Տիգրան Չերքեզյանի բլոգ

Every time you’re online, you are bombarded by pictures, articles, links and videos trying to tell their story. Unfortunately, not all of these stories are true. Sometimes they want you to click on another story or advertisement at their own site, other times they want to upset people for political reasons. These days it’s so easy to share information. These stories circulate quickly, and the result is … fake news.

There is a range of fake news: from crazy stories which people easily recognise to more subtle types of misinformation. Experts in media studies and online psychology have been examining the fake news phenomenon. Read these tips, and don’t get fooled!

1. Check the source

Look at the website where the story comes from. Does it look real? Is the text well written? Are there a variety of other stories or is it just one story? Fake news websites often use addresses that sound like real newspapers, but don’t have many real stories about other topics. If you aren’t sure, click on the ‘About’ page and look for a clear description of the organisation.

2. Watch out for fake photos

Many fake news stories use images that are Photoshopped or taken from an unrelated site. Sometimes, if you just look closely at an image, you can see if it has been changed. Or use a tool like Google Reverse Image search. It will show you if the same image has been used in other contexts.

3. Check the story is in other places

Look to see if the story you are reading is on other news sites that you know and trust. If you do find it on many other sites, then it probably isn’t fake (although there are some exceptions), as many big news organisations try to check their sources before they publish a story.

4. Look for other signs

There are other techniques that fake news uses. These include using ALL CAPS and lots of ads that pop up when you click on a link. Also, think about how the story makes you feel. If the news story makes you angry, it’s probably designed to make you angry.

If you know these things about online news, and can apply them in your everyday life, then you have the control over what to read, what to believe and most importantly what to share. If you find a news story that you know is fake, the most important advice is: don’t share it!

Exercise 1

One morning Amber(1) got up early. The sun(2) was shining and the birds 3 were singing. Amber(4) was very excited because it was the day the big tennis match. Amber went 6 downstairs and into the kitchen, where her father breakfast. Morning. Amber Today is the day he 7) was born. Amber smiled nervousy. Don’t worry. You 8 will be fine. He 9 put some toast into the toaster and(10) Amber 19 opened the fridge. Just as she 11) was taking the butter out, the phone(12) rang. After a few minutes, he put the phone down. Her father(13 had bad news. afrad. The other player(14 was hurt yesterday when she had an accident. The match is off. Amber ate her toast. She was surprised but she didn’t feel disappointed.

Exercise 2

1. When we were in Canada, we went skiing almost every day.
2. About four years ago, I decided to become a chef.
3. Georgia was having a shower when someone knocked at the door.
4. Holly and I ran from the house to the taxi because it was raining heavily.
5. Two men were arguing outside, so I went to see what was happening.
6. Daniel was calling you at one o’clock yesterday, but you were here with me.
7. We were eating breakfast when a letter came through the letter box.
8. As I walked past the window, I saw that Paula was making a cake.
9. I was dreaming about my favourite band when the alarm clock went off.
10. While I was practising the trumpet late last night, a neighbour came to complain.

Every time you’re online, you are bombarded by pictures, articles, links and videos trying to tell their story. Unfortunately, not all of these stories are true. Sometimes they want you to click on another story or advertisement at their own site, other times they want to upset people for political reasons. These days it’s so easy to share information. These stories circulate quickly, and the result is … fake news.

There is a range of fake news: from crazy stories which people easily recognise to more subtle types of misinformation. Experts in media studies and online psychology have been examining the fake news phenomenon. Read these tips, and don’t get fooled!

1. Check the source

Look at the website where the story comes from. Does it look real? Is the text well written? Are there a variety of other stories or is it just one story? Fake news websites often use addresses that sound like real newspapers, but don’t have many real stories about other topics. If you aren’t sure, click on the ‘About’ page and look for a clear description of the organisation.

2. Watch out for fake photos

Many fake news stories use images that are Photoshopped or taken from an unrelated site. Sometimes, if you just look closely at an image, you can see if it has been changed. Or use a tool like Google Reverse Image search. It will show you if the same image has been used in other contexts.

3. Check the story is in other places

Look to see if the story you are reading is on other news sites that you know and trust. If you do find it on many other sites, then it probably isn’t fake (although there are some exceptions), as many big news organisations try to check their sources before they publish a story. 

4. Look for other signs

There are other techniques that fake news uses. These include using ALL CAPS and lots of ads that pop up when you click on a link. Also, think about how the story makes you feel. If the news story makes you angry, it’s probably designed to make you angry.

If you know these things about online news, and can apply them in your everyday life, then you have the control over what to read, what to believe and most importantly what to share. If you find a news story that you know is fake, the most important advice is: don’t share it!

a) The story is set place in New York.
b) One of the central characters is a spy.
c) The characters are believable and engaging.
d) The storyline is complex and full of twists.
e) It was gripping from start to finish.
f) It was thought-provoking.

Harlan Sewall by Edgar Lee Masters

You never understood, O unknown one,
Why it was I repaid
Your devoted friendship and delicate ministrations
First with diminished thanks,
Afterward by gradually withdrawing my presence from you,
So that I might not be compelled to thank you,
And then with silence which followed upon
Our final Separation.
You had cured my diseased soul. But to cure it
You saw my disease, you knew my secret,
And that is why I fled from you.
For though when our bodies rise from pain
We kiss forever the watchful hands
That gave us wormwood, while we shudder
For thinking of the wormwood,
A soul that’s cured is a different matter,
For there we’d blot from memory
The soft-toned words, the searching eyes,
And stand forever oblivious,
Not so much of the sorrow itself
As of the hand that healed it.

Հարլան Սիվալ ՝ Էդգար Լի Մասթերսի

Երբեք չհասկացար , ո՛վ անհայտ,
Թե ինչու ինձ կրկին վճարեցին
Ձեր նվիրված բարեկամությունն ու նուրբ ծառայությունները
Չնչին շնորհակալությամբ,
Դրանից հետո աստիճանաբար հեռացրեցի իմ ներկայությունը ձեզանից,
Որպեսզի ինձ ստիպված շնորհակալություն չհայտնեք,
Եվ հետո լռությամբ, որին հաջորդեց
Մեր վերջին բաժանումը:
Դուք բուժել էիք իմ հիվանդ հոգին: Բայց այն բուժելու համար
Դուք տեսաք իմ հիվանդությունը, իմացաք իմ գաղտնիքը,
Եվ այդ պատճառով ես փախա քեզնից:
Չնայած, երբ մեր մարմինը ցավից ապաքինվում է 
Մենք հավերժ ջերմացնում ենք մեր զգայուն ձեռքերը
Դա մեզ ջերմություն տվեց, մինչ մենք սարսռում էինք
Ջերմության մասին մտածելով,
Բուժված հոգին մեկ այլ հարց է,
Որովհետև մենք հիշողությունից կարող ենք հեռացնել,
Գեղեցիկ հնչող բառերը, որոնող աչքերը,
Եվ ընդմիշտ մոռանալ այդ ամենը,,
բայց վիշտը՝ չենք կարող

Եվ այն բուժող ձեռքը։