Speaking Test – Newspapers and Magazines
Topic – Newspapers and Magazines: Part 1
Q. Which magazines and newspapers do you read? [Why?]
Answer: I read the Indian Express, which is a daily newspaper, every day, and the magazine I like to read the most is “The Week”. I like reading newspapers and magazines whenever I get an opportunity in order to keep myself informed of what is happening in my part of the world as well as the rest of it. I like reading the magazine because I get to learn about the various subjects of my interest.
Answer: I only read magazines and newspapers if I’m waiting someplace and they are there, and there is no other alternative. I prefer to get my news from the internet. I tend to read the news online regarding whichever country I’m in at the moment, as I travel a lot, so it’s nice to keep up with what’s happening wherever I am. As for magazines, I used to subscribe to several in the past, but not any more. It’s just so much easier to find the information online nowadays, not to mention how much paper it saves not having old newspapers and magazines lying around the apartment for months.
Q. What kinds of article are you most interested in? [Why?]
Answer: I am into learning important tips about how to remain healthy both physically and mentally, so I read health-related articles. I am also interested in learning about the latest trends in computer technologies since I am a student of computer science, and as a result, I never like to miss any technology-related articles. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that I don’t like to read other kinds of articles such as those which talks about sports and foods.
Answer: Really, it depends, as I said, if I’m travelling then I’ll try to gen up on whatever are the latest events in whichever country I’m visiting – the latest news and articles of interest, that sort of thing. Other than that, I read what I need to for work, which covers many different areas and can be very diverse most of the time. For pleasure, I prefer to read either a good novel or maybe some of the alternative media coverage and their reports about world events. Most of my reading is for work though, background research and such like, so I would have to say that I read more factual articles than anything else typically.
Q. Have you ever read a newspaper or magazine in a foreign language? [When/Why?]
Answer: I have always wanted to read and communicate in a different language(s) other than English and Hindi. But, I have found out that it’s not really easy. However, I know “Telugu” (mother tongue of a neighbouring State Karnataka, a little which has helped me to read and understand some “Telugu” texts on their newspapers lately. I became interested in reading Telugu newspapers after meeting a Telangana girl who happens to be one of my best friends now.
Answer: Yes, all the time. I lived in another country for several years, so reading in a foreign language was a normal activity for me, not just newspapers and magazines, but all kinds of documents and literature. I still do it to maintain my reading skills.
Q. Do you think reading a newspaper or magazine in a foreign language is a good way to learn the language? [Why/Why not?]
Answer: Of course, I think reading a newspaper or magazine is a foreign language is an excellent method to learn the language because it helps us to understand the texts of a particular language and their meanings at our own pace and also at a time of our convenience. In fact, English is also a foreign language to me, and I have learnt it by reading English newspapers and journals in addition to following the language on radio and television.
Q. Do your often read newspapers?
Answer: Well, I’m actually not the type of people who dip into their daily newspapers. Since the presence of the Internet is pretty much ubiquitous nowadays, I often go online and flick through e- news on a regular basis. It is surprising to know that social media platforms like Facebook can keep you updated with what’s going on around the world.
Answer: Yes, but it depends on your language level. If you are just beginning to learn the language then it can be very difficult and frustrating – certainly not the best way to try and learn a foreign language – but as you progress and develop your vocabulary it is a good way to learn expressions and phrases related to common topics in the news and current affairs, or related to a specific topic in the case of magazines.
Q. Do you prefer to read local news or international news?
Answer: I actually don’t have any preference toward either of them. Domestic news is obviously important because those affairs have a direct impact on our life. On the other hand, foreign news is very interesting as they can help me enrich my horizons, therefore I don’t want to lose track of either of them.
Q. Which is more popular where you live, newspapers or magazines?
Answer: I would say that these two share equal popularity in Vietnam. Newspaper, although may be a little bit old-fashioned, is still the main source of daily news for adults, especially among senior citizens. On the other hand, magazines are becoming increasingly appealing to young people for their attractive visuals nd interesting columns.
Q. Do you think newspapers will be very important to you in the future?
Answer: I think it depends. Since the development of technology never seems to come to a halt, I strongly believe that I will choose e- newspapers over the traditional edition. Besides the obvious convenience that e- news can offer, I’m drawn to the fact that it’s much cheaper and more reliable.
Topic – Newspapers and Magazines: Part 2
Describe a magazine or newspaper that you like to (or, often) read
You should say:
- What the newspaper is
- What it is about
- How often you read it
- and explain why you like to read it.
Well first of all, being a university graduate with major in media and socio-cultural communication, it should come as no surprise that reading newspapers is something I have to do on a daily basis, just to keep myself updated of global events. But the problem is, I find buying printed newspapers a real hassle, because my hectic schedules wouldn’t allow me to travel to a news stand in wrap. And that’s where the online news come in. So out of the websites that I subscribe to, I would personally put The New York Times on top of the list.
Now I guess introducing to you what The New York Times is would be awfully redundant, since you would’ve probably been too familiar with how powerful and influential it is. The New York Times is one of the powerhouses of the publishing industry, with around 3 million total subscriptions for its online format, if I’m not mistaken, which I think quite impressive.
So, the reason why I chose to pay an annual subscription fee for The New York Times, is because I find it to be a very reliable source of news. Well, I believe that The New York Times has presented some of the most accurate and deepest articles, as well as opinion editorials you can find about US and foreign events. And on top of that, what I think sets The New York Times apart from other periodicals is the fact that it has super intense coverage on any particular matter. In fact, during my thesis research on Trump’s use of social media platforms – particularly Twitter – I gained tremendous understanding of the topic through reading dozens and even hundreds of articles presented on The New York Times. And I was really grateful for that!
Now, in another aspect, I would say that the subscription fee of The New York Times can be quite discouraging for some people. I mean to pay a few dollars per month for an online edition of news can be quite expensive for some people. I would totally comprehend that but at same time, judging from my own experience, I think for only that amount of money for the readership on The New York Times would be so invaluable and would not disappoint you.
Topic – Newspapers and Magazines: Part 3
1. How do the newspapers market themselves for increasing sales?
Newspapers use different strategies to boost up marketing. They publish advertisements on television and display their banners on hoardings. Apart from this, they also advertise themselves on websites. They have catchy slogans to attract mass number of people. Those newspapers which are quite new in the market try to give discount offers to the public on purchase of the newspaper packages, while those which are already established keep on retaining their customers through various plans and offers.
2. What kind of marketing practices do these newspapers use?
One of the effective marketing practices is to visit the people in their homes. Sales team goes door to door for selling and marketing their newspapers. This works great for a newly launched newspaper. Many newspapers such as Amar Ujala and Dainik Bhaskar used these practices when they started and now, they have become quite popular newspapers across the country. Another successful strategy used by newspapers is to offer gifts along with monthly subscription of their newspapers. They usually offer utensils, appliances etc. to attract more and more people.
3. Do you think people will use the internet to read news online?
Absolutely, people would prefer to use the internet for reading news online especially through their mobile applications. They are already using the internet to a much larger extent that they check for weather updates, news updates and watch talk shows online on their computers or mobiles. In the future also, this trend is likely to get widen.
4. Do you think newspapers manipulate real stores for increasing their sales?
Yes, it is possible that some newspapers may be altering real stories to make them look attractive and pleasing to the readers. Some local newspapers may be publishing fake stories also. For example, it is seen many a times that some editors publish rumours about celebrities or famous personalities just to boost up their sales. When celebrities are then asked about such published stories, they completely deny them. Just for the sake of publicity of their papers, they spread false news or rumours and this is quite prevalent these days.
