A. Work in pairs. Discuss the following questions.

• Do you read newspapers?
• What newspaper/s do you read and how often?
• What pages interest you the most?
• What do you know about the history of the newspapers?

B. Read the text below silently and fast. Then tell what the text is about.

Humans have a natural curiosity to know the unknown, to see the unseen and to conquer the unconquered. Every day so many things are happening around and human beings are eager to know them all. They not only like to know happenings in their own and other countries, but also what is happening in Antarctica or Mars, or Siberia. This curiosity to know and understand situations is not a contemporary phenomenon. It is true, the world wide web (www) has made our life easier and now we know anything that takes place at the farthest corners of the world with a single click. However, it was not that easy a few hundred years ago. Through a process of evolution, the newspaper has now become a part and parcel of human life. Modern people cannot think of a day when they don't have a newspaper passed through the doors in the early morning. A fresh newspaper with a hot cup of tea or coffee has been the symbol of modern urban life. We peep at a newspaper for national, local, international or sports news. Is there a show of Nuruldiner Sarajibon, or Chitrangoda or Hamlet? Is there a suitable job offer? Are there any sales? Let us have a look at the newspaper. The newspaper is the ultimate destination for advertisements of products, classified advertisements for finding brides and bridegrooms, houses to-let, sales, and what not? It is said, in the modern world, information is power and a newspaper is an information hub.

But how were the initial days of the newspapers? The first newspaper, Acta Diurna, was published in ancient Rome in 59 BC. Acta Diurna meaning 'daily acts' posted different types of announcements and social events. However, Acta Diurna was not a paper-based newspaper. It was a message board displayed in public places. Just imagine how old the history of the newspaper in human civilization is! Acta Diurna was published just 59 years before the birth of Jesus Christ!

Much later, at the beginning of the 16th century, printed 'news books' were published in England and they were based on stories such as battles, disasters or public celebrations. The London Gazette claims to be England's oldest newspaper published in 1665. The 17th century also marks the regular publication of newspapers in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. Johann Carolus published the first weekly newspaper, Account of All Distinguished and Commemorable News, from Germany in 1605. The newspapers that are delivered to your house each day started its journey from the 18th Century. The Pennsylvania Packet and The Daily Advertiser were the first daily newspapers from the US, which came out in 1784. Many independent newspapers ran before that on a weekly or monthly basis.

The first newspaper printed in India was Hickey's Bengal Gazette in 1780 under the British Raj. It was published by James Augustus Hickey. In this process, the first Bangla weekly newspaper, the Samachar Darpon, came out in 1818. The missionaries ran this newspaper. The Azad became Dhaka's first daily newspaper. It was founded in 1960s. The Azad played an important role during our language movement as the daily Ittefaq played glorious role in our struggle for independence.

In the 21st century, there is a change in the form and presentation of newspapers. They are no more confined to tabloid and broadsheet sizes. Nearly all the world's major newspapers have begun publishing online editions of their newspapers and although some newspapers charge their readers for access, many have made their web editions free. Yet, having a printed newspaper is still an obsession for many people in the world.

C. Read the text above again and fill in the flow chart with relevant information. Why are these dates important in the history of newspapers?

D. Group work.

1. Do you agree with the statement in the text that newspaper with a cup of tea has been an urban trend? Why/Why not?
2. From your reading of the text in Section B, what difference do you find in the newspapers of the present time compared to those of the early days? Justify your arguments.

E. Make a list of sentences that use 'Introductory There' in the text in Section B and then make five sentences using 'Introductory There'.

F. Read the following sentences. Write T if the statement is true and F if the statement is false and then provide correct answer.

1. It annoys people when the newspaper-man passes a newspaper through the door.
2. Newspapers more or less provide all sorts of information we need.
3. The first newspaper was published in England.
4. The history of newspaper dates back to recent time.
5. The Americans first introduced daily newspapers.
6. The Samachar Darpan came out once in seven days.
7. Online newspapers are common all over the world.

G. Here is a small story but the sequence of the sentences is jumbled. Work in groups to rearrange the sentences so that the text comes as a cohesive paragraph.

1. Rumki is very emotional and can't bear it.
2. Putting it on the dining table, she quickly makes her tea and comes back to it.
3. Then she takes some light freehand exercise, get freshened, puts some water in the kettle and waits for a soft sound.
4. Rumki gets up early in the morning every day.
5. She enjoys the page for entertainment, but she is sometimes upset with the death-news.
6. Within half an hour she hears the sound of the passing the newspaper through the door.
7. Before she takes her first sip of tea, she skims the headlines.
8. Collecting it, she takes a long sniff. She loves it.