现代大学英语精读6第二版教师用书Unit3

现代大学英语精读6第二版教师用书Unit3

Unit 3 What Is News?

Neil Postman and Steve Powers

Structure of the Text

Part I (Para. 1)

In this beginning paragraph, the authors state the purpose of the essay.

Part II (Para. 2)

Some people might define the news as what television directors and journalists say it is. The authors, however, think that this definition is too simplistic.

Part III (Paras. 3C5)

In these paragraphs, the authors explain why the news cannot be simply defined as “what happened that day” or “what happened that day that was important and interesting”.

Part IV (Paras. 6C11)

In these paragraphs, the authors tell readers that the news is more often made rather than gathered, and it is made on the basis of what the journalist thinks important or what the journalist thinks the audience thinks is important. Therefore, every news story is a reflection of the reporter who tells the story.

Part V (Paras. 12C15)

In these paragraphs, the authors point out that to make sense of the news, the viewer has to know something about the journalist’s political beliefs as well as his prejudices, interests, and quirks which are, in turn, influenced by his financial status, the companies he has worked for, the schools he went to, the books he has read, etc.

Part VI (Paras. 16C17)

In these paragraphs, the authors point out that the journalist cannot always impose his/her views on the general public because the television channel or newspaper cannot survive unless the news they provide satisfies the needs of the general public. On the other hand, the viewer/reader must also take into account his or her relationship to a larger audience because television and newspapers are mass media and their news is not intended for an audience of one.

Part VII (Paras. 18C20)

In these paragraphs, the authors discuss some other possible definitions of news: news as something to give people pleasure; news as something instructive that reveals the mores, values, and ideals of a society; news as living history; news as a source of literature; news as a reflection of human pain, suffering, tragedies and confusion; news as something to inspire people and make them optimistic; news as something to frighten people and make them aware of the seamy side of

the reality; last but not least, news as a filler between commercials.

Part VIII (Para. 21)

In this paragraph, the authors conclude the essay by reiterating their purpose in raising the issue “What is news?” It is to arouse our interest and help us understand the problems, limitations, traditions, motivations, and even the delusions of the television news industry.

Detailed Study of the Text

1. We turn to this question because unless a television viewer has considered it, he or she is in danger of too easily accepting someone else’s definition―for example, a definition supplied by the news director of a television station; or even worse, a definition imposed by important advertisers. (Para. 1)

news director: (电视台) 新闻节目负责人

advertisers: In many countries in the West, television stations largely depend on selling air time to advertisers for their revenue. Therefore, important advertisers can often impose their views and interests on the news supplied by television stations.

viewer：Someone who is watching a movie, a television program, or an exhibition Compare:

audience: a group of people who watch, read, or listen to something spectator: a person who watches an event, show, game, or activity

2. A simplistic definition of news can be drawn by paraphrasing Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes’ famous definition of the law. The law, Holmes said, is wha t the courts say it is… we might say that the news is what television directors and journalists say it is. (Para. 2) Americans generally accept Holmes’ famous definition of the law because they agree that laws must allow for the new interpretations necessary to meet the challenges of a changing nation and a changing world. But to propose a definition of the news by paraphrasing Holmes’ definition of the law probably commits the logical error of false analogy. For example, it would not make much sense if we were to say politics is what politicians say it is, or education is what teachers say it is. simplistic: disapproving too simple; not complete or sufficiently thorough Nothing more. Nothing less. : As simple as that; no more, no less. in similar fashion: in the similar way; likewise; by the similar token

3. But if we were to take that approach, on what basis would we say that we haven’t been told enough? Or that a story that should have been covered wasn’t? Or that too many stories of a certain type were included? Or that a reporter gave a flagrantly biased account?

(Para. 2)

The fact that people are often unsatisfied with news reporting implies that people have different ideas about what news should be.

flagrantly biased: obviously and unquestionably biased

4. In modifying their answer, most will add that the news is Dimportant and interesting

things that happened that day.‖ This helps a little but leaves open the question of what is Dimportant and interesting‖ and how that is decided. (Para. 3)

It is all right to say that news consists of the important things that happened that day. But important to whom? In what sense? For what reason?

but leaves open the question: but does not give an answer to the question

5. Of course, some people will say that the question of what is important and interesting is not in the least problematic. What the President says or does is important; wars are important, rebellions, employment figures, elections, appointments to the Supreme Court. (Para. 4)

This is an interesting example of hasty generalization. It is true that what important people say or do is often important, but we can’t jump to the conclusion that everything they say or do is always important. On the other hand, sometimes even what happens to someone completely unknown can escalate to a serious crisis. People call that “the Butterfly Effect.” problematic: causing a problem; questionable; uncertain

6. Now, there is a great deal to be said for Saran Wrap. (Para. 4) Now, it’s true that Saran Wrap is very useful.

7. Saran Wrap is not news. The color of Liz Taylor’s wrap is. Or so

some people believe. (Para. 4)

Note that the authors are making a word play on the word “wrap,” which has different meanings.

8. We shall never learn about these people either, however instructive or interesting their stories may have been. (Para. 5) We will never hear anything about these people either, no matter how instructive or interesting their stories may have been.

instructive: providing knowledge or information; educational

9. Of course, there are some events―the assassination of a president, an earthquake, etc.―that have near universal interest and consequences. But most news does not inhere in the event. (Para. 6) to inhere in sth.: formal to be a natural part of sth.; to be inherent in sth.

10. In fact, the news is more often made rather than gathered. (Para. 6)

In fact, often the news is not something out there for you to pick up; you have to decide what information is newsworthy and make it into news. 11．Is a story about a killing in Northern Ireland more important than one about a killing in Morocco? (Para. 6)

For Americans of Irish background, the answer will most likely be yes. It is said that the relative importance of an event is often determined by the relative distance of its occurrence to the person involved.

12．… every news story is a reflection of the reporter who tells the story. The reporter’s previous assumptions about what is Dout there‖ edit what he or she thinks is there. (Para. 6) If news stories were just facts, and facts speak for themselves, then all news stories, though written by different people, would be the same. But news stories are actually all different because every news story is a reflection of the

reporter who tells the story, and every reporter has previous assumptions (beliefs, points of view, and biases) which affect what he/she thinks is there.

to edit: to decide what will be included or left out, as editors do in preparing, printing, broadcasting, etc.

13．The answers to all of these questions, as well as to other questions about the event, depend entirely on the point of view of the journalist. You might think this is an exaggeration, that reporters, irrespective of their assumptions, can at least get the facts straight. (Para. 7) irrespective of: regardless of; without thinking about or considering

All government officials, irrespective of their rank, must disclose their property.

We pursue the diplomatic policy of the five principles of peaceful coexistence in our relationship with all countries irrespective of their size or political system.

to get the facts straight: to find out what the facts are without making mistakes now-defunct: now-dead; now no longer existing or functioning

to feature a story: to give a story a prominent place in a newspaper or television news show

14．… who thus earn their 35 rubles a month in lieu of Drelief‖… (Para. 8)

Instead of receiving government relief, they are given jobs by the government so that they can earn their money. (这是以工代赈的政策) in lieu of: instead of

(government) relief：money that is given to poor people by the government (政府)救济15．… it was the policy of the Journal to highlight the contrast between the primitive Russian economy and the

sophisticated American economy. (Para. 11)

the Journal: This refers to the newspaper The Wall Street Journal, mentioned above. to highlight: to make people notice or be aware of something

sophisticated: (the opposite of primitive) highly developed and complex 高级的，复杂的

16．Each of our senses is a remarkably astute censor. We see what we expect to see; often, we focus on what we are paid to see. And those who pay us to see usually expect us to accept their notions not only of what is important but of what are important details. (Para. 11) We have five sense organs, and they are all extremely sharp censors.

censor: a person who examines books, movies, newspapers, etc. and removes things considered by the authorities to be offensive, immoral, or harmful to society (Note the personification of the word) .

We do not see or hear everything. We only see or hear what we expect to see or hear because we have been trained that way. We have been paid by our bosses to see or hear what they expect us to see or hear. We have been made to accept our bosses’ notion of what is interesting and important. 17．DWe’d have complete dossiers on the interests, policies, and idiosyncrasies of the owners.

Then we’d have a dossier on every journalist in the world. The interests, prejudices, and quirks of the owner would equal Z. The prejudices, quirks, and private interests of the journalist Y. Z times Y would give you X, the probable amount of truth in the story.‖ (Para.

12)

Here the French writer Albert Camus, quoted by A. J. Liebling, is using a mathematic formula to express the relationship between the interests, prejudices and quirks of a newspaper owner, and those of the journalists, and the probable amount of truth in a news story. Z x

Y = X

Here, Z = the interests, prejudices, and quirks of the owner Y = the interests, prejudices, and quirks of the journalists X = the truth probability of the news Dossiers (on): files (of); records (of) 18．The host might say something like this: DTo begin with, this station is owned by Gary Farnsworth, who is also the president of Bontel Limited, the principal stockholder of which is the Sultan of Bahrain. Bontel Limited owns three Japanese electronic companies, two oil companies, the entire country of Upper Volta, and the western part of Romania. …‖ (Para. 13)

The implied suggestion is that this television station is quite likely to be biased in its news reporting, reflecting the interests of those who control its finances.

19．DThe anchorman on the television show earns $800,000 a year; his portfolio includes holdings in a major computer firm. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Arkansas but was a C+ student, has never taken a course in political science, and speaks no language other than English. Last year, he read only two books―a biography of Cary Grant and a book of popular psychology called Why Am I So Wonderful? … (Para. 13)

The implication here is that the opinions of the anchorman on a television show are strongly influenced by his financial status, his source of income, the education he has received, and the books he has read.

anchorman (anchorwoman): (chiefly in the US) a man or woman who presents and coordinates a television news program (电视和广播电台)新闻节目主持人Compare:

broadcaster: 播音员host：（游戏，访谈节目）主持人

portfolio：a range of investments held by a person or organization

全部投资；投资组合holdings：financial assets; land, property, or shares in a company 拥有的财产

20. DThe reporter who covered the story on Yugoslavia speaks Serbo-Croatian, has a degree in international relations, and has had a Neiman Fellowship at Harvard University.‖(Para. 13)

A reporter who speaks the language, has a degree in a related field, and has done research on journalism at a distinguished university can naturally be expected to be more competent to cover the story on Yugoslavia than one without these qualifications.

21. What we are saying is that to answer the question DWhat is news?‖ a viewer must know something about the political beliefs and economic situation of those who provide the news. (Para. 15) The point we are trying to make is that a viewer must know something about the political beliefs and economic situation of those who supply the news if he/she wants to answer the question “What is news?”

Note here that the news reporter’s economic situation refers to his/her financial status as well as the way his/her living is made, because a person’s vested interest (his/her personal stake in an undertaking, especially with an expectation of financial or other gain) often affects his/her point of view.

22. There is, in fact, a point of view that argues against journalists imposing their own sense of significance on an audience. … What’s our point? A viewer must not only know what he or she thinks is significant but others believe is significant as well. (Para. 16) to keep their own opinions to themselves: To keep their own opinions secret; not to announce their own opinions

to advise them of what is important: to instruct them in what is important; to teach them what is important

Note that with the verb “advise”, the preposition “of” is used, and “to advise somebody of something” is not to be confused with “to advise somebody t o do something”.

Liz Taylor’s adventures in marriage: This refers to the actress’s unusually numerous marriages, which were a favorite subject of social gossip at the time.

A viewer must not only know what he or she thinks is significant but others believe is significant as well: This may be clearer if we repeat the word “what” after “but”.

23. Television is a mass medium, which means that a television news show is not intended for you alone. It is public communication, and the viewer needs to have some knowledge and opinions about Dthe public.‖ (Para. 17)

In defining news it is important for us to remember that a mass medium is not for any single individual alone. It is for the general public, and in a pluralistic society, people’s interests and needs differ. Therefore, viewers must take this fact into consideration and respect the right of other people to be different.

24. And this leads to another difficulty in answering the question DWhat is news?‖ Some might agree with us that Liz Taylor’s adventures in marriage do not constitute significant events but that they ought to be included in a news show precisely for that reason. Her experiences, they may say, are amusing or diverting, certainly engrossing. In other words, the purpose of news should be to give people pleasure, at least to the extent that it takes their minds off their own troubles. … (Para. 18)

This is looking at news from a different perspective. It says that many people read the news not for being educated or enlightened, but simply for entertainment. This may not be the most important

purpose of the mass media, but we can’t say it is illegitimate. The question “What is news?” is now becoming increasingly complicated.

they want relief, not aggravation: People want the news to give them some reliefCmeaning here the removal of something painful or unpleasant rather than its opposite, aggravation, which makes the painful or unpleasant situation even worse.

to take their minds off their own troubles: to make them forget their own troubles

25. It is also said that whether entertaining or not, stories about the lives of celebrities should be included because they are instructive; they reveal a great deal about our society―its mores, values, ideals. (Para. 18)

Even if stories about the lives of celebrities do not amuse or divert us, we still need to read them because these stories tell us a lot about the society we live in.

26. Mark Twain once remarked that news is history in its first and best form. (Para. 18) People now more or less agree that today’s news is tomorrow’s history, and today’s history was yesterday’s news. So news can be defined as history to this extent.

27. The American poet Ezra Pound… defined literature as news that stays news. Among other things, Pound meant that the stuff of literature originates not in stories about the World Bank or an armistice agreement but in those simple, repeatable tales that reflect the pain, confusion, or exaltations that are constant in human experience, and touch us at the deepest levels. (Para. 18) Ezra Pound relates news to literature. Such things as the World Bank and an armistice agreement, regarded as important today, will sooner or later become history, things of the past. However, we remember and ret ell stories about people’s pain, confusion, or

exaltations because they are part of human experience and touch our emotions. This kind of news is the source of literature.

28. What are we to make of it? Why him? It is like some Old Testament parable; these questions were raised five thousand years ago and we still raise them today. It is the kind of story that stays news, and that is why it must be given prominence. (Para. 18) to make of it: to understand it

to be given prominence: to be treated as important; to be stressed

29. What about… the fires, rapes, and murders that are daily featured on local television news? Who has decided that they are important, and why? One cynical answer is that they are there because viewers take comfort in the realization that they have escaped disaster. At least for that day. (Para. 19)

… viewers take comfort in the realization that…: viewers feel relieved or less worried because they know that these terrible things have not happened to them.

30. … It is the task of the news story to provide a daily accounting of the progress of society. … These reports, especially those of a concrete nature, are the daily facts from which the audience is expected to draw appropriate conclusions about the question DWhat ki nd of society am I a member of?‖ (Para. 19)

Another task of the news story is to give a daily accounting of the progress of society so that viewers will understand their society better.

31. … heavy television viewers… believe their communities are much more dangerous than do light television viewers. Television news, in other words, tends to frighten people. (Para. 19) This paragraph suggests that television news tends to frighten rather than to enlighten people. Heavy television viewers believe their

communities are much more dangerous than light viewers do. This leads to the question that whether news stories should concentrate on the brighter side of social reality.

heavy (light) television viewers: people who watch many (only a few) hours of television programs in a day.

32. The question is, DOught they to be frightened?‖ which is to ask, DIs the news an accurate portrayal of where we are as a society?‖ Which leads to another question, DIs it possible for daily news to give such a pict ure?‖ Many journalists believe it is possible. Some are skeptical. The early twentieth-century journalist Lincoln Steffens proved that he could create a Dcrime wave‖ any time he wanted by simply writing about all the crimes that normally occur in a large city during the course of a month. He could also end the crime wave by not writing about them. If crime waves can be Dmanufactured‖ by journalists, then how accurate are news shows in depicting the condition of a society? (Para. 19)

Is it true that journalists can create events and make them disappear? If it were true, wouldn’t that make it very easy to run a country? Moreover, if it were true, how could we ever trust news provided by the mass media? And wouldn’t that also mean that a country could get along just fine without reliable news?

portrayal: depiction; description

33. Besides, murders, rapes, and fires (even unemployment figures) are not the only way to assess the progress (or regress) of a society. Why are there so few television stories about symphonies that have been composed, novels written, scientific problems solved, and a thousand other creative acts that occur during the course of a month? Were television news to be filled with these events, we would not be frightened. We would, in fact, be inspired, optimistic, cheerful. (Para.

19)

This paragraph raises a very interesting question: Why are many events that actually have great impact on human life not given any prominence - new philosophical theories and academic achievements for example? Possible answers are given in the following paragraph. to assess the progress: to measure; to estimate; to evaluate; to appraise

regress: moving back to an earlier, less developed and usually worse state or condition. It is usually used as a verb. The noun form is “regression”.

Compare: digress v. digression n. moving away from the main subject under discussion in speaking and writing

34. One answer is as follows. These events make poor television news because there is so little to show about them. In the judgment of most editors, people watch television. And what they are interested in watching are exciting, intriguing, even exotic pictures. Suppose a scientist has developed a new theory about how to measure with more exactitude the speed

with which heavenly objects are moving away from the earth. It is difficult to televise a theory, especially if it involved complex mathematics. (Para. 20)

This paragraph tries to answer the question raised above. According to the authors, one answer may be that television as a means of communication has its limitations. It is good at showing exciting, intriguing, and exotic pictures and events, but not at dealing with ideas, theories, and other abstract things. In other words, it is a visual medium; it is less effective at engaging viewers’ minds. The second, implied answer is that people watch television mainly to be entertained. They have no time or patience for profound subjects.

Lastly, most editors and news directors are incapable of immediately realizing the significance of scientific and theoretical discoveries. The conclusion seems to be: The news media are extremely important, but they are incapable of answering all our needs where news is concerned.

35. Television sells time, and time cannot be expanded. This means that whatever else is neglected, commercials cannot b, which leads to another possible answer to the question DWhat is news?‖ News, … in its worst form,… can also be mainly a Dfiller,‖ a Dcome-on‖ to keep the viewer’s at tention until the commercials come. Certain producers have learned that by pandering to the audience, by eschewing solid news and replacing it with leering sensationalism, they can subvert the news by presenting a Dtelevision commercial show‖ that is interrupted by news. (Para. 20)

In the United States, television stations are privately owned. These privately owned stations sell air time to business companies to promote their products. Therefore, presenting the news show is not the television station’s main purpose: “news” serves merely as “filler” to keep the viewer’s attention until the commercials appear, not vice versa. And there is nothing more effective for this purpose than leering sensationalism. This may be an extreme case, but there is certainly some truth in it.

36. The purpose of this chapter is to arouse your interest in thinking about the question. Your answers are to be found by knowing what you feel is significant and how your sense of the significant conforms with or departs from that of others, including broadcasters, their bosses, and their audiences. Answers are to be found in your ideas about the purpose of public communication, and in your judgment of the kind of society you live in and wish to live in. We

cannot provide answers to these questions. But you also need to know something about the problems, limitations, traditions, motivations, and, yes, even the delusions of the television news industry. (Para. 21) This paragraph concludes the purpose of the essay. The authors do not intend to give us the answer to the question: “What is news?”, because they can’t. The problem is complicated, and each of us has to find his/her own answer. The purpose of the essay is to arouse our interest in answering the question by ourselves, and also to inform us of the important factors we must take into consideration to understand the nature of news.

Key to Exercises

I

1. a set sequence in a theatrical or comic performance 保留节目（喜剧\\歌舞等）

2. to correct, condense, or modify material when preparing it for publication or presentation

3. in Paragraph 8, financial or practical assistance given to those in need 救济(in Paragraph 18,

the removal of something painful or unpleasant 减轻痛苦)

4. a man or woman who presents and coordinates a television program （电视新闻）男节目

主持人

5. financial assets; land, property, or shares in a company 拥有的土地或股票

6. the extent to which something is probable 几率

7. to consider

8. to watch a television show or listen to radio broadcast

9. time during which a television show or radio broadcast is being transmitted 播放时间10. a news item, public-service announcement, or music, used to fill time on a radio or television

program

11. something intended to allure or attract

12. to undermine the power and authority of a system or institution V

1 How one defines “the news” depends on what he/she considers interesting and important.

2 Now it’s true that Saran Wrap is very useful in many ways, and we guess that in the end facts

will show t hat it is more useful for the happiness of most of us… (But…)

3 But most news is not an essential part of an event. It becomes news only because, in the

midst of the noise and disorder of everything happening around us, a journalist has selected it for our attention.

4 … it was the policy of the newspaper to focus on the sharp difference between the backward

Russian economy and the advanced American economy. Each of our five senses acts as a censor, screening information. It makes us see what we want to see, hear what we want to hear, etc.; and we do so because that is what we have been educated or are paid to do.

5 According to Camus, we would have complete records or files on the (newspaper) owners'

interests, biases, and peculiar traits. Then we would have similarly complete files on every journalist in the world. Camus then proposes: Z×Y= X, where: Z stands for the prejudices, eccentric habits and private interests of the owner. Y stands for the prejudices, eccentric habits and private interests of the journalist. X is the probable amount of truth in the story.

6 Certain producers of television programs have discovered that, by catering to the low tastes

and desires of their audience, by avoiding real news and deliberately replacing it with sensational stories, they can transform television news from programs interrupted by short commercials into one long commercial interrupted by snippets of news. VI Phrases

1. 一种过于简单化的定义

2. 一种公然带有偏见的报道/陈述

3. 就业数字统计

4. 喜剧保留剧目

5. 有教育意义的故事

6. 精神状态

7. 真实度

8. 石油大王/大亨9. （社会）习俗10. 停战协议

11. 在他权力和声名达到顶峰的时候；在他的权势如日中天的时候12. 令人毛骨悚然的谋杀13. 犯罪率的激增/犯罪潮14. 太空飞行物Sentences

1. 霍尔姆斯说，什么是法律？法院说什么是法律就是法律。如此而已，岂有它哉。同样地，我们也可以说，电视新闻负责人和新闻记者们说什么是新闻也就是新闻。换言之，当你打开电视机观看新闻台或地方新闻节目的时候，不管它们讲了些什么，根据定义而言，这就是新闻。

2. 这当然有些帮助，但是到底什么是重要或有趣的事情，对此如何判断？这个问题仍然没有解决。

3. ……每一个新闻故事都反映出讲述这个故事的记者本人。记者之前对前去采访的地方会遇到什么情况的种种假设，会对他或她在那里的所见所闻进行删减。

4. 我们的每一种感官都是极其敏锐的审查官。我们见到的往往是我们想要看到的东西。我们常常只集中注意力去看付了钱叫我们去看的东西。

5. 实际上，有一种观点是不认同新闻记者把他们对事情重要性的观点强加于观众的。这种观点认为，电视新闻只应该呈现那些能使观众感兴趣的事件。新闻记者必须把自己的意见放在自己肚子里。

6. 他们会说，她的那些经历很有趣，很有娱乐性，非常引人入胜。换句话说，新闻的目的应该是给观众带来快乐，起码要做到让他们忘

记自己的烦心事。7. 我们可以说，新闻是最初始而且形式最好的历史，是文学的原材料，是社会状态的记载，是其他某些事物的表现；但是就其最坏的形式而言，新闻也可以是在广告开始之前竭力吸引观众注意力的一种填充和引诱手段。VII

1. objections; problematic, questionable, doubtful

2. classified as, regarded as; in any sense, by any definition; regardless of, irrespective of,

whatever 3. advise

4. simple; rebellions, insurrections, social turmoil; simplistic

5. concept, notion, idea; assumption

6. a lot, a great deal; in the long run, in the final analysis; determine

7. immigrant; famous, renowned; emigrated

8. showed, indicated, revealed; constituted, represented, presented, posed; threat, challenge;

plotting; assassination

9. fascinating, intriguing, engrossing; publicity

10. force, impose; similarly, by the same token; force