2023年6月24日发(作者：)

Unit 9

Text I: Where Is the News Leading Us?

I.

Teaching objectives

1.

Understand the role of the news media in social life.

2.

Develop an ability to criticize the social function of the news

media.

3.

Learn to use argument in combination with other expository means.

II. Warm-up questions

1.

What’s the meaning of “media” or “mass media”?

2.

Do you agree that most people are strongly influenced by the media?

How? To what extend are you influenced by the media?

3.

How do you define “news”? How does the author define “news”?

4.

Do you find more “good news” or “bad news” in Chinese media?

What about the case in western media? Is it true that “bad news”

attracts more attention? Why?

5.

What difference does it make if media are “disaster-prone” or

“progress-prone”? How does the author explain this? Do you agree

with the author’s opinion?

6.

What do you think is the author’s view on the obligations of the

media?

7.

What do you understand are the obligations of the media?

III. Relevant information

1.

OPEC — Acronym for the Organization of Petroleum Exporting

Countries, a group of countries that produce oil and plan together how

to sell it.

2.

YMCA — Abbreviation of Young Men’s Christian Association, an

international organization that promotes the spiritual, intellectual,

social, and physical welfare of young Christians

3.

Walter Lippmann (1889 – 1974) --- U. S. journalist and political

philosopher, well known for his writings on current social and

political events and phenomena. His widely syndicated column

“ Today

and Tomorrow” for the

New York Herald Tribute was read by millions

from September 1931 until his retirement in 1967.

4.

nitrogen fixation(固氮作用): The formation of nitrogenous compounds

by the metabolic assimilation of atmospheric nitrogen by certain soil

bacteria, e.g. those living symbiotically on the root nodules of

various leguminous plants. When these bacteria die, the fixed nitrogen

is made available in the soil as plant food. (将大气中的氮转化为可 被植物利用的无机化合物---固定的氮。固氮作用90%以上是固氮细菌(nitrogen-fixing bacteria)活动的结果. 已知的固氮细菌有两类, 其中一类为共生固氮菌属, 如与豆科植物互惠共生的根瘤菌、与禾谷类植物互惠共生的产脂螺菌。共生固氮菌侵入寄主植物的根毛，在该处繁殖并促使根瘤形成。在根瘤内，细菌把游离氮转变成可供植物利用的硝酸盐。为保证豆科作物能充分结瘤并良好生长，播种前常用适当的根瘤菌制剂接种其种子。

IV. Organization of the text

Part I: (Para 1 - 4)

Introducing the topic by referring to a question raised in a public

symposium

(“Why are the newspapers and the television news programs so

disaster-prone?”)

Para 1: An introduction of the public symposium and the other two

speakers.

Para 2: The purpose of the symposium.

Para 3: The question asked by the gentleman

Para 4: The answer and the reaction by the anchorman and the editor

Part II: (Para 5 -- 10)

By defining the word “news”, the author explains why “bad news”

is always reported while “good news” overlooked. He goes on to point

out the adverse consequence of such practice.

Para 5: The author interprets the question raised by the gentleman and

the answer given by the anchorman.

Para 6-7 The author gives his definition of “news”. (“News is supposed

to deal with happenings of the past 12 hours—24hours at most.”).

The definition helps to explain partly why “bad news”(eruptive)

is mostly reported whereas “good news”(i.e. progress which comes

in bits and pieces) is neglected.

Para 8: The author criticizes the normal practice of the media by pointing

out the harm done to the public mood by media’s obsession in “bad

news”.

Para 9: The author’s self-defense for the necessity of reporting both

“good” and “bad” news ( “I’m not suggesting „” “Nor do I

define „” “ ‘What I’m trying to get across is the notion „”)

Para 10 The author further elaborates and strengthens his viewpoint by

citing examples of what he considers positive developments of the

world.

Part III: (Para 11-13)

The author argues that the media are obliged to serve as the “public

philosopher”, responsible for affecting the public attitude in the

right manner. (obligations of the media) And this explains why

progress (“good news” ) should be reported.

V. Rhetorical focus

Argument in association with other expository devices

Argument: a reason or a set of reasons.

Its aim: 1) to convince others that an action/idea is right or wrong so

that they will give up their belief and accept what is said to

be right

2) to persuade others to believe in sth. so that they will act in accordance

with what they are advised to do.

The essay aims to argue for the premise that the responsibility of the

news media is to search out and report on important events. It also aims

at persuading newsmen and women to take up this responsibility. In order

to make his argument reasonable, convincing and valid, the author resorts

to other modes of expression and expository means, including:

1. Narration

-

happenings at the symposium; descriptions of the two speakers,

questions raised at the symposium, etc.

2. Definition: “news”, “civilization”, “progress”, “ positive

news”

3. Cause-and-effect

Cause: people being over-informed about disasters while under-informed

about progress;

Effect: a public mood of defeatism and despair, detrimental to

society;

inhibiting progress

4. Exemplification: nitrogen fixation, which is not eruptive, but

which will make a contribution to human life and progress.

5. Quotation: from Walter Lippmann and Bernard de Chatres to

illustrate the role the media should play.

So, the present argument is well-knit and convincing, and will undoubtedly

be accepted by sensible and responsible newsmen and women.

VI. Language points

1.

distinguished: an adjective used especially of people who are famous

for serious work in science, the arts, etc., e.g.,



a distinguished scientist/ physician / writer / artist, etc.

2.

anchorman: a broadcaster or newscaster at a central station who

coordinates and integrates a broadcast consisting of coverage coming

from several different locations

3.

to the core: utterly, completely, e.g.



He is a politician to the core.他是地地道道的政客。



His refusal shocked us to the core.他的拒绝使我们大吃一惊。

4.

savvy:

a. knowledgeable: e.g.



be savvy about sth.通晓某事;



She’s been around and savvy to a lot of things.她见过世面，懂得很多事

n. (sl.) common sense, understanding:



have plenty of savvy 很有头脑;



Where is your savvy? 你的常识到哪去了？

5.

ways and means: a set phrase, 1) methods and means of accomplishing

something, 2) legislation and methods for raising revenues for public

expense.

6.

scrutinize: examine very closely and carefully,



The building inspector scrutinized the architect’s design.

7.

prone: likely to suffer from an illness; tending to show a particular

negative characteristic.



She is prone to anger/ exaggeration/ flu

Prone may also be used after a noun with a hyphen combining the two,

<



an accident-prone person (often having accidents 易出事故的人),



injury-prone (often getting injuries),



disaster- prone: tending to report disasters; interested in

reporting disasters

8. be apt to : likely or having a tendency to do something.



apt to be forgetful



My pen is rather apt to leak.

9. devalue: reduce the exchange value of (money)

10. collide with: crash violently into.



The fully-loaded truck

collided with a station wagon.



He ran so fast that he

collided with a pedestrian in the street.

11.

the sum total: the entire amount of something when all the various

parts are considered together; the whole.



The sum total of what she said amounted to a flat refusal.

12. ingredient: constituent, component. This word is often used in

cooking, referring to the different things that combine to make some

kind of food.



Flour, eggs, sugar, and shortening are the chief

ingredients of

any kind of cake.

13. inhibitor: hindrance or obstruction

14.

deplete: reduce, decrease

15.

contrive: make or invent in a clever way; cause (something) to happen

in accordance with one’s plans or wishes.



He was quick to contrive an excuse for his absence at the last

meeting.

16. antidote: anything that counteracts sth. unpleasant



Education is an effective antidote to ignorance.教育是消除无知的有效方法。

17. get across: make something understood and accepted.



He tried every way to explain, but he just couldn’t get his ideas

across.

18. perspective: a particular way of considering something.



The author writes from a historical perspective.



Keep the problem in perspective (think about the problem in a

reasonable way).

19. pursue: continue steadily with; carry on.



She tried to pursue further studies in the university.

20. prospect: reasonable hope of something happening.



The prospect of his being elected as the committee chair is

encouraging.



There’s hardly any prospect of success for him.

21. caricature: description of someone that exaggerates and makes one

appear

ridiculous.



The chief character in his latest novel is a caricature of a

well-known artist.

22. boost up: (literally) lift by pushing up from below.



Please boost me up so that I can see what’s happening in the

garden.

Often, boost means “ increase, raise”.



We hope our production will be boosted by 20%.

VII. Difficult sentences (paraphrase)

1.

“An unrelieved diet of eruptive news depletes the essential human

energies a free society needs”. : i.e. A continuous amount of negative

news reduces the human potential that a free society is in need of.

2.

“The time has come to consider the existence of a large area of human

happenings that legitimately qualify as news”. : i.e. Now we should

recognize the fact that there are a lot of events that lawfully reach

the standard of being looked upon as news.

3.

“„ boosting ourselves up through our experiences”. : i.e.

improving and developing ourselves through our experiences.

4.

“The acquired culture is not transmitted in our genes.”: i.e. what

we attain/get from society does not become our inborn/inherent

character.

VIII. Classroom discussion

1.

Journalists are said to be the “public’s philosopher”, i.e. they

are responsible for affecting our attitudes. How do you define a good

journalist? Explain how the journalists should behave in order to best

fulfill their role.

2.

If you were a journalist, what aspect of social life will you focus

on, the positive or the negative side? Why?

3.

Journalists are often tempted to hunt for sensational news, but in

searching for such news they may have to intrude into people’s privacy.

How can a journalist solve this dilemma? Is there any guideline for

him to follow?

Text II: Should the Press be Human?

I Teaching objectives

1.

Examine the professional ethic of journalism and other professions.

2.

Discuss the conflicts between professional ethic and human nature.

3.

Know something about John F. Kennedy, his family and the

assassination.

II. Warm-up questions

1.

Among the definitions for the word “press” in dictionaries, which

one suits the title best? Why?

2.

The author uses a rhetorical question as the titel. Does she answer

the question? What does the question lead to?

3.

How much do you know about the author’s references in the first

paragraph? How much do you know about Kennedy and his family?

4.

How is the author’s reference to the assassination of Kennedy related

to his concern over the professional ethic of journalists?

5.

Do you think there is any “professional ethic” for, say, a doctor,

a lawyer, a teacher, a salesman, etc.?

III Relevant information

1.

John F. Kennedy (1917 --- 1963)

On November 22, 1963, when he was hardly past his first thousand days in office,

John Fitzgerald Kennedy was killed by an assassin's bullets as his motorcade wound

through Dallas, Texas. Kennedy was the youngest man elected President; he was the

youngest to die.

Of Irish descent, Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on May 29, 1917.

Graduating from Harvard in 1940, he entered the Navy. In 1943, when his PT boat

was rammed and sunk by a Japanese destroyer, Kennedy, despite grave injuries, led

the survivors through perilous waters to safety.

Back from the war, he became a Democratic Congressman from the Boston area,

advancing in 1953 to the Senate. He married Jacqueline Bouvier on September 12,

1953. In 1955, while recuperating from a back operation, he wrote Profiles in

Courage, which won the Pulitzer Prize in history.

In 1956 Kennedy almost gained the Democratic nomination for Vice President, and

four years later was a first-ballot nominee for President. Millions watched his

television debates with the Republican candidate, Richard M. Nixon. Winning by a

narrow margin in the popular vote, Kennedy became the first Roman Catholic

President.

His Inaugural Address offered the memorable injunction: "Ask not what your country

can do for you--ask what you can do for your country." As President, he set out to

redeem his campaign pledge to get America moving again. His economic programs

launched the country on its longest sustained expansion since World War II; before

his death, he laid plans for a massive assault on persisting pockets of privation and

poverty.

2. Lee Harvey Oswald (18 October 1939 - 24 November 1963)

Oswald was the alleged assassin of President John F. Kennedy, according

to the conclusions of the Warren Commission. He was born in New Orleans,

he married Marina Prusakova in Minsk.

Oswald was killed by Texas nightclub owner Jack Ruby two days after JFK's

assassination, while being transferred to county jail.

3. Jack Ruby (25 March 1911 - 3 January 1967)

Owner of the Carousel Club, Ruby killed Lee Harvey Oswald two days after

Kennedy’s assassination.

On March 14, 1964 Ruby was convicted of Oswald's murder. In an appeal to

the Texas Supreme Court, it was argued that Ruby could not have gotten

a fair trial in the city of Dallas due to the excessive publicity

surrounding the case. He died of a pulmonary embolism in prison on January

3, 1967 before he could be re-tried.

IV. Organization of the text

Part I: (Para 1 ): Introducing the topic

Para 1: A hypothesis concerning the action of the photographer who shot

the picture of the death of Oswald in the assassination case of J. F.

Kenney.

Part 2 (Para2–4): What a journalist should do when facing the dilemma

in work.

Para 2: Journalists’ professional ethic vs. their cold-bloodedness.

(Development pattern: the thesis statement + illustrations of a

photographer in India and a soundman in Nigeria.)

Para 3: A dilemma of journalists: to join in and take sides or to be

absolutely objective.

Para 4: The guidelines of the profession of journalism.

Part Three( Para 5 –7): Further argument: Although journalists should

try hard to fulfill their duty, there should be some point where

they should behave as a human A

Para 5: The case of a birdman accident in which a journalist who behaved

inhuman. (“But it leaves out a lot” i.e. it is more than that.)

Para 6: When our professional ethic is in conflict with other things, we

should try to stick to it.

Para 7: In any profession, there may be something more important than just

sticking to professional ethic.

Part 4 ( Para 8): The conclusion. The author presents her thesis statement

explicitly, i.e. what I think a news man should do.

V. Rhetorical focus

Sliding Scale

Persuasion ↑

Argumentation

1) appeal to emotion 1) appeal to reason

2) aim to convince the reader & 2) aim to show the truth of a

statement &

move him to some action make the reader acknowledge its

correctness

3) achieved by arousing in the reader 3)achieved by rigid and careful

reasoning

emotional responses that are likely

to urge his to take some action.

Persuasion and argumentation are used almost interchangeably and we can

hardly have one without the other.

The present author not only handles her reasoning by using examples to

prove that what she says (the behavior on the part of the journalists and

TV people is far from being human) is nothing but the truth, but also relies

on diction and tone in the examples ( staggering pictures, amazingly

cold-blooded, make sorrowing Indian family bury and rebury its dead, held

up a Nigerian execution while he adjusted his sound equipment, what a

story„) to stir the feeling of the reader who might feel outraged at those

journalists and an urge for immediate action.

V. Language points

1. stagger:

v.1).To move or stand unsteadily, as if under a great weight;

totter.

2) To begin to lose confidence or strength of purpose; waver.

3) To overwhelm with emotion or astonishment.



I was staggered to hear that the air-crash had resulted in hundreds

of deaths.

a .

shocking, astonishing



The news is staggering.

2. to gun sb. down: (inf.) to murder sb. (helpless or undefended) by

shooting.



He was gunned down outside his home.



Yitsack Rabin was gunned down on 4 November by a Jewish militant

who opposed to his peace dealing with the Palestinians.

3. tease: to annoy or pester; vex.

4. hold up: to obstruct or delay.



we were held up on the road by a nasty traffic accident.



The building of the new road has been held up by bad weather.

5.

join in : 1) take part (adv.)



Sarah never joins in; she always plays on her own.

2) (prep.) share with sb. in sth.



The whole crowd joined in singing the popular song.

6.

stand back: 1) to refuse to take part in or influence sth.



There is no way you can stand back and allow such injuries to take

place.

2) to stand further away from sth./ sb.



The firemen asked the crowd to stand back from the burning

building.

7.

tricky: 1) given to or characterized by trickery; deceptive,

mischievous

2) requiring caution or skill



a tricky situation/problem/decision:需慎重对待的情况/处理的问题/作出的决定

8.

atrocity: 1） appalling or atrocious condition, quality, or behavior;

monstrousness.

2）[C, esp. pl.] very wicked or cruel act:



Many atrocities are committed on innocent people in wartime. 战争期间无辜百姓横遭蹂躏。

9.

weigh in: (inf.) to add an opinion, as to help decide an argument.



We should have won if you hadn’t tried to weigh in with your silly

ideas.



Mr. Carl weighs in to save the contract.

10.

enjoin: to direct or impose with authority and emphasis; command,

require.



The occasion is a solemn one; it enjoins silence.

(to enjoin that sth should be done)



The leader enjoined that the rules should be obeyed.

enjoin sb. to do sth:



The firefighters enjoined the onlookers to stand clear. 消防人员叫围观者让开。

11.

uncommitted: unbiased, impartial



an uncommitted country 中立国

12.

seedy: 1)worn and shabby; unkempt



He was soiled and seedy and fragrant with gin.

2) tired or sick; unwell.



I feel seedy today.

13. pile on: to give a lot of (sth.) to



The crowd piled curses on the unpopular speaker.

n: parachutist

15. stay out of: 1) to remain outside; not enter.



Tell the children to stay out of the farmer’s fields while the

crops are growing

2) to remain at a distance from or having nothing to do with

sth.



I always try to stay out of other people’s affairs that don’t

concern me.

with: to behave towards sb. by showing (a quality).



The Johnson’s have always treated me with great kindness and

consideration.

17. crunch: v.1)to chew with a noisy crackling sound.



The dog is crunching a bone.

2) to crush, grind, or tread noisily.



The frozen snow crunched under the wheels of our car.

n. a critical moment or situation, especially one that occurs

because of a shortage of time or resources.



a year-end crunch; an energy crunch.

If/when it comes to the crunch (or: if/when the crunch comes): if/when

the decisive moment comes



He always says he’ll help, but when it comes to the crunch, he

does nothing. 他口口声声说他一定帮忙，然而事到临头他什么也不帮。

18. defuse: reduce the dangerous tension in (a difficult situation)



defuse tension /a crisis

VI. Difficult Sentences (paraphrase)

1.

“Our professional ethic enjoins us to stay uncommitted and report

the facts; and if we have to have guidelines, that’s probably as good

as a one as any.” We journalists are required by our professional

responsibility to avoid taking side in any conflicts and tell the truth.

This is perhaps the best principle to guide our action, if we find it

necessary to have one.

2.

“ To stay out of the fight, „ and when it comes to the crunch,

we probably do better trying to stick to that, than rushing off on

individual impulse.”:

Our professional ethic require us to keep away from the conflicts, to

report faithfully the event without any bias; and to treat either side

equally just as a doctor or a lawyer should when dealing with their

patients or clients. But when our code runs in conflict with realities,

what we usually do is to stick to our code rather than take any voluntary

action.

3.

“ But is there not a point in any profession „ that proves his client

a torturer?” : i.e. In any profession, you are likely to face such

a circumstance when you are in a position where escape or retreat is

impossible, when you have to make a final decision as a human being.

VII Classroom discussion

1.

How does the author define the “professional ethic” of journalists?

Is it possible A for one to stick to his code all the time?

2.

How would you commend on the doctor who hands Jack the Ripper to the

Police and the lawyer who refused to hide the truth from the public?

VIII Assignment

Choose a topic concerning the performance and development of the news

media in China and state your view on this topic.