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Unit 7 Newspapers – Front Page News
【教材分析】
这篇课文主要介绍了报纸头版的重要性和布局要求，围绕“头版新闻”的特
点、布局和内容介绍展开主题，并简单阐述了对头版新闻内容的两种不同看法。
1. 文本特征
本文是一篇说明文体裁的文章，标题为 Front Page News，其中 Front Page
为标题的题眼。
2. 文本特点
1) 从文本语言来看，文章篇幅适中，但是语言有一定的难度。课文第一部分（报
纸头版的重要性）语言比较浅显，以简单句居多，所以难度不大。第二部分（对
报纸头版的布局要求）语言难度明显高于第一部分。主要体现在以下几个方面：
a. 词汇量要求高。
生词表及课文中出现的生词及短语多达二十几个，如 section, headline,
happening, index, catch one’s eye, aim at, informative, tempt, obvious, tend,
emphasize, value, standard, unity, lead, prime, the top-left hand corner 等。但是，因
为我平时对学生词汇掌握要求比较高，所以其中的 index, obvious, tend, value,
standard, emphasize, prime, catch one’s eye, aim at 等都在之前的教学活动中有所
涉及，绝大多数同学已经认识。但是课文中还有一些学生已知却表示新的意义，
如单词 school 在本课中表示“流派；派别”，lead 在文中表示:the position ahead of
everything else，而 shop-window 引申为“门面；脸面”等。预计这些单词会对学
生理解文章有影响。
b. 长句及复合句多。
近一半的语句都超过了两行。课文中还出现了很多名词性从句，如表语从句，
同位语从句等，有的句子甚至从句中套着从句，如： While the importance of the
front page is obvious, there are two schools of thought over the emphasis placed on its
contents. There is the school that describes the front page as a paper’s “shop window”
and therefore emphasizes the need for “window-dressing”. Others take the view that a
newspaper is like a store with many windows, each of which should be dressed to the
same high standard.等。不过这学期基本每天我都会让学生试着分析一两句长句，
相信绝大多数同学在一定的点拨后能够划出主干部分，对句子进行分析理解。
c. 有些句子较难理解
如：The trouble with this approach is that too much concentration on the “shop
window” tends to reduce the value of the goods displayed inside.（这种看法的问题在
于它过分注重“脸面”的重要性，反而会有降低其内部陈列商品的价值）。虽说
学生基本都认识这些词，但即便这样，也具有很大挑战性，用英语很难解释清楚。
2） 从文本结构来看，本文是说明问题。A、B 两段点明课文的主题 an introduction
to front page news, C 段到 F 段逐段介绍 front page news 的特点：the features and
value of headlines, two different school of thoughts, layout, the methods of attracting
people.
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3) 从文本内容来看，课文主要介绍了报纸头版内容的重要性和布局要求，介绍
了报纸编排的一些基本知识，并简单阐述了对头版新闻内容的两种不同观点。
3. 阅读策略
处理文本时，将带领学生使用略读(skimming)，扫读(scanning)，上下句猜测
(guessing)和构词法(word-building)等阅读手段对文本进行理解和学习。
4. 学情分析
1) 学生在课前已经初步了解了说明文的文本特征，因此对于如何阅读说明文体
裁的课文，学生不会感到十分陌生。
2) 学生已基本了解了国内主要报纸的功能和作用，但他们对于像 China Daily,
Shanghai Daily 等日报不大熟悉，而且在阅读过程中，学生往往只注意标题，
或只阅读一些感兴趣的版面，而不太注意报纸版面的排版和内容安排。
3) 学生对于课文中的生词大多认识，也有了一定的长句分析能力，所以要了解
文章大致内容不会有太多问题。但是因为有些单词有了新意，加之对于体会
和理解新闻报道所用的词汇、表达方式的陌生，这样会对把握整篇文章的中
心思想形成障碍。
4) 班级学生成绩两极分化比较严重，所以我会在请学生回答问题之前，先让他
们同桌之间或是前后四人进行讨论，扫除后进生学习的困难。虽说班中有些
同学基础不错，但还是不大敢开口，需要老师的鼓励与帮助。
5. 阅读教学的重点和难点
1) 教师帮助学生初步学习课文中出现并且影响句子理解的生词。
2) 教师帮助学生学会阅读和理解课文中的长句和复合句。
3) 在教学中培养学生了解报纸的头版内容以及阅读报纸头版内容的“读报”能
力。
【Teaching objectives】
1. To develop students` abilities of getting the main idea as soon as possible.
2. To guide students to learn some key words and expressions in the context:
section, headline, happening, index, informative, tempt, school of thought, unity,
lead, sensational，etc.
3. To cultivate students` ability of reading the front page news and making
comments on their layout and contents.
【Teaching aids】
multimedia facilities, blackboard
【Teaching procedures】
Steps Teacher’s activities Students’ activities Purposes
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Pre-reading A guessing game: describe the
newspaper and let students have
a guess.
Talk more about the newspaper
and introduce the topic.
Listen to the
teacher`s
description, and
guess what it is.
Learn more about
the newspaper.
To lead in a
new lesson and
let students
familiar with
some new
words.
While
-reading
skim
the
whole
text
Have the students skim the text
and match the headings with the
paragraphs.
Skim the text and
match the headings
with the paragraphs.
To get a
general idea of
the contents of
each paragraph.
read
Para.A
&B
Have the students read the
paragraphs A and B and
understand the main idea by
answering some questions.
Read paragraphs A
and B and
understand the main
idea.
To know the
contents of the
front page.
read
Para.C
Have the students read paragraph
C and find out the features of the
headlines.
Read paragraph C
and find out the
features of the
headlines.
To know the
features of the
headlines.
read
Para.D
Have the students read Paragraph
D and figure out two different
school of thoughts on the front
page contents.
Read Paragraph D
and figure out two
different school of
thoughts on the front
page contents.
To figure out
two different
school of
thoughts on the
front page
contents.
read
Para.E
Have the students read Paragraph
E and understand the layout of
the front page.
Read Paragraph E
and understand the
layout of the front
page.
To understand
the layout of
the front page.
read
Para.F
Have the students read Paragraph
F and find out the method of the
newspaper with big news events.
Read Paragraph F
and find out the
method of the
newspaper with big
news events.
To find out the
method of the
newspaper with
big news
events.
Post
-reading
Have students introduce and
make their comments on the front
page.
Introduce and make
their comments on
the front page.
To have the
students know
how to
introduce the
front page.
Assignment：
1. Listen to the tape and read the text aloud at least three times.
2. Complete Exercise C2 on pages 83-84.
3. Write a short paragraph about the introduction and your comments on the front page of the
newspaper.
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Worksheet
Exercise one：
Scan the text and then match the headings with the paragraphs:
Paragraph A 1. A lead-in paragraph.
Paragraph B 2. The method of the newspaper with big news events.
Paragraph C 3. The contents of the front page.
Paragraph D 4. The way of composing the front page. (layout 布局)
Paragraph E 5. Two different school of thoughts on the front page contents.
Paragraph F 6. The features and value of the front page’s headlines.
Exercise two: Composing the front page.
Put the followings into the right position.
A. the lead B. a strong picture C. the second-lead D. the third-lead
E. other stories
the front page
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Group work: Introduce o make your comments on the front page. The following is for
reference.
Group one:
As we all know, among the many different sections of a newspaper, the front
page section is the most important one.
First of all, let me introduce the contents of the front page of this newspaper. It
includes _________ and_____________. The function of the index is
to_______________________.
Group two:
Next, let me offer my comments on the main headline of the front page of this
newspaper.
The main headline of the front page is___________ and I think it is
_________________(informative? not informative? eye-catching? not attractive?) I
will/ will not be tempted to buy this newspaper because__________________.
Group three:
Then it’s my turn to offer my comments on the contents of the front page.
In my opinion, the ____(first/second)school of thought is more reasonable. A
newspaper is like_____________. It should have ___________. And I think this
newspaper meets/ doesn’t meet this standard. Each of the section is/isn`t dressed to
the same high standard.
Group four:
Finally, let me introduce the layout of the front page of this newspaper.
The lead is at_________________. The strong picture occupies________________.
Then________________. The index is at______________.
Thank you.
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Front page news
A: Millions of newspapers are sold every day throughout the world. What section of the
newspapers on a newsstand catches your eye?
B: Without doubt, it is the front page. Its contents are usually about the most important
happenings of the day. Besides that, it is common practice that the front page carries an index to
help the reader quickly locate certain sections of the paper. A front page carries a brief weather
forecast for the day as well.
C: Much thought goes into the actual headlines themselves. A headline is like a title. People
think it important that headlines should aim at being both informative and eye-catching. They
should attract the reader’s attention. The main front-page headline is, of course, the most
important one. After all, it can even determine whether or not a person will be tempted to buy a
particular newspaper.
D: While the importance of the front page is obvious, there are two schools of thought over the
emphasis placed on its contents. There is the school that describes the front page as a paper’s
“shop window” and therefore emphasizes the need for “window-dressing”. The trouble with this
approach is that too much concentration on the “shop window” tends to reduce the value of the
goods displayed inside. Others take the view that a newspaper is like a store with many windows,
each of which should be dressed to the same high standard. It should have a sense of unity.
E: Once the paper has decided the type---the style it will use for headlines---composing the
front page is a fairly simple matter. The main story, called the lead, takes the prime position,
usually the top left-hand corner of the page. A strong picture occupies the top center of the page;
then follows the second-lead, third-lead and other stories in size-graded headings.
F: When there is a big event, the paper uses a headline which runs the full width of the page and
which is usually set in a bold type. However, a newspaper has to draw a line between being
eye-catching and being sensational. A newspaper which overuses shock methods may lose its
reputation.
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