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Talking About Television

浅谈电视

+What’s your favorite TV show? What is it about?Examples:• “My favorite show is Parks and

Recreation. It is about friends working together in a government (政府 ) office.”

• “My favorite show is Curb Your Enthusiasm. It is about a man named Larry being mean to others.”

+ Words to Know The theme song (主题曲 ) of a program

plays at the beginning of each episode. The cast (演员阵容 ) performs in the program.

It can also be a verb; for example, to cast (举用 ) someone as the main character. An episode (小插曲 ) of a program usually

plays once a week at the same time. The dialogue (对话 ) in a show occurs

between its characters. A show usually centers on a main character

(主人翁 ).

+ Let’s Review1. I love so many ___________ of Dragonball (七龙珠 ), I can’t decide which one is my favorite.2. In television shows, the _____ is usually much

more attractive than ordinary (普通 ) people.3. The best programs have well-written __________

that makes the characters relatable (可信 ).4. The ___________ to Daddy Where Are We Going

is so catchy (上口 ). It’s stuck in my head!

+ Let’s Review1. I love so many episodes of Dragonball (七龙珠 ), I can’t decide which one is my favorite.2. In television shows, the _____ is usually much

more attractive than ordinary (普通 ) people.3. The best programs have well-written

__________ that makes the characters relatable (可信 ).

4. The ___________ to Daddy Where Are We Going is so catchy (上口 ). It’s stuck in my head!

+ Let’s Review1. I love so many episodes of Dragonball (七龙珠 ), I can’t decide which one is my favorite.2. In television shows, the cast is usually much

more attractive than ordinary (普通 ) people.3. The best programs have well-written

__________ that makes the characters relatable (可信 ).

4. The ___________ to Daddy Where Are We Going is so catchy (上口 ). It’s stuck in my head!

+ Let’s Review1. I love so many episodes of Dragonball (七龙珠 ), I can’t decide which one is my favorite.2. In television shows, the cast is usually much

more attractive than ordinary (普通 ) people.3. The best programs have well-written

dialogue that makes the characters relatable (可信 ).

4. The ___________ to Daddy Where Are We Going is so catchy (上口 ). It’s stuck in my head!

+ Let’s Review1. I love so many episodes of Dragonball (七龙珠 ), I can’t decide which one is my favorite.2. In television shows, the cast is usually much

more attractive than ordinary (普通 ) people.3. The best programs have well-written

dialogue that makes the characters relatable (可信 ).

4. The theme song to Daddy Where Are We Going is so catchy (上口 ). It’s stuck in my head!

+

Television Genres

电视类型

+ sitcom• Short for ‘situational (情况 )

comedy (喜剧 ),’ which means a comedy about the same group of people going about their lives.

• Sitcoms are popular because they are funny and relatable (可信 ).

• Examples include The Big Bang Theory (生活大爆炸 ), 2 Broke Girls, and Seinfeld (宋飞 ).

+ drama (连续剧 )• A scripted program that usually

involves a serious storyline.• People like dramas because

they often have suspenseful (悬疑 ) storylines.• Examples include Breaking Bad

(绝命毒师 ), House of Cards (纸牌屋 ), and Red Cradle (红色摇篮 ).

+ talk show (脱口秀 )• Talk shows involve a host talking

to the audience (观众 ) about the news (新闻 ) and pop culture (流行文化 ).

• Then celebrity (名人 ) guests come on and speak with the host.

• People like talk shows because they find the host entertaining (可乐 ) or they are interested in the celebrity guests.

+ reality show (真人秀 ) • A reality show involves real

people that participate in a contest of some kind.

• Reality shows usually do not have a storyline and you can tune in at any time.

• Examples include The Voice of China, Daddy Where Are We Going, and I Am A Singer.

+ documentary (纪录片 )• Documentary television shows

center around a particular topic, such as food, travel, or animals.

• Typically (平常 ), the host of the show goes around to different places to help the viewer learn about things around the world.

+ cartoon (动画片 )• Cartoons are animated and

feature the voices of real people.• Though they are usually intended

for children, many adults enjoy watching cartoons as well.

• Some examples include Spongebob Squarepants (海绵宝宝 ), Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf, and One Piece (海贼王 ).

+ Let’s Review!1. Daddy Where Are We Going and I Am A

Singer are both _____________.2. ‘Situational comedy’ is often shortened as

______ when people talk about TV.3. People like to watch ______ because they are

suspenseful.4. Though they are usually made for children,

adults can enjoy _________ as well.

+ Let’s Review!1. Daddy Where Are We Going and I Am A

Singer are both reality shows.2. ‘Situational comedy’ is often shortened as

______ when people talk about TV.3. People like to watch ______ because they are

suspenseful.4. Though they are usually made for children,

adults can enjoy _________ as well.

+ Let’s Review!1. Daddy Where Are We Going and I Am A

Singer are both reality shows.2. ‘Situational comedy’ is often shortened as

sitcom when people talk about TV.3. People like to watch ______ because they are

suspenseful.4. Though they are usually made for children,

adults can enjoy _________ as well.

+ Let’s Review!1. Daddy Where Are We Going and I Am A

Singer are both reality shows.2. ‘Situational comedy’ is often shortened as

sitcom when people talk about TV.3. People like to watch dramas because they

are suspenseful.4. Though they are usually made for children,

adults can enjoy _________ as well.

+ Let’s Review!1. Daddy Where Are We Going and I Am A

Singer are both reality shows.2. ‘Situational comedy’ is often shortened as

sitcom when people talk about TV.3. People like to watch dramas because they

are suspenseful.4. Though they are usually made for children,

adults can enjoy cartoons as well.

+ Let’s Watch!We will watch excerpts (节选 ) from two

different kinds of shows.Keep in mind these questions:

What is the genre?Who is the main character?What does the theme song tell you

about the show?

+

Producing a TV Show• At the end of Unit 1 in your

English textbook (page 18), there is a section about producing a TV show. What kind of TV show do you have to produce?

Documentary• If you could produce any type of

TV show, what would it be?

+Example 1:• If I were to produce a TV show,

it would be a sitcom about a veterinarian (兽医 ) who uses his martial arts (武术 ) skills and animal friends to fight crime in New York.

• I would cast Jackie Chan as the main character.

• My show would be popular because people love Jackie Chan and talking animals.

+Example 2:• If I were to produce a TV show,

it would be a cartoon about a flying squirrel (鼯鼠 ) that solves mysteries (探秘 ) in the forest.

• I would cast Aziz Ansari as the main character.

• My show would be popular because people find mysteries to be very interesting.

+ Producing a TV Show

If I were to produce a TV show, it would be a _________ about ________________.

I would cast _________ as the main character.

My TV show would be popular because _______________________.

+ Time to say goodbye, bye-bye!