Unit Four Turning Off TV: A Quiet Hour

Teaching Objectives and Contents: 1. Key words and phrases. 2. Get to know the history of TV sets and also the advantages and disadvantages of TV in order to help students develop a good attitude towards TV.

Warm-up questions 1. When do you watch TV? 2. What are your favorite TV programs? Why? 3. How do you spend your spare time besides watching TV?

Background Information 1.U.S.television ——— yesterday and today A demonstration of television was held at the New York Word's Fair in During 1940s networks were established and TV sets began to be sold. During 1950s television started to take the place of radio in U.S.A. Today there are a thousand stations all over the country, and in many places there is a choice of 5-6 channels, not including the cable programs one can buy. The Big Three of the networks ___the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), and the American Broadcasting Company (ABC)___introduce a large number of new shows, which are relayed through out the U.S. and are often sold abroad. What is generally known as "cable TV" is actually a system of "community antenna television ".Cablevision, transmitted via direct cables connected to each television set, offers viewers a large choice of programs, as well as excellent reception.

There is also pay TV, known as toll TV or subscription TV, which differs from cable TV in two important aspects. Pay TV entirely originates its own programs and charge a fee for viewing each program. Nearly all TV in the U.S is commercial. So programs are interrupted every 15 minutes or so for advertisement. There is, however, one channel where there are no commercial breaks. Programs on this channel are run by the Public Broadcasting Service.

2.The Generation Gap The term is used to mean differences in ideas, life styles and attitudes between older and younger people, differences which result in a lack of understanding between them and frequently lead to confrontations. The reason for the gap is that the tremendous explosion of knowledge in the twentieth century has made life for young people today so very different from life as it was when their parents were young.

3.High divorce rate in U.S A. Divorce is a major problem in US. At present, it is estimated, about 1/4 to 1/3 of all American marriages end in divorce. Studies indicate that there are more cased of divorce among persons with low incomes and inadequate education and amount those who marry at a very young age. Apart from legally divorced cases there are many separated couples. The immediate result that arises form the high divorce rate is an increasing number of single parent homes, i.e. homes where children are being raised by only one parent. The breakup of a family affects the children most in several fields: __They fear being deserted or left alone. __Many suffer from a feeling of guilty. __Some think that perhaps some of their action have caused the divorce. __Some become angry at both parents for changing their lives. __Some may direct their anger at the parent who has left or at the one who stays.

Key structures “It is (has been) +some time+since” It is thirty years since he joined the club. It has been five weeks since I became a teacher

Language points 1). worthwhile: a ~film / a ~ discussion It's worthwhile doing... __The book is worth reading. __It's worthwhile reading the book. 2).generation gap By " ~" we mean that young people and their parents don't understand each other and that different generations have different and even conflicting values. 3).barely, hardly, scarcely and no sooner can be placed at the beginning of sentences but in an inverted order. But barely, hardly, scarcely can only be followed with when ;no sooner with than. __Barely had he sat down when he heard someone knock at the door. __No sooner had I left my house than it began to rain.

4). literateeducated literacy; literal; iterati; literature __literary magazine / literary property 版权 __a more literate new generation /every literate person reads the book __American literature / We call the collected body of writing literature. 5).electronic, ~control electric: 电的 __ ~current, ~ train, ~ light electricity: 电，电学 6).in part: partly __The driver was ~responsible for the accident. __The responsibility was ~ mine. 7).come up with... put forward __For many years he kept coming up with new and good ideas. __They came up with a good excuse for being late. 8).have a ball __John had a ball at camp. __After their parents left, the children had a ball.

9). To be forced to do:to force sb. to do... __No one is forced to make a vote. __ Nobody forced Chichester to sail round the world at his 65, but himself. 10).take a serious look at:take a reasonable look at... __Let us take a serious look at the problem of environment protection. __You'd better take a reasonable look at the relationship between you two. 11).It's well known to sb.that... __It is well known to every one that water is the mother of life. __It is well known that to keep the balance of the nature is very important. 12).to fail to do :it’s a failure to do __All the people failed to persuade him from sailing alone. __Failure to keep a promise, he reaped what he had sown. 13) in the morning / at night

9). To be forced to do:to force sb. to do... __No one is forced to make a vote. __ Nobody forced Chichester to sail round the world at his 65, but himself. 10).take a serious look at:take a reasonable look at... __Let us take a serious look at the problem of environment protection. __You'd better take a reasonable look at the relationship between you two. 11).It's well known to sb.that... __It is well known to every one that water is the mother of life. __It is well known that to keep the balance of the nature is very important. 12).to fail to do :it’s a failure to do _ All the people failed to persuade him from sailing alone. __Failure to keep a promise, he reaped what he had sown. 13) in the morning / at night