Please read the vocabulary lesson at your natural speed, though it should not be too fast. Thank you!
Describe a recent news story that you have read or heard about
What is it about?
When and where did you read/hear about it?
What effect did it have on you?
Student: That’s a good question for me because I am fascinated by current affairs. The news story I would like to talk about is the Hudson Plane Crash. This event occurred in America a few years ago. Because of the internet and 24-hour rolling news I think I heard about this news story within minutes of it happening. A plane took off in New York but shortly after take-off there was a bird strike and both engines were taken out. The pilot then had to make an agonising decision – to try and return to the airport or to try and land the plane. The only possible place he could see to land the plane was on the Hudson River. I remember a previous occasion when a plane which had been hijacked by terrorists landed on water and all the people on board were killed. On this occasion, however, the pilot successfully landed the plane on the river. Miraculously all the people on board got off the plane uninjured. The pilot is an absolute hero. Before he got off the plane he walked up and down it to check that nobody was left on board. Before I heard about this story I was a nervous flyer, unfortunately this incident has not eased my nerves, in actual fact it has made my fear of flying worse. If I had been on the plane, I would have been terrified at the thought of losing my life and never seeing my family again. So as a result of this news story I doubt I will be flying again in the near future.
Examiner: We have been talking about a recent news story and now I would like to ask you some more general questions relating to this topic.
DESCRIBE how the internet has changed the way we get news
Student: The internet has radically changed the way we get news. In the past people used to read a daily or weekly newspaper so by the time they were reading the news it was already out of date. Nowadays we get news on the internet and it is instant. In addition, people can read or hear the news without the need to buy a newspaper so it has probably reduced the number of newspapers sold.
DESCRIBE what qualities a good journalist needs
Student: I imagine that a journalist needs to be ruthless. A lot of time they have to write stories about people who do not want their faces splashed across the front of the newspaper, therefore they have to be pushy to get people to talk about them. Additionally, it would be necessary to be able to work to deadlines, as the news has to be printed as soon as possible so there is not a lot of time to think about or plan the story.
ASSESS which is the most reliable medium for getting news (internet, TV, radio, newspapers)
Student: That’s a very difficult question because I imagine all of them have published stories which are not true. I would say the internet is the least reliable medium because anybody can put a story on the internet. The other three are all controlled more closely therefore, they are more reliable. I suppose it depends on the TV or radio station or programme as to whether it is reliable or not.
CONSIDER whether censorship of news by governments is ever justified
Student: This is a tricky question and although I am against censorship the majority of time, I think there may be cases where it is justified. For example, there have been a lot of suicides in a town in Wales in recent years and I feel that when one person does it and it is reported then other people copy what has happened. This is the same with murders. A lot of terrorist attacks are done because the terrorist groups want the publicity, if governments censored the information we are given, it might reduce the number of attacks in the future.
Thank you!