1
Walk into the average American home and chances are good that it will contain at least one television. Stop by at the right time, and there may be one or more people sitting close to it, staring at the flickering images on the screen. When it comes to television, it’s not only adults who are watching the programs that are broadcast to towns and cities throughout the country. Children and teens are tuning in, too. Parents and many experts are concerned about young people’s television viewing habits, and they are right to be troubled.
2
Perhaps what is most worrisome about young people and television is the quantity of time they devote to viewing programs. One foundation states that the average young person between the ages of eight and eighteen spends roughly four hours a day watching television, an amount which most people would likely agree is excessive.
3
The time young people spend watching television each and every week is time that is wasted. Just think of what they could be doing instead! Completing homework, volunteering with a local charity, playing sports, or just sitting and talking with family members are all better ways to fill free hours.
4
According to one organization that works with children and families, young people who are regular television watchers read fewer books than those who are not. This suggests that television cuts down on reading time or even discourages the practice. This makes sense. Reading challenges the imagination, as the reader must invent images with each turn of the page. When someone watches a television show, this work is done for the viewer. Naturally, many young people will opt for the form of entertainment that requires less effort.
5
Television is a method of transmitting information, and a lot of the messages young people are receiving are negative and out of line with reality. A growing number of shows are violent, for example. Actors in many series are beautiful people with perfect bodies. Young people may be portrayed disrespecting or bullying others. Over time, adolescents may come to believe that they should look and act like the characters they see on television.
6
It’s unlikely that television will disappear from American society anytime soon, but that does not mean people cannot take action in their own homes. Television has virtually no benefits for young people, so the best thing families can do is to keep their televisions turned off most of the time, cancel their cable subscriptions, or, better yet, get rid of these devices entirely.
Multiple Choice Question
In paragraph 4 of Why Young People Should Tune Out, what MAIN connection does the author make between television and reading?
A.
Having a television in the home leads to young people being less able to use their imaginations.
B.
Watching television draws young people away from reading because they can get the same information in less time.
C.
Watching television draws young people away from reading because it requires less thought and effort.
D.
Having a television in the home leads to young people having fewer books to read.
1 answer
The correct answer is:
C. Watching television draws young people away from reading because it requires less thought and effort.
This choice captures the main point made in paragraph 4, where the author discusses how reading challenges the imagination and requires effort, while watching television does not, leading young people to prefer the easier option of TV.
