4. Style

A French-Fry Diary: From Idaho Furrow to Golden Arches

1. Especially at the beginning of this article the author aims at a comic effect when transferring words that originate in the fields of warfare or medicine to the potato and French-fry business. Find examples in the text.

2. Look at the questions asked in this article. What do you think their function is?

5. Producing a Filmscript

Imagine you work for an American TV station. You have enjoyed reading this article so much that you have decided to use it as the basis for a loosely-connected documentary film showing

• the business policies of McDonald's

• potato processing from Idaho furrows to McDonald's restaurants

• different people (young people, a gourmet, a nutritionist) expressing different opinions about McDonald's French fries.

The film is to be made on location, with comments alternating with interviews. Estimated length: 15-20 minutes.

Draw up a plan for such a film and decide how to present the basic points you want to make. Think about

• the kind of interviewees you will have to pick in order to present these points.

• the role of the commentator

• the settings required

• the total number of scenes.

After forming small groups or pairs, concentrate on the individual scenes and write a filmscript to include

the setting

the camera movements

the dialogues of the interviews

the remarks of the commentator

the kind of music you would like to use.

Here is a list of vocabulary connected with film­making:

shot a unit in film-production, i.e. a single part of a film made by one camera without interruption

exterior shot shot of an outdoor scene indoor shot shot of an indoor scene

types of camera shots

close-up a large-scale photograph taken from very near: the slightest nuance of expression in an actor's face is magnified by the close-up and can become significant

long shot shot taken from a distance

medium shot normal camera angle and distance

special effects

low angle in a low angle a figure is seen as if from below: the effect is often one of a towering presence, overriding power—otten associated with a sense of threat. "The camera shoots from a low angle."

high angle high angle looks down on the

THE U.S. ECONOMY 79

subject, reversing the psychological effect of low angle

to fade out gradually dissolve one picture in another

camera movements

camera pans it moves from side to side, up and

down, following the action. "The camera pans

across the picture."

6. Structuring an Article

The Forgotten Farmer

camera tracks it moves along. "The camera

tracks the movement of an actor." camera is tilted "It is tilted to make a low angle

shot." camera zooms it moves quickly between a

distant and a close-up view. "The camera

zooms in on Mr. W.'s face."

_С

U.S. agricultural policy decides to increase grain production to the highest level

farmers' indebtedness grows| by leaps and bounds

FARM FORECLOSURES FARMS FOR SALE

The diagram presents the logical organization of the article. It shows how various factors contribute to the present farm crisis in the U.S.A. Decide on the logical position in the diagram of the following factors. Match numbers with letters.

banks encourage farmers to lake out loans at low interest rates

1

high military spending deficits and a tight money supply drive up interest rates on farm loans

increasing international trade competition

countries in the Third World are no longer able to buy U.S. grain at any price

8

Carter's grain embargo reduces U.S. grain exports

government policies encourage farmers to plant their land from fence row to fence row

the high level of productivity drives the price of farms sky-high

increased value of land-holdings allows farmers to borrow more, expand more and produce more

farmers buy more land and equipment to enlarge their operations and produce more

80 AMERICA IN CLOSE-UP