Newspaper or Television?

As everyone can see， news abounds in the world we live in.Everyday we can barely go without news which keeps us in formed of what is going on outside；in other words， news enables us to keep in contact with the world. It's almost indispensable， isn't it？ As for which medium of newspaper and television is of great use， in my opinion， it depends. In order to draw a clear distinction between the two， I think it may be better to take into account the functions of mass media as a whole in the first place.

　　What are the main functions of mass media？

　　To begin with， the primary function of mass media is to inform. Via media the public receives the most up to date news in the world， national and local events. Also the media is used to warn the danger of such things as approaching storms， escaped and dangerous criminals and epidemics and so forth. Without it people may be vulnerable when facing these dangers with no warning in advance.

　　Secondly， mass media can educate the public. Media coner-friendly. Most housewives are inclined to watch a TV program on how to cook rather than to read a dull recipe on a news paper because the former is more vivid and makes the cooking easier to learn. Students are more interested in teaching programs on TV for it feels more intimate and friendly to get a lesson from a smiling teacher than a whole page of monotonous exercises on the newspaper.

　　Here comes the third function， the entertainment. As today's society is to some extent"diversified" as far as their interests and tastes are concerned， newspaper and TV can be favored by different people. In newspaper， the games of cross puzzles，hero scopes （telling"You are in line for an unexpected wind fall"） may go well with the idlers while thrilling movies may at tract the young.

　　In a nutshell， as the old saying goes："Life is always gray instead of being black and white". With the overlapping information and roles of both newspaper and TV， it is wise to complement these two. Only by getting a clear picture of their strengths and weakness can we make a better use of them both.

　　簡 評

　　本文的主題較爲迂廻。作者竝不在開篇點題而是有意設置一個懸唸，等讀者結束全文時方得出結論。另外，文章的主題也有別於其他比較類的文章，不是抓住一點不及其餘，而是冷靜、客觀地分析和對待歷史和進步在社會中的地位。據此，作者最後呼訏應公正地對待歷史，把歷史和進步融郃起來，取長補短，從而使人類的生活更加多姿多彩。在儅今多元化的世界，這種觀點是順應時代潮流的。

　　盡琯作者在駕馭文字方麪略顯力不從心，但文章的結搆較爲整齊。無論是前一部分的"to begin with，secondly，thirdly，and finally"還是後一部分的first，regarding the second function，now comes the third function都充分利用了邏輯詞承上啓下。另外，文章的結尾処還引用了漢語中的一句俗語以增加結論的力度。文中還出現了問句形式。這些至少說明了作者具備了利用結搆和脩辤加強主題的意識。