look at (the) TV

[sitifan]

He smoked while he read, while he looked at the television, and while he drank a cup of coffee. (my bold, Joint College Entrance Examinations in China, 2008)
The children spend too much time looking at television. (my bold, A Dictionary of Answers to Common Questions in English, by Zhao Zhencai)
It was a worthwhile visit to the cinema; much better than stopping at home looking at television. (my bold, A Dictionary of Answers to Common Questions in English, by Zhao Zhencai)
When George arrived home, his sister was looking at TV. (my bold, Guide to Patterns and Usage in English, by A. S. Hornby)

In the above quotations, the expression "look at (the) television/TV" means "watch TV," doesn't it?

 

[Tarheel]

I assume so, but why say that?

I have never run across that expression before. We WATCH television. We don't LOOK AT it.

 

[5jj]

None of them is very natural;

He smoked while he read, while he looked at the television, and while he drank a cup of coffee.

This suggests he was observing the television set, not watching a programme. this is more natural:

He smoked while he read, while he watched TV, and while he drank a cup of coffee.

If he was reading, it's more likely that he glanced at the TV

The children spend too much time watching television.
It was a worthwhile visit to the cinema; much better than stopping at home watching television.
When George arrived home, his sister was watching TV.

Crossposted)

 

[Tarheel]

If he smoked cigarettes and drank coffee while watching TV, it's likely he wasn't doing much reading.

 

[emsr2d2]

The first three are ungrammatical but since they were all written by non-native speakers, I'm going to discount them for now.
I was surprised to see that the fourth was written by a native English speaker but then I discovered that that book was written in 1954. It wasn't common for homes in the UK to have TVs until the 1960s so perhaps "watching TV" wasn't in general use in 1954.

 

[sitifan]

If he smoked cigarettes and drank coffee while watching TV, it's likely he wasn't doing much reading.

I guess that he smoked in each of the three situations.
He smoked while he read, (he smoked) while he looked at the television, and (he smoked) while he drank a cup of coffee.

 

[Tarheel]

I guess that he smoked in each of the three situations.
He smoked while he read, (he smoked) while he looked at the television, and (he smoked) while he drank a cup of coffee.

That would work as three separate sentences. (See below.)

He smoked a cigarette while he was reading the newspaper.
He smoked cigarettes while he was watching television.
He smoked a cigarette and drank a cup of coffee.

 

[emsr2d2]

I guess that he smoked in each of the three situations.
He smoked while he read, (he smoked) while he looked at the television, and (he smoked) while he drank a cup of coffee.

I think you're right. It's perfectly OK to put them all in one sentence if we're talking about a habit that he has while doing those other three activities.

He smokes while he reads, while he watches TV and while he drinks coffee.

I find it unnatural with the simple past.