核心问题
Now I can't watch much television but a few years ago I used to watch it every night. (全国高考,99-86)
标准答案要求将上面改错题中的 much 删掉。为什么要删掉呢？
词典解答
从语法上说,作“电视节目(television programmes)”解的 television 是个不可数名词。因此,它可以与 much 搭配:
Your problem is that you watch too much television. (CIDE) 你的问题是电视看得太多。
但是,从短文的内容来看,Now I can't watch much television but a few years ago I used to watch it every night.（现在我不大能看电视了,但是几年前我却每天晚上都看电视。）是与下文的内容相矛盾的：... there was no way of settling the matter except by selling the set. Now everyone at home reads instead. 因此,应当删掉 much(即现在已卖掉电视机,完全不能看电视了)。
[附注]有不少关于高考的英语著作都认为 much 不能与 television 搭配,故应删掉 much。例如,《高考英语辞典》(华东理工大学出版社,p.434)便是这样解释的:“television 前不加任何修饰语,watch television 是惯用法。”这种解释显然是错误的。