The mass media play an important part in our lives. Newspapers, radio and especially TV inform us of what is going on in this world and give us wonderful possibilities for education and entertainment. They also influence the way we see the world and shape our views. Of course, not all newspapers and TV programs report the events objectively, but serious journalists and TV reporters try to be fair and provide us with reliable information. It is true that the world today is full of dramatic events and most news seems to be bad news. But people aren’t interested in ordinary events. That is why there are so many programs and articles about natural disasters, plane crashes, wars, murders and robberies. Good news doesn’t usually make headlines. Bad news does. Some people say that journalists are given too much freedom. They often intrude on people’s private lives. They follow celebrities and print sensational stories about them which are untrue or half-true. They take photos of them in their most intimate moments. The question is — should this be allowed? The main source of news for millions of people is television. People like TV news because they can see everything with their own eyes. And that’s an important advantage. Seeing, as we know, is believing. Besides, it’s much more difficult for politicians to lie in front of the cameras than on the pages of newspapers. Still, many people prefer the radio. It’s good to listen to in the car, or in the open air, or when you do something about the house. Newspapers don’t react to events as quickly as TV, but they usually provide us with extra detail, comment and background information. The Internet has recently become another important source of information. Its main advantage is that news appears on the screen as soon as things happen in real life and you don’t have to wait for news time on TV. ОТВЕТИТЬ НА ВОПРОСЫ!
1. Do the media play an important part in your life?
2. Do you think that the media influence our life?
3. Millions of people get most of their news from television. What about you?
4. Do you read newspapers?
5. When do you usually listen to the radio?
6. Do you agree that most news we get from the media is bad news?
7. Do you think it would be nice if all news printed in newspapers and shown on TV was good news?
8. Do you think that journalists are given too much freedom?
9. If people have died in a plane crash, should their bodies be shown on TV?
10. How do paparazzi earn their living?
11. Are you interested in politics? Don’t you think that some politicians use the media to influence their voters (избиратели)?
12. What is the main advantage of the Internet?
2. Russia is world-famous for its cultural heritage =false
Russia is world famous for its literature.
3. There is little young talent in modern Russia. =false
Russia is rich in young talents
4. The Tretyakov Gallery was founded in the 19th century by one of the Russian artists =false
The Tretyakov Gallery was founded in the 19th century by a Russian merchant and a connoisseur of art Pavel Tretyakov.
5. The Tretyakov Gallery has a rich collection of tapestry, ivory and weapons. =false
The Tretyakov Gallery has a rich collection of early Russian paintings and icons.
6. The Tretyakov Gallery reflects the history of 19th-century Russian art. =false
The Tretyakov Gallery reflects the whole history of Russian art.
7. Alexander Pushkin adapted more than 700 fairytales. =false
Alexander Pushkinwas the author of more than 700 lyrical poems.
8. The real jewel of Russian architecture is St Basil's Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin.=false
The real jewel of architecture is the Moscow Kremlin with its cathedrals, towers and red brick walls.
9. St Basil's Cathedral is one of the most astonishing buildings as it has ten domes. = false
St Basil's Cathedral is one of the world's most astonishing buildings with 8 domes of different designs and colors.
10. Tourists from all over the world come to St Petersburg to admire the masterpiece by Andrey Rublev"The Trinity".=false
Tourists from all over the world come to Moscow to admire the masterpiece by Andrey Rublev"The Trinity"