TEXT 5. Television

Television as we know it is only about fifty years old. Yet it has become so much a part of our lives that it seems as if always existed.

Watching TV is the most popular free-time activity in many countries of the world. The second most popular activity is reading newspapers. Listening to music at home is third. Talking on the phone to friends and relatives is fourth. Exercising or jogging is fifth.

The researchers learned that in some ways people's entertainments are traditional in many respect to age. Teenagers and single people may he interested in activities and excitement outside the home, but eight out of ten

like to spend their free time at home in the company of family and friends. Women spend more time on fashion, men on sport.

Whatever our entertainments could be we can't imagine our life without television. We do spend a lot of time in front of our TV sets, in the average home it may be 5-6 hours a day. But how much attention do people pay to the programs? Six out of ten people said that when the TV is on, they seIdom pay attention to it. During a typical television program, people may eat dinner, do housework, read a newspaper or magazine, or talk or read to their children. The TV becomes "background music". Surprisingly, Television does not seem to take time away from free-time activities at home. In fact, people who frequently watch TV read to their children and talk to their families as much as people who seldom watch TV.

There is also a great controversy about the effect of TV on family life. Some people say that watching TV takes away from more important activities - reading, exercising, talking to family and friends. They claim that before television families talked more and did more things together. More books were read. People used their imagination more fully. They got more outdoor exercise. In general we would be better off without television our lives.

But others disagree. They think that television is one of the most important means of communication we have today. It is a powerful educational tool and a wonderful resource. Sometimes it is called the machine that brings the world into your home. It informs us of what goes on in the world, from a famine in Africa to a local fire. It entertains us. It helps shape our opinions about everything from politics to fashion. It helps us understand how people live, work, and struggle.

In 1961, Newton Minow, a government official, called prime-time shedules "a vast wasteland." Ever though Minow said that over thirty years ago, many feel that it is still true today. Television is credited with being a great teacher. It is also blamed for the poor reading and writing skills, for violence. Television gets praise for helping us understand the people of the world. In some countries we can observe that young people don't wear the type of clothing or eat the same foods that their grandparents did. However, they still have the same loving feelings about their families and want to spend time with them. It unites them globally. But TV has been also accused of helping to destroy family life. Television keeps us informed about the

political issues of the day. But it can also make us lazy by giving us only "news briefs" that are too short to tell the whole story.

Commercial television which has appeared of late as a way of selling products is also blamed by many.

Experts will probably continue to argue about television's value. But everyone agrees that it is one of the most significant inventions of the twentieth century. Even people who love television love to criticize it. As one writer put it, "Television influences everyone, and it pleases no one fully."

1. Decide whether the points are true (T) or false (F).

1. TV always offers something of interest to me.

2. Watching TV drains my energy.

3. I wouldn't mind not having a TV.

4. TV stimulates my mind.

5. TV commercials make me buy things I don't need.

6. I like to have the TV on for background noise.

7. Watching TV helps me relax.

8. I only turn the TV on to watch a specific program.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-30