Understanding technical english 3

Change the following into sentences i n the style of the sentence abol-e: i When your car needs to be repaired, obtain estimates from several garages.. Change the following into senten

Contents

To the Teacher

1 Estimating Repairs

(Car repairs are used as an example)

2 Technical Report and Estimate

(House decorating is used as an example)

3 Car Running Instructions

UNDERSTANDING TECHNICAL

Longrnan Group (Far East) Limited

Quarry Bay, Hong Kong

Associated companies, branches and representatives throughout the world

@ Longman Group (Far East) Ltd 1980

All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Copyright owner

First published 1980

Typeset in Hong Kong by Pearl Island Filmsetters (HK) Ltd Set in Monophoto Univers Medium 10/12 pt

Printed in Hong Kong by

Sing Cheong Printing Co Ltd

The cover photograph shows the Shell/Esso Brent 'D' production platform in the North Sea

To the Teacher

This three-stage graded reading course is

intended for those students of English as a

foreign language w h o w i s h t o relate their

reading i n English t o topics relevant t o their

future careers as craftsmen or technicians

The course contains the following features:

1 The reading passages

Each passage is complete i n itself The length

of the passages varies from about 200 words

i n Book One t o about 300 words i n Book

Three The topics are of general interest t o

all technical students and require little spe-

cialised technical knowledge o n the part of

either the student or the teacher M o s t of the

technical terms can be understood from the

context or from accompanying illustrations

The course can, therefore, be used w i t h

confidence by general English teachers w h o

have little technical knowledge

2 The vocabulary

The emphasis here is not o n teaching highly

specialised technical vocabularies Through-

out, the emphasis is more o n presenting a

general technical vocabulary common t o all

crafts and technologies The vocabulary has

been selected from a careful analysis o f the

words most frequently used i n basic texts

o n building and building-associated trades

and technologies, maintenance and repair-

work, metal-work, civil engineering, and the

fundamentals of computer a n d electrical

technology Attention has also been paid t o

the associated paper-work involved i n giving

estimates and d r a w i n g - u p contracts Full

details of this technical lexis and of the core

general English lexis are given i n the teacher's

handbook t o the series A t various places

throughout this book, students are asked t o

look u p words i n their dictionaries They

should remember that not all dictionaries

contain all words I n many cases, however,

they w i l l be able t o find the root o f a w o r d even if they cannot f i n d the exact form they are looking for

The n e w Longman Dictionary of Contern-

porary English is recommended

3 Structural control All the material is structurally graded A basic assumption has been made concerning the students' knowledge at point of entry, and details of w h a t the students are expected

t o know, if only passively, are given i n the teacher's handbook Other structures are i n - troduced gradually, and are carefully dealt

w i t h i n the exercises The complete structure list is provided in the teacher's handbook This list differs from other widely used lists

i n that i t takes into account those sentence patterns most commonly used i n technical writing

4 The exercises These are designed t o 'exercise' and t o test the students' knowledge The exercises re- quire the students t o use words a n d structures that they have encountered i n the reading passages A n important feature of the exer- cises is that they revise the vocabulary intro- duced i n earlier passages There is, therefore,

a carefully built-in revision factor throughout the book For this reason there are no separate revision units

5 Objectives This course is not intended t o be a basic English course, and should be used i n conjunction w i t h any g o o d general English course Its purpose is t o provide English for

a Specific Purpose The need for ESP has become more and more apparent over recent years This book provides supplementary material t o the usual English programme,

w i t h a technical bias

Acknowledgements

TEXT

We are grateful to the following for permission to reproduce copyright material:

the author, E.W Brown for an adapted extract from Ships Modern Industry series;

Consumers' Association for an extract from 'Extending Your House' and an extract from 'Owning A-Car' used by permission of the publishers, Consumers' Association Copyright;

Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd for an extract from 'Costing and Decorating' by F.E Chalrners from

/ C l Decorating News July 28 1970;

Lutterworth Press for an adapted extract from Engineer, A Picture Career Book by Stewart Macmillan

and an adapted extract from Boy's Book of Scientific Hobbies by R H Warring;

Fredrick Muller Ltd for an adapted extract from This is Television by Richard Carrickford;

Newsweek International Editorial Service for an adapted extract from 'Man The Master-Builder' in

Newsweek September 12th 1977 @ 'l 977 Newsweek Inc;

Oxford University Press for adapted extracts from Machines and Engines by A.G Winterburn (Oxford Children's Reference Library Vol 20) @ Oxford University Press 1973 by permission of Oxford University Press;

Popular Science for an adapted extract from Popular Science p 146 November 1976 Reprinted from

Popular Science with permission @ 1976 Times Mirror Magazines Inc;

Purnell Books for adapted extracts from Engineering Technology Foundations of Science Library @

Sampson Low, Marston and Company Ltd;

TEAC Corporation for an adapted extract from TEAC A-350 instruction Manual Stero Cassette Deck;

Wormald lnternational ( U K ) Ltd for an adapted extract from an advertising leaflet

ILLUSTRATIONS

We are grateful to the following for permission to reproduce copyright

photographs and illustrations:

Architectural Press for page 63;

Arnhold b Co Ltd for page 61;

Australian Information Service for page 21 top-left and bottom-left;

Broken Hill Proprietary Co Ltd for page 54;

British Crown Copyright, Science Museum, London for page 62;

Camera Press for page 21 centre-left;

Commission of India for page 20 top-right;

Department of Energy, U.S.A for pages 63 and 64;

Gammon Building Construction Ltd for page 51;

Hong Kong Government:

Government lnformation Service for pages 2, 15, 21 bottom-right, 23 top-right and bottom, 28, 33,

36 top, 41, 43, 49, 52, 55, 57, 67, 69, 71 left, 74, 81 and 85;

Public Works Department for page 45;

Hong Kong Oxygen for pages 76 and 77;

Hong Kong Tourist Association for page 20 centre;

Hong Kong United Dockyards Ltd for pages 71 right and 75;

K.L.M Royal Dutch Airlines for page 20 bottom-left;

Leung Kai Tong for pages 14, 21 centre-right and 36 bottom-right;

Mass Transit Railway Corporation for page 21 top-right;

National Museum of Wales for page 20 top-left;

Oxford Children's Reference Library Vol XX Machines a n d Engines by A.G.C.A Winterburn, published

by Oxford University Press, for page 27;

The Shell Company of Hong Kong Limited for the cover photograph;

South China Morning Post for page 36 bottom-left;

The Science Museum, London for page 23 top-left;

Wong Che Leung for page 36 bottom-right;

Wormald International (UK) Ltd for page 58

We are also very grateful to the following:

Veronika Nell for drawing most of the illustrations;

Sony Corporation of Hong Kong Ltd., without whose assistance the photographs on page 14 would not have been possible;

Crown Motors Ltd., for their assistance with the illustration on page 1

1 ESTIMATING REPAIRS

Fig 1 l A motor car repair estimate

TOP GARAGES LTD

When y o u take your car-or, indeed, any

piece o f machinery-to be repaired, it is

generally an advantage t o ask for an estimate

You should make sure an estimate is fully

itemised so that y o u can check it afterwards

Then y o u cannot be charged for unnecessary

work Sometimes the repair cannot be accu-

rately estimated until some parts have been

dismantled I f so, authorise this amount of

work first and ask for an accurate estimate

after i t has been done

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

Labour Charges

Engine complete overhaul

Regrind crankshaft & rebore cylinder

Remove & reinstall air conditioner

Refill freon for air conditioner

Material Supplied

4 Piston sub-assembly w/pin

1 Piston ring set

1 Bearing set - crankshaft

1 Bearing set - connecting rod

1 Washer set thrush

1 Gasket set - engine overhaul

51 .OO 27.00 30.00 18.00 7.00 34.00 14.00 13.00 18.00 2.50 2.50 2.80 5.20 3.00 2.00

T O T A L 690.00

- - - - - - -

cent or thirty-three and one-third per cent,

o f w h a t the customer is charged They don't usually pay attention t o the time the mechanic has taken The charge t o the customer is based o n the manufacturer's suggested time- schedules for work For example, if the time allowed is three hours and the mechanic takes

t w o and a half, the customer is charged for three hours The mechanic receives thirty per cent of the total amount charged, n o t thirty per cent of the charge for t h e t w o and

a half hours he actually worked o n the j o b garage t o garage Some garages pay their Labour charges t o customers cover not mechanics a flat rate per hour and pay time only the cost of wages b u t also overheads and a half for overtime Others add a fixed To get the cost per hour of the overheads, percentage per hour t o the hourly rate They - - divide t h e cost of running the workshop itself

~ a v for the overtime at the same rate b y the number of hours of work available

A mechanic working on a car engine

EXERCISES

1 Vocabulary

A Study this sentence:

When you take your car to be rt?aired, it is

an advantage to ask for an estimate

Change the following into sentences i n the

style of the sentence abol-e:

(i) When your car needs to be repaired,

obtain estimates from several garages

(ii) When you want to buy a second-hand

car, have it checked by a good mechanic

first

(iii) When you have a difficult job t o do,

plan it carefully beforehand

Methods of costing differ from garage to

garage

Change the following into sentences i n the

style of the sentence above:

(i) The grades of oil needed are not the

same for every make of car

(ii) The types of spanners used are not the

same for every job

(iii) The method of paying mechanics is not

the same for every garage

A mechanic working underneath a car

C State which words i n the passage mean

(v) expenses needed for carrying on a busi- ness

D L earn these prefixes:

dis, di, dif = away or from dismantle = to take pieces away from; to take

Complete each of these sentences w i t h a

w o r d taken from the above list:

(i) The driver poured the water into the battery

then checked the rear wheels

(iii) The light in the garage made it difficult to see, so they used a spotlight as welt

(iv) The metal w a s so t h a t

B Choose the correct answer a, 6 , c, or d,

to each of the following questions

d Y o u w i l l n o t have t o p a y any overtime

(ii) A c c o r d i n g t o t h e passage, h o w are

mechanics p a i d ?

a a n hourly rate

b according t o t h e skill needed

c i n a number of different ways

mechanic estimate t h e c o s t o f a job?

a H e i s unable t o estimate it

b H e can charge a percentage of t h e total

w o r k s h o p costs

c He c a n use t h e manufacturer's

schedules

d He can ask t h e customer

( i ) 'this a m o u n t o f w o r k ' i n lines 9 a n d 10

(ii) 'itself' i n l i n e 35

3 Language Practice

A Study these sentences:

( i ) M a k e sure t h e estimate is f u l l y itemised

Y o u m a y w a n t t o check t h e w o r k afterwards ( i i ) M a k e sure t h e estimate is f u l l y itemised,

( i i ) M a k e sure y o u o b t a i n more t h a n o n e estimate Y o u may w a n t t o g e t t h e w o r k d o n e

as cheaply as possible

(iii) M a k e sure y o u k e e p a c o p y of t h e estimate Y o u m a y w a n t t o refer t o i t later ( i v ) M a k e sure a record is kept o f t h e t i m e

t h e mechanic takes Y o u may w a n t t o c h e c k his pay

B Study these sentences:

( i ) S o m e garages h a v e a n incentive scheme They p a y t h e mechanic a percentage o f w h a t

t h e customer is charged

(it) Garages w h i c h operate a n incentive scheme p a y t h e m e c h a n i c a percentage of

w h a t t h e customer is charged

tences into a sentence i n the style of ( i t )

above:

(i) S o m e estimates are n o t f u l l y itemised They d o n o t g i v e a n accurate a c c o u n t o f t h e

w o r k t o b e d o n e ( i i ) S o m e garages d o n o t w o r k o u t over- heads correctly, T h e y w i l l either overcharge

o r undercharge their customers

(iii) S o m e machinery is idle for m u c h o f t h e time It i s a major cost problem i n some workshops

(iv) Some garages have poorly skilled me-

chanics They find it difficult to keep their

customers

C Study these sentences

wages They also cover the overheads

(ii) Labour charges cover not only the cost

of the wages, but also the overheads

Change each of the following pairs of sen-

tences into a sentence in the style of (it)

above:

(i) An estimate should include the cost of

spare parts It should also include the labour

costs

(ii) Good garages employ skilled mechanics

They also employ good supervisors

(iii) The good mechanic is highly skilled

He is also a fast worker

(iv) Some machinery is expensive to install

It is also expensive to maintain

D Study this sentence:

T h e charge is based on the manufacturer's

time schedules

Change the following into sentences in the

style of the sentence above:

(i) the cost per hour of the overheads /

calculated / cost of running the workshop

(ii) mechanic's wage / based / on the hours

worked

(iii) cost of spare parts / worked out /

supplier's price

his custom and you intend t o write him a

rep1 y Use the following information as well

as that in the passage:

The job took one mechanic three hours

Complete the letter below, explaining t h e charges:

Watson's Garage, Main Street, Hopetown

26th August 1 9

Mr F Jones, Short Street, Hopetown

Dear Sir, With reference to your complaint of 24th November, I am sorry that you find our charges too high Because methods of costing

, I would like t o take this opportunity of explaining our charges The cost of the gear-box itself

The job took our mechanic three hours

He is paid at the rate of Hence his wages for the job amounted t o

4 Composition

customer has written that he has been over-

charged for a new gearbox in his car He

believes that the amount charged is too

much for the job You do not want t o lose

However, labour charges to our cus- tomers cover not only the cost of wages

They include Our charges for overheads for this job came

-to

A profit of is added t o these combined charges for labour and overheads,

making a total of

You may remember that you did not ask for

an estimate when you brought your car to

us When you take your car to be repaired,

with other garages, you will find that our charges are quite reasonable Therefore we

look forward to receiving your cheque in the next mail

Yours faithfully,

William Watson

(Manager)

2 TECHNICAL REPORT AND ESTIMATE

THE REPORT

The present condition of the surfaces and

the proposed finishes is as follows:

Ceiling : Soft distemper on plaster, badly

cracked Hang textured paper at $8.00 per

roll and finish emulsion paint t o match BS

3-3033

C o r n i c e : Soft distemper, some damage t o

external mitre on elevation Finish to match

B S 3-3033

W a l l s : Emulsion paint in reasonable condi-

tion, but some cracking and flaking apparent

on elevations Two walls t o be finished as

the ceiling but to match B S 5-058 Other t w o

walls to be lined and hung with Vinyl wall-

hanging at $1 8.00 per roll

D o o r s : Varnished oak, varnish badly chip-

ped Finish gloss to match B S 5-059

A r c h i t r a v e s a n d s k i r t i n g : Generally in

poor state, badly chipped Finish in gloss

white

W i n d o w - f rames : Existing paintwork in

bad condition and requires stripping Finish

gloss white

THE ESTIMATE

Ceiling : Wash off all existing distemper, cut

out and make good all cracks, size and hang

with paper, pattern number XXX at $8.00 per

roll and emulsion paint t w o coats $250

Cornice : Wash off all existing soft distem-

per, repair defective angle, prepare, seal and

paint one undercoat and one coat egg-shell

finish $60

W a l l s : Wash down, remove all loose paint,

make good cracks and size Two walls t o be

hung with paper, pattern number XXX at

$8.00 per roll and emulsion paint t w o coats

Two walls t o be lined with white lining paper,

and hung with Vinyl, pattern number XXX at

$1 8.00 per roll $420

Doors and w i n d o w - f r a m e s : Remove all existing paint, rub down, knot, prime and stop, apply t w o coats undercoating and one coat gloss finish $21 0

A r c h i t r a v e s and s k i r t i n g : Wash and rub down, fill all indentations and apply t w o coats undercoating and one coat gloss finish

$60

M i s c e l l a n e o u s : Prepare and sheet-up room and adjacent areas; remove fittings, clean and replace fittings, remove debris from site $30

EXERCISES

I Vocabulary

Walls are sized to make them non-porous This is particularly necessary in countries where the plaster on walls is soft and thus easily absorbs water Priming paintwork achieves several things It gives protection against the weather for wood that is exposed

t o the elements It helps cover u p any defects there may be in the wood It adds body t o the paintwork (Subsequent coats of paint will be much thinner.) Knotting is the process

of treating knots in the wood, prior t o paint- ing, to prevent them exuding resin Stopping

is the process of filling any holes in the wood Sometimes, the word fill is used instead of stop Vinyl is a special type of wall-covering, also sold in rolls It is plastic-coated and easy

t o clean Textured paper is paper that has

a design you can feel with your fingers Making good cracks means filling them in before painting, to give a surface that is as perfect as possible Varnish is coating that can be seen through, and is often applied to wood

Fig 2.1 A room interior showing doorway and

walls

A The words in List A are used in the

passage Pair these with the words from

in the passage Keep the original meaning:

C Label the imperfections illustrated in figure

2.2 correctly, using the terms below:

cracked flaking chipped indentations

D , L earn this prefix:

ad = to

adjacent = next to

dictionaries:

adjust adjoin admit adhere advance

Fig 2,2 A damaged interior showing doorway and walls

Complete each of these sentences with the

above:

( I ) T h e wall had not been sized properly,

so the wall-paper would not (ii) Because the job was so difficult, the

payment for the work

(iii) The window was too high and too small

t o very much light, so t h e y

decided to enlarge it

(iv) The workshop the office building

( v ) The rates of pay w e r e out of date, and

had to be

the estimate

(i) According to the paskage, on which surface or surfaces is textured paper to be used ?

a the ceiling only

b all walls

c, two walls only

d two walls and the ceiling

(ii) According to the passage, what is to

be put underneath the Vinyl wall-hanging?

a emulsion paint

b distemper

c white lining paper

d, one coat gloss finish

(iii) According to the passage, which of the

following mat.erials will not be used for the

proposed finishes ?

a distemper b paper

c emulsion paint d Vinyl

(iv) According to the passage, when is size

applied to a surface7

a before it is painted

b before the paper is hung

c after it has been painted

d during stripping

C List all the materials that will be required

t o redecorate the room

3 Language Practice

A This technical report and estimate is

written in abbreviated English Many words

have been left out:

For example:

Soft distemper on plaster, badly cracked

badly cracked

Referring to the passage if necessary, rewrite

the following in full:

(i) Soft distemper, some damage to external

mitre on elevation

(ii) Emulsion paint in reasonable condition

(iii) Finish in gloss white, generally in poor

state

B Study this example:

(I) Two walls to be finished the same as

the ceiling

(it) Finish two walls the same as the ceiling

Change the following into the style of (ii) above:

(i) The other two walls to be lined and hung with Vinyl

(ii) All existing paint to be rubbed down (iii) Defective angle to b e repaired

(iv) Cracks to be made good and sized (v) Two walls to be hung with oatmeal paper

C Study this example:

(i) What is the present state of the surfaces and what finishes do you propose?

(ii) The present state of the surfaces and the proposed finishes are as follows:

style of (ii) above:

(i) What are the mechanical faults in the vehicle and what repairs do you suggest? (ii) What is the condition of the building and what improvements do you recommend? (iii) What are the defects of the system and what modifications do you plan?

(iv) What are the health hazards in the factory and what safeguards do you require?

D Study this example:

(i) Wash off all existing soft distemper from the ceiling

(ii) Ceiling: Wash off all existing distemper

4 Composition

then write a detailed technical report T h e

owner wants the four walls to be hung with

Vinyl, pattern number 49A You must decide

painted or plastered

/

Fig 2.3 A damaged interior room, with window

3 CAR RUNNING INSTRUCTIONS

Filling up with fuel

When filling up with fuel avoid overf,illing

the tank The fuel should not be visible in the

filler intake tube If it is and the car is left

in the sun, the fuel may expand Then there is

a danger of fuel leakage If the tank is

accidentally overfilled, park the car in the

shade with the filler as high as possible

Starting

Check that the gear lever is in the neutral Fig 3.1 An over-filled fuel tank

position and that the hand-brake is on If temperature gauge speed gauge choke ignition key

the engine is cold, pull out the mixture

control (choke) Switch on the ignition,

check that the ignition and oil-pressure lights

glow, and operate the starter As soon as the

engine starts, release the ignition key and

warm up the engine Check that the oil-

pressure gauge is registering or that the gear lever

il pressure gauge

oil -pressure light goes out

Warming up

Warming 'p the engine allowing it t o Fig 3 2 A car dashboard, showing dials and

idle slowly is harmful and leads t o excessive gauges

cylinder wear The correct procedure is to

let the engine run fairly fast, approximately

one thousand revolutions (revs) per minute

(1000 rpm), corresponding to a speed of

twenty-five kilometres per hour (25 kph) in

top gear This allows it t o reach its correct

working temperature as quickly as possible

Far less damage is done by driving the car

from cold, than by letting the engine idle

slowly

Running in

The way a new car is looked after will have

an important effect on its future life Engine

and road speeds during this early period must

be limited During the first eight hundred

kilometres:

After the running-in period, speeds should

be gradually increased up to maximum per- formance

so shows a fault in the battery charging system Check that the fan-belt is correctly tensioned, before consulting your dealer

Temperature gauge

When the engine is running, the gauge shows

Do not exceed seventy kilometres per hour, the temperature of the coolant leaving the

Do not operate at full throttle in any gear cylinder head When the ignition is switched

D o not allow the engine to labour in any gear off, the needle returns to the 'cold' position

EXERCISES

1 Vocabulary

A The words i n List A are used i n the

passage Pair these w i t h the words from

i n the passage Keep the original meaning:

register registration registered

Fill i n the blank spaces i n the table below

(The words d o n o t all f o l l o w the same

pattern.)

limitation control

operational excessive connection

C Learn this prefix:

(i) over = t o o much; t o o great

overfilling = filling t o o m u c h

(ii) over =above

overhead = above the head (e.g an overhead

cable)

dictionaries:

over heat overturn overwork

over-produce over-estimate overlay

overlap over-time overpass

Complete each of these sentences w i t h the

correct form of a w o r d taken from the above

list:

( i ) They had t o pull off t h e road w h e n their engine a n d wait for it t o cool (ii) T o avoid having joins, where water

m i g h t leak in, roof-tiles always (iii) The men had t o work SO

that they could finish the building b y the completion date i n the contract

(iv) The builder the cost of his materials and lost a contract t o build a new factory

t o each of the following questions:

(i) According t o the passage, w h a t may cause fuel t o leak from an overfull t a n k ?

a visible fuel

b expansion of fuel

c a faulty intake tube

d a loose fuel tank (ii) According t o the passage, w h e n should the ignition key be released ?

a w h e n the oil-pressure gauge registers

b w h e n the oil-pressure light goes out

c w h e n the mixture control (choke) is pushed in

d w h e n the engine starts (iii) According t o the passage, w h a t effect can idling have o n a cold engine?

a There is the risk o f fuel leakage

b The cylinders may be damaged

c The engine w i l l labour i n any gear

d Oil pressure w i l l b e increased

(iv) According t o the passage, what is the

running in' period for a new car?

a before the engine warms up

b while the engine is idling

c when the warning lights are still on

d the first eight hundred kilometres

C Explrjtr~ w h a t the f o l l o w i n g refer to

(I) 'it' in l ~ n e 4

(ii) 'so' in line 52

3 Language Practice

A S t r ~ d y these sentences:

( i ) When you fill u p with fuel, d o not

overfill the tank

(ii) When filling up with fuel, avoid over-

filling the tank

Change tile followl'ng i n t o sentences i n the

style of ( i t ) above:

(i) When you run in a new car, d o not

exceed seventy kilometres per hour

(ri) When you warm u p the engine, do not

(iii) Driving at speeds greater than a hundred and twenty kilometres per hour is usually illegal

(iv) Allowing the engine t o labour in any gear is unwise

(v) Filling the petrol tank while the engine

is running is prohibited

A jack is a tool which is used for raising a car

Change t h e f o l l o w i n g i n t o definitions in the style o f the sentence above:

(I) alternator / mechanical generator / used for / supplying / alternating current

(ii) coolant / liquid / used for / cooling engine

(iii) starter / electric motor / used for /

starting / car engine (iv) choke / valve / used for / controlling /

intake of air (v) gauge / instrument / used for / measur- ing / oil pressure

allow ~t to idle

( i i ~ ) When you top up the brake fluid, d o not 4 Composition

spill any of it on the paint-work of the car

(iv) When you park your car, d o not park

it in the sun

( v ) When you operate your vehicle over

long distances, do not travel a t high speeds

for long periods

B Study these sentences:

(i) Warming up the engine by allowing it

to idle slowly is harmful

(ii) It is harmful t o warm u p the engine by

allowing it to idle

C f l a t ~ y e the f o l l o w i n g i n t o sentences i n the

style of (11) above:

( i ) Unscrewing a radiator cap while the

englne i s hot is dangerous

(ii) Lying under a jacked-up car is unsafe

It is important t o keep the bodywork and upholstery of your car in good condition

Use t h e f ~ l l o w i n g notes t o w r i t e o u t some

car cleaning instructions:

Interior

carpets, ashtrays, seats: take out to clean floor-wells, pockets: brush or vacuum upholstery: clean with

upholstery cleaner

Exterior

chrome: ( i ) wash-soapy

water (ii) rinse-cold water

(iii) dry-chamois

paintwork:

for rust (i) clean-chrome

cleaner (ii) wax (i) wash-deter- gent

[for dull cut back- abrasive

paint polish (gives smooth,

shiny, finish)-don't rub too hard (expose undercoat)]

(ii) protect-wax polish-not in sun- dries quickly-hard

to polish

acuum cleaner

Fig 3.3 Cleaning the inside of a car

Fig 3.4 Cleaning the outside of a car

4 TAPE-DECK MAINTENANCE

The inside of a tape-deck Cleaning the pinch roller

- - - -

Cleaning the tape- heads

A n important procedure i n tape-deck

maintenance is t o clean the heads carefully

and frequently The heads should always be

cleaned before making recordings and at

least once for every eight hours o f use A

higher quality of recording a n d reproduction

w i l l be available if the proper cleaning pro-

cedure is followed Dirty heads w i l l cause a

reduction i n frequency-response, and irreg-

ular head wear I n extreme cases, the deck

may fail t o record at all

Chlorothane and absolute anhydrous alco-

hol are commonly used cleaning fluids

Chlorothane is non-flammable and has

excellent cleaning properties Alcohol is

harmless t o the machine: i t is combustible,

however, and its cleaning properties are not

completely satisfactory

Removing the pinch roller

cover Using a stiff cotton s w a b or a piece

o f gauze dipped i n cleaning fluid, rub the entire head surface Take care n o t t o scratch

it Repeat t h e procedure o n each head, until all the discolouration a n d tape oxides have been removed Clean all metal parts over

w h i c h t h e tape passes, such as the capstan shafts, tape guides and tape lifters A satis- factory j o b cannot be d o n e w i t h the thin, flexible shafts often provided b y shops; therefore use a s w a b w i t h a rigid shaft After a lot of use the pinch-roller w i l l also accumulate a film o f oxide T o remove the pinch-roller for cleaning, grasp it w i t h the fingers a n d pull it forward Only fluidssuitable for cleaning rubber surfaces should be used

o n t h e pinch-roller D o n o t use chlorothane

as it w i l l cause deterioration of t h e rubber

To clean the heads, first remove t h e head

EXERCISES

1 Vocabulary

A Form nouns f r o m each o f the f o l l o w i n g

words

(i) reproduce (ii) discolour

(iii) accumulate (iv) deteriorate

( v ) reduce

Complete each o f these sentences w i t h t h e

correct f o r m o f a w o r d taken f r o m t h e above

/is t:

from the heads

quality if the proper cleaning procedure is

followed

(iii) If the heads are dirty, there may be a

in frequency response

reduce the quality of the recording

(v) The use of chlorothane as a cleaning

fluid will cause of the rubber

B Write the opposite o f these words:

(i) irregular (ii) non-flammable

(iii) harmful (iv) corn busti ble

(v) satisfactory (vi) flexible

(vii) forward (viii) suitable

(ix) important

(In less technical English, 'inflammable' is

often used instead of 'flammable' Its oppo-

site is 'non-inflammable' instead of 'non-

reproduction = production again

e.g a reproduction of the famous painting,

the 'Mona Lisa'

A copy artist reproducing paintings

Look u p t h e meanings o f these w o r d s i n your dict~onaries:

retract reinforced retaining reverse recondition

Complete each o f these sentences w i t h the correct f o r m o f a w o r d taken f r o m t h e above 11s t :

(i) Most typewriters have an automatic ribbon

(ii) The pilot was worried when the wheels

(iii) He decided to buy a engine rather than a new one

(iv) The wall w a s made of

concrete ten centimetres thick

( i ) According to the passage, in what way

is alcohol superior t o chlorothane for cleaning purposes ?

a It is non-flammable

b It is combustible

c It has excellent cleaning properties

d It can be used t o clean rubber surfaces

(ii) According t o the passage, w h i c h of the

following parts o f a tape-deck is made of

rubber ?

a the tape heads

b the pinch roller

c the capstan shafts

d t h e tape lifters

(iii) According t o the passage, w h i c h of

the following w o u l d y o u not use t o clean a

tape head?

a a cotton swab w i t h a rigid shaft

b a piece of gauze

c chlorothane

d, a piece of glass paper

(iv) According t o the passage, w h a t is the

main purpose of cleaning tape heads?

a t o reduce friction

b t o remove oxides and discolouration

c t o increase tape speed

d t o reduce frequency-response

C Explain what the following refer to:

(i) 'its' in line 17

(ii) 'it' in line 23

3 Language Practice

A Study this example:

an important procedure / improve engine

performance / adjust the carburettor

A n important procedure i n improving engine

performance is t o adjust the carburettor

Change the following groups of phrases into

sentences i n the same way:

(i) the most important procedure / install

electrical equipment / double-check all

connections

(ii) the next step / prepare the solution /

weigh and mix the chemicals

(iii) one of the stages / clean the surface /

remove all discolouration

(iv) the final stage / connect the equipment /

verify the voltage (v) an important procedure / maintain tape-deck / clean the heads

B Study these sentences:

(i) A higher quality o f recording a n d re- production w i l l be available

(ii) Greater engine performance w i l l be possible

(iii) More kilometres t o t h e litre w i l l be obtained

(iv) Less damage w i l l b e d o n e t o the surface (v) Fewer breakdowns w i l l occur

Make n e w sentences by combining one of the sentences above w i t h a suitable phrase from the list below:

0 ) if t h e vehicle is properly serviced

(ii) if t h e most suitable gear

is engaged

(iii) if the engine is correctly tuned

(;v> if t h e paintwork is reg- ularly waxed

( V ) if the proper cleaning procedure is followed

The heads should always be cleaned before making recordings

a sentence in the style of the sentence above:

(i) estimate / always / checked / pay l bill (ii) walls / never / painted / apply / under- coating

(iii) approval / always / given / changing /

specifications (iv) the head cover / always / removed /

clean / heads

type-face /

D T h e following w o r d s are o f t e n used to

j o i n s t a t e m e n t s

( I ) h o w e v e ~ (11) s u c h as (111) t h e r e f o r e

C h r r k l70 W ' / l o w r v e r ' and 'therefore' are

i ~ s ~ d t r l t l l p passage on p 74 'Such as' IS

5 THE ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

For thousands of years the only power

used by humans was that produced by the

muscles of man and of animals Later, man

found ways of making use of the forces of

water and wind Then, in the nineteenth

century, steam power revolutionised Europe

and created great industrial nations Steam

power had limitations, however; and many

industries did not develop until electricity

could be widely used

Electricity, made by steam power produced

from burning coal, gas or oit, or by the force

of water turning turbines, or by atomic

power, has dramatically altered our way of

life This cheap form of power that is brought

into our homes so easily, operates such

modern amenities as lighting, air-condition-

ing, refrigeration, television and power tools

There is a huge demand for electricity and,

as a result of this, an increasing need for

electrical and electronic engineers all over

the world

Electrical engineering can be divided into

t w o main fields: power and electronics The

former includes the manufacture of elec-

tricity and generating plants, machinery and

components It ranges from the design of

electric razors to the installation of a power

station

Electronics covers the field of 'light current'

apparatus including television and tele-

phone engineering-also the design and

manufacture of such complex scientific

instruments a s the electron microscope and

the electronic computer

To enter any of these fields of work, the

student needs a good knowledge of basic

engineering, such as an understanding of the

strength and properties of materials He also needs a full understanding of circuit theory and a solid knowledge of mechanical engineering Also he needs some practical experience of manufacturing in the electronic field At the same time, specialisation is essential Hence a student has t o decide whether to specialise in heavy or light electrical engineering Whatever his choice, the opportunities before him are many and varied

swivels so that it always faces the wind

EXERCISES

1 Vocabulary

A Study this example

produce production productive

Supply the noun and adjective forms of the

following verbs:

(i) revolutionise (ii) create

(iii) develop (iv) strengthen

( v ) include

B The w o r d s i n List A are used i n t h e

passage Pair each o f these words with the

meaning (as it is used in the passage)

produce = to make; t o p u t forward

Look up the meanings of these words in your

dictionaries:

Complete each of these sentences with the

correct form of a word taken from the above

/is t:

(1) A of t h e machine w a s

o n display at the exhibition

(ii) Scientists are experimenting w i t h cars

B Choose the correct answer a, 6, c, d, or e,

to each of the following questions:

(i) According t o t h e passage, w h i c h f o r m

o f p o w e r has dramatically altered o u r w a y

f o l l o w i n g is n o t utilised t o p r o d u c e electricity?

a gas b water c w o o d

d coal e atomic p o w e r (iii) A c c o r d i n g t o t h e passage, w h i c h o f t h e

f o l l o w i n g is an example of 'power' electrical engineering ?

a, t h e design a n d manufacture o f c o m - puters

b telephone a n d television engineering

d t h e manufacture o f scientific instru- ments

(iv) A c c o r d i n g t o t h e passage, w h a t m u s t

a student of electrical engineering d e c i d e ?

a whether or n o t t o study t h e strength

a n d properties of materials

b whether or n o t t o learn a b o u t circuit theory

experience of t h e electronic field

d whether or n o t t o specialise i n light or heavy electrical engineering

EARLY USES O F POWER

An elghteenth-century kitchen wlth a dog-dr~ven An elephant transporting logs of wood spit (top)

MODERN USES OF POWER

C Explain what the following refer to:

(i) 'This cheap form of power' i n line 15

(ii) 'The former' i n lines 24 and 25

(iii) 'It' in line 27

3 Language Practice

A Study these sentences:

( i ) Humans used only t h e power produced

b y the muscles of man a n d of animals

(ii) The only power used b y humans was

that produced b y the muscles of man and of

animals

Change the following into sentences in the

style of (ii) above:

(i) The engineers used only concrete rein-

forced b y steel rods

(ii) Builders used only stone quarried locally

in the construction of these houses

(iii) The builders used only the material

specified i n the contract

(iv) The mechanic used only the oil re-

commended by the manufacturer

(v) The decorator used only the wall-paper

ordered b y his client

B Study these sentences:

(i) Electricity has dramatically altered our

w a y o f life It is made b y steam power

produced b y burning oil, gas or coal

(ii) Electricity, made b y steam power pro-

duced b y burning oil, gas or coal, has

dramatically altered our w a y o f life

Change each of the following pairs of

sentences into a sentence in the style of (ii)

above:

(i) Heavy equipment has made many

engineering projects possible i n developing

countries M u c h o f it has been provided by

the industrial nations

(ii) The electric typewriter has enabled

typists t o double their speeds I t w a s i n - vented i n America

(iii) Power is required for driving this machine I t is provided b y a small motor (iv) T w o steel towers were erected They were designed t o resist temperature changes

C Study these sentences:

(i) There is an increasing need for electrical engineers because there is a huge demand for electricity

(ii) There is a huge demand for electricity and, as a result o f this, there is an increasing need for electrical engineers

Change the following into sentences in the style of (ii) above:

(i) The fuel leaked o u t of the tank because

i t had been over-filled

(ii) The oil consumption rose because the running temperature was t o o high

(iii) The customer had t o pay more than he expected because t h e estimate was ih-

accurate

(iv) A l l the machinery was idle for several hours because there w a s a power failure

4 Composition

Write a paragraph by joining the groups

of sentences that follow Use the joining words suggested in the list below (The numbers b y the joining words indicate the groups of sentences where they are t o be used.)

(i) w h e n (ii) because until (iii) n o t o n l y (iv) because

but also and (v) as well a s (vi) since

(i) Steam power was invented i n the nineteenth century .l t revolutionised industry

i n Europe

(ii) Steam power had its limitations M a n y

industries d i d n o t develop Electricity was

widely used

(iti) Electricity can be produced from steam

power I t can be produced from the force of

water I t can be produced b y nuclear power

(iv) There is a huge demand for electricity

There is a need for electrical engineers ( v ) A student needs a g o o d knowledge of basic engineering H e needs a full under- standing o f circuit theory He needs practical experience

(vi) Specialisation is essential A student has

t o decide H e w i l l specialise i n heavy or fight engineering

6 MACHINES WITH BRAINS

A Spinning Jenny

Electronic spinning machinery

During the last hundred years, industry

has become more and more mechanised

Machines have taken over much of the work

that was formerly done by human hands and

muscles But in the past each machine had

to be looked after by a man or a woman

whose eyes and brain controlled and guided

it Now a great change in our tools has begun

to take place Industry is being automated

The machines themselves are being given

eyes and brains, so that people are not needed

to attend them The eyes and brains are

supplied by specially-designed electrical cir-

cu its

Traditional printing

Printing with electronic machinery

The operation of automatic machines is based on 'feedback' The machine is given

a way of 'watching' what it does and of 'recognising' when to stop and do something else A simple example of feedback can be found in the control of a central-heating oil- burner by a thermostat

The working part of a thermostat is a bar made of two pieces of different metals, attached back t o back The t w o metals expand when they get warm, but one expands faster than the other As a result, when the bar gets warm, i t begins t o curl When it

one of steel alloy, laminated together

The brass expands more quickly than the steel alloy

Fig 6.1 A thermostat

EXERCISES

1 Vocabulary

cools off, it straightens out again The bar

is set next to a screw, so that it touches the

screw when it is straight, but pulls away when

it is curled The bar and the screw are both

part of an electrical circuit that controls the

switch mechanism of the oil-burner When

the air in the building becomes cool, the

bar cools, straightens, and touches the screw

This completes an electric circuit and the

oil-burner is switched on As the air in the

building becomes hotter, so does the bar,

and it begins to curl It pulls away from the

screw, the current stops flowing and the

oil-burner is switched off A thermostat of

this kind can be adjusted to keep the tem-

perature of the house at any required level

Completely automatic machinery is now

used in oil refineries The oil is 'cracked' by

heat with the help of a catalyst-in this

case, a powder that speeds up the refining

process The oil is broken up into petrol and

other products which are then separated from

each other The process goes on non-stop

Oil flows into the machinery at one end and

the refined products flow out of the other

The catalyst is used, cleaned and used again

Automatic controls are used not only to

regulate the temperature, but the rate of

flow of materials and many other things

words in your dictionaries:

operate operation operational mechanise mechanisation mechanical

adj ust adjustment adj usted automate automation automatic

Complete each of these sentences w i t h the correct word from each of the groups above:

(i) There has been increased m

of industry during the past hundred years (ii) Many workers fear that a

may result in unemployment

(iii) The new factory will be o

by the end of the month

(iv) Petroleum products are produced from crude oil in a r

(v) The temperature of the building can b e regulated by making an a t o the thermostat

B Look u p the meanings of these words i n your dictionaries:

catalyst control thermostat circuit refinery

Complete each o f these definitions w i t h a

w o r d taken from the above list:

(i> A is a complete path through which an electric current can travel (ii) A is a substance that speeds up a chemical process without being changed itself

25

(iii) A is a place where sub-

stances are made pure

(iv) A is a device for auto-

matically regulating temperature

a machine is operated or regulated

C Learn this prefix:

semi = partly

serni-automatic = partly automatic

dictionaries:

semi-skilled semi-circular

semi -conductor semi-solid

semi -transparent

word taken from the above list:

electricity

needed to build the gas pipeline

(iii) The protractor was in

shape

(iv) They put glass in the

window in order to keep out some of the

glare

( v ) Because the mixture was

it would not pour easily

b Machines are being automated

c All industrial processes are now com- pletel y automated

d Men and women are not needed in large numbers in industry now

(ii) According to the passage, what is the purpose of 'feedback' in automation?

a It provides power to the machines

b It provides the machines with informa- tion

c It speeds up the refining process

d It does the work of a catalyst

(iii) According to the passage, what happens

to one of the pieces of metal in the bar when the temperature falls?

a It touches a screw

b It moves away from a screw

c It heats the oil

d It increases the flow of heat

(iv) According to the passage, what is the function of the catalyst in refining oil?

A State what equipment or parts you would

need to control an oil-burner according to

the temperature of the air

to each of the following questions:

is industry changing now ?

a Machinery has replaced human hands

and muscles

3 Language Practice

A Study this example:

(i) Automate the machines

(ii) The machines are being automated

Respond to each of these instructions with

(ii) Regulate the oil flow

(iii) Refine the oil

(iv) Straighten the bar

( v ) Check the bearings

B Study these sentences:

(i) The temperature of the building can be

kept at any required level by adjusting the

thermostat

(ii) The thermostat can be adjusted t o keep

the temperature of the building at any

required level

Change the following into sentences in the

style of (ii) above:

(i) The refining process can be speeded

up by using a catalyst

(ii) Production can be increased b y install-

ing automatic equipment

(iii) Reproduction can be improved by clean-

ing the recording and playback heads

(iv) The car can be raised t o the required

level by applying the jack

(v) The f l o w of a river can be controlled

by constructing a dam

C Study these sentences:

(i) When d o the t w o metals expand?

(ii) The t w o metals expand when they get

warm

Respond to the following questions using a

'when' clause, as in (ii) above:

(i) When does the bar begin t o curl?

(ii) When does the bar straighten out again ?

(iii) When does the bar touch the screw?

(iv) When does the electric current begin t o

flow through i t ?

(v) When does the current stop flowing

through i t ?

4 Composition

works, by filling in the spaces in the passage

below:

The ( A ) slides between ( B ) It is supported

Fig 6.2 An electric lift (elevator)

by a ( C ) which is fixed t o a (D) This slides

u p and d o w n the lift shaft between another set of (G) The rope goes u p t o the top of the shaft where it passes several times over ( E ) which can be driven i n either direction

by (F) When the (E) are driven i n one direction the (A) is raised and the (D) is lowered When the ( E ) are driven i n the other direction the reverse occurs

Key A: Carriage or cage which carries passengers

or goods u p and d o w n the lift shaft i n the building (not shown here)

B: Guide rails o n which the cage slides C: Wire rope which supports the car and which is fixed at both ends t o the one counter-weight

D: Counter-weight Its weight is equal t o that of the car plus half the weight of the passengers when the car is full

E: Grooved pulleys

F: Electric motor which can drive the pulley

i n either direction The controls are operated

at a distance by electro-magnets

G: Guide rails on which the counter-weight slides

7 ELECTRONICS

A computer console

Electronics is an extension of electricity

It i s the study and application of the phenom-

ena of electrons and electromagnetic waves

In electronics, use is made of complex

electrical circuits employing transistors in

addition to more elementary components

Such electronic circuits can range from

very simple ones which perform elementary

'on-off' functions like a switch, t o those

which are so complex that they can be

understood only by specialist engineers

Users of such equipment have to rely on the

fact that it does work rather than on an

understanding of how it works If anything

goes wrong with it they have to send for an

expert to put it right Computers, for example,

are usually serviced by a team of experts who

check them They keep them working instead

of waiting for a fault to develop and then

dealing with it

Even so, a home-computer industry is

expanding rapidly Low-cost micro-circuits

are bringing computing power to thousands

of homes in America These computer kits

are not much bigger than a stereo receiver

The microprocessor is the beginning of a

system It miniaturises the central processing

unit of the computer A memory is also

needed to hold the computer programme

The larger memory you buy, the more you

Tapes and tape-drives can do with the computer The basic unit of memory is the 'byte', which usually consists

of eight 'bits' Each 'bit' is a 0 or a 1, the

binary language of the computer

Other uses of electronics are found in such specialised fields as radio, telecommunica- tions, audio and video reproduction systems and control gear, and there are many other uses In many cases the circuits, although complex, are really combinations or exten- sions of basic circuits The brain of an electronic circuit was originally the radio valve or 'tube', as it is sometimes known Nowadays, although valves are still in use, the transistor h.as largely taken their place

Computer terminals or Visual Display Units

printer ' \I

Fig 7.1 A computer room

EXERCISES

1 Vocabulary

A The words in List A are used in the

passage Pair these with the words from List B

which could be substituted for them in the

passage Keep the original meaning:

employing equipment

elementary (an) additional part(s) of

B Study these sentences:

munications

(ii) He worked in such specialised fields as

radio and telecommunications

In (ii) we see how the verb-form specialised

can also be used as an adjective A number of

other verb-forms commonly used in technical

and scientific English can also be used as

adjectives Some of these are listed in List A

in your dictionaries Then pair each of them

with the word in List B that it describes

transistorised metal computerised aircraft miniaturised needle

Look up the meanings of these words in

(ii) Fumes rose from the motor because the

pipe w a s broken

stripped and then painted

( i v ) H u g e machines were used to

minerals from the earth (v) When metals are heated,

occurs

A Describe how electronic circuits are differ- ent from ordinary electrical circuits

B Choose the correct answer a, b, c, or d,

t o each of the following questions:

(i) According to the passage, which of the following could be a component of an electronic circuit?

a a function

b a transistor

c, a computer

d a reproduction system

(ii) According t o the passage, w h y d o many

users of electronic equipment not understand

h o w it works?

a They are specialised engineers

b It performs only simple functions

c It is extremely complex

d It combines various basic circuits

(iii) According t o the passage, w h i c h of the

following holds the computer programme?

a, the micro-circuit b the byte

c the microprocessor d the memory

(iv) According t o the passage, w h a t are the

brains of an electronic circuit?

a the users of the equipment

b the experts

c the specialised engineers

d the valves or transistors

C Explain what the following refer to

(i) 'they' i n line 15

(ii) 'it' i n line 20

3 Language Practice

A Study these sentences:

(i) Some circuits are very complex They

can be understood only b y specialist en-

gineers

(ii) Some circuits are so complex that they

can be understood only b y specialist en-

gineers

Change each of the f o l l o w ~ n g pairs of

above:

(i) Computers are very costly t o purchase

Many o f them are rented

(ii) Some electrical equipment is difficult t o

repair It is cheaper t o replace defective parts

w i t h n e w ones

(iii) Electrical engineering involves many

different areas Students must specialise (iv) The cost of all r a w materials has risen very much All estimates w i l l have t o be revised

(v) The vehicle was very badly damaged

It had t o be t o w e d t o a garage,

B Study these sentences:

( i ) Users of electronic equipment rely o n the fact that it does work They d o n o t rely

o n an understanding o f h o w it works (ii) Users of electronic equipment rely o n the fact that i t does work rather than o n an understanding of h o w i t works

Change each of the following pairs of sen- tences into a sentence in the style of (it) above:

(i) M o s t accidents are caused b y human error They are not often caused by mechani- cal failure

(ii) Modern industry depends o n engineer-

i n g skills It does not depend very much o n manual tabour

(iii) M a n y people purchase a car for its appearance They d o not usually purchase i t for its engine performance

(iv) Mechanics are advised t o refer t o the manual They should n o t rely o n their memories

(v) Some building materials are chosen for their cheapness They are often n o t chosen for their quality

C Study these sentences:

( i ) Although the circuits are complex, they are really extensions of basic circuits

(ii) The circuits, although complex, are really extensions of basic circuits

Change the following into sentences in the style of (ii) above:

(i) Although transistors are basically simple

components, they can perform complex func-

tions

(ii) Although valves are still in use, they

have been largely replaced by transistors

(iii) Although the new paints are expensive,

they are extremely durable

(iv) Although alcohol, used for cleaning, is

harmless, it is combustible

(v) Although the machines are new, they

.are not reliable

4 Composition

of three:

use

A computer uses electronic pulses

using

represent numbers These moving

are

very fast since no moving parts is

were involved, only the movement of electric

currents So the computer can do long

representing switches 'on' and 'off' The computer needing

need a programme Its set of instructions needs

is are fed in to it by a code of holes on can

is turned punched tapes This information turns

turn into electric pulses Some of this goes into

when the computer's memory bank where it is

which require held in the right order until requiring for

required

If making calculations When the computer

Until has finished its calculations the result

is printed printed on another punch tape or is will print

typed

wiped out

written

8 TELEVISION

The w o r d 'television' is made u p o f t w o

parts, t h e Greek 'tele' a n d t h e Latin 'video'

Television means seeing a t a distance, a n d

i t has taken m a n y years t o develop I t was n o t

until 1936 that t h e B B C {the British Broad-

casting Company) started t h e first regular

television service i n t h e world

The viewer, l o o k i n g at his television screen,

does not see a m o v i n g picture H e sees a

series o f still photographs, each a little

different These pass before h i s eyes so

quickly that h e has a n impression o f c o n -

tinuous movement

The picture o n t h e screen is composed o f a

series o f lines w h i c h r u n f r o m left t o right

and from t o p t o b o t t o m These lines are lines

of various shades of light They travel across

the screen so quickly that they give t h e

impression o f o n e steady continuous picture

The viewer sees t w e n t y - f i v e pictures per

second, w i t h a fixed number o f lines making

u p each picture Depending o n w h i c h system

i s used, the number o f lines is either four

hundred and five or six hundred a n d t w e n t y -

five

Unlike films, w h i c h are taken at one time

and then s h o w n at another, a television

transmission is usually instantaneous Events

are seen at t h e same time as they take place

I n sound broadcasting, sounds are changed

i n t o small electric currents by a microphone

These small currents are t h e n carried b y a

cable t o a transmitter The transmitter sends

them o u t i n t o space as radio waves They

can be picked u p b y a s o u n d receiver w h i c h

changes t h e m back i n t o the original sounds

A similar m e t h o d is used i n television

The picture i s seen b y a n electric 'eye' -the

television camera-which changes it i n t o

A series of still photographs will b e seen as a moving picture

small electric currents A s w i t h s o u n d radio,

t h e electric currents are carried b y a cable

t o a transmitter w h i c h radiates t h e m i n t o space i n t h e f o r m o f electrical waves The waves carrying t h e s o u n d a n d the picture arrive at t h e antenna o f the receiver They create currents w h i c h are sent t o t h e receiver

t h r o u g h a transmission line It changes t h e m back i n t o t h e pictures that t h e viewer sees

on his screen

A telex machine and operator

A ship's telegraph room

EXERCISES

1 Vocabulary

microphone telephone telegraph

videotape gramophone videophone

printagram

Complete each of these definitions with a

word taken from the above list:

transmits the human voice to a distance by

electric currents

(ii) A i s a method of send-

ing graphic messages by the use of electric

currents along wires or by wireless

(iii) A is a magnetic tape

used for recording television programmes

(iv) A is an apparatus that

transmits both sound and picture to a distance

B The words in List A are used in the

passage Pair these with the words from List

passage Keep the original meaning

composed of non-stop depending on sequence

C L earn this prefix:

trans = across transmit = to send across, to send on

your dictionaries:

translucent transfer transparent

Complete each of these sentences with the correct form of a word taken from the above /is t:

(i) One of the fields in civil engineering is

(ii) The builder used glass

in the bathroom window

(iii) He used glass in the windows overlooking the garden

the current into a higher voltage

Ethiopia to work on a new dam

2 Comprehension sound or pictures

d They both use an 'electric eye'

A Explain briefly the difference between the

C Explain w h a t the f o l l o w i n g refer to:

(i) 'These' i n line 11

twenty -five systems

(ii) 'They' i n line 34

to each of the following questions

(i) According t o the passage, the numbers 3 Language Practice

four hundred and five and six hundred and

twenty-five refer to:

a the make or brand of the television set

b the number o f still photographs the

viewer sees per second

c the number of lines w h i c h make u p

each picture

d the measurement of a small electric

current

(ii) According t o the passage, w h a t does

the viewer see o n his television screen?

(iii) According t o the passage, what is

'instantaneous transmission of events'?

a the transmission of events into a series

of still photographs

b a broadcast of events as they happen

c, the separation o f events into a series

of still photographs

d the transmission of sound or vision by

means of radio waves

(iv) According t o the passage, i n what w a y

are radio and television similar?

a They both use a microphone t o turn

sound into electric current

b They both use a camera t o turn pictures

into an electric current

c They both use radio waves t o transmit

(i) The B B C d i d not start the first regular television service until 1 936

(ii) I t was not until 1936 that the BBC started the first regular television service

Change the f o l l o w i n g into sentences i n the style of (it) above:

(i) The B B C d i d not broadcast a second

channel until thirty years later

(ii) Colour television was not introduced until the 1970s

(iii) The PAL (Phase Automation Line) system was not developed until many years later

(iv) Viewers d i d not have a choice o f pro- grammes until commercial television was introduced

(v) Calculators d i d not come into common use until they were miniaturised

B Study the following:

(i) The number o f lines is four hundred and five or six hundred and twenty-five (system /

use) (ii) Depending o n w h i c h system is used, the number o f lines i s four hundred and five or six hundred and twenty-five

Change the f o l l o w i n g i n t o sentences i n the style of ( i i ) above:

(route / take)