Find the Content and Exercises with Solution
Lesson Objectives
The objective of this lesson is to help students understand the nature and characteristics of news, including what makes information newsworthy, its essential qualities, and how news is presented and consumed today.
B. Read the text and answer the following questions.
"I eat rice every day. I play cricket. I don't bunk off school, blah... blah... blah...." These are common events. They happen every day or on some occasions. Are these events news? Should they be published in newspapers? The answer is a big ‘NO’. Then what is news anyway? What do we want to know from the media? “When a dog bites a man that is not news, but when a man bites a dog that is news,” says Charles Anderson Dana.
The first thing is that the news should be a piece of information. Secondly, the information should be recent or new, and hence, it is ‘news’. Thirdly, people should take interest in it. Fourthly, it should be self-explained. That is, it should answer all the questions with who, which, what, where, when, why and how. Finally, it should be objective. Recently, another aspect has been added: news is either printed or broadcast or on the internet.
Vocabulary List
| Word | Word | Word |
|---|---|---|
| Occasions | Published | Media |
| Information | Recent | Interest |
| Self-explained | Objective | Broadcast |
| Aspect | Significance | Questions |
Multiple Choice Questions
- Why is the example “I eat rice every day” not considered news?
- Because it is related to food habits
- Because it is a personal opinion
- Because it is a common, everyday event
- Because it is not written by a journalist
- What does the quote “when a man bites a dog that is news” mainly suggest?
- News should involve animals
- Unusual events are considered news
- Biting incidents are always newsworthy
- Humans and dogs often fight
- Which of the following is NOT listed as a characteristic of news in the passage?
- It must be recent
- It must be interesting to people
- It must be entertaining
- It must be objective
- What does it mean that news should be “self-explained”?
- It should contain pictures and captions
- It should include background stories
- It should be easy enough for children to read
- It should answer questions like who, what, where, when, why, and how
- Which of the following is a recent addition to the definition of news according to the passage?
- News should be recent and interesting
- News should be objective and factual
- News is also published online or broadcast
- News should be verified by experts
- Which of the following best summarizes the key message of the text?
- News must be unusual, informative, and recent to be meaningful
- Only international news matters
- All daily events should be reported
- Entertainment is more important than facts in news
- What is the purpose of using “blah... blah... blah...” in the first paragraph?
- To add humor to the paragraph
- To express the speaker's laziness
- To indicate the repetition and dullness of daily events
- To describe school-related activities
Short Questions
- Why is the sentence “I eat rice every day” not considered news?
- What does Charles Anderson Dana’s quote suggest about the nature of news?
- According to the passage, what are the essential qualities of news?
- Why must news be recent or new?
- What makes information interesting or newsworthy to people?
- What does the passage mean by saying that news must be “self-explained”?
- Which questions should good news content answer?
- Why is objectivity considered important in news writing?
- What modern formats are mentioned for the distribution of news?
- How does the passage contrast ordinary events with real news?
Fill in the Blanks
"I eat rice every day" is not considered __________ because it is too __________. According to the passage, __________ is defined as information that is new and __________. News must also be __________ to people and be able to __________ itself by answering important questions. It must also remain __________, not shaped by personal __________. Today, news is not only printed but also __________ and available on the __________.
Suffix and Prefix Exercise
News must be __________ (object), __________ (interest), and __________ (inform). If it lacks __________ (new), it may not be considered __________ (mean) to readers. A good journalist avoids being __________ (bias) and strives to write in a __________ (fact) way. Modern news is often __________ (print) or __________ (cast) through digital platforms.
Complete the Table
Complete the following table with the information given in the passage.
| Subject | Event/Action | What/Why |
|---|---|---|
| Humans | discovered pearls | (i) while searching for food on the seashore |
| Cleopatra | (ii) drank dissolved pearl | to show love and respect for her nation |
| The ancient Egyptians | (iii) buried pearls with the dead | to express the value of pearls |
| The Greeks | associated pearls | (iv) with wealth and social status |
| Brave knights | (v) wore pearls | for good luck in battles |
Answers
Word Details
| Word | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Occasions (Noun) | Particular times when something happens | Bengali: উপলক্ষ বা বিশেষ সময় | IPA: /əˈkeɪʒənz/ | We meet only on special occasions like birthdays or weddings. |
| Published (Verb) | Made available to the public in print or online | Bengali: প্রকাশিত | IPA: /ˈpʌblɪʃt/ | His article was published in a national newspaper. |
| Media (Noun) | The main means of mass communication | Bengali: গণমাধ্যম | IPA: /ˈmiːdiə/ | The media often influences how people view the world. |
| Information (Noun) | Facts or details about a topic | Bengali: তথ্য | IPA: /ˌɪnfəˈmeɪʃən/ | We need reliable information before making a decision. |
| Recent (Adjective) | Happening not long ago | Bengali: সাম্প্রতিক | IPA: /ˈriːsənt/ | I read a recent study on climate change. |
| Interest (Noun) | A feeling of curiosity or attention | Bengali: আগ্রহ | IPA: /ˈɪntrəst/ | The story drew a lot of public interest. |
| Self-explained (Adjective) | Easy to understand without needing explanation | Bengali: স্ব-ব্যাখ্যাযুক্ত | IPA: /ˌsɛlf ɪkˈspleɪnd/ | The chart is self-explained and easy to follow. |
| Objective (Adjective) | Based on facts, not feelings | Bengali: নিরপেক্ষ বা বস্তুনিষ্ঠ | IPA: /əbˈdʒɛktɪv/ | A journalist should always be objective in their reporting. |
| Broadcast (Verb/Noun) | To transmit by radio, TV, or internet | Bengali: সম্প্রচার করা | IPA: /ˈbrɔːdkɑːst/ | The match was broadcast live across the country. |
| Aspect (Noun) | A specific part or feature of something | Bengali: দিক বা দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি | IPA: /ˈæspekt/ | The safety aspect is very important in construction. |
| Significance (Noun) | Importance or meaning | Bengali: গুরুত্ব বা তাৎপর্য | IPA: /sɪɡˈnɪfɪkəns/ | The speech carried great historical significance. |
| Questions (Noun) | Sentences used to gain information | Bengali: প্রশ্ন | IPA: /ˈkwɛstʃənz/ | The teacher asked several questions during the class. |
Multiple Choice Questions
- Why is the example “I eat rice every day” not considered news?
- Because it is related to food habits
- Because it is a personal opinion
- Because it is a common, everyday event ✅
- Because it is not written by a journalist
- What does the quote “when a man bites a dog that is news” mainly suggest?
- News should involve animals
- Unusual events are considered news ✅
- Biting incidents are always newsworthy
- Humans and dogs often fight
- Which of the following is NOT listed as a characteristic of news in the passage?
- It must be recent
- It must be interesting to people
- It must be entertaining ✅
- It must be objective
- What does it mean that news should be “self-explained”?
- It should contain pictures and captions
- It should include background stories
- It should be easy enough for children to read
- It should answer questions like who, what, where, when, why, and how ✅
- Which of the following is a recent addition to the definition of news according to the passage?
- News should be recent and interesting
- News should be objective and factual
- News is also published online or broadcast ✅
- News should be verified by experts
- Which of the following best summarizes the key message of the text?
- News must be unusual, informative, and recent to be meaningful ✅
- Only international news matters
- All daily events should be reported
- Entertainment is more important than facts in news
- What is the purpose of using “blah... blah... blah...” in the first paragraph?
- To add humor to the paragraph
- To express the speaker's laziness
- To indicate the repetition and dullness of daily events ✅
- To describe school-related activities
Short Questions with Answers
-
Why is the sentence “I eat rice every day” not considered news?
Because it is a common, everyday activity and not new, interesting, or important to the public. -
What does Charles Anderson Dana’s quote suggest about the nature of news?
It suggests that unusual or unexpected events are considered newsworthy, not ordinary ones. -
According to the passage, what are the essential qualities of news?
News should be informative, recent, interesting, self-explained, objective, and delivered through media. -
Why must news be recent or new?
Because only new or recent information attracts public attention and holds value as news. -
What makes information interesting or newsworthy to people?
When the information is unusual, relevant, and significant, people take interest in it. -
What does the passage mean by saying that news must be “self-explained”?
It means that news should answer all the questions like who, what, where, when, why, and how. -
Which questions should good news content answer?
Who, which, what, where, when, why, and how. -
Why is objectivity considered important in news writing?
Because news should be based on facts, not personal opinions or bias. -
What modern formats are mentioned for the distribution of news?
News can be printed, broadcast, or published on the internet. -
How does the passage contrast ordinary events with real news?
It says ordinary events are not news, but unusual or significant events become news.
Fill in the Blanks – Answer Key
"I eat rice every day" is not considered news because it is too ordinary. According to the passage, news is defined as information that is new and recent. News must also be interesting to people and be able to explain itself by answering important questions. It must also remain objective, not shaped by personal opinions. Today, news is not only printed but also broadcast and available on the internet.
Suffix and Prefix Answer
News must be objective, interesting, and informative. If it lacks newness, it may not be considered meaningful to readers. A good journalist avoids being biased and strives to write in a factual way. Modern news is often printed or broadcast through digital platforms.
Gap Filling Activity in Table
| Subject | Event/Action | What/Why |
|---|---|---|
| People | (i) eat rice and play cricket | because these are common, everyday events |
| News | (ii) is published | only when events are new, interesting, and unusual |
| Charles A. Dana | (iii) gave an example | to explain the nature of news using “man bites dog” |
| Media | (iv) share information | so that people stay informed about current events |
| News reports | (v) answer key questions | to explain what happened, when, where, who, why, and how |
Suffix and Prefix Answer
The pearl is a natural gem that has been valued for thousands of years. Its shiny beauty makes it a symbol of purity and elegance. Many people show great admiration for pearls. Cleopatra’s act was a national expression of pride. In ancient Rome, pearls were signs of wealthy and powerful status.
Gap Filling Activity in Table
| Subject | Event/Action | What/Why |
|---|---|---|
| Humans | discovered pearls | while searching for food at the sea shore |
| Cleopatra | dissolved a pearl and drank it | to show love and respect for her nation |
| The ancient Egyptians | were buried with pearls | to express the value of pearls |
| The Greeks | associated pearls | with love and marriage |
| Brave knights | wore pearls | for good luck in battles |
📖 Key Features
- 📌 Format: Reading Text with High Quality Graphics
- 📌Content: Class VIII – Unit Eight, Lesson 1: News! News! News! (Page 92)
- 📌 Exercise: Multiple Choice Questions, Short Questions, Fill-in-the-Blanks, suffix and prefix, information transfer, and 10 words with IPA transcription, word class, Bengali and English meanings, and example sentences
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