Content Information related to the text Introduction Detailed reading Language points After reading第1頁/共45頁Information related to the text 1. US television: A demonstration of television was held at the New York Worlds Fair in 1939, and during the 1940s networks were established and TV sets began to be sold. It was in the 1950s that television started to take the place of radio in the US. Today there are more than 1000 stations all over the country . 第2頁/共45頁第3頁/共45頁 2. The Big Three of the US Television Networks: The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) The Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) They once controlled up to 99% of the US television. But with the broadcast competitors such as Fox, the WB (Warner Brothers), the UPN (United Paramount Network), satellite and cable companies, the Big Threes Market share decreased. 第4頁/共45頁 3. Couch Potato第5頁/共45頁4 TV can bring some problems The generation gap The term is used to mean differences in ideas, life styles and attitudes between older and younger people, differences which result in a lack of understanding between them and frequently lead to confrontations.第6頁/共45頁 High divorce rate in the US Divorce is a major problem in the US. At present, it is estimated, about one quarter to one third of all American marriages end in divorce. There is a great difference of opinion as to the causes of this high rate of divorce.第7頁/共45頁 But studies indicate that there are more cases of divorce among persons with low incomes and inadequate education and among those who marry at a very young age. Apart from legally divorced cases there are many separated couples.第8頁/共45頁 The immediate result that arises from the high divorce rate is an increasing number of single parent homes, i.e., homes where children are being raised by only one parent. 返回目錄第9頁/共45頁I、Introductory Remarks Television, since its first prevalence over radio in the 1950s, has played a more and more important role in peoples lives.As a matter of fact, it has become so much a part of human life that a modern world without television is unimaginable. 第10頁/共45頁 Some people even say that life without television is not worth living. But some, on the other hand, argue against TV. They think TV is taking up too much of a persons time and making him lazy, not to mention its harmful influence upon him. The author of this article, for example, is raising his voice against TV, urging viewers to turn off their sets and enjoy a precious quiet hour, an hour without the distraction of TV. 返回第11頁/共45頁Introductory questions 1. some worthwhile programs are mentioned in the Editors Note. What are they? Can you cite some of them? News, educational programs for children, plays, movies, concerts, etc. 2. What does Mayer suggest in his article? He suggests that TV broadcasting be prohibited for an hour or so in the evening 3. During that quiet hour, what might the family do without the distractions of TV? They might sit around together and talk to one another第12頁/共45頁 4. What would be the immediate result if the family members could use that quiet hour to discuss their problems? They would get to know each other better and to like each other better 5. What other activities could families pursue besides such conversations? They could take a ride to see the sunset or take a walk to see the neighborhood. 6. What would happen if the family could spend the quiet hour reading books? A more literate new generation would appear. 7. What does the author suggest as an alternative to silent reading? He suggests reading good stories aloud.Introductory questions第13頁/共45頁 8. What good effects, according to Mayer, might be produce on TV programs if his proposal were accepted? TV networks would be forced to come up with better shows. 9. How did Americans use to spend their time before TV came to control their lives? They used to spend spare time partly with radio; also with reading, learning, talking, playing games. 10. What do you think of Mayers suggestion? Will it be accepted or not? Why or why not? His suggestion sounds reasonable but hard to be put into practice. No one will give up something which has become so much a part of his lifenot even for an hour.Introductory questions第14頁/共45頁P(yáng)art Division of the Text Main IdeaParasPart 1122-536The author proposes that every evening, for 60 to 90 minutes, all television broadcasting in the U.S. be prohibited by law.The author mentions some problems caused by watching too much TV and suggests some activities to fill the time when turning off TV.People could have more fun if they turned off TV for one or two hours every day as they did in the past. 第15頁/共45頁With free time and no TV, children and adults would be better-educated by means of reading. I would like to propose that all television broadcasting in the United States be prohibited for sixty to ninety minutes by laws.Less family communications were resulted from the distraction of TV.Families could discover more active pastimes rather than just sit rooted in front of TV.ArgumentSupport ISupport IISupport IIISupport IVConclusionAs an alternative to silent reading, reading good stories aloud can bring family closer and also force TV networks come up with quality programs.An hour without the distraction of TV is not radical at all.Directions: Find specific details to support the following argument. Blank Filling 第16頁/共45頁Discussion: Read the text and summarize the benefits of turning off TV for an hour.People couldcommunicate with each other betterfind more active entertainmentsread books so that they are well-educatedread stories aloudwatch the sunsetsee the neighborhoodmight come up with better programs1.2.3.4.5.7.6.Scanning第17頁/共45頁What does a real family hour refer to?It refers to an hour when family members might sit around together, doing sth. meaningful like talking to each other and reading novels, etc.第18頁/共45頁If there had not been for the distraction of TV, they might sit around together after dinner and really talk to one another. 介詞短語without相當(dāng)于一個以if 引導(dǎo)的條件從句，常用虛擬語氣。但是，without有時也不用虛擬語氣。 I cant do it without your help. 表示“希望你能幫我”。I couldnt do it without your help. 表示“事實(shí)上你會幫我的”。Without his pension, he would have starved. P70, L6:without the distraction of TV.第19頁/共45頁1. What can we infer about the writers attitude? P70, L7-92. Translate this sentence into Chinese.眾所周知，我們的許多問題 事實(shí)上是所有的問題，從代溝、高離婚率到某些精神疾病 至少部分是由于缺乏交流而引起的。TV has taken people away too much so that the lack of communication has caused many social problems.第20頁/共45頁1. Why does the author use the rhetorical question “remember feet?” P70,L14-15This rhetorical question implies that Americans are now so used to traveling by car or other vehicles that many people almost forget that they can walk to some place. This perhaps can also explain why America is sometimes nicknamed as “a country on wheels”.第21頁/共45頁2. Why does the author encourage us to “to see the neighborhood with fresh, new eyes”? We might pass the neighborhood everyday but have no time to enjoy it. When we are back from work, we prefer to stay at home, watching TV to kill time rather than going out. Seeing it with fresh, new eyes might help us to find something we havent noticed before and appreciate the neighborhood even more.第22頁/共45頁What does the word “rediscover” mean? P70,L17It means “to find again”. After TV appeared, people spend more time watching and less time reading, and to some extent, reading has almost been forgotten. Now with no TV to watch, people might pick up reading again. 第23頁/共45頁Do you think reading can improve writing? In what way? P70,L20-21It is generally accepted that reading can help us learn writing. When we read, we can actually enjoy the writing. Besides, we can develop our sense of language, and observe writing skills. Therefore, reading a lot of good books can help to improve our writing ability.第24頁/共45頁What does the author imply in this sentence? P70, L26-28If children had formed the habit of reading worthwhile books instead of watching TV for at least one hour each day, they would certainly be more cultured than they are now.第25頁/共45頁What does electronic baby-sitter refer to? P70,L32It refers to TV. Since TV programs can attract and hold the attention of children, their parents can leave them unattended while the machine is on.第26頁/共45頁1. Paraphrase the sentence Honest. The truth is we had a ball.Im telling you the truth: we Americans used to have a very good time before TV came into our life.2. Translate this sentence真的。那時我們確實(shí)過得很開心。第27頁/共45頁 Many people in the United States spend most of their free time watching television. Certainly, there are many worthwhile programs on television, including news, educational programs for children, programs on current social problems, plays, movies, concerts, and so on. Nevertheless, perhaps people should not be spending so much of their time in front of the TV. Mr. Mayer imagines what we might do if we were forced to find other activities. Turning Off TV: A Quiet Hour Robert Mayer 第28頁/共45頁Turning Off TV: A Quiet Hour Robert Mayer I would like to propose that for sixty to ninety minutes each evening, right after the early evening news, all television broadcasting in the United States be prohibited by law. Let us take a serious, reasonable look at what the results might be if such a proposal were accepted. Families might use the time for a real family hour. 第29頁/共45頁Without the distraction of TV, they might sit around together after dinner and actually talk to one another. It is well known that many of our problems everything, in fact, from the generation gap to the high divorce rate to some forms of mental illness are caused at least in part by failure to communicate. 第30頁/共45頁We do not tell each other what is disturbing us. The result is emotional difficulty of one kind or another. By using the quiet family hour to discuss our problems, we might get to know each other better, and to like each other better. 第31頁/共45頁 O n e v e n i n g s w h e n s u c h t a l k i s unnecessary, families could rediscover more active pastimes. Freed from TV, forced to find their own activities, they might take a ride together to watch the sunset. Or they might take a walk together (remember feet?) and see the neighborhood with fresh, new eyes. 第32頁/共45頁With free time and no TV, children and adults might rediscover reading. There is more entertainment in a good book than in a month of typical TV programming. Educators report that the generation growing up with television can barely write an English sentence, even at the college level. Writing is often learned from reading. A more literate new generation could be a product of the quiet hour. 第33頁/共45頁A different form of reading might also be done, as it was in the past: reading aloud. Few pastimes bring a family closer together than gathering around and listening to mother or father read a good story. The quiet hour could become the story hour. When the quiet hour ends, the TV networks might even be forced to come up with better shows in order to get us back from our newly discovered activities.第34頁/共45頁At first glance, the idea of an hour without TV seems radical. What will parents do without the electronic baby-sitter? How will we spend the time? But it is not radical at all. It has been only twenty-five years since television came to control American free time. Those of us thirty-five and older can remember childhoods without television, spent partly with radio which at least involved the listeners imagination but also with reading, learning, talking, playing games, inventing new activities. It wasnt that difficult. Honest. The truth is we had a ball. 第35頁/共45頁Words and Expressions worthwhile: adj, worth doing, valuable, worthy of the time, A visit to London will always be worthwhile. be worth doing sth. be worth + money/ effort The watch worth more than 10$. This novel is worth reading. be worthy of sth / to do sth. The question is worthy of considering / to be considered. Can you recommend one worthwhile books for me to read?第36頁/共45頁propose Propose-proposal- proposer Refuse- refusal; arrive- arrivalVt. 1) formally suggest The company has proposed a new plan for setting the dispute. I propose resting for half an hour. I propose that we should delay our decision until next meeting. 2) ask sb. To marry Has he proposed to her?Words and Expressions第37頁/共45頁prohibitvt. Forbid, not allowed by a law or rule. Minors(未成年人) are prohibited from drinking.Words and Expressions第38頁/共45頁 辯異：ban forbid, prohibit (1)ban: 因法律或社會的原因而禁止，查禁。如： The government has banned the sale of that product which is harmful to the public. (2)forbid: 普通用詞，含“ 對某個人”的意味，如： She forbade her younger sister to use her dictionary. (3)prohibit：正式用詞，尤其用于公務(wù)，法律如： The law prohibits the use of opium.Words and Expressions第39頁/共45頁disturb: 1) make worried She was disturbed by her sons not coming home in time. I was disturbed to hear there had been another murder the night before. 2) break the peace or order of Dont disturb him. He is writing an essay. Would you please turn down your radio ? It is disturbing all your neighbors sleep.Words and Expressions第40頁/共45頁 come up with: produce; think of ( a plan, an answer, a reply, ect.) They came up with a good excuse for being late. Intelligent students can always come up with good solutions to problems.Words and Expressions第41頁/共45頁 involve: 1) have a part or result To apply for university study involves taking the College Entrance Examination. Their visit to our company will involve a meeting with our general manager. 2) cause to be mixed up ( in sth.) It is said that many politicians were involved in the drug traffic.Words and Expressions第42頁/共45頁Translation1. 他是這樣專心于他的工作，別人叫他，他也沒聽見。( be absorbed in)2. 無論下屆總統(tǒng)是誰，我們兩國的友誼仍然存在。( regardless of)3. 外面如此吵鬧，我實(shí)在無法集中精力學(xué)習(xí)英語。( concentrate on)4. 你用不了多久就能掌握有關(guān)計算機(jī)的基本知識。( pick up)5. 你連走路的力氣都沒有，更不用說跑步了。( let along) 第43頁/共45頁1.He was so absorbed in his work that he didnt hear others calling him.2.Regardless of who is the next president, the friendship between our two countries will exist.3.Its so noisy outside that I cant concentrate on my English study.4.It wont take you long to pick up the basic knowledge of computers.5.You had hardly any strength to walk, let alone run.Translation第44頁/共45頁感謝您的觀看！第45頁/共45頁