Lesson 2

Listening

1. A student reporter is interviewing a journalist. Listen to the interview. Does the journalist mention any of the things you discussed above? What else does she mention?

Don’t ask too many questions.
Listen carefully.
Give both sides of the story.
Make sure facts and quotes are accurate.
Try to be objective.
Be good at writing.
Be nosy/interested in people.

2. Listen again. Are the sentences true (T) or false (F)? Correct the false ones.

1. When you are interviewing someone, you ask as many questions as you can. F, (Don’t ask too many questions).

2. If you’re writing a news story, try to show your own opinion. F, (give both sides of the story, be objective).

3. A successful journalist has to be nosy and interested in people. T

4. Journalists should keep trying till they find a chance for a good interview. T

3. Answer these questions.

1. Where did the journalist start? She started at a local newspaper.
2. How does the journalist suggest student reporters can get experience? She suggests they can get experience at a school newspaper or local newspaper.
3. What did she do wrong when she first interviewed people? She asked too many questions.
4. What should you not include when you write news stories? You shouldn’t include your own feelings and opinions.

6. Complete the news report with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

Ever Given blocks Suez Canal

Rescuers 1 have finally moved (finally move) a huge ship which 2 was blocking (block) traffic going through the Suez Canal.

The ship, called the Ever Given, is 400 metres long and weighs 200,000 tonnes. It is one of the largest of this type of ship in the world.

The ship 3 was travelling (travel) through the Suez Canal on 23 March when there was a sand storm.

The ship’s captain said that a strong wind spun the ship so that both its front and back 4 hit (hit) the sides of the canal.

The result was that no ships could travel past the ship for nearly a week.

Yesterday, more than 380 ships 5 were waiting (wait) to pass through the canal. Many ship companies wanted to know if there was another route.

A few of the ships’ captains 6 decided (decide) to go around the south of Africa instead, but this added about eight days to their journeys.

At the same time, some countries announced that they would send products by air, but this is about three times more expensive as sending it by ship.

The accident 7 has been (be) terrible for businesses around the world. That is because around 12% of the world’s business products pass through the canal each day so the accident 8 has cost (cost) both Egypt and other countries millions of dollars.

Luckily, smaller Egyptian boats 9 were inally able to (finally be able to) move the Ever Given yesterday.

They did an amazing job. They moved around 30,000 square metres of sand under the ship before they 10 took (take) the ship to the Great Bitter Lake, in the middle of the canal.

The canal authorities told us that they won’t know the true cause of the accident until they investigate.Although the canal is open for ships again today, traffic through the canal won’t return to normal for many days.

Experts are investigating the possible casualties for all sides.

They are also studying the accident carefully to see how Egypt can be compensated financially.

Speaking

7. Read the text again and answer true (T), false (F) or not mentioned (NM). Correct the sentences in your notebook.

1. It was not easy to move the Ever Given from the Suez Canal. T
2. A strong wind probably caused the Ever Given accident to happen. T
3. All the ships waited for the ship to be moved from the Suez Canal. F, some of them went south around Africa, and some sent products by air.
4. Egypt lost more money from the accident than other countries. NM
5. Small ships moved a lot of sand before they could move the Ever Given. T