Discoveries and invention of devices are always welcome till we, humans, find a way to abuse its benefits and be adversely affected by it. This was the case when Wilhelm Roentgen discovered x-ray and within five years, the British Army was using a mobile x-ray unit to locate bullets and shrapnel in wounded soldiers in the Sudan. TV was also invented with positive thoughts in mind there would be no national borders, education and communication would be worldwide, etc. However, we are now trying to overcome its physiological and psychological adverse effects on human beings.
One of the physiological effects of watching TV in excessive amounts is eye-strain. It is true that there are specifications for watching TV; TV should be 5 m. away from the eye, the room should be adequately lit, TV should be placed at the same height with our eyes, etc. However, these do not prevent our eyes from getting tired if we keep watching TV for a long time. Another effect is obesity, which is widely observed in people who like watching TV and eating snacks everyday (there is even a term TV snacks to refer to fast food that is suitable for eating in front of the TV). TV is such a powerful machine that people cannot get away from it it is addictive.
Apart from the physiological effects, TV also causes psychological effects. One is a result of being exposed to violence. After seeing so many violent scenes on TV, people start considering violent actions normal and they lose their sensitivity to their environment. Partly connected to this effect, the interpersonal communication among people decreases. Being insensitive to the suffering of other people causes people to become alienated. Also, after coming home from work people seek to relax in front of the TV, and generally people prefer watching TV to talking to each other. This issue is very important since lack of interpersonal relationships mostly end with divorces.
Shortly, inventions are meant to be beneficial for human beings, if we know how to benefit from them. TV is one of such inventions that need to be used for the right purpose only being educated and entertained for a reasonable (according to age) period of time. We may, then, be safe from or at least reduce the adverse physiological and psychological effects of watching too much TV
Exercise 14. Make up 5 questions on the text. Then work in groups of 3 students. Ask and answer the questions.
What do you think about:
1. Television: for and against
Television in your live
Television and the Internet
TEST YOURSELF
1.1. She ______ cold. I'll lend her my coat.
2. A. is looking B. has been looking C. looks ve
3. 2. I ___ hard, so now Im going to have a rest.
A. work B. have been working C. was working
4. 3. Ive written the letter but I havent posted it ___.
A. just B. yet C. always
I _____ for a job.
A. have looked B. m looking C. look
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5. Its the first time he ___ a car.
A. drives B. drive C. has driven
It snowed a lot last winter but it ___ this winter.
A. snowing B. hasnt snowed C. to snow
While I _____ to the assistant, the manager found my receipt.
A. complained B. was complaining C. have been complaining
Tom ___ his key yesterday.
A. has lost B. loses C. lost
I ___ English since December.
A. am learning B. learn C. have been learning
10. What time ___ Jack tomorrow?
A. you meet B. were you meeting C. are you meeting
I ______ near the house when a tile _____ off the roof. It nearly hit me.
A. walked, fell B. walked, has fallen C. was walking, felle
Robert _____ in Kharkiv a few weeks ago.
A. arrives B. arrived C. has arrived
My aunt _____ in the park now.
A. is walking B. was walking C. walks
They _____ the problem since one o clock.
A. are discussing B. discussed C. have been discussing
The researcher _____ the territory since last December.
A. has been exploring B. explores C. exploring
UNIT 7
GRAMMAR: PAST PERFECT; FUTURE PERFECT; REVISION OF TENSES
TEXTS: NUCLEAR REACTORS, TYPES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
PAST PERFECT
| Affirmative form | Interrogative form | Negative form | |
| I You He She It We You They | had played | I you he Had she played? it we they | I You He She It had not played We (hadnt) You They |
SHORT ANSWERS
| Affirmative form | Negative form |
| I he she Yes, it had we you they | I he she No, it had not we (hadnt) you they |
Past Perfect :
1. , . ij, , Past Perfect, Past Indefinite:
When he came, I had been there for half an hour.
2. :
I had done my work by eight oclock.
