Unit 1 课文语篇填空
Be a critical news reader!
10 July
Firefighters put out tower block fire
Firefighters quickly put out the Henderson Tower fire last night. The fire, 1.______ is thought to have started from 高中英语课文the 8th floor, spread quickly through the tower block on Sunday night, leaving people on the upper floors trapped. Fears grew that the number of deaths could reach 5, according to figures released by emergency services. Fire engines and ambulances, 2.______ (call) at 9:, reached the scene within 15 minutes. By this time, the fire had extended to the 15th floor. Firefighters got the situation under control around 11& There is concern that the construction company that built the tower block had not followed fire safety rules.
11 July
Deadly fire in tower block causes serious damage
A terrible fire broke out on Sunday night, leaving the Henderson Tower seriously damaged. Emergency services estimate that the number of deaths could reach 9. By this morning, 4 people 3.______ (confirm) dead. The fire has also left dozens of people injured, 5 of whom are in a critical condition. Lisa Mayer, 29, is among the lucky ones who only suffered minor injuries. She recalled, “I was about to have a bath when I heard people screaming and dogs barking. I looked outside and the smoke was choking me. It was like an awful dream.”
Mr Peterson, head of the fire service, confirms that a dropped cigarette end on a carpet of the 8th floor started the fire and that the automatic fire alarms did not go off quickly enough 4.______ (prevent) the disaster. A team is currently investigating the accident further.
Reading news reports critically
We rely on news to learn about what is happening in the world around us. However, we usually find that reports on the same events contain different or even contradictory information. How do these differences come about?
It is advisable to remember that journalists may have different priorities, 5.______ would influence how they report an event. Let’s take the two news reports on the Henderson Tower fire as an example. We can see that the first news report pays more attention to the rescue efforts, while the second talks more about deaths and injuries. When we read more than one report, we come to understand an event in a more comprehensive way.
Even if news reports are written from 6.______ (basic) the same perspective, they may contradict each other in terms of factual details, as events in the real world are usually complicated and constantly changing. For instance, the numbers of deaths differ in the two news reports on the Henderson Tower fire. When we come across such factual differences, we should not rush 7.______ the conclusion that one of the news reports gives false information. Instead, check when the reports were written. News reports writte
n at different stages of an event could contain different information as new facts 8.______ (bring) to light. Another aspect worthy of mention is that journalists may approach information they get from research or interviews differently. Suppose emergency services’ estimates of the number of deaths vary between 5 and 9. Journalists may choose to present the minimum, the maximum or something in between in their news reports. Therefore, checking different sources enables us to draw a more 9.______ (inform) conclusion.
To sum up, it is wise to read news reports written from various perspectives and at different stages, which brings us a more accurate understanding of a situation. We also need to be critical about the information we receive and remember not to blindly trust what we have read. Though journalists are committed to 10.______ (present) the truth, it is better to use our own judgement than rely entirely on news reports. With great discrimination, every one of us has the potential to be a critical news reader.
【答案】1. which;  2. called;  3. have been confirmed;  4. to prevent;  5. which;  6. basically;  7. to;  8. are brought;  9. informed;  10. presenting
Advertising: the power of persuasion
In just one day, a person can see hundreds of marketing messages. Advertising has become part of modern life. But what is advertising exactly? In short, it refers 1.______ the activity of promoting a product or service. In other words, it tries to persuade people to buy a product or service.
The history of advertising has always been closely linked with 2.______ of the mass media. From the ancient simple advertisements painted on outdoor signs to the colourful, interactive ones in smartphone apps, advertising and the mass media have developed hand in hand. As media channels have grown in number and type, so have advertisements.
Because the mass media reaches so many people, it is a perfect vehicle for advertisers. If an advertisement is placed on a popular website or on TV at peak times, a huge number of people will know about the product or service it is advertising. In addition to making people aware 3.______ a product or service, a successful advertisement will also
create a desire to buy, thus boosting business. That is why when a company wants to promote a product or service, it often launches a mass media advertising campaign.