1. What mass media do you know?

about people, animals, and things in faraway lands. Millions of viewers around the world can watch sports events and other events of worldwide interest. TV brings its viewers a steady stream of programmes that are designed to give information and to entertain. In fact, television provides more entertainment programmes that any other kind of mass media. The programmes include sports events, variety shows, quiz shows, feature films, cartoons, fictional serials called soap operas, etc. There are two main kinds of television stations: public stations and commercial stations. Public television stations are supported by the government. They usually broadcast more educational programmes and programmes on cultural subjects. News and current affairs programmes make up an important section of programmes for most public television stations. Commercial television stations are run by private companies. They sell advertising time to pay for their operating costs and to make a profit for the companies that run the stations. People can also subscribe to cable television system. Viewers pay a fee for this service. Cable television signals are delivered to home TVsets of their customers by cables. Some cable systems carry more than one hundred channels – far more than can broadcast even in the largest urban areas. Satellite broadcasting is another form of subscription television. The signals are transmitted to home TVsets from a direct broadcasting satellite in space. The viewer must have a dish-receiver aerial to receive the programmes. We may speak about different advantages and drawbacks of television but almost every home has at least one TVset. On average, a TVset is in use for about 7 hours each day. Thus, television is the most effective means of mass communication known to mankind. It has become the people’s eyes and ears on the world.

III. Найдите в тексте эквиваленты следующих слов и словосочетаний: средства массовой информации, телевидение, телевизор, дома, в далеких странах, спортивные события, зрители, фактически, развлекательные программы, развлекательные представления, художественные фильмы, мультфильмы, художественные сериалы, мыльные оперы, общественные телевизионные станции, транслировать, текущие события, составляют важную часть, продавать рекламное время, затраты, приносить прибыль, управлять станцией, кабельное телевидение, намного больше, спутниковое вещание.

IV. Найдите в тексте синонимы следующих слов: to watch, to comprise, major, to transmit, various, disadvantage.

V. Найдите в тексте антонимы следующих слов: the least, without, less, to buy, the smallest, disadvantage.

VI. Процитируйте предложения из текста, в которых употреблены следующие слова и словосочетания: in faraway lands, a steady stream, soap operas, current affairs, to make a profit, pay a fee, at least.

VIII. Употребите нужную форму глагола to be, to have. Besides the advantages, the television … some drawbacks. To tell the truth, there … many TV programmes that … no cultural or artistic value. There … rather many films about gangsters and killers. We … so tired of them. Lately, so many advertisement clips … appeared on TV screens. But still, TV remains the main source of information, and we … spending a lot of our free time in front of our TVsets.

IX. Дайте ответы на следующие вопросы:

1. What kinds of mass media do you know?

2. Why is TV one of the important mass media?

3. What kinds of mass media do you prefer?

4. How many TVsets do you have at home?

5. How much time a day do you watch TV?

6. Do you have cable or satellite television at home?

7. Do you watch educational programmes?

8. Do you use Internet? For what?