ВАРИАНТ 6

XV. Перепишите и переведите текст.

Television

It is true that an important thing can have a small beginning. A tiny nineby- twelve inch box was the centre of attention for hundreds of people at the 1939 World's Fair in New York. They were the first to see a television set in action. Compared to today's TV shows of underwater and outerspace 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.

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

At present TV communication is provided 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.

Then we saw how a new technical invention, colour television, was rapidly replacing black-and-white television. Recently it was reported that the first pocketsize colour television set had been developed. It was stated that a liquid-crystal display was used similar to those on calculators and watches and that it weighed less than a pound.

A few years ago it became evident that the next major advance 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 week you put the programs you like into the memory, and the TV set will automatically switch on the desired channel at the right time. You can watch several programs simultaneously on miniscreens and then produce one of them in full format. Also, the TV set can automatically video-record the programs when you arc 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) or H i - Vision. This is a television of the 21-st century. This revolution was started by Japanese manufacturers when they developed a new video system with a picture resembling a wide-screen film more than traditional television. The new system doubles the number of lines, as well as increases the screen’s width-to-height ratio. The result is a picture five times sharper than in the existing TV sets. The revolutionary system was used during the Seoul Summer Olympics. Since 1990 a new communication satellite has begun to offer regular Hi-Vision service direct to tiny antennae on houses’ roofs. By the year 2000 HDTV equipment will likely find its application not only in homes, but also in industry, medicine, even film production.

XVI. Задайте вопросы к выделенным словам.

1)A tiny nine-by-twelve inch box was the centre of attention for hundreds of people at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York.

2)A tiny nine-by-twelve inch box was the centre of attention for hundreds of people at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York.

3)This revolution was started by Japanese manufacturers when they developed a new video system.

4)A liquid-crystal display was used similar to those on calculators and watches.

5)Since 1990 a new communication satellite has begun to offer regular Hi-Vision servise.

XVII.Определите время глагола-сказуемого и переведите предложения.

1)The students wanted to know whether colour television sets were produced at that plant.

2)Do you know if the “Moscow-Washington” international bridge will be shown on television today?

3)We did not know whether the development of television had continued during the war.

4)She thinks that he works at the problem of space communication.

5)B. Franklin had published his work about electricity in 1752.

XVIII. Перепишите вопросы и ответьте на них письменно.

1)When did the first TV set appear?

2)Were people interested in the new invention?

3)Why was the TV production stopped in 1940?

4)What is digital television?

5)What is high-definition television?

XIX. Укажите, какие из следующих утверждений соответствуют содержанию текста.

1)A lot of people owned television sets in thefirst years after its invention.

2)Only a few years ago colour television was rapidly replacing black- and-white television.

3)First television black-and-white pictures were not very good.

4)When the war was over, TV sets stopped coming off factory assembly lines.

5)A few years ago it became evident that the next major advance for TV would be digital television.

XX.Найдите английские эквиваленты для следующих словосочетаний:

1)телевидение высокой четкости;

2)начаться, разразиться;

3)устройство изображения на жидких кристаллах;

4)карманный;

5)отношение ширины к высоте.

XXI. Определите, к каким частям речи относятся следующие слова и переведите их, исходя из контекста:

1)a few

2)means

3)essentially

4)occur

5)artificial