Chapter 4
Social Problems
Introduction
เนื้อหาของหนังสือพิมพ์มักเป็นข่าวสด บทบรรณาธิการ บทความ ภาษาที่ใช้เป็นภาษาที่มีกฎเกณฑ์พิเศษแตกต่างจากภาษาธรรมดาที่ใช้ในหนังสือวิชาการโดยทั่ว ๆ ไป มีรูปแบบการนาเสนอเรื่องที่กะทัดรัด ได้ใจความสมบูรณ์ในแต่ละเรื่องของข่าว การอ่านข่าวนั้นควรอ่านไปและตอบคาถามตนเองไปในใจด้วยว่า ข่าวนั้นเกี่ยวกับเรื่องอะไร มีใครเกี่ยวข้องในข่าว เกิดที่ไหน เมื่อไร อย่างไร และเกิดจากสาเหตุอะไร
Part 1 Reading Comprehension
4.1 Warm up
Identify parts of the news form Write T in the space if the statement is true and F if it is false.
Source: The Components of Reading Comprehension (2013). (Online). Available: http:// www.ritutorial.org/wp content / uploads/2013/02/ The-Components-of-Reading Comprehension.pdf) [February 2013]
………. caption
…………. headline
…………. lead
…………. body
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4.2 Reading the text
Read the news articles and answer the focus questions to see how well you understand the text.
Source : Fuel-Price Protest Spead across Europe (2008). (Online) Available: http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2008/06/fuel-j02.html)
[2 June 2008]
Focus Questions:
1. What is the main topic of this article?
………………………………………………………………………
2. Why are truck drivers angry?
………………………………………………………………………
3. Where are the demonstrations occurring?
………………………………………………………………………
4. Based on your understanding of the article, what is the definition of “demonstration”?
………………………………………………………………………
FUEL-PRICE PROTESTS SPEAD ACROSS EUROPE
Demonstrations on highways stop traffic
MADRID— Truck drivers block traffic on the motorway leading into Madrid as they demonstrate against rising fuel costs yesterday. Truckers in Spain, France, and Portugal are stepping up protests against rising fuel prices causing mayhem on highways around Europe.
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ITALIAN QUAKE DEATH TOLL RISES TO 179
Rescuers still searching for survivors
L’AQUILA, Italy (CNN)—A day after a powerful earthquake ripped through Italy’s mountainous Abruzzo region, authorities were still unsure Thursday how many people were trapped in the wreckage. By Tuesday morning, the death toll had risen to at least 179, as rescuers pulled more bodies from the rubble in the medieval city of L’Aquila, about 120 km (75 miles) northeast of Rome.
Source: Italian Quake Death Toll Rises to 179 (2009). (Online). Available at http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/04/07/italy.quake/index.html#cnnSTCText [April 7, 2009]
Focus Questions:
1. What is this news article about?
………………………………………………………………………
2. How many people died?
………………………………………………………………………
3. What did the rescuers do?
………………………………………………………………………
4. Where is L’Aquila within Italy?
………………………………………………………………………
5. Based on your understanding of the article, explain the meaning of the synonyms wreckage and rubble.
………………………………………………………………………
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4.3 Comprehension check
A. Read the whole text and then answer the comprehension-check questions to see how well you understand the text.
Source: GTA Copycat Killing Leads to Call for Ban (2008). (Online). Available at www.bangkokpost.com/050808News/05Aug2008_news003.php [August 5, 2008]
Comprehension-Check Questions:
1. What is GTA?
………………………………………………………………………
2. What does it mean to “ban” GTA?
………………………………………………………………………
3. Why are people concerned or angry about GTA?
………………………………………………………………………
GTA COPYCAT KILLING LEADS TO CALL FOR BAN
Teen was “obsessed” with violent game
BANGKOK— The Family Network yesterday called on the Culture Ministry to ban the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) video game franchise after incidences of copycat violence by players. In its statement, the network blamed GTA for at least two violent incidents, including the fatal stabbing of a taxi driver Kuan Phokang on Sunday by Polwat Chinno, a 19-year-old student known to be an obsessive player of the game.
The incident raised concerns about violent video games after the suspect admitted that the robbery was inspired by a scene from GTA. In the games, players assume the role of a criminal and are assigned to commit crimes such as car-jackings, shootings and robberies in order to rise in the underworld.
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4. Explain what happened between Polwat Chinno and Kuan Phokang.
………………………………………………………………………
5. In the second paragraph, what does “the incident” refer to?
………………………………………………………………………
6. In the second paragraph, who does “the suspect” refer to?
………………………………………………………………………
B. Identify parts of the news form: write headline, lead, or body in the arrows. Then, answer the comprehension-check questions to see whether you understand the news article.
Source: Best Job in World Winner to be Announced, Bangkok Post / May 6, 2009 http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/world/142494/best-job-in-world-winner-to-be-announced
BEST JOB IN WORLD WINNER TO BE ANNOUNCED
Applicant pool breaks records in Queensland
BRISBANE-- The global hunt to fill “The Best Job in the World”—swimming, snorkeling and blogging—will end when tourism chiefs unveil a caretaker for a tropical island in Australia’