Vocabulary and grammar: The BBC story

VTypes of TV programme

1Complete the table with the types of TV programme in the box. 

MOVE
• cartoons
• chat show
• costume drama
• reality show
• sports coverage
• weather forecast
• wildlife documentary
• soap opera

Factual	Fictional
news bulletin	sitcom

 VTypes of TV programme

2Complete the text about popular types of TV programmes in different countries. Use some of the words in the box. 

You need to use normal letters and capital letters correctly in this task.

MOVE
• cartoons
• chat show
• costume drama
• news bulletin
• reality show
• sitcom
• sports coverage
• weather forecast
• wildlife documentary
• soap opera

What people watch around the world

In most countries around the world, people enjoy watching TV. However, different types of programmes are popular in different countries.

Internationally, the most popular type of programme is the 

¹,

 

probably because people like to know what's happening in their country and abroad. But surprisingly, there's a place where the most watched programme is the 

².

 

This isn't the UK, even though the climate there is famously poor; it's Japan. More than half of those asked said this was the programme they watched most frequently.

³

 

is also popular in many countries, though different events are preferred. Some watch football, others baseball or tennis. English football is watched around the world and it's estimated that Manchester United has got 354 million fans worldwide.

Both children and adults enjoy 

⁴

 

like Tom and Jerry or Mickey Mouse, and in recent years the 

⁵,

 

starring ordinary people rather than actors, has become popular everywhere.

Everyone enjoys laughing, and British and American 

⁶

 

are particularly popular. They're exported to many other countries, and often remade with a new cast. For example, The Office, originally a British show, has now got American, Canadian, German, French, Chilean and Swedish versions!

Question tags

3Where does the name 'soap opera' come from? Look at the photos. Then choose the correct question tags. 

• 1The first soap operas were on the radio, wasn't theyweren't they?

• 2This was in the USA in the 1920s, wasn't itdidn't it?

• 3Lots of housewives listened every day, don't theydidn't they?

• 4Big companies, like Procter and Gamble, sponsored the programmes, didn't theydidn't it?

• 5Some of these companies sold soap, so the programmes were called soap operas, isn't itweren't they?

• 6Eventually, television became more popular than radio, didn't theydidn't it?

Question tags

4Complete the dialogue with question tags. 

You need to use normal letters and capital letters correctly in this task.

ASoap operas are so entertaining, 

¹?

BWell, actually, I think they can be a bit boring sometimes, 

²?

 

We've seen all the stories before, 

³?

 

And a lot of the things that happen aren't very believable.

AWell, you've got a point, but people always want to know what happens next, 

⁴?

 

And there are lots of different characters, 

⁵?

 

Teenagers as well as adults.

BBut the characters aren't very realistic, 

⁶?

 

We don't behave like that, 

⁷?

ANo, but that isn't the point. It's just a bit of fun, 

⁸?

BPerhaps you're right. Anyway, people will always want to watch them, 

⁹?

5 CHALLENGE! If you had to live without technology for a month, which device would you miss the most? a recent survey says British teenagers would miss their mobile phones the most, and TV the least. Do you agree? Write a short dialogue between you and a British teenager called Jack. Jack I can't live without my mobile phone. People need to use their phones all the time, don't they? You ...

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