SESSION 1:
MAKING A POINT
"When a dog bites a man, that is not news.
But when a man bites a dog,
that is news"
At newspapers every day, editors must decide which stories are most important and where to place them in the paper. It’s a big responsibility that can be exciting, interesting and difficult. When everything is completed on deadline, an old-fashioned phrase is still used:
The newspaper has been put to bed.
1. Go to page 115 from your books Citizen Z B2 and listen to this audio 3.10. You will listen to two newspaper editors giving their points of view about the potential news story below.
Who wants to run the story?
How do they justify their views?
Who do you agree with ?
2. Listen again and order the words audio 3.10. Who says each, A or B?
3. Imagine you are the editors of a newspaper, decide if you would publish these news or not. Give reasons:
4. Once you have decided the news stories that you will publish, write a catchy headline for each news following these tips.
SESSION 2:
A REPORTER IN MRS DALLOWAY
1. Imagine you were a reporter and could be a first-hand witness of what is going on in Mrs Dalloway. Put these sentences into reported speech using the verb in brackets:
2. Watch the trailer of Mrs Dalloway (1997) and meet the characters:
3. After watching the trailer, write five features about Clarissa Dalloway's personality.
4. Take some quotes that Clarissa Dalloway says in the video that you think exemplify these features very well. For instance, "Mrs Dalloway, Mrs Dalloway, I'm not even Clarissa any more... "
Feature Writing
Writing feature stories is a very interesting job on a newspaper. Features include from interviews with celebs to stories and columns about entertainment, hobbies, leisure, special events and cultural activities. They are also called "human-interest stories" and are a relief from the disturbing breaking news. They are more subjective and emotive. You can also combine facts and opinions and they must have a catchy headline.
3. Based on what you already know about Clarissa Dalloway, you will write your own feature story about her and her party as if it was happening tonight (around 200 words). If you have doubts about how to start, read this example of feature story.
Follow these steps:
First of all, find a catchy headline!
SESSION 3:
BAD JOURNALISM
As any journalist would know her most fundamental obligation is to the truth. Truth as verifiable facts presented in a meaningful context. With the aim to facilitate debate and eventually reach good decisions. This would be considered good journalism.
However, there's also bad journalism. Bad journalism is writing or reporting on a story without verification from at least two reliable sources. To write a story with unidentified or annonymous sources is alright as long as you have vetted that source and can verify the story with another person. Heresay is not good enough for a story though many stories are written with only heresay to back them up.
Have you ever heard the term sting operation? What do you think, is it legal or fraudulent? What's the purpose of it?
What we know is that media journalists sometimes resort to sting operations to get information, at any cost.
Do you know any case in your country? Explain. If you don't know any click here.
But there are more bad practices, like phone-hacking. Phone-hacking is defined as the act of gaining access to a phone's voicemail, email, text messages, etc., without authorization from the phone's owner especially listen to their spoken messages.
2. Watch this video to know more and answer the questions below:
What is a rogue reporter?
What was the scandal about?
What makes a news reliable?
3. Now, go to page 114 and read the text BAD NEWS. Then do exercises 1, 2 and the Speaking part in your notebooks.
SESSION 4:
REPORTING VERBS
Say or tell?
They both mean the same but there's a difference, we need to use an object after the verb “tell”. Example:
She said she was sad. She told me she was sad.
The verb tell is used with an object, meaning the person or people who receive the information (the listeners). It would be wrong to say “She told she was sad.” You need the “me”. There are also some very common collocations with these two verbs. Study the charts:
But say and tell can be substituted by other verbs when they are used a reporting verbs:
A. The following common reporting verbs follow the same pattern as say
i.e. verb + (that) + clause :
admit
advise*
agree
announce
claim
complain
confirm
declare
explain
insist
mention
promise
propose
say
suggest
warn
B. The following common verbs follow the same pattern as tell
i.e. verb + (the person) indirect object + (that) + clause :
advise
assure
convince
inform
notify
persuade
promise
reassure
remind
tell
warn
C. Some verbs can be followed by an object and infinitive :
reporting verb + (the person) indirect object + infinitive with to
Examples:
He reminded me to call Kath.
She warned them not to mention it.
Common reporting verbs that follow this pattern are :
advise
ask
beg
convince
encourage
forbid
instruct
invite
order
persuade
remind
tell
urge
warn (not to)
D. Common reporting verbs that can be followed by a gerund are :
admit
deny
mention
proposed
report
suggest
Exercises:
Try an exercise about reporting verbs here
SESSION 5:
MRS DALLOWAY
READ PAGES 21-34. CLICK HERE
I know...we have skipped several pages. No worries, it was just chaff...
1. Watch the following video:
2. Meet the characters:
3. The themes:
4. Motifs:
I hope this has clarified your doubts! After reading these pages, do your summaries and answer the following question:
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