英语阅读,续Theworstthingabouttelevisionandradioisthattheyentertainus,savingusthetroubleofentertainingourselves.Ahundredyearsago,beforeallthesedeviceswereinvented,ifapersonwantedtoentertainhimselfwithasongor

　　英语阅读,续

　　Theworstthingabouttelevisionandradioisthattheyentertainus,savingusthetroubleofentertainingourselves.Ahundredyearsago,beforeallthesedeviceswereinvented,ifapersonwantedtoentertainhimselfwithasongorapieceofmusic,hewouldhavetodothesinginghimselforpickupaviolinandplayit.Now,allhehastodoisturnontheradioorTV.Asaresult,singingandmusichavedeclined.Italiansusedtosingallthetime.Now,theyonlydoitinHollywoodmovies.Indianmoviesaremostlyaseriesofsongsanddancestrappedaroundsillystories.Asaresult,theydon’tdomuchsinginginIndianvillagesanymore.Indeed,eversinceradiofirstcametolife,therehasbeenaterribledeclineinamateur(业余的)singingthroughouttheworld.Therearetworeasonsforthissaddecline:one,humanbeingsareastonishinglylazy.Putaliftinabuilding,andpeoplewouldrathertakeitthanclimbeventwoflightsofsteps.Similarly,inventamachinethatsings,andpeoplewouldratherletthemachinesingthansingthemselves.Theotherreasonisthatpeopleareeasilyembarrassed.Whenthereisafamous,talentedmusicianreadilyavailablebypushingabutton,whichamateurviolinistorpianistwouldwanttotrytoentertainfamilyorfriendsbyhimself?TheseearnestreflectionscametomerecentlywhentwoCDsarrivedinthemail.Theyarehistoricrecordingsoffamouswritersreadingtheirownworks.Itwasthrillingtohearthevoicesfromalongdeadpastinthelate19thcentury.Buttoday,readingoutloudanythingisnolongercommon.Today,wesingsongstoourchildrenuntiltheyareabouttwo,wereadsimplebookstothemtilltheyareaboutfive,andoncetheyhavelearnttoreadthemselves,webecomedeaf.We'realiveonlytothesoundoftheTVandthestereoIcountmyselfextremelyluckytohavebeenbornbeforeTVbecamesocommon.IwasaboutsixbeforeTVappeared.Tokeepusentertained,mymotherhadtodoagooddealofsingingandtellusendlesstales.Itwasthesameinmanyotherhomes.Peoplespokealanguage;theysangit,theyrecitedit;itwassomethingtheycouldfeel.Professionalactors'performanceisextraordinarilyrevealing.ButIstillprefermyownreading.Becauseit'smine.Forthesamereason,peoplefindkaraoke(卡拉OK)liberating.Itisalmosttheonlyelectronicthingthatgivesthembacktheirown