THE MEDIA (CHECK YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR IELTS)

CHECK YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR IELTS

THE MEDIA

1.     Task 1: Match the words and expressions in box A with a suitable definition in box B.

Box A

current affairs	reporters	journalists	tabloids
broadsheets	coverage	information overload	broadcasts
web	website	download	the internet
log in

Box B

a	large format newspaper	h	journalists who write reports of events for a newspaper, periodical or television programme
b	small format newspaper	i	the millions of pages and sites which display text and images within the internet
c	people who write for newspapers or periodicals	j	to transfer pages from a web site onto our own computers
d	the amount of space or time given to an event in newspapers or on television	k	the international network linking millions of computer
e	the political situation as it is now	l	a modern expression referring to the inability of a human to process everything he or she hears and sees
f	radio or television programmes	m	a collection of related pages on the World Wide Web created by a company organisation or individual
g	to enter a password and start to access a computer system

2.   Task 2: Complete this extract from a television interview with an appropriate word or expression from the box.

entertainment	invasion of privacy	exploiting	libel	censorship
information	readership	media tycoon	paparazzi	freedom of the press
unscrupulous	gutter press	chequebook journalism

interviewer:	Welcome to today’s programme. Today we will be discussing the 1 _________, and asking the question. Should we allow newspapers and television channels to print or say whatever they like? In the studio I have television personality Timothy Blake and 2 _________ Rupert Poubelle, multi-millionaire owner of the Daily View newspapers. Timothy, let’s start with you.
T.B.:	Thank you. In my opinion, it’s time for government imposed stricter 3 _________ of the press in order to prevent 4 _________ journalists and reporters from making money by 5 _________ people. I have often accused  Mr Poubelle’s organisation of 6 _________ - nowadays. I can’t even sunbathe in my garden without being photographed by his hoardes of 7 _________. They’re like vultures and everything they print about me is lies, complete rubbish.
Interviewer:	But isn’t it true that the media provides us with valuable 8 _________ and 9 _________, and censorship would deprive us of much of this? Rupert?
R.P.;	Of course. Mr Blake’s accusations are unfounded, as are the accusations of 10 _________ we have received, and I can safely say that my journalists never pay people money to create stories. We are simply reporting the truth. Of course, if Mr Blake wants to sue us for 11 _________, he is very welcome to try. But he would be depriving our 12 _________ - all eight million of them – of the things they want ….
T.B.;	You’re taking rubbish, as usual, like the pathetic 13 _________ you own and use to fill your pockets with dirty money.
R.P.;	Now look here, mate ……..

3.    Task 3: Now read this essay and complete the gaps with one of the words or expressions from tasks 1 and 2. You may need to change the form of some of the words.

‘The media plays a valuable role in keeping us informed and entertained. However, many people believe it has too much power and freedom.’ Discuss your views on this, giving examples and presenting a balanced argument both in favour of, and against, the power and freedom of the media.’ Barely a hundred years ago, if we wanted to stay informed about what was going on in this world, we choose to read the 1 _________, with their quality 2 _________ of news and other 3 _________ by top 4_________ and articles by acclaimed 5 _________, or if we prefer the popular 6 _________, with their lively gossip and colourful stories, we are exposed to a wealth of information barely conceivable at the beginning of the century. We also have television and radio. News 7 _________ let us know about world events practically as they happen, while sitcoms, chat shows and documentaries, etc. keep us entertained and informed. And there is also the 8 _________, where we can access information from millions of 9 _________ around the world which we can then 10 _________ onto our own computers. However, these forms of 11 _________ and 12 _________ (or ‘infotainment’ as they are now sometimes collectively called) have their negative side. Famous personalities frequently accuse the 13 _________ (and sometimes even respectable papers) of 14 _________  by the 15 _________ who are determined to get a story at any cost. Newspaper are often accused of 16 ___________ by angry politicians who dislike reading lies about themselves, and there are frequent accusations of 17 ___________, with 18 ___________ reporters paying people to create stories for their newspapers or television programmes. Of course, it is not just the papers fill the 19 ___________ with equally undesirable material which can be accessed by anyone with a home computer. And the fear of 20 ___________ prevents many from 21 ___________ to the internet. Many argue that the government should impose stricter 22 ____________to prevent such things happening. But others argue that 23 __________ is the keystone of a free country. Personally, I take the view that while the media may occasionally abuse its position of power, the benefits greatly overweigh the disadvantages. Our lives would be much emptier without the wealth of information available to us today, and we are better people as a result.

ANSWER KEY