Para Summary Quiz Question - 9

 Newspapers are dying; the music industry is still yelping about iTunes; book publishers think they are next. Yet one bit of old media seems to be doing rather well. In the final quarter of 2009 the average American spent almost 37 hours a week watching television. Earlier this year 116 m of them saw the Super Bowl-a record for a single programme. Far from being cowed by new media, TV is colonizing it. Shows like “American Idol” and “Britain's Got Talent” draw huge audiences partly because people are constantly messaging and tweeting about them, and discussing them on Facebook.

(a)   Though newspapers, the music, and publishing industries are dying, American TV has been able to draw large audiences and being discussed on the internet.

(b)   Though newspapers, the music and publishing industries are dying, American TV is colonizing the media with the average American spending 37 hours per week watching television.

(c)   Though newspapers, the music, and publishing industries are dying, TV is colonizing the media and has huge audiences.

(d)    Newspapers, music industry, and book publishers have been cowed by the new media whereas TV has coped well and still draws large audiences, as American TV proves.

(e)   Newspapers, music, and book publishers have not been able to cope with the emergence of new media but American TV has coped well and still draws large audiences.

Answer & Explaination

Ans.(d)

Sol. The paragraph is not about American TV in particular – American TV is cited as example of what TV has achieved. The gist of the paragraph is: newspapers etc., are dying but far from being cowed by new media, TV is colonising it; American TV is an example. Options (A), (B), and (E) stress the American TV which is not the essence of the paragraph. Between (C) and (D), option (D) more accommodative and precise.