speakout Upper Intermediate
7 MEDIA
UNIT 7
Overview
Watch the video podcast. Which of the speakers have similar news interests and
opinions on the media to you?
1 Read the sentences below about how Val usually gets her news. Then Val
watch the video podcast from 0:11-0:31 and delete the incorrect word.
Hi. I start work 1 quite / very late, so in the mornings I 2 usually / normally
read the papers or 3 look at / go on news web sites: it’s important for me
to 4 find out / learn what’s 5 happening / going on in the world. Today, I’m
6
interviewing / asking people about the media and the news. How do you
usually get your news?
2 How do you usually get your news? Look at the people below and read the different forms of news
media. Then watch the video podcast from 0:30-1:06 and match the people (A-F) to the news media
they use (some people use more than one way to get their news).
A B C D E F
Joanna Adrian Mairi John Helen Taherali
1 Newspapers E,
2 Television
3 Radio
4 Internet
3 What kinds of news stories interest you most? Look at the people below and read what kinds of news
stories they’re interested in. Then watch the video podcast from 1:08-2:00 and match the people to the
correct statements.
A B C D E F
Joanna Adrian Mairi Taherali John Helen
1 I do like sports. D
2 I like a bit of celebrity gossip, just to break up the day.
3 I like to read about politics, of course, and what’s happening in the country.
4 I don’t enjoy the, sort of, more popular culture news stories.
5 I study conflict and development so I’m interested in world affairs.
6 ... it’s very important to know what the health stories are ...
© Pearson Education Limited 2011 page 1
speakout Upper Intermediate
7 MEDIA
UNIT 7
4 How has modern technology and new media changed our relationship with the news? Look at the
people below and read their answers. Then watch the video podcast from 2:02-2:45 and complete what
they say.
On my 1 ________ I can go on the Internet and I can just see what the 2
__________________ are. I can see news developments as, as they happen,
almost in 3________________.
Adrian
There are many different 4 _________ and therefore you often compare and
contrast what different 5 _________ are saying.
John
Often you don’t 6 ___________________, so you don’t have to – it doesn’t
discriminate against people who don’t have money.
Taherali
We used to rely on the 7 _________ from TV, from different outlets and now
with things like Twitter people can spread 8 ________, but it does run the risk that
it’s not always 9 ___________.
Mairi
5 In your opinion, does the media use its power responsibly? Look at the people below and read their
answers. Then watch the video podcast from 2:48-3:45 and write true (T) or false (F) next to each
answer.
A B C D
Adrian Joanna Mairi John
1 He thinks the media 3 She thinks the 4 She thinks the 5 He is very satisfied
behaves responsibly media itself doesn’t media uses its with the way the news
most of the time. understand how power irresponsibly media reports stories
______ powerful it is. ______ everywhere in the about health. ______
2 He doesn’t like news world. ______
about celebrities.
______
© Pearson Education Limited 2011 page 2
speakout Upper Intermediate
7 MEDIA
UNIT 7
The way we speak
6 The people below talk about the media. Read what they say and complete their sentences using
words and phrases from the podcast with a similar meaning to the words in the brackets. Then watch
the video podcast from 2:48-3:45 and check your answers.
I think in general yes, but 1____________________ (sometimes) I think it’s
irresponsible. I think, for example when they 2 ___________ (follow constantly
famous people), for example, I don’t think that’s very responsible news. I don’t
even think it’s very good news.
Adrian
I think the media has a lot of power and it doesn’t always appreciate
3
_________________ (how much) it can affect things.
Joanna
In my area – I’m especially interested in the area of health – often you get these
health stories about immunization or about some latest 4 _________ (panic)
about cancer and this causes 5 __________(a lot of fear), and yet when you go
down to the real truth it’s often based on very 6_______ (weak, not convincing)
foundations. So, I think the media do have a, a duty to use their power
John responsibly.
Personalisation
7 Write a short paragraph giving your views on the news media. Use Val’s questions to help you.
How do you usually get your news?
●
What kinds of news stories interest you most and why?
●
How has modern technology and new media (the internet, etc.) changed our relationship with
●
the news?
In your opinion, does the media use its power responsibly?
●
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
BBC LINK
Police in the UK have begun using social media networks to inform the public
and as an aid to investigation.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8363064.stm
© Pearson Education Limited 2011 page 3
