Use of English: cloze
Cloze text. The future of television
The increase in the number of available TV channels world wide is bound to have far reaching effects. Up to now, television has been a uniquely unifying national phenomenon. (1) before have so many people had (2) a common core of shared cultural experiences. (3) creates a durable communal bond. You (4) not know the names of your next-door (5) , but you can be fairly sure that over the past few days they have seen some of the same programmes you have.
Before (6) , with the vast expansion of television programming, everyone will be able to watch (7) different -"Me TV" perhaps- just as each Internet user (8) explore a different selection of websites. The television will become a personal (9) of equipment more like a mobile phone (10) a communal source of entertainment. But it is also possible (11) on these personalised machines, people will actually (12) up watching fewer programmes: that television will become more (13) the movie business, with a number of blockbusters attracting vast global (14) .
Viewers in all countries will (15) day be able to pick their programmes in a global market. (16) may still choose to watch their own national programmes since programmes (17) at international markets, with the partial exception of those from America, (18) to have smaller audiences than do national products. But, armed (19) a credit card and a remote control, people will eventually order television programmes from (20) they choose. The television business will then become truly global. So, perhaps, will the cultural values it instils.