Mass Media in the UK
In Britain more national and regional newspapers are sold per head than in any other Western country, a fact which emphasises the important role of the press in forming public and political opinion.
The regional or local press is, compared to the national dailies, less significant, except in Scotland and Wales, which still have a strong national identity. But complete information can only be obtained by reading both a national and a regional paper.
There are also numerous weekly, fortnightly and monthly ethnic minority publications being published by members of ethnic minorities e.g. Asians, Indians or people from the Caribbean. Newspaper reading is also part of the traditional British Sunday. National Sundays have a circulation of about 16 million copies (dailies of about 14 million).
The national newspapers, which are distributed throughout the country, are traditionally classified as either 'quality' papers or 'popular' papers. It is important to state that the striking difference between them reflects the gap between Britain's social classes.
Populars are mass-circulation tabloids, which are cheaper in price and of lower standards. The so-called yellow-press is read by lower middle classes and working class people, and also by commuters. The format is the handy tabloid (which means small-sheet). There are words in bold face type, sensational headlines and illustration with (colour) photos to arouse the reader's attention. The tabloids, which are written in an emotional, colloquial and informal style, use everyday English.
There is a sensational treatment of news with emphasis on 'human interests' stories and scandals; some of them are down-market in their use of sex to boost sales. Political reporting is superficial, articles are sometimes more openly tendentious.
2. Виконайте наступні вправи:
Use the Present Simple or Present Continuous instead of infinitives in brackets.
1. I (to write) a composition now.
2. I (not to drink) milk now.
3. I (to go) for a walk after dinner.
4. I (not to go) to the theatre every Sunday.
5. He (not to read) now.
6. He (to play) now.
7 He (to play) now?
8. My mother (to work) at a factory.
9. My aunt {not to work) at a shop.
10. You (to work) at an office?
11. My friend (to live) in St. Petersburg.
12. My cousin (not to live) in Miami.
13. The children (not to sleep) now.
14. The children (to play) in the yard every day.
15. They (not to go) to the stadium on Monday.
16. She (to read) in the evening.
17. She (not to read) in the morning.
18. She (not to read) now.
19. Your father (to work) at this factory?
20. You (to play) chess now?
21. Look at the sky: the clouds (to move) slowly, the sun (to appear) from behind the clouds, it (to get) warmer.
22. How is your brother? - - He is not well yet, but his health (to improve) day after day. 23. Listen! Who (to play) the piano in the next room?
Put the verbs in brackets into the Present Continuous.
1. Mrs. Jones (sweep) the steps outside her house.
2. It’s a lovely day. The sun (shine) and the birds (sing).
3. Why Julia (not wear) her new shoes?
4. It (rain)? – Yes, it (rain) very hard. You can’t go out.
5. What you (read) now? – I (read) “Romeo and Juliet”.
6. Somebody (knock) at the door. Shall I answer it?
7. Why you (make) a cake? Someone (come) to tea?
8. Where is Tom? – He (lie) under his car.
9. Mother (rest) now. She always rests after lunch.
10. She (not work) at the moment, she (swim) in the swimming-pool.
11. They (watch) TV now? – No, they (sleep).
Make comparative and superlative forms of adjective
happy – ________________________________________________
clever – ________________________________________________
comfortable – ___________________________________________
interesting – ____________________________________________
bad – __________________________________________________
narrow – _______________________________________________
far – ___________________________________________________
Translate into English using degrees of comparatives of adjectives.
1. Він завжди приходить на роботу раніше, ніж вона.
2. Ганна — найвродливіша серед її подруг.
3. Наш будинок великий. Але ваш будинок більший, ніж наш.
4. Вчора погода була погана, сьогодні гірша, а завтра, можливо, буде ще гірша.
5. Оповідання, яке я прочитав учора, не таке довге, як оповідання, що ви читаєте зараз.
6. Я гадаю, що чим жаркіше літо, тим холодніша зима.
7. Ці яблука погані. Купи мені яблука кращі, ніж ти купував учора.
