Page 95 - Complete Advanced SB- www.english0905.com

www.english0905.com Unit 8

6 Now do the exam task. For questions 1–4, choose
from the extracts A–D. The extracts may be chosen
more than once.

Which writer
shares writer C’s view of the social value of 1
reality TV?

expresses a different view from the others
2
about the popularity of reality TV?
takes a similar view to B about the way
participants are controlled in reality TV

shows?
C
expresses a different opinion from the
Far from discouraging hard work and education, reality
others about the authenticity of reality TV
TV programmes help to create a society in which we have
shows?
shared experiences and a strong sense of community.
Despite the fact that they do not refl ect reality, they provide
an important social glue. In the past, there were only a
few television channels, and everybody watched the same Exam advice
programmes. This sense of a shared experience helped to t Read the four texts and make sure you understand
bind people together, giving them common things to talk what they are about. Pay particular attention to
about at work the next day: so-called ‘water cooler moments’. any opinions and attitudes expressed. Identify
Reality programmes play that role in contemporary society any similarities or differences of opinion which are
with viewership being almost a cultural imperative, an immediately obvious.
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experience shared simultaneously with friends and family. t Read the questions one at a time and identify the
The criticism that reality TV shows may corrupt viewers is not aspect of the topic being focused on.
sustainable. Just as it is possible to empathise with real-life t To answer the questions, you will need to keep this
criminals without going on to commit crimes ourselves, there topic in mind and then scan the texts as often as
is no reason why viewers should be persuaded to emulate the necessary, looking for the similarities or differences of
morality of reality TV programmes. opinion. You will always have to compare all the texts
with each other to fi nd the correct answer.
D
7 Work in pairs and discuss these questions.
The audience appeal of reality shows is understandable and
probably does nobody any serious harm, but we should not Do you agree that some reality TV shows are popular
suppose that we are being shown real life. Contestants who because contestants are humiliated?
have undergone a meticulous selection process are placed in Do you believe that reality TV shows can have an
a ‘reality’ they would not normally experience. This situation educational value?
is then stage-managed by executives who make money Do you think that viewers of TV reality shows are likely
by attracting impressionable audiences. In Survivor, for to emulate contestants?
example, one of the longest-running reality shows, a group Is it right that reality shows encourage confl ict between
of people who did not know each other were put together contestants?
on an island and then made to take part in contests. After
these, some contestants were voted out. This was clearly
done primarily in order to create tensions within the group,
thereby adding drama and excitement to the programme.
By encouraging confl ict, programme makers are provoking
behaviour very different from what would happen in real-life
survival situations, where confl ict would be avoided wherever
possible.

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