Name:Persuasion Unit
Directions: Use the sample essay below to complete the following items.
Why People Should Not Watch Too Much Television
Watching television is an experience shared by most adults and children. It is cheap, appealing, and within the reach of the general public. In this way, TV has become an important mass media around the world. Sadly, this resource isn’t used in a way that people could get the best possible benefits from it, and therefore the amount of time people spend watching tv should be limited. First of all, the content of many TV programs is not educational. Also, watching too much television makes people waste time that could be used in more beneficial activities. Finally, it negatively affects people’s mental development. Because of the all of the harm that could come from spending too much time in front of a television set, it is necessary that we start limiting the time people are allowed to spend watching television.
The first reason why people shouldn’t watch too much television is because the content of many TV programs is not educational. Nowadays, we can see movies, series, and shows that present scenes of violence, sex, and drugs. This has established wrong concepts among the audience that influence them into having a negative behavior. It is a fact that the number of discipline referrals in America’s schools have drastically increased in the last several years. It is undoubtedly related to the amount of violence watched on television by today’s youth. Moreover, the impact this tendency has on children is worse because they grow up with the idea of a world where women must be slender and blonde to stand out, where problems can only be solved with money and violence, and where wars are inevitable. Don’t allow your children and loved ones be corrupted by and misconceptions that can be seen through the tv screen. Television needs limited because of its negative content.
Another reason why people shouldn’t watch too much television is because it makes people waste time that could be used in more beneficial activities. The time we spend watching TV could be applied to useful activities. For instance, obesity is a huge problem in the United States. The fact that people spend countless hours in front of a television set is more than likely linked to this. Therefore, by not watching so much tv, people could spend more time exercising, both physically, such as running, and mentally, such as reading. Also, limiting the amount of time spent watching television would allow more time to be spent with friends and family. With all of the demands of a busy life, it is critical to make lasting memories with family and friends; limiting television viewing would help accomplish that. Therefore, because tv wastes so much time that could be spent doing other, more useful things, television viewing should have a time limit.
Finally, people shouldn’t watch too much television because it negatively affects their mental development. According to several scientific studies, watching TV for prolonged periods of time has a negative effect over the intellectual development of children. Children already have so many obstacles to overcome in life: developing socially, figuring out who they are, gaining an educational foundation, etc. It makes no sense to add to their struggles by deteriorating them with mindless television. Also, it leads to deterioration of the mental capacity in older people by causing both attention and memory problems in the long term. This could lead to problems with their job if their memory deterioration begins to affect their ability to perform the daily needed tasks. No one wants to see their loved ones suffer, especially because of something that could so easily be prevented. As a result, television viewing needs not only monitored, but also limited because of the negative impact it could potentially have on the viewer mentally.
In conclusion, people shouldn’t watch too much television because of all of the negative effects associated with this past time. To begin, the content of many TV programs is not educational. Also, it makes people waste time that could be used in more beneficial activities. Finally, television viewing affects people’s mental development. I am not trying to say that we should ban TV altogether, but if we are going to watch it, we should do it with moderation. Television is a resource that we should learn to use through the right selection of programs and by taking an active and critical attitude towards it.
- What is the overall topic and position (in favor or against) of this persuasive essay? (1)
- What three main arguments does the author use to support his/her views? (3)
- Look back at each body paragraph. Identify at least two persuasive techniques in each paragraph (state facts, state benefits, connect emotionally with reader, expert opinion). Once you find a technique, underline it, and the up above the underlined sentence(s), label which technique was being used. (6)
- Based on the information provided in the essay, do you think it was written effectively enough to persuade the reader (put your personal feelings on television viewing aside)? Give at least one reason supporting your response. (2)
- Of the three arguments provided, which do you think is the strongest one (has the most support)? Explain. Which do you think is the weakest argument? Explain. (4)