwhatshesaidamountedtoaflatrefusal.21/60ingredientn.constituent,componentThiswordisoftenusedincooking,referringtothedifferentthingsthatcombinetomakesomekindoffood.e.g.Flour,eggs,sugar,andshorteningarethechiefingredientsofanykindofcake.Ithinkthatisoneofthemajoringredientsinhissuccess.22/60Whatarethetwodifferingnotionsof"news"representedinthearticle?Howdoesthedifferenceaffectnewsreportinginthemassmedia?(Paras.6and7)

Twotypesofnews:1)sudden,eruptivehappeningsinthepast12-24hours2)progressofcivilizationthatcomesinbitsandpiecesNewsisgenerallyassumedtobewhathashappenederuptivelyinthemostrecentpast;thusitconsistsmainlyofdisasters.23/60apublicmoodofdefeatismanddespairastateoffeelingdefeatedandhopelessonthepartofthegeneralpublicinhibitorsofprogresshindrancesorobstructionstoprogress24/60Anunrelieveddietoferuptivenewsdepletestheessentialhumanenergiesafreesocietyneeds.Acontinuousreportingofnegativenewsreducesthehumanpotentialthatafreesocietyisinneedof.25/60然而，一味聚焦这些报道，则是失真画面。人类文明结果远远多于灾难总和。每种文明中最主要成份就是进步。但进步不会马上发生，也没有暴发性。普通来说，它是一点一滴逐步发展，在某个特定时刻是微不足察。不过全部微小进步都参加了历史性巨变实现，使社会愈加美好。就是这类活生生历史，绝大多数新闻媒体没有给予充分反应，结果造成我们对社会正面发展了解不足，对灾难却知之甚多，这又使人产生失败和绝望情绪，而这些情绪易于妨碍社会进步。暴发性新闻大餐令人忧心忡忡，大大削减了自由社会所需动力，绝望和愤世情绪使人没有动力迎接严峻考验。26/60"positive"newsbecontrived"positive"orfavourablenewsbemadeupcontrivev.makeorinventinacleverway;cause(sth.)tohappeninaccordancewithone'splansorwishese.g.Hewasquicktocontriveanexcuseforhisabsenceatthelastmeeting.27/60getacrossmakesth.understoodandacceptede.g.Hetriedeverywaytoexplain,buthejustcouldn'tgethisideasacross.28/60conflict,confrontation,orcatastropheThethreewordsindicatethreestagesofopposition:conflictdisagreementbetweenopposinggroupsoropposingideasconfrontationopposingeachotherorbeinghostiletoeachotherfacetofacecatastropheaterribledisasterasaresult(ofaconflictoraconfrontation)29/60asplendidcombinationofheavenandhellastrikingcombinationofbliss/happiness

andsuffering/wretchedness30/60perspectiven.aparticularwayofconsideringsth.e.g.Theauthorwritesfromahistoricalperspective.Keeptheprobleminperspective.(thinkabouttheprobleminareasonableway)31/60qualifyv.reachanecessarystandard,e.g.ofknowledge,ability,oracertainqualitye.g.AftershegotherM.D.degree,shequalifiedasadoctor.Asshedidnothavetherequiredworkexperience,shewasnotqualifiedfortheposition.32/60nitrogen-fixationamountofnitrogensecured/set/established/madedefinite（固氮作用）33/60ScientistsallovertheworldarenowpursuingthisprospectinthehopeofcombatingfamineScientistsarenowstrivingforthelikelihoodofsuccess,hopingthatitwillbringfaminetoanend.Pursuev.continuesteadilywith;carryone.g.Shetriedtopursuefurtherstudiesintheuniversity.inthehopeof/thathopingthate.g.Heworkedextremelyhardinthehopeofpassingthecollegeentranceexamination/inthehopethathemightpasstheexamination.34/60prospectn.reasonablehopeofsth.Happening;chancesofbeingsuccessfule.g.Theprospectofhisbeingelectedasthecommitteechairisencouraging.There'shardlyanyprospectofsuccessforhim.35/60WalterLippman(1889–1974)U.S.journalistandpoliticalphilosopher,wellknownforhiswritingsoncurrentsocialandpoliticaleventsandphenomena.Hiswidelysyndicatedcolumn"TodayandTomorrow"forthe

NewYorkHeraldTribune

wasreadbymillionsfromSeptember1931untilhisretirementin1967.36/60TheacquiredcultureisnottransmittedinourgenesWhatweattain/getfromsocietydoesnotbecomeourinborn/inherentcharacter.Ageneisapartofacellinalivingthingwhichcontrolsitsphysicalcharacteristics,growth,anddevelopment.Genesarepassedfromonegenerationtoanother.…

isnottransmittedinourgenes—doesnotenterourgenes,doesnotbecomeapartofourgenestransmitv.passfrom(onepersonorthing)to(another)e.g.Bacteriatransmitdiseases.WeexchangeinformationbytransmittingitthroughE-mail.

37/60onceandforalldonecompletelyasafinalsolutiontoaprobleme.g.Wehopethedisputewillbesettledonceandforall.Thecarjuststoppedworkingonceandforall.38/60BernarddeChartresa12thcenturyFrenchNeo-Platonistphilosopher,scholar,andadministrator,whosedateandplaceofbirthareunknown.Presumablyhediedafter1124."Dwarfsstanding/sittingontheshouldersofgiants"isametaphor,meaning"thosewhodevelopfutureintellectualpursuitsbyunderstandingtheresearchandworkscreatedbynotablethinkersofthepast."Themetaphorwasfirstrecordedinthe12thcenturyandattributedtoBernarddeChartres.Itwasfamouslyutteredbythe17thcenturyscientistIsaacNewton.39/60boostingourselvesuponourexperiencesimprovinganddevelopingourselvesthroughourexperiencesboostupmeans"liftbypushingupfrombelow"literally.e.g.PleaseboostmeupsothatIcanseewhat'shappeninginthegarden.Often,

boostmeans"increase,raise".e.g.Wehopeourproductionwillbeboostedby20%.40/6041/601.ImagineyourselftobeaTVreporter.Nowyouaretogiveanon-the-spotreportofadisastroushappeningtotheviewers,say,acaraccident,avillagehitbyland-slide,aderailedtrain,acampusshooting,orwhatever.Mikeinhandandfacingthecamera,whatareyougoingtosaytocovertheaccident?Bearinmindtheobligationsofanewsman.Whatyousayisnotasimportantashowyousayit.SentencepatternsforyourreferenceIamstanding

…Accordingto

…Asyoucansee,

…42/6043/6044/6045/6046/602.Thefocusofthetextisontheobligationsofthemassmediaprofessionals.Nowselectanewspaperreport,eitherfromanEnglishnewspaperoraChineseone,andhaveagroupdiscussiononhowthereporterfulfillshis/herresponsibilities,andalsoinwhatwayorwayshe/sheaffectstheoutlookofhis/herreadersthroughhis/herreporting.SentencepatternsforyourreferenceThetone

…

suggests

…Ifthereporthad

…

he/shewould

…Withnopriorknowledgeof

…

thereader

…47/6048/60NarrationDefinition

Narration,amodeofdiscourse,followsthepatternofstorytelling,inwhicheventsareoftenarrangedin

chronologicalsequence,thatis,inaccordancewiththeorderoftime.Theseeventsmovefromonetimetoanother,backwardorforward,orforwardorbackward,dependingonhowthestoryistoldandwhoistellingit.Example

Yesterdayattheswimming-pooleverythingseemedtogowrong.SoonafterIarrived,Isatonmysunglassesandbrokethem.Latermybathingsuitcaughtontheroughedgeofachair,tearingaholein

49/60thesideofthesuit.ButmyworstmomentcamewhenIdecidedtoclimbuptothehighdivingtowertoseewhattheviewwaslike.OnceIwasupthere,IrealizedthatmyfriendswerelookingatmebecausetheythoughtIwasgoingtodive.IdecidedIwastooafraidtodivefromthatheight.SoIclimbeddowntheladder,feelingveryembarrassed.

Inthisparagraph,thewriterdevelopsthecontrollingideaof"everythingseemingtogowrong"byrevealingthethreeincidents—thebrokensunglasses,thetornbathingsuit,andclimbingdownfromthehighdivingtower—intheirsequenceofoccurrence.50/60WhatisGoodNarrationAmostimportantstandardforjudgingthevalueofanynarrativeishowwellitshowsthepassageoftime.Anarrativewritermayinvariablyfindusefulsuchtransitionalwordsas

first,then,next,afterthat,finally,

etc.tohelphimtellastoryasasequenceofevents.Sometimes,however,thetimeorderissoobviousthatsuchwordsmaynotbenecessary.Example

Hereisanotherparagraph:

Whatledtotheactualcarcrashcanbeanalyzedonlybyexaminingthespecificdetails.Whenwethoughtaboutitlater,wedecidedthatthefirstreasonforthecrashwasthefactthatwewerealmostcompletelyrelaxed.SwimmingatLehmann'sHotSpringshadmadeusalldrowsy.51/60ThoughMotherhadvolunteeredtodrive,Fatherhadinsistedthathecouldmanageit.Thesoftmusicwelistenedtoonthecarradioalsohelpedustorelax.Evenourconversationwassubdued.Second,theconditionoftheroadandthecaralsocontributedtothesituation.ThelongstraightstretchofhighwayafterweemergedfromthewindingcanyonlulledFatherintooverconfidence.Thepowersteeringonourcarmutedthefeeloftheroad.Hiseyelidsdroopingalmostimperceptibly,Fathergraduallyletthecarwanderacrossthecenterline.Thescreechofmetalonmetal,aquickjerkofthewheeltotheright,hardbraking,andweweresafeagain—butthewholeleftsideofourcarwasacrumpledmassofsteelwhereithadhittheguardrail.

52/60Thetworeasonsforthecarcrashascitedbytheauthorhaveillustratedthatanarrativeparagraphmayalsomovefromthelessimportanttothemoreimportantfeaturesofanevent.Here,too,thetransitionalwords(firstandsecond)areimportantinhelpingthereaderknowhowthingshappenedandwhatactuallyhappened.

53/6054/601.Thebeliefthatallnewsisbadnewstobetheworkingprinciple/conceptuponwhichday-to-daymediaactivitiesarecarriedout.2.Eventsaboutintellectual,cultural,andmoralrefinement/advancementprogressinourculture/civilizationtodayprevailovernegativeevents.3.Iamnotsayingthatarrangementsshouldbemade,asaremedy,tohavethefrontpagedevotedexclusivelytothereportageof“positive”news.4.Therearegoodhappeningsandbadhappeningsperceivedinthisworldoftoday,whichshouldbegivenequalimportancetoinbothourobservationandstudy.55/60Translation1.

Ifthereisanythingyouarenotclearaboutthedevice,addressyourinquirytoourheadoffice.2.Beforeweputthenewplanintopractice,wehadbetterscrutinizeeveryaspectofitt