Topic 38 电视综艺节目

1. What is the difference between the games children play now and those that children played in the past?
In the past, children played games outdoors. They were very physically active338. They liked simple games like catch or hide-and-seek339. If they had to stay inside, they played board games. But nowadays,children really like digital games. They love playing video games with each other, or just playing mindless340 games on different apps. They definitely don’t run around the way they used to.

2. Do people nowadays like watching TV with their family?
Yes, I think so. It can help them bond341. For example, my family always watches a talent show together.We all get invested in the contestants, and sometimes we even place bets342 to see which one will win.It’s really fun. It gets us to343 spend some quality time together.

3. How long do people usually watch TV shows?
Well, it depends on the person. But in general, I guess people spend about a couple hours344 watching TV shows. A lot of shows nowadays are about an hour anyways. But some sitcoms are short. It’s easy to watch a few of them in a row345. After a long day at work, TV can definitely help you relax.

4. What kinds of TV shows do people like to watch?
I guess people like watching funny and entertaining TV shows. There are plenty of serious, educational programs on the air346. But when you want to relax, sitcoms are more fun to watch. They distract you from your problems. Variety shows347 are fun to watch as well. We all like seeing talented people perform.

5. Why do some people watch TV shows online?
I think people watch TV shows online for convenience. It’s easier to watch something on your phone or laptop instead of buying a T V. Plus, a lot of shows are streaming online348. So it can be cheaper than subscribing to TV the normal way349. Personally, I love watching TV online. It takes less effort than changing channels with a remote. Plus, there are tons of shows that you can only watch online.

338 physically active: 很活跃，积极锻炼身体
339 catch or hide-and-seek：抓人游戏或者捉迷藏
340 mindless：不需要动脑筋的
341 help them bond: 让他们关系更亲密
342 place bets：在选手身上下赌注
343 It gets us to：它让我们…
344 a couple hours：两三个小时
345 watch a few of them in a row：连着看好几个
346 on the air：（电视或广播上）播出
347 Variety shows：综艺节目
348 streaming online：线上播放
349 the normal way：像平时那样（订阅电视频道）