TELEVISION IN MODERN LIFE

TELEVISION IN MODERN LIFE

A Scotsman, John Logie Baird, transmitted the first television picture on 25 October 1925.

The first person on television was a boy who worked in the office next to Baird's workroom in London.

In 1927 Baird sent pictures from London to Glasgow. In 1928 he sent pictures to New York and also produced the first colour TV pictures.

A first-rate colour TV-set has become an ordinary thing in the household today.

Modern television offers the viewers several programmes on different channels.

Soap opera: a programme often on two or three times a week, which follows the lives of a group of people, the stories are often exciting, dramatic and hard to believe.

Quiz show or Game show: individuals, teams or families who answer questions or play different games against each other. The winner gets a prize, e.g. a car, a holiday, money.

Chat show: a programme where a presenter talks to famous people about their lives and careers, sometimes there is music as well.

Documentary: a film with factual information, often analyzing a problem in society.

A series: a number of programmes about the same situation or the same characters in different situations. This may be a comedy series or a drama series.

Current affairs programme: a programme about today's social / political problem.

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 classical 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?

We tend to view more and listen less. Take, for example, meetings between famous people in various walks of life. We like seeing the people taking part in these discussions. Merely hear their voices is not quite the same thing.

We also like to watch television programmes dealing with animals and birds and all kinds of living things in their natural surroundings, as well as to watch sporting events in actual progress. Above all, we love seeing dramatic entertainments of all kinds; the plays of many leading dramatists; dramatized versions of the works of famous novelists; lovely one-act plays, comic turns,and amusing episodes of all sorts.

We can hear symphony concerts, operas and oratorios and popular

melodies all transmitted with lifelike clarity. We have an opportunity of hearing well-informed talks on archeology, history, geography, science and technology. We hear critics talking about new books, films, plays, works of art. We hear living poets reading their own poems.

VOCABULARY

newscast [nju:zka:st] — останні новини (по радіо, телебаченню)

walk [work] of life — суспільне становище; заняття, професія

turn [tə:n] — черговий номер програми; вихід (у концерті); інтермедія, сценка

amusing [ə'rnju:zɪŋ] — забавний, цікавий

QUESTIONS

1. Why do we prefer to see things on the screen, and not only to hear voices speaking about them over the radio ?

2. For what do we like to watch TV programmes about animals and birds, travels and travelling?

3. Why do we like to watch sporting events in actual progress?

4. What dramatic entertainments can we see on the TV screen ?

5. What makes TV musical programmes so fascinating?

6. What lectures and well-informed talks can be heard?

7.00 Telly Addicts

Noel Edmonds hosts the quiz in which teams have their television knowledge put to the test.

7.30 Watchdog

Anne Robinson presents the stories that affect consumers in the 1990s. With Alice Beer and reporters Chris Choi and Johnathan Maitland.

8.00 EastEnders

Kathy tries to come to terms with Ted's revelations. Michelle receives a letter that could change her iife. For cast s«o Tuesday ? Stereo Subtitled...........................5500

8.30 2 Point 4 Children

The Deep. There's something fishy going on when Bill and Ben are asked to look after their neighbour's house.

9.00 Nine O'Clock News

With Peter Sissons. Subtitled

Regional News

Weather Rob McElwee............3245

7.00 The Krypton Factor

Four new contestants compete for a place in the November final. Director Tony Prescott; Producer Wayne Garvle Stereo Subtitled..............9448

7.30 Coronation Street

It's farewell time at the Rovers.

Episode written by Stephen Mallatratt For cast see Wednesday. Repeated on

Wednesday at 1.25pm Subtitled......239

♦ Bet's off: page 22

8.00 Brace's Price Is Right

Game show testing knowledge of the price of consumer goods. Director Bill Morton; Producer Howard Huntridge Stereo Subtitled.........2968

8.30 World in Action

In a classroom fitted with cameras, World in Action reveals what is really going on in Britain's overcrowded schools and asks who is to blame.

9.00 New series Cracker

Brotherly Love (part 1). In the first of this three-part thriller, a prostitute is found raped and murdered, opening old wounds at the station. See today's choices.

7.00 Channel 4 News

Presented by Jon Snow and Cathy Smith. Including Weather Subtitled.....................................829535

7.55 The Slot

The daily soapbox offering viewers the chance to air their opinions. Stereo.........................................141603

8.00 New series Desperately Seeking Something

A four-part series in which Pete McCarthy explores the strange universe of alternative beliefs.

8.30 Baby It's You

Continuing the six-part series which uses natural history filming techniques to observe the first two years of a baby's life.

9.00 Cutting Edge

The Trouble with Money

Strange though it seems to some, not everyone enjoys winning the lottery. This documentary explores the joys and pitfalls of getting rich quick.

EXERCISES__

I. You are watching TV with a friend. What could you say in each of the situations below? Look at the example-first.

Example: You want to watch a programme on TV.

Could you turn the TV on ?

1. You can 't hear the programme very well.

Could you....... ?

2. You want to watch a different programme.

Could you....... ?

3. Now it's too loud for you.

Could you....... ?

4. You don't want to watch any more.

Could you....... ?

II. On previous page is part of an evening from three British TV channels. Can you find at least one example of: a documentary, a quiz show, a game show, a drama series, and a current affairs programme? There is also one example of a comedy series and two soap operas. Can you guess which programmes they might be?