Television

1. Text 1. Read and translate

Television viewing is Britain's most popular leisure pastime: 96 per cent of households have a colour television set. British televi­sion productions are sold worldwide; "period" dramas, such as the serialisation of "Pride and Prejudice", are especially popular.

Broadcasting in Britain has traditionally been based on the principle that it is a public service accountable to the people through Parliament. While retaining the essential public service element, it now embraces the principles of competition and choice.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) operates two national television channels; BBC 1 and BBC 2 transmit from breakfast to the early hours of the following day. In 1994 — 1995 BBC Worldwide Television licensed more than 14,500 hours of programming to over 80 countries, making the BBC Europe's largest exporter of television programming. It also runs an international news and information channel, an entertain­ment channel broadcast to subscribers in continental Europe and an Arabic language news and information channel. The BBC's domestic services are financed predominantly from the sale of annual television licences; there are no paid advertise­ments. BBC Worldwide Television is self-financing.

The Independent Television Commission (ITC) regulates two television services — Channel 3 and Channel 4 — which com­plement each other and are largely financed by advertising. ITC also includes cable and satellite services

Notes:

Pride and Prejudice — роман Джейн Остин «Гордость и предубеждение»

Useful vocabulary:

viewing — просмотр телепередач

pastime — времяпрепровождение

household — семья

a television set — телевизор

worldwide — распространенный по всему свету, мировой

serialisation — создание сериалов

broadcasting — трансляция, передача

accountable — ответственный перед кем-либо

to retain — удерживать, сохранять

essential — существенный, необходимый

to embrace — охватывать, включать

to run — вести

entertainment — развлечение

a subscriber — абонент, подписчик

predominant — преобладающий, доминирующий

a licence — лицензия, разрешение

2. Answer the following questions on the text:

1. What is the most popular leisure pastime in Britain?

2. How many households have a colour television set in Britain?

3. Are British television productions sold worldwide?

4. What British television productions are especially pop­ular?

5. How many national television channels does the BBC operate?

6. How long do BBC 1 and BBC 2 transmit?

7. Why is the BBC considered to be Europe's largest export­er of television programming?

8. How are the BBC domestic services financed?

9. Who finances BBC Worldwide Television?

10. What does ITC regulate?

11. How are Channel 3 and Channel 4 financed?

12. What else does ITC include?

3. Agree or disagree with the following statements. Prove your point of view.

1. Television viewing is Britain's most popular leisure pas­time.

2. Only 40 per cent of households in Britain have a colour television set.

3. Serials are not popular in Britain.

4. Broadcasting in Britain has traditionally been based on the principle that it is a public service accountable to the people through Parliament.

5. British people have a choice of programmes.

6. The BBC operates 5 national channels.

7. BBC 1 and BBC 2 transmit from breakfast till mid­night.

8. BBC Worldwide Television also runs an international news and information channel, an entertainment channel to sub­scribers in continental Europe and an Arabic language news and information channel.

9. The BBC's domestic services are financed from the sale of annual television licences.

10. BBC Worldwide Television is financed by the Government.

11. ITC also includes cable and satellite services.

4. Retell Text 1.

5. Complete the sentences using the following words and phrases:

viewing; television set; serials; channel; broadcasting; Worldwide; broadcast;

1. Britain's most popular leisure pastime is television …….

2. Yesterday they bought a new ……..

3. Every day her grandmother watches ……..

4. Switch to another ……..

5. BBC... Television is self-financing.

6. When does.. on this channel end?

7. The President's speech will be ……. on television tomorrow.

6. Remember the following words and phrases:

a televiewer — телезритель

to televise — передавать по телевидению

a host — ведущий программу

a television broadcast — телепередача

a coverage — репортаж, освещение событий

a commentary — репортаж во время игры

a newscast — последние новости

a newscaster — диктор новостей

to pick a programme — выбрать программу

to switch over to — переключать на

to turn the sound up/down — сделать звук громче, тише

to be on the air — быть в эфире

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