現(xiàn)代大學(xué)英語精讀6第二版教師用書Unit3現(xiàn)代大學(xué)英語精讀6第二版教師用書Unit3現(xiàn)代大學(xué)英語精讀6第二版教師用書Unit3xxx公司現(xiàn)代大學(xué)英語精讀6第二版教師用書Unit3文件編號：文件日期：修訂次數(shù)：第1.0次更改批準(zhǔn)審核制定方案設(shè)計，管理制度Unit3WhatIsNews?NeilPostmanandStevePowers StructureoftheTextPartI(Para.1)Inthisbeginningparagraph,theauthorsstatethepurposeoftheessay.PartII(Para.2)Somepeoplemightdefinethenewsaswhattelevisiondirectorsandjournalistssayitis.Theauthors,however,thinkthatthisdefinitionistoosimplistic.PartIII(Paras.3–5) Intheseparagraphs,theauthorsexplainwhythenewscannotbesimplydefinedas“whathappenedthatday”or“whathappenedthatdaythatwasimportantandinteresting”.PartIV(Paras.6–11)Intheseparagraphs,theauthorstellreadersthatthenewsismoreoftenmaderatherthangathered,anditismadeonthebasisofwhatthejournalistthinksimportantorwhatthejournalistthinkstheaudiencethinksisimportant.Therefore,everynewsstoryisareflectionofthereporterwhotellsthestory.PartV(Paras.12–15)Intheseparagraphs,theauthorspointoutthattomakesenseofthenews,theviewerhastoknowsomethingaboutthejournalist’spoliticalbeliefsaswellashisprejudices,interests,andquirkswhichare,inturn,influencedbyhisfinancialstatus,thecompanieshehasworkedfor,theschoolshewentto,thebookshehasread,etc.PartVI(Paras.16–17)Intheseparagraphs,theauthorspointoutthatthejournalistcannotalwaysimposehis/herviewsonthegeneralpublicbecausethetelevisionchannelornewspapercannotsurviveunlessthenewstheyprovidesatisfiestheneedsofthegeneralpublic.Ontheotherhand,theviewer/readermustalsotakeintoaccounthisorherrelationshiptoalargeraudiencebecausetelevisionandnewspapersaremassmediaandtheirnewsisnotintendedforanaudienceofone.PartVII(Paras.18–20)Intheseparagraphs,theauthorsdiscusssomeotherpossibledefinitionsofnews:newsassomethingtogivepeoplepleasure;newsassomethinginstructivethatrevealsthemores,values,andidealsofasociety;newsaslivinghistory;newsasasourceofliterature;newsasareflectionofhumanpain,suffering,tragediesandconfusion;newsassomethingtoinspirepeopleandmakethemoptimistic;newsassomethingtofrightenpeopleandmakethemawareoftheseamysideofthereality;lastbutnotleast,newsasafillerbetweencommercials.PartVIII(Para.21) Inthisparagraph,theauthorsconcludetheessaybyreiteratingtheirpurposeinraisingtheissue“Whatisnews”

Itistoarouseourinterestandhelpusunderstandtheproblems,limitations,traditions,motivations,andeventhedelusionsofthetelevisionnewsindustry.DetailedStudyoftheText1. Weturntothisquestionbecauseunlessatelevisionviewerhasconsideredit,heorsheisindangeroftooeasilyacceptingsomeoneelse’sdefinition—forexample,adefinitionsuppliedbythenewsdirectorofatelevisionstation;orevenworse,adefinitionimposedbyimportantadvertisers.(Para.1)newsdirector:(電視臺)新聞節(jié)目負(fù)責(zé)人advertisers:InmanycountriesintheWest,televisionstationslargelydependonsellingairtimetoadvertisersfortheirrevenue.Therefore,importantadvertiserscanoftenimposetheirviewsandinterestsonthenewssuppliedbytelevisionstations.viewer：Someonewhoiswatchingamovie,atelevisionprogram,oranexhibitionCompare:audience:agroupofpeoplewhowatch,read,orlistentosomethingspectator:apersonwhowatchesanevent,show,game,oractivity2. AsimplisticdefinitionofnewscanbedrawnbyparaphrasingJusticeOliverWendellHolmes’famousdefinitionofthelaw.Thelaw,Holmessaid,iswhatthecourtssayitis…wemightsaythatthenewsiswhattelevisiondirectorsandjournalistssayitis.(Para.2)AmericansgenerallyacceptHolmes’famousdefinitionofthelawbecausetheyagreethatlawsmustallowforthenewinterpretationsnecessarytomeetthechallengesofachangingnationandachangingworld.ButtoproposeadefinitionofthenewsbyparaphrasingHolmes’definitionofthelawprobablycommitsthelogicalerroroffalseanalogy.Forexample,itwouldnotmakemuchsenseifweweretosaypoliticsiswhatpoliticianssayitis,oreducationiswhatteacherssayitis.simplistic:disapprovingtoosimple;notcompleteorsufficientlythoroughNothingmore.Nothingless.:Assimpleasthat;nomore,noless.insimilarfashion:inthesimilarway;likewise;bythesimilartoken3. Butifweweretotakethatapproach,onwhatbasiswouldwesaythatwehaven’tbeentoldenoughOrthatastorythatshouldhavebeencoveredwasn’tOrthattoomanystoriesofacertaintypewereincludedOrthatareportergaveaflagrantlybiasedaccount(Para.2)Thefactthatpeopleareoftenunsatisfiedwithnewsreportingimpliesthatpeoplehavedifferentideasaboutwhatnewsshouldbe.flagrantlybiased:obviouslyandunquestionablybiased4. Inmodifyingtheiranswer,mostwilladdthatthenewsis“importantandinterestingthingsthathappenedthatday.”Thishelpsalittlebutleavesopenthequestionofwhatis“importantandinteresting”andhowthatisdecided.(Para.3)Itisallrighttosaythatnewsconsistsoftheimportantthingsthathappenedthatday.ButimportanttowhomInwhatsenseForwhatreasonbutleavesopenthequestion:butdoesnotgiveananswertothequestion5. Ofcourse,somepeoplewillsaythatthequestionofwhatisimportantandinterestingisnotintheleastproblematic.WhatthePresidentsaysordoesisimportant;warsareimportant,rebellions,employmentfigures,elections,appointmentstotheSupremeCourt.(Para.4)Thisisaninterestingexampleofhastygeneralization.Itistruethatwhatimportantpeoplesayordoisoftenimportant,butwecan’tjumptotheconclusionthateverythingtheysayordoisalwaysimportant.Ontheotherhand,sometimesevenwhathappenstosomeonecompletelyunknowncanescalatetoaseriouscrisis.Peoplecallthat“theButterflyEffect.”problematic:causingaproblem;questionable;uncertain6. Now,thereisagreatdealtobesaidforSaranWrap.(Para.4)Now,it’struethatSaranWrapisveryuseful.7. SaranWrapisnotnews.ThecolorofLizTaylor’swrapis.Orsosomepeoplebelieve.(Para.4)Notethattheauthorsaremakingawordplayontheword“wrap,”whichhasdifferentmeanings.8. Weshallneverlearnaboutthesepeopleeither,howeverinstructiveorinterestingtheirstoriesmayhavebeen.(Para.5)Wewillneverhearanythingaboutthesepeopleeither,nomatterhowinstructiveorinterestingtheirstoriesmayhavebeen.instructive:providingknowledgeorinformation;educational9. Ofcourse,therearesomeevents—theassassinationofapresident,anearthquake,etc.—thathavenearuniversalinterestandconsequences.Butmostnewsdoesnotinhereintheevent.(Para.6)toinhereinsth.:formaltobeanaturalpartofsth.;tobeinherentinsth.10. Infact,thenewsismoreoftenmaderatherthangathered.(Para.6)Infact,oftenthenewsisnotsomethingoutthereforyoutopickup;youhavetodecidewhatinformationisnewsworthyandmakeitintonews.11． IsastoryaboutakillinginNorthernIrelandmoreimportantthanoneaboutakillinginMorocco?(Para.6)ForAmericansofIrishbackground,theanswerwillmostlikelybeyes.Itissaidthattherelativeimportanceofaneventisoftendeterminedbytherelativedistanceofitsoccurrencetothepersoninvolved.12．…everynewsstoryisareflectionofthereporterwhotellsthestory.Thereporter’spreviousassumptionsaboutwhatis“outthere”editwhatheorshethinksisthere.(Para.6)Ifnewsstorieswerejustfacts,andfactsspeakforthemselves,thenallnewsstories,thoughwrittenbydifferentpeople,wouldbethesame.Butnewsstoriesareactuallyalldifferentbecauseeverynewsstoryisareflectionofthereporterwhotellsthestory,andeveryreporterhaspreviousassumptions(beliefs,pointsofview,andbiases)whichaffectwhathe/shethinksisthere.toedit:todecidewhatwillbeincludedorleftout,aseditorsdoinpreparing,printing,broadcasting,etc.13．Theanswerstoallofthesequestions,aswellastootherquestionsabouttheevent,dependentirelyonthepointofviewofthejournalist.Youmightthinkthisisanexaggeration,thatreporters,irrespectiveoftheirassumptions,canatleastgetthefactsstraight.(Para.7)irrespectiveof:regardlessof;withoutthinkingaboutorconsideringAllgovernmentofficials,irrespectiveoftheirrank,mustdisclosetheirproperty.Wepursuethediplomaticpolicyofthefiveprinciplesofpeacefulcoexistenceinourrelationshipwithallcountriesirrespectiveoftheirsizeorpolitical system.togetthefactsstraight:tofindoutwhatthefactsarewithoutmakingmistakesnow-defunct:now-dead;nownolongerexistingorfunctioningtofeatureastory:togiveastoryaprominentplaceinanewspaperortelevisionnewsshow14．…whothusearntheir35rublesamonthinlieuof“relief”…(Para.8)Insteadofreceivinggovernmentrelief,theyaregivenjobsbythegovernmentsothattheycanearntheirmoney.(這是以工代賑的政策)inlieuof:insteadof(government)relief：moneythatisgiventopoorpeoplebythegovernment(政府)救濟(jì)15．…itwasthepolicyoftheJournaltohighlightthecontrastbetweentheprimitiveRussianeconomyandthesophisticatedAmericaneconomy.(Para.11)theJournal:ThisreferstothenewspaperTheWallStreetJournal,mentionedabove.tohighlight:tomakepeoplenoticeorbeawareofsomethingsophisticated:(theoppositeofprimitive)highlydevelopedandcomplex高級的，復(fù)雜的16．Eachofoursensesisaremarkablyastutecensor.Weseewhatweexpecttosee;often,wefocusonwhatwearepaidtosee.Andthosewhopayustoseeusuallyexpectustoaccepttheirnotionsnotonlyofwhatisimportantbutofwhatareimportantdetails.(Para.11)Wehavefivesenseorgans,andtheyareallextremelysharpcensors.censor:apersonwhoexaminesbooks,movies,newspapers,etc.andremovesthingsconsideredbytheauthoritiestobeoffensive,immoral,orharmfultosociety(Notethepersonificationoftheword).Wedonotseeorheareverything.Weonlyseeorhearwhatweexpecttoseeorhearbecausewehavebeentrainedthatway.Wehavebeenpaidbyourbossestoseeorhearwhattheyexpectustoseeorhear.Wehavebeenmadetoacceptourbosses’notionofwhatisinterestingandimportant.17．“We’dhavecompletedossiersontheinterests,policies,andidiosyncrasiesoftheowners.Thenwe’dhaveadossieroneveryjournalistintheworld.Theinterests,prejudices,andquirksoftheownerwouldequalZ.Theprejudices,quirks,andprivateinterestsofthejournalistY.ZtimesYwouldgiveyouX,theprobableamountoftruthinthestory.”(Para.12)HeretheFrenchwriterAlbertCamus,quotedbyA.J.Liebling,isusingamathematicformulatoexpresstherelationshipbetweentheinterests,prejudicesandquirksofanewspaperowner,andthoseofthejournalists,andtheprobableamountoftruthinanewsstory.ZxY=X Here,Z=theinterests,prejudices,andquirksoftheowner Y=theinterests,prejudices,andquirksofthejournalists X=thetruthprobabilityofthenewsDossiers(on):files(of);records(of)18．Thehostmightsaysomethinglikethis:“Tobeginwith,thisstationisownedbyGaryFarnsworth,whoisalsothepresidentofBontelLimited,theprincipalstockholderofwhichistheSultanofBahrain.BontelLimitedownsthreeJapaneseelectroniccompanies,twooilcompanies,theentirecountryofUpperVolta,andthewesternpartofRomania.…”(Para.13)Theimpliedsuggestionisthatthistelevisionstationisquitelikelytobebiasedinitsnewsreporting,reflectingtheinterestsofthosewhocontrolitsfinances.19．“Theanchormanonthetelevisionshowearns$800,000ayear;hisportfolioincludesholdingsinamajorcomputerfirm.Hehasabachelor’sdegreeinjournalismfromtheUniversityofArkansasbutwasaC+student,hasnevertakenacourseinpoliticalscience,andspeaksnolanguageotherthanEnglish.Lastyear,hereadonlytwobooks—abiographyofCaryGrantandabookofpopularpsychologycalledWhyAmISoWonderful…

(Para.13)Theimplicationhereisthattheopinionsoftheanchormanonatelevisionshowarestronglyinfluencedbyhisfinancialstatus,hissourceofincome,theeducationhehasreceived,andthebookshehasread.anchorman(anchorwoman):(chieflyintheUS)amanorwomanwhopresentsandcoordinatesatelevisionnewsprogram(電視和廣播電臺)新聞節(jié)目主持人Compare:broadcaster:播音員host：（游戲，訪談節(jié)目）主持人portfolio：arangeofinvestmentsheldbyapersonororganization全部投資；投資組合holdings：financialassets;land,property,orsharesinacompany擁有的財產(chǎn)20. “ThereporterwhocoveredthestoryonYugoslaviaspeaksSerbo-Croatian,hasadegreeininternationalrelations,andhashadaNeimanFellowshipatHarvardUniversity.”(Para.13)Areporterwhospeaksthelanguage,hasadegreeinarelatedfield,andhasdoneresearchonjournalismatadistinguisheduniversitycannaturallybeexpectedtobemorecompetenttocoverthestoryonYugoslaviathanonewithoutthesequalifications.21. Whatwearesayingisthattoanswerthequestion“Whatisnews”

aviewermustknowsomethingaboutthepoliticalbeliefsandeconomicsituationofthosewhoprovidethenews.(Para.15)Thepointwearetryingtomakeisthataviewermustknowsomethingaboutthepoliticalbeliefsandeconomicsituationofthosewhosupplythenewsifhe/shewantstoanswerthequestion“Whatisnews”Noteherethatthenewsreporter’seconomicsituationreferstohis/herfinancialstatusaswellasthewayhis/herlivingismade,becauseaperson’svestedinterest(his/herpersonalstakeinanundertaking,especiallywithanexpectationoffinancialorothergain)oftenaffectshis/herpointofview.22. Thereis,infact,apointofviewthatarguesagainstjournalistsimposingtheirownsenseofsignificanceonanaudience.…What’sourpoint

Aviewermustnotonlyknowwhatheorshethinksissignificantbutothersbelieveissignificantaswell.(Para.16)tokeeptheirownopinionstothemselves:Tokeeptheirownopinionssecret;nottoannouncetheirownopinionstoadvisethemofwhatisimportant:toinstructtheminwhatisimportant;toteachthemwhatisimportantNotethatwiththeverb“advise”,thepreposition“of”isused,and“toadvisesomebodyofsomething”isnottobeconfusedwith“toadvisesomebodytodosomething”.LizTaylor’sadventuresinmarriage:Thisreferstotheactress’sunusuallynumerousmarriages,whichwereafavoritesubjectofsocialgossipatthetime.Aviewermustnotonlyknowwhatheorshethinksissignificantbutothersbelieveissignificantaswell:Thismaybeclearerifwerepeattheword“what”after“but”.23. Televisionisamassmedium,whichmeansthatatelevisionnewsshowisnotintendedforyoualone.Itispubliccommunication,andtheviewerneedstohavesomeknowledgeandopinionsabout“thepublic.”(Para.17)Indefiningnewsitisimportantforustorememberthatamassmediumisnotforanysingleindividualalone.Itisforthegeneralpublic,andinapluralisticsociety,people’sinterestsandneedsdiffer.Therefore,viewersmusttakethisfactintoconsiderationandrespecttherightofotherpeopletobedifferent.24. Andthisleadstoanotherdifficultyinansweringthequestion“Whatisnews”

SomemightagreewithusthatLizTaylor’sadventuresinmarriagedonotconstitutesignificanteventsbutthattheyoughttobeincludedinanewsshowpreciselyforthatreason.Herexperiences,theymaysay,areamusingordiverting,certainlyengrossing.Inotherwords,thepurposeofnewsshouldbetogivepeoplepleasure,atleasttotheextentthatittakestheirmindsofftheirowntroubles.…(Para.18)Thisislookingatnewsfromadifferentperspective.Itsaysthatmanypeoplereadthenewsnotforbeingeducatedorenlightened,butsimplyforentertainment.Thismaynotbethemostimportantpurposeofthemassmedia,butwecan’tsayitisillegitimate.Thequestion“Whatisnews”

isnowbecomingincreasinglycomplicated.

theywantrelief,notaggravation:Peoplewantthenewstogivethemsomerelief–meaningheretheremovalofsomethingpainfulorunpleasantratherthanitsopposite,aggravation,whichmakesthepainfulorunpleasantsituationevenworse.totaketheirmindsofftheirowntroubles:tomakethemforgettheirowntroubles25. Itisalsosaidthatwhetherentertainingornot,storiesaboutthelivesofcelebritiesshouldbeincludedbecausetheyareinstructive;theyrevealagreatdealaboutoursociety—itsmores,values,ideals.(Para.18)Evenifstoriesaboutthelivesofcelebritiesdonotamuseordivertus,westillneedtoreadthembecausethesestoriestellusalotaboutthesocietywelivein.26. MarkTwainonceremarkedthatnewsishistoryinitsfirstandbestform.(Para.18)Peoplenowmoreorlessagreethattoday’snewsistomorrow’shistory,andtoday’shistorywasyesterday’snews.Sonewscanbedefinedashistorytothisextent.27. TheAmericanpoetEzraPound…definedliteratureasnewsthatstaysnews.Amongotherthings,PoundmeantthatthestuffofliteratureoriginatesnotinstoriesabouttheWorldBankoranarmisticeagreementbutinthosesimple,repeatabletalesthatreflectthepain,confusion,orexaltationsthatareconstantinhumanexperience,andtouchusatthedeepestlevels.(Para.18)EzraPoundrelatesnewstoliterature.SuchthingsastheWorldBankandanarmisticeagreement,regardedasimportanttoday,willsoonerorlaterbecomehistory,thingsofthepast.However,werememberandretellstoriesaboutpeople’spain,confusion,orexaltationsbecausetheyarepartofhumanexperienceandtouchouremotions.Thiskindofnewsisthesourceofliterature.28. WhatarewetomakeofitWhyhimItislikesomeOldTestamentparable;thesequestionswereraisedfivethousandyearsagoandwestillraisethemtoday.Itisthekindofstorythatstaysnews,andthatiswhyitmustbegivenprominence.(Para.18)tomakeofit:tounderstandittobegivenprominence:tobetreatedasimportant;tobestressed29. Whatabout…thefires,rapes,andmurdersthataredailyfeaturedonlocaltelevisionnewsWhohasdecidedthattheyareimportant,andwhyOnecynicalansweristhattheyaretherebecauseviewerstakecomfortintherealizationthattheyhaveescapeddisaster.Atleastforthatday.(Para.19)…viewerstakecomfortintherealizationthat…:viewersfeelrelievedorlessworriedbecausetheyknowthattheseterriblethingshavenothappenedtothem.30. …Itisthetaskofthenewsstorytoprovideadailyaccountingoftheprogressofsociety.…Thesereports,especiallythoseofaconcretenature,arethedailyfactsfromwhichtheaudienceisexpectedtodrawappropriateconclusionsaboutthequestion“WhatkindofsocietyamIamemberof”

(Para.19)Anothertaskofthenewsstoryistogiveadailyaccountingoftheprogressofsocietysothatviewerswillunderstandtheirsocietybetter.31. …h(huán)eavytelevisionviewers…believetheircommunitiesaremuchmoredangerousthandolighttelevisionviewers.Televisionnews,inotherwords,tendstofrightenpeople.(Para.19)Thisparagraphsuggeststhattelevisionnewstendstofrightenratherthantoenlightenpeople.Heavytelevisionviewersbelievetheircommunitiesaremuchmoredangerousthanlightviewersdo.Thisleadstothequestionthatwhethernewsstoriesshouldconcentrateonthebrightersideofsocialreality.heavy(light)televisionviewers:peoplewhowatchmany(onlyafew)hoursoftelevisionprogramsinaday.32. Thequestionis,“Oughttheytobefrightened”whichistoask,“Isthenewsanaccurateportrayalofwhereweareasasociety”Whichleadstoanotherquestion,“Isitpossiblefordailynewstogivesuchapicture”Manyjournalistsbelieveitispossible.Someareskeptical.Theearlytwentieth-centuryjournalistLincolnSteffensprovedthathecouldcreatea“crimewave”anytimehewantedbysimplywritingaboutallthecrimesthatnormallyoccurinalargecityduringthecourseofamonth.Hecouldalsoendthecrimewavebynotwritingaboutthem.Ifcrimewavescanbe“manufactured”byjournalists,thenhowaccuratearenewsshowsindepictingtheconditionofasociety(Para.19)IsittruethatjournalistscancreateeventsandmakethemdisappearIfitweretrue,wouldn’tthatmakeitveryeasytorunacountryMoreover,ifitweretrue,howcouldweevertrustnewsprovidedbythemassmediaAndwouldn’tthatalsomeanthatacountrycouldgetalongjustfinewithoutreliablenews?

portrayal:depiction;description33. Besides,murders,rapes,andfires(evenunemploymentfigures)arenottheonlywaytoassesstheprogress(orregress)ofasociety.Whyaretheresofewtelevisionstoriesaboutsymphoniesthathavebeencomposed,novelswritten,scientificproblemssolved,andathousandothercreativeactsthatoccurduringthecourseofamonth

Weretelevisionnewstobefilledwiththeseevents,wewouldnotbefrightened.Wewould,infact,beinspired,optimistic,cheerful.(Para.19)Thisparagraphraisesaveryinterestingquestion:Whyaremanyeventsthatactuallyhavegreatimpactonhumanlifenotgivenanyprominence-newphilosophicaltheoriesandacademicachievementsforexample

Possibleanswersaregiveninthefollowingparagraph.toassesstheprogress:tomeasure;toestimate;toevaluate;toappraiseregress:movingbacktoanearlier,lessdevelopedandusuallyworsestateorcondition.Itisusuallyusedasaverb.Thenounformis“regression”.Compare:digressv.digressionn.movingawayfromthemainsubjectunderdiscussioninspeakingandwriting34. Oneanswerisasfollows.Theseeventsmakepoortelevisionnewsbecausethereissolittletoshowaboutthem.Inthejudgmentofmosteditors,peoplewatchtelevision.Andwhattheyareinterestedinwatchingareexciting,intriguing,evenexoticpictures.Supposeascientisthasdevelopedanewtheoryabouthowtomeasurewithmoreexactitudethespeedwithwhichheavenlyobjectsaremovingawayfromtheearth.Itisdifficulttoteleviseatheory,especiallyifitinvolvedcomplexmathematics.(Para.20)Thisparagraphtriestoanswerthequestionraisedabove.Accordingtotheauthors,oneanswermaybethattelevisionasameansofcommunicationhasitslimitations.Itisgoodatshowingexciting,intriguing,andexoticpicturesandevents,butnotatdealingwithideas,theories,andotherabstractthings.Inotherwords,itisavisualmedium;itislesseffectiveatengagingviewers’minds.Thesecond,impliedansweristhatpeoplewatchtelevisionmainlytobeentertained.Theyhavenotimeorpatienceforprofoundsubjects.Lastly,mosteditorsandnewsdirectorsareincapableofimmediatelyrealizingthesignificanceofscientificandtheoreticaldiscoveries.Theconclusionseemstobe:Thenewsmediaareextremelyimportant,buttheyareincapableofansweringallourneedswherenewsisconcerned.35. Televisionsellstime,andtimecannotbeexpanded.Thismeansthatwhateverelseisneglected,commercialscannotb,whichleadstoanotherpossibleanswertothequestion“Whatisnews”

News,…initsworstform,…canalsobemainlya“filler,”a“come-on”tokeeptheviewer’sattentionuntilthecommercialscome.Certainproducershavelearnedthatbypanderingtotheaudience,byeschewingsolidnewsandreplacingitwithleeringsensationalism,theycansubvertthenewsbypresentinga“televisioncommercialshow”thatisinterruptedbynews.(Para.20)IntheUnitedStates,televisionstationsareprivatelyowned.Theseprivatelyownedstationssellairtimetobusinesscompaniestopromotetheirproducts.Therefore,presentingthenewsshowisnotthetelevisionstation’smainpurpose:“news”servesmerelyas“filler”tokeeptheviewer’sattentionuntilthecommercialsappear,notviceversa.Andthereisnothingmoreeffectiveforthispurposethanleeringsensationalism.Thismaybeanextremecase,butthereiscertainlysometruthinit.36. Thepurposeofthischapteristoarouseyourinterestinthinkingaboutthequestion.Youranswersaretobefoundbyknowingwhatyoufeelissignificantandhowyoursenseofthesignificantconformswithordepartsfromthatofothers,includingbroadcasters,theirbosses,andtheiraudiences.Answersaretobefoundinyourideasaboutthepurposeofpubliccommunication,andinyourjudgmentofthekindofsocietyyouliveinandwishtolivein.Wecannotprovideanswerstothesequestions.Butyoualsoneedtoknowsomethingabouttheproblems,limitations,traditions,motivations,and,yes,eventhedelusionsofthetelevisionnewsindustry.(Para.21)Thisparagraphconcludesthepurposeoftheessay.Theauthorsdonotintendtogiveustheanswertothequestion:“Whatisnews”

,becausetheycan’t.Theproblemiscomplicated,andeachofushastofindhis/herownanswer.Thepurposeoftheessayistoarouseourinterestinansweringthequestionbyourselves,andalsotoinformusoftheimportantfactorswemusttakeintoconsiderationtounderstandthenatureofnews.KeytoExercisesI asetsequenceinatheatricalorcomicperformance保留節(jié)目（喜劇\歌舞等）tocorrect,condense,ormodifymaterialwhenpreparingitforpublicationorpresentationinParagraph8,financialorpracticalassistancegiventothoseinneed救濟(jì)(inParagraph18,theremovalofsomethingpainfulorunpleasant減輕痛苦)amanorwomanwhopresentsandcoordinatesatelevisionprogram（電視新聞）男節(jié)目主持人financialassets;land,property,orsharesinacompany擁有的土地或股票theextenttowhichsomethingisprobable幾率toconsidertowatchatelevisionshoworlistentoradiobroadcasttimeduringwhichatelevisionshoworradiobroadcastisbeingtransmitted播放時間anewsitem,public-serviceannouncement,ormusic,usedtofilltimeonaradioortelevisionprogramsomethingintendedtoallureorattracttounderminethepowerandauthorityofasystem