演讲实例：Television 电视

Television

Television, it is often said, keeps one informed about current events, and allows one to follow the latest developments in science and politics. The most distant countries and the strangest customs are brought right into one’s sitting room. It could be argued that the radio performs this service just as well; but on television everything is much more living, much more real. Yet here again there is a danger. The television screen itself has a terrible, almost physical fascination for us. We get so used to looking at its movements, so dependent on its flickering pictures, that it begins to dominate our lives.
A friend of mine told me the other day that his television set had broken down and that he and his family had suddenly found that they had far more time to do things, and that they had actually begun to talk to one another again. It makes one think, doesn’t it?
There are many other arguments for and against television. The poor quality of its programs is often criticized. But it is undoubtedly a great comfort to many lonely elderly people. I think we must realize that television in itself is neither good nor bad. It is the uses to which it is put that determine its values to society.

电视

人们常说，电视使人对时事保持广博的见闻，让人赶得上最新科学和政治的发展。最遥远的国家和最奇怪的风俗全被带入了客厅。人们可能辩称，收音机的这种服务也做得一样好；但是，在荧幕上，什么都显得生动、真实得多。不过这样又会有一个危险。电视荧幕本身对我们有一种可怕而且几乎是物质的蛊惑。我们如此习惯于注视它的动静，如此依赖它闪烁的画面，以致于它开始控制我们的生活。
前几天我的一位朋友告诉我，他的电视坏了，他和家人突然发现，他们有更多的时间做事，而且事实上，他们又开始彼此交谈了。这是件令人深思的事，不是吗？
其他有很多赞成和反对电视的争论，电视节目的品质太差经常受到批评。但是毫无疑问地，它是许多寂寞老人的一大慰藉。我想我们必须了解，电视本身既不好也不坏，是使用它的方式决定它对社会的价值。

current a.现在的
stimulating a.刺激的
fascination n.蛊惑
dominate v.支配；控制
corrupt v.使坠落