Comprehension

Siska · Gast

Hallo, ich bin neu hier und habe ein paar Probleme beim beantwoten der Fragen. Ich hoffe ihr könnt mir weiterhelfen.

Dear Silke,

I must write and tell you about my new job. I'm now working as a secretary for a producer with BBC-Television. I don't know if you can imagine what it is like being part of a big team, sometimes having to arrive in the early morning and on other days not starting until late in the afternoon, helping to prepare programmes and often watching them go out "live" to an audience of millions. There are so many things that can go wrong, and it amazes me that we don't make more mistakes than we do! Last week one of my colleagues pressed the wrong switch during the "Ten O'Clock News" and instead of seeing a report from our correspondent in Japan, the viewers saw about fifteen seconds of a sex scene from a soap opera! It was very embarrassing and I'm glad nothing like that has happend to met yet.

Yesterday we were preparing an interview with a newspaper journalist who works for one of the tabloids. His newspaper has been criticised for what is called "Chequebook journalism" and he was in the studio to answer his critics. It was all very controversial, with some of the studio guests shouting and screaming and arguing that the press didn't care about morals and wre only intersted in making bigger and bigger profits. When I was working for our local newspaper in Sheffield, it was a much quieter life!

Do you like Indian music, by the way? I do. A friend of mine is teaching me to play the sitar. It's very difficult but I'm trying to make progress. I practise a lot and I also listen to a lot of new CD ragas, but I have to be careful with my neighbours. At the weekend I thought there was nobody in the flat above mine so I turned up the volume. Ten minutes later my doorbell rang and the person from upstairs was at my door. "Don't make that awful noise all the time! Can't you practise when I'm not at home? Why don't you play some European music for a change?" He went on and on and on and I just stood there listening to his complaints and not knowing what to say. The funny thing is he thought it was me playing the sitar and not the CD-player. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry!

My boss may be flying to Berlin next month and if he goes, he's promised to take me with him on his business trip. So there's a good chance that we'll be able to meet. Are you still working for your publishing company? I hope to catch up on all your news soon.

Lots of love from

Conny

questions
1. What do you think is the relationship between Conny and Silke? Please explain
2. What was Conny's last job and what is she doing now?
3. Why was she embarrassed?
4. What do you think is meant by "chequebook journalism"?
5. Hw did the critics in the studio react to the newspaper journalist?
6. How is Conny trying to make progress with the sitar?
7. Why did her doorbell ring at the weekend?
8. Why did Conny find it difficult to react?
9. Why is it likely that Conny and Silke will soon see each other again?
10. What is the link between Conny's job and Silke's job?

answers
1. They are girl-friends.
2. - She is doing now working as a secretary for a producer with BBC-Television.
3. Because the viewers saw about fifteen seconds of a sex scene from a soap opera.
4. -
5. -
6. -
7. Because she thought there was nobody in the flat above her so she turned up the volume.
8. Because the person from upstairs thought that she was playing the sitar and not the CD-player.
9. Because Conny's boss fly next month to Berlin, and so there's a good chance that they'll be able to meet.
10. Both have to do with newspaper

henry · Gast

#1. They are close friends who share their experience with each other although they don't live in the same country.

#2. Conny worked for her local newspaper in Sheffield, but now she is working as a secretary for a producer with BBC-Television.

#3. Actually, Conny was not embarrassed at all. She just said it was embarrassing for her colleague. Maybe she was embarrassed in an indirect way.Moreover, she said she was glad that nothing like that had happened to her yet. ( The question is not clear enough! )

#4. A cheque book journalism is when a newspaper persuades someone involved in a news story to give their report of events by paying them a lot of money.

I'll leave the rest for the other.

Ciao

henry · Gast

Hello Siska,

Me again! I see no one has answered the rest of your questions yet.

So here you go....

#5. It was difficult to describe how the critics in the studio really reacted to the newspaper journalist because it was all very controversial. Apart from that, some guests shouted and screamed and argued that the press didn't care about morals and that they were only interested in making bigger and bigger profits.

#6. Conny is trying to make progress with the sitar by practising a lot and listening to a lot of new CD ragas.

Your answers to 7. 8. 9 and 10 are OK.

Only one mistake in Nr. 9 -- Conny's boss flies.....

As to Nr. 3 the question posed is not clear. However, if your teacher makes such a fuss, your answer is quite OK.

All the best,

Siska · Gast

@ Henry

Thanks!!!

henry · Gast