How do people usually answer to questions like “What are you going to do tonight?” or “What are you doing at the weekend?” In other words, how do people spend their free time?
Some twenty or thirty years ago the usual answers used to be: “We are going to the theatre (or the cinema)”, or “We are going to a party”, or “We are having some friends round”. Now you very often hear: “We're going to stay at home and watch the telly”.
A first-rate colour TV set has become an ordinary thing in the household today, and a videocassette recorder is quickly becoming one.
Modern television offers the viewers several programmes on different, channels. In addition to regular newscasts you can see plays and films, operas and ballets, and watch all kinds of contests, quizzes and sporting events. You can also get a lot of useful information on the educational channel. A good serial (perhaps a detective story or a screen version of a classic novel) can keep the whole family in front of the telly for days, and don't we spend hours and hours watching our favourite football or hockey team in an important international event?
Television most definitely plays a very important part in people's lives. But is this a good thing or a bad one? Haven't we become lazier because of television? Don't we go out less often than we used to? Don't we read less?
TELEVISION IN GREAT BRITAIN
The most popular entertainment in British home life today is television. In London people have a choice between four TV channels: BBC 1, BBC 2 and two commercial channels. The BBC is financed by payments which are made by all people who have TV-sets. There is no advertising on any BBC programme. On the contrary, commercial television, which is called ITV, gets its money from advertising. The programmes on this channel are financed by different companies, which, however, do not have anything to do with the arrangement or content of these programmes. They just "buy time" to advertise their products and the viewers of ITV have to watch advertisements for petrol, washing machines, soap and many other items which they do not require between and during programmes. In other words British TV serves the interests of big business.
Different types of TV programmes can be seen in Great Britain. News is broadcast at regular intervals and there are panel discussions of current events, both national and international. Operas, ballets, music concerts and variety shows are presented at various times. Broadcasts for school are produced on five days of the week during school hours. In the late afternoon and early evening TV stations show special programmes for children. In the evening and at weekend there are broadcasts of sports events. A large part of TV evening time is often occupied by serials - films which appear on television in parts daily or at intervals.
The channels of British television keep people informed about current events, the latest achievements in both informative and entertaining. But they also offer a lot of trivial programmes the poor quality of which is criticized by viewers. There is also serious concern about the negative effects of some TV shows in which scenes of violence and crime are presented.
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BBC, the British Broadcasting Corporation - Британская радиовещательная и телевизионная корпорация (Би-Би-Си)
ITV, Independent Television - независимое телевидение panel discussion - публичное обсуждение какой-либо проблемы группой людей
QUESTIONS
1. How many channels are there on Russian TV?
2. What are the most popular TV programmes in our country? What makes them popular?
3. How does TV keep people informed about all important events in the world?
4. What foreign films and TV programmes have you watched on television recently? What impression did they make on you?
5. Is it true that a first rate colour TV set has become an ordinary thing in nearly every house today?
6. Have you got a video cassette recorder? If not, would you like to have one? Why not?
7. Do you find that all the programmes television offers are interesting or at least useful?
8. Which programmes do you watch regularly? Why?
9. Do you like to watch TV quizzes? Which of those programmes is your favourite? Why?
10. Can you say that television plays an important part in your life?
11. Do you go out less because of television?
12. Do you think there are many people who hate watching TV?
13. Do you agree that watching TV is one of the silliest things you can spend your time on? What is your opinion?
14. Is watching the telly a waste of time?
15. Do you agree that television has made life more interesting?
16. On the whole the programmes television offers are not bad, are they?
17. Which programme (newscaster, commentator) is your favourite?
UNIT 10.