Audio
Time: 3 min 51 sec
Level: Upper
Intermediate and up
Vocabulary: To help learners fully understand the audio
and transcript, most vocabulary that might be unknown for this lesson’s level
is provided. Vocab in bold
is more useful for learners at the lesson’s target level. Try to choose 8
to 10 new words to learn from the story (in general, it’s best to try to learn
no more than 8-10 new words a day).
Definitions
are written with the help of various sources including Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary
Pizzagate: The suffix “gate” means a political scandal. It
derives from the Watergate scandal of the United States in the early 1970s,
which resulted in the resignation of U.S. President Richard Nixon.
To air: to broadcast something on radio or television.
Bottom line: the most important part of something : the most important thing to consider; the result or outcome.
Conspiracy: a secret
plan made by two or more people to do something that is harmful or illegal.
Pizzeria: restaurant
where mainly pizza is served.
Intel
(intelligence): information of political or military value.
Annotation:
a
note added to a text, book, drawing, etc., as a comment or explanation.
Rumor: information or a story that is passed from person to person but has not been proven to be true.
To sort fact from fiction: To separate what is true from what is false.
To kick
off: to start.
To pilot: done as a test to see if a larger program, study, etc., should be done.
Vignette: a short
written description.
Meme: an idea,
behavior, style, or usage that spreads from one person to another in a culture.
To catch on: to become popular.
To figure
out:
to understand or find (something, such as a reason or a solution) by thinking.
Credible: able to be believed : reasonable to trust or believe.
To label: to put a word or name on something to describe or identify it : to attach a label to (something).
Red flag: a
warning sign: a sign that there is a problem that should be noticed or dealt
with.
Byline: a line
at the beginning of a newspaper or magazine article that gives the writer's
name.
Damn: informal
+ impolite: used to show that you are angry, annoyed, surprised, etc.
Literacy: the
ability to read or write; knowledge that relates to a specified subject.
To unveil: to show or reveal (something) to others for the first time; to remove a cover so that people can see it.
To endorse: to
publicly or officially say that you support or approve of (someone or
something).
To ignore:
to
do nothing about or in response to (something or someone).
To run through: to read, repeat, or practice (something) quickly.
Bias: a
tendency to believe that some people, ideas, etc., are better than others that
usually results in an unfair influence on something.
Face
value: Something that is taken/accepted
at face value is regarded as true or genuine without being questioned or
doubted.
To admit: to say
usually in an unwilling way that you accept or do not deny the truth or
existence of (something).
Discussion
questions:
1. What do you think about the project to help students
improve their news literacy?
2. What are some of the ways to tell fact from fiction in the
news?
3. How can we reduce fake news?
4. How can we help students to be better critical thinkers?
5. Have you ever been fooled by fake news?
