Discuss the following questions in a group. 1. what are your favourite types of programmes? 2. how many hours of tv do you watch every day? 3. what would you do without tv? 4. is tv in your country any good? 5. how many channels have you got in your country? 6. what are the advantages and disadvantages of watching tv?

1) My favourite types of TV programmes are quiz shows and sitcoms.

2) I don’t watch TV every day, because I prefer surfing the Internet. I usually watch TV two-three times a week for about 2 hours.

3) I would read interesting books, surf the Net, listen to music or hang out with my friends. There are a lot of things to do without TV, so I definitely wouldn’t be bored.

4) I think TV in my country is quite good. There are a lot of various types of programmes and there are a lot of channels to choose from.

5) We have got a lot of channels in my country but the most popular ones are Channel 1 and Russia 1.

6) The advantages of watching TV is that television is an easy and cheap source of entertainment and it helps us to stay informed and up-to-date with breaking news around the world. Besides, some TV channels offer educational programmes.

There are also disadvantages. Firstly, there are TV programmes and shows that encourage violent behaviour or lead to having nightmares. Secondly, watching too much television is not good for our health — it can lead to  poor eyesight, obesity, sleep difficulties and behaviour problems. Thirdly, it's a waste of time. It's so much better to spend this time on reading, doing some sport or some hobby.