1、U1Reading10 JulyFirefighters put out tower block fireFirefighters quickly put out the Henderson Tower fire last night. The fire, which is thought to have started from the 8th floor; spread quickly through the tower block on Sunday night, leaving people on the upper floors trapped. Fears grew that th
2、e number of deaths could reach 5, according to figures released by emergency services. Fire engines and ambulances, called at 9:30 p.m., 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 p.m. There is co
3、ncern that the construction company that built the tower block had not followed fire safety rules.11 July Local newsDeadly fire in tower block causes serious damageA terrible fire broke out on Sunday night, leaving the Henderson lower seriously damaged. Emergency services estimate that the number of
4、 deaths could reach 9. By this morning, 4 people have been confirmed 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, T was about to have a bath when I heard people sc
5、reaming and dogs barking. I looked outside and the smoke was choking me. It was like an awful dream.Mr Peterson, head of the fire department, 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 to preven
6、t the disaster. A team is currently investigating the accident further.Reading news reports criticallyWe 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 di
7、fferences come about?It is advisable to remember that journalists may have different priorities, which 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,
8、 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 basically the same perspective, they may contradict each other in terms of factual details, as events in the rea
9、l 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 to the conclusion that one of the news reports gives false information. Instead, c
10、heck when the reports were written. News reports written at different stages of an event could contain different information as new facts are brought to light. Another aspect worthy of mention is that journalists may approach information they get from research or interviews differently. Suppose emer
11、gency 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 informed conclusion.To sum up, it is wise to read news repo
12、rts 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 presenting the truth, it
13、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.Extended readingIn just one day, a person can see hundreds of marketing messages. Advertising has become part of our modern life. But what
14、is advertising exactly? In short, it refers to the activity of promoting a product or service. In other words, it tries to persuade you to buy a product or service.The history of advertising has always been closely linked with that of the mass media. From the ancient simple advertisements painted on
15、 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 adve
16、rtisement 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 of a product or service, a successful advertisement will also create a desire to buy, thus boosting business.That is w
17、hy when a company wants to promote a product or service, it often launches a mass media advertising campaign.Based on the psychology behind creating a desire to buy,advertisers have developed ways of persuading people into purchasing their products or services. A common technique to make an impact i
18、s to create a memorable slogan. Slogans use simple but impressive language to make us remember the product or service being advertised. Some of these slogans may also appeal to our emotions.For example, a slogan may connect a fine china teapot it aims to promote with our pride in having good taste.
19、You will hear a variety of slogans any time you watch TV. Think about your favourite one. What makes it special? And what message does it try to get across? A slogan which communicates an idea effectively can boost sales and even become part of popular culture. That is the power of memorable slogans
20、.Another technique advertisers often employ is to link their company or product to a “ brand ambassador” 一a famous actor, a sports star, or even a fictional character. Think of a popular fast-food restaurant. Does it have a brand ambassador? Is the brand ambassador popular among potential customers?
21、 The more we like the brand ambassador, the more we will be attracted to buy the product.Of course, some advertisements are not so obvious. For example, product placement is typically used in films with huge box-office success and TV shows with high ratings. Some films are now sponsored by leading b
22、rands, so that only their products appear in the films, like the watches worn by the title character in the James Bond films. Other types of mass media use product placement too, including video games. It is not uncommon for sports video game series to feature different in-game equipment with real b
23、rand names. We absorb these marketing messages without thinking about them too much, yet they probably have an effect on us the next time we go shopping.In the past, advertising was all about reaching as many people as possible with the same message. Now, advertising is becoming more digital and mor
24、e personalized. Already we may see online advertisements for products we have previously searched for on the Internet, and we are very likely to receive special discounts and promotions targeted specifically at us. In the future, advertising will be even more about understanding individual customers
25、 and sending them advertisements that are tailored to specific needs. Not only will this make them feel more valued and enable them to see what they are most interested in, but it will also help companies target their customers more efficiently to have a positive effect on sales.Unit 2ReadingEvery f
26、our years, thousands of highly trained and talented athletes gather together in the spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play, ready to test their abilities against each other in the hope of being recognized as the best of the best. This is the Olympicsan extraordinary sporting event that was f
27、irst celebrated about 3,000 years ago.Subheading 1The ancient Olympic Games began in the year 776 BCE. During the early Games, only Greek men were allowed to participate. They competed in such events as boxing, running and the long jump. The ancient Olympic Games were held at Olympia in Greece every
28、 four years for almost 12 centuries, until they eventually died out around the year 393.More than 1,500 years later, however, the Games rose again. The modern Olympics were first held in 1896, in Athens. It was a Frenchman, Pierre de Coubertin, who brought the Olympics back to life. His dream was th
29、at the Olympics would help people of different racial origins and from different cultures live side by side in peace. For over a century, people from diverse backgrounds have made joint efforts to help realize Coubertins dream.Subheading 2Motivated by the Olympic motto Faster; Higher, Stronger”, man
30、y well-known athletes, both male and female, have devoted themselves to achieving sporting excellence and pushing the boundaries of human achievement. One such Olympian was the boxer Cassius Clay. He came to public attention during the 1960 Rome Olympics, when he won the light-heavyweight gold medal
31、 for the USA, demonstrating great talent and personality in the process. Afterwards, this young man proceeded to become the world heavyweight champion in 1964, and later changed his name to the one we all knowMuhammad Ali. He returned to the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games to light the Olympic flame at t
32、he opening ceremony. By the time he died in 2016, Ali had been recognized as one of the greatest boxers of all time.Another sportsperson that should be applauded is Jessica Ennis-Hill. Her story is a remarkable example of how hard work and devotion can lead to sporting excellence. A former track and
33、 field athlete from the UK, she won an Olympic gold medal in her home country in 2012. As if that were not enough, she returned to the Olympics and won a silver medal in 2016, just two years after giving birth to her first child. In an interview she revealed that the secret of her consistent good performance was the training th
