Text IV

I. READ THE ARTICLE AND EXPLAIN WHY IT IS HEADLINED IN THIS WAY.

WASHINGTON DISCONNECTED (by Robert J. Samuelson)

By Washington, I do not mean the place. Most people here lead lives like most other Americans. They endure con­gestion, worry about schools and think only intermittently about politics and government.

What I mean by Washington is the political communi­ty. It consists of politicians, congressional staffers, White House aides, top bureaucrats, the press, lobbyists, think-tank experts and the staffs of interest and advocacy groups. These people subsist on politics, elections, legislation and public policy.

The widening gap between this Washington and the rest of the country is not altogether bad. America thrives in part because it's decentralized. Government power remains dispersed among the national, state and local levels. The economy permits companies to expand, compete, contract on their own. There is a plenty of volunteerism, charity and philanthropy.

Still, there is something intuitively disturbing about Washington's growing disconnect. In a representative de­mocracy, people shouldn't feel less and less represented.

It has always been widely believed that the government could solve most social problems. This faith — plus confi­dence that the economy could produce boundless new wealth — inspired immense governmental activism. Washington . connected with the rest of the country by showering new benefits on many constituencies. Although Democrats led this crusade, most Republicans joined. The elderly benefited from Medicare and higher Social Security; the poor received Medicaid and food stamps; schools and universities got more aid; Congress passed environmental and worker-safety laws.

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We know now that this crusade foundered on its own heady assumptions. All social problems could not be solved; the economy couldn't produce boundless wealth; budget deficits emerged because politicians wouldn't choose between higher taxes and lower spending; regulations involved costs, as well as benefits. The political impact of this failure was profound. Lost was the old formula for connecting with the mass of moderate voters.

Ever since, both parties have struggled vainly to find a new one. The result is two parties that are not so much liberal and conservative as reactionary and radical. Demo­crats are reactionary because they seem to promise a return to the dreamy 1960s with expanding social programs and constituent benefits. Many Americans are suspicious. On the other hand, Republicans seem radical because they blame their governments. This frightens most Americans.

It is in this broader sense that Washington has become disconnected. The parties can't speak convincingly to the messy reality of large but inevitably limited government. Neither Democrats nor Republicans can create new programs or cut taxes. Politicians become more strident in their de­bates and more vicious in their personal attacks. They con­sort mostly with their own «core constituencies» and sym­pathetic ideologies.

This is a sad commentary on three decades of change.

(from «NEWSWEEK» 2002)

2. READ THE ARTICLE ONCE MORE AND SAY WHY THE AUTHOR IS SO DISPLEASED WITH THE SITUATION IN POLITICS.

3. TRANSLATE THE FOLLOWING WORD-COMBINA­ TIONS INTO RUSSIAN:

To endure congestion; political appointees; think-tank experts; to subsist on; the widening gap; to thrive; to pro­duce boundless new wealth; to shower benefits on; moderate

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voters; to blame for; in token ways; sympathetic ideologies; to be stunned by.

IV. TRANSLATE THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND THEIR DERIVATIVES:

Connect - disconnect - connection -connected - discon­nected

Policy - politics - political - politician Appoint - appointment - appointee - appointed Center - central - centralize - centralized - decentralized Compete - competing - competition - competitive -competitor

Volunteer - volunteerism - voluntary - voluntarily Philanthropy - philanthropic - philanthropist Represent - representative - representation

V. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. How does the author characterize the political com­ munity?

2. What are the advantages of the gap between Washing­ ton and the rest of the country?

3. But what is so disturbing in this disconnect?

4. What hopes have Americans always placed on the government?

4. Were their hopes realized, at least in any way?

4. How does the author characterize the activities of main American political parties?

4. Do their policies frighten Americans?

5. What is a result of all this political mess?

VI. MAKE UP DISJUNCTIVE QUESTIONS. ASK YOUR FRIEND TO ANSWER THEM.

1. The US political community is a crowd of governing class.

2. The members of this political community subsist on politics, elections, legislation and public policy.

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3. America thrives because it is decentralized.

4. Government power remains dispersed among the na­ tional, state and local levels.

5. There is plenty of volunteerism, charity and philan­ thropy.

6. In a representative democracy people should not feel less and less represented.

7. Government must try to solve all social problems.

8. Politicians become more strident in their debates.

9. They consort mostly with their own sympathetic ide­ ologies.

VII. ASK YOUR FRIEND:

—what he understands by political community;

• whether he thinks together with the author that Demo­ crats are reactionaries;

• if he considers Republicans to be radicals;

• why the gap between Washington and the rest of the country is widening;

• what party is more inclined at social reforms;

• what he means by a sympathetic ideology;

• what is his personal opinion of the article «Washing­ ton Disconnected».

VIII. REVIEW THE ARTICLE

TEXT V

I. READ AND TRANSLATE THE ARTICLE: THE GRAND ILLUSION (by Robert J. Samuelson)

Americans are complacent, and their nation's power and reach seem unrivaled. But today's dominance won't last.

It has been the American century in more sense than one. At its start, the United States existed on the fringe of the global order. Americans probably enjoyed the world's highest living standard. But Europe regarded itself as the

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world's commercial centre. However, incomes per person are 45 percent higher in America than in Europe, and 26 percent higher than in Japan.

It is hard to overstate US pre-eminence. Five of the 10 largest multinational corporations are American. Coca-Cola is the world's best-selling soft drink. Hollywood is the world's entertainment capital. The 20^th century has been a contest of ideas. At the outset, there was Empire: the no­tion that some peoples deserve to rule over others. Then there was fascism. Only the American ideal — with it em­phasis on human dignity, freedom and material progress — survived. Triumphant democracy and market economies would slowly erase major geopolitical conflicts.

But even the most powerful nation-state may not be able to tame menaces of the new millennium: nuclear pro­liferation, especially in volatile regions (the Indian subcon­tinent, the Middle East); terrorism, involving — perhaps — weapons of mass destruction; economic instability -wild swings in financial markets or trade flows, and technological breakdowns — whether by accident or sabotage — of vital computer or communication systems. And beyond these threats lie internal challenges to social cohesion and econo­mic well-being.

The most obvious of these is aging. By 2030, the ratio of America's working age population to the older popula­tion is expected to drop from today's 3-1 to 2-1. Govern­ment programs for the retired could raise spending to levels that create oppressive taxes or immense budget deficits.

But let's regard these problems. Let's also discount the possibility that, ambivalent about their nation's role in the world, Americans may tire of being a superpower. Let's focus instead on the narrower promise that the American Century can perpetuate itself through the expansion of de­mocracy and market-based economies. Either this expan­sion will occur or it won't. The trouble is that, whatever happens, American pre-eminence may suffer.

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Suppose that democracy and market economics flourish. America's share of the world economy would decline. It is now about one fifth, but faster economic growth in China, India, Southeast Asia, Africa and South America — where three quarters of the world's 6 billion people live— would shrink that. As other countries grew wealthier and more confident, so would their power to challenge US interests and military technology.

For years Europe and Japan — with democracies, marketeconomies and strong ties to the United States — have chafed an American leadership. Would Chinese, Indians, Brazilians — with weaker ties — quietly abide US leadership as their strength and status rose? Resentment of America is surely as wide-spread as admiration.

Now consider the alternate possibility: the advance of de­mocracy and markets isn't inevitable. For one reason or an­other, the global economy sputters. Trade protection rises as governments try to preserve jobs. Peoples everywhere empha­size their political, cultural, religious and ethnic differences. Nationalism increases, while popular support for interna­tional policies falls. Governments strain to reconcile economic interdependence and political hostility. In short, the Ameri­can model of economic and political pluralism founders.

As other countries advance, they may resist US views and interests in international organizations. Global compe­tition will intensify. And the overall geopolitical balance may shift. The USA has many problems now, but no obvi­ous crises, but this is half illusion, a deceptive one.

(from «NEWSWEEK» 2000)

II. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. What position does the USA occupy at the interna­ tional arena now?

2. It has some economic superiority, doesn't it?

3. What are the figures showing incomes per person in America?

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4. What economic priorities does the US have in the

world?

5. What global problems are. still left unresolved?

6. Do they seem to be menaces of the new millennium?

7. What threatens US prosperity on the national level?

8. What is the situation like on the global level?

9. Are Americans' fears exaggerated or true to life?

10. Does the author finish his article with the pessimis- ticror optimistic note?

III. TRANSLATE THE FOLLOWING WORD-COMBINA­ TIONS:

Emphasis on human dignity; triumphant democracy; to erase major geopolitical conflicts; to tame menaces; nuclear proliferation; social cohesion; to reconcile economic inde­pendence; political hostility; to intensify global competi­tion.

IV. USE THE ABOVE WORD-COMBINATIONS IN YOUR REVIEW OF THE ARTICLE.

V. READ THE ARTICLE AND RENDER ITS CONTENTS

IN RUSSIAN:

AN EMOTIONAL OVERREACTION (by Kenneth Auchincloss)

It is fanciful to think the terrorist attacks have changed Americans permanently.

Ever since September 11, it's been fashionable to say «This has changed everything.»

Some things have definitely changed. Thousands of lives have been lost, with devastating effects on the victims' friends and families. Major elements of the US government, notably the armed forces, are now directing their efforts towards the struggle against terrorism and the protection of citizens. Internationally, new alliances have been forged and old ones may be frayed.

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These are not minor consequences. But the Americans mean that the terrorist attacks will have long-range effects on the American psyche and on the behavior patterns of ordinary citizens. None of this is likely.

It's not easy to change the American psyche. Whendisaster strikes, we are hugely generous; when the urgency of events subsides, we revert to our individualism. That is the normal way - or, as we call it, human nature.

If our psyches haven't altered, what about our behavior patterns? Of course, there are changes, but it's likely they will all be temporary. We are taking airplanes less frequent­ly. There is a run on drugs to cope with anxiety. Unless more anthrax shows up in the mail, people will quickly resume opening envelopes with their usual abandon, and men in scary hazmat (hazardous materials) costumes will no longer show up in public places.

We Americans are notorious overreactors. It goes with our lust for novelty. We flock to the latest fashions, we swoon at the latest celebrity, we gasp at the latest headline - and then we quickly move on to the next. The same is true of our response to perceived threats. We may overre­act, but we are also quick to recover.

My point is that even a relatively small crisis can in­duce a large response in the American public. But we should be clear-eyed about what the current war on terror is likely to entail. There may be well more attacks on Americans, though probably nothing quite so devastating as that of September 11. Most likely, the struggle will evolve into a long, shadowy contest rather like the cold war. It will take place mostly outside America's borders, and its victories may be invisible - cloaked in secrecy or impossible to assess except with the passage of time.

VI. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: 1, What accident gave rise to the phrase « This has changed everything»?

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2. What has been changed in reality?

3. What did the terrorist attacks influence greatly?

4. Is it easy to change the American psyche?

5. What are the most evident traits of the Americans?

6. Have their benavior patterns changed?

7. Will it last long?

8. What will the war on terror entail?

VII. EXPLAIN THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:

1. The terrorist attacks will have long-range effects on the American psyche.

2. When disaster strikes the Americans are hugely gene­ rous.

3. There is a run on drugs to cope with anxiety.

4. The Americans are notorious overreactors.

5. A relatively small crisis can induce a large response in the American public.

VIII. TRANSLATE THE FOLLOWING WORD-COMBI­ NATIONS INTO RUSSIAN:

Devastating effects; to redirect one's efforts; long-range effects; behavior patterns; to cope with anxiety; notorious overreactors; lust for novelty; to induce a large response; to assess with the passage of time.

PARAPHRASE THESE WORD-COMBINATIONS BY USING FAMILIAR ONES.

IX. CHARACTERIZE, PLEASE: ,

1. Minor consequences of the terrorist attack on the USA.

2. Major consequences of this attack.

X. REVIEW THE ARTICLE. USE THE WORD-COMBI­ NATIONS OF EXERCISE 6.

XL WHAT DO YOU THINK?

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1. Is it possible to solve the problem of terrorism on the national level? On the global level?

2. What are the most optimal ways for preventing ter­rorist attacks?

3. How did the USA try to settle the conflict in the Middle East?

1. Were their attempts humane?

4. Should we eliminate the weapons of mass destruction forever?

2. Are local wars inevitable?

TEXT V

I. READ THE ARTICLE AND ANSWER THE QUES­TIONS THAT FOLLOW:

MASS COMMUNICATION (by S. Lowery and M. De Fleur)

The American society is constantly changing. The mass media supported by society are also changing. In some part, the process is reciprocal. That is, the society influences its media, but the media, once in place, sometimes modify the society. These facts make the search for stable generaliza­tions about the personal, social, political, and cultural in­fluence of mass communication a difficult one.

Since the media first arrived, each succeeding decade has brought a different set of economic conditions, new technology, changing political demands, and a continuous­ly developing culture. In this dynamic milieu, the media continued to change their form, content, and distribution. This, in turn, modified the influence that they had on the people who attended to them. The process continues, and it will go on into the foreseeable future.

What this means for the student of mass communication is that the question of what influence mass communication has on people is an extraordinary complex one. There are few «eternal verities» that can adequately describe the effects of all mass media on all people during all historical periods. Even

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aconclusion about the influence of a particular medium thatseems inescapably true for a specific category of people during a given period may prove to be invalid at a late time. This is not to say that no stable generalizations can be found through an examination of the major research studies of the past. We have learned a great deal about mass communication and how people are influenced by media in a given set of economic, political, and cultural conditions.

But if there are only a limited number of timeless truths to be obtained from an examination of the research mile­stones of the past, why should they be reviewed in detail? Actually, there are a number of reasons. For example, such a review provides an intellectual history of mass communi­cation as seen through the eyes of the research scientists. That is a very different history from one understood from any other perspective.

. It shows the development of theories about cause and effect in the analysis of media influences on society as well as the progressive adaptation of an increasingly sophisti­cated research methodology to the study of mass communi­cation. Such a review also reveals the evolution of a unique relationship between a community of communication scholars, a public interested in their findings, and a government increasingly willing to provide funds for research pro­viding answers to socially significant questions.

Over the years, there were identifiable changes in basic conceptualizations. There has also been an increase in the level of sophistication of methods and techniques used in media research. Generally, these advances paralleled de­velopments in the social sciences, mainly sociology, politi­cal science, and psychology.

QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED:

1. What relationship is there between the changes in the society and in the mass media?

2. What kind of influence do the mass media exert?

3. How do the mass media change?

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4. What «eternal verities» can describe the effects of all mass media on all people?

5. Why are governments so much interested in the mass media?

6. The development of what social sciences do the mass media influence?

II. COULD YOU DESCRIBE THE ESSENCE OF THE FOLLOWING NOTIONS?

Mass media; timeless truths; milieu; eternal verities; research milestones.

3. GIVE THE GENERAL IDEA OF THE ARTICLE IN 7 BASIC SENTENCES.

4. READ THE ARTICLE AND ANSWER THE QUES­ TIONS:

1. Why do parents ban their children to watch television?

1. What data does research connected with TV viewing show?

2. What advice do experts suggest?

THE FORBIDDEN FRUITS

(by Karen Springen)

Some parents ban TV; others strictly limit it. But when is too little of something too much?

More and more parents are listening to research on the long-term benefits of setting strict limits on pastimes that can be bad for kids, such as watching TV or eating junk food. But when do bans on popular activities do more harm than good? Some parents worry that their children will be outcasts if they haven't watched the latest «South Park». Others say that kids who grow up in a candy-free house will just scarf Snickers bars at the neighbors. The answers depend on the age of the child and the community environment.

If rules are too strict - in opposition to everyone else on the block - kids may indeed become pariahs. «When it's a

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norm, they're risking social isolation from their peers,»warns Barbara Howard, a developmental professor. And that increases the risk that they'll grow up defiant, she says. «They're more likely to do things like sneak, steal, lie to you about it.» That can mean anything from putting on makeup in the girls' room at school to spending lunch money on candy bars. Howard's advice: don't ban everything. «Pick one that you think is really important,» she says.

Television is a major battleground. Research shows children glued to the set for more than 10 hours each week are more likely to be overweight, aggressive and slower to learn in school. For that reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages «screen time» for children under 2 and says parents should limit exposure to videogames, com­puters and TV to a maximum of two hours a day for older kids. Interacting with people rather than listening to TV characters helps children learn language and become crea­tive, independent learners. To help kids develop their own internal limits on TV, offer healthy alternatives.

When setting limits on anything, experts say, it's al­ways important to take a positive approach. Otherwise, kids may see bans as punishment.

(from «NEWSWEEK», 2001)

V. TRANSLATE INTO RUSSIAN THE FOLLOWING WORD-COMBINATIONS AND USE THEM IN THE SEN­ TENCES OF YOUR OWN:

The forbidden fruits; to set strict limits; an outcast; to ban; community environment; social isolation; peers; screen time; exposure to videogames; to offer a healthy alterna­tive; to take a positive approach; punishment.

VI. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

1. What does the author mean by the forbidden fruits?

2. Is it so important to set strict limits for TV viewing time?

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3. Does too intensive viewing TV promote social isola­ tion or not?

4. Must children view political programs or not?

5. What helps a child grow up a politically-minded per­ sonality?

6. What healthy alternatives should parents offer their children instead of violent TV episodes?

VII. REVIEW THE ARTICLE.

VIII. READ THE TEXT AND RENDER ITS IDEA IN RUSSIAN:

MEDIA STUDIES

It is necessary to understand that the media present a version of reality that is constructed; the information we receive is only a representation of the actual event. The me­dia can influence our perceptions of gender, race, family, violence, policy, and society itself. By means of media we can recognize the consumerism behind products and identify implications (analyze advertising). Media helps us examine the techniques used to organize and construct images.

Information in our society is gained from many com­munications media, ranging from the obvious, such as tele­vision, radio or newspapers, to the less obvious, such as clothing. Much of this information is transmitted repeat­edly, which can result in our absorbing these messages implicitly. This is how media can easily shape values and behaviours.

It is essential that students be encouraged to explore the messages in media texts by developing a basic under­standing of how media work, and what their limitations, possibilities and power are.

We live in a world rich in information. Most of this information and much of what we know comes to us through the media - television, radio, newspapers, billboards, maga­zines, films, and increasingly, the Internet.

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The ability of the media to communicate information to us is important and valuable, but there is also a business side to media. As businesses, media organizations need the support of a large audience and sponsors. For instance, when we buy a magazine, some money goes to the publisher. Com­panies also pay the publisher to print the advertisements that we see in the magazine. Similarly, companies pay net­works to play the commercials that we see on television.

To reach as many people as possible, magazines and tele­vision programs (and all forms of media) are carefully planned to be captivating and entertaining. As a result, our attitudes and ideas about events and products can be af­fected by the way the «pictures» are put together.

For good and bad, media is a part of our everyday lives, but most of us do not know the «rules of the game». If we learn the strategies, skills, and the techniques used we can better understand it.

Media literacy means knowing some of the techniques used to make media messages, learning what is behind the media messages and recognizing that the media want to at­tract and influence us, the audience, with their messages.

Media accounts of sports events are carefully put together to create suspense, drama and excitement to keep the viewers' attention. One production technique used to create these ef­fects is camera angles. Through various camera angles, the audience receives different impressions about the events.

Advertisers and sponsors want as many people to see their products as possible. The Olympics attract a lot of attention and draw a large audience. This is why broadcasting the Olym­pics and World Cup can make a lot of money for television networks, sponsors and advertisers. In order to keep the viewers interested, much planning is done to make the Games exciting, suspenseful and dramatic. This may include produc­tion techniques such as replays and slow motion to highlight actions, close ups and music to build drama and tension, sto­ries about athletes, and colourful commentary and statistics.

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IX. READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW IT:

MASS MEDIA

Mass Media — radio, television and press are justly con­sidered to be the fourth power in human society. Their role in shaping the public opinion can hardly be overestimated. They also play an important role in keeping people well informed in current events occurring all over the world.

The most popular is television. What makes TV so popu­lar in many countries? — It provides information, educa­tion and entertainment. With the help of TV you can learn about interesting and important events at home and abroad, the latest news, sport news. We can say that radio per­forms this service just as well, but on TV everything is much more living, much more real.

Is TV a blessing or a curse? On the one hand it's a great comfort to many elderly and lonely people. On the other hand it makes people passive — they don't dance, they don't do things, they don't play games. They prefer to watch professional singers, dancers and athletes on TV.

A hundred years ago people knew how to entertain them­selves much better than they do now. Most people could sing a little, or play a musical instrument, so they could entertain each other. Conversation was an art, amusing conversation could keep people happy for hours. As for games, such as football, tennis, people played them more often than they do now.

Nowadays we are entertained by professionals. Why listen to your friends singing when you can hear the greatest singers of the world on the radio? Why play football with players who are not very good at it, when you can just sit comfortably at home and watch the game without having to go outside at all?

Television also displays the cinema and the theatre. Does TV corrupt and instruct our children? TV in itself is neither good nor bad. It all depends on the quality of TV programmes. Many protest against violence and sex on TV.

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Most people prefer watching TV to reading newspapers. Newspapers cover information on home and foreign affairs, they carry serious editorials, arts and literary reviews; they provide up-to-date political and financial information and much professional advertising. Some newspapers have supplements which may be very different from the newspaper itself. They publish stories to be continued, discuss most typical issues, give analysis of important political events. There are also other kinds of newspapers that offer light reading.

They may have brief news reports, sensational informa­tion; much importance is given to politics, sports and en­tertainments. They have a lot of catchy headlines, inter­views given by famous people.

Newspapers may come out every day — they are dailies, once a week — they are weeklies, and once a month — monthlies. People can subscribe to them and they will be delivered home, or they can be bought at a news agent's or a news-stand.

Among the «quality» papers the strongly Conservative «Daily Telegraph» sells more than twice as many copies as any of the others. It costs less to buy and its reporting of events is very thorough. The «Financial Times» has a narrower appeal, but is in general narrowly restricted to business news. «The Guardian» has an old Liberal tradition and is in general a paper of the left. The most famous of all British newspapers is the «Times».

The popular newspapers are now commonly called «tab­loids», a word first used for pharmaceutical substances com­pressed into pills. The tabloid newspapers compress the news, and are printed on small sheets of paper. They use enor­mous headlines for the leading items of each day, which are one day political, one day do with crime, one day sport, one day some odd happening.

The two very popular papers, the «Daily Express» and the «Daily Mail» were both built up by individual tycoons in the early 20^th century. In popular journalism the «Daily

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Mirror» became a serious rival of the «Express» and «Mail» in the 1940s.

Questions to be answered:

1. What role do mass media play?

2. Which media are the most popular?

3. What does TV provide?

4. Is TV a blessing or a curse? What do you think?

5. Does TV displace the theatre or the cinema?

6. What information do newspapers cover?

7. How often do newspapers come out?

8. What are the most popular newspapers in Britain?

9. What is the origin of the word «tabloid»?

10. What information do tabloids contain?

X. AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:

1. Mass Media are considered the fourth power in hu­ man society.

2. They are directed at shaping public opinion.

3. The most popular is television.

4. Television is a great comfort for elderly and lonely people.

5. Television corrupts our children.

6. Newspapers exert a devastating impact on all the people irrespective of their age.

7. Political events help be in the center of political life of the state.

8. Newspaper advertisements are of certain value for the public.

XL CHARACTERIZE THE MASS MEDIA INFLUENCE ON PUBLIC POLITICAL AWARENESS. USE THE FOL­LOWING WORD-COMBINATIONS:

To shape public opinion; to keep people well informed; the representation of urgent events; to construct images; to provide up-to-date information.

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XII. READ AND TRANSLATE THE TEXT: IN PRAISE OF TELEVISION (by George Mikes)

When I first came to England, television was still a kind of entertainment and not a national disease. During the happy war years it was off the air altogether but after­wards it returned with a vengeance.

Television, however, has slowly conquered - in varying degree - all layers of society and, whether we like it or not - it has come to stay.

I have watched innumerable statesmen boarding and leav­ing aeroplanes with heavy, meaningful faces and have always been astonished to find that the same platitudes can be ex­pressed in so many different ways. During our strikes, I have listened to trade union leaders and employers on Mondays and was impressed to learn that no concessions could be made in matters of principle: only to be told on Wednesdays that their relinquishing of these principles was - on their part - victory for common sense and a true service to the community.

I have heard innumerable party politicians explaining that defeat is victory. I like the Brains Trust, too - its poets and interior decorators with the gift of the gab, who are able to utter weighty opinions on every subject under the sun without a moment's reflection. I am fond of watch­ing people in Tanganyika or Madagascar catching rats, snakes and worms for pets.

The basis and main pillar of the art of television is the TELEVISION PERSONALITY. If you want to become a Television Personality, you need a personality of some sort. It may be unattractive or simply repulsive; but a personal­ity is indispensable.

On the whole I like television very much indeed. The reasons for my devotion are these:

1) Television is one of the chief architects of prosperity. Certain television personalities can give away money with great charm on the slightest provocation. It is their habit -

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indeed, their second nature - to give you a refrigerator or a motor-scooter if you happen to pass near them. Should you chance to know what the capital of France is called, or who our war-time Prime Minister was with the initials of W.S.C., if you are able to scratch your left ear with your right foot while lying on the floor blindfold and watched by ten million giggling spectators, then you are practically certain to be sent to Majorca for a three week's holiday.

2. Television is also one of the main architects of slumps.A short while ago Panorama made a report on the stock- exchange boom, in the course of which one or two people made some cautious remarks about the boom not lasting forever, and recalled the Wall Street crash when people threw themselves out of the windows of skyscrapers. Next day hordes of people sold their shares, thus causing a fall unknown since the days of the Suez crisis. The bank rate had to be raised three days later and if Dotto and a few other programmes had not rectified the country's economic balance by giving away even more washing-machines, bub­ ble-cars and tea-sets, we would have faced utter ruin.

3. Television has united the family - by keeping the family at home, gaping at it round the family hearth.

4. Television causes more friction in family life than any other single factor by offering unique scope for quarrels as to which programme to watch.

5. Television is of great educational value. It teaches you while still really young how to (a) kill, (b) rob, (c) shoot, (d) poison, and generally speaking, (e) how to grow up into a Wild West outlaw or gangster by the time you leave school.

6. Television puts a stop to crime because all the bur­ glars and robbers, instead of going to burgle and rob, sit at home watching The Lone Ranger, Emergency Ward Ten and Dotto.

6) Television has undeniably raised the general level of culture throughout the country. Some people allege that it

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14 - Английский язык для философов

Учебное пособие для философов и политологов

has killed the habit of reading and thinking - but there is no truth in this. I have yet to meet a person who gave up his methodical study of, say, early Etruscan civilization in order to be able to watch more of Sunday Night at the London Palladium or who has stopped reading Proust or Plutarch because he could not tear himself away from What's My Line? or Spot the Tune. NOTES:

1. Brains Trust - television programme in which a group of prominent people or experts discuss questions of general interest sent to the programme by the public.

1. W.S.C. -Winston Spencer Churchill

2. bubble -cars - very small cars

XIII. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. Is television a kind of entertainment or a national disease?

2. Television has conquered all layers of society, hasn't it?

3. What was the author astonished by watching TV?

4. What were party politicians explaining on TV?

5. What is the basis and main pillar of the art of televi­ sion?

6. Why does the author say that television is one of the chief architects of prosperity?

7. What is the second nature of a television personality?

8. What makes television to be one of the main archi­ tects of slumps?

9. Does television unite a family or cause more friction in family life?

10. Television is of great educational value, isn't it?

11. What does television teach the younger generation, according to the author of the text?

12. How does television promote to stop crime?

13. Has television raised the general level of culture or killed the habit of reading and thinking?

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Political science

XIV. GIVE RUSSIAN EQUIVALENTS FOR: Entertainment; in varying degree; platitude; a true service

to the community; to utter weighty opinions; without a mo­ment's reflection; the main pillar; devotion; prosperity; on the slightest provocation; giggling spectators; stock-exchange boom; friction in family life; to give up; to tear oneself away from.

15. WILL YOU CHARACTERIZE THE AUTHOR'S PERSONAL ATTITUDE TO TELEVISION?

16. ENUMERATE:

1. positive aspects of television influence;

2. negative effects of television.

XVII. ANSWER: IN WHAT MANNER DOES GEORGE MIKES DEPICT APPEARANCE OF POLITICIANS ON TV SCREENS?

XVIII. GIVE A SUMMARY OF THE TEXT. USE THE FOLLOWING WORD-COMBINATIONS:

National disease; to be off the air; to return with venge­ance; layers of society; to make concessions; to relinquish one's principles; common sense; to utter weighty opinions; one of the chief architects; to cause friction; outlaw; to kill the habit; to tear oneself away.

XIX. ASK YOUR FRIEND:

• if watching TV in his country is a national disease;

• whether he thinks that all politicians' remarks con­ tain common sense;

• if they always utter weighty opinions;

• if different political views cause friction in his family life;

• whether television killed his habits of reading and thinking;

• if he has got any idols among political leaders;

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. Учебное пособие для философов и политологов

• if he watches all political reviews;

• if public opinion influences his own outlook;

• if he can tear himself away from TV for the sake of study;

• what is TV for him;

• if he is hooked by TV;

• if TV broadens his mind.

XX. READ THE ARTICLE AND GIVE ITS MAIN IDEA: TV VIOLENCE CAN CAUSE AGGRESSION