Being polite is an important social skill. It can help you show respect, make friends and achieve success. It's     1     hard to be polite. Here are some ways.

Greet people politely. You can be polite by offering a proper greeting. When first meeting or greeting someone, give him a warm     2    . It shows that you are in good spirits and are happy to see him. Also,     3     hands to show respect.

Have small talk. Instead of jumping right into     4    , you can have small talk first. Talk about their lunch, their kids or their day. Listen carefully and pay attention to     5     they are saying to you. Show them you're     6     by asking questions.

Congratulate other people on their success. When     7     do well, offer them your praise (赞美). If you meet a friend in the store who has recently graduated, got married or     8     a new job, congratulate him.

    9     uncomfortable topics. Some topics can make people uncomfortable. It's not polite to talk about such topics. Try to keep your conversation in the pleasant areas.

Make eye contact (接触). When you are having a conversation     10     someone, look them in the eye. Keeping eye contact shows that you are paying attention. However, don't stare at (盯着) people all the time.

Researchers study television to understand its effects on viewers and to measure its effectiveness in selling products. Much of the research on TV audiences is market research, paid for by corporations with something to sell. Let me repeat: research on television is funded largely by    1    .

The television industry depends on advertising money to survive, and this relationship influences what television offers viewers. Advertisers    2    to reach mass audiences and specific social groups. In turn, the television industry tries to meet the needs of advertisers, because pleasing the advertisers is nearly as important as pleasing the public. This means advertisers have a lot of    3    over what programs are made and when they are shown.

The American television industry is controlled by people who are more    4    in the culture of consumerism than in preserving cultures or natural resources. For the first time in history, most of the stories children learn don't come from their parents or schools; they come from a small number of large corporations with something to sell. And this culture of consumerism is    5    to other countries.

Television is the most    6    marketing tool ever created. Many advertisements apply basic psychology by appealing to our insecurities and desires. Ads convince us that the things we once thought were luxuries are now necessities. Television is highly skilled at creating images of wealth, not just in the ads, but in the programs as well. Using complicated market research, programmers and advertisers paint a picture of life centered on material    7    . This kind of life may look glamorous and desirable, but it's all at the    8    of personal relationships.

As you probably can tell, I tend to agree with critics of the media. Advertising does create    9    needs, and products we really need don't require advertising. Television promotes consumerism. It shows us things, things, and more things. It encourages greed and envy. Television helps create a(n)    10    society, where things are thrown out long before they are worn out.