Speaking Boost · C1 · Lesson 44 of 50
Speaking Boost C1 · Block 9: Media and Truth

Is satire dangerous?

Satire makes powerful people laugh, or angry. Discuss whether it is a healthy habit or a risk, and learn nuance and understatement: not unlike, not without, hardly, rather, somewhat, a touch, more than a little, and no small….

1

Warm-up

5 min
1.1

Humour and criticism

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

  1. Do you enjoy satire or political jokes?
  2. Is there anything you think nobody should joke about?
  3. Have you ever laughed at a joke and then felt bad?
  4. Who is the funniest critic of politics you know?
  5. Do you think jokes can change minds?
  6. Have you ever misunderstood a joke online?
2

Words and phrases

12 min
2.1

New words

Read each word and the example. Then say a sentence about humour.

2.2

Which word?

Choose the word that fits.

  1. The art of using humour and exaggeration to criticise powerful people is called .
  2. When the result is the opposite of what you expect, such as a fire station burning down, we call it .
  3. He answered with , a bitter tone meant to hurt.
  4. The cartoon drew the minister as a , with an enormous nose and tiny legs.
  5. The show was a of a news bulletin, copying its style to make fun of it.
  6. Saying 'it is a little warm' about a desert at fifty degrees is a typical British .
  7. The play was : it quietly challenged the government's authority.
  8. It is unkind to people for the way they speak.
2.3

Opposites and pairs

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

  1. satire uses humour to
  2. irony = the result is the
    of what is expected
  3. a caricature
    a person's features
  4. a parody is a humorous
  5. a taboo is something people do not
  6. to lampoon = to criticise by making
2.4

Useful phrases

Use these phrases to express shades of meaning and understatement.

  • not unlike...не схожий на... (= схожий на)His style is not unlike that of Swift.
  • not without...не без...The joke was not without risk.
  • none too...зовсім не...He looked none too pleased.
  • no small...немаленький...It was no small achievement.
  • rather / somewhat + adj.досить / дещоThe joke was somewhat unkind.
  • a touch / a little + adj.трохиThe remark was a touch sharp.
  • more than a little...більш ніж трохи...She was more than a little annoyed.
  • hardly surprisingнавряд чи дивноIt is hardly surprising that he was upset.
3

Read and react

8 min
3.1

The power of laughter

Read the text. Hover over the dotted words for help.

Is satire dangerous?

Is satire dangerous? Satire has a long history. In 1729, the Irish writer Jonathan Swift published "A Modest Proposal", in which he calmly suggested that the poor of Ireland should sell their children as food. Nobody was meant to take this seriously. The aim was to attack the cold attitude of the rich, and the essay is not unlike a blow delivered with a smile. It was a clear example of irony.

Today, satire is found in cartoons, television shows and websites such as The Onion. Its defenders say that it holds the powerful to account, since it is hardly possible to be proud while people are laughing at you. They add that ridicule can sometimes reach people that serious arguments cannot. Satire is also a way of speaking about a taboo, and a jester was once the only person at court who could tell the king the truth.

Yet satire is not without risk. Some readers fail to see the joke: a rule known as Poe's law, named after a 2005 internet comment, says that without clear signals, an extreme opinion and a parody of it can be impossible to tell apart. A joke may also cause real offence. In January 2015, two gunmen attacked the offices of the French magazine Charlie Hebdo, which had published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad; twelve people were killed. Many people were more than a little shocked, and the debate over where satire should stop has hardly ended.

So is satire dangerous? It is probably no small thing, since its power is the same as its danger. The question is perhaps less whether it should exist than who takes the risk, and who decides what is acceptable.

What was the last piece of satire that made you laugh or think?

3.2

True or false?

  1. Swift's essay was meant to be taken literally.
  2. The text says that defenders believe satire holds the powerful to account.
  3. Poe's law says that parody and extreme opinion can be hard to tell apart.
  4. The text says that the Charlie Hebdo attack happened in 2015.
  5. The text says that everyone agrees where satire should stop.
3.3

What do you think?

  1. Should anything be off limits for satire?
  2. Who should decide what is acceptable?
  3. Is satire more effective than a serious argument?
  4. Does satire travel well across cultures?
4

Grammar for speaking

10 min
4.1

Grammar for speaking

Understatement and litotes

Litotes says something by denying its opposite: not unlike (= similar to), not without (= with), none too (= not at all), no small (= big), hardly surprising (= expected). It sounds restrained and often ironic.

His style is not unlike Swift's. The joke was not without risk. He looked none too pleased. It was no small achievement. It is hardly surprising that he was upset.

Softening and adjusting degree

Use rather, somewhat, fairly, a touch, a little and a bit to soften an adjective, and more than a little, deeply and thoroughly to strengthen it. In British English, quite can mean fairly (before gradable adjectives) or completely (before absolute ones).

The joke was somewhat unkind. The remark was a touch sharp. She was more than a little annoyed. It was quite funny, but not hilarious. It was quite impossible.

Block 9 review

Use the grammar from this block.

reported speech and headline grammar (L41) · distancing language (L42) · arguing and counter-arguing (L43)

Common mistakes: not without + noun, not unlike + noun, none too + adjective, no small + noun, rather / quite / somewhat + adjective and a touch + adjective. ✗ not without to risk → not without risk. ✗ none too happily → none too happy. ✗ a touch of cold → a touch cold. ✗ no small achieve → no small achievement.

4.2

Choose the right form

  1. The joke was
    risk.
  2. His style is
    Swift's.
  3. He looked
    about it.
  4. It was
    achievement.
  5. The remark was
    .
  6. It is
    that he was upset.
  7. She was
    annoyed.
  8. It was
    unkind.
4.3

Fix the mistake

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

  1. The joke was not without to risk. →
  2. His style is not alike Swift's. →
  3. He looked none too pleasing. →
  4. It was no small achieve. →
  5. The remark was a touch of sharp. →
  6. She was more than few annoyed. →
4.4

Talk about it

Answer in detail. Use nuance and the grammar of Block 9.

  1. What was a joke that was not without risk?
  2. Whose style is not unlike a famous comedian's?
  3. When have you looked none too pleased? Why?
  4. What has been no small achievement for you this year?
  5. What is hardly surprising about the news this week?
  6. What is something you find a touch unfair?
5

Three views and a short talk

8 min
5.1

Three views on satire

Three people discuss satire. Compare them. Who defends it most? Who fears it most? Whose view is closest to yours?

Person 1

Prof. Hale, 62

  • Studies political humour
  • Says satire is no small force
  • Admits it is not without risk
  • Cites Swift as the model
Person 2

Tessa, 26

  • Writes for a satirical website
  • Says her work is a touch cruel
  • Believes it exposes power
  • Gets none too friendly emails
Person 3

Mr Karim, 49

  • Runs a small newspaper
  • Says some jokes are more than a little offensive
  • Would not publish them
  • Thinks limits are necessary
5.2

Mini-talk: laughing at power

Your teacher will time you.

  1. Plan for one minute, then speak for one or two minutes.
  2. Part 1: say whether you enjoy satire and give an example.
  3. Part 2: use at least three nuance or understatement expressions (not without, not unlike, none too, no small, a touch, somewhat).
  4. Part 3: say whether satire should have limits.
2:00
6

Personal questions

10 min
6.1

Part I: Me

  1. Do you like political humour?
  2. Which comedians do you find funny?
  3. Have you ever been the target of a joke?
  4. Do you read cartoons in newspapers?
  5. Can you recognise sarcasm easily?
  6. Do you laugh at yourself?
  7. Do you think British humour is different?
  8. Have you ever offended someone with a joke?
6.2

Part II: Other people

  1. Who in your family has a good sense of humour?
  2. Who is the best satirist you know?
  3. Who would you never mock?
  4. Who is an easy target for jokes?
  5. Who should decide if a joke is acceptable?
  6. Who taught you to see irony?
6.3

Part III: A bit deeper

  1. Is satire protected by free speech?
  2. Can jokes change politics?
  3. Is it right to mock religion?
  4. Should comedians be punished for jokes?
  5. Is humour universal?
7

Roleplay

12 min
7.1

Defending a joke

You

Speaker

A reader (your teacher) complains about a cartoon:
  • listen to the complaint
  • explain what the cartoon meant
  • admit one risk
  • use two understatement expressions
Speak for at least 2 minutes in total. Use nuance and understatement.
Your teacher

Reader

Says things like:
  1. That cartoon was offensive.
  2. Why did you publish it?
  3. But it hurt people.
  4. Will you apologise?
7.2

Discussing satire

You

Speaker

You are in a panel discussion (your teacher):
  • say whether satire is dangerous
  • give an example
  • respond to a different view
  • use not without and not unlike
You do most of the talking. Use: not without risk · not unlike... · none too... · no small...
Your teacher

Panel member

Says things like:
  1. Satire is harmless.
  2. Can you give an example?
  3. But jokes cause offence.
  4. Where is the limit?
8

Homework

at home

Your homework score

Do all four exercises, then press Check all homework. Correct answers will appear next to your mistakes.

– / 30
H1

Complete with a word

satireironysarcasmcaricatureparodyunderstatementsubversivemock
  1. The art of using humour and exaggeration to criticise powerful people is called .
  2. When the result is the opposite of what you expect, such as a fire station burning down, we call it .
  3. He answered with , a bitter tone meant to hurt.
  4. The cartoon drew the minister as a , with an enormous nose and tiny legs.
  5. The show was a of a news bulletin, copying its style to make fun of it.
  6. Saying 'it is a little warm' about a desert at fifty degrees is a typical British .
  7. The play was : it quietly challenged the government's authority.
  8. It is unkind to people for the way they speak.
H2

Choose the correct form

  1. The plan was risk.
  2. Her style is her mother's.
  3. He looked about it.
  4. It was success.
  5. The soup was .
  6. It is that he left.
  7. He was tired.
  8. It was difficult.
H3

Correct or incorrect?

Decide if each sentence is grammatically correct.

  1. The joke was not without risk.
  2. The joke was not without to risk.
  3. His style is not unlike Swift's.
  4. His style is not alike Swift's.
  5. He looked none too pleased.
  6. It was no small achievement.
  7. The remark was a touch of sharp.
H4

Match the two halves

  1. His style is
  2. The joke was
  3. He looked
  4. It was
  5. The joke was
  6. The remark was
  7. It is hardly surprising

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© Yevheniia Kolesnykova, Academy of Languages. All rights reserved. No copying or reuse without written permission.