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.

　　简 评

　　本文的主题较为迂回。作者并不在开篇点题而是有意设置一个悬念，等读者结束全文时方得出结论。另外，文章的主题也有别于其他比较类的文章，不是抓住一点不及其余，而是冷静、客观地分析和对待历史和进步在社会中的地位。据此，作者最后呼吁应公正地对待历史，把历史和进步融合起来，取长补短，从而使人类的生活更加多姿多彩。在当今多元化的世界，这种观点是顺应时代潮流的。

　　尽管作者在驾驭文字方面略显力不从心，但文章的结构较为整齐。无论是前一部分的"to begin with，secondly，thirdly，and finally"还是后一部分的first，regarding the second function，now comes the third function都充分利用了逻辑词承上启下。另外，文章的结尾处还引用了汉语中的一句俗语以增加结论的力度。文中还出现了问句形式。这些至少说明了作者具备了利用结构和修辞加强主题的意识。