Unit 7 Text I The Selling of the President

Pre-reading Questions  1) How often is the presidential election held in the States?  2) What does “selling” in the title tell you? Clues: Presidential candidates are somewhat like commodities: the better advertised they are, the better they sell.

Structural Analysis  Part I (paragraph 1): the thesis.  The sentence that carries the most important information: In recent years that publicity has been supplanted by heavy spot buying on electronic media. (paragraph. 1)

 Part II (paragraphs 2-11): discussion of the impact of television on American presidential election.  The sentence that carries the most important information: The most talked-about medium in American politics is television. (paragraph. 2)

 Part III (paragraph 12): the conclusion.  The sentence that carries the most important information: Television affords us that opportunity in a way no other medium can. (paragraph. 12) This is an argumentation.

Paraphrase 1  Television commercials seem to work best in close elections or in those where there is a large undecided vote. Television advertising seems to have the greatest effect in elections where the rivals are well-matched or in those where a large number of voters have not decided which side to take.

Words & Expressions  dictate: v. n. e.g. follow the dictates of dictation n.; dictator n.; dictatorial a.  condense: condensed milk 炼乳  alternative a.: alternate v. a.  denounce: denunciation n.; denounce for  assert v.: assertion n.; assertive a.  cloud: a cloud of grief  guarantee: guarantee sth. to sb.

Words & Expressions  feel at home  The agreement works to our advantage.  Our discussion got bogged down in irrelevant detail.  Lack of sleep is detrimental to one’s health.  You are easily taken in.

Paraphrase 2  It dictates priorities that are different from those of an earlier day. The intervention of television in the present- day campaign determines what factors the candidate should consider before others, and these priorities of today are different form those of the past.

Paraphrase 3  All of the recent Presidents have learned how to use the medium to their advantage, to “stage” events so as to receive maximum favorable coverage. All the winning candidates in the presidential election have learnt how to make full use of television, to put on TV shots in the way he can win the most favor of the electorate.

Paraphrase 4  It can be argued that since the 1960 presidential debates we have elected people, not platforms. This is a major departure form earlier years. It can be argued that since the 1960 presidential debates we have paid more attention to the candidates themselves than to their policies, this is an orientation vey much different from that in earlier years.

Paraphrase 5  Once he was President it was the intimate nature of the medium that helped bring him down. When Nixon was President, television led to his resignation just because the medium disclosed his guilt in the Watergate scandal.

More Exercises  The Employment Minister said the reforms would new jobs.  Heavy teaching loads are often as a bad influence on research.  The new findings of this expedition receive regular in the media.

More Exercises  The Employment Minister said the reforms would generate new jobs.  Heavy teaching loads are often as a bad influence on research.  The new findings of this expedition receive regular in the media.

More Exercises  The Employment Minister said the reforms would generate new jobs.  Heavy teaching loads are often quoted as a bad influence on research.  The new findings of this expedition receive regular in the media.

More Exercises  The Employment Minister said the reforms would generate new jobs.  Heavy teaching loads are often quoted as a bad influence on research.  The new findings of this expedition receive regular exposure in the media.

More Exercises  Now she has written a novel which is considered a from her previous work.  The party is trying to give the public the impression that it alone democracy.

More Exercises  Now she has written a novel which is considered a departure from her previous work.  The party is trying to give the public the impression that it alone democracy.

More Exercises  Now she has written a novel which is considered a departure from her previous work.  The party is trying to give the public the impression that it alone stands for democracy.

Dictation  How does the President exercise his policy and administrative responsibilities? He constantly engages in direct and indirect communication with his appointed subordinates. He must delegate, but the centrality of his constitutional accountability forever puts limits on the degree of his delegation.

Dictation  At times, even seemingly minor operational matters can, if handled badly, explode in his face and embarrass him publicly and politically. He and his staff must find ways to be continually informed of departmental and agency operations – to be watchful, even of some details.

Dictation  A further imperative for centralization has appeared over the past several decades. Important policy and administrative issues can no longer be contained within the jurisdictions of one department or agency; matters affecting national security, or homeland security, for instance, sweep across the old agency boundaries.

Dictation  Result: the development, coordination, articulation and, in some instances, the implementation of major policies have been drawn away form the departments and have been centered in the presidency.

The end!