TV or no TV
Read the text.
TV or no TV? That is the question. Bess
TV is an important issue for us, because over three quarters of British teenagers have a TV in their bedroom (pretty antisocial if you ask me!), and they watch TV for an average of 14 hours a week. In the USA, it’s over 20 hours a week.
In my research for this debate, I’ve discovered some amazing facts. For example, 57% of programmes contain what is called ‘psychologically harmful’ violence. That means, according to the experts, that teenagers learn to behave violently and they accept violence as normal.
In addition, they become more afraid of being attacked. Not surprising, when you learn that the average child in the US has seen up to 8,000 murders on the TV by the age of 11!
Furthermore, there’s the couch-potato problem. Nobody does enough exercise any more or spends enough time with friends. As a result, television is turning us all into lonely fatties – also because there’s an advert for high-sugar snacks and drinks every five minutes.
Think English Intermediate • Unit 10 p.88
© Oxford University Press PHOTOCOPIABLE
And finally, I believe that talent shows and shows such as Big
Brother give people false expectations. They make you think that anyone can become famous – and then rich, for doing practically nothing! We did a survey in my year group and found that 63% of people want to be rich and famous, and in show business.
So although I like TV, I think that we should cut down the amount we watch before our brains turn to mush.
Damon
I don’t agree that TV is a completely negative influence on people. In my opinion, television is a window on the world and therefore, it’s invaluable. I get a lot of information from the TV, and so do my friends and family.
My kid brother, who’s five, loves wildlife programmes, so TV is often educational. Yesterday, for example, I saw a fantastic documentary about space travel, which I learnt loads from.
But if I had to
TV or no TV? That is the question. Bess
TV is an important issue for us, because over three quarters of British teenagers have a TV in their bedroom (pretty antisocial if you ask me!), and they watch TV for an average of 14 hours a week. In the USA, it’s over 20 hours a week.
In my research for this debate, I’ve discovered some amazing facts. For example, 57% of programmes contain what is called ‘psychologically harmful’ violence. That means, according to the experts, that teenagers learn to behave violently and they accept violence as normal.
In addition, they become more afraid of being attacked. Not surprising, when you learn that the average child in the US has seen up to 8,000 murders on the TV by the age of 11!
Furthermore, there’s the couch-potato problem. Nobody does enough exercise any more or spends enough time with friends. As a result, television is turning us all into lonely fatties – also because there’s an advert for high-sugar snacks and drinks every five minutes.
Think English Intermediate • Unit 10 p.88
© Oxford University Press PHOTOCOPIABLE
And finally, I believe that talent shows and shows such as Big
Brother give people false expectations. They make you think that anyone can become famous – and then rich, for doing practically nothing! We did a survey in my year group and found that 63% of people want to be rich and famous, and in show business.
So although I like TV, I think that we should cut down the amount we watch before our brains turn to mush.
Damon
I don’t agree that TV is a completely negative influence on people. In my opinion, television is a window on the world and therefore, it’s invaluable. I get a lot of information from the TV, and so do my friends and family.
My kid brother, who’s five, loves wildlife programmes, so TV is often educational. Yesterday, for example, I saw a fantastic documentary about space travel, which I learnt loads from.
But if I had to