Something About the News

Hundreds of years ago，the news was carried from place to place by people on foot or horseback. It took days，weeks or sometimes months for them to receive the news. Now it is possible to send words and pictures around the world in a second. Millions of people learn about the news stories of their own country and all over the world every day，either by watching TV or reading newspapers.

Newspapers have been an important part of everyday life since the 18th century. Many countries have hundreds of different newspapers. How do newspaper editors decide which news stories to print？Why do they print some stories and not others？What makes good newspaper stories？

Firstly，it is important to report news stories. TV stations can report the news much faster than newspapers. Yet newspapers give more about the same story. They may also look at the story in another way，or they may print a completely different story to the one on TV.

Secondly，a news story has to be interesting and unusal. People don’t want to read stories about everyday life. As a result，many stories are about some kinds of danger and seem to be “bad” news. For example，newspapers never print stories about planes landing safely，instead they print stories about plane accidents.

Another factor is also very important in many news stories. Many people are interested in the news in foreign countries，but still more prefer to read stories about people，places and events in their own country. So the stories on the front page in Chinese newspapers are usually very different from the ones in British，French and American newspapers.

根据短文内容，从A，B，C，D中选择正确答案。

1. According to the passage，how do people learn about news stories in the world now？

A. By going and telling others news stories from place to place on foot or horseback.

B. By telling eath other what they have seen with their eyes.

C. By watching TV or reading newspapers.

D. By listening to others every day.

2. The difference between newspaper stories and TV news reports is that____.

A. people can learn more about the same news stories from a newspaper

B. people can read news stories more quickly in a newspaper

C. people can read news stories in other countries

D. people can read news stories about their own country

3. To make a good news story，how many factors does the passage talk about？

A. Two. B. Three. C. Five. D. Six.

4. According to the passage，which of the following can you most possibly watch on TV？

A. You often play football with your friends after school.

B. Your teacher has got a cold.

C. A tiger in the city zoo has run out and hasn’t been caught.

D. The bike in front of your house is lost.

5. Which of the following is NOT true about this passage？

A. News stories on the front page of every country are always the same.

B. People like to read interesting and unusual news.

C. Not only TV but also newspapers can help people to learn what is happening around the world.

D. Newspapers have been an important part of everyday life for more than three hundred years.

答案与解析：

1. C。 由第一段最后一句我们可知，人们获得新闻的途径是：看电视和读报纸。

2. A。 从第三段我们可知正确答案为A。

3. B。 全文共谈了三点，即第三段的Firstly，第四段的Secondly和第五段的Another factor。

4. C。 四个选项中只有C项才最有可能出现在电视上。

5. A。 从文中最后一段可知，中国和英国等其他国家的头版头条新闻是不同的。

(山东梁山扬营一中 于瑞霞 于 莹)