Файл: Английский 1 семестр.docx

Television

It is true that an important thing can have a small beginning. A tiny (небольшой) nine-by-twelve inch box was the centre of attention for hundreds of people at the J 939 World's Fair (выставка) in New York. They were the first to see a television set in action. Compared to today's TV shows of underwater and outer-space ((открытый) космос) research, those first black-white pictures were not very good. The pictures were only transmitted from one side of the Fair territory to the other. But in 1939 they were of historical importance (имели историческое значение)

Within a few days the news of television spread (распространяться) throughout the world. A lot of people wanted to have a look¹ at the new invention. Everyone was interested in it. But only few people owned (имели) television sets in the next few years. When World War П broke out² electronic factories that began the TV production stopped making them and started making war materials instead (вместо (этого)). When the war was over, TV sets began coming off factory assembly lines (сборочные конвееры). By 1958 there were millions of them.

In a surprisingly short time people watched fewer films and turned from newspapers and magazines to TV. In its short history television has had great influence on (влияние на) people's life and way of thinking (образ мышления). Rocket-launching (запуск), concerts and football and tennis matches can be seen direct as they occur (происходить). The boundaries of time and space have disappeared.

At present TV communication is provided (обеспечивать) with the help of a system of artificial earth satellites so that people living in different parts of the country and all over the world and in different time zones are able to watch the central TV programs at the most convenient hours.

Nowadays (в наше время) many countries also have cable TV, a system using wires for the transmission of television programs (like telephone calls). Cable television first appeared in 1949 as a means of transmitting TV signals to rural (сельский) and mountain areas far from big cities. Cable television's next big step forward was made by the mid — 1980s. Scientists announced (объявлять, заявлять) that many technical problems had been solved and in the future it would be possible via (через, посредством) satellite and cable TV to use more channels on a TV set at every home in the world.

Then we saw how a new technical invention, colour television, was rapidly replacing (to replase - заменять) black-and-white television. Recently (в последнее время) it was reported (сообщать) that the first pocket-size³ colour television set had been developed. It was stated (заявлять, утверждать) that a liquid-crystal display⁴ was used similar to (подобно, аналогично) those on calculators and watches and that it weighed less than a pound.

A few years ago it became evident (очевидный) that the next major (главный) advance (успех; прогресс) for TV would be digital television. In a digital system the usual continuous signal is replaced by a digital code containing detailed information on brightness, colour, etc. A digital TV set hangs on the wall like a picture. Essentially, it is a minicomputer with a visual display. Once a week⁵ you put the programs you like into the memory, and the TV set will automatically switch on (включать (свет, прибор и т.п.)) the desired channel at the right time. You can watch several programs simultaneously (одновременно) on miniscreens and then produce one of them in full format. Also, the TV set can automatically video-record the programs when you are absent or occupied.

By the end of 1980s television has moved to a new and the most important stage in its development since the appearance of colour television. Technically it is called high-definition television (HDTV)⁶ or Hi-Vision. This is the much higher resolution television⁷ of the 21st century. This revolution was started by Japanese manufacturers (фирмы-(заводы-)изготовители) when they developed a new video system with a picture resembling (to resemble – походить на, быть похожим) a wide-screen (широкоформатный) film more than traditional television. The new system increases the screen's width-to-height ratio⁸ (16:9). The result is a picture several limes sharper than in the existing TV sets. Besides, recent developments in plasma display panel technology⁹ make HDTV commercially practicable. The plasma display makes it possible to produce a large, bright, colour, flat TV screen so thin and light that it can also be hung on a wall like a framed picture. The engineering problem that has existed almost since the first days of television may be solved now.

Notes to the Text

1. to have a look — взглянуть, посмотреть

2. to break out — начаться, разразиться

3. pocket-size — карманный

4. liquid-crystal display — устройство изображения на жидких кристаллах

5. once a week — раз в неделю

6. high-definition television (HDTV) — телевидение высокой четкости

7. high resolution television — телевидение с большим разрешением

8. width-to-height ratio — отношение ширины к высоте

9. plasma display panel technology — производство плазменных панелей

Telephone

Alexander Graham Bell never planned to be an inventor, he wanted to be a musician or a teacher of deaf people (глухих). The subjects that he studied at school included music, art, literature, Latin and Greek. They did not include German which all scientists used in their books. Alexander's mother was a painter and a musician. His father was a well-known teacher of deaf people.

When Alexander was only sixteen, he became a teacher in boy's school in Scotland. He liked teaching there, but he still wanted to become a teacher of deaf people as his father.

He read all the books about sound that he could find and started to work on some of his own experiments.

At twenty five Alexander became interested in finding a way to send human voice through an electric wire. The parents of his pupils contributed (to contribute money – давать деньги) money for the equipment. He found an assistant, Tom Watson, who worked in an electrical shop (мастерская). For two years Tom and Alexander were working together to build a machine that people could use to talk to one another over long distances. After two years, the two young men were becoming discouraged (были обескуражены, «у них опустились руки»). Then, one day, when they were working on a new transmitter (передатчик) Alexander spilled some acid (пролить кислоту) on himself. Tom Watson, who was alone in another room, heard a voice. The voice was coming through a wire to a receiver on the table! The voice was Alexander Bell's! It was saying: «Come here, Mr. Watson. I need you!»

The first telephone line was built in Germany in 1877. By 1915 a telephone line was opened in the United States — 5,440 kilometers from New York to San Francisco.

Now design offices (конструкторское бюро) all over the world are conducting experiments (to conduct experiments – проводить эксперименты) to develop video-phone or picture phone (видео-телефон). A young man in Moscow wants to speak to his friend in Vladivostok. He lifts (снимает) his telephone receiver (трубка), dials a number. After a very short time his friend answers. As he picks up (берет, снимает) his receiver, his picture appears on the screen. They can speak to each other face to face because they are using a new kind of telephone which may be called «a video-phone». In addition to (кроме) the usual telephone, the equipment includes a small television screen (14 cm by 13 cm) and, combined with the screen, a television camera. The camera tube (передающая ЭЛТ) will allow the user to switch from a wide view of the room to the face of the person speaking. The focus can be changed to give clear pictures of objects 0.3, 0.9 and 6.0 meters away from the camera. There is also a mirror attachment, which allows the camera to scan documents which may be lying on the table. The camera adjusts itself (настраиваться на) automatically to different lighting conditions.

Telegraph

Benjamin Franklin, an American who is famous for his interesting and useful inventions, published his ideas about electricity in 1752. Scientists in many countries became interested in this wonderful form of energy. They wanted to find the answer to a very important question: could the electricity be used to develop a fast, efficient system of long-distance communication? Experiments proved that electricity could travel instantly (мгновенно) over a very long piece of wire. But a note that was written on a piece of paper couldn't be put into a wire. How could electricity be used to send a message? A Danish scientist discovered that electricity could move a needle (1. Иголка; 2. стрелка (прибора)) from left to right and that the needle could be pointed (to point at – направлять на (что-л.)) at letters on a piece of paper. Then a German government worker made up (to made up – составить что-л.) a code system that could be used with an electric needle. In 1837 two English scientists sent a message by electric telegraph for a distance of more than 1,6 kilometers.

Samuel Morse, an American portrait painter (художник-портретист), was experimenting with an electric telegraph too. At first he connected a pencil to an electric wire. When the electricity came through the wire the pencil made wavy lines. Then Morse invented a code that used dots and dashes (точки и тире) for the letters of the alphabet. Finally, he discovered that telegraph messages did not have to be written, they could be sent in sound.

On May 24, 1844, the first long-distance message was sent by telegraph for 64 kilometers.

Telegraph companies were formed in many cities. By 1861 telegraph wires stretched (to stretch – протягивать(ся), простираться) from the Atlantic to the Pacific. In Europe too. Samuel Morse's system became popular.

But telegraph wires couldn't be hung over an ocean. Messages to and from Europe had to be sent by ship (по морю) — a journey of two or three weeks. A new method was needed.

The Atlantic Telegraph Company which was organized in 1856 wanted to try to lay a cable on the floor (дно) of the Atlantic Ocean. The 4,000-kilometer cable broke three times. Each time a new cable had to be made. Finally, on July 27, 1866, the first transatlantic message was sent from Newfoundland to Ireland.

Later cables were laid to Central and South America. After 1900 transpacific cables were laid to Asia and Australia. At last news and business information could be sent instantly to almost every country in the world.

Andrew Jackson's Poor Health

After his wife died Andrew Jackson, former (бывший) President of the United States, became increasingly (зд.: очень) irritable (раздражительный). He also worried (беспокоиться) more and more about his health. Several members of his family had died after a paralytic stroke (паралич) and Jackson was sure he was going to die in the same way. He therefore (поэтому) lived in daily (ежедневный, каждодневный) fear (страх) of getting such a stroke. One day, during a party (вечеринка) at his home, he was playing chess with a young woman. Suddenly Jackson's hands dropped to his side, his face became white. Several friends run to him. «At last it has come», Jackson said weakly. «I have had a stroke. My whole right side is completely paralyzed.» «How do you know?» someone asked. «Because», Jackson said, «in the last few minutes I have pinched (ущипнуть) my leg several times and there is absolutely no sensation (ощущение, восприятие) in it». «Oh, I beg your pardon, sir», said the young woman he played with, «but it was my leg you were pinching.»

Talking via Space

Communication has come a long way from the time when an Indian beat a drum (барабан) in the forest to the lime when a scientist receives messages from a satellite. In this space age communication has become a highly developed field. The system of communication in large countries is unthinkable today without space satellites. Besides large distances, there is a great time difference: the territories of some countries comprise (включать (в свой состав)) up to 11 zones. Satellites help to minimize all the difficulties that may appear. They rapidly transmit TV and radio programs to different towns, cities, and distant areas.

Space systems and electronic technology have made it possible to set up (создавать) an automatic system of communication designed for (предназначенный для) rapid (быстрый, скорый) transmission of all kinds of information.

People write letters and send telegrams. But at the same time people living in various cities like to exchange (обмениваться) news on the telephone. Statistics reports (to report – сообщать) that the number of long-distance telephone calls is about 2, 000 million per year. A person in Moscow talking on the phone with Vladivostok must know that this conversation is carried on (осуществляется) through a satellite.

Trains and cars can use mobile radio telephones to make calls (делать звонки). Businessmen can use fax machines which provide electronic transmission of documents and messages over telephone lines. Even photographs can be sent and received over telephone wires.

Practically all the population in large countries can watch TV via satellites. The orbital communication systems make it possible for people from different continents to sec and hear one another.

The importance of space means of communication is increasing every year. The communication satellites of the international organization «INTERSAT» enable people to keep reliable telephone, telegraph, telex and fax communication in any weather with ships practically in every part of the World Ocean.