News! News! News!
Unit 8 · English for Today — Class 8
What is news? 📰 · The First Newspaper 🗞️ · TV News Report 📺 · Walk-in Interview! 🧑💼 · A Torch Bearer 🔦
🎯 Learning Objectives
After studying this unit, we will be able to:
Main Themes — This unit is all about news and the media. We learn what makes an event “news”, trace the history of the newspaper from ancient Rome to today, see how a TV news report is made, practise reading job ads and writing a CV, and finally meet a real-life hero who spread the love of reading. 🌍
What turns an everyday event into “news”?
Saying “I eat rice every day” or “I play cricket” or “I don’t bunk off school” describes ordinary, everyday happenings. Such common events are not news, and no newspaper would print them. As the editor Charles Anderson Dana famously put it: when a dog bites a man that is not news, but when a man bites a dog that is news.
So what counts as news? First, it must be a piece of information. Secondly, that information must be recent — that is the very reason it is called “news”. Thirdly, the mass people should be interested in it. Fourthly, it should be self-explained, answering who, which, what, where, when, why and how. Finally, it must be objective — free from personal bias. These days one more point is added: news is either printed, broadcast, or published on the internet.
Where does the word itself come from? Some believe “news” simply grew out of the word “new”. Others enjoy the idea that it comes from all directions — North, East, West and South!
🎯 MCQ — Lesson 1 (What is News?)
Acta Diurna — a public message board in ancient Rome
Human beings have a natural curiosity to know the unknown and see the unseen. Today the world wide web lets us learn about the farthest corners of the world with a single click, but a few hundred years ago this was far from easy. Through a long process of evolution, the newspaper has become part and parcel of daily life — a fresh paper with a hot cup of tea is almost a symbol of modern urban life, and for many it is a true obsession.
The first newspaper, Acta Diurna (“daily acts”), was published in ancient Rome in 59 BC — just 59 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. It was not a paper-based newspaper at all, but a message board put up in public places to post announcements and social events.
Much later, in the early 16th century, printed “news books” appeared in England, based on disasters, battles and public celebrations. The London Gazette (1665) claims to be England’s oldest newspaper. In Germany, Johann Carolus published the first weekly, Account of All Distinguished and Commemorable News, in 1605. Daily home-delivered papers began in the 18th century — The Pennsylvania Packet and The Daily Advertiser were the first US dailies (1784).
In our region, Hickey’s Bengal Gazette (1780), run by James Augustus Hickey, was the first printed newspaper in India. The first Bangla weekly, the Samachar Darpan, came out in 1818, run by missionaries. The Azad became Dhaka’s first daily and, like the daily Ittefaq, played a glorious role in our Language Movement and freedom struggle. In the 21st century, almost every major paper now has an online edition — yet a printed newspaper is still an obsession for many. In the modern world, information is power and a newspaper is an information hub.
🎯 MCQ — Lesson 2 (The First Newspaper)
A reporter on the spot — bringing the story to your screen
TV reporters bring us news of every kind — politics, protests, accidents, social events, price hikes, expert opinions, even celebrations after a cricket win. Neither scorching sun nor monsoon showers nor bitter winter can stop them from reaching the news spot. Because “old news is no news”, there is always a rush to be up to date or to break a story first. Breaking news means the first and fast appearance of a startling story on the channel.
Once an editor assigns a story, a team is formed — usually a journalist, a camera operator, and sometimes a sound or light technician. The journalist investigates the topic, plans the interviews, and shapes a clear idea of what will be filmed. The team then goes out to gather the material. Back in the studio, a voice over is recorded — the voice we hear narrating while the video plays and the reporter is not on screen — so the story is clear with extra information and explanation.
A report usually opens with a short announcement of one or two sentences. Then, in the main report, the reporter describes the event into a microphone, standing in front of the camera to emphasize the situation and show its authenticity. Clear background shots — which depend on the camera operator’s skill — give important visual information. Reports often add comments from one to four related persons, plus graphics like charts and tables or archive photos and videos, to make the story more credible. In the concluding part, the reporter sums up the possible outcomes.
A live coverage is different: everything is finished on the spot and aired instantly, usually without much planning, with no editing and very little chance of a retake. Quick, intelligent decisions and prompt technical support decide its quality. Reporters keep shots short and to the point, use simple, clear language, and steady the camera with a tripod.
🎯 MCQ — Lesson 3 (TV News Report)
Reading a job ad and preparing a simple CV
Newspaper, radio and television together are called the mass media. Newspapers belong to the print media, while radio, TV and the internet make up the electronic media. The media can build up public opinion very rapidly, and social workers can use it for good public relations — a positive use of media. There are arguments both for and against advertisements on TV, which makes a good topic for discussion.
Here is the kind of job advertisement you might see in a newspaper. A company needs some healthy young men and women for security work. The required education is class 8 passed; the maximum age is 25; experience is not required; and the salary is negotiable. Applicants must apply with a handwritten CV, one copy of a photograph, and certificates, on or before the deadline — addressed to the Manager.
A curriculum vitae (CV) is a short, organised record of who you are and what you can do. A simple CV for this job would include your name, your parents’ names, mailing address, date of birth, nationality, educational qualifications and experience — and you can add a few more useful details such as contact number and references. A neat, truthful CV is your first step toward a good career.
🎯 MCQ — Lesson 4 (Walk-in Interview!)
Polan Sarkar — “Alor Ferrywala”, the bearer of light
Polan Sarkar, lovingly called Alor Ferrywala (“the bearer of light”), was a kind soul best known for handing out books to people free of charge. The Ekushey Padak winner passed away on 1 March 2019 at the age of 98, surrounded by his loved ones at his home in Bausha village, Bagha upazila, Rajshahi — leaving behind a legacy that will be remembered for years.
Born on 1 August 1921 in Bagatipara, Natore, his real name was Harez Uddin. His family’s financial troubles could not hamper his passion for reading and learning. As a boy he borrowed books from wherever he could and read them voraciously.
In 1965, after inheriting some property from his grandfather, he founded a school in his village. From 1990 he began awarding books each year to the top students — and when others, too, wanted to read, he lent them books on the condition that they return them so the next reader could borrow. Soon even local adults were borrowing from his collection. When he was diagnosed with diabetes in 1992, he turned his daily walks into a book-sharing mission, walking from village to village on his own two feet.
Long admired in Rajshahi, he gained nationwide recognition after appearing on the popular TV show Ittadi on 29 December 2006. In 2011 he was awarded the Ekushey Padak, Bangladesh’s second-highest civilian honour, for his contribution to society.
🎯 MCQ — Lesson 5 (A Torch Bearer)
📘 Important Word Meanings — All Lessons
| 🔤 Word | 🟰 English Synonym | 📖 Meaning (বাংলা) |
|---|---|---|
| bunk off 🏃 | skip; play truant | স্কুল ফাঁকি দেওয়া |
| event 📅 | happening; incident | ঘটনা |
| objective ⚖️ | fair; unbiased; neutral | নিরপেক্ষ / বস্তুনিষ্ঠ |
| bias 🙃 | prejudice; one-sidedness | পক্ষপাত |
| broadcast 📡 | transmit; air; telecast | সম্প্রচার করা |
| informative 📝 | instructive; factual | তথ্যপূর্ণ |
| curiosity 🔎 | eagerness to know; inquisitiveness | কৌতূহল |
| evolution 🧬 | gradual development | ক্রমবিকাশ |
| disaster 💥 | calamity; catastrophe | বিপর্যয় / দুর্যোগ |
| found 🏛️ | establish; initiate; start | প্রতিষ্ঠা করা |
| obsession 💭 | craze; fixation | আসক্তি / নেশা |
| coverage 📡 | reporting; broadcast | সংবাদ পরিবেশন |
| authenticity ✔️ | actuality; genuineness | সত্যতা / প্রামাণিকতা |
| emphasize ❗ | stress; highlight | জোর দেওয়া |
| announcement 📢 | declaration; notice | ঘোষণা |
| tripod 📷 | three-legged stand | তিন পায়া স্ট্যান্ড |
| archive 🗄️ | records; old materials | পুরোনো নথি / সংরক্ষণাগার |
| career 💼 | profession; life’s work | পেশা / কর্মজীবন |
| negotiable 🤝 | open to discussion; adjustable | দরদাম-যোগ্য |
| curriculum vitae 📄 | CV; résumé | জীবনবৃত্তান্ত |
| electronic media 📻 | radio · TV · internet media | বৈদ্যুতিন গণমাধ্যম |
| public opinion 🗳️ | people’s views | জনমত |
| public relations 🤝 | ties with the public | জনসংযোগ |
| voracious 📚 | having a great appetite; eager | অত্যন্ত আগ্রহী |
| recognition 🏅 | acknowledgement; honour | স্বীকৃতি |
| legacy 🕯️ | something handed down from the past | উত্তরাধিকার / অবদান |
| hamper 🚧 | hinder; obstruct; disturb | বাধা দেওয়া |
| inherit 🧬 | receive ownership; derive | উত্তরাধিকারসূত্রে পাওয়া |
| marginal 📉 | poor; barely sufficient | প্রান্তিক / অভাবী |
| oblivion 🌫️ | state of being forgotten | বিস্মৃতি |
🗺️ Unit Summary — At a Glance
📰 L1 — What is News? — News is recent, public-interesting, self-explained and objective information — not just any everyday event.
🗞️ L2 — The First Newspaper — From Rome’s Acta Diurna (59 BC) to the London Gazette, Samachar Darpan and today’s online editions, the newspaper has a long history.
📺 L3 — TV News Report — A team plans, films and voices a report; live coverage is instant, with no editing. Breaking news is first and fast.
🧑💼 L4 — Walk-in Interview! — Mass media shapes public opinion; we read a job ad and learn to write a simple CV.
🔦 L5 — A Torch Bearer — Polan Sarkar, “Alor Ferrywala”, spread the love of reading by giving away books for free and won the Ekushey Padak.
🃏 Fun Card — Flashcards
Tap a card to flip and see the English synonym + বাংলা meaning! Swipe / scroll to see all cards.
👆 Scroll right to see more cards · Tap any card to flip it!
🧠 FunCheck — Vocabulary Challenge!
Test your word power! 10 questions on new vocabulary from Unit 8.