Unit 2.

Lesson B

Prepositions
… about – concern
… between – link, relationship
… for – reason, advertisements
… in – increase, rise
… of – cause
… on – effect, impact, influence, research
… with – problem

Q What are some other causes of obesity? Is there concern about this where you live?
A I think another cause of obesity is because in some areas you can't buy fresh fruits and
vegetables and you can't find restaurants that serve healthy foods. I'm sure there's a link between
that and an increase in obesity. For example, in some neighborhoods, stores only sell packaged
foods and there are only fast food restaurants, which means that people are always eating the
wrong things.
Q What effects do commercials have on you? Do you think there's any link between the ads for
food that you see and the foods you buy?
A Commercials don't usually have any effect on me. I mean, I like some of the advertisements
for car insurance – they're funny. But personally I don't think there's any link between what I
watch and what I buy.
Q Do you believe that TV has an impact on young people's behavior?
A Well, when I go to work on the bus in the morning I see a lot of students who are talking about
the shows that they watched the night before, and they're acting out scenes from the shows. So
I'm sure TV has some effect on behavior. But probably parents have more effect on their kids.
There's probably a link between behavior and how much time parents spend with their kids.
Q Do you have a problem with watching too much TV? Do you think it has a big influence on
you?
A I don't have a problem with watching too much TV. Sometimes I watch my favorite comedy
show before I go to bed, or I'll watch movies on the weekend. But I don't watch a lot of TV
generally, which is good.
Q Have you noticed an increase in TV viewing among your family or friends lately?
A I haven't really noticed that, but I notice that we don't watch TV together much anymore. My
sister has a TV in her bedroom and so she'll watch TV on her own and my parents are watching a
lot of TV lately. They'll watch like three or four episodes of this series in one night. They're
addicted to it!
Q Have you read any research on the relationship between TV viewing and obesity or literacy?
A To be honest, I haven't read any research about this topic before. It's very interesting, though.
It made me think more about TV and some of the problems with it. I'm sure there's a link
between TV and obesity and literacy and everything.

Grammar
that clauses
You can use a that clause after these structures. In conversation people often leave out the
word that.
noun + be
One problem with TV is (that) it reduces students' reading time.
be + adjective
It's clear (that) TV viewing contributes to inactivity.
What's + adjective + be
What's disturbing is (that) TV may have an effect on language development.
verbs, e.g., know, think, say, show
Experts claim (that) watching TV is one cause of obesity.

In conversation . . .
Common expressions with that clauses:
The thing / problem / point is that . . .
What I'm saying is that . . .
My feeling / opinion is that . . .

Useful expressions
• One comment that I agree/don't agree with is . . .
• What is clear/important/disturbing/ interesting is that . . .
• One/The problem is that . . ./ The point is that . . .
• Some people claim/believe/say that . . .
• My opinion/view is that . . .

Contrasting ideas
Although /  Even though / While there are downsides to TV, there are also some positive
aspects.
Even if you're not a fan of comedies, they can help you relax.

Example
Classmate's post
I think that Maggie is right. What's interesting is that people never talk about how good TV can
be. My opinion is that TV can be educational, fun, and it can be interesting. There are some great
series on TV, which are entertaining and creative. They give people something in common to
talk about with friends and coworkers. In addition, watching comedies can be a great way to
unwind at the end of a long day. In fact, some research shows that laughing is good for you. The
problem for some people is that they may watch too much TV. However, if you balance
watching TV with other activities, then it's a good thing.
Sample comment
It's true that people enjoy talking about shows and series on TV, and it's clear that it gives people
something in common to talk about. One series that people talked about a lot was about a
chemistry teacher who became a drug dealer. It caused a lot of debate and interesting reactions.
08/04/2022

Grammar extra
Using that clauses
You can use different nouns with that clauses to present a point, such as a problem, or a fact, etc.
The problem is that children watch too much television.
or The fact is that children watch too much television.
or The reality is that children watch too much television.
or The point is that children watch too much television.
or The thing is that children watch too much television.

You can omit that in speaking, but in general include that in your formal writing.
The biggest problem is that children who watch too much TV can become overweight.
The main problem is that children who watch too much TV can become overweight.
The odd thing is that kids who watch too much TV are often aggressive at school.
The amazing thing is that kids who watch too much TV are often aggressive at school.
You can add more information to problem or thing by using preposition + noun or -ing form.
The problem with watching too much television is that it keeps you from getting exercise.
The worst thing about TV these days is that kids watch it while they are eating.

Writing vs. conversation: Avoid using The thing is … in formal writing.

What clauses
You can use what clauses to emphasize a point as an opinion.
Children are spending more and more time in front of the TV. This is surprising. / This is clear.
→ What’s surprising is that children are spending more and more time in front of the TV.
What’s clear is that children are spending more and more time in front of the TV.
Children see a lot of violence on TV. That bothers me. → What bothers me is that children see a
lot of violence on TV.

In conversation: These what clauses are common ways of making a point.

What I’m saying is that …
What I’m trying to say is that …

05/03/2023