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Better Viewing and Listening
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The viewer switches on the set and settles down to watch the colourful programmes. For most viewers, most of the time, it is as simple as that, and who would have it otherwise? Yet to make this possible involves one of the success stories of modern technology and many specialist engineering skills – in the studios, the control rooms, the technical areas, the Post Office switching centres, the colour control rooms. And behind it all the broadcast equipment industry, the research and development engineers, the network planning and administrative staff, the transmitter design, construction and maintenance people, the aerial engineers and the riggers who climb the 1,000 ft masts … the list is long but yet the aim of them all is to ensure that they pass on to the next link in the chain a television picture or music every bit as good as it reached them. Seldom can so much skill have been used with the sole aim of doing nothing!
“We have got an extremely good television system at the moment, so why all this talk of improving it? Forget the technology and concentrate on the programmes!” One can indeed understand and sometimes sympathize with this viewpoint. But then one remembers that, even today, programmes are moulded and defined by the technology. Producers and directors still say “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could only …” and then enthuse about the programmes they could make with lighter cameras that would work with natural lightening and never drift out of registration; news editors fume at the difficulty of providing “live” coverage from far-away places; company accountants are horrified at the cost of “machine time” in post production editing; artists grumble at the number of technicians who get between them and their audience or the “noisy” pictures that can result from multiple generations of editing; while everybody who works in the studios is convinced that the picture was fine leaving them (a view shared of course by the transmitter engineers who blame the set makers who blame the broadcasters who …). The simple truth is that, to critical eyes, the pictures seen on a domestic set are not consistently “perfect” although those seen in the UK certainly stand comparison with anywhere in the world.
Every engineer has his own ideas to how we could achieve more consistent quality while providing more flexibility to the programme people. Many of the solutions are based on techniques for handling the signals in “digital” form (systems which process the picture by using a sort of extremely high-speed Morse code technique). Others believe that there is still scope for improving and extending the more conventional “analogue” systems.
Лучше Просмотр и прослушивание
Зритель переключается на съемочной площадке и успокаивается, чтобы посмотреть красочные программы. Для большинства зрителей, большую часть времени, это так просто, и кто бы его иначе? Тем не менее, чтобы сделать это возможным включает в себя один из самых успешных современных технологий и многие инженерные навыки специалиста - в студиях,диспетчерские,технические области, почтовое отделение центров коммутации, цвет номеров контролем. И за всем этимпромышленности вещательного оборудования, научные исследования и разработки инженеров,сетевого планирования и административного персонала, передатчик проектирования, строительства и обслуживания людей, антенна инженеров и монтажников, которые поднимаютсямачты 1000 футов...Список можно продолжать долго, но все же цель их все, чтобы гарантировать, что они переходят к следующему звену в цепителевизионного изображения или музыку столь же хорошо, как он добрался до них. Редко можно так много навыков были использованы с единственной целью ничего не делать!
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" У нас естьочень хорошая система телевидения на данный момент, так почему все эти разговоры о его улучшения? Забудьте о технологии и сконцентрироваться на программах! ", Действительно, можно понять и посочувствовать иногда с этой точкой зрения. Но потом вспомнить, что даже сегодня, программы формируются и определяются технологией. Продюсеров и режиссеров до сих пор говорят " Не было бы замечательно, если бы мы только могли... ", а затем приходят в восторг от программ, которые они могли бы сделать с более легкими камерами, которые будут работать с естественным освещением и никогда не дрейфуют регистрации; редакторов новостей дыма на трудность обеспечение "живой" покрытие от отдаленных местах; компания бухгалтеров приходите в ужас от стоимости " машина времени " в пост редактирования производства; художники ворчат по поводу количества технических специалистов, которые получают от них и их аудитории или«шумными» снимков, которые можно результате из нескольких поколений редактирования, в то время все, кто работает в студии убеждены, что картина была прекрасна оставляя их (и это мнение разделяют конечно передатчиком инженеров, которые обвиняютпроизводителей телевизоров, которые обвиняютвещателей, которые...). Простая истина заключается в том, что для критического глаза, изображение видно навнутреннем наборе не Кон - sistently "идеальный ", хотя те, в Великобритании, конечно, выдержать сравнение с любой точки мира.
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Каждый инженер имеет свои собственные идеи, как мы могли бы достичь более стабильного качества, обеспечивая при этом большую гибкость в программу людям. Многие решения основаны на методы для обработкисигналов в «цифровой» формы (системы, которые обрабатывают изображения, используя своего рода чрезвычайно высокоскоростной технике азбуки Морзе). Другие считают, что есть еще возможности для совершенствования и расширения более традиционных " аналоговым " систем.
Preparing the Text
A. Studying the language
1. Transcribe the following words and practice their pronunciation:
technology; engineering; area; equipment; research; administrative; maintenance; aerial; rigger; extremely; sympathize; enthuse; technician; consistently; flexibility; techniques.
2. Give the Russian equivalents for the following phrases:
to settle down to watch a programme; who would have it otherwise; the research and development engineers; construction and maintenance people; the aerial engineers; the sole aim of doing nothing; why all this task of improving it; to sympathize with someone’s viewpoint; progrmmes are moulded and defined by technology; to provide “live” coverage; far-away places; to be horrified at the cost; post-production editing; there is still scope for improving.
3. Match the meaning and the word.
| newscaster | a short film that presents current events; |
| newsstand | an organization that provides news reports for subscribers, such as newspapers; |
| newsreel | a news story delivered by a television reporter from the scene of the incident; |
| anchorman | a boy who sells or delivered newspapers; |
| newspaperwoman | a female newsboy; |
| news agency | an open booth or stand at which newspapers are sold; |
| newsmonger | a man who operates a cine-camera or television camera; |
| standup or standupper | the presenter or coordinator of a broadcast involving several different contributors or correspondents; |
| commentator | a person who reads the news on television or radio, a newsreader; |
| newsflash | a radio or television broadcast, often with commentary, of events in the news; |
| cameraman | a person who spreads news; |
| newsgirl | a female newspaperman; |
| newsboy | 1) an author of commentaries, especially on current or political events; 2) a person who makes radio and television commentaries; |
| newscast | a short, usually unscheduled announcement of news, a flash. |
4. Find English equivalents for the following Russian words and phrases in the previous exercise:
кинооператор, фоторепортёр; сплетник; газетчик, продавец газет; диктор, радиокомментатор; передача последних известий (по радио, телевидению); ведущий программы; комментарий репортёра, находящегося в кадре; журналистка; хроника, хроникальный фильм, киножурнал; газетный киоск; агентство печати, информационное агентство; вставка-молния.
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5. Learn some more words and expressions which will help you to discuss the problems dealing with television and radio. Choose any ten words or expressions and use them in the sentences of your own.
| air | - эфир |
| ban from the air | - запрещать выход в эфир |
| announcer | - диктор |
| broadcast | - 1) широковещание; 2) передача, вещание |
| education broadcast | - образовательная передача |
| outside broadcast | - внестудийная передача |
| political broadcast | - политическая передача |
| religious broadcast | - религиозная передача |
| school broadcast | - передача для школ |
| school television (radio) broadcast | - 1) телевизионная (радио) передача для школ; 2) внутришкольное вещание по замкнутой цепи |
| live news broadcast | - прямой эфир |
| programme | - программа |
| to produce a television programme | - выпускать телевизионную программу |
| to make a programme | - делать программу |
| current affairs programme | - программа новостей |
| documentary programme | - документальная передача |
| educational prgramme | - образовательная передача |
| feature programme | - рубриковая программа |
B. Points for comments and discussion
1. Answer the following questions about the text:
1). Do you know how many people are involved in producing television programmes? Have you ever read the list of people who have taken part in the production of the programme? Whose skills do you usually appreciate most of all? Can you name any favourite professionals working on TV besides newscasters, commentators and anchormen?
2). Do you agree that special engineering skills are of great importance for the quality of a programme? How can engineering skills influence a TV programme?
3). What is the role of the network planning and administrative staff on Russian TV?
4). Why does the author state that, even today, programmes are moulded and defined by technology? Do you agree with his viewpoint? Why?
5). What professionals working on TV are mentioned in the text? Enumerate them according to their importance from your viewpoint. Give your arguments.
6). What kind of conflicts can arise between opposing groups and opposing ideas or principles on TV? Can you give any examples of such conflicts on Russian TV?
2. Divide the text into logical parts. Write a plan. Summarize the text according to your plan.
REVISION TEST 1
I. Check your vocabulary.
1. Chose the right answer.
1). When you go out, will you get me ____ of “The Guardian”?
a. a copy b. an edition c. a paper d. a publication
2). I read a newspaper every day to keep ____ with the current affairs.
a. contemporary b. modern c. present-day d. up-to-date
3). A newspaper ____ normally makes the final decision about the paper’s contents.
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a. editor b. journalist c. reporter d. publisher
4). Dear Sirs, I am writing in response to your ____ for a sales clerk in yesterday’s “Business Man”.
a. advertisement b. announcement c. propaganda d. publicity
5). Did you see that ____ about wildlife in Africa on television last week?
a. documentary b. history c. slapstick d. Soap opera
6). All three TV channels provide extensive ____ of sporting events.
a. broadcast b. bulletin c. episode d. piece
7). We hope to bring you further news of this in our next ____ at midnight.
a. article b. bulletin c. episode d. piece
8). Channel one tries to ____ for all tastes.
a. cater b. furnish c. regard d. suit
9). We are interrupting this programme for a news ___.
a. alarm b. alert c. flash d. signal
10). Violent programmes on TV may have a bad ____ on children.
a. control b. influence c. power d. pressure
2. Fill in the blanks with an appropriate word from the box. Use each word only once. There are five extra words which you do not need to use.
| a | by | messages | opinion | to |
| always | convey | never | options | tuned |
| as | dish | no | plate | virtually |
| audience | expect | not | the | which |
| average | had | offer | through | who |
Mass communication has revolutionized the modern world. In the United States it has given rise to what social observers sometimes call a media state, a society in which access to power is ____ (1) the media. The print and broadcasting media not only ____ (2) information to the public, but also influence public ____ (3). Television, with access to ____ (4) every American household, is a powerful influence.
On the ____ (5), American viewers watch TV about six hours a day, usually ____ (6) to one of the national commercial networks. For the most part, ____ (7) American broadcasting system has ____ (8) been a commercial system. It is supported ____ (9) money from business that pay to advertise goods or services to the ____ (10). Advertising ____ (11) are usually presented as 15, 30, or 60-second commercial announcements before, during, and after programmes. During a sixty-minute TV programme you can ____ (12) to see about twelve minutes of commercials.
Viewers whose tastes are not satisfied by the many offerings of network and local programmes are now increasing their ____ (13) by subscribing to cable television. Satellite TV was originally designed to ____ (14) a greater selection of programmes to people in rural areas that could ____ (15) easily be connected ____ (16) the cable system. It now provides anybody ____ (17) is ready to have a satellite ____ (18) installed in his or her backyard with the same programming ____ (19) cable TV. Conventional television has ____ (20) to struggle to retain its audience as people switch over to cable viewing, satellite TV or renting video cassettes.
3. Put in correct prepositions.
Across the United States there are more than nine thousand radio stations. Almost all of them are commercial, except ____ (1) National Public Radio Stations. Listeners can tune ____ (2) all kinds of stations: pop or classical music, news, sport, or community radio. Talk radio shows are very popular. Listeners call ____ (3) and ask the talk show host or guests questions about anything from cooking or car repair ____ (4) politics or health. Callers often get a chance to give their opinion ____ (5) the air.
There’s something ____ (6) everyone to read with 1, 700 daily and 6, 300 weekly newspapers. Eight out ____ (7) ten Americans read a tabloid or standard newspaper every day. Often newspapers are delivered early ____ (8) the morning so people can read them ____ (9) leaving home. Standard newspapers have long articles ____ (10) local, national, and international news, while tabloid newspapers include short news articles and a lot ____ (11) photos, stories about famous people, advice columns, and horoscopes. Most newspapers are regional rather than national, although some are distributed all over America. The New York Times, ____ (12) example, is available in New York and in most big cities. The paper ____ (13) the largest circulation is The Wall Street Journal, which specializes in business news.
Nowadays, Americans consider television their most important source ____ (14) news, and a majority ranks television as the most believable news source. Accordingly, newspapers have to cope ____ (15) competition from radio and television.
II. Prepare a talk on the topic “Mass Media and their Role in Modern Society”.
Text 4
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