Unit Four



　

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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 should
not be spending so much of their time in front of the
TV. Mr. Mayer imagines what we might do if we were
forced 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 United
States 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 our
problems -- 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 quiet
family 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 an English sentence, even at the college level.
Writing is often learned from reading. A more literate new generation could
be a product of the quiet hour.

　

A different form of reading might also be done, as it was in the past:
reading aloud. Few pastimes bring a family closer together than gathering
around and listening to mother or father read a good story. The quiet hour
could become the story hour. When the quiet hour ends, the TV networks
might even be forced to come up with better shows in order to get us back
from our newly discovered activities.
　

At first glance, the idea of an hour without TV seems radical. What
will parents do without the electronic baby-sitter? How will we spend the
time? But it is not radical at all. It has been only twenty--five years since
television came to control American free time. Those of us thirty--five and
older can remember childhoods without television, spent partly with ra-
dio -- which at least involved the listener's imagination -- but also with
reading , learning , talking , playing games , inventing new activities. It
wasn't that difficult. Honest. The truth is we had a ball.

　

　

　

Click the button to listen to the pronunciations of new words

　

　

　

New Words

　

worthwhile a.
good enough for the time or effort needed; valuable


值得花时间（或精力）的；有价值的

program(me) n.
performance on radio or television 节目

educational a.
of or for education; providing education or information


教育的；有教育意义的

current a.
of the present time 当前的

social a.
of or in society 社会的

movie n.
film that one sees at a cinema 电影

nevertheless conj.
but; however 然而，不过

propose vt.
suggest 建议

broadcasting n.
the action of sending out sound ( or images ) by

broadcast v. & n.
radio (or television) 广 播

prohibit vt.
forbid by law 禁止

proposal n.
suggestion 提议, 建议

actually ad.
in actual fact, really 实际上

generation n .
all the people about the same age ( 一 ) 代

gap n.
an empty space between two things or two parts


of a thing; a wide difference of opinion, char-


acter, or the like 缺口, 间隙; 分歧 , 隔阂

divorce n.
end of a marriage by law 离婚

rate n.
率

mental a.
of the mind 精神的;思想上的

communicate vi.
share or exchange opinions, ideas,etc.交流意见，思想等

disturb vt.
make (sb. )worried 使烦恼

emotional a.
感情的

pastime n.
anything done to pass time pleasantly 消遣, 娱乐

sunset n.
the going down of the sun; the time when the

sun goes down
日落 ( 时分 )

neighborhood n.
the area around a point or place 邻近地区 ; 地段

adult n.
成年人

typical a.
典型的

educator n.
a person whose profession is education 教育家

barely ad.
hardly 仅仅, 勉强; 几乎没有

literate a.
able to read and write 能读写的 ; 有文化的

product n.
sth. made or grown 产品

network n.
广播（或电视）联播公司；广播（或电视）网

glance n.
quick look 一瞥 ; 扫视

radical a.
extreme; very different 激进的

electronic a.
电子的

electron n.

baby-sitter n.
someone who looks after a child when the parents


are away for a short time ( 代人临时 ) 照看婴儿者

childhood n.
time when one is a child 童年

partly ad.
not completely; in some degree 部分地；在一定程度上

involve vt.
have as a part or result (必须) 包括

imagination n.
the ability to imagine 想象力

learning n.
the gaining of knowledge or skill through studying;


knowledge or skill gained through studying 学习;学问,知识

invent vt .
produce (sth. ) for the first time 发明


　

　

Phrases & Expressions
　

generation gap
failure of the younger and older generations to communi-


cate and understand one another 代沟

in part
in some degree; partly 在一定程度上；部分地

grow up
change from a child to a man or a woman 长成, 长大

bring together
cause to meet 使相聚

come up wit
think of ; produce 想出 , 提出

at first glance
when first seen or thought about 乍一看;最初考虑时

have a ball
(sl. )enjoy oneself, have a very good time 玩得开心




Proper Names
　

Mayer
迈耶（姓氏）

the United States
美国