During the 1980s, which of the following communication technologies became increasingly widespread in ordinary households?

Introduction / Context:
Questions about decades and technological change often appear in general knowledge sections. The 1980s were an important period in mass media history. This question asks you to recognise which technology became widely available in homes during that decade, especially in countries like the United States and elsewhere, and which options belong to earlier or later technological phases.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The time frame is specifically the 1980s.
• The focus is on technologies that became widespread among ordinary households.
• Only one option correctly matches the main trend of the decade.

Concept / Approach:
To solve this question, match each technology with its main period of mass adoption. Radio became common much earlier in the twentieth century, while home internet and car navigation became common later, mainly in the 1990s and 2000s. Cable television, with many channels delivered through a cable network, expanded rapidly in the 1980s and changed viewing habits significantly.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note that traditional radio broadcasting had already become common by the mid twentieth century, well before the 1980s. Step 2: Recognise that widespread home internet access did not occur until the 1990s and beyond. Step 3: Remember that cable television expanded quickly in the 1980s, offering many channels and specialised programmes. Step 4: Observe that telegraph and satellite navigation belong to earlier or later technological waves, not to the typical 1980s household environment. Step 5: Based on this comparison, cable television clearly fits the 1980s household revolution.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can confirm this by thinking about popular culture: many references from the 1980s describe families adding cable boxes and having more channels than ever before. In contrast, stories about dial up internet, email, and web browsing belong to the 1990s, while satellite navigation and smartphones belong to the twenty first century.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, home internet, rose to prominence mostly in the 1990s. Option B, radio, became widespread decades earlier. Option D, the telegraph, was important in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries but not a new 1980s household technology. Option E, satellite navigation in private cars, became common only much later with modern GPS devices and smartphones.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to treat internet as an automatic answer to any question about modern communication. Another pitfall is not paying attention to the decade mentioned and simply picking the most familiar technology. Always align each option with its main period of mass adoption before deciding.

Final Answer:
The communication technology that became widespread in many households during the 1980s was cable television services with multiple channels.