This is an exercise to help you understand a conversation between the Editor-in-Chief of the The Guardian newspaper and Orville Schelle, the Dean of the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California at Berkeley in which they discuss the troubled newspaper industry. It was recorded in 2006. To watch the video, go to my blog: http://debsquickpicks.wordpress.com/masters-i-and-ii/
General Comprehension Questions
Quiz
Choose the best answer to the following multiple choice questions after listening to Alan Rusbridger's conversation at the Goldman Forum on Press & Foreign Affairs of the University of California at Berkeley.
- Rewrite this sentence in formal English: "I wanna welcome everyone to this evening's program a Goldman Forum on Press & Foreign Affairs."
- "I would like to welcome everyone to this evening's program a Goldman Forum on Press & Foreign Affairs."
- "I want to welcome everyone to this evening's program a Goldman Forum on Press & Foreign Affairs."
- "I'm gonna welcome everyone to this evening's program a Goldman Forum on Press & Foreign Affairs."
- Orville Schelle is pleased to welcome a British newspaper editor because:
- Americans appreciate the difference in accent.
- Americans are not always aware of how other countries run their media.
- The British press is superior.
- What is the difference between the journalistic practices of American newspapers and The Guardian?
- American newspapers are all financed by advertising.
- The Guardian is subsidized by the government.
- The Guardian represents a counter-model of journalism.
- One of Alan Rusbridger's hobbies is:
- stamp collecting.
- playing the piano.
- cooking.
- The Guardian is a special mix of:
- market-driven, commercial media outlet and an NGO-like foundation.
- commercial and advertising venture subsidized by their Web site.
- a pompous and high-blown newspaper that has become the spokesperson for the royal family.
- Alan Rusbridger graduated from which of the 31 colleges at Cambridge University:
- Darwin College
- Westminster College
- Magdalene College
- What is Entertainment journalism?
- It's journalism which includes a lot of graphics and color photos.
- It's journalism which only reports on movies and television.
- It's journalism which attracts readers for the sole purpose of shortterm circulation gains.
- Explain this phrase: "(The duty of being a mediator of information) is something a man of the cloth might say rather than an ink-stained wretch."
- The duty of a journalist is inferior to someone who works in the clothing industry.
- A person who sells clothing and a journalist have nothing in common.
- Only a priest and not a journalist would declare something as virtuous as this.
- What does he mean by: "journalism is a grubby old trade"?
- It's a dirty business.
- It's not worth doing.
- It's an honorable profession.
- What does Alan Rusbridger mean by: "There's a higher conversation in America"?
- Americans are talking a lot about morality and newspapers.
- Americans are avoiding the real issues.
- Americans are addressing the real issues.
- Which newspapers, nicknamed the "Red Tops", symbolize a tradition in the British Press?
- The tabloids.
- The classified ad newspapers such as "Auto Trade".
- The financial press.
- Why are entertainment newspapers called "Supermarket Tabloids" in America?
- Because they're considered junk food.
- Because they're sold in supermarkets near the cash register.
- Because the tabloids have many sections like "aisles" in a supermarket.
- The "sacred" and the "profane" refer to:
- the difference between what newspapers like The Guardian report and tabloids.
- religious and non-religious news.
- political news and current events.
- A trust fund is:
- a letter written to show confidence.
- a sum of money put aside for the benefit of a family or company.
- a bank account.
- To break even means:
- to withdraw more money than you have in an account.
- to earn back the same amount of money which was invested or spent.
- to make amends to someone.
- To be entitled to something means:
- to be qualified to receive something
- to receive a special name
- to be worthy of a title
- To be labeled "liberal" in American Politics today is:
- to be considered ultra-capitalistic.
- to be considered socialistic.
- to be considered middle of the road.
- The Guardian is:
- a right-wing, neo-conservative newspaper.
- an unabashedly liberal newspaper.
- a centrist newspaper.
- Alan Rusbridger hopes to be enlightened by the people who live in this "neck of the woods". This means:
- He would like to gather some ideas from the Silicon Valley dot-commer community who live nearby.
- He would like to learn more about the University of California at Berkeley.
- He would like to get a tan in the sun-kissed state of California.
- Rephrase this quesiton: "Do you think they get journalism?"
- Do you think people are becoming journalists?
- Do you think people understand journalism?
- Do you think people are acquiring journalistic skills?
- "We haven't got this commercial imperative to "dumb down" and so it's still quite an intelligent paper". What does "dumb down" mean?
- to over-simplify news reports.
- to render people deaf.
- to take away people's values.
- What does he see as one of the financial and political dangers of newspapers today?
- the connection between advertising and editorials.
- the connection between the web and printed newspapers.
- the connection between tabloids and mainstream newspapers.
- There is no shortage of people who want to buy newspapers today. Put this sentence into the affirmative.
- There is an increase of people who want to buy newspapers today.
- There is a lack of people who want to buy newspapers today.
- There is a glut of people who want to buy newspapers today.
- Schelle and Rusbridger are puzzled about why Blair stuck with Bush. What were they feeling exactly?
- They are confused.
- They are shocked.
- They are saddened.
- Why is Sky News in Great Britain not as extreme as Fox news in the US which are both owned by Rupert Murdoch, the Australian born American media owner?
- Because Britain prefers more somber reporting.
- Because British media regulations force it to be really "fair and balanced".
- Because there are fewer conservatives in Britain.
- Why did The Guardian invest in a new printing press?
- To increase their visual appeal.
- Because their old one had broken down.
- To be able to print newspapers faster and more efficiently.