مدونة التربية و التعليم في الجزائر – دروس، فروض، نتائج امتحانات مدونة التربية والتعليم في الجزائر | تحضير الدروس، فروض واختبارات، نتائج البكالوريا وBEM، مسابقات التوظيف، والتوجيه المدرسي للطلاب وأولياء الأمور.
English: Unit 2 “Making the News” – Vocabulary, Passive Voice and Journalism – Second Year Secondary
Introduction
Unit 2 of the second year secondary English programme in Algeria is titled “Making the News.” This unit focuses on journalism, media, and how news is produced and reported. Students will learn vocabulary related to newspapers and broadcasting, practise the passive voice (which is heavily used in news reporting), and develop skills in summarising news articles.
Learning Objectives
- Acquire vocabulary related to journalism, newspapers, and broadcasting
- Master the passive voice in different tenses for news writing
- Learn how to summarise news articles effectively
- Practise writing a short news report
Part 1: Key Vocabulary – The World of News
Newspaper Vocabulary:
- Headline – the title of a newspaper article (e.g., “Earthquake Hits Coastal City”)
- Byline – the name of the journalist who wrote the article
- Column – a regular article by a specific writer
- Editorial – an article expressing the newspaper’s official opinion
- Correspondent – a journalist who reports from a particular location
- Coverage – the reporting of an event or topic
- Breaking news – very recent news of immediate importance
Broadcasting Vocabulary:
- Broadcast – to transmit a programme on TV or radio
- Anchor – the main presenter of a news programme
- Live – broadcast in real time as events happen
- Reporter – a journalist who reports from the scene
- Interview – a conversation where questions are asked to get information
- Viewer/Listener – the person who watches TV or listens to radio
Useful Expressions:
- “According to sources…”
- “It has been reported that…”
- “The article highlights…”
- “This raises concerns about…”
Part 2: Grammar – The Passive Voice in News
News reports frequently use the passive voice because the action is often more important than who performed it.
Form: Subject + be (conjugated) + past participle (+ by agent)
Examples:
| Tense | Active | Passive |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | The journalist writes the article. | The article is written by the journalist. |
| Past Simple | The storm destroyed the building. | The building was destroyed by the storm. |
| Present Perfect | The government has announced new measures. | New measures have been announced. |
| Future (will) | The president will give a speech. | A speech will be given by the president. |
Note: In news, the agent (by…) is often omitted when it’s obvious or unknown: “Three people were injured in the accident.” (We don’t need to say who injured them.)
Practice:
Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice (BAC style):
a) The journalist interviewed the minister. → The minister was interviewed by the journalist.
b) The company will launch a new product next week. → A new product will be launched next week.
c) Scientists have discovered a new species of fish. → A new species of fish has been discovered.
Part 3: Writing – Summarising a News Article
A news summary condenses a longer article into its essential points. Follow this structure:
1. Lead Sentence: Include the 5 Ws (Who, What, Where, When, Why) in one sentence.
2. Key Details: 2–3 sentences with the most important facts.
3. Outcome/Result: One sentence about what happened as a result.
Model Summary:
Original article: “Algeria’s Minister of Education announced yesterday a major reform of the secondary school curriculum, introducing new subjects in technology and digital skills. The reform aims to better prepare students for the job market. Schools will begin implementing the changes from September 2027.”
Summary: Algeria’s Education Minister has announced a major secondary school reform introducing technology and digital skills subjects. The reform aims to improve students’ job readiness. Schools will start implementing the new curriculum in September 2027.
Part 4: Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Match the vocabulary with the correct definition:
1. Headline ___ a) A journalist reporting from a specific location
2. Correspondent ___ b) The title of a news article
3. Editorial ___ c) The newspaper’s official opinion article
4. Breaking news ___ d) Very recent, important news
Answers: 1-b, 2-a, 3-c, 4-d
Exercise 2: Write two sentences about a current event using the passive voice.
Summary
Unit 2 “Making the News” teaches you essential journalism vocabulary and the passive voice, which is a key grammar point for news writing. By mastering these elements, you will be able to understand news articles more effectively and write your own summaries and reports. The passive voice is particularly important for the BAC exam, where it appears in both grammar and writing sections.
📍 Similar Lessons
- English: Unit 1 ‘Signs of the Time’ – Predictions, Modals and Opinion Writing
- The Past Continuous Tense – 2nd Year Secondary
