1.What is the ongoing heated discussion about? Whether television is...

2.What effect does the fact that children are used to getting information from

TV bring? ...have been greatly weakened.

3.According to the speaker, what determines television's value to society? How

to...

It is universally accepted that television is playing an important part in people’s lives. But, there is an ongoing heated discussion as to whether television is a blessing or a curse. Television keeps one better informed about current affairs, allows one to follow the latest developments in politics and science, and offers a great variety of programs which are both instructive and stimulating. The most distant countries, the strangest customs and the most attractive scenes of nature are brought right into one’s room or household. However, some people insist that television is a curse rather than a blessing. They argue that it has brought about many serious problems. The major one is its effects on young people. Children are now so used to getting their information and entertainment from television that their literacy as well as physical ability has been greatly weakened. Even worse than that, vulgar commercials and indecent programs may cultivate their bad tastes, distort their view-points towards human life to such a degree that their minds might be corrupted. To sum up, television has both advantages and disadvantages. What ever effects it has, one point is certain, television in itself is neither good nor bad. It is the use to which it is put that determines its value to society.