Lesson 13 [Fugitive]
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Vocabulary
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Culture Guide
Why America loves a police car chase (BBC News)
When a violent criminal tries to avoid arrest by getting in a car and driving off, any police officer will jump behind the wheel and give chase. But in few countries does the pursuit end up on live TV as often - or for as long - as in the US. "Woah! Look at that! Extre-e-emely dangerous driving. I have never seen a pursuit as crazy as this." The TV news commentator could barely disguise his excitement as cameras tailed a runaway driver screeching across Los Angeles on Monday - smashing into vehicles and swerving through oncoming traffic.
"Woah! He's got a weapon! He's just carjacked that vehicle. Live on television. Amazing."
Even in LA - the car chase capital of America - this was an epic. During 25 minutes of breathless rolling coverage, viewers saw the "maniac" driver crash six times and force a terrified young woman out of her vehicle at gunpoint. At no point did the cameras stop rolling. Pictures of office workers huddled round televisions were shared on Instagram and Twitter - including one memorable image of an entire newsroom transfixed by the drama. "It's a cultural phenomenon. We can't take our eyes of this immoral behaviour!" says Dan Neil, automotive columnist at the Wall Street Journal.
But in recent years, news networks have ramped up their coverage - transforming what was once a local news item into a showpiece event. National cable networks interrupt scheduled programming in order to offer live, blow-by-blow commentary from rival helicopters. Chase fans receive phone alerts and follow dedicated Twitter feeds pointing them to the best news channel to catch the action.
Famous televised chases include a stolen timber lorry which ignited in flames, and a school bus hijacking in Miami where the suspect was killed in a shootout. The morality of showing this on TV - and the danger of glorifying carjackers - has long been debated. In Los Angeles, police authorities recently urged TV networks to curb their coverage - comparing it to a "bloodsport". But on Monday the local Fox, CBS and NBC stations all screened the chase.
The helicopter view, often being associated with police chaises is familiar to players of the original Grand Theft Auto - the wildly popular video game which rewards players for carjacking and murders. But some researchers think many viewers are cheering for the other side - the cops.
Read the text and mark the each statement in the task below as true or false.
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Speaking
Answer the following questions, try to use as many new lexical units as possible.
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Writing
Write about the following topic. (200-250 words)
TOPIC:
Was it the right moral decision for Mildred and her friends to report Montag to the authorities?
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