Бао-пресс

Television

means of communication. It brings moving pictures and

sounds from around the world into millions of homes.

The name "Television" comes from Greek word meaning

"far", and a Latin word meaning "to see", so the word "tele

vision" means "to see far".

are commercial stations. They sell advertising time to pay for

their operating costs and to make profit. The rest are public

stations, which are nonprofit organizations.

programs because they must attract larger numbers of viewers

in order to sell advertising time at high prices. These

programs include light dramas called situation comedies;

ac- tion-packed dramas about life of detectives, police officers,

lawyers and doctors; shows featuring comedians, dancers

and singers; movies; quiz shows; soap operas; cartoons.

Commercial TV broadcasts also documentaries and talk

shows. Documentary is dramatic, but nonfictional presentation

of information. It can be programs about people, animals in

faraway places or programs on such issues as alcoholism,

drug abuse, racial prejudice. On talk shows a host interviews

politicians, TV and movie stars, athletes, authors. There are

also sport programs and brief summaries of local, national

and international news. Advertising is an important part

of commercial TV. Commercials appear between and during

most programs. They urge viewers to buy different kinds of

products — from dog food to hair spray, and from cars to

insurance policies.

Public television focuses mainly on education and culture.

There are programs on wide range of subjects — from physics

and literature to cooking and yoga. Public TV also broadcasts

plays, ballets, symphonies as well as programs about art and

history. Public TV attracts less viewer than commercial TV.

1. What does the word television mean?

2. What kind of stations are there in the US?

3. Why do commercial stations broadcast mostly entertainment

programs?

4. What programs are broadcasted on commercial TV?

5. What programs does public TV broadcast?

6. Which kind of TV — commercial or public — attracts

more viewers?
Vocabulary:

moving pictures — движущееся изображение

Greek — греческий

Latin — латинский

commercial station — коммерческая станция

advertising time — рекламное эфирное время

operating costs — издержки

profit — прибыль

public station — общественные станции

to broadcast — передавать

entertainment — развлечение

to attract — привлекать

viewer — зритель

drama — телеспектакль

situation comedy — комедия ситуаций

action-packed — полный событий

lawyer — адвокат

comedian — актер-комик

quiz show -— викторина

cartoon — мультипликационный фильм

documentary — документальная передача

talk show — ток-шоу

issue — проблема, вопрос

drug abuse — наркомания

racial prejudice — расовые предрассудки

host — ведущий

to interview — брать интервью

athlet — спортсмен

summary — обзор

advertising — реклама

commercial — рекламный ролик

to urge — убеждать

to focus — сосредоточиваться

play — пьеса

art — искусство