大学英语1 第4课.docVIP

Unit Four 　Click the button to listen to the text　　Many people in the United States spend most of their free time watching television. Certainly, there are many worthwhile programs on television, includ-ing news, educational programs for children, pro-grams on current social problems, plays, movies, con-erts, and so on. Nevertheless, perhaps people shouldnot be spending so much of their time in front of theTV. Mr. Mayer imagines what we might do if we wereforced to find other activities. 　　　TURNING OFF TV : A QUIET HOUR　I would like to propose that for sixty to ninety minutes each evening,right after the early evening news, all television broadcasting in the UnitedStates 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. 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 ourproblems -- everything, in fact, from the generation gap to the high di-vorce rate to some forms of mental illness - are caused at least in part by failure to communicate. We do not tell each other what is disturbing us. The result is emotional difficulty of one kind or another. By using the quietfamily hour to discuss our problems, we might get to know each other bet-ter, and to like each other better.On evenings when such talk is unnecessary , families could rediscover more active pastimes. Freed form 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.With free time and no TV, children and adults might rediscover read-ing. 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