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After you Read. 1. Answer the following questions. Panel discussion. Study the following tips how to prepare for a panel discussion
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AFTER YOU READ
1. Answer the following questions.
2. What is the current attitude of Americans to the media?
3. What do observers blame for the lack of trust in the media?
4. Why isn’t it the Web that should be blamed for polarization in society?
5. What are other reasons that provoke social division?
6. What is the most important source of information among elderly Americans?
7. Why has polarization recently been growing among elderly Americans?
8. How did preferred media sources influence the results of the 2016 elections in the USA?
9. When did the process of polarization in American society begin?
10. Why is it necessary to be concerned about the effects social media have on all age groups of society?
11. How do politicians contribute to polarization using wordcraft to form issues?
12. How do social changes and income inequality contribute lead to more society division?
13. Why is it tempting to blame the social media narrative for polarization of views?
14. What factors are likely to matter most in developing polar views?
2. Read the article again and summarize the authors’ answer to the question
posed in the first paragraph: “Is social media responsible for our democracy’s current crisis? ”
3. The authors claim that: “Today the parties seem to speak different languages, with Republicans talking about “illegal aliens” and “the death tax” while Democrats talk about “undocumented workers” and “the estate tax. ” How can you explain the choice of different expressions, used to describe the same political reality? What phenomenon in the language do they represent?
4. Explain the following sentences from the text, paying special attention to word combinations in italics.
1. Many observers have tagged social media as a key driver of this crisis. The digital world offers no shortage of potential villains … like Cambridge Analytica wielding big data and cutting edge psychology; and formerly fringe media players like Breitbart leaping into the mainstream. (para 2)
2. Many observers have tagged social media as a key driver of this crisis. The digital world offers no shortage of potential villains: targeted Russian ads; shadowy purveyors of fake news … (para 2)
3. Young voters who use social media may share polarized views with older voters who do not, and inflammatory content on social media can be picked up and amplified by more mainstream outlets. (para 8)
4. Which brings us back to television — and in particular, the rise of partisan cable like Fox News and MSNBC. A recent analysis using large-scale data identifies cable television news as a major contributor to polarization. This narrative arguably fits with the timing of the rise in interparty animus, and it is consistent with the rise in polarization among groups — such as the elderly — with limited Internet use but high rates of television viewing. (para 9)
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5. At the national level, income inequality and polarization in Congress track each other closely. (para 11)
6. The social-media-as-villain narrative is gripping because it plays vividly to our fears. But that is not the only reason it holds such sway. It also lets us collectively off the hook. (para 12)
7. To find solutions we don’t need to look at our own behavior, or values, or consumption patterns — we just need to beat the bad guys at the gate. (para 13)
8. Like many inflection points in history, this one was probably not caused by any single change, but by the fact that many important changes happened to converge at the same time. (para 14)
5. Do you agree with the authors’ of the text that polarization is deeply rooted in inner social problems and cannot be explained only by a rapid spread of new digital technologies?
PANEL DISCUSSION
Study the following tips how to prepare for a panel discussion
Panel discussion involves a group of people whose task is to discuss a particular topic or several topics.
How to make your panel a success:
· Choose a moderator. A moderator understands the topic well enough to organize and follow the discussion; he/she is skilled in social situations, and knows how to organize group work and has a clear outline of the discussion. A moderator is also an active participant of group work.
· Study the issues under consideration carefully, think about the arguments that you can present.
· Stick to your messages. Your arguments and remarks should be clear and to the point.
· Listen to other panelists. Make sure that you follow the logic of the discussion and make sensible contributions to it.
· Don’t forget to make the final conclusion, which summarizes the results of the panel.
Useful language tips:
How to open the discussion:
· Let me welcome you to our panel discussion devoted to/on the issue of …
· The main points on the agenda are …
· Now let me give the floor to …
How to disagree:
· I don’t support/share your point of view…
· I have a different point of view …
· I’d like to add a few words concerning …
· I totally/ completely disagree with you (not very polite)
How to disagree in a polite manner, which is typical of the English language culture:
· I don’t think it’s a good idea …
· I agree with you, but I believe that …
· I didn’t quite get your arguments …
· Sorry, but I don’t think you are right …
Expressing objections:
· From my perspective …
· I have reservations about it …
· If you look at it from my point of view/perspective
· I’m afraid I can’t agree to that/with you …
Proposing new ideas:
· I suggest/propose …
· Regarding/considering your proposal …
Giving a conclusion:
· Let’s summarize our agreement/the main details of our discussion …
· I think we ‘ve covered all the points on the agenda …
· Thank you for participating in …
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