Тема / Топик по английскому языку:
Press in the United Kingdom

The daily circulation of papers in Britain is just over 14 million copies, which is about 3 papers for every 4 households.

All British papers can be classified into two major groups: quality and popular papers.

A quality paper is a serious national paper that aims at the educated reader. Quality papers contain detailed news coverage and comment, authoritative editorials, a wide range of topical features written by experts in their field, arts and literary reviews and much professional advertising. The quality papers are «The Times», «The Guardian», «The Independent», «The Daily Telegraph» and «The Financial Times».

A popular paper is a newspaper whose format and content is designed for the undemanding reader. Most popular papers are tabloids, i.e. papers with small-size pages (conventionally about 30 cm by 40 cm). They have brief and direct news reports and a large number of photographs. Emphasis is put on personal stories (especially when sensational, or involving a figure in the public eye such as a member of the royal family), and importance is also given to sports and to entertaining features such as cartoons and contests.

Newspapers in Britain are mostly owned by individuals or by big publishing companies called the «empires», not by the government or political parties. The editors of the newspapers are usually allowed considerable freedom of expression. This is not to say that newspapers are without political bias. The political tendency of quality papers varies from conservative («The Daily Telegraph») or independent/conservative («The Times» and «The Financial Times») to centre («The Independent») and liberal («The Guardian»). Popular tabloids like «The Daily Express», «The Daily Star» and «The Sun», for example, usually reflect conservative opinion in their comment and reporting, while «The Daily Mirror» has a more left-wing bias.

In addition to national daily newspapers there are nine national papers published on Sundays. Most of «Sundays» contain more reading matter than daily papers, and several of them include «colour supplements» - separate colour magazines which contain photographically-illustrated feature articles. There is also quite a number of regional papers - usually evening papers or weeklies.

Topical Vocabulary

Answer the questions:

1. What major groups can British newspapers be subdivided into?
   
2. What kind от reader does each type aim at?
   
3. What do quality papers usually contain?
   
4. What is a «tabloid»?
   
5. Who are newspapers in Great Britain owned by?
   
6. What political opinion do newspapers in Great Britain reflect?
   
7. What other types of newspapers except daily newspapers are there?
   

Translate into English:

1. Ежедневный тираж газет в Англии - более 14 миллионов экземпляров.
   
2. Газеты в Великобритании можно подразделить на серьезные, рассчитанные на образованного читателя, и популярные, предназначенные для нетребовательного читателя.
   
3. Серьезные газеты содержат подробный обзор новостей, передовицы, обзор искусства и литературы.
   
4. Формат популярной газеты - обычно около 30x40 см.
   
5. В популярных газетах особое внимание уделяется сенсационным событиям, особенно если они касаются какой-либо известной личности.
   
6. Популярные газеты содержат также развлекательный материал и спортивные обзоры.
   
7. Газеты в Великобритании принадлежат не правительству и политическим партиям, а крупным издательским фирмам или частным лицам.
   
8. Газеты обычно имеют определенную политическую ориентацию, которая может быть консервативной, независимой, центристской или либеральной.
   
9. Газетам предоставляется значительная свобода в отражении тех или иных политических взглядов.
   
10. Воскресные газеты содержат много материала для чтения. Они часто имеют цветные приложения, содержащие иллюстрированные статьи.