A. Read the news list to see if you predictions were correct

New list, 29 January 1. House prices in Australia are continuing to rise, estate agents have announced. Interview an estate agent and prepare a package with a first-time buyer explaining how difficult it is to get on the housing ladder. 2. Schools in rural areas are struggling to stay open because of a falling birth rate, which means there is not enough funding. Local authorities are being told to re-organise schools, but this inevitably means some schools will close, which will cause big protests. What can be done about the situation? Speak to a leading educationalist and parents involved with a protest group to keep their local school open. 3. Does global warming exist? The recent fires all over Australia are just the latest event to be blamed on global warming, but another group of scientists believes that phenomenon is overhyped, and that this is just how the Earth should be reacting. Speak to Friends of the Earth and a leading meteorologist. 4. Following the announcement of the latest strange name for a celebrity child, should parents who give their children ridiculous names be labeled as cruel? Get a child psychologist and an adult who has a strange name to discuss whether they have suffered (or not) because of their name. 5. Campaigners want to honour a boy from Alice Springs. He is believed to be the youngest Australian killed who fought in World War II. Interview campaigners and the family. 6. Yet another Picasso museum has been opened in France. Furthermore, it’s in a building which was previously used as a night shelter for homeless people. More art or more heart? Talk to a representative of the museum and someone from the homeless shelter.

B. In pairs, discuss which of the stories from the news list you would most, and least, like to research and write. Explain why.

C. Look at the sentences in bold in the news list and decide if the following statements are True (T) or False (F).

1. These sentences summurise the topic of the item.

2. They are all examples of topic sentences.

3. The topic sentence is always controversial.

4. All the topic sentences in this news list use present tenses.

5. Topic sentences are never questions.

Topic sentence(noun) – з.е. абзацтың негізгі ойын білдіретін сөйлем

D Underline the topic sentences in the following news list items.

1) Is the liberal party leader too old to win the general election? A recent poll shows that many young voters do not even know his name and when shown his photo, think he is too old for the job. Record a package asking a wide range of people what they think. Get a representative from Age Concern and a spokesperson from the Liberal party.

2) Top universities are still following to attract large numbers of students from state schools. Speak to the dean of a top university and teachers from a private and a state school.

3) It’s Oscar time again, but are the Oscars valid, or just another marketing ploy? Interview people in the film sector and prepare a package of previous Oscar film winners.

Look at the extract below from the Good Morning Australia news list and answer the following questions.

Interview an estate agent and prepare a package with a first-time buyer explaining how difficult it is to get on the housing ladder.

1. Is the producer explaining the story or explaining how to develop the story?

2. What is the underlined verb from?

3. Why is this verb form used?

Write a news list for a thirty-minute current affairs programme tomorrow morning, using the ideas you discussed in exercise 1. Remember to use topic sentences and to give clear instructions using the imperative.

Unit 7 TV and Radio

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Editing a TV documentary