The Media — Unit 20, Beginner English
TV and radio programmes, newspapers and magazines, people in the media, and useful media expressions.
Reading: My Family's Media Habits
My family watches a lot of television. Every evening, we watch the news at 6 o'clock. The news tells us what is happening in the world. My mother likes to watch soap operas. She watches them every day after dinner. She says they are interesting because they show real people's lives. My father prefers documentaries. He likes programmes about nature and animals. He also watches sports programmes on Saturday. My brother loves cartoons. He watches them every morning before school. I like reality TV programmes. They are very funny. Sometimes we watch a talk show together. People talk about their problems on the show. It is very interesting. We also listen to the radio in the car. My mother listens to music programmes. My father listens to the news on the radio. I like listening to music on my phone. My family has different tastes in media.
We read too. My grandfather buys a morning newspaper every day. He does not read the news online, because he says the paper is easier for his eyes. My mother buys a women's magazine on Friday and my brother buys a computer magazine once a month.
We often have a small argument about the television. There is only one TV in the living room. My brother wants his cartoons, my father wants the football, and my mother wants her soap opera. My father usually says, "Is it OK if I change the channel?" — and then he changes it.
One thing we all hate is the adverts. There are three or four in every programme.
Last Sunday there was a very good documentary about the sea. We all watched it together and nobody looked at a phone. That does not happen often.
Vocabulary from this unit
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| the news | /ðə njuːz/ | important things that happen | The news is on TV at 6 o'clock. |
| soap / soap opera | /səʊp/ /ˈsəʊp ɒpərə/ | stories about people's lives, often every day | Do you watch soaps? |
| nature programme | /ˈneɪtʃə ˈprəʊɡræm/ | programme about animals, birds, etc. | I like nature programmes best. |
| documentary | /ˌdɒkjəˈmentri/ | programme about a social problem or question | I watched a documentary about crime. |
| talk show | /ˈtɔːk ʃəʊ/ | people talk about themselves or discuss topics | In talk shows, people talk to an interviewer. |
| cartoon | /kɑːˈtuːn/ | programme with drawings, often for children | The children watch cartoons on Saturday. |
| reality TV | /riˈæləti ˌtiːˈviː/ | programmes with real people, not actors | My brother likes watching reality TV. |
| sports programme | /spɔːts ˈprəʊɡræm/ | programme about sport | I always watch sports programmes. |
| programme | /ˈprəʊɡræm/ | a show on TV or radio | What's your favourite TV programme? |
| channel | /ˈtʃænəl/ | a TV station (e.g. BBC1, CNN) | Is it OK if I change the channel? |
| TV / television | /ˌtiːˈviː/ /ˈtelɪvɪʒən/ | a box with a screen for watching programmes | I watch TV every evening. |
| radio | /ˈreɪdiəʊ/ | a box for listening to programmes | I listen to the radio in the morning. |
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| newspaper | /ˈnjuːzpeɪpə/ | a paper with news, sold every day or week | I read the newspaper every morning. |
| paper | /ˈpeɪpə/ | short for newspaper | Have you seen today's paper? |
| morning newspaper | /ˈmɔːnɪŋ ˈnjuːzpeɪpə/ | a newspaper you buy in the morning | There are morning newspapers in most countries. |
| evening newspaper | /ˈiːvnɪŋ ˈnjuːzpeɪpə/ | a newspaper you buy in the afternoon | He buys an evening newspaper on his way home. |
| magazine | /ˌmæɡəˈziːn/ | a thin book with pictures, published weekly or monthly | I buy a magazine every month. |
| women's magazine | /ˈwɪmɪnz ˌmæɡəˈziːn/ | a magazine for women | My mother buys women's magazines. |
| news magazine | /njuːz ˌmæɡəˈziːn/ | a magazine with news and articles | I like news magazines like Time. |
| sports magazine | /spɔːts ˌmæɡəˈziːn/ | a magazine about sport | He reads sports magazines. |
| computer magazine | /kəmˈpjuːtə ˌmæɡəˈziːn/ | a magazine about computers | I buy computer magazines. |
| teenage magazine | /ˈtiːneɪdʒ ˌmæɡəˈziːn/ | a magazine for teenagers | She reads teenage magazines. |
| advert / advertisement | /ˈædvɜːt/ /ədˈvɜːtɪsmənt/ | something that tries to sell things | There are lots of adverts in magazines. |
| online | /ˌɒnˈlaɪn/ | on the internet | You can read newspapers online. |
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| journalist | /ˈdʒɜːnəlɪst/ | writes articles for newspapers or magazines | My sister is a journalist. |
| reporter | /rɪˈpɔːtə/ | goes out and gets news stories | The reporters are outside the house. |
| interviewer | /ˈɪntəvjuːə/ | a person who asks questions in an interview | The interviewer asked difficult questions. |
| interview | /ˈɪntəvjuː/ | a meeting where someone asks questions | There was an interview with the President. |
| media | /ˈmiːdiə/ | TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, and the internet | The media often write about famous people. |
2 more vocabulary sections in the full unit.
This is the free sample from this unit. The full unit adds 1 more reading passage, comprehension questions with an answer key, the listening exercises, flashcards for the vocabulary above, and a speaking task — with your progress tracked so the next unit unlocks when you are ready for it.
Common questions
What level is this unit?
Beginner — roughly CEFR A0–A1. If you are not sure of your level, the course places you with a short diagnostic before you start rather than making you guess.
Do I need to pay to use this?
The reading passage and vocabulary on this page are free to read. The rest of the unit — the remaining passages, the exercises, the listening, the answer key and the progress tracking — is part of the paid General English course.
Is this British or American English?
British English spelling and vocabulary, which is what most learners in Azerbaijan are taught and what IELTS expects, though both are accepted in the exam.