Lesson 3 ENVISION TELEVISION

1. Look at the adjectives that go with the word «television». Explain the meanings of the phrases. Use the phrases to make up sentences that are true about you.

2. What kind of television do you and your family usually watch? Do you do it together or separately? What programmes or channels do you and your family prefer? Be truthful! Compare your answers with those of other students. How different are they? Is it possible to make a conclusion about what younger and older generations prefer to watch on TV?

3. Work in groups of 4 — 5 students. Interview each other about how much TV they watch a week. Make a summary for each group and then — for the whole class. What are the overall results? What do you think of them?

4. You are going to listen to a part of an educational TV show. In pairs, discuss what the words and phrases below may mean. Discuss and predict how they will be used in the show. Then, listen and report the sentences, in which they were actually used.

the idiot box, the boob tube, stupid, smart, genius, intelligence, pediatricians, delay development

5. Answer the following questions about the show.

1) Is it a scientific fact that watching TV makes thinking abilities worse?

2) Is it true to say that the research has been done for about 70 years?

3) Children of what age are NOT mentioned in the show?

4) What is mentioned as a factor to help children become better learners?

How much television do you watch a week?

□ None!

□ Less than an hour.

□ About 1 - 2 hours per week.

□ More than 2 but less than 5 hours per week.

□ More than 5 but less than 10 hours per week.

□ 10 or more hours per week.

□ I never turn the TV off!

Did you know?

On 30 October 1925, John Logie Baird made the first transmission of a moving image of a human face by television.

6. How do you understand the main message of the speaker? Do you agree with it? Why? / Why not?

7. Make a brief report of the show using your answers from ex. 4 and words and phrases from ex. 3.

8. Ask your parents, relatives, neighbours and friends beyond school (10 people in total) about their opinions of TV - if it is more useful or more harmful.

Don’t forget to ask for facts or examples to support their ideas. Then, make up a summary table like this: