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ead the text and do the following exercises.

Mass Media Influence

In the last 50 years the media influence has grown a lot with
the advance of technology. First there was the telegraph,
then the radio, the newspaper, magazines, television and
now the internet.
We live in a society that depends on information
and communication to keep moving in the right direction
and do our daily activities like work, entertainment, health
care, education, personal relationships, travelling and
anything else that we have to do.
A common person in the city usually wakes up,
checks the TV news or newspaper, goes to work, makes a few phone calls, eats with their family when possible and makes
his decisions based on the information that he has either from their co-workers, news, TV, friends, family, financial reports,
etc.
Most of our decisions, beliefs and values are based on what we know for a fact, our assumptions and our own
experience. At work we usually know what we have to do based on our experience and studies. However, in our daily lives,
we rely on the media to get the current news and facts about what is important and what we should be aware of.
We have put our trust on the media as an authority to give us news, entertainment and education. However, the
influence of mass media on our kids, teenagers and society is so big that we should know how it really works.

How mass Media Influence works

Of all the media distribution channels the most influential has been the television, we are constantly exposed to
thousands of images of violence, advertising, sex, celebrities and much more. In fact, it’s known that a child is exposed to
about 40,000 ads a year.
The companies or people that shape our values, beliefs and decisions are: Time Warner, VIACOM, Vivendi
Universal, Walt Disney and News Corp.
Those 5 companies own 95% of all the media that we get every day. They own the major entertainment theme
parks, entertainment movie studios, television and radio broadcast networks and programming, video news and sports
entertainment.
They also own integrated telecommunications, wireless phones, video games software, electronic media, the
music industry and more.
Years ago there was more diversity in companies. Now they are just a few and they have the power to shape the
opinion and beliefs of us and our kids. So it’s important to be aware of what your kids are exposed to every day and you
should also try to look at things from different perspectives and not just from the one the media gives you.
http://hubpages.com/hub/Mass-Media-Influence-on-Society (abridged and adapted)

I. Label the following pictures

1 NAMES:
2 1.__________________________________

2.__________________________________
5 3.__________________________________

4.__________________________________
4
3 5.__________________________________

II
 A. Are these sentences true or false? Correct the false ones.

1. The influence of the media has increased because of the advance of technology.

2. Communication and information are not very important in our society.

3. We never make decisions based on what we know for a fact.

4. We can’t rely on the media to be informed about what is going on in the world.

B. Match these words from the text with their right meanings.

WORD MEANING

1. keep moving a. takes a look at

2. checks b. teens

3. confide c. huge

4. teenagers d. always

5. big e. go on

6. constantly f. rely on

C. Answer these questions using your own words as far as possible.

1. Why is TV the most influential medium?

2. Name the companies that influence what we think and do.

3. What do these companies own?

4. Why is it important to be aware of what kids are exposed to every day?

D. Ask questions for these answers.

1. They watch TV all the time.

2. He read the newspaper to know what was happening in the world.

3. She went to the cinema with her friends.

4. There are 5 very important communication companies.

 II. Language work

A. Choose the correct preposition from the box below to complete the gaps.

in from at on by around to for

If you like to travel, there are a lot of means you can use
to go (1) ________________ one place (2) ________________
another.
If you like travelling long distances, for example, (3)
________________ the world, you will have to use the plane.
Travelling (4) ________________ air is faster and more
comfortable.
The train is also a good option, if you want to have a
nice journey: you can travel (5) ________________ hours, have
your meals (6) ________________ the train and sleep (7)
________________ one of the cozy sleeping carriages (8)
________________ night.

B. Make sentences using the following jumbled words. Put the verbs in the right tense.
1. NEXT YEAR / FLY / TO BRAZIL / SUMMER / HOLIDAYS/ I / DURING / THE.

2. WORK / AS /A JOURNALIST / SHE / A COMPANY / FOR /.

3. BOAT / TRAVEL / THE USA / BY / THEY / TO/LAST YEAR /?

C. Rewrite these sentences starting them as indicated. Make the necessary

transformations.

1. Someone offered him a trip to South America.

He_______________________________________________________________

1. That article was read by all the plane passengers.

All the plane passengers_______________________________________________

2. James likes to travel by plane, but he prefers travelling by train.

Although James_____________________________________________________

4. Don’t eat fast food so that you don’t get fat.

If_______________________________________________________________
 III. Writing
A. Amy is travelling to Paris on the Victoria Express train. She is having lunch at the dining
carriage. Complete her dialogue with the waiter.

WAITER: Good afternoon, Miss.

AMY:1) _________________________.[ANSWER; ASK FOR MENU]
WAITER: Here you are, Miss.
AMY:2) _______________________. [ORDER SOME SALAD]
3) _________________________? [ASK ABOUT QUALITY OF THE MEAT]
WAITER: The quality is excellent: very fresh and juicy.
AMY: 4) _________________________. [ORDER GRILLED MEAT AND FRENCH FRIES]
WAITER:5) _________________________? [ASK ABOUT SOME VEGETABLES]
AMY:6) _________________________. [THANKS BUT REFUSES]
7) ___________________. [ASK FOR A BOTTLE OF BEER]
WAITER:8) _________________________? [INQUIRE ABOUT DESSERT]
AMY: 9) _________________________. [CHOOSE A DESSERT]
WAITER: Very well, Miss.
AMY:10) _________________________. [CALL WAITER AND ASK FOR BILL]

B. Write a short text (about 90 words) on ONE of the following topics:

1. “To keep healthy you have to eat healthy

foods!”

OR

2. My best summer holidays ever.

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