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Everybody was shocked to hear that an innocent man had been
convicted.
He was pleased to see that things were changing for the better.
2. TV is of great educational value.
The reported events proved to be of great consequence.
The research under way is of great scientific significance.
The suggested changes are of no importance.
One of the exhibits was an alabaster mask of rare beauty.
3. TV has united the family by keeping everybody at home.
Durrell has learnt a lot about insects by watching them closely.
The teacher has cultivated her pupils' taste by reading fine stories
to them.
The young artist has achieved a lot by experimenting with colours.
4. I am fond of watching people hunt.
She was fond of watching children play.
They were fond of watching youngsters dancе.
He was fond of watching sportsmen train.
В.
a) Read and intone the following dialogue:
A.: Would you mind switching off TV?
В.: Why should I? I'm watching a film!
A.: You are, aren't you? And what if I happen to be tired? I just
can't stand the thing. It's so damned noisy . . .
В.: Don't waste your breath. I'm going to watch on whether you
like it or not. That's final.
A.: That's nice to hear. I've yet to meet a person like you, so utterly
selfish.
Exercise III
A. Replace each phrase in italics with the correct form of one of the
expressions from the list below. The first is done as an example.
1. We didn't have a map and so we couldn't find the right direction.
We didn't have a map and so we lost our way.
2. I'm sorry that I panicked when the policewoman stopped me, but
I was uncertain about what to say to her.
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3. I really enjoy getting thoroughly absorbed in a good book but
this one is so dull that I'm no longer interested in it.
4. I'm so glad you're back, we couldn't manage without you.
5. I know you felt humiliated when you had to apologise, but don't
worry too much about it.
6. I don't want to stand too near the edge in case I start to fall.
7. 70 million people were killed in the First and Second World
Wars.
8. The only way to become slimmer is to eat less. It's easy to be-
come discouraged when other people are eating as much as they like.
9. I was going to complain to the manager but in the end I didn't
have the courage.
10. We used to correspond regularly but now we are no longer in
contact.
11. He gets so upset when someone else is winning -I can't remem-
ber the number of times he has stormed out of the room.
12. I couldn't remain calm with her when she refused to listen to
my explanation and I quickly got angry with her.
Be at a loss be a bad loser be lost without lose count lose
face lose heart lose interest lose one's balance lose one's head lose
one's life lose one's nerve lose one's temper with lose one's way
lose oneself in lose patience lose touch lose weight lose any sleep
over.
B. Complete each sentence with a suitable expression from the list
above:
1. They were enthusiastic at first, but they soon lost ________
2. Let’s write to each other regularly – it would be a shame if we lost
________
3. It’s not as serious as you think, try not to lose ________
4. In some countries people will do anything to avoid losing ________
5. I’m sorry I’m late, I’m afraid I lost ________
6. In emergency don’t lose _____________
7. He said he could ski down the slope easily but halfway down he lost
________
8. Just because someone doesn’t understand, don’t lose ________
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Exercise IV. Replace the phrases in italics with expressions from the list
below:
AT...
At a glance at a loss at a loss at all times at any moment
at any rate at cross purposes at least at least at long last
at our expense at random at short notice at the expense of
at the last minute
1. It was a difficult problem and I was uncertain what to do.
2. The show closed because it was running without making a profit.
3. The misunderstanding arose because we were talking about different
things but didn't realise it.
4. It's impossible to get tickets for such a popular show without previous
warning – you need to book no less than six months in advance.
5. She was working much too hard causing harm to her health.
6. When abroad, it's advisable to carry your passport constantly.
7. The winners are selected without any plan by a computer.
8. It was a wonderful show – anyway I enjoyed it.
9. The hero was rescued a moment before it was too late.
10. I'm sure that our friends will arrive very soon - anyway I hope so.
11. If you need to stay overnight, please book a hotel room and we will
pay.
12. I could tell by taking one quick look that there had been a mistake.
13. Finally they did arrive, but by that time the show was nearly over.
BY.
by all means by any chance by means of by name by
sight by the thousand by the way by myself.
14. «May I open the window?» «Certainly!»
15. A compact disc player operates using digital signals.
16. Incidentally, have you seen the new Stephen Spielberg film?
17. I wonder if you know what is on in the cinema tonight, perhaps?
18. These machines are manufactured in quantities of a thousand and
more.
19. I know that person from her appearance but not what she's called.
20. I don't like going to the cinema alone.
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Exercise V. Retell the text using the following words:
entertainment; national disease; to be off the air; to return with a
vengeance; to conquer; in varying degrees; layers of society; to come to
stay; to watch; innumerable; to board (leave) aeroplanes; platitude;
strike; trade-union leader; to make concessions; to relinquish one's principles; common sense; true service; community; defeat; victory; Brains
Trust; to utter; weighty opinions; without a moment's reflection; main
pillar; personality; repulsive; indispensable; one of the chief architects;
on the slightest provocation; second nature; should you chance; giggling
spectators; .practically certain; slump; stock-exchange boom; cautious
remark; to sell shares; to unite; to gape; to cause friction; educational
value; outlaw; gangster; to put a stop to; to burgle; undeniably; to allege;
to kill the habit; to give up; to tear oneself away
Exercise VI. Use the key words to make up sentences similar to the
model:
Model: television, to come to stay
Television has come to stay, whether we like it or not.
1. romantic poetry, to be out of fashion; 2. jazz music, to come to stay;
3. the same platitudes, to express in different ways; 4. coeducation, to
come to stay; 5. concessions in matters of principle, to make sometimes
B. COMMUNICATION
Prepare a public opinion poll about television. Ask your friends and
classmates of different age and sex whether or not they watch TV:
how much time each day,
the kind of programmes they like the least,
how they feel about TV programming in general.
Identify the people you interview by age, sex and education.
Summarize the results of the poll and make a report.
Work out sets of recommendations that could be addressed to the
TV producers
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C. CONVERSATION AND DISCUSSION
I. Read the text and express your view on the problem:
THINK IT OVER – TV OR NO TV?
Today there is a television set in almost every house. In some
countries, you can choose among as many as 40 different channels.
Some broadcast only a single type of programme— news, sports, music,
theatre, or movies; but most show a variety of programmes, giving
viewers a wide range of entertainment. In our country a recent survey
indicated that the average person spends three and a half hours a day
watching television. Housewives were the largest group of viewers,
spending an average of about five hours watching TV.
For families with children, a major problem is getting the children
away from the television to do their homework. What impact, then, does
television have on people's lives? To find out, an unusual experiment
was carried out recently. Forty-four families were asked to disconnect
their television sets for one month. The families were studied to see how
their lives were affected by the absence of TV during this period.
Four families could not find any other way to spend their free time.
Among those who successfully kept away from television, several interesting observations were reported.
Some parents were glad to end the daily struggle among family
members to decide what programmes to watch. In some families, the
family went to bed earlier. Family members found other things to do,
such as reading or playing volleyball. Many families found that they had
more time to talk and play among themselves without television. Dinner
times were more relaxed without the pressure of TV.
On the other hand, some families said they greatly missed their favourite programme. A father in one family without television started
gambling, and another began to drink heavily. Some children found they
had nothing to talk about at school; they no longer could talk about their
favourite comedians, singers, or actors. Several mothers found they had
less to talk about with their young children.
At the end of the experiment, most of the families wanted to have a
television back in their homes. But they said that in the future they
would watch only certain programmes, and not allow their lives to be
governed by television.
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Do you find TV programmes harmful? Speak on their advantages
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
TV programmes provide recreation
TV violence stimulate aggressive
behavior;
Inform about current events;
Violence leads the viewers to perceive the real world as more dangerous then it may be;
Fill up free time
Selection of programmes may
cause conflict in the family;
Provide access to new ideas/learning;
Watching TV becomes a habit and
one loses the desire to create alternative forms of recreation;
Educate
Watching TV breaks down communication within the family and
social life suffers;
Help to find jobs/career сhoices
Slang and catch words become active vocabulary
and disadvantages, use the statements given below:
What is your opinion? Do you watch TV regularly? Do you enjoy it?
II. Read and translate the text and answer the questions:
Do you share the views expressed in the text?
Are you against commercials on TV?
Do you like passive enjoyment?
What qualities in the individual are fostered by television?
Is television doing more harm than good?
What is the effect produced by the commercials on the TV audi-
ence?
Advertisers feel that their commercials provide information as
well as entertainment. Do you think that by watching commercials you
can become a better informed consumer?
What is your favourite TV programme, if any? What makes you
love it so much? Check this weekend’s TV schedule. Does any particular
genre seem to dominate? What programmes are you going to watch and
why?
Should feature films be shown on TV?
136
What news is worth including in the news programme?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of long TV serials which
last for more than a fortnight?
Is it worthwhile broadcasting classic music concerts on TV?
Should theatre performances be broadcast on TV?
Do you agree that it is television that is to blame for the lack of
normal interaction between parents and children? Isn’t there too much
violence on TV?
III. Translate the words of Groucho Marx:
“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set I
go into the other room and read a book.”
Do you think we should follow his “recipe”?
IV. Topics for discussion:
1. The art of television.
2. The advantages of TV.
3. A Television Personality.
4. Comment on the statement: "TV is killing the habit of reading".
5. Which of the TV programmes do you find interesting?
6. How many hours a day (a week) does an average person watch TV?
7. Does TV interfere with your studies? Or does it broaden your mind?
Or both?
VI. Speak on the topics:
Art is a way to forget life.
Art is a way to become aware of it
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C. SUPPLEMENTARUY READING PRACTICE
I. Read the text and answer the question:
What do you find attractive and unattractive about TV program-
ming?
TELEVISION AND MASS CULTURE
TV is the most powerful of all media, it has great opportunity for
reaching people and it’s extremely popular.
It’s hard to imagine our lives without television, it is spreading
what is known as “mass culture”. Mass culture has created the image of
a primitive individual who wants to keep up with the Joneses. The slo-
gan of mass culture is “To give the public what it wants” and to justify
low-grade and insulting to human intelligence and dignity programmes.
Mass culture is closely bound up with advertising. Commercials interrupt programmes and mar the viewer’s impression.
Murder, brutality, torture, bloody crimes committed by gangsters,
maniacs and supermen are a daily feature of TV programming. More often than not television presents a distorted picture of society.
All our free time is regulated by the one-eyed monster. We rush
home, gulp down our meals to be in time for this or that programme. It is
now standard practice for mother to keep the children quiet by turning on
the TV set.
TV encourages passive enjoyment. We are getting a stiff neck and
tired muscles from not moving enough. This unnatural act of sitting and
staring is making us irritable and restless. It creates the illusion of having
been somewhere and done something when in fact you’ve been sitting at
home. And instead of using TV people are used by it.
II. Read the text. Do you share the opinion of the author?
IT’S ABOUT TIME WE SAID “NO” TO TV SLEAZE
What are we doing to our moral values and those of our children?
Television is there to enrich our lives, not to shock or offend.
There are people who want pornography and subversive opinions:
I do not challenge their right to such material via magazines, videos
and encoded television channels that people choose to receive by satel-
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lite or cable. But terrestrial television is different because it goes so easi-
1
ly into people's homes and, after 60 years, is part of the furniture.
With programmes like The Good Sex Guide, which I banned from
Yorkshire TV, we have reached the stage where so-called entertainment,
once only to be found in seedy Soho1 basements, is paraded on mainstream television as if it were respectable.
What are we doing to our sensibilities and moral values and, more
importantly, those of our children, when day after day we broadcast an
endless diet of sex and violence?
We have become afraid to censor. But, after a lifetime in television,
I feel we have to take a stand. We have gone too far in the direction of
'freedom', and our terrestrial TV is in danger of becoming a mire of salaciousness, negativity and violence. And it's not all right that the worst
excesses are at night: children do watch then and do have VCRs (video
cassette recorders).
We broadcasters have a duty to consider what we put out, to ensure
it does not undermine society nor our audience's trust that it is safe to
watch TV. That trust has taken decades to build up and broadcasters are
now in danger of throwing it away for the sake of a few late-night rating
points.
As Sir David Puttnam recently said, “We are in the midst of a revolution in the way that moving images affect our lives. Will we use this to
make our world a more harmonious and stimulating place? Or are we going to allow ourselves to slither down the road of the circus – obsessed
with spectacle – bigger, more expensive, more dangerous and, eventually, more bloody?”
Bruce Gyngel, the head of a terrestrial TV company
III. Give your comments on the proverbs:
Man does not live by bread alone.
Misery loves company.
Soho – an area of London famous for nightclubs, striptease, etc.
139
Lesson Nine
A. COMPREHENSION
Read the texts below. Choose words and expressions to learn and use
them in your talks and reports on ecological problems.
Text A
AIR POLLUTION
Air, is the most essential element for all living organisms and yet,
most humans play a big role on polluting this essential resource. Air pollution may not be as dangerous in its direct outcome as nuclear or water
pollution can be, but in the long term it will have an tremendous effect
on the environment and health of its organisms living in. Asthma, cancer, acid rain, and the disability to photosynthesize are only a few causes
of air pollution. The atmospheric pollutants with the greatest effect onto
the environment are the carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, dust particles, radioactive isotopes,
and chlorofluorocarbons. The major sources that enable carbon monoxide to enter the atmosphere are the exhausts of cars, the burning of fossil
fuels, and the oxidation of natural methane. Carbon dioxide is caused by
the consumption of fossil fuels only and it causes the possible greenhouse effect which has global warming as an outcome. Hydrocarbons are
caused by the combustion of oil and petrol and it effects the environment
with carcinogen. Carcinogen is a chemical agent that causes cancer. Sulphur dioxide is certainly one of the major atmospheric pollutants considered that it causes stinging eyes, lung damage, asthma, and acid rain. It is
the result of coal-fired power stations. Nitrogen oxides that is produced
by the exhaust of cars, causes pneumonia and asphyxia. The outcome of
the well known dust particles is often underestimated. It is caused by industrial chimneys, car exhaust, and volcanic eruptions and it effects the
environment by toxic effects and damage of the lungs. Radioactive isotopes which are caused by small quantities from nuclear waste and nuclear accidents have an carcinogenic effect on the environment as well.
The outcome of chlorfluorocarbons, which had been first discovered in
the 80s is that it destroys the ozone layer. Many of those major atmospheric pollutants combined produce the dangerous and well known
smoke and gas emission called smog.
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