UNIT 9
Text A

PRE-READING TASK

Exercise 1
Before reading the passage, answer the questions.

1. Is it important for people to be well-informed? Why?
2. How can people get the latest news? Which of the following do you think is the most important?
A. Newspapers and magazines.
B. Home computers.
C. Radio and television programmes.

Now compare your answers with those of your neighbours'.

What's New

1. In the modern world, it is important to be well-informed. Success in many fields depends on getting the latest information. To keep up with what is happening in the world, well-informed people read newspapers and news magazines. They listen to the news on the radio and they watch it on television. Owners of home computers can even receive their news directly from the wire services -- news agencies that supply newspapers, magazines, radio and television with news reports -- through special telephone links.
2. Most people read newspapers for the news of the day. The typical daily newspaper contains articles about local, regional, national, and international news, as well as sports news, weather reports, editorials, and other features. In large cities, newspaper readers can often choose between a "morning paper" distributed early in the morning and an "evening paper" distributed at the end of the workday. Most American newspapers also publish an enlarged Sunday edition containing articles about the news of the day and of the week, plus a number of entertainment and advertising supplements. Daily newspapers are designed to be read quickly by busy people looking for specific information. The Sunday papers, on the other hand, are intended to entertain as well as inform, and they tend to be read leisurely by all members of the family. Other types of newspapers include campus newspapers, written by students at universities, and weekly newspapers, usually intended for a specific audience.
3. News magazines such as Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News and World Report are published weekly. They contain articles about the important national and international news of the week, and special sections are devoted to news about such areas as business, science, education, and arts. News magazines are a popular source of general information on a wide range of recent events. They also feature longer articles dealing with the influence of current events on modern life.
4. Radio and television present the important news of the hour. Many radio stations in the U.S. broadcast news every hour, and a few all-news stations broadcast news and news commentary programs in the evening (beginning at 5:00 or 6:00 P.M.) and at night (beginning at 10:00 or 11:00 P.M.). The evening news generally consists of a national network news program and a local news program, while at night it is usually a local program. In addition, some TV stations offer early morning news, late night news, and weekly "news magazine" programs. Cable television networks in some cities offer foreign language news and all-news channels.
5. Students learning English in English-speaking countries find the news a useful source of language practice. To improve their listening comprehension, they listen to the news on the radio and watch it on television. Then they check their comprehension by reading newspapers and news magazines. Everyone likes to talk about the news. In the office, on the campus, at parties, or on the street, conversations often begin with questions like "What's new?", "What's happening?", or "Have you heard about…?" By staying well-informed, these students find it easier to enter into conversation about the news.

New Words

inform
v. to give information to 告诉，通知

agency
n. 1. 机构
2.代理(处), 代办(处)

typical
a. 典型的

contain
v. to have within itself; hold 包含

local
a. of or in a certain place, esp. the place one lives in 地方的,本地的

regional
a. 地区的, 局部的

editorial
n. leading article 社论

feature
n. 1. a special long article in a newspaper (报纸等的)特辑, 特写
2. 特征, 特色
v. 特载

reader
n. 1. a person who reads 读者
2.读物, 读本

distribute
v. to give out or deliver 分发, 分配

publish
v. (of a newspaper or magazine) to print (sth. written) and offer for sale to the public 发行,出版

enlarge
v. to cause to grow larger and wider 扩大, 扩展

edition
n. one printing of a book, newspaper, magazine, etc. 版, 版本

plus
prep. 加, 加上

entertainment
n. 娱乐

supplement
n. 补充, 增补

intend
v. 1. 打算使...(成)为
2. to mean to do 打算,想要

tend
v. 1. 往往是
2. 趋向, 倾向

leisurely
ad. 慢慢地, 从容地

type
n. a certain kind, class or group 类型

campus
n. the grounds and buildings of a university or college (大学)校园

weekly
a. 每周的
ad. 每周

audience
n. 读者, 观众, 听众

range
n. the limits between which something varies 范围, 幅度

current
a. of the present time 当前的, 现时的

broadcast
v. to send out sound or images by radio or television 广播

commentary
n. 评论, 评注

program(me)
n. 1. 节目
2. a plan of what is to be done 计划

generally
ad. usually 通常, 一般地

consist
v. to be made up (of) 由...组成(构成)

network
n. 1. 广播网, 电视网
2.网, 网状物

cable
n. 电缆

channel
n. 1.频道
2.海峡

conversation
n. 会话, 谈话

Phrases and Expressions

keep up with
跟上

listen to
听

supply ... with
提供

as well as
还有, 既...又

a number of
一些, 若干

be devoted to
专用于...的, 献身...的

consist of
由...组成, 由...构成

enter into
进入, 开始(谈话)

Proper Names

Time
《时代周刊》（美国）

Newsweek
《新闻周刊》（美国）

U.S. News and World Report
《美国新闻与世界报导》（美国）


Text B

PRE-READING TASK

Exercise 1
Before reading the passage, look at the symbol signs. Tell what each of them stands for. Write your answers in the blank next to each symbol sign.

Now compare your answers with those of your neighbours'.

Searching for a Uniform Sign Language

1. A picture can be worth far more than a thousand words, at least when it comes to guiding travelers. That was the reason behind an experimental project by the U. S. Department of Transportation. The Department wanted to test the efficiency of thirty-four graphic symbols in air terminals and other public places in several American cities -- as an aid to Americans and their guests from abroad.
2. William R. Meyers, who directs the project, requires that the signs be clear, uniform, and easy to comprehend. "This means, above all, signs that would overcome the language barrier," Meyers explains. "Far too many foreign visitors find themselves in strange and confusing surroundings, not knowing the language of the country and uncertain as to where to go to obtain help."
3. In the past, there has been no uniform sign system, and a number of organizations worldwide have posted widely varying signs for guiding the public. For example, the sign for a telephone at the Mexico Olympic Games was a telephone dial; at the Tokyo Olympics, a telephone and dial; in most other sign systems, a telephone headset. After considering all the various telephone symbols as to their instant communication value, experts selected a stylized telephone handset.
4. Pictures for the signs were created by the American Institute of Graphic Arts in New York City. The creators of the graphic symbols wanted to find a uniform sign language that people everywhere would comprehend easily. For example, they decided that the back view of an envelope indicates a mail facility more clearly than a front or "side" view. To communicate a currency exchange, the creators developed a uniform symbol sign that shows a rectangle with figures for a dollar, pound, franc, and yen depicted on it. Also, a martini with an olive became the uniform sign for a bar, not because the martini was judged the most popular cocktail but because the shape of the glass is distinctive, and other cocktail glasses can easily be confused with a water glass.
5. Several years ago, representatives from all over Europe met in Geneva to agree upon a uniform code of highway markings. When these were posted, it became possible for motorists from all over the world to drive with greater safety even though they didn't know the language of the country that they were visiting. In the future, the uniform highway signs from Europe may appear along major roads in many other countries as well.
6. Once the signs are posted throughout the world, a knife and fork will mean a restaurant, a suitcase will indicate baggage, and a car under a key, a car rental. And if anyone has questions about the whole proposition, he can simply go to the information desk under the sign that has a big question mark within a circle.

New Words

experimental
a. used for or connected with experiment 实验（性）的，试验（性）的

project
n. (a plan for) work or activity of any kind 项目，计划

department
n. 部，部门

transportation
n. 运输

efficiency
n. the state or quality of being efficient 效率，有效性

graphic
a. concerned with written signs, usu. letters or drawings 图示的，图解的

terminal
n. （航空、铁路等）终点站，（海、陆、空运输路线的）终点

comprehend
v. to understand 理解

overcome
v. 克服，战胜

barrier
n. 障碍

surroundings
n. the place and conditions of life 环境，周围的事物

uncertain
a. not certain 不确知的

worldwide
a. in or over all the world 世界范围的
ad. 在世界范围内

dial
n. 拨号盘
v. to make a telephone call; call on a telephone with a dial 拨（号）， 打电话

headset
n. 头戴式受话机，耳机

instant
a. 1.coming or happening at once 立即的，即刻的
2. （食品）已配制好的，快速而方便的

select
v. to choose as best, most suitable, etc. from a group 挑选

stylize
v. to treat or present in a fixed style 使风格化

handset
n. 手持送受话机，电话听筒

institute
n. （研究）所，院，学会

view
n. 1.图，视图
2. an opinion, belief, idea of one's own 观点，意见

envelope
n. 信封

mail
n. 邮递，邮政制度

facility
n. 1.设施, 设备
2.an advantage 方便, 便利

communicate
v. 传达, 传送

currency
n. the particular type of money in use in a country 货币

rectangle
n. 矩形

franc
n. 法郎

yen
n. 日元

depict
v. to show by a picture 描画, 描绘

martini
n. 马提尼酒 (一种鸡尾酒)

olive
n. 橄栏叶, 橄栏枝

cocktail
n. 鸡尾酒

distinctive
a. 与众不同的, 有特色的

representative
n. a person acting in place of one or more others 代表

code
n. 代号

highway
n. 公路

motorist
n. a person who drives, and usu. owns a car 驾驶汽车的人

suitcase
n. 小提箱, 衣箱

baggage
n. luggage 行李

rental
n. 出租, 出租业

proposition
n. 1.提议, 主张
2.问题, 事情

Phrases and Expressions

search for
寻找

at least
至少

when it comes to
涉及, 谈到

above all
首先, 最重要的是

as to
有关

agree upon/on
达成一致意见

in the future
将来

as well
同样地, 也

Proper Names

U.S. Department of Transportation
美国交通部

William R. Meyers
威廉.R.梅耶斯(人名)

the Mexico Olympic Games
墨西哥奥运会

the Tokyo Olympic Games
东京奥运会

the American Institute of Graphic Arts
美国图形艺术研究所

New York City
纽约市(美国城市)

Geneva
日内瓦(瑞士城市)