How To Choose Your News American English Teacher

HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
GENERAL ENGLISH · ENGLISH IN VIDEO · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)
HOW TO
CHOOSE
YOUR NEWS
QrrkoD Scan to review worksheet
Expemo code:
15DS-Z6ZB-1L12
1 Warm up
In pairs, answer the following questions.
1. Where do you usually read or watch the news? Newspapers? Social media? Online news?
2. How much time do you usually spend reading news articles and watching videos about news on
TV or the Internet each week? Is it something that is important for you to do? Why/Why not?
3. What are the main sources for news in your country? What is your opinion about each of those
sources?
4. Where did your parents get their news from when they were growing up? Is it the same as where
they get it now? If it has changed, how is it different?
5. How much do you trust your news sources? What steps if any do you take to make sure you are
getting a true and full picture of current events?
FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 1/6

Scan the QR at the top of Page 1 to review the lesson flashcards with Expemo.
© Linguahouse.com. Photocopiable and licensed for use in Sue School's lessons.
HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR NEWS
2 Understanding the introduction
Number the extracts from the introduction to the video in order from 1 - 9. The first one is done for
you.
and three or four TV networks where trusted newscasters delivered the day’s news at the same reliable
time every evening.
a series of scandals showed that democratic governments were also misleading the public, often with
media cooperation.
But the problems with this system soon became apparent as mass media spread.
How do you know what’s happening in your world? 1
The amount of information just a click away may be limitless, but the time and energy we have to
absorb and evaluate it is not. All the information in the world
this idea would have sounded strange. Only a few decades ago, news was broad-based.
While it was known that authoritarian countries controlled and censored information,
won’t be very useful unless you know how to read the news. To your grandparents, parents or even
older siblings,
Your choices were limited to a couple of general interest magazines and newspapers of record
Now watch the first part of the video (00:00 - 01:04) to check your answers.
Find words in the text which mean the following.
1. to listen to and understand something over a period of time:

2. to decide how good something is after studying it carefully:
3. covering a lot of different subjects, not limited in what it talked about:
4. people who present a news program and deliver the news:
5. not difficult to understand:
6. governing in a strict way where it’s very important to follow the rules:
7. governing in a way where the people decide who works for them in government through free and
fair elections:
8. giving the idea that something is true when it isn’t, or the opposite:
FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 2/6

HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
3 Focus on vocabulary
Part A: Match the vocabulary to the definitions.
1. assassination (n) a. an organized murder of someone in a powerful position, usually for

political reasons
2. undermine (v) b. information that people are discussing which is not supported by
evidence
3. chaotic (adj.) c. not acceptable or very rude
4. accusation (n) d. to carefully choose or collect a number of things
5. refute (v) e. to make something weaker or less effective
6. rumor (n) f. to say that something is incorrect or not true
7. outrageous (adj.) g. when someone says they believe a person acted wrongly or illegally
8. curate (v) h. with no organization at all
Part B: Now complete the following sentences with a form of the word in parentheses.
1. At the time of his arrest, he was working as an and had been involved in a number
of high-profile murders. (assassination)
2. Three men were killed when the roof of the collapsed, leading to rescue workers
working through the night deep underground. (undermine)
3. The entire company has been without Wi-Fi for two days, so it’s been absolute .
(chaotic)
4. She didn’t directly say I’d done anything wrong, but her tone was very . (accusation)
5. He was sentenced to ten years in prison after the prosecution presented evidence
of his guilt. (refute)
6. His children loved him and said he was a good father, despite his affairs with
various women throughout his life. (rumor)
7. Daniel caused with his sexist comments at the sales conference and was fired
within a couple of weeks. (outrageous)
8. Pedro was working as a at the Natural History Museum when I met him. He’d
always had a deep fascination with the past. (curate)
Now in pairs, answer the following questions.

1. Do you prefer to work in very organized situations, or do you like it if things are a little chaotic?
Why?
2. Have you ever made an accusation about someone doing something wrong? What happened?
3. If someone accused you of not being a good person, how would you refute this accusation?

HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
4 Vocabulary in context (optional task)
Read the following sentences and, in pairs, discuss what you think the vocabulary in bold means.
Write down your answers.
The newspaper published a report suggesting that the government was involved in a number of
covertwars in Africa and the Middle East.
1.
The journalist was advised not to write a story that went against the officialnarrative of events.
2.
The only way to get the news while I was growing up was from mainstream sources.
3.
If we’re writing a news article about Latin America, we’re often forced to use middlemen as we don’t
have an office in that part of the world.
4.
I was present at the demonstrations, so it was interesting to read the polishedversions of events
afterward.
5.
While we take great care with our material, it’s virtually impossible to completely remove all media bias.
6.
I started this blog as a way to provide an alternative to the traditional media gatekeepers.
7.
We did as much preparation for it as possible, but at some point, you have to take the plunge.
8.
Now in pairs, discuss the following questions.

1. Has the government of your country, to your knowledge, been involved in any covert wars? What
happened?
2. Which media companies or newspapers in your country are most likely to give the officialnarrative
of events? Do you often use those media sites or read those newspapers?
3. What examples can you give where you have seen media bias?

HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
5 Comprehension
Watch the rest of the video (01:04 - 04:46) and choose the best answer to the following questions.
1. What caused the public to stop trusting mainstream media?
a. Revelations that the government waspaying the media to report them in a good light
b. The invention of the Internet, which showed there were other ways to look at the news
c. Evidence that they were working with democratic governments who were not operating
honestly
2. What is the problem with the increase in media sources due to the Internet?
a. Too many differing views which may not always have the same opinion or even agree on what
is a fact
b. It has become expensive to get the full range of opinions due to subscription charges.
c. If there is a connection problem with the Internet, then it’s very difficult to find out the news.
3. What does the video suggest as a good way to get to the truth?
a. Subscribe to a high-quality news show or blog which will interpret the news honestly.
b. Locate the source of the news story rather than an interpretation of the event.
c. Find out what politicians are saying about the event and listen to their words, not what you
are told they said.
4. What does the video suggest in situations where you can’t get direct sources of the news?
a. Check social media and find out what people are saying as it will often be discussed there more
quickly than in the media.
b. Get news from different places and compare what they are saying and what they agree on to
get a full picture.
c. The main news channels are usually the best source in this situation as they will have reliable
access to the story.
5. What does the video warn that news reports should not contain?
a. Information from people who are not named, as this could be people trying to change the story
to one which benefits them
b. Information from several different sources, as they will not be clear and may confuse the
situation more
c. Information which is based on a news blog, as blogs are often paid for by politicians
6. What does the video suggest about sharing news on social media?
a. Avoid using social media for news as it’s nearly always false.
b. Check news items before sharing by finding other sources.
c. It’s the fastest way to share news, so that’s the first place to go.

HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
6 Talking point
In pairs, discuss the following questions.
1. What makes you choose the sources where you get your news stories from? What do you like
about them?
2. Which sources of news do you not use? Why?
3. Can you give an example of a news story that was reported in different ways by different sources?
What did they say? Why were their versions different?
4. Now you have watched the video, will you do anything different in the way you choose your news?
Why/Why not?
7 Extended activity/homework
You are going to write a short report on how the news is reported by different news sources. Follow
these steps:
1. Find a news story that is being reported by a lot of different media sources. You may want to try
looking at the following: CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, The BBC, The Times, The Guardian, The Intercept,
The Sun, The Daily Mirror, The New YorkPost, and any news blogs you may be familiar with.
2. Look at the different language that is used in those stories. Is the event being told by the people
who saw it, or is it the words of the reporter?
3. How is the event being reported differently by different sources?
Now write a report of about 250 words which gives:
• a brief summary of what the story was about

• what the different sources said about the story
• examples of how the different sources used language to report the story and what effect this had
on the story

HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
TEACHER MATERIALS · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)
Transcripts
2. Understanding the introduction
Damon Brown: How do you know what’s happening in your world? The amount of information
just a click away may be limitless, but the time and energy we have to absorb and
evaluate it is not. All the information in the world won’t be very useful unless you
know how to read the news. To your grandparents, parents or even older siblings,
this idea would have sounded strange.
Damon Brown: Only a few decades ago, news was broad-based. Your choices were limited to a
couple of general interest magazines and newspapers of record and three or four TV
networks where trusted newscasters delivered the day’s news at the same reliable
time every evening. But the problems with this system soon became apparent as
mass media spread. While it was known that authoritarian countries controlled and
censored information, a series of scandals showed that democratic governments
were also misleading the public, often with media cooperation.
Damon Brown: Revelations of covert wars, secret assassinations, and political corruption
undermined public faith in official narratives presented by mainstream sources. This
breakdown of trust in media gatekeepers led to alternative newspapers, radio shows,
and cable news competing with the major outlets and covering events from various
perspectives. More recently, the Internet has multiplied the amount of information
and viewpoints, with social media, blogs, and online video turning every citizen into
a potential reporter.
Damon Brown: But if everyone is a reporter, nobody is, and different sources may disagree, not
only on opinions but on the facts themselves. So how do you get the truth, or
something close? One of the best ways is to get the original news unfiltered by
middlemen. Instead of articles interpreting a scientific study or a politician’s speech,
you can often find the actual material and judge for yourself. For current events,
follow reporters on social media.
Damon Brown: During major events, such as the Arab Spring or the Ukrainian protests, newscasters
and bloggers have posted updates and recordings from the midst of the chaos.
Though many of these later appear in articles or broadcasts, keep in mind that these
polished versions often combine the voice of the person who was there with the
input of editors who weren’t.
FOOOOTERAPPENDIXRIGHT
Learn without forgetting! i
HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
Damon Brown: At the same time, the more chaotic the story, the less you should try to follow
it in real time. In events like terrorist attacks and natural disasters, today’s media
attempts continuous coverage even when no reliable new information is available,
sometimes leading to incorrect information or false accusations of innocent people.
It’s easy to be anxious in such events, but try checking for the latest information at
several points in the day, rather than every few minutes, allowing time for complete
details to emerge and false reports to be refuted.
Damon Brown: While good journalism aims for objectivity, media bias is often unavoidable. When
you can’t get the direct story, read coverage in multiple outlets which employ
different reporters and interview different experts. Tuning in to various sources and
noting the differences lets you put the pieces together for a more complete picture.
It’s also crucial to separate fact from opinion. Words like think, likely, or probably
mean that the outlet is being careful or, worse, taking a guess. And watch out for
reports that rely on anonymous sources.
Damon Brown: These could be people who have little connection to the story or have an interest
in influencing coverage, their anonymity making them unaccountable for the
information they provide. Finally, and most importantly, try to verify news before
spreading it. While social media has enabled the truth to reach us faster, it’s also
allowed rumors to spread before they can be verified and falsehoods to survive long
after they’ve been refuted.
Damon Brown: So, before you share that unbelievable or outrageous news item, do a web search
to find any additional information or context you might have missed and what
others are saying about it. Today, we are more free than ever from the old media
gatekeepers who used to control the flow of information. But with freedom comes
responsibility: the responsibility to curate our own experience and ensure that this
flow does not become a flood, leaving us less informed than before we took the
plunge.
FOOOOTERAPPENDIXLEFT
Learn without forgetting! ii
HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
Key
1. Warm up
5-10 mins.
This allows students to begin thinking about the subject and think about the sources of their own media diet, as
well as how it might have changed compared to their parents’ experience.
2. Understanding the introduction
10 mins.
Ask students to piece together the script before watching the video to check their answers. Then ask them to
find vocabulary in the script which fits the definitions.
1. How do you know what’s happening in your world?
2. The amount of information just a click away may be limitless, but the time and energy we have to absorb and
evaluate it is not. All the information in the world
3. won’t be very useful unless you know how to read the news. To your grandparents, parents or even older
siblings,
4. this idea would have sounded strange. Only a few decades ago, news was broad-based.
5. Your choices were limited to a couple of general interest magazines and newspapers of record
6. and three or four TV networks where trusted newscasters delivered the day’s news at the same reliable time
every evening.
7. But the problems with this system soon became apparent as mass media spread.
8. While it was known that authoritarian countries controlled and censored information,
9. a series of scandals showed that democratic governments were also misleading the public, often with media
cooperation.
Vocabulary
1. absorb 2. evaluate 3. broad-based 4. newscasters
5. apparent 6. authoritarian 7. democratic 8. misleading
3. Focus on vocabulary
5 mins.
Ensure students can correctly pronounce the target vocabulary. Ask students to complete this section unaided in
the first instance, but they can use a reference to check their work afterward if needed.
1. a 2. e 3. h 4. g 5. f 6. b 7. c 8. d
Part B
10 mins.
Students are likely to need a reference to complete this section. Ask them to note down any other forms that they
encounter. When they have completed this, ask them to answer the questions in pairs or small groups.
1. assassin 2. mine 3. chaos 4. accusatory
5. irrefutable 6. rumored 7. outrage 8. curator
FOOOOTERAPPENDIXRIGHT
Learn without forgetting! iii
HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
4. Vocabulary in context (optional task)
10 mins.
This offers additional support with language from the video and gives students an opportunity to see it in use, as
well as use some items themselves during discussion.
Monitor this task and if needed provide answers.
1. A war that is being fought unofficially, in a way that is not made public.
2. The story which is decided to be the best version by those people who are in charge. This may be different
from the truth, depending on who is in charge.
3. The official media companies and newspapers who are powerful but are often biased towards or against certain
political views or ways of thinking.
4. People who work as a contact between the customer and the provider, usually for a fee of some kind. The idea
here is that they may add something to the story or give it some bias, so it is not pure and direct from the source.
5. Carefully considered and edited stories, the implication being that the truth may be edited out in order to make
a better story or a story that is more useful to those telling it.
6. Bias is presenting something in a way that gives the person watching or listening a particular impression of
the event. Official news organizations are often biased in favor of, or against, a particular government or political
point of view.
7. A gatekeeper is someone who decides who or what is allowed to pass through a gate or an area. When there
were a limited number of news sources, those media companies were able to control what was and wasn’t known.
8. To make a decision to do something, often implying that there is a certain amount of risk and unknown outcomes
involved in the action. Like jumping into a body of water without knowing what is in it.
5. Comprehension
10 mins.
Ask students to read through the questions first and predict the correct answers before watching and checking
their predictions.
1. c 2. a 3. b 4. b 5. a 6. b
6. Talking point
10 mins. Ask students to discuss the questions in pairs or small groups.
7. Extended activity/homework
1 hour+.
You may want students to do the research for this in class so that you can guide them. Or you may want them to
prepare at home and then write the report in class.
You may find some students benefit from doing this in small groups with clearly defined roles. This is a good
opportunity for students to evaluate Western media, and perhaps the media in their own countries if they want
to include that.
However, beware of students getting into translating stories from their own language as that will add an additional
level to this process.
FOOOOTERAPPENDIXLEFT
Learn without forgetting! iv
HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
This is best done with real English language sources. You can also provide printed materials of your choosing e.g. from
CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, The BBC, The Times, The Guardian, The Intercept, The Sun, The Daily Mirror, The New York
Post, and any news blogs.
FOOOOTERAPPENDIXRIGHT v
Learn without forgetting!

How To Choose Your News American English Teacher

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

How To Choose Your News American English Teacher

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

HEAAADERLOGORIGHT

GENERAL ENGLISH · ENGLISH IN VIDEO · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

In pairs, answer the following questions.

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 1/6

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR NEWS

2 Understanding the introduction

How do you know what’s happening in your world? 1

Find words in the text which mean the following.

1. to listen to and understand something over a period of time:

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 2/6

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR NEWS

Part A: Match the vocabulary to the deﬁnitions.

1. assassination (n) a. an organized murder of someone in a powerful position, usually for

4. accusation (n) d. to carefully choose or collect a number of things

5. refute (v) e. to make something weaker or less eﬀective

6. rumor (n) f. to say that something is incorrect or not true

8. curate (v) h. with no organization at all

Now in pairs, answer the following questions.

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 3/6

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR NEWS

4 Vocabulary in context (optional task)

Now in pairs, discuss the following questions.

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 4/6

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR NEWS

1. What caused the public to stop trusting mainstream media?

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 5/6

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR NEWS

In pairs, discuss the following questions.

Now write a report of about 250 words which gives:

• a brief summary of what the story was about

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 6/6

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR NEWS

2. Understanding the introduction

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR NEWS

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR NEWS

2. Understanding the introduction

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR NEWS

4. Vocabulary in context (optional task)

10 mins. Ask students to discuss the questions in pairs or small groups.

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR NEWS

You might also like