Задание

Medium level

Read the essay about television and put the paragraphs in the correct order.

In the early 1950s, very few people had televisions. By the end of a century, almost every household in the western world had one television set, and many had several. Is this a good or a bad thing?

Television can be interesting and useful in a number of ways. Firstly, nature or cultural programmes are fascinating, and viewers can experience places and events they might never see in real life. Furthermore, soaps or comedy programmes can make people laugh and allow them to relax after a day at work. What's more, many programmes are educational and can help students of foreign languages, for example. Finally, television is a comfort to old people or those who live on their own.

However, television has disadvantages too. People no longer read, listen to music or talk to each other because the TV is always on. What's more, there are hundreds of channels available and many of them are unsuitable for children. In addition, television advertising can be bad because it encourages viewers to want lots of things they don't really need. Personally, I think this can be very dangerous, for example, on children's television when they advertise expensive toys or gadgets.

In conclusion, television is not necessarily a bad thing but parents should be careful how much their children watch. In my opinion, good programmes that are well made are fantastic, but on the other hand, they prevent people from taking part in other activities and some of the output is unsuitable.