Why reading is more beneficial than watching television speech

An eighth-grade teacher has asked you to present information to her students about how watching television can affect adolescents’ academics and behavior. What important information should you share with this audience?

Write an essay that will serve as the basis for the speech you will deliver to the students. Include important details from the selection "Television and Adolescents" to support your discussion.

As you write, remember your essay will be scored based on how well you:

develop a multi-paragraph response to the assigned topic that clearly communicates your controlling idea to the audience.
support your controlling idea with meaningful examples, information, and references for the text.
cite direct quotes and any information that has been paraphrased from the passages that you have read.
organize your essay in a clear and logical manner, including an introduction, body, and conclusion.
use well-structured sentences and language that are appropriate for your audience.
edit your work to conform to the conventions of standard American English.
Passage:

Television and Adolescents

Did you know that the average adolescent spends three hours each day watching television?

As a society, we have grown to rely on technology to feed our appetites for entertainment. With all of the television and reality shows, funny ads and commercials, music videos, sports games, and movies that we can watch on our TVs these days, it’s no wonder that many households have more than one television. But television shows are not limited to TVs anymore. It is now possible for young people to watch “TV” while they are on the go, using their tablet computers, laptops, and smartphones. This makes it even easier to spend time tuned in to favorite programs, thereby leading to increased TV time during the day. These factors make it very important to understand the varied effects that television-watching can have on young audiences.

The content that is seen on TV can provide entertainment, persuade people to change their viewpoints on politics or current events, and educate audiences. Some TV shows, such as those about space travel, nature, or art history, are informational and inspire learning. However, while these programs can teach us new things and make learning fun, there are several downsides to watching too much television.