Some people believe that it is beneficial for children to spend time on TV, video and PC games, while some hold the opposite view. Talk about these two views and give your own opinion.

 

When it comes to whether children shall spend their spare time watching TV, video and playing PC games, people’s opinions diverse greatly. Some say it is basically a waste of children’s time, while others argue that children can benefit a lot from such activities.

 

It is firmly maintained by many parents and teachers that children’s main purpose is to pursue outstanding academic achievements at school. To beat their competitors, they must make the best use of every precious minute. Therefore, they can not afford to indulge themselves before the “idiot box” as TV or in playing the senseless virtual games. Moreover, watching TV and playing PC games are addictive for many poorly-disciplined children, consuming their interest in study and eroding their academic aspirations.

 

However, many other people hold different views, arguing that if properly guided and supervised, children can expand vision and knowledge as well as foster their creativity from those fun activities. There are many educational programs on TV such as Discovery which feed children extensive knowledge in science and arts. By sparking children’s interest and imagination in various topics, these programs are often more enlightening than textbooks. Furthermore, when playing PC games, children can foster a stronger sense of cooperation as well as competition, and sharpening their mind against possible risks in the real world. Last but not least, watching cartoons and science fiction movies definitely stimulates children’s imagination and creativity. Many youngsters have been inspired to come up with novel inventions of become engineering elites in later life exactly with the inspirations from those sources.

 

From the above discussion, it is evident that if children can balance their study and fun time properly, watching TV, video programs and playing PC games will unquestionably bring them more benefits than harm. After all, books are not the only source of useful knowledge; in order to grow healthily in modern times, children need to accumulate knowledge and skills from various channels, and suitable time for relaxation and inspiration is surely more welcome than not.

 

1. a waste of (time / energy): 对(时间/精力)的浪费

 

2. benefit from: v. 从…中获益

 

benefit: n.利益，收益 gain benefits from =benefit from, Something brings benefits to somebody

 

beneficial: a. 对…有益的 something is beneficial to somebody.某事对某人有益

 

beneficiary: n. 受益人 somebody is the beneficiary of something. 某人从某事中获益

 

3. make the best use of：充分利用

 

4. afford to do: 能够承担做某事

 

5. addictive: a. 使人上瘾的, something is addictive to somebody

 

addicted: a. 上瘾的, somebody is addicted to something

 

6. educational programs: 教育节目

 

7. enlightening: a. 具有启发性的

 

8. last but not least:

 

9. science fiction movies: 科幻电影

 

10. stimulate / trigger / inspire / enhance: 刺激、促进

 

Advanced Phrases

 

1. pursue outstanding academic achievements: 追求杰出的学术成绩

 

2. indulge oneself in: 沉迷于

 

3. idiot box: 指电视

 

4. expand vision and knowledge：拓展视野和知识

 

feed children extensive knowledge in (science)：使儿童充分吸收(科学)知识

 

6. foster their creativity / a sense of cooperation：培养创造力/合作精神

 

7. come up with inventions / new ideas：做出发明/产生新想法

 

8. spark children’s interest and imagination：激发儿童的兴趣和想象力

 

9. sharpen the mind: 使头脑敏锐

 

10. accumulate knowledge and skills from various channels：通过多种渠道积累知识和技能

 

Useful Sentences

 

1. When it comes to…people’s opinions diverse greatly. 当谈到…时，人们的看法有很大差别

 

e.g. When it comes to the use of nuclear power, people’s opinions diverse greatly.

 

例：当谈到核能利用时，人们的看法有很大差别。

 

2. Some say it is basically a waste of children’s time, while others argue that…一些人认为这基本上就是浪费儿童的时间，而另外一些人则认为…

 

e.g. Some say it is not a fundamental responsibility of the government to patronize arts, while others argue that it is a promotion of humanity.

 

例：一些人认为对艺术的赞助并不是政府的基本职能，而另外一些人则认为这是对人性的提升。

 

3.To / In order to beat their competitors, they must make the best use of every precious minute.为了打败竞争者，他们必须充分利用每一分每一秒。

 

e.g. To / In order to protect young people’s basic education rights, we must equally offer opportunities of secondary schooling to the public.

 

例：为了保护年轻人基本的受教育权，我们必须公平的向公众提供接受中学教育的机会

 

4.It is firmly maintained that…(人们)坚定地认为

 

e.g. It is firmly maintained that the preservation of wild life is one of the most pressing issues.

 

例：人们坚定地认为保护野生动物迫在眉睫。

 

It is firmly maintained that such regulations should be strictly observed.

 

例：人们坚定地认为这些规章应该严格遵守。

 

5.…is addictive to …, consuming their interest in … and eroding their aspirations for … 某物使人上瘾，消磨他们对…的兴趣和对…的渴望

 

e.g. Drinking is addictive to the majority of young people, consuming their interest in work and eroding their aspirations for life.

 

例：对大部分年轻人来说，喝酒使人上瘾，消磨他们对工作的兴趣和对人生的渴望。

 

6.However, many other people hold different views, arguing that… 然而，很多人持不同看法，他们认为…

 

e.g. However, many other people hold different views, arguing that the preservation of wild life is not a necessity.

 

例：然而，很多人持不同看法，他们认为保护野生动物势在必行。

 

07. By sparking children’s interest and imagination in various topics, these programs are often more enlightening than textbooks. 通过激发儿童对不同领域的兴趣和想象力，这些节目往往比教科书更具启发性。

 

e.g. By use renewable energy, people are trying to find a solution to environmental problems.

 

例：通过使用可再生能源，人们试图解决环境问题。

 

If / Once + 过去分词/介词短语, somebody / something … 如果/一旦…

 

e.g. If wrongly used, nuclear energy can be a destructive force.

 

例：如果使用不当，核能会成为毁灭性力量。

 

Once in an urgent situation, people can demonstrate tremendous potential.

 

一旦遇到紧急状况，人们会表现出巨大的潜力。

 

From the above discussion, it is evident that… 从以上讨论可以明显看出…

 

eg. From the above discussion, it is evident that many employees are apathetic about management policies.

 

例：从以上讨论可以明显看出员工对于管理政策漠不关心。

 

10. …is surely more welcome than not. …肯定是受欢迎的

 

Accuracy of details is surely more welcome than not for policy makers.

 

例：准确的细节无疑是受到政策制定者欢迎的。