FACULTATEA DE JURNALISM, COMUNICARE SI RELATII PUBLICE

Specializarea: - Jurnalism
- Comunicare şi Relaţii Publice
Anul univ.:2010-2011

SINTEZA
CURSULUI PRACTIC
LIMBA ENGLEZA PENTRU JURNALISTI
DESTINAT STUDENTILOR DIN ANUL II
SEMESTRUL I

Lector univ. dr. Sanda Marcoci

Denumirea cursului : Limba engleza pentru jurnalisti (English for Journalists)

Statutul cursului : optional cu limba franceza
Anul de studiu : II – 2010/2011
Numar saptamanal de ore : 2 (curs practic)

I. OBIECTIVELE GENERALE ALE CURSULUI

Cursul practic de limba engleza pentru jurnalisti asigura studentilor din anul II de
studiu (nivel mediu-avansat), cadrul autentic in care sa isi dezvolte perceptia asupra
zonelor-cheie din domeniul jurnalistic. Se au in vedere urmatoarele obiective:
- intelegerea conceptelor teoretice referitoare la componentele de baza ale ziarelor
de limba engleza
- familiarizarea studentilor cu terminologia specifica fiecarei componente de baza a
ziarelor de limba engleza
- construirea si utilizarea activa a unui vocabular cat mai bogat in limba engleza in
specialitatea jurnalistica
- insusirea notiunilor teoretice si folosirea lor in situatii interactive, in mod creativ
si eficient
- identificarea structurilor lexicale de baza in urma lecturii si studiului de texte
specializate
- dezvoltarea competentei comunicationale axate cu precadere pe teme generale
tinand de domeniul jurnalistic
- insusirea unui vocabular cat mai bogat al limbii engleze standard
- consolidarea notiunilor de gramatica si utilizarea lor corecta oral si in scris

II. COMPETENTE SI ABILITATI :

Sinteza cursului practic,semestrul I, dezvolta si imbunatateste urmatoarele abilitati si

competente:
- identificarea notiunilor teoretice de baza prin definirea componentelor
fundamentale ale structurii ziarului
 - identificarea terminologiei si a structurilor lexicale particulare fiecarei
componente a ziarului
- utilizarea cu acuratete a structurilor lexicale in contexte particulare
- materializarea structurilor lexicale specializate in exercitii aplicative
- folosirea vocabularului specializat si standard in elaborarea in scris de articole,
eseuri
- distingerea structurilor lexicale cu similaritati in inteles si folosirea lor in mod
corect
- folosirea vocabularului standard si specializat in situatii specifice (dialoguri,
exercitii aplicative si creative,role-playing,interviuri,etc.)

III. CONTINUTUL TEMATIC AL CURSULUI

Tema 1. The Front Page

Lectia 1
- Prezentarea teoretica minimala :
“The Front Page is the first page of a newspaper. The Front Page is the place where the
most important content of the newspaper is placed (news, analysis, commentaries,
pictures, advertisements). The Front Page is generally the coordinator working behind the
scenes. It generates and organizes all the information inside the newspaper. This is the
place for announcements, breaking news and beginning of articles which continue on the
other pages. The Front Page is the showpiece, containing what editors feel is the most
important news of the day. It is devoted to the hottest news. Whenever we see a
newspaper, it is the Front Page we see first. Newspaper owners and editors are well
aware of this fact and they select and arrange the information on their Front Page very
carefully.The Front Page is, to a certain extent, a précis of the whole newspaper, for it
often summarizes the main stories to be found on the inside pages. We find on the front
page the table of contents of the newspaper, also called “index” or “inside”, which is a
guide to the whole paper”. We also find on the front page the big headlines, main stories
and pictures, which constitute the most dramatic and interesting news section of the
whole paper.”

- Introducerea vocabularului specializat:

- tipuri de ziare :quality newspaper, broadsheet, highbrow, gossipy newspaper, tabloid
- tipuri de articole : human interest story, lead story, feature, editorial, obituary, etc.
- vocabulary referitor la parti importante ale ziarului: home, banner, gossip, horoscope,
scoop, masthead, cartoons, crosswords, scandal

Lectia 2
- Consolidarea gramaticii/Grammar consolidation:
- uncountable nouns: information, intelligence, advice, progress, knowledge, news,
furniture, homework, luggage, nonsense, money, butter, milk, sugar, etc.
- sufixele : “-ship”(readership, ownership, friendship,partnership,etc.), “-hood”
(motherhood, bachelorhood, priesthood, brotherhood, etc.), “-worthy”(seaworthy,
newsworthy, etc.)
 - sufixe substantivale(noun suffixes) : -er/or, -(t)ion, -ist, -ism, -ness (opener, projector,
donation, journalist, journalism, goodness, readiness, etc.)
- sufixe adjectivale (adjective suffixes) : -able,-ible, -ive, -al, -ous, -ful,( drinkable,
legal, furious, useful, useless, etc.)
- timpurile prezentului (present tenses): simple present(I work)/present continuous(I am
working):
Simple present arata o actiune obisnuita, repetabila, cu periodicitate; se foloseste cu
adverbe de timp (every day, etc. in the morning, etc.), si adverbe de frecventa (ever,
never, always, often, seldom, rarely, usually)
Ex. She has toast in the morning.
He always drinks a coffee in the afternoon.

Present continuous arata o actiune in desfasurare in momentul vorbirii

- verbe care nu se folosesc niciodata la timpurile contini : (think, admit,
realize, notice, understand,want,wish,hear, see,smell,taste,love,like,cost,mind,etc.)
Ex. Ann sees Paul putting on his coat and is asking him where he is going.

- Timpul mediu necesar parcurgerii, asimilarii si fixarii acestor probleme este de 3 ore.
- Tema de autocontrol sugerata :”Study the newspapers in your town and define the
specificities of the front page.”
- Materialul dezvoltat se gaseste in manualul “Communication Matters in Mass Media
and Cultural Studies” (cf.bibliografie) Pag. 7-22.

Tema 2. Headlines
Lectia 1
Prezentarea teoretica minimala:
- definirea specificitatii titlurilor si categoriile de exceptii gramaticale ale titlurilor de
articole din ziarele britanice:
“English newspaper headlines are governed by linguistic rules of their own. The language
is elliptical and compressed. Headlines are often incomplete sentences (i.e. Difficult
Times Ahead).
Very often the fractured grammar and idiosyncratic vocabulary of English headlines
challenge the understanding even of native speakers. But these problems are often, in
themselves, stimulating challenges to non-native speakers. Headlines writers try to catch
the reader’s eye by using as few words as possible. The language headlines use is,
consequently, unusual in a number of ways.
It is important to realize that there are lexical, structural and stylistic differences
between headlines and other written forms. In dealing with headlines, the reader is
always involved in seeking out meaning. Graphically, Headlines – big, short and often
accompanied by a relevant picture – are interesting, frequently dramatic examples of
language use.
A special training is necessary in a wide range of skills, from writing ability to
pronunciation, to deduce the rules of headlines usage and use these rules in different
ways.
 The most common categories of grammar exceptions found in newspaper headlines are:
noun phrases (a noun phrase that describes a noun, with no verb – i.e. Overwhelming
Response of Voters), noun strings (a string of three, four, etc. nouns together – i.e.
Country Leader Question Time), various verb changes (simple tenses for past tenses –
i.e. Forgotten Brother Appears, infinitive for future, i.e. Mayor to Open Shopping Mall),
auxiliary verbs dropped in the passive form – i.e.Man Killed in Accident), drop
articles – i.e. President Declares Celebration)”

- vocabularul titlurilor : monosyllabic verbs and nouns or short words for long (aid=
help, to back= to support, to blast = to explode, to curb = to limit, to plea = to request,
probe = investigation, key = essential, to jack = to improve, air=to discuss openly,
ban = to prevent, bid = attempt, to cut = to reduce, to boost = to promote, irk = anger,
lag = delay, quiz = question, to slam = to criticize, etc.)

- stilul titlurilor = titlurile folosesc masiv figurile de stil : aliteratia (aceeasi consoana
repetata la inceputul a doua sau mai multe cuvinte : “Billy Blasts Bees”), asonanta,
rima (“Biley too wily”)

- exersarea stilului comprimat al titlurilor sau transpunerea titlurilor in limbajul

comun : “Chelsea Fan Fury” = A report on angry supporters(fans) at Chelsea Football
Club, “Mahoney Magic” = A report on a football game in which Mahoney played with
brilliant skill, “Walking wonders”= A report on a record-breaking walking race,
“Jabbar jacks up Lakers” = Basketballer Jabbar improves Los Angeles(‘Lakers”) team,
etc.

Lectia 2
Consolidarea gramaticii/Grammar Consolidation :

- timpurile gramaticale Simple Past (I worked)/ Past Continuous(I was working)

Simple Past is used for actions completed in the past at a definite time (last year, at six
o’clock,etc.)
Ex. We invited them last autumn.
Past Continuous is used to express an action in progress in the past, whose exact limits
are not important (yesterday morning, from four to six, etc.)
Ex. I was writing a letter when the telephone rang.

Timpul mediu necesar parcurgerii si asimilarii acestor probleme este de 3 ore.

Tema de autocontrol sugerata : “Study the construction of the following headlines:
“Widow Pension Pay Committee”, “Around Strange, Exotic People”, “Tommy Dog
Named Hero”, “Under Pressure from Boss”, “Professors Protest Pay Cuts”, “Passerby
Sees Woman Jump”
Materialul dezvoltat se gaseste in manualul “Communication Matters in Mass Media
and Cultural Studies”(cf.bibliografie) pg.23-40
Tema 3. Editorials
Lectia 1
Prezentare teoretica minimala : “Editorials are very important as a main source of
information about current affairs. An editorial, leader or leading article, is an article in a
newspaper or magazine that expresses the opinion of the editor, editorial board or
publisher. Editorials are printed on their own page. They deal with four broad topics :
news, policy, social and special. They almost always cover controversial topics. There is
an editorial board who dictate the tone and direction that the editorial will take. Editorials
generally represent the newspaper’s official position on the issues. They take the form of
an essay, using arguments to promote a point of view. The length of n editorial is about
750 words. It appears on the front page and continues on an inside page”
- lectura si comentarea unui editorial (“Pedal Power” din cotidianul britanic The Times) :
- comentarea vocabularului
- comentarea subtitlurilor(subheadings, whose function is to break up the
text into easy-to-read sections)
- comentarea citatelor (quotations : “In an editorial reporting a string of
facts, quotations add variety. Words spoken by personalities involved in
the action make the reporter’s words more interesting. Short quotations
imply that these words carry weight or significance”)
- comentarea punctelor de vedere si a argumentelor :“An editorial expresses
the opinion of the editor, editorial board, or publisher Editorial reflect
the attitude of the paper”.
- comentarea temelor editorialelor: “Editorials often deal with current
events or public controversies. They generally fall into four broad types:
news, policy, social, and special.They almost always cover controversial
topics”.
Lectia 2
- Exercitii lexicale:
- vocabulary referitor la mijloace de transport : coupé, pick-up, lorry/truck,
coach, sports car, saloon car/sedan, hatchback, van, estate car

- vocabulary referitor la acte de calatorie : travel, circuit, tour, voyage, trip,

safari, hike, wandering, trek, commutation, globe-trotting

- idiomuri (expresii fixe) : to speak one’s mind, to be long-winded, to start

the ball rolling, to have the gift of the gab, to talk rubbish, to talk sense,
to get to the point, to put it in a nutshell,etc.

- folosirea unor verbe cu similaritati in inteles : warn, advise, threaten,

dissuade, persuade, remind, hint, scold, recommend, suggest,etc.
Ex. I advise you to study hard if you want to be a good journalist.

- vocabulary referitor la suferinta : injure, hurt, wound, pain, ache, bleed,

damage, harm, sting, suffer
Ex. After the battle, the dead were buried and the injured were taken to
hospital.
 - vocabulary referitor la persoanele care lucreaza la redactia unui ziar:
journalist, correspondent, reporter, editor, editor-in-chief, leader writer,
compositor, bowdlerizer, copyeditor, columnist, hack, journo

Lectia 3
- Consolidarea gramaticii/Grammar Consolidation:

- regimul de folosire a expresiilor ALTHOUGH/DESPITE/IN SPITE OF:

- Although + subject + verb, Despite/In spite of + noun
Ex. Although it was raining, we went to the journalists’ meeting.
In spite of the rain, we went to the journalists’ meeting.
Despite the rain, we went to the journalists’ meeting.
- expresii adjectivale derivate din verbe : renew- renewable, rain-rainy,
irritate-irritable, extend-extendable, etc.
- Timpurile verbale : timpurile present perfect/present perfect
continuous :
Simple present perfect se foloseste pentru a exprima o actiune din
trecut puternic legata de present.
Ex. It is their choice, they have chosen it.
He has worked as a journalist since he was 20.

Present perfect continuous reprezinta o actiune neintrerupta, care a

inceput in trecut si va continua si in viitor.
Ex. He has been looking for this job for five years.

Timpul mediu necesar parcurgerii, asimilarii si fixarii acestor probleme este de 3 ore.
Tema de autocontrol sugerata : “Study an editorial from a newspaper in your town.Pay
attention to the points of view, topic, structure.”
Materialul dezvoltat se gaseste in manualul “Communication Matters in Mass Media
and Cultural Studies” (cf.bibliografie) pag. 41-56

Tema 4. Letters to the Editor

Lectia 1
Prezentare teoretica minimala:
“The letters columns are the only parts of a newspaper (excepted the classified ads),
which are written by ordinary people from all walks of life, and from a variety of social
and educational backgrounds. They are studied for the language, the cultural information
and the point of view they contain. They provide excellent opportunities for a stylistic
study. These letters are usually short, as they must sometimes fit in a limited space.
Anonymous letters, letters that contain misinformation, obscene or poor taste, or meant to
resolve a personal conflict are not allowed and are not published. The most common
topics include : supporting or opposing an editorial position, or responding to another
writer’s letter to the editor, commenting on a current issue being debated by a governing
body, remarking on materials that have appeared in a previous edition (referring back),
correcting a perceived error or misrepresentation. The letters columns often provide good
models for English letter-writing (requests, applications, complaints, suggestions)”
- lectura a cat mai multe scrisori de la cititori adresate redactiei in care se pot studia:
- punctele de vedere ale cititorilor
- vocabularul folosit de cititori in scrisorile lor
- structura scrisorilor
- stilul scrisorilor
- tipul scrisorilor : scrisori critice/scrisori de apreciere
- tematica scrisorilor : scrisori referitoare la problemele femeilor,etc.
Exemple de scrisori adresate redactiei:
1. Sir, with regard to your feature on the front page of last week’s issue on the new
paving on the Cornhill, where are the ramps for the disabled ? (C.Dutton,
St.Edmund)
2. Sir, my best mate is one of the nicest people I know. But recently he has been going
with a girl who is already engaged. It seems to be messing up both their lives. She is
unlikely to leave her boyfriend for him, so he’s going to be in limbo. Should I tell
them both what I think, or should I let it ride, resulting in his being really hurt and
feeling used?( Terry Mullins, London SW 18)
Etc.
Lectia 2
- Exercitii lexicale :
- vocabular referitor la “hospitals” : maternity hospital, convalescent home, ward,
clinic, ambulance, operating theatre, sanatorium, stretcher, surgery, mental
hospital, etc.
Ex. After her operation, she was sent to a convalescent home by the sea for
six weeks.
- vocabulary referitor la tipuri de naratiuni : romance, western, thriller,biography,
autobiography, science fiction, novel, myth, etc.
- vocabulary referitor la diverse reactii: disappointed, startled, shocked, appalled,
overwhelmed, bewildered, dismayed, scared, etc.
Ex. I was quite bewildered by the kindness showed to me by the people in the
village.
- studierea unor idiomuri : to be at a loose end= having nothing to do, to have a
bee in one’s bonnet = to have a fixed idea, to make whoopee = to celebrate
noisily, to put one’s foot in it = to make an embarrassing mistake, to have one’s
head in the clouds = to have one’s thoughts far away, to sail close to the wind =
to take risks, to blow one’s top = to become suddenly and violently angry, etc.
Ex. Our teacher had a bee in his bonnet about punctuation.

Lectia 3
- Consolidarea gramaticii/Grammar Consolidation
- comparatia regulate a adjectivelor/regular comparison of adjectives:
Ex. Dark – less dark – as dark as/not so dark as – darker than – very dark
- comparatia neregulata a adjectivelor/irregular comparison:
Ex. Good/well – better – the best far – further – the furthest(distance+ time)
Bad/ill - worse - the worst farther – farthest (only distance)
 Little - less - the least old – older – the oldest(people+things)
Much/many – more – the most elder – the eldest (related people)
- structuri adjectivale – schimbarea categodiei gramaticale :
people who are sick = the sick
people who are blind = the blind
people who are poor = the poor
people who are injured = the injured, etc.
- constructii adjectivale sintetice :
an eight-year-old girl = a girl who is eight years old
a blue-eyed man = a man who has blue eyes
a leather-bound book = a book that is bound in leather, etc.
- timpurile verbale/verbal tenses: past perfect tense/past perfect continuous tense,
exprima o actiune trecuta care a avut loc inaintea altei actiuni trecute
Ex. They had worked at that company before they came.
They had been longing for that book for a long time

Timpul mediu necesar parcurgerii, asimilarii si fixarii acestor probleme este de 3 ore.
Tema de autocontrol sugerata: “Study the following letters and analyse them according
to : the topics, the readers’ points of view, the vocabulary used, the structure, the style,
the type”:
1. Sir, rather than increase postal charges, which the Post Office is about to do, have
they not considered the possibility of just making their stamps slightly smaller?
(Mortimer Edwards, The Tussocks, Chelmsford, Essex)
2. Sir, I’m a Japanese businessman. I’m the reader of your paper.Frances Cairncross
(April 16) alleges that Britain is not more highly taxed than France and Germany.
However the authoritative Japanese financial paper, Nippon Keizai Shinbun,
reported on April 8, that Britain is more highly taxed than France and Germany
Which am I to believe? (Kunihiro Morita, London)”
Materialul dezvoltat se gaseste in manualul “Communication Matters in Mass Media
and Cultural Studies” (cf.bibliografie) la pag. 57-86

Tema 5. News
Lectia 1
Prezentare teoretica minimala : “News is any new information on current events which
is presented by print, broadcast, Internet., etc. to a third party or mass audience. News is a
reporting of current information on television and radio, and in newspapers and
magazines. The news has always covered subjects that catch people’s attention and differ
from their “ordinary lives”. The subjects cover unnatural, extraordinary events (love,
birth, weather, crime, etc.) News reporting is a type of journalism, typically written or
broadcast in news style. The people in the newspaper staff who deal with news
(journalists, reporters, correspondents, etc.) are called “news gatherers”. News content
should contain the “Five Ws” (who, what, when, where, why, and also how). News
organizations are expected to aim for objectivity.”
- lectura a cat mai multor stiri in care se pot studia:
 - structura stirilor : - stiri formate dintr-o singura fraza complexa
- stiri formate din 2 fraze/2 paragrafe
- domeniul caruia ii apartin: stiri interne/domestic news, arta/arts,
educatie/education, afaceri/business, sport,etc.

Lectia 2
- Exercitii lexicale:
- substantive abstracte derivate din adjective,verbe (glad-gladness,
true-truth, hate-hatred, proud-pride, vacant-vacancy, remember-
remembrance, etc)

- clasa lexicala a notiunii “street” : road, avenue, street, lane, alley,

path, drive, pavement, way, cul-de-sac, etc.)
Ex. It’s cheaper to transport goods by road than by rail.

- expresii ce cuprind substantivul “way” : by the way, in the way,

out of the way, wayside, all the way, in a way, on the way, under way,
by way of, hiw own way
Ex. We stopped at a little wayside inn for the night.

- clasa lexicala a notiunii “anxiety”:ashamed, shocked, alarmed, anxious,

embarrassed, furious, worried, disappointed, puzzled, surprised, etc.
Ex. They were shocked when the doctor told them that they were going
to have triplets.

Lectia 3
- Consolidarea gramaticii/Grammar Consolidation

- folosirea substitutive TOO/ENOUGH cu modificarile respective:

Ex. TOO + adjective = NOT + adjective + ENOUGH
He is TOO slow to understand that joke.
He is not smart ENOUGH to understand that joke.

- inlocuirea unor verbe complexe cu verbe simple : to bring up =

to raise, to go off = to explode, to cut in = to interrupt, to do out =
to clean, to ring up = to phone, to look over = to check, to put out =
to extinguish, to take off = to remove, etc.)

- modalitati de exprimare a viitorului:

- to be going to = future of intention:
Ex. We are going to buy a computer
- simple future= shall/will + short infinitive = an unpremeditated
intention
Ex. Your life will be very good there.
- Time Clauses:
 when,after,as soon as till,until,before + simple present +
simple future in the main clause
Ex. After he goes, we will read the letters.
When he retires, he will be happier.
- the future continuous (to be + present participle) = actiune
in desfasurare in viitor:
Ex.At this time of your life you will be working very hard
- the future perfect ( shall/will have + past participle) = actiune
care intr-un anumit moment al viitorului va fi trecuta:
Ex. In ten years time you will have changed completely.
- Type I conditionals ( if + simple present + simple future
in the main clause :
Ex. If we invest, we will take a huge interest.

Timpul mediu necesar parcurgerii, asimilarii si fixarii acestor probleme este de 3 ore.
Tema de autocontrol sugerata : “Establish the pieces of information contained in the
following news, and the way they answer the “five Ws”:
1. Braclays revealed for the first time yesterday how much of its profits come from its
market-leading credit card business.
Barclay card accounted for more than 10% of Group profits, at £195m, but analysts
Expect this business to come under severe pressure in the future.
2. Exposure of children to other people’s cigarette smoke has nearly halved in 10 years
Because of parents stopping smoking and bans in public places.
A study published in the “British Medical Journal” today says that the levels of
cotinine, a compound of nicotine, in children’s saliva rose between 1999 and 2004 but
began to fall.
Materialul dezvoltat se gaseste in manualul “Communication Matters in Mass Media
and Cultural Studies”( cf. bibliografie) la pag. 87-108

Tema 6. Advertisements
Lectia 1
Prezentare teoretica minimala: “Advertising is a form of communication that typically
attempts to persuade potential customers to purchase or to consume more of a particular
brand or service. The media used for advertising are : television, radio, cinema,
magazines, newspapers, the Internet, billboards. The kind of advertisements we find in
news papers are:
- the classified ads or “small ads”, placed in newspapers for people who want
to buy or sell something, look for a job, hire a motor car or get a flat. They
contain important expressions and abbreviations;
- the advertisements for elections.The campaign is the series of
advertisements, television appearances, meetings and speeches designed to
get support for a candidate;
- the non-personal advertising, any paid form of non-personal communication
through the mass media about a product by an identified sponsor. Sponsors
 may be a nonprofit organization, a political candidate, a company or an
individual.
Advertising differs from news and publicity in that an identified sponsor pays for placing
the message in the media. Some firms employ advertising agents, while others have an
inhouse staff. The client – the firm or organization which pays for an advertising
campaign or campaigns, using an advertising agency – will discuss with the agency
management the message they want to get across. The advertising message can be shown
in several ways to make its impact. It may be humorous, it may make use of puns,
alliteration, assonance and rhyme. There is real inventiveness in all slogans. They are
sometimes close to poetry, metaphors, metonymies, etc., being also used.”

- studierea a cat mai multe reclame de mica publicitate (classified ads)

- analiza abrevierilor in mostre de reclame de mica publicitate:
Ex.bdrm = bedroom, util – utilities, rm = room, kit = kitchen,
Mo = month, st = street, avble = available, fr = floor,
Cpt = carpeted, pd=paid, min = minutes, aunt = autumn,etc.
- analiza reclamelor electorale
- studierea reclamelor non-personalizate
- studierea stilului reclamelor non-personalizate(figurile de stil):
- aliteratia (aceeasi consoana repetata)
Ex. Top People Take The Times
- asonanta (acelasi sunet vocalic repetat)
Ex. Drinka Pinta Milka Day
Gillette – the best a man can get
- rima :
Ex. Choose the best!
Forget the rest!(Anna Morris furniture)

Lectia 2
- Exercitii lexicale:
- clasa lexicala “place” : place, location, site, position,zone,
neighbourhood, premises, plot, territory, land, etc.
Ex. When the needle enters the red zone it indicates danger.

- clasa lexicala a notiunii “to show” : display, reveal, show,

ehibit, model, demonstrate, publish, indicate, disclose,
dscover, etc.
Ex. The government disclosed that another diplomat has been
arrested for spying.

- shops and specific shoppings : butcher’s = meat, florist’s =

flowers, chemist’s = drugs, fishmonger = fish, etc.

Lectia 3
Consolidarea gramaticii/Grammar Consolidation :
 - Sequence of Tenses / Reported Speech:
• Dupa un verb introductiv ( say, tell, declare,….) la present, nu este nici
o modificare a timpului verbal in propozitia raportata:
Ex. “I will be twenty years old in March”, he says.
He says he will be twenty years old in March.

• Dupa un verb introductive (said, told, declared, ….) la trecut, exista de

obicei urmatoare transformare a timpurilor verbale din propozitia
raportata :

Simple present/Present Continuous → Simple Past/Past Continuous:

Ex.: “I go to work every day”, he said
He said he went to work every day.
“I am reading a good book this week”, he said.
He said he was reading a good book that week.
Simple Past/Present Perfect → Past Perfect:
Ex. : “I wrote a good article yesterday”, he said.
He said he had written a good article the day before.
“You have given me very good news”, he said.
He said she had given him very good news.
Future → Future-in-the-past ( would + infinitive) :
Ex. ; “I will give you the report tonight”, he said
He said he would give me the report that night.
Exista de asemenea modificari avdebiale :

Direct Speech Reported Speech

Today that day
This afternoon that afternoon
Tonight/this evening that evening
Tomorrow the following day
Yesterday the day before
Etc.

Timpul mediu necesar parcurgerii, asimilarii si fixarii acestor probleme este de 3 ore.
Tema de autocontrol sugerata: “Try to understand the following classified ads, paying
attention to the abbreviations :
a. “ 2 bdrm. Town house for sublease June and July.£ 123/mo + util. Call 781-3714
b. “Avble Mai 1st large 2 bedrm. Ft. 1 block from Camp. £ 179/mo + util.Call 745-
6556
c. “ Rm for male st. avble now. Share a refrigerator, bath.,cpt. Walk to CS.£80
plus.Call 931-2405
Materialul dezvoltat se gaseste in manualul “Communication Matters in Mass
Media and Cultural Studies” (cf.bibliografie), pag. 109-133
Tema 7 . Cartoons, Comic Strips, Pictures, Jokes, Limericks
Lectia 1
Prezentare teoretica minimala : “Humour is the tendency of particular cognitive
experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement. Cartoons, comic strips and
photographs are all combinations of words and pictures, but jokes, anecdotes and
limericks are not usually. The combinations of words and pictures often reveal facts
about culture : school and family relationships, gestures, patterns of behaviour, etc.
Cartoons are amusing drawings in a newspaper, etc., expressing especially views,
comments on public matters, political affairs, public persons or events,etc.
A comic strip or strip cartoons is a series of cartoons made of a number of drawings in a
row, relating comic or adventure stories, especially for children. Photographs and pictures
are almost the same thing. A photograph is a picture produced by photography, and a
picture is a painting, drawing or photograph.
Jokes are something said or done to cause laughter.
Limericks are a type of humorous, nonsense, absurd poem. They are a very particular
manifestation of the English humour (as our Romanian epigram).
Cartoons and comic strips are rich in word play, double meanings and idiomatic
expressions, as well as jokes and limericks, all of them full of British humour”.

- analiza de caricaturi (cartoons) si benzi desenate (comic strips):

- vocabular
- umor

- studierea unor “limericks” scrise de autori celebri:

Ex. “There was a young lady of station,
‘I love man,’ was her sole exclamation;
But when men cried, “You flatter”
She replied, “Oh! No matter,
Isle Of Man is the true explanation.”
(Lewis Carroll)

- studierea unor “limericks” scrise de corespondenti ai ziarelor:

Ex. “Said Gordon to Sarah: “My dear,
The time for election draws near,
Let’s have a baby,
And the chances are, maybe,
I’ll be leader before the New Year.”
(Mrs.Tonia A.Chappell,Alvechurch), etc.

- studierea de anecdote si glume :

Ex. “A woman once took Dr.Johnson to task for putting improper words in
his dictionary. “Madam”, said the distinguished lexicographer, “you
have been looking for them”, etc.

Lectia 2
- Exercitii lexicale :
 - clasa lexicala “insects” : ant, fly, spider, butterfly, beetle, wasp, dragonfly,
bee, moth, flea, mosquito, etc.

- expresii care folosesc cuvantul “head” : to make head or tail, a head for
heights, headlong, a good head for figures, pigheaded, to head the list,
headquarters, to have one’s head in the clouds, to keep one’s head above
water, from head to toe;
Ex. My daughter usually helps me with my monthly accounts; she has a
good head for figures.

- vocabulary referitor la “clothes” : shoes, stockings, skirt, suit, braces, dress,

vest, scarf, trousers, jacket, collar, gloves, belt, underpants, blouse, sleeves,
etc.

- clasa lexicala a unor verbe de miscare cu similaritati de inteles : stroll, rush,

mince, swagger, jolt, stride, hobble, totter, inch, ooze, etc.
Ex. “Don’t rush away! Wait for me! I haven’t finished to lock the door.”
“ The child was tottering across the room and the parents were very
happy.”

- substantive ce reprezinta actiuni imorale : theft, blackmail, kidnapping,

tax-evasion, embezzlement, slander, robbery with violence, corruption,
manslaughter, money on false pretences, bribe, etc.
Ex. Michael was tried for manslaughter. Etc.

- Similes = expresii ce presupun comparatii de tipul “as……as”, “….like” :

as black as night, as heavy as lead, as blind as a bat, as strong as an ox,
as quiet as a mouse, as sober as a judge, as drunk as a lord, as white as
snow, as light as a feather, as thin as a rake, as cool as a cucumber, as hard
as iron, as mad as a hatter, as brown as a berry, as deaf as a post, as quick as
a flash, as red as a beetroot, as bright as a button, etc.

- Similes with “…..like : to be like a bear with a sore head, to have a head like
a sieve, to sleep like a log, to work like a dream, to eat like a horse, to go
like a bull in a china shop, etc.
Ex. Their plan worked like a dream and the problem was solved.

Lectia 3

- Consolidarea gramaticii / Grammar consolidation

- Verbele modale / Modal Verbs :

Can/Could = ability, politeness, Can’t = impossibility
Ex. He can’t speak French, but he can speak Italian.
 He can’t say such things about you.
May/Might = permission, possibility
Ex. May I leave now?
It may rain in the afternoon.
Must = obligation, Mustn’t = interdiction
Ex. You must drink as much water as you can.
You mustn’t go outside this week.
Should = advice
Ex. You should tell them the truth.
Ought to = moral obligation
Ex. You ought to go and visit your parents.

Timpul mediu necesar parcurgerii, asimilarii si fixarii acestor probleme este de 3 ore.
Tema de autocontrol sugerata : “Read, translate and explain the humour in the
following two limericks” :
1. “ A railroad official at Crewe 2. “The intoximeter machine
Met an engine one day that he knew, Turned red when it should have
Though he nodded and bowed, turned green.
The engine was proud, My sentence is quashed
And cut him – it cut him in two.” Even though I was sloshed -
(Robert Louis Stevenson) And my licence is, once again,
clean.
(Carol Midwood, Stourbridge,
West Midlands)

Materialul dezvoltat se gaseste in manualul “Communication Matters in Mass Media

and Cultural Studies” (cf. bibliografie) pag.134-160.

IV . BIBLIOGRAFIE RECOMANDATA

a) Obligatorie :

- S.Marcoci, R.Mihaila, Communication Matters in Mass Media and Cultural Studies,

Editura Fundatiei Romania de Maine, Bucuresti, 2010
- S. Marcoci, J. Lupu, Essentials of Journalese, Editura Fundatiei Romania de Maine,
Bucuresti, 2002
- Levitzchi, L.; Preda, I, Gramatica Limbii Engleze, Ed.Stiintifica, Bucuresti, 1998
- Georgiana, Galateanu-Farnoaga, Exercitii de gramatica engleza, OmegaPres,
Bucuresti, 1998
- Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 1995

b) Facultativa :
- A.J.Thomson,, A.V.Martinet, A Practical English Grammar, 2nd Ed. Oxford University
Press, 1995
- Hornby, A.S., A Guide to Patterns and Usage in English, OUP, London, 1980
- +++ Key Words in the Media, Harper Collins Publishers, Birmingham, 1995
- Nicolescu, A., Popovici, L., Preda, I., Dictionar frazeologic englez-roman,
Ed.Stiintifica, Bucuresti, 1967
- R.Stefan, S.Marcoci, R.Vasilescu, E.Beldea, Come Along, Editura Fundatiei Romania
de Maine, Bucuresti, 2002
- R.Mihaila, Current Issues, Ed.Fundatiei Romania de Maine, Bucuresti, 2007
- Land, G., What the Papers Say, Longman, London, 1989
- Strentz, H., News Reporters and News Sources, Prentice Hall, 1992
- St.John, M., Advertising and the Promotion Industry, Prentice Hall International (UK)
Lt., 1994
- Wood, F.T., English Verbal Idioms, MacMillan and Co., Ltd., London, 1988
- Le Divenach, E., Engleza in Presa, Ed.Teora, Bucuresti, 1997
- Dayan, A., Lindsay, W.H., Engleza pentru Marketing si Publicitate, Ed.Teora,
Bucuresti, 1992
- Barbu, A.M., Chirimbu, S., English Language for Daily Use, Ed. FRM, Bucuresti,
2006
- Vince, M., Advanced Language Practice, Heinemann, Oford, 1994

V. MODALITATI DE EVALUARE A CUNOSTINTELOR :

- Examenul final = Colocviu (in system electronic)

- Conditia pentru sustinerea examenului final este rezolvarea temelor periodice care vor
fi sustinute pe parcursul semestrului, care constau in proiecte, referate pe teme date,
eseuri, analize de texte, traduceri, retroversiuni, comentarii, exercitii gramaticale
(aplicative/creative)

VI. EXEMPLE DE SUBIECTE DE EXAMEN :

TRUE/FALSE

1.Specify if the following statement is true or false :

The Front Page is the place where the Letters to the Editor are placed
Answer : F

2. Specify if the following statement is true or false :

The editorial is an article or a column which expresses the paper’s own point of view.
Answer : T

3. Specify if the following statement is true or false :

The headline is the title of the newspaper.
Answer : F
4. Specify if the following statement is true or false :

An issue of a newspaper is a newspaper in the form that it appears on Sunday.

Answer : F

5. Specify if the following statement is true or false :

A tabloid newspaper focuses essentially on real news than sensational.

Answer : F

6. Specify if the following statement is true or false :

Feature articles are articles about persons who have recently died.
Answer : F

7. Specify if the following statement is true or false :

There are never verb changes in headlines.

Answer : F

8. Specify if the following statement is true or false :

The headline “Bodyshop in good shape” refers to clothes hire shops.

Answer : F

9. Speciffy if the following statement is true or false :

A hack is a journalist, sometimes referred to insultingly.

Answer : T

10. Specify if the following statement is true or false :

A Letter to the Editor is a letter sent to a publication about issues of concern to its
readers.
Answer : T

MULTIPLE CHOICE :

1. Choose the correct forms of the verbs :

How do you know that the article..........................(not tell) the truth?

a. do not tell
 b. does not tell
c. does not telling
d. is not telling
Answer : D

2. Choose the correct forms of the verbs :

What..............(to be) the role of the press in the election process?

a. was been
b. will be being
c. were being
d. has been
Answer : D

3. Choose the correct forms of the verbs :

In two weeks’ time they..............(finish) their preliminary training and .......(start)

working.

a. will have finished, will have started

b. will have finish, will have start
c. will have finishing, will have starting
d. will be finished, will be started
Answer : A

4. Choose the correct forms of the verbs :

The police ................(arrest) him if they catch him.

a. would arrest
b. would have arrested
c. will arrest
d. will have arrest
Answer : C

5. Choose the correct form of the verb :

He had an accident because he...................(drive) too fast.

a. was driving
b. drove
c. has driven
d. drives
Answer : A
6. Choose the most appropriate answer :

Nothing would be better now than a press conference, ......................?

a. would it
b. wouldn’t it
c. would they
d. isn’t it
Answer : A

7. Turn into indirect speech. Choose the most appropriate form :

“I owe my life to you, Doctor!”, the reporter said.

a. The reporter said the doctor that he owed his life to him.
b. The reporter told the doctor that he owes his life to him.
c. The reporter told the doctor that he owed his life to him.
Answer : C

8. Change from the indirect speech into the direct speech, by choosing the proper form:

She asked me who that was.

a. “Who that was?”

b. “Who was that?”
c. “Who is this?”
d. “Who this is?”
Answer : C

9. Change the sentence from the direct speech into the indirect speech, by choosing the
proper form:

“Leave us alone!”, they asked us.

a. They asked us to leave them alone.

b. They asked us leaving them alone.
c. They asked us to leave they alone.
d. They asked us leave them alone.
Answer : A

10. Translate into English (choose the correct sentence) :

Vor incepe sa tipareasca ziarul de indata ce vor primi banii.

a. They will start printing the newspaper as soon as they receive the money.
b. They will begin to print the newspaper as soon as they will receive the money.
c. They will begin printing the newspaper as soon as they received the money.
Answer : A

11. Translate into English (choose the correct sentence) :

Cum sti sti ca articolul nu spune adevarul?

a. How do you know that the article is not telling the truth?
b. How know you that the article is not telling the truth?
c. How are you knowing that the article is not telling the truth?
Answer : A

12. Translate into English (choose the correct sentence) :

Ei tocmai au terminat de facut un sondaj de opinie.

a. They just finished making an opinion survey.

b. They have just finished doing an opinion survey.
c. They are just finished doing an opinion survey.
Answer : B

13. Select the right answer :

a. Someone had broken into the office and stolen the files.
b. Someone had broken into the office and stole the files.
Answer : A

14. Select the right answer :

a. In despite of the rain, we went to the journalists’ meeting.

b. In spite of the rain, we went to the journalists’ meeting.
Answer : B

15. Select the right answer :

a. A story which has been written half of is a half-writing story.

b. A story which has been written half of is a half-written story.
Answer : B

16. Choose the best synonyms for the words written in capital letters :

A person unable to use headlines, cannot browse through newspapers so as to choose

what to read, SKIM or ignore.

a. read with interest

b. read attentively
c. read superficially
d. read curiously
Answer : C

17. Choose the best synonyms for the words written in capital letters :
He VOWED that one day he would return.

a. threatened
b. informed
c. promised
d. suggested
Answer : C

18. Choose the best word to fill in the space :

The Daily Mail has a.................of more than two million.

a. structure
b. tirage
c. circulation
d. functionalism
Answer : C

19. Choose the correct word to fill in the space :

The ......................is the top of the front page carrying the name of the paper.

a. mastiff
b. masthead
c. banner
d. masterpiece
Answer : B

20. Choose the correct word to fill in the space :

Man faces.................on wife death.

a. dash
b. quiz
c. pledge
d. bid
Answer : B

21. Choose the good answer for the following definition :

The number of copies of a newspaper, magazine, etc., regularly sold to the public.

a. bookstall
 b. review
c. circulation
d. kiosk
Answer : C

22. Choose the good answer for the following definition :

An article about the life of someone who has recently died.

a. scoop
b. obituary
c. home
d. scandal
Answer : B

23. Choose the good answer for the following definition :

A long journey, especially by sea or in space.

a. trip
b. travel
c. voyage
d. expedition
Answer : C

24. Choose the correct answer for the following definition :

A story dealing with imaginary future developments and their effect upon life.

a. myth
b. western
c. science fiction
d. novel
Answer : C

25. Choose the good answer for the following definition :

To take part in a campaign by travelling around to attract support.

a. run for election

b. campaigning
c. campaign trail
d. stand for election
Answer : C

26. Choose the good answer for the following definition :

Extremely funny events.

a. side-swipes
b. side-saddles
c. side-whiskers
d. side-splitters
Answer : D

27. Choose the best synonym for the word written in capital letters :

Fields and HEDGEROWS have disappeared, their wildlife destroyed, all in the name of
progress.

a. small brown birds

b. small wild animals covered with sharp spikes
c. hares
d. lines of bushes
Answer : D

28. Choose the best synonym for the word written in capital letters :

Some AMBLERS will dismiss this two-wheeled idealism.

a. old people
b. pedestrians
c. motorists
d. teachers
Answer : B