Two-way Televisions

Communication by television has been one-way since its beginning. However, the television watcher will soon be able to talk back. Two-way television is now a possibility, making electronic communication a goal for the future. Because of computers and cable television(有线电视), the audience(观众) will be more than watchers. They will be able to do more than choose their programs. They will also be able to give feedback(反馈) on them. Two-way TV is not a dream. The hardware(硬件) for such a two-way system already exists(存在). For example, the cable television systems that are spreading rapidly connect stations and television sets. The same equipment can be used to return information. One experimental group of cable-television watchers is called Cube, in Columbus, Ohio. Cube has thirty channels. Members pay for what they watch. The choice of programs includes everything from sports to children’s shows, from TV games to natural history. Most importantly, however, the viewers can talk back. A book-sized box of buttons makes it possible. For example, after a program, the announcer might ask for the opinions of the audience. The audience can respond by pushing buttons. An electronic signal goes to a bank of computers at the Cube station. Almost instantly, the data is analyzed, and the viewers see the results on their TV sets.

A nationwide Cube system would have many users. Government leaders could use it to get feedback from the people. It could even be used for voting. Besides, teachers in television classrooms could communicate with their unseen students. A television communication system would have a great influence on a country. For example, after a talk about a new product, an announcer could ask the audience for opinions. Would they buy the product? During a talk by a government leader, the announcer could ask the audience to talk back. The leader would know whether the audience believed him or not.

Out of all these dreams of progress, however, there comes one question: Is this what people need and want? With a Cube system, a person might not need to leave the TV set. What would happen to society?

1. The underlined word “them” in Paragraph 1 refers to__________.

A. two-way televisions

B. computers and cable TV

C. the audience

D. programs

2. The hardware for a two-way TV system is __________.

A. the cable TV system

B. the back of computers

C. the thirty channels

D. electronics

3. The most important feature of Cube is that viewers can__________.

A. watch programs on their channels

B. watch any program by sending electronic signals

C. talk back to the announcers by pushing buttons

D. use computers at the Cube station through their TV sets

4. According to the passage, the Cube system is__________.

A. widely used in the USA

B. being tested in a lab in Ohio

C. expensive

D. a dream that will never come true

Communication by television has been one-way since its beginning. However, the television watcher will soon be able to talk back. Two-way television is now a possibility, making electronic communication a goal for the future. Because of computers and cable television(有线电视), the audience(观众) will be more than watchers. They will be able to do more than choose their programs. They will also be able to give feedback(反馈) on them. Two-way TV is not a dream. The hardware(硬件) for such a two-way system already exists(存在). For example, the cable television systems that are spreading rapidly connect stations and television sets. The same equipment can be used to return information. One experimental group of cable-television watchers is called Cube, in Columbus, Ohio. Cube has thirty channels. Members pay for what they watch. The choice of programs includes everything from sports to children’s shows, from TV games to natural history. Most importantly, however, the viewers can talk back. A book-sized box of buttons makes it possible. For example, after a program, the announcer might ask for the opinions of the audience. The audience can respond by pushing buttons. An electronic signal goes to a bank of computers at the Cube station. Almost instantly, the data is analyzed, and the viewers see the results on their TV sets.

A nationwide Cube system would have many users. Government leaders could use it to get feedback from the people. It could even be used for voting. Besides, teachers in television classrooms could communicate with their unseen students. A television communication system would have a great influence on a country. For example, after a talk about a new product, an announcer could ask the audience for opinions. Would they buy the product? During a talk by a government leader, the announcer could ask the audience to talk back. The leader would know whether the audience believed him or not.

Out of all these dreams of progress, however, there comes one question: Is this what people need and want? With a Cube system, a person might not need to leave the TV set. What would happen to society?

1. The underlined word “them” in Paragraph 1 refers to__________.

A. two-way televisions

B. computers and cable TV

C. the audience

D. programs

2. The hardware for a two-way TV system is __________.

A. the cable TV system

B. the back of computers

C. the thirty channels

D. electronics

3. The most important feature of Cube is that viewers can__________.

A. watch programs on their channels

B. watch any program by sending electronic signals

C. talk back to the announcers by pushing buttons

D. use computers at the Cube station through their TV sets

4. According to the passage, the Cube system is__________.

A. widely used in the USA

B. being tested in a lab in Ohio

C. expensive

D. a dream that will never come true

A good way to save money and time while shopping is to make a ________of the things you are going to buy before going shopping．

1. A.
   list
2. B.
   note
3. C.
   preparation
4. D.
   choice

A good way to save money and time while shopping is to make a ________of the things you are going to buy before going shopping．

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He had no choice but to go on because it is their agreement that no one ______ quit the plan half way.