Reading Warm-up A

“Three-Century Woman” by Richard Peck
 “The Fall of the Hindenburg” by Michael Morrison

 

Reading Warm-up A
Read the following passage. Pay special attention to the underlined words. Then, read it again, and complete the activities. Use a separate sheet of paper for your written answers.

Do you have good communication skills? If so, you might want to consider a career in journalism. A job as a news anchor, local reporter, or foreign correspondent can be exciting. To earn a good reputation in any of these jobs, you must be able to write and speak clearly and effectively. Because it takes a great deal of training and preparation, becoming a news anchor is considered an achievement. News anchors, also called newscasters or news analysts, play an important role in society. Their job begins with the gathering of information from various sources. They prepare stories. Then they make broadcasts on radio or television. Their stories might be on local, state, national, or international events. They also prepare introductions to videotaped news stories. Finally, they introduce transmissions of stories in progress. They must be familiar with satellite technology, which allows for the instantaneous transmission of news from around the world. Reporters and correspondents must do a great deal of background work. They investigate leads and tips. They interview witnesses and experts. Often, they must act as a photographer as well, taking pictures at the scene of a breaking story. Later, in an office, they organize the information. They determine the angle, or slant, from which they will tell the story. Then they write the report. If they are in a remote location, they send the story electronically to their home office.   One way to prepare for a career in journalism is to get a degree in journalism or mass communication. About 400 colleges and universities in the United States offer programs that lead to those degrees. For a broadcasting career, take courses in radio and television news and production. For a career with a newspaper or magazine, take courses in editorial journalism.

1. Circle the words in the second paragraph that give other names for an anchor. What does a news anchor do? 2. Underline the words that tell what you must be able to do to earn a good reputation in journalism. Use reputation in a sentence. 3. Underline the words that tell why it is an achievement to become a news anchor. Name an achievement that you are proud of. 4. Circle the word that tells what kind of technology a news anchor should be familiar with. What is technology? 5. Circle the words that tell who reporters interview. If you were to interview a news anchor, what would you ask? 6. Underline the words that tell what a news photographer does. If you were a photographer, what kinds of pictures would you enjoy taking? 7. Circle the word that means about the same as angle. What angle would you use for a story about a lost dog? 8. Underline the words that tell how to prepare for a broadcasting career. Define broadcasting.