Vocabulary

relevant – зд. достоверный

headline – заголовок

laconic – краткий;

boring – скучный;

tension – напряжение, зд.противоречие

ruin – разрушить, уничтожить

24. Qualities of a great journalist (continuation)

How can some people observe events in everyday life, analyze them and write perfect articles that emphasize the main issues of our day and motivate the whole society? Is it a gift or is it a hard work?

As a future journalist, I think what really can make us good in our profession is the combination of three things: skill, initiative and a strong will. We get skills from our experience and knowledge. From my point of view, a true journalist should learn as many things as he can. It helps him to be impartial in his articles.

Initiative is also a good quality for a journalist. The 21^st century is a period of dynamic progression and being active is the only way to obtain your goals and get more informa­tion from the world around. As we know, information is the essential target for journalists. Information is all around us; it is the main product of human society and the power as well. The lack of information can cause misunderstanding and even conflicts.

Last, but not least, is a strong will. Stress and the problems that we face everyday can really undermine our psychological state. Moreover, if you rotate in the center of all events, always ready to find something outstanding and inter­esting for readers, you should be very competitive – and it is possible if you have a strong will. As Americans like to say “sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me”. A strong will is something that a good journalist must raise in his nature to stand against all the troubles that come with a job.

That is not all. A journalist must also be communica­tive. He is supposed to be interested in the subjects he writes about. The ability to analyze the information he gets is very important as well.

But, how can somebody who just started his career in the world of journalism become really good at what he is doing? Well, in my opinion, people should work hard. And, of course, it is all up to your own abilities. If you want to become somebody – do your best and become that.

(By E. Volgina, Institute of Modern Journalism)

Vocabulary

impartial – беспристрастный, непредвзятый

undermine – подтачивать, разрушать

QUESTIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

1. What qualities make a successful journalist (in the author’s opinion)?

2. Do you agree with the author? Can you add something?

3. Is information today of utmost importance? Prove it.

4. Make up a summary of the texts (1, 2 parts).

25. Who benefits from benefits?

Mr. Ratio: In a welfare state you don’t have to be poor in order to receive your pension or your dole money or your children benefit. This total distribution of benefits should be modified. Only those people who really need benefits should get them. There are some other problems.

• Some people who are entitled to various benefits do not receive them, because they don’t understand the complicated system and they are not able to fill in all the forms.

• Some other people do not know what they are entitled to receive. The poor simply don’t know about their rights to receive particular benefits and sometimes don’t claim them.

• Others may be too proud to apply, so they refuse to accept help.

Mr. Tough: The welfare state is ineffective. It is a waste of money, it is not selective. What else? The provision of benefits weakens the family. If there was less provision by the state, family would have to cope and this would make the family stronger. The provision of benefits deprives individuals of their desire to look after themselves. There is no need to help the unemployed or the homeless. They are to be guilty to be unemployed and homeless and nobody else. People should be responsible for what they do and have. I personally believe that anyone who is willing to work can find a job. The welfare state should help only those who cannot help themselves.

Mrs. Hope: In the welfare state benefits are available to everybody who is entitled to them. Nobody is allowed to live in poverty. Everybody must have proper health care and access to education. The welfare state helps the disabled, provides the elderly with proper income – allows them to live to some degree of dignity.