Media Studies Vocabulary Test

These are model answers. In the case of parts C and D, many answers are possible.

 A. Fill in the blanks. Where there is no clue, the missing word is a preposition (for example, 'in', 'on' etc.).  (2 marks each for a preposition, 3 marks each for all other words) 

Media companies are under pressure to compete with  each other in order to gain a market (group of customers) for their goods.  If their share (part) of the market (group of customers) grows, they will be able to increase (make bigger) their advertising revenue (income).

            Many media institutions are multinationals (institutions that have branches in many countries). One reason that they give in defense of their large and diverse  interests (things that they profit from/investments etc.) is the need to spread (distribute) their risks over a wide range of products  (things that they make). However, this is not the only way in which they try to reduce (make smaller) their chances of making a loss (not a gain) to a minimum (smallest amount possible).

B. Write an English word with the opposite meaning. (Do not just add a negative suffix such as "in-".) The first letter of the word is given as a clue. For example:
         big     s(mall) (1 mark each)

1. professional            amateur

2. mainstream              alternative

3. a contrast                 a similarity

4. simple                      complex/complicated

C. Use all the words and punctuation marks you are given to write one sentence that shows that you know how to use the underlined word/words correctly. You can change the forms of the words where necessary. You may have to add prepositions and punctuation marks. (5 marks each)

Example:   to accuse            encourage       some people   the media      violence

Some people have accused the media of encouraging violence.       

1. have been criticized                        to lie                voter                politician
Politicians have been critiicized for lying to voters.

2. to play a role                       to form                        stories              our attitudes
Stories play a role in forming our attitudes.

3. to influence                         movie              moral standards           ?        
Do movies influence people's moral standards? (have an influence on)

4. impact                                 may have                     television programs                 our behavior
Television programs may have an impact on our behavior.

 D. Use English to explain what the following mean: (5 marks each)

1. 'economic' and 'economical'

'Economic' is an adjective used to describe things related to the circulation of money and goods in and between societies.

'Economical' is an adjective used to describe things that do not cost a lot of money buy and use, and/or do not waste resources.

2. ‘stereotypes

These are fixed views of particular groups of people and things that are based on hearsay rather than on evidence. Negative stereotypes of minority groups can lead to prejudice and discrimination.

 3. 'audience segmentation'

This describes what happens when media companies make products that are designed to attract particular groups, or segments, of people even if they are only a minority of the total audience. An example would be a channel that only showed programs about golf or gardening.

 4. ‘censorship’

Censorship is the examination of items such as books or movies before they are seen by a wider audience so that anything that might be harmful can be removed. It is important for a society to have open discussions about the definition of "harmful".

E. Fill in the gaps in the table below. (1 mark each)

*'successive' is the adjective related to 'to succeed/succession' meaning 'to come after/the order in which things occur' For example: This is the fourth successive victory of the university baseball team. It has not lost any games so far.