Cable's big fear: Internet TV

Force of habit is a powerful thing. How else can I explain why I spend $200 per month for a package of Internet, TV and telephone –most of which I don’t really need? My wife and I make most calls on our cell phones. An even bigger waste of money is TV, which accounts for $125 of the $200 package. Nearly everything we want we could get online. So why not just pay for the Internet and forget the rest?
Nielsen recently reported that although online video viewing has risen, TV viewing is still done on a traditional TV. But that’s not the case for younger people, like my pal Dan Frommer. He gets shows from the Internet via a Macintosh computer hooked to his LCD television. He can’t get everything he’d like to see. The next generation will likely never sign up for cable TV at all.
Cable companies are faced with a dilemma: do they embrace the Internet and try to make money online, or do they fight the Internet and try to hold off the destruction? The answer is to do both –holding off the rising tide with one hand while racing to devise workable Internet business models with the other.

FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS, ANSWER QUESTIONS A, B, C.

A. Answer the following question using your own words. (10 to 20 words)

Why does the author pay for a package of Internet, TV and telephone?

• Just because he is used to do it, since he doesn’t really need it.

B. Are the following statements true or false? Indicate the line(s) in the text supporting your choice.

B1. Online video viewing has decreased.

• FALSE: ... online video viewing has risen... (lines 7 & 8)

B2. Nielsen has reported that younger people watch TV on a traditional TV.

• FALSE: Nielsen recently reported that... TV viewing is still done on a traditional TV. But that's not the case for younger people...(lines 7-9)

C. Choose a, b or c in each question below. Only one choice is correct.

C1. The next generation…

• a) will sign for cable TV.
• b) will get the shows from Internet.
• c) will likely never watch a movie.

C2. Cable companies…

• a) will fight the Internet.
• b) don't know what to do.
• c) will welcome Internet.

COMPLETE TASKS a, b, c, d ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN.

a) Write a question for which the underlined words are the answer: 

“Force of habit is a powerful thing.”

• What is a powerful thing?

b) Put into the passive: 

“My wife and I make most calls on our cell phones.”

• Most calls are made by my wife and me on our cell phones.

c) Transform into reported speech:

“Why do you spend $200 per month for a package of Internet, TV and telephone –most of which you don’t really need?”
Begin with: “My sister wondered why Mark…”

• My sister wondered why Mark spent $200 per month for a package of Internet, TV and telephone - most of which he didn't really need.

d) Combine into one sentence containing a relative clause:

“Dan Frommer downloads shows from the Internet via a Macintosh computer. He can’t get every thing he’d like to see.”

• Dan Frommer, who can't get everything he'd like to see, downloads shows from the Internet via a Macintosh computer.

VOCABULARY

Find one word in the text for each of the following meanings:

• a) extremely effective: powerful (line 1)
• b) cease or fail to remember: forget (line 6)

Find synonyms for each of the words below:

• c) informed: reported (line 7)
• d) friend: pal (line 9)
• e) feasible: workable (line 16)

+EXÁMENES RESUELTOS