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正确答案：The Benefits of TelevisionWe hear a lot about the negative effects of television on the viewer. Obviously television can be harmful if it is watched constantly to the exclusion of other activities. It would be just as harmful to listen to CDs all the time or to eat constantly. However when television is watched in moderation it is extremely valuable as it provides relaxation entertainment and education.First of all watching TV has the value of sheer relaxation. Watching television can be soothing and restful after an eight-hour day of pressure challenges or concentration. After working hard all day people look forward to a new episode of a favorite show or yet another showing of The Hero or Sleepless in Seattle. This period of relaxation leaves viewers refreshed and ready to take on the world again. Watching TV also seems to reduce stress in some people. This benefit of television is just beginning to be recognized. One doctor for example advises his patients with high blood pressure to relax in the evening with a few hours of television.In addition to being relaxing television is entertaining. Along with the standard comedies dramas and game shows that provide enjoyment for viewers television offers a variety of movies and sports events. Moreover in many areas viewers can pay a monthly fee and receive special cable programming. With this service viewers can watch first-run movies rock and classical music concerts and specialized sports events like international soccer and Grand Prix racing. Viewers can also buy or rent movies to show on their television sets through DVD players or VCRs. Still another growing area of TV entertainment is video games. Cartridges are available for everything from electronic baseball to Mortal Kombat allowing the owner to have a video game arcade in the living room.Most importantly television is educational. Preschoolers learn colors numbers and letters from public television programs like Sesame Street that use animation and puppets to make learning fun. Science shows for older children like those in CCTV-10 go on location to analyze everything from volcanoes to rocket launches. Adults too can get an education from courses given on television. Also television widens our knowledge by covering important events and current news. Viewers can see and hear presidents" speeches state funerals natural disasters and election results as they are happening. Finally with a phone line and a special terminal television allows any member of the family to access and learn from all the information resources on the Internet.Perhaps because television is such a powerful force we like to criticize it and search for its flows. However the benefits of television should not be ignored. We can use television to relax to have fun and to make ourselves smarter. This electronic wonder then is a servant not a master.
TheBenefitsofTelevisionWehearalotaboutthenegativeeffectsoftelevisionontheviewer.Obviously,televisioncanbeharmfulifitiswatchedconstantlytotheexclusionofotheractivities.ItwouldbejustasharmfultolistentoCDsallthetimeortoeatconstantly.However,whentelevisioniswatchedinmoderation,itisextremelyvaluable,asitprovidesrelaxation,entertainment,andeducation.Firstofall,watchingTVhasthevalueofsheerrelaxation.Watchingtelevisioncanbesoothingandrestfulafteraneight-hourdayofpressure,challenges,orconcentration.Afterworkinghardallday,peoplelookforwardtoanewepisodeofafavoriteshoworyetanothershowingofTheHeroorSleeplessinSeattle.Thisperiodofrelaxationleavesviewersrefreshedandreadytotakeontheworldagain.WatchingTValsoseemstoreducestressinsomepeople.Thisbenefitoftelevisionisjustbeginningtoberecognized.Onedoctor,forexample,adviseshispatientswithhighbloodpressuretorelaxintheeveningwithafewhoursoftelevision.Inadditiontobeingrelaxing,televisionisentertaining.Alongwiththestandardcomedies,dramas,andgameshowsthatprovideenjoymentforviewers,televisionoffersavarietyofmoviesandsportsevents.Moreover,inmanyareas,viewerscanpayamonthlyfeeandreceivespecialcableprogramming.Withthisservice,viewerscanwatchfirst-runmovies,rockandclassicalmusicconcerts,andspecializedsportsevents,likeinternationalsoccerandGrandPrixracing.ViewerscanalsobuyorrentmoviestoshowontheirtelevisionsetsthroughDVDplayersorVCRs.StillanothergrowingareaofTVentertainmentisvideogames.CartridgesareavailableforeverythingfromelectronicbaseballtoMortalKombat,allowingtheownertohaveavideogamearcadeinthelivingroom.Mostimportantly,televisioniseducational.Preschoolerslearncolors,numbers,andlettersfrompublictelevisionprograms,likeSesameStreet,thatuseanimationandpuppetstomakelearningfun.Scienceshowsforolderchildren,likethoseinCCTV-10,goonlocationtoanalyzeeverythingfromvolcanoestorocketlaunches.Adults,too,cangetaneducationfromcoursesgivenontelevision.Also,televisionwidensourknowledgebycoveringimportanteventsandcurrentnews.Viewerscanseeandhearpresidents"speeches,statefunerals,naturaldisasters,andelectionresultsastheyarehappening.Finally,withaphonelineandaspecialterminal,televisionallowsanymemberofthefamilytoaccessandlearnfromalltheinformationresourcesontheInternet.Perhapsbecausetelevisionissuchapowerfulforce,weliketocriticizeitandsearchforitsflows.However,thebenefitsoftelevisionshouldnotbeignored.Wecanusetelevisiontorelax,tohavefun,andtomakeourselvessmarter.Thiselectronicwonder,then,isaservant,notamaster.