Средства массовой информации

Match the words to make up phrases.

Choose the correct variant. If the __________________________ is busy, you might have problems with the Internet.

Choose the correct variant. John ____________________________ his monthly subscription because it was too expensive.

Choose the correct variant. Many teenagers suffer from social networking _____________________________.

Fill in the gap with the right form of the verb. I took some really nice photos when I _______________ (to be) in Spain.

Fill in the gap with the right form of the verb. John ____________________ (to listen) to the radio when the batteries ran out.

Fill in the gap with the right form of the verb. I was watching TV when the accident ____________________ (to happen).

Fill in the gap with the right form of the verb. Bob was having some coffee with his friends when he ____________________ (to hear) the news.

Read the text and fill in the gaps with the right phrases. Can you imagine your life without television? Most of Russian families watch it. Some families keep the television turned on most of the time,. They can watch anything. They turn the television on first thing in the morning and forget to turn it off when they go to bed. These people get so used to TV watching. Yet, in most families television is turned on for two or three hours a day. Young children are not recommended to watch TV for more than an hour a day. Nowadays there are TV programmes that serve. Men traditionally watch sports programmes and never miss important football matches. If they want to watch a film, they choose a comedy, a thriller or a crime film. Women may watch serials, comic series, pop-music concerts, romantic comedies and melodramas. , talk shows and quizzes. Those who have more developed tastes listen to classical music, watch plays and serious films. Some people prefer science programmes,. Young people never miss a good musical programme or a popular comic series, some watch reality shows. Children watch cartoons, children’s educational programmes and bedtime stories.

Read the text and put the sentences into the correct category. It has always been impossible to imagine our life without the mass media. The most ancient mass media are books. Nowadays the most important mass media are newspapers, magazines, radio, television and the Internet. All mass media are supposed to inform, educate and entertain people. Subconsciously they influence the way people look at the world and make them change their views. They even help to mould public opinion. Let us consider the advantages and disadvantages of different mass media. On the one hand, radio, television and the press are valuable because they help to get the latest news, including the weather forecast. We can get information from the Internet in a few minutes. Besides, listening to the radio, watching films on TV, reading the press or navigating the Internet is a good way to relax. On the other hand, the mass media usually focus on negative information. Watching news programmes we primarily learn about war, crimes, disasters and accidents. Negative information causes stress and bad mood. Some children may become aggressive if they watch violent programmes. What is more, there is a lot of gossip in the Press and on TV. The latter also abounds in stupid chat shows, endless daily soap operas and terrible action films. Some people are complaining that nowadays the media are full of violence and advertising. On the whole, it is true. But nobody makes you watch it. You have a choice and you are free to choose. The situation is the same with the Internet, which is considered to be the newest kind of mass media. It’s a powerful means of communication and a great source of information which helps in school studies. As for me, I use the Internet for finding information and for communicating with my mates. I also download music and films. To sum up, the mass media are an essential part of modern society. We are able to benefit from their advantages and have to cope with their disadvantages.