L1. Does Television Play a Positive or Negative Role in the

Do the Advantages of Television Outweigh the Disadvantages?
Television is now playing a very important part in our life. But television, like other things, has both advantages and disadvantages. Do the former outweigh the latter?

In the first place, television is not only a convenient source of entertainment, but also a comparatively cheap one. For a family of four, for example, it is more convenient as well as cheaper to sit comfortably at home, with almost unlimited entertainment available, than to go out in search of amusement elsewhere. They do not have to pay for expensive seats at the theatre, the cinema, or the opera, only to discover, perhaps, that the show is disappointing.

All they have to do is press a button, and they can see plays, films, operas, and shows of every kind, not to mention political discussions and the latest exciting. football match. Some people, however, maintain that this is precisely where the danger lies. The television viewer takes no initiative. He makes no choice and exercises no judgment. He is completely passive and has everything presented to him without any effort on his part.

Television, it is often said, keeps one informed about current events, allows one to follow the latest developments in science and politics, and offers an endless series of programmes which are hoth instructive and entertaining. The most distant countries and the strangest customs are brought right into one's stitting-room. It could be argued that the radio performs this service just as well; but on television everything is much more living, much more real. Yet here again there is a danger. We get so used to looking at it, so dependent on its flickering pictures, that it begins to dominate our lives.

There are many other arguments for and against television. The poor quality of its programmes i.s often criticized. But it is undoubtedly a great comfort to many lonely elderly people. And does it corrupt or instruct our children? I think we must realize that television in itself is neither good nor bad. It is the uses to which it is put that determine its value to society.

II . Read
Read the following passages. Underline the important viewpoir while reading.

1. Why Watch Television? Matthew: Television is undoubtedly a great invention, but one of the main
you've  criticisms of it is that people just aren't selective
enough. I.esley,got a television; how do you pick out the sorts of
programmes you want to watch?

Lesley: I try and look at the prograxnmes that are on to decide which
particular ones interest me, rather than you turning it on a seven
o'clock and you leaving it on until half-past eleven when the
programmes finish.

Matthew: Do you think of television though as a great time-waster?
Lesley: Un ...I think it can be a time-waster and it depends on how particular
people are about what they want to see...Mm, it can just be a sort of
total amusement for someone and totallve consuming without really
considering what it is they're watching.

Matthew: Aha, but how do you prevent it coming into your life and taking over
your evenings and at the same time perhaps get . . . get out of the
television some of the sort of best things...best programmes that...
that undoubtedly are on television?

Lesley: Well,I suppose one of the problems is ...will depend on what a person's
life style is, and that if he has other outside interests
which are equally important to him as television, he will then, you
know, mm . . . be more careful about which programmes
he wants to watch because he has time which he wants to use for
other things.

Matthew: Do you think though that... that in . .