Telecommunication

1. Communication ties together the parts of a society just as the nervous system ties together the parts of an individual. From earliest times, when the only form of communication was speech, to the present, when electronic signals carry information instantly to practically any point on Earth, communication has been the way people have organized their cooperative activities. In the modern world there are two main types of communications media. One type consists of the mass media—such as television, radio, newspapers, and magazines—in which organizations send messages to a large number of people. The other type consists of direct, point-to-point communications—telephone, telegraph, data transmission, and postal service. Of these, the electronic media (all but the postal service) are termed telecommunications.

2. Telecommunication first came into existence with the development of the telegraph in the 1830s and 1840s. For the first time, news and information could be transmitted over great distances almost instantaneously. The invention of the telephone in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell fundamentally transformed telecommunications. The telephone system assumed its modern form with the development of dial phoning and its spread during the middle decades of the 20thcentury.

3. After 1975, however, a new transformation of telecommunications began. The technology used to carry information changed radically. At the same time ordinary telephone and telegraph traffic was enormously supplemented by huge masses of computer data, as millions of computers were tied together into global networks.

4. In most cases telecommunications systems transmit information by wire, radio, or space satellite. Wire transmission involves sending electrical signals over various types of wire lines such as open wire, multi pair cable, and coaxial cable. These lines can be used to transmit voice frequencies, telegraph messages, computer-processed data, and television programs. Another somewhat related transmission medium that has come into increasingly wider use, especially in telephone communications, is a type of cable composed of optical fibers. Here electrical signals converted to light signals by a laser-driven transmitter carry both speech and data over bundles of thin glass or plastic filaments.

5. Radio communications systems transmit electronic signals in relatively narrow frequency bands through the air. They include radio navigation and both amateur and commercial broadcasting. Commercial broadcasting consists of AM, FM, and TV broadcasting for general public use.

6. Satellite communications allow the exchange of television or telephone signals between widely separated locations by means of microwaves. Since satellite systems do not require the construction of intermediate relay or repeater stations, as do ground-based microwave systems, they can be put into service much more rapidly.

Modern telecommunications networks thus not only send the traditional voice communications of telephones and the printed messages of telegraphs and telexes, they also carry images of video transmissions used in videoconferences in which the participants can see as well as hear each other. Additionally they carry encoded data ranging from the business accounts of a multinational corporation to medical data relayed for analysis by physicians thousands of miles from a patient.

V. Say whether the following statements are true or false.

1. Electronic signals carry information to practically any point on the Earth.

2. Mass media send messages to a large number of people.

3. All mass media including postal service are called telecommunications.

4. Telecommunications first appeared with the development of telegraph in the 1830s and 1840s.

5. The technology used to carry information slightly changed after 1975.

6. Radio communications systems transmit electronic signals in extremely wide frequency bands through the air.

7. Satellite communications permit the exchange of signals by means of microwaves.

8. Ground-based microwave systems require the construction of repeater stations.

9. The still images of facsimile machines or the moving images of video can also be carried by modern telecommunications networks.

10. Modern telecommunications networks transmit only coded data.

VI. Complete the following sentences choosing the most suitable variant.

1. One type consists of the mass media such as

a) television, radio, newspapers, and magazines

b) telephone, telegraph, data transmission

c) television, telephone, telegraph and postal service

2. The telephone system assumed its modern form with the development of … during the middle decades of the 20thcentury.

a) telegraph traffic

b) dial phoning

c) facsimile machines

3. In most cases telecommunications systems transmit information by:

a) open wire, telexes, or faxes

b) coaxial cable, optical fibers, or global networks

c) wire, radio, or space satellite

4. Radio communications systems include

a) radio navigation, radio location and communication

b) radio navigation and both amateur and commercial broadcasting

c) radio detection, TV broadcasting and video television transmissions

5. In optical fibres electrical signals converted to light signals by a laser-driven transmitter carry

a) both encoded data and still images of facsimile machines

b) both voice frequencies and printed messages

c) both speech and data

VII. Read § 1 and answer the following questions.

1. What does communication tie?

2. How many types of communications media are there in the world?

3. What medium can't be referred to telecommunications?

VIII. Read § 2 and say who fundamentally transformed telecommunications.

IX. Read § 3 and explain why ordinary telephone and telegraph traffic was fundamentally supplemented by huge masses of computer data.

X. In § 4 and § 5 find English equivalents of the following words and word combinations.

Передавать информацию, оптические волокна, пучки, проводная передача, коаксиальный кабель, относительно, полоса частот, преобразовывать в световые сигналы, нить накала.

XI. Read the fourth sentence of § 4 and mark pauses. Divide it into sense groups, find out the means of connection between these groups and between the words in each group.

XII. In §6 find information about the capabilities of modern telecommunications networks.

XIII. Make an outline of the text.

XIV. Speak on

1. The importance of communication in the modern world and its types.

2. The origin and the development of telecommunication.

3. Different communications systems.

4. Modern telecommunications networks.

Part B

I. Look through the list of key-words and make your predictions about the content of it.

Wo rd processing, personal computers, dedicated word processors,

electronic typewriters, software, powerful tool.

II. Define the meaning of the “x” words

1) provide: provision = обеспечивать: “x”

2) resemble: resemblance = “x”: сходство

3) delete: deletion = удалять: ”x”

4) entire: entirely = полный: “x”

5) replace: replacement = “x”: замена

6) versatile: versatility = многосторонний: “x”

7) perform: performance = выполнять: “x”

8) add: additional = дополнять: “x”

9) process: processing = “x”: обработка

III. Complete the sentences with the given words: linked, introduced, a magnetic disk, software, most expensive, has replaced, to check, characters

1. Word processing … typewriting for many tasks at home, in school and in the office.

2. Personal computers need special instructions called … to perform word processing.

3. Personal computers display … on a computer screen as the user types them.

4. Computers can transfer information to other computers … in a network or send information over telephone lines.

5. Most word processing programs and dedicated word processors enable the user … for spelling errors.

6. The computer can store the document on … so additional copies or corrections can easily be made later.

7. Personal computers are also … processing machines.

8. Computer companies … relatively expensive dedicated word processors in the mid-1970's.

IV. Choose

a) adjectives

1) expense – expend – expensive – expenditure

2) powerfully – power – powerless – powered

3) relate – relativity – relatively – relative

4) special – specially – specialize – specification

5) instruct – instructive – instruction – instructor

b) nouns

1) equip – equipment – equipping – equipped

2) moved – move – movement – mover

3) limitation – limit – limited – limiting

4) edits – editor – edit – edited

5) character – characterize – characteristics – characterized

V. Read the text and entitle it.

1. Word processingis the use of computers to type, edit, and print letters, reports, articles, and other documents. It has replaced typewriting for many tasks at home, in school, and in the office. Business people, authors, students, and lawyers turn to word processing as a tool for writing.

Three main types of equipment are used for word processing: (1) personal computers, (2) dedicated word processors, and (3) electronic typewriters. Personal computers need special instructions called programs or software to perform word processing. Dedicated word processors are computers that do only word processing. Most dedicated word processors have built-in word processing software. Electronic typewriters resemble electric typewriters but include a built-in dedicated computer. The computer provides limited word processing capabilities, such as the ability to store and automatically type a small amount of text.

2. Personal computers and dedicated word processors display characters on a computer screen as the user types them. Words, lines, paragraphs, and pages can be added, deleted, moved, or copied with a few keystrokes or the click of a button on a handheld control called a mouse. Most word processing programs and dedicated word processors enable the user to check for spelling errors. Many can check grammar in a limited way.

3. At the touch of a key, the user can print out an entire document. The computer can store the document on a magnetic disk, so additional copies or corrections can easily be made later. In addition, most word processing programs for personal computers and some dedicated word processors can sort and merge lists and perform limited mathematical computations.

Personal computers are the most powerful and versatile of the word processing machines. They can be programmed to do many things besides word processing. Computers can transfer information to other computers linked in a network or, using a device called a modem, send information over telephone lines. Personal computers are also the most expensive word processing machines. Dedicated word processors are a less expensive option for individuals and small businesses whose computer needs are limited to word processing.

4. Electronic typewriters can perform only the most basic word processing functions, such as inserting, deleting, and underlining text. Most can also check for spelling errors. On many electronic typewriters, a small screen displays material as it is typed. Many electronic typewriter have a memory, but the amount of text it can store is much smaller than in a personal computer or dedicated word processor.

5. Computer companies introduced relatively expensive dedicated word processors in the mid-1970's. Prices fell in the 1980's, and personal computers and word processing programs for personal computers became common. Personal computers are the most widely used form of word processor.

VI. Choose the right continuation of the following sentences.

VII. Divide the text into logical parts and find the topical sentences in each part.

VIII. Give a short summary of text B.

Part C

I. Look at the title. What do you think this reading will be about?