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 I Greetings
Greet the whole class as usual.
StepⅡ 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?
Ss: Newspaper.
T: Yes. I agree with you. Which kinds of newspapers do you often read?
Ss: The People's Daily, The Chinese Youth Daily, The Guangming Daily, China Daily…
T: Tell me who write the new we read in these newspapers?
Ss: Reporters.
T: How is the news made and written?
Ss: We're not quite clear about that.
T: It doesn't matter. 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 in this period. Look at the screen.
(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 Ⅲ 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 minute to read each question and make a guess. If necessary, you can discuss with your partner.
( A minute later.)
T: Are you ready?
Ss: Yes.
T: Who'd like to tell us your guess?
Ss:…
(Their guess may be right or wrong.)
T: All right. If we want to know whose guess is right, please read the text quickly and find the right answer. OK?
Ss: OK.
T: Begin now.
( A few minutes later.)
T: OK. Stop! Have you found the right answer?
Ss: Yes.
T: Answer together.
Ss: “How does a reporter decide what to write? ” and “How do newspapers help us understand the world?”
T: Well done. Now, please read it again carefully and find the answers to the questions on the creen.
1. Do newspapers and other media simply record what happens?
2. Who were asked to be interviewed to tell us more about news and newpapers?
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?
Suggested answers:
1. No, they don't.
2. Chen Ying and Zhu Lin.
3. The editor.
4. To keep the newspaper balanced and interesting to the readers.
5. Yes. A reporter must know how to ask the right question and how to get people to talk about the topic.
6. The one she wrote about the efforts to bring stolen cultural relics back to China.
7. No, it isn't. The story Zhu Lin like best is about an ordinary young woman who tries to adapt to her new life after studying abroad.
8. Various answers are possible.
9. To report an event truthfully.
10. They bring us a better understanding of the world on all sides, leading to a future world where people from all countries are respected and different views and opinions are tolerated.
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. (Teacher shows the-screen.)
1. more than－not only
e. g. Hibernation is more than sleep. Being a good listener means much more than just "listening with ears".
2. relate (…) to
e. g. This paragraph relates to the international situation.
To what events did your remarks relate?
3. for once=just for once; just this once
e. g. He beat me for 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, He was often late for work after he got addicted to alcohol.
6. even if= even though
e. g. Even if I have to walk all the way, I’ll get there. i
Even if we achieve great success in our work, we should not be proud.
7. draw attention to
e. g. I’m embarrassed about my mistake; please don't draw attention to it. He drew my attention to an error in the report.
8. on all sides= on every side
e. g. Soldiers attacking on all sides.
There were mountains on all sides.
(Bb: more than, relate to, for once, people to be interviewed, be addicted to, even if, draw attention to, on all sides)
Step IV 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. At the same time, further understand the use of the words and phrases we've learnt in it. If you still have any question, you can ask me. Are you clear?
Ss: Yes.
(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 V Discussion
T: OK. Stop reading. Now you must have known about reporters and newspapers better. So let's have a discussion. Look 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. (Teacher should encourage the students to give different opinion and the reasons for their opinions.)
Step VI Summary and Homework
T: Now, let's look at what we've learnt in this period. By reading the passage “Behind the Headlines”, 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. Moreover, we've learned some useful words and phrases, such as more than…. After class, read the passage again and again until you can use the words and phrases we've learnt in it freely. Besides, remember to preview the contents we will learn in the next period.
Step Ⅶ The Design of the Writing on the Blackboard
Unit 2 News media
The Second Period
Useful expressions:
more than
relate to
for once
people to be interviewed
be addicted to
even if
draw attention to
on all sides
Step Ⅷ Record after Teaching