A) Match the word underlined in the headline to the explanation given on the list on the right.

1. Aid for famine victims increased

2. Free school meals axed

3. Takeover bid for BP

4. Ban on football hooligans

5. Bomb blast kills 9

6. High street spending boom

7. MPs CLASH ON GREEN POLICY

8. Cut in arms spending

9. Fugitives flee fighting

10. Drugs haul at airport

11. Test match hit by protest

12. Drinking water linked to disease

13. Rail strike looms

14. KIDNAP VICTIMS ORDEAL

15. Peril on oilrig

16. PM'S PLEDGE ON POLLUTION

17. Shares plunge

18. Football manager quits

a. surprise

b. connected

c. bad experience

d. reduction

e. question

f. caused to suffer adverse effects

g. increase

h. extreme danger

i. attempts to persuade

j. something seized or stolen

k. marries

l. try/attempt

m. leaves

n. fall sharply

o. run away

p. number of people killed

q. assistance

r. stopped

s. approaches in a threatening way

t. disagree

u. explosion

v. potential danger

w. look for

x. prohibition

y. undertaking/commitment

Headlines tend to use puns (i.e play on words) to produce stronger emotional effect on the readers.

CYMBALS CLASH – "Clash" is a verb, often used to describe the sound that musical instruments, cymbals, make. However, clash in newspaper headlines usually means conflict and the story will probably be about some orchestral problem involving cymbalists.

B) Explain the pun in the following headlines according to the above model.

1. Tree Boss Axed

2. Mafia Golf Links

3. School's Chocolate Bar

4. Road Rage Drive

5. Traffic Wardens Curbed

D) Look through some English newspapers and find examples of headlines illustrating the points mentioned above. Besides each headline make a note of what the accompanying story is about. Look for some examples of amusing headlines.

Grammar in newspapers

Just as newspaper headlines use special vocabulary, they also use particular grammatical forms. Look at the headlines below, paying special attention to the verbs (underlined). When do the events take place, in the past, present or future?

Ø Government to axe aid to disabled

Ø Smoking banned on London Underground

Ø Pop star weds in secret

Ø Rape victim seeks compensation

Ø MP quizzed on defence leak

Ø Queen to visit France

Ø sally safe home after cliff olunge ordeal

Ø Yard to probe fire alarm riddle

Ø doctors on strike after pay talk row

e) What three grammatical forms are used in the examples? When is it appropriate to use each form?

f) Definite and indefinite articles, auxiliary verbs and prepositions receive certain treatment in headlines. On the basis what you already know about headlines, how would you say they are handled?

Now explain the meaning of the above headlines.

Talking points

You have read the following as part of a newspaper article on the coverage of news in the media. Respond to the points raised and express your own views. Suggest words and phrases that would be suitable to use in expressing your opinion.

There is simply no way that we can get any kind of objective reporting anywhere. Current affairs programmes are biased and uninformative. Newspapers are more interested in gossip than anything which can be called "news". TV news programmes are more concerned with showing sensationalist details than reporting the facts. Where is this going to lead?"

Although the reporter made some interesting points, I found some of his comments to be greatly exaggerated. To my mind …

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 3435