Test Two Post Review

Read this sentence from paragraph 6. What does the personification imply about commercials? “And endlessly, commercials—many screaming, cajoling, and offending.”

• Commercials are antagonistic and unpleasant.
  
• Commercials are confusing and disorganized.
• Commercials are controversial and divisive.
• Commercials are incorrect and pointless.

What impact does the author’s use of repetition in paragraph 12 have on the passage?

• It emphasizes the claim that good television can have a positive impact on children.
• It illustrates the point that television should be both entertaining and educational.
• It emphasizes the irony of television being used by parents as an educational resource.
  
• It illustrates the difficulty of producing television programs that children would actually enjoy.

What is the central idea of the passage?

• Television programs represent the poor tastes of the public.
• The quality of television programming has declined greatly in recent years.
  
• The rating system for television programs is inaccurate.
  
• Television programming does not reflect the best interests of the public.
  

Which quotation from the passage supports the idea that the public would welcome a change in television programming?

• “You will see a procession of game shows, formula comedies about totally unbelievable families, blood and thunder, mayhem, violence…” (paragraph 6)
  
• “I believe in the people’s good sense and good taste, and I am not convinced that the people’s taste is as low as some of you assume.” (paragraph 9)
  
• “Today, there is a fourth great influence, and you ladies and gentlemen in this room control it.” (paragraph 11)
  
• “Search your consciences and see if you cannot offer more to your young beneficiaries whose future you guide so many hours each and every day.” (paragraph 12)
  

Read this excerpt from paragraph 5. How does the metaphor impact the tone of the passage? “Keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that what you will observe is a vast wasteland.”

• It expresses the author’s confusion regarding television program content.
  
• It expresses the author’s disbelief regarding television program content.
  
• It expresses the author’s disgust with television program content.
  
• It expresses the author’s suspicion of television program content.
  

Read this excerpt from paragraph 5. How does the metaphor impact the tone of the passage? “Keep your eyes glued to that set until the station signs off. I can assure you that what you will observe is a vast wasteland.”

• It expresses the author’s confusion regarding television program content.
  
• It expresses the author’s disbelief regarding television program content.
  
• It expresses the author’s disgust with television program content.
  
• It expresses the author’s suspicion of television program content.
  

Which quotation from the passage best illustrates the idea that television offers value?

• “Ours has been called the jet age, the atomic age, the space age. It is also, I submit, the television age.” (paragraph 1)
  
• “But I am also a television viewer and the husband and father of other television viewers.” (paragraph 3)
  
• “I could list many more—programs that I am sure everyone here felt enriched his own life and that of his family.” (paragraph 4)
  
• “Of 73 and 1/2 hours of prime evening time, the networks have tentatively scheduled 59 hours of categories of action-adventure, situation comedy, variety, quiz, and movies.” (paragraph 7)
  

What is the meaning of debase as it is used in paragraph 1?

• Corrupt
  
• Humiliate
• Ignore
• Prejudice

Part A How does the author introduce the relationship between television and the public interest?

• The author compares television to other discoveries of historical significance.
  
• The author compares television to other forms of entertainment.
  
• The author describes the impact television has had on his family.
  
• The author describes the changes television has undergone in recent years.
  

Part B Which quotation supports the answer in Part A?

• “And just as history will decide whether the leaders of today’s world employed the atom to destroy the world or rebuild it for mankind’s benefit, so will history decide whether today’s broadcasters employed their powerful voice to enrich the people or to debase them.” (paragraph 1)
  
• “If I seem today to address myself chiefly to the problems of television, I don’t want any of you radio broadcasters to think that we’ve gone to sleep at your switch.” (paragraph 2)
  
• “But I am also a television viewer and the husband and father of other television viewers.” (paragraph 3)
  
• “I have seen a great many television programs that seemed to me eminently worthwhile and I am not talking about the much bemoaned good old days of ‘Playhouse 90’ and ‘Studio One.’” (paragraph 3)