BEHIND THE HEADLINES

Brief Statements Based on the Unit

The activities of this unit, including Warming-up, Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing, center on the subject-news and the media, which are connected with our life closely. It provides the students an opportunity to learn the language in using it.

By talking about news and the media, the students get more knowledge about them-not only know about the world, but also the ways they are written and made. The students must be very interested in this subject. This way, they can learn the language points easily and freely. They will not only learn some useful words and phrases about news and the media, but also learn to express opinions.

Besides, the study of the Grammar-the Past Participle can help the students use the language more exactly. By finishing each task provided in the textbook and the workbook, the students’ skills to use language can be well developed.

Teaching Aims:

1. Learn and master the following words and phrases:

Headline, editor, informed, relate, talented, swith, for once, present, reflect, unique, spiritual, seldom, addict, be addicted to, social, ignore, even if, draw attention to, on all sides, tolerate; change one’s mind, affair, current affairs

2. Train the students’ reading ability.

Teaching Important Points:

1. Words and phrases:

more than, experienced, relate to, for once, be addicted to, even if, draw attention to, on all sides, change one’s mind

2. Understand the passage exactly.

Teaching Difficult Point:

How to help the students learn more about reporters and newspapers.

Teaching Methods:

1. Fast reading to get a general idea of the text.

2. Careful reading to further understand the text.

3. Individual, pair or group work to make every student take an active part in the activities in class.

Teaching Aids:

1. a recorder 2. a projector 3. the blackboard

Teaching Procedures:

Step 1 Greetings

Greet the whole class as usual.

Step 2 Revision and Lead-in

T: Yesterday, we talked a lot about news media. All the news media can help us learn about the world around us. Can you tell me which kind of news media do you think is more convenient and cheaper for us to read?

Which kinds of newspapers do you often read?

T: Tell me who write the new we read in these newspapers? After Ss answer the questions.

T: Today, we’re going to read a passage about reporters and newspapers. Two of China’s many talented journalists were asked to help us know about their work and how the news we read is made and written. First, let’s learn the new words.

Headline / informed / relate / relate to / talented / switch / for once

Interviewee / interviewer / present / reflect / truthfully / passion / unique / spiritual / fulfillment / seldom / AIDS /addict / be addicted to / social / ignore / even if draw attention to / on all sides / tolerate / critical / sourse / change one’s mind / current / affair / current affairs

Teacher first asks some students to read them out and corrects their mistakes in pronunciation. Then explain them briefly. At the end, let the students read them for a while.

Step 3 Reading

T: Ok. Now, please open your books at Page 11. Look at the title of the text and the pictures. Try to guess which of the top questions the text will answer. I give you one minuet to read each question and make a guess. If necessary, you can discuss with your partner. After checking answers.

T: Well done. Now, please read it again carefully and find the answers to the questions on the screen.

1. Do newspapers and other media simply record what happens?

2. Who were asked to be interviewed to tell us more about news and newspapers?

3. Whom does a reporter have to discuss with before he/she decides what to write?

4. What is the editor’s job?

5. Is interviewing someone difficult? What must a reporter know?

6. Which article is Chen Ying’s favourite one? Is it news or an interesting story?

7. Is the story Zhu Lin like best about famous people? If not, what is it about and why she likes it best?

8. If you were a reporter, what would you like to write about?

9. What is the basic task for a reporter?

10. What result can TV programmes and printed articles bring to us? After Ss answer the questions.

T: Well, you’ve understood the text better. In order that you can understand it more exactly and use the language freely and correctly, please learn the words and phrases on the screen.

(1) more than –not only

e.g. Hibernation is more than sleep. Being a good listener means much more then just “listening with ears”.

(2) relate (…) to

e.g. This paragraph relates to the international situation.

To what events did your remarks relate?

(3) rot once = just for once; just this once

Just for once he arrived on time.

(4) People to be interviewed= People who will be interviewed

People interviewed = People who were / have been interviewed

People being interviewed = People who are being interviewed

e. g. the building to be built next year

the building built last year

the building being built now

(5) be / get / become addicted to –unable to stop taking or using sth. as a habit

e.g. Soon he became addicted to cigarettes.

(6) even if =even though

e.g. Even if I have to walk all the way, I’ll get there.

(7) draw attention to

e.g. I’m embarrassed about my mistake; please don’t draw attention to it.

(8) on all sides= on every side

e.g. Soldiers attacking on all sides.

Step 4 Reading aloud

T: OK. Now, I’ll play the tape of the text. First, listen and follow. Then listen and repeat. Pay attention to the stress and intonation. At the end, read the whole text aloud for a few minutes.

Teacher plays the tape first. Then goes around the class, answering any questions that the students may ask. A few minutes later, teacher asks the students to do the next task.

Step 5 Discussion

T: Ok. Stop reading .Now you must have known about reporters and newspapers better. So let’s have a discussion. Lood at the questions 3 and 4 on Page 12 and work in groups of four to talk about them. A few minutes later, I’ll ask some of you to report to the rest of the class.

Step 6 Summary and Homework

Now, let’s look at what we’ve learnt in this period. By reading the passage “Behind the Headines”, we’ve learnt more about reporters and newspapers, the reporters’ life and work as well as the important part that newspapers play in our daily life. They help us deal with problems and understand the world better. Read the passage again and again, remember to preview the contents we will learn in the nest period.