Unit 9

1. Unit 9 Where Is the News Leading Us

2. I. Teaching objectives • 1. Understand the role of the news media in social life. • 2. Develop an ability to criticize the social function of the news media. • 3. Learn to use argument in combination with other expository means.

3. About the author Norman Cousins (1912-1990)

4. Beliefs and Activities • He graduated from Columbia University Teachers College in 1933 • In 1940 he became executive editor of the Saturday Review of Literature (later Saturday Review), becoming editor just two years later at the age of twenty-seven. • In the course of his tenure Saturday Review grew from a small and struggling literary magazine to a weekly forum of ideas with a circulation of over 600,000.

5. He believed that enduring world peace could only be achieved through effective world governance. • To generate support for world government he made more than 2,000 speeches both in the United States and around the world. • Driven by the shock and portent of Hiroshima, he worked to combat unchecked nationalism, promote federalism, and build a sense of world citizenship, in the belief that people as a whole might yet construct a new world order of peace and justice.

6. During the 1950s Cousins was outspoken in his criticism of atmospheric nuclear testing. • In 1957 he was among the founders and became the first cochairman of the National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy (SANE). • In the early 1960s he became an unofficial citizen diplomat, facilitating communication between the Vatican, the Kremlin, and the White House which helped to lead to the Soviet-American nuclear test ban treaty. • Upon ratification of the treaty in 1963, President Kennedy publicly thanked Cousins for his help with the treaty, Pope John XXIII awarded Cousins his personal medallion and several other peace awards in the following years in the 1960s.

7. During the sixties and seventies Cousins was a leading voice among those opposed to the American role in Vietnam; he continued to oppose the nuclear arms race, and he continued to argue for a strengthened United Nations leading to world government.

8. A Man of Strong Will • Norman Cousins died on November 30, 1990, following cardiac arrest, and having lived years longer than doctors more than once had predicted: ten years after his first heart attack, sixteen years after his collagen illness, and twenty-six years after his doctors first diagnosed heart disease. • When Cousins had a heart attack fifteen years following his earlier illness, he wondered whether it would be possible to recover from two life-threatening conditions in one lifetime, but he was determined that he would. As he was brought into the hospital on a stretcher following the attack, he sat up and said, "Gentlemen, I want you to know that you're looking at the darnedest healing machine that's ever been wheeled into this hospital."

9. Cousins's own words, from his 1980 book Human Options: An Autobiographical Notebook, perhaps best capture how he strived to live his life: • "I can imagine no greater satisfaction for a person, in looking back on his life and work, than to have been able to give some people, however few, a feeling of genuine pride in belonging to the human species and, beyond that, a zestful yen to justify that pride."

10. Ⅱ.Language points • nitrogen fixation(固氮作用): The formation of nitrogenous compounds by the metabolic assimilation of atmospheric nitrogen by certain soil bacteria.

11. Example: • - those living symbiotically on the root nodules of various leguminous plants • When these bacteria die, the fixed nitrogen is made available in the soil as plant food.

12. IV. Organization of the text • Part I: (Para 1 - 4) Introducing the topic by referring to a question raised in a public symposium • (“Why are the newspapers and the television news programs so disaster-prone?”)

13. IV. Organization of the text • Para 1: An introduction of the public symposium and the other two speakers. • Para 2: The purpose of the symposium. • Para 3: The question asked by the gentleman • Para 4:The answer and the reaction by the anchorman and the editor

14. IV. Organization of the text • Part II: (Para 5 -- 10) By defining the word “news”, the author explains why “bad news” is always reported while “good news” overlooked. He goes on to point out the adverse consequence of such practice.

15. IV. Organization of the text • Para 5: • The author interprets the question raised by the gentleman and the answer given by the anchorman.

16. IV. Organization of the text • Para 6-7： The author gives his definition of “news”. (“News is supposed to deal with happenings of the past 12 hours—24 hours at most.”).

17. IV. Organization of the text • The definition helps to explain partly why “bad news”(eruptive) is mostly reported whereas “good news”(i.e. progress which comes in bits and pieces) is neglected.

18. IV. Organization of the text • Para 8: The author criticizes the normal practice of the media by pointing out the harm done to the public mood by media’s obsession in “bad news”.

19. IV. Organization of the text • Para 9: The author’s self-defense for the necessity of reporting both “good” and “bad” news ( “I’m not suggesting …” “Nor do I define …” “ ‘What I’m trying to get across is the notion …”)

20. IV. Organization of the text • Para 10 The author further elaborates and strengthens his viewpoint by citing examples of what he considers positive developments of the world.

21. IV. Organization of the text • Part III: (Para 11-13) • The author argues that the media are obliged to serve as the “public philosopher”, responsible for affecting the public attitude in the right manner (obligations of the media) . And this explains why progress (“good news” ) should be reported.

22. V. Rhetorical focus • Argument in association with other expository devices • Argument: a reason or a set of reasons.

23. Argument • The aim: • 1) to convince others that an action/idea is right or wrong so that they will give up their belief and accept what is said to be right. • 2) to persuade others to believe in sth. so that they will act in accordance with what they are advised to do.

24. Argument • The essay aims to argue for the premise that the responsibility of the news media is to search out and report on important events. It also aims at persuading newsmen and women to take up this responsibility.

25. Other Expository Means • In order to make his argument reasonable, convincing and valid, the author resorts to other modes of expression and expository means, including:

26. Other Expository Means • 1. Narration • Happenings at the symposium; descriptions of the two speakers, questions raised at the symposium, etc.

27. Other Expository Means 2. Definition: “news”, “civilization”, “progress”, “ positive news”

28. Other Expository Means 3. Cause-and-effect • Cause: people being over-informed about disasters while under-informed about progress; • Effect: a public mood of defeatism and despair, detrimental to society; inhibiting progress

29. Other Expository Means 4. Exemplification: nitrogen fixation, which is not eruptive, but which will make a contribution to human life and progress.

30. Other Expository Means 5. Quotation: From Walter Lippmann and Bernard de Chatres to illustrate the role the media should play.

31. Other Expository Means 6. Analogy: • between History and News • to illustrate that reporting more good news can better improve ourselves

32. So, the present argument is well-knit and convincing, and will undoubtedly be accepted by sensible and responsible newsmen and women.

33. The Use of nominalization Compare A: You would not be so fat if you took more exercise. B: Taking more exercise would keep you thinner / help you to loose weight. 多锻炼锻炼你就不会这么胖了。

34. 英镑进一步贬值必将引起货币危机。 • If the pound is further devaluated, it will surely cause monetary crisis. • Further devaluation of the pound will surely cause monetary crisis.

35. 朋友及时提供住处，解除了我的忧虑。 • My friend offered accommodation immediately, and this relieved my anxiety. • My friend’s immediate offer of accommodation relieved my anxiety.

36. 到达旅馆的时候，请打我的手机通知我。 • When you arrive at your hotel, please notify me on my mobile. • On arrival at your hotel, please notify me on my mobile.

37. 你不在期间，务必通过手机与我保持联系。 • While you are absent, be sure to keep in contact with me through the cellphone. • During your absence, be sure to keep in contact with me through the cellphone.

38. 遍地都是深深的积雪，继续前进已不可能。 • Further progress was impossiblebecause there were deep snowdrifts all over the place. • Deep snowdrifts all over the placemade further progress impossible / blocked further progress.

39. 今天我们不能在黑板上书写了，因为没有粉笔。今天我们不能在黑板上书写了，因为没有粉笔。 • We can’t write on the blackboard today because we have no chalk. • There is no writing on the blackboard today because we have no chalk.

40. 她不懂演艺界的“潜规则”，因此至今一事无成。 • She is ignorant of the “unwritten rules” in showbiz so she has failed to accomplish anything so far. • Her failure to accomplish anything so far is due to her ignorance of the “unwritten rules” in showbiz.

41. 他以某教授的名义给自己写推荐信被认作是伪造。他以某教授的名义给自己写推荐信被认作是伪造。 • He wrote a letter of recommendation for himself in the name of a professor, which was regarded as forgery. • His writing of a letter of recommendation for himself in the name of a professor was regarded as forgery.

42. 旁观看这位老人在网上同他在美国的小孙女儿下国际象棋，真有意思。旁观看这位老人在网上同他在美国的小孙女儿下国际象棋，真有意思。 • It is a delight to watchwhile the old man plays chess on line with his little granddaughter in the United States. • The old man’s playing chess on line with his little granddaughter in the United States is a delight to watch.