大学英语第四单元turning_off_tv

Unit4TURNINGOFFTV:AQUIETHOURContentInformationrelatedtothetextIntroductionDetailedreadingLanguagepointsAfterreadingInformationrelatedtothetext1.UStelevision:AdemonstrationoftelevisionwasheldattheNewYorkWorld’sFairin1939,andduringthe1940snetworkswereestablishedandTVsetsbegantobesold.Itwasinthe1950sthattelevisionstartedtotaketheplaceofradiointheUS.Todaytherearemorethan1000stationsalloverthecountry.2.TheBigThreeoftheUSTelevisionNetworks:TheNationalBroadcastingCompany(NBC)TheColumbiaBroadcastingSystem(CBS)TheAmericanBroadcastingCompany(ABC)Theyoncecontrolledupto99%oftheUStelevision.ButwiththebroadcastcompetitorssuchasFox,theWB(WarnerBrothers),theUPN(UnitedParamountNetwork),satelliteandcablecompanies,theBigThree’sMarketsharedecreased.根据尼尔森公司的调查数据，有一半美国家庭拥有3台或以上的电视机，只有19%的家庭只拥有一台电视。尼尔森公司的调查报告提供了不少例子。例如，纽约一名设备经理家里拥有3台电视机，还不包括浴室里的一台可视对讲机。这还算平常的，如果家里有孩子，电视机的数量可能要翻倍：一对拥有双胞胎的纽约夫妇家里有7台电视机，另外有一台新的电视机还没有安装——夫妇的房间里装一台、两个孩子的房间各一台、客厅一台、厨房一台……电视机几乎是无处不在。3.CouchPotato4TVcanbringsomeproblemsThegenerationgapThetermisusedtomeandifferencesinideas,lifestylesandattitudesbetweenolderandyoungerpeople,differenceswhichresultinalackofunderstandingbetweenthemandfrequentlyleadtoconfrontations.HighdivorcerateintheUSDivorceisamajorproblemintheUS.Atpresent,itisestimated,aboutonequartertoonethirdofallAmericanmarriagesendindivorce.Thereisagreatdifferenceofopinionastothecausesofthishighrateofdivorce..Butstudiesindicatethattherearemorecasesofdivorceamongpersonswithlowincomesandinadequateeducationandamongthosewhomarryataveryyoungage.Apartfromlegallydivorcedcasestherearemanyseparatedcouples.Theimmediateresultthatarisesfromthehighdivorerateisanincreasingnumberofsingleparenthomes,i.e.,homeswherechildrenarebeingraisedbyonlyoneparent.返回目录I、IntroductoryRemarksTelevision,sinceitsfirstprevalenceoverradiointhe1950s,hasplayedamoreandmoreimportantroleinpeople’slives..Asamatteroffact,ithasbecomesomuchapartofhumanlifethatamodernworldwithouttelevisionisunimaginable.Somepeopleevensaythatlifewithouttelevisionisnotworthliving.Butsome,ontheotherhand,argueagainstTV.TheythinkTVistakinguptoomuchofaperson’stimeandmakinghimlazy,nottomentionitsharmfulinfluenceuponhim.Theauthorofthisarticle,forexample,israisinghisvoiceagainstTV,urgingviewerstoturnofftheirsetsandenjoyapreciousquiethour,anhourwithoutthedistractionofTV.返回ManypeopleintheUnitedStatesspendmostoftheirfreetimewatchingtelevision.Certainly,therearemanyworthwhileprogramsontelevision,includingnews,educationalprogramsforchildren,programsoncurrentsocialproblems,plays,movies,concerts,andsoon.Nevertheless,perhapspeopleshouldnotbespendingsomuchoftheirtimeinfrontoftheTV.Mr.Mayerimagineswhatwemightdoifwewereforcedtofindotheractivities.Article1SentenceSentenceWordWordManypeopleintheUnitedStatesspendmostoftheirfreetimewatchingtelevision.Certainly,therearemanyworthwhileprogramsontelevision,includingnews,educationalprogramsforchildren,programsoncurrentsocialproblems,plays,movies,concerts,andsoon.Nevertheless,perhapspeopleshouldnotbespendingsomuchoftheirtimeinfrontoftheTV.Mr.Mayerimagineswhatwemightdoifwewereforcedtofindotheractivities.ArticleSentenceSentenceWordWordIwouldliketoproposethatforsixtytoninetyminuteseachevening,rightaftertheearlyeveningnews,alltelevisionbroadcastingintheUnitedStatesbeprohibitedbylaw.Letustakeaserious,reasonablelookatwhattheresultsmightbeifsuchaproposalwereaccepted.Familiesmightusethetimeforarealfamilyhour.WithoutthedistractionofTV,theymightsitaroundtogetherafterdinnerandactuallytalktooneanother.Itiswellknownthatmanyofourproblems—everything,infact,fromthegenerationgaptothehighdivorceratetosomeformsofmentalillness—arecausedatleastinpartbyfailuretocommunicate.Article1_STurningOffTV:AQuietHourRobertMayerSentenceSentenceWordWordOneveningswhensuchtalkisunnecessary,familiescouldrediscovermoreactivepastimes.FreedfromTV,forcedtofindtheirownactivities,theymighttakearidetogethertowatchthesunset.Ortheymighttakeawalktogether(rememberfeet?)andseetheneighborhoodwithfresh,neweyes.WithfreetimeandnoTV,childrenandadultsmightrediscoverreading.ThereismoreentertainmentinagoodbookthaninamonthoftypicalTVprogramming.Article2_SWordWordSentenceSentenceWedonottelleachotherwhatisdisturbingus.Theresultisemotionaldifficultyofonekindoranother.Byusingthequietfamilyhourtodiscussourproblems,wemightgettoknoweachotherbetter,andtolikeeachotherbetter.Article3_SWordWordAdifferentformofreadingmightalsobedone,asitwasinthepast:readingaloud.Fewpastimesbringafamilyclosertogetherthangatheringaroundandlisteningtomotherorfatherreadagoodstory.Thequiethourcouldbecomethestoryhour.Whenthequiethourends,theTVnetworksmightevenbeforcedtocomeupwithbettershowsinordertogetusbackfromournewlydiscoveredactivities.Atfirstglance,theideaofanhourwithoutTVseemsradical.Whatwillparentsdowithouttheelectronicbaby-sitter?Howwillwespendthetime?EducatorsreportthatthegenerationgrowingupwithtelevisioncanbarelywriteanEnglishsentence,evenatthecollegelevel.Writingisoftenlearnedfromreading.Amoreliteratenewgenerationcouldbeaproductofthequiethour.SentenceSen