Passage Nineteen (TV’s Harmfulness)

Yes, but what did we use to do before there was television? How often we hear statements like this! Television hasn’t been with us all that long, but we are already beginning to forget what the world was like without it. Before we admitted the one-eyed monster into our homes, we never fond it difficult to occupy our spare time. We used to enjoy civilized pleasures. For instance, we used to have hobbies, we used to entertain our friends and be entertained by them, we used to go outside for our amusements to theatres, cinemas, restaurants and sporting events. We even used to read books and listen to music and broadcast talks occasionally. All that belongs to the past. Now all our free time is regulated by the goggle box. We rush home or gulp down our meals to be in time for this or that programme. We have even given up sitting at table and having a leisurely evening meal, exchanging the news of the day. A sandwich and a glass of beer will do – anything, providing it doesn’t interfere with the programme. The monster demands and obtains absolute silence and attention. If any member of the family dares to open his mouth during a programme, he is quickly silenced.

Whole generations are growing up addicted to the telly. Food is left uneaten, homework undone and sleep is lost. The telly is a universal pacifier. It is now standard practice for mother to keep the children quiet by putting them in the living-room and turning on the set. It doesn’t matter that the children will watch rubbishy commercials or spectacles of sadism and violence – so long as they are quiet.

There is a limit to the amount of creative talent available in the world. Every day, television consumes vast quantities of creative work. That is why most of the programmes are so bad: it is impossible to keep pace with the demand and maintain high standards as well. When millions watch the same programmes, the whole world becomes a village, and society is reduced to the conditions which obtain in preliterate communities. We become utterly dependent on the two most primitive media of communication: pictures and the spoken word.

Television encourages passive enjoyment. We become content with second-hand experiences. It is so easy to sit in our armchairs watching others working. Little by little, television cuts us off from the real world. We get so lazy, we choose to spend a fine day in semi-darkness, glued to our sets, rather than go out into the world itself. Television may be s splendid medium of communication, but it prevents us from communicating with each other. We only become aware how totally irrelevant television is to real living when we spend a holiday by the sea or in the mountains, far away from civilization. In quiet, natural surroundings, we quickly discover how little we miss the hypnotic tyranny of King Telly.

1.What is the biggest harm of TV?

A.It deprives people of communication with the real world.

B.People become lazy.

C.People become dependent on second-hand experience.

D.TV consumes a large part of one’s life.

2.In what way can people forget TV?

A.Far away from civilization.

B.To a mountain.

C.By the sea.

D.In quiet natural surroundings.

3.What does a mother usually do to keep her children quiet?

A.Let them watch the set.

B.Put them in the living room.

C.Let them watch the rubbish.

D.Let them alone.

4.What does the first sentence in the first paragraph mean?

A.We found it difficult to occupy our spare time.

B.We become addicted to TV.

C.What we used to do is different from now.

D.We used to enjoy civilized pleasures.

One of the biggest challenges facing students and their families is what career they should enter and what is the best path for them to take.

I was talking to someone the other day who told me he first studied accounting because that was what everyone was studying several years ago. It was and some say still is a reliable career. However, then he told me that he was now studying financial investment because again--- that’s what everyone was studying now and it was needed if he wanted to get ahead in the company.

And I asked him what he was actually interested in and then— well the conversation kind of died. So I asked why he had bothered studying accounting in the first place and he explained that it was his parents’ idea. Finally I asked what his passion was and he wasn’t too sure because he never thought about it.

And so it is— lifelong learning— or the continual need to make ourselves marketable in a world that appears to be more competitive as time goes by. Is there a secret to help us so we can live a life of quality?

Regardless or not at this stage in world history with increasing connection between people,

ideas and markets — the ability to match the needs and desires of the day with your own skills and products is a tremendous and vigorous challenge.

Many have gone into English or foreign language study because it was encouraged at the time when China was entering the WTO. Or maybe they were interested in international affairs or working abroad. Upon graduation they then faced the reality that there was a limit to how many jobs they could apply for.

Perhaps some then studied further doing courses for work such as a tour guide or translator/ interpreter. Many may have decided that going into teaching was more rewarding or stable. Others would have gone into media or advertising or conference management and acquired new skills along the way.

This constant quest to remain ahead of the game makes many upset and exhausted. Some futurists who examine technology have even predicted that people should expect to change careers six or seven times during their lifetime!

So if you are concerned by the nature of change, why not start spending more time looking at the most modern leading economies, institutions and their publications. A whole lot of changes are starting to happen yet there is no reason why this cannot be enjoyable, exciting and also rewarding. Our attitude, approach and willingness to continually learn and update our skills must remain strong.

My tip is to track the work that our government is setting about to achieve. In particular, look at the people who have been chosen as the key support team and try to read behind the light surface news and look at their career development and examine the recent reports that they are now recommending the government move towards. Key industry development, new ways of dealing with information and new demands are creating opportunities for the students and workers of tomorrow — if we stay prepared.

1.Who is this article intended for?

A．Government administrators.

B．Students planning their careers.

C．Foreign language learners.

D．Professors designing courses.

2.The case of the student who first studied accounting and then financial investment shows ______.

A．many people decide their majors without knowing their own interest

B．parents’ decisions are always blind and will result in a life of low quality

C．accounting and financial investment are necessary to ensure a reliable career.

D．people never have a chance to think about their own interest in choosing career.

3.In the writer’s opinion, to make yourself competitive in the changing world today is _____.

A．exhausting        B．disappointing       C．unbelievable       D．necessary

4.According to the writer, lifetime learning can be exciting if ______.

A．we are prepared for the changes

B．we know who President has on his support team

C．we read the publications of advanced institutions

D．we learn English or some other foreign languages

5.Whoever has been chosen as the key support team of the government _______.

A．shows the government’s interest in new information

B．enables you to find out how hard-working these people are

C．indicates the direction the economy is developing

D．reveals the government encourages creative young people

TV’s Harmfulness

       Yes, but what did we use to do before there was television? How often we hear statements like this! Television hasn’t been with us all that long, but we are already beginning to forget what the world was like without it. Before we admitted the one-eyed monster into our homes,  we never fond it difficult to occupy our spare time. We used to enjoy civilized pleasures. For instance, we used to have hobbies, we used to entertain our friends and be entertained by them, we used to go outside for our amusements to theatres, cinemas, restaurants and sporting events. We even used to read books and listen to music and broadcast talks occasionally. All that belongs to the past. Now all our free time is regulated by the goggle box. We rush home or gulp down our meals to be in time for this or that programme. We have even given up sitting at table and having a leisurely evening meal, exchanging the news of the day. A sandwich and a glass of beer will do – anything, providing it doesn’t interfere with the programme. The monster demands and obtains absolute silence and attention. If any member of the family dares to open his mouth during a programme, he is quickly silenced.

       Whole generations are growing up addicted to the telly（电视）. Food is left uneaten, homework undone and sleep is lost. The telly is a universal pacifier. It is now standard practice for mother to keep the children quiet by putting them in the living-room and turning on the set. It doesn’t matter that the children will watch rubbishy commercials or spectacles of sadism and violence – so long as they are quiet.

       There is a limit to the amount of creative talent available in the world. Every day, television consumes vast quantities of creative work. That is why most of the programmes are so bad: it is impossible to keep pace with the demand and maintain high standards as well. When millions watch the same programmes, the whole world becomes a village, and society is reduced to the conditions which obtain in preliterate communities. We become utterly dependent on the two most primitive media of communication: pictures and the spoken word.

       Television encourages passive enjoyment. We become content with second-hand experiences. It is so easy to sit in our armchairs watching others working. Little by little, television cuts us off from the real world. We get so lazy, we choose to spend a fine day in semi-darkness, glued to our sets, rather than go out into the world itself. Television may be s splendid medium of communication, but it prevents us from communicating with each other. We only become aware how totally irrelevant television is to real living when we spend a holiday by the sea or in the mountains, far away from civilization. In quiet, natural surroundings, we quickly discover how little we miss the hypnotic tyranny of King Telly.

What is the biggest harm of TV?

A It deprives people of communication with the real world.

B People become lazy.

C People become dependent on second-hand experience.

D TV consumes a large part of one’s life.

In what way can people forget TV?

A Far away from civilization.  B To a mountain.  C By the sea.  D In quiet natural surroundings.

What does a mother usually do to keep her children quiet?

A Let them watch the set.       B Put them in the living room.

C Let them watch the rubbish.   D Let them alone.

What does the first sentence in the first paragraph mean?

A We found it difficult to occupy our spare time.      B We become addicted to TV.

C What we used to do is different from now.         D We used to enjoy civilized pleasures.

Events Calendar
TUESDAY
Landscape Pests (害虫)
Learn to identify, control and prevent seasonal landscape-disease and landscape-pest problems at the workshop, 3:30 pm. – 5 pm. Tuesday at the US National Arboretum, 3501 New York Ave NE, Washington. $15; registration required.
202-245-4521 or www.usna.usda.gov.
THROUGH AUGUST 3
Horticultural(园艺的) Art
Watercolors, pen-and-ink drawings and colored-pencil pieces by the Brookside Gardens School of Botanical (植物学的) Art and Illustration will be on display at the exhibit Botanic 2007: The Art and Science of Plants at Brookside Gardens Visitors Center, 1800 Glenallan Ave, Wheaton, through Aug. 3. Free. 301-962-1400 or www.brooksidegardens.org.
THROUGH SEPTEMBER 9
Botanical Art
Visit Patterns in Nature, an exhibit by Amy Lamb featuring photographs of flowers, leaves and other botanical life, at the US Botanic Garden Conservatory （温室），West Orangerie, 100 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, through Sept. 9. The conservatory is open 10 am. – 5 pm. Daily. Free. 202-225-8333.
THROUGH OCTOBER 8
Botanic Garden Exhibit
Celebrating America’s Public Gardens is on view through Oct. 8 at the US Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave SW, Washington. The exhibit, on the Conservatory Terrace and in the National Garden, features displays of 20 public botanic gardens across the country. Hours are 10 am. – 5 pm. Daily. Free. 202-200-8956.
【小题1】If you want to record your name for an event in advance, you may call _____.

Zhao Wenxuan，a film star from Taiwan，has been fond of seeing films since his childhood. He would sometimes go to the cinema for the same film four or five times. He also enjoys literature and art. Before he took the film acting as his career，he had worked in an airline in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan Province. His change of job to acting was quite by chance.
One day，he came across in the paper an advertisement for a leading actor to appear in the film named “Wedding Feast.” Full of excitement，he answered the job ad by telephoning the director of the film — Mr. Li An. It was this telephone call that had changed all his life. At last the director decided him to be the very person for the role. That he could be chosen owed much to his good command of English，natural manners and low pay for his work in the film.
The film “Wedding Feast” proved to be a hit. It won the German Golden Bear Award and entered the competition for one of the Oscar Academy Awards. Also, it was the first Taiwan film that was permitted to be shown in the U. S. Thanks to the film，Zhao Wenxuan became popular in Taiwan, Hong Kong and southeast Asia.
In 1994，Mr. Zhao acted as a leading role in the Hong Kong film，“Red Rose and White Rose”，in which many film stars like Ms Chen Chong from U. S. and Ms Ye Yuqing from the local area participated. This film was named for 10 prizes of the Taiwan Golden Horse Prize and at last it was awarded five prizes for the best play，actress and music. Zhao has regarded the film as one of his favorite films since he stepped into the acting circle.
Since 1993，Mr. Zhao has taken part in the shootings of 13 films， most of which are thought highly of.
Mr. Zhao said the that Taiwan should think to cooperate much with the mainland in the film producing industry and it would benefit each other. In recent years he often came to the mainland for film shooting. He has just completed his performance in the film “Love Affairs” directed by Mr. LiXin，a director from Shanghai Film Studio.
【小题1】Why could Zhao Wenxuan play the leading role in the movie “Wedding Feast”？