Statements

1. Radio in the UK

2. Television in the UK

3. Radio in the USA

4. Television in the USA

1. ___ The citizens of this country can choose between more that half a thousand radio stations.

2. ___ In this country FM radio mainly broadcasts music while AM radio specializes in talk and news programmes.

3. ___ This radio station specializes in broadcasting high-quality classical music during the day.

4. ___ Half a dozen proprietors own most of TV channels in this country. 

5. ___ This country has three main national TV networks.

6. ___ This country has one national public television broadcast service.

7. ___ The radio in this country has always been financed by individuals, not the government.

8. ___ In this country, prime tome programmes usually finish with a late-night interview show.

9. ___ In this country, freeform stations are no longer as popular as they used to be in the 1990s.

10. ___ In this country, reality television shows took over family-oriented comedy programs.

11. ___ The target audience of this TV channel is more intellectual than of all the other channels.

12. ___ In this country, cable television took off only the 1970s die to some technical reasons.

14. TASK 6. Match the types of TV programmes below with their definitions.

15. Part 1

    1	a game show	a	a film or a television or radio programme that gives detailed information about a particular subject
    2	a sitcom(situation comedy)	b	television, radio or internet programme consisting of various news events and other  information
    3	a quiz (pl. – quizzes)	c	a genre of broadcast journalism where the emphasis is on detailed analysis and discussion of news stories that have recently occurred or are ongoing at the time of broadcast
    4	a chat show (BrE) = a talk show (AmE)	d	an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial  format on television or radio
    5	a variety show	e	a TV or radio competition or game in which people have to answer questions
    6	a news broadcast = a news bulletin = a newscast (Am.E)	f	a funny television programme in which the same characters appear in different situations each week
    7	a soap opera	g	a television or radio show on which people talk about themselves in reply to questions
    8	a serial = a series	h	a television programme in which people play games or answer questions to win prizes
    9	a current affairs programme (BrE) = public-affairs programs (AmE)	i	a television or radio programme or a performance that consists of many different shorter performances, especially musical and humorous ones
    10	a documentary	j	a set of television or radio programmes that have the same characters or deal with the same type of subject, and are usually broadcast every week or several times a week

17. Part 2

    11	a news flash	k	a programme on the radio or on television sent out at the same time as the events are happening
    12	a reality show	l	a radio or television programme in which listeners' or viewers' questions, comments, etc., are telephoned to the studio and broadcast live
    13	a slapstick comedy	m	a film or television programme that is being shown again on television/ a television or radio programme that has been broadcast before
    14	a makeover programme	n	a TV or radio contest in which contestants demonstrate their intellect, witticism or humour
    15	a rerun = a repeat	o	humorous acting in which the performers fall over, throw things at each other etc
    16	a home improvement programme/ a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) show	p	a long television advertisement that provides a lot of information and seems like a normal programme
    17	a live broadcast	q	a single item of important news that is broadcast separately and often interrupts other programs
    18	an infomercial	r	a programme that helps the viewers deal with common maintenance problems in ageing flats, such as taps or ceiling leaks, in a systematic and comprehensive manner
    19	a phone-in	s	a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded
    20	apanelgame	t	a TV show that helps people change their image or lifestyle

19. TASK 7. Match the title of the TV shows with their genres.

    1	Eastenders	a	a lifestyle show
    2	The Biggest Loser	b	a home improvement programme/a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) show
    3	60 minutes	c	animal and wildlife show
    4	Lie to me	d	a ‘telethon’ charity show
    5	House Doctor	e	a game show
    6	Weatherview	f	a phone-in shopping programme
    7	Wish you were here	g	a talk show
    8	Mad Money	h	a sports programme
    9	Britain’s got talent	i	a music programme
    10	America this week	j	a documentary
    11	You are what you eat	k	a soap opera
    12	Friday Night with Jonathan Ross	l	a travel and holiday programme
    13	Life Aid	m	drama/a feature film
    14	Monkey Business	n	a news broadcast
    15	MTV unplugged	o	a reality show
    16	Bid-Up TV	p	a detailed weather forecast
    17	Steven Fry in America	q	a programme on politics
    18	Super Bowl	r	a financial programme

21. TASK 8. Translate the sentences below into your mother tongue, paying special attention to the media vocabulary.

    1	Once the programme was broadcast, the BBC received forty telephone calls, and hundreds of letters poured into our recently acquired PO Box, many containing donations.
    2	How many times have you flicked through the TV channels only to find nothing worth watching?
    3	Most MTV Hollywood films are just trailers with delusions of grandeur, taking their cues from pop videos and ads in an attempt to accommodate a generation raised on channel hopping and the fast-forward button.
    4	Never forget that the producer of the program is trying to grab you before you zap away to another news show.
    5	Broadcasting seven days a week from 3 pm to 3 am, and increasing to eighteen hours a day within two years, Ovation will offer a daily cultural news review, interviews, profiles, live or pre-recorded dramatic performances, dance events, museum visits and concerts (possibly with radio simulcast), as well as specially promoted monthly ‘blockbuster specials’.
    6	Tune in to the Breakfast Show tomorrow to win VIP tickets to the Lollapalooza festival on Long Island.
    7	Now Americans boast of their own ‘princess’— Maria Shriver, attractive niece of the late John F. Kennedy, wife of film star Arnold Schwarzenegger and powerful TV news anchorwoman.

23. TASK 9. Fill in the gaps in the conversation below with one of the words and expressions from the box.

    commercials	couch potato	sitcom	trials and tribulations	game show	soap opera
    mystery	documentary	trivia	science fiction	prime-time	kick back

24. Janet: Let's do something! Why don't we go out for dinner or go dancing.  Jack: I'm watching TV. 

25. Janet: You're always watching TV. Stop being such a ________ (1). Get up, and let's do something! Jack: I am doing something. I'm watching TV.  Janet: You're always watching a new episode of some stupid ________ (2)! It's a waste of time, and a waste of brain power.  Jack: Sometimes it's nice just to ________ (3), relax and laugh a little. There is nothing wrong with a little comedy in one's life. In fact, that's why I married you.  Janet: Ha, ha! VERY FUNNY!  Jack: Besides, I am watching something serious.  Janet: What? I bet it's some ridiculous _________(4) with perfect looking people complaining about the _________(5) of daily life.  Jack: Nope, wrong again.  Janet: Then it must be a _________ (6) news program describing how some woman went crazy and killed her husband.  Jack: No, I watched that last night. You had better guess quickly - the _________ (7) are almost over.  Janet: Is it a murder _________ (8)? Or some _________ (9) show like Star Trek?  Jack: No.  Janet: A _________ (10) where they test your knowledge of useless _________ (11)?  Jack: No, it's a _________ (12) on dolphins in the Caribbean.  Janet: Hey, that sounds interesting!  Jack: Why don't we make some popcorn and then watch the rest of it together.

27. TASK 10. Put each of the following words or phrases in its correct place in the passage below.

    viewers	subjective	mass media	quiz shows	soap operas
    indoctrinate	channels	objective	commercials	switch

28. ________ (1) is a phrase often used to describe ways of giving information and entertainment to very large numbers of people. It includes newspapers, advertising and radio and, of course, television. In most developed countries people can ________ (2) to any of three or four hundred different ________ (3). Do television programmes influence our minds? Do they ________ (4) us? Is the news completely ________ (5), neutral, or is it ________ (6) and considered from only one particular point of view? Don't the ________ (7) for alcohol, food and other goods condition our minds? Even the ________ (8) going on week after week telling the story of one family or group of people sometimes make us want to copy the life style we see on the screen. Also ________ (9) which give people big prizes for answering simple questions can make us greedy. Some programmes are watched by tens of millions of ________ (10) throughout the world. Does it mean that very soon we all be alike, dress alike and think alike?

30. TASK 11. Choose the right answer.

31. 1. Did you see that ______ about wildlife in Africa on TV last week?

32. a) slapstick b) soap opera c) documentary

33. 2. All three TV channels provide extensive ______ of sporting events.

34. a) broadcast b) coverage c) network

35. 3. We hope to bring you further news of this in our next ______ at midnight.

36. a) bulletin b) programme c) episode

37. 4. We covered a wide ______ of topics in the interview.

38. a) collection b) number c) range

39. 5. TVP Channel One tries to ______ for all tastes.

40. a) cater b) regard c) suit

41. 6. We are interrupting this programme for a news ______.

42. a) alarm b) flash c) signal

43. 7. I must remember to ______ my TV licence next week.

44. a) renew b) regain c) retain

45. 8. The programme was so successful that a ______ series is being made.

46. a) after-effect b) by-product c) follow-up

47. 9. There are several TV ______ in Ukraine, and all of them allow advertising.

48. a) channels b) canals c) broadcasts

49. 10. Violent programmes on TV may have a bad ______ on children.

50. a) control b) influence c) pressure

51. 11. There is a fault at our television station. Please do not ______ your set.

52. a) adjust b) change c) switch

53. 12. The laughter on many comedies on TV isn't real laughter, it's ______ laughter.

54. a) bottled b) canned c) corked

55. 13. There are many ______ on television where a team of people have to answer questions.

56. a) inquiries b) puzzles c) quizzes

57. 14. The poor reception on your TV is probably due to the outside ______.

58. a) interception b) interference c) intervention

60. TASK 12. Listen to the conversation on http://www.esl-lab.com/tvguide/tvguiderd1.htm and do the task given below. Then check yourself and read the script. Be ready to answer in class the teacher’s questions about the conversation you heard.

1. When is the reality show on TV? What channel is showing the program?

1. At 7:00 on Channel 5

2. At 7:30 on Channel 7

3. At 8:00 on Channel 11

2.  Why doesn’t the man want to watch the reality show?

   1. He watched the same program last week.

   2. He isn't interested in show's theme.

   3. He wants to go swimming instead.

3. How does the man feel about watching Star Wars on TV?

   1. He wouldn't mind seeing it again.

   2. He'd like to watch it if he had more time.

   3. He'd prefer to watch something else.

4. Which statement best describes the man's feelings about watching the home improvement show?

   1. He doesn't want to watch because his wife will expect him to fix things around the house.

   2. He thinks that he will be able to get a better job by learning from the show. 

   3. He thinks it is easier to get someone else to repair their problems around the house.

5. What does the couple decide to watch?

1. a TV drama

2. a sports event

3. a talk show