Федеральное агентство по образованию
Государственное образовательное учреждение
Высшего профессионального образования
НИЖЕГОРОДСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ
ЛИНГВИСТИЧЕСКИЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ
ИМ. Н. А. ДОБРОЛЮБОВА
Учебно-методические материалы по теме
«Radio and Television Set»
Для студентов II курса отделения английского языка
Переводческого факультета
Часть I
Нижний Новгород 2005
Печатается по решению редакционно-издательского совета ГОУ НГЛУ
им. Н.А.Добролюбова.
Дисциплина: Практический курс I иностранного языка (английский язык)
Специальность: 022900-Перевод и переводоведение
УДК 802.0 (075. 88)
ББК 81.432.1-93
Ж 795
Учебно-методические материалы по теме «Radio and Television Set» для студентов II курса отделения английского языка переводческого факультета. Часть I. – Нижний Новгород: НГЛУ им. Н.А. Добролюбова, 2005. – 48с.
Настоящие учебно-методические материалы предназначены для развития у студентов лексико-грамматических и коммуникативно-прагматических навыков в использовании иностранного языка в ряде типовых ситуаций общения.
Составитель: С.И. Жолобов, канд. филол. наук, доцент кафедры английского языка
Рецензенты: Г.В. Ильина, канд. пед. наук, доцент
О.М. Шолкович, канд. пед. наук, доцент
© Издательство ГОУ НГЛУ им.Н.А. Добролюбова, 2005
CONTENTS
| Introduction……………………………………………………………. | |
| I. Reading comprehension…………………………………………… | |
| 1. Radio Set …………………………………………………………... | |
| 1.1. Text: “A New Stereo”………………………………….…..... | |
| 1.2. Supplementary Text: “Making a Сomplaint”…………………. | |
| 1.3. Supplementary Text: “In a Radio Shop”……………………… | |
| 2. Television Set ……………………………………………………… | |
| 2.1. Text: “Adjusting the TV Set”…………………………………. | |
| 2.2. Supplementary Text: “A Family Conflict”…………………… | |
| 2.3. Supplementary Text: “How Your Television Set Works”……. | |
| 2.4. Supplementary Text: “The Television of the Future”………… | |
| II. Role play…………………………………………………………….. | |
| III. Follow – up discussion……………………………………………. |
INTRODUCTION
This booklet is the first of the three dealing with radio and television. It is concerned with radio and television broadcasting.
This booklet consists of three sections: “Reading Comprehension”, “Role Play” and “ Follow-Up Discussion”. The first section is composed of two parts: one dealing with the radio and the other – with the television set. Each part contains a main text (in a dialogue form) followed only by comprehension and vocabulary exercises and several supplementary texts (in dialogue and monologue form) followed only by a comprehension exercise. The purpose of this section is to teach students relevant vocabulary, to give them extensive vocabulary and comprehension practice, to provide them with some background information, and to introduce them to various typical situations which call for the use of the words and phrases studied. The second section includes a number of scenes for students to act out. In other words, students are required to take on specified roles and in accordance with them, work out their strategy of verbal and non-verbal behaviour and then put it into effect. The scenes are based on the situations and vocabulary of the first section and are an expansion and development of the latter. The material is designed to give students the opportunity to acquire and consolidate conversational skills. The final section provides subjects for discussion and tasks for students to exchange their own experiences. It aims to train students in free creative expression in English with special emphasis on the correct and appropriate use of language.
READING COMPREHENSION
Text 1
A New Stereo
Part 1
| Tom: | Hello, Grandad! Come in, please. | |
| Grandad: | Morning! How are you, my boy? | |
| T: | Fine, thanks. And you? | |
| G: | Not too bad. Marvellous day, isn’t it? | |
| T: | Yes, it is. The weather’s really great. | |
| G: | I hear you’ve bought something. | |
| T: | I have. | |
| G: | What is it? | |
| T: | A new radio. | |
| G: | What’s wrong with the old one? | |
| T: | Nothing, except that it’s antiquated. | |
| G: | And what have you got against old-fashioned things? They are often as good as new ones, or even better. Now let’s have a look at your brand-new radio, and I’ll run it down in no time. I admit that they make things faster nowadays, but I will not agree that they manufacture more reliable ones. Right, then. Where is it? | |
| T: | Here it is. Isn’t it splendid? | |
| G: | Do you call it splendid? What’s splendid about it? It’s so bulky. In the old times everybody bought transistor radios, or transistor sets, or transistors. Their component parts were small, and that accounted for the small size of such radios. They were portable ones. It’s very convenient to have a small set. | |
| T: | Well, there are portable radios now too, I assure you. They are even more compact than the transistors you’re talking about because there’re microchips inside. Microchips are everywhere now – from mobile telephones to pocket computers. But this is not a portable set, Grandad. It’s a stereo system. You can play compact discs and cassettes on it not just listen to the radio. | |
| G: | You don’t say. I’ll believe it when I see it. | |
| T: | Alright then I’ll show you. First we’ll connect the speakers to the main unit. Pass me the speaker cord, please. No, not this one. This is an AC cord. It must be connected last. | |
| G: | Are you sure you’ve plugged them the right way? The wrong connection can cause short circuits in the speakers. You don’t want to ruin your brand new stereo, do you? | |
| T: | I won’t, Grandad. There’s letter R on the rear panel for the right speaker and letter L for the left. Now we must connect the antennas. | |
| G: | What do you mean – antennas. Are there more than one? | |
| T: | Sure, an FM antenna and a loop antenna, Grandad. | |
| G: | I know what FM means. It’s for the frequency modulation band. But what is this loop thing for? | |
| T: | For the long- and medium-wave bands, you know. It makes the reception better. | |
| G: | What you are saying doesn’t sound convincing at all. You’d better tell me how many wave bands are available with it. Two or three, not more, I suppose. They would be the long wave band and the medium wave band, and, perhaps, one short wave band. But in our old radio set, apart from the long and medium wave bands, there are five short wave bands. | |
| T: | I think I’ll have to disappoint you, Grandad. There’s a long-wave band, a medium-wave band and 9 short-wave bands available with the set.There’s also an FM band and an USW (ultra short wave) band. The frequency modulation band is a terrific band. The most popular stations broadcast on it and its reception is perfect. There’s practically no distortion of sound, no interference, no atmospherics, no crackling, no humming, no buzzing, and the sound never fades away. | |
| G: | All right, all right. It all sounds a bit theoretical. Let’s get down to practice. | |
| T: | I quite agree with you. That’s the best way to bring you over to my point of view | |
| G: | Don’t be too soon, my boy. | |
| T: | Look, Grandad, I’m going to get it ready for work. Here’s the instruction manual. Now let’s see what’s the procedure for doing it. First, we must make sure that the operating voltage of the unit is identical with that of our local power supply and use the AC power cord. Our mains voltage is 220 – 240 v. And this stereo can be used with a voltage of 230 v AC. So it matches our local voltage alright. Now I plug the set in and push the on-off button to switch it on. Right. | |
| G: | Yes, it’s on. The indicator has lit up. Where’s the wave-band selector? I’d like to work it and turn to the frequency modulation (FM) band. Is it this knob? | |
| T: | No, that’s the volume control. The wave-band selector is over there, on the front panel. It’s a button, not a knob. Or two buttons to be more precise. They are called “Down” and “Up”. Each time you press either of them the frequency changes. | |
| G: | Now I’ve switched the radio to the frequency modulation band. | |
| T: | Good. Tune in to some station now. How do you like its reception? | |
| G: | Not bad. Turn it up, please. Right. That’s better. | |
| T: | We’d better turn it down, Grandad, it’s playing so loudly. | |
| G: | Alright. And what is this? | |
| T: | It’s a phone jack. It’s used to connect headphones to the unit. | |
| G: | I see. You said something about compact discs, boy. Well, show me. | |
| T: | Press this “Open/Close” button, Grandad. | |
| G: | What’s that? | |
| T: | It’s a disc compartment with three trays for discs. I’ll play your favourite Sinatra song for you. | |
| G: | Be careful, don’t scratch it. | |
| T: | Don’t worry, Grandad. It’s not a vinyl disc, you can’t scratch it because there’s no sapphire in the stereo. It’s a lazer beam that plays it. | |
| G: | Well, why isn’t there any sound coming? Is there something wrong with the unit? | |
| T: | Oh, I forgot to switch over to the CD reception. We’re still on the “Tuner”. I press the “CD play” button and here it is. | |
| G: | (humming) I did it my way... | |
| T: | Enjoy the song, Grandad, I’ll go get us some tea. | |
| (a few moments later) | ||
| G: | My boy, the unit they sold you is broken. | |
| T: | What do you mean, Grandad? | |
| G: | The front panel split at the bottom. I must have pushed it slightly and part of it fell out. | |
| T: | Congratulations, you’ve just learnt to open a cassette deck. There are two of them at the bottom of the front panel so as to record tapes. You can also make recordings from the tuner, CD player or external equipment. | |
| G: | Thank goodness it’s alright. I really thought it was faulty and wanted to tell you to take it back to the shop and demand a refund. | |
| T: | There’s no need, Grandad, it’s perfectly alright. But the surprises are not over for you. | |
| G: | How’s that? | |
| T: | Look what I have here. The remote control unit. | |
| G: | Do you want to surprise me with a remote control? I have one for the telly, remember? | |
| T: | Yes, but it’s not just for choosing tracks, you know. There’s a whole lot of other functions on it as well. I can program up to 30 tracks from any of the inserted discs with it. I can set the clock and the timer to wake me up in the morning. | |
| G: | Oh dear, and what’s the time? | |
| T: | Half past ten. Why? | |
| T: | Sorry, my boy, I’m afraid I must be going now. I’m meeting Mr.Harris in a quarter of an hour. | |
| G: | OK, Grandad, I won’t keep you any longer then. But what do you think of my stereo? | |
| T: | Your stereo? Well, I rather liked it. But, you know, I’m an old fogey and I prefer things I’ve got used to. That’s why I’m not going to part with my old radio set, no matter how sophisticated the new models are. Right then, my boy. | |
| G: | Bye for now, Grandad. See you later. (Updated by P. Stepanyants) | |
Vocabulary Notes
1. to run down (v.t.) – to express a poor opinion of; to speak badly of (smth or smb)
She’s jealous of your success; that’s why she is always running you down.
There’s no need to run my ideas down all the time.
She’s always running down her son’s wife to her face!
2. to manufacture (v.t.) – to make or produce by machinery, esp. in large
to produce quantities
to make
manufacturing industries
manufactured goods
They manufacture reliable goods.
3. to get down to (v.t.) – to begin to give serious attention to (smth such as work, or doing smth)
to attend to
It’s time we got down to work.
While the weather’s fine, I must get down to repainting the house.
4. to bring over/(a)round (v.t.) – to persuade smb to change his opinion
to get (a)round
to fetch over/round
We’ll soon bring him over/round (to our point of view).
5. fogey (BrE) – fogeys (pl) – (usu.) old fogey – a person with old-fashioned
fogy (AmE) – fogies (pl) ideas which he is unwilling
to change
6. sophisticated – complex; with latest improvements and refinements
sophisticated modern weapons/devices used in spacecraft
7. antiquated – (often derogatory) – old and not suited to present needs or
old-fashioned conditions; not modern; old-fashioned
Note: Antiquated is used with reference to things or ideas.
Old-fashioned can be used of things, ideas and people.
Old-fashioned is less derogatory than antiquated.
Comprehension Practice
Exercise 1. Comment on the statements based on the conversation you have just read. While doing the task, you should, first, say which of the statements are true, which are partly true and which are false, and then elaborate on them.
1. Tom’s grandfather dropped in for no particular purpose.
2. Tom had bought a radio and a television.
3. Tom’s grandfather approved of his grandson’s purchase.
4. Tom’s grandfather thought that new goods were better than old ones.
5. Tom was proud of the newly bought stereo.
6. Tom’s grandfather knew a lot about the latest models of radios.
7. Microchips perform the same function as transistors did in the former makes of radios.
8. Portable radios are comparatively small.
9. Pocket computers are comparatively small.
10. The stereo had a CD play function.
11. The AC cord must be connected first.
12. The wrong connection can cause short circuits in the speakers.
13. Tom couldn’t tell the right speaker from the left one.
14. The set had an antenna.
15. Tom’s grandfather supposed that there were a lot of wave bands available with his grandson’s radio.
16. Tom’s radio had a long wave band available with it.
17. There was no frequency modulation band available with Tom’s radio.
18. Tom thought a great deal of the frequency modulation band.
19. Tom used no manual when he was getting the radio ready for operation.
20. The radio’s operating voltage was 220-240 v.
21. The radio had an on-off switch.
22. The wave-band selector was a knob.
23. The reception of Tom’s radio was poor.
24. The radio could not be used with headphones.
25. There was a disc drawer for 5 discs in the set.
26. The stereo utilized a laser not a sapphire.
27. There was no sound coming out because the unit was faulty.
28. Tom’s grandfather accidentally damaged the front panel.
29. The remote control unit had a whole range of useful functions.
30. Tom’s grandfather liked his grandson’s radio.
Exercise 2. Answer the following questions about the conversation.
1. Did Tom’s grandfather come to the point at once during his conversation with his grandson?
2. Why didn’t Tom’s grandfather approve of his grandson’s purchase?
3. How would you prove that Tom was really proud of his new stereo?
4. Was Tom’s grandfather an expert on the latest models of radios? Why do you think so?
5. What functions were available with Tom’s stereo?
6. In what way do microchips contribute to the small size of portable radios and computers?
7. What did Tom’s grandfather think about the number of wave bands available with his grandson’s radio?
8. How many wave bands were available with his grandson’s radio? What were they?
9. Did Tom’s grandfather have a chance to operate the radio?
10. Why did Tom’s grandfather want the lad to take the set back to the shop?
11. Did Tom’s grandfather learn anything new about radios in the course of the conversation with his grandson? What was it?
12. Why did Tom’s grandfather have to go?
13. Did Tom manage to bring his grandfather over to his point of view?
Exercise 3. Find the following words and phrases in the dialogue, supply their contexts and paraphrase the sentences in which they are used.
| 1. antiquated 2. brand-new 3. to run down 4. to manufacture 5. portable 6. pocket computer 7. available 8. to broadcast 9. to fade away 10. remote control unit | 11. to get down 12. to bring over 13. to be identical with/to 14. power cord 15. to tune in 16. to turn up 17. to turn down 18. headphones 19. refund 20. old fogey |
Vocabulary Practice
Exercise 1. Fill the gaps in these sentences with words from the list.
1. This is a mains set, it does not... on batteries.
2. The radio always takes up a long time to.......
3. The battery.........; it needs recharging.
4. The battery is...; we should change it.
5. The indicator does not....... Perhaps the radio is out of order.
6. A broken aerial may affect the radio’s....
7. Turn the volume knob... to turn up the radio.
8. The American word for “valve” is “...”.
9. The British word for “antenna” is “...”.
10. The BBC... on a variety of short wave bands.
11. You must... the wave-band selector to... from one wave band to another.
12. Does the plug...... this socket?
13. The fuse..........
14. A...... is used to connect the unit to the local mains supply.
15. A phone jack is used to connect... to the apparatus.
16. The voltage selector...... at the bottom of the unit.
| has run down flat performance fit into | light up mains lead work/switch broadcasts | warm up operate is located has blown out | headphones clockwise aerial tube |
Exercise 2. Supply words and expressions which fit the following definitions and make sentences with them.
1. A radio set to be connected to the mains for current.
2. A plastic, wooden or metal container for radio, television, record-playing or recording equipment.
3. An additional safety wire which makes a connection between an electrical apparatus and the ground.
4. (In an electric circuit) a short piece of wire which melts and breaks the circuit if the current is overloaded.
5. That part of a radio, record player, etc., from which the sound comes out.
6. To cause (smth electrical) to start working, to start working.
7. To cause to work, be in action.
8. To change slightly esp. in order to set right or make suitable for a particular job or new conditions.
9. To remove a plug from a supply of electricity.
10. To connect smth to supply of electricity.
11. To move the switch (of a radio) to choose a certain station.
12. (Of a machine, radio, etc.) to (cause to) become fully ready to work.
13. To reduce the volume, usu. by moving a switch.
14. To be able to receive (smth such as electricity, sound waves, etc.) with machine.
15. Electrical discharges that occur in the atmosphere and cause crackling sounds in radio receivers.
16. The sudden violent effect of electricity passing through the body.
Exercise 3. Translate the following sentences into English.
1. Радиоприемник имеет девять волн, две внутренние антенны для приема на ДВ и СВ, выдвижную телескопическую антенну для приема КВ и УКВ станций, подстройку частоты в диапазонах КВ и УКВ.
2. Выходная мощность приемника: – при питании от внутреннего источника питания – 1-1,5 Вт; – при питании от сети – 2-2,7 Вт.
3. Питание приемника осуществляется от 6 элементов типа 373 общим напряжением 9В или от сети переменного тока напряжением 127 или 220В.
4. Включение приемника производится путем нажатия кнопки ВКЛЮЧЕНИЕ.
5. Выключение приемника производится повторным нажатием на эту же кнопку.
6. Ручкой настройки настройтесь на желаемую станцию.
7. При настройке и приеме радиостанций в громкоговорителе часто слышны различные шумы и треск, которые вызываются атмосферными разрядами.
8. Установите желаемый тембр звучания регулятором тембра низких частот и регулятором тембра высоких частот.
9. При желании вести прием с внешней антенной следует нажать соответствующую кнопку и подключить внешнюю антенну к данному гнезду.
10.Для подключения головного телефона включите штекер головного телефона в соответствующее гнездо.
11.Гарантийный срок на радиоприемник – 12 месяцев.
Exercise 4. Act as Interpreter.
| Mr X: | Have you got a radio set? |
| Mr Y: | Да, у меня два радиоприемника. |
| Mr X: | Are they both of the latest makes? |
| Mr Y: | Нет. Один из них приемник старого образца; это двенадцати ламповый приемник, выпущенный в пятидесятые годы. Второй же – приемник современного типа выпуска 2000 года. |
| Mr X: | Which of the two sets do you like better? |
| Mr Y: | Мне нравятся оба приемника: и они оба мне необходимы. Они как бы дополняют друг друга. Старый приемник имеет большие размеры, работает только от электросети, у него много диапазонов, в том числе пять растянутых диапазонов коротких волн, он подключен к внешней антенне, которая принимает даже очень слабые сигналы и поэтому позволяет настраиваться на радиовещательные станции, находящиеся за тысячи километров от приемника. |
| Mr X: | Is it earthed? |
| Mr Y: | Да, он имеет надежное заземление. Это совершенно необходимо. |
| Mr X: | And what can you say about your new radio? I suppose it’s a sophisticated set. |
| Mr Y: | Да, конечно. Это переносной приемник, что, безусловно, очень удобно. Я, например, часто беру его с собой, когда мы выезжаем за город. Он может работать как от сети, так и от внутреннего источника питания, в качестве которого используется 6 элементов общим напряжением 9 В. Приемник имеет телескопическую антенну. |
| Mr X: | And how many wave bands has it got? As many as the valve set? |
| Mr Y: | Нет, у него только четыре диапазона – диапазон средних – ультракоротких волн, а также два коротковолновых диапазона. Но этого вполне достаточно. |
| Mr X: | I see. |
| Mr Y: | Как видите, старое у меня очень хорошо уживается с новым. |
| Mr X: | Well, perhaps, it’s a good idea to combine the old and the new in this way. |
Supplementary text
Making a Complaint
| Customer: | Good morning, miss. I’d like to speak to the manager. | |
| Manager: | I am the manager, sir. How can I help you? | |
| C: | Oh, really? It’s this radio. It doesn’t work. | |
| M: | Mm... did you buy it here? | |
| C: | Pardon? Of course I bought it here. Look, you switch it on and nothing happens. | |
| M: | Could I see your receipt? | |
| C: | Receipt? I haven’t got one. | |
| M: | Oh, you should have obtained a receipt when you bought it. | |
| C: | I probably did. I must have thrown it away. | |
| M: | Ah, well, have you got any other proof of purchase, the guarantee, for example? | |
| C: | No. It must have been in the box. I threw that away too. | |
| M: | Oh, dear. You really ought to have kept it. We need to know the exact date of purchase. | |
| C: | What? I only bought it yesterday! That young man over there served me. Oh, I paid by cheque. I’ve got the cheque stub. | |
| M: | That’s all right then. Did you check the radio before you left the shop? | |
| C: | Check it? No, it was in the box. I expected it to work. It wasn’t a cheap radio, it’s a good make. | |
| M: | You should have checked it. | |
| C: | Come on! Stop telling me what I should have done, and do something! Either give me my money back or give me another radio. | |
| M: | There’s no need to get aggressive, sir. Let me look at it. Mm... you see this little switch on the back? | |
| C: | Yes? | |
| M: | It’s on “mains”, and it should be on “battery”. You really should have read the instructions. | |
| C: | Oh! | |
Answer the following questions about the conversation.
1. Who did the customer want to speak to?
2. What did he want to speak to the manager about?
3. What was the customer’s complaint?
4. How did the manager respond to the complaint? Did he exchange the radio for the customer?
5. What questions did the manager ask the customer?
6. What was the manager’s purpose of asking his questions?
7. Did the customer have any proof of purchase?
8. Had the customer checked the radio before he left the shop? Why?
9. Why did the customer flare up?
10. What did the customer demand?
11. Did the manager satisfy the customer? How?
Supplementary Text
In a Radio Shop
| Salesman: | Yes, sir? What can I do for you? | |
| Customer: | Oh, it’s about the radio I bought yesterday. I’m sorry to complain, but it doesn’t work. | |
| S: | And what’s wrong with it? | |
| C: | I don’t know. There’s no sound when you switch it on and I want it replaced. | |
| S: | Let me see it, please. Did you try it on batteries or off the mains? | |
| C: | Batteries. | |
| S: | Then the power switch should have been in position for “DC” (direct current) and it is on “AC” (alternating current). Now, let’s switch it over. Yes, the radio is in perfect order. | |
| C: | Oh, yes... I’m sorry. I must have changed its position accidentally. | |
| S: | It’s all right, sir. | |
Answer the following questions.
1. Why did the customer come to the shop?
2. What did he complain about?
3. Did the salesman find out what was wrong with the radio?
4. What was actually the matter with the radio?
Text 2
Adjusting the TV Set
| John: | Hello! Is that 312-6508? | |
| Peter: | Yes. | |
| J: | Is that you, Peter? It’s John speaking. | |
| P: | Oh, hello, John. How are you? | |
| J: | Not too bad, thanks. | |
| P: | Any problem? | |
| J: | Yes, I’ve got some. | |
| P: | What’s up? | |
| J: | It’s my telly. I’ve bought a new one. | |
| P: | Oh, congratulations. What sort of telly is it? | |
| J: | It’s a brand-new colour TV set. They assured me that it’s pretty reliable. Perhaps, it is. But it seems tricky to adjust, you know. I’ve failed to completely. | |
| P: | Don’t worry. If there’s nothing serious the matter with it I’ll help you put it right in a jiffy. I know quite a few things about TV sets. | |
| J: | That’s why I’m phoning you. Of course I could’ve called in a repairman, but you know what repair people are like. | |
| P: | You’re quite right. Now go ahead. What’s wrong with it? | |
| J: | OK. I’ll start from the very beginning. The TV set was delivered today in the morning and the installation men quickly hooked it up and switched it on. The set didn’t take long to warm up and soon there came the picture. As I was in a hurry, I didn’t have a good look at the telly and soon went away. I came back home half an hour ago, and the first thing I did was to turn on the TV set. And what do you think happened? Not much really. The screen lit up and glowed steadily, but the picture never came on the set. All I could see was bright points of light which were jittering and running along and down the screen. I fiddled with all the controls: the volume, brightness, contrast and colour knobs, but all in vain. You can easily imagine how disappointed I am. | |
| P: | Oh, what a shame! But don’t let it get you down. I wonder what may be wrong with your telly. Wait a minute. Right, then. What you should do first and foremost is to make sure that the TV set is still connected to the aerial. What kind of aerial have you got? | |
| J: | An outdoor aerial. | |
| P: | Good. Now go and see if the aerial cable is plugged into the aerial input jack which is on the rear panel. | |
| J: | All right. Hold on, please. (A minute later.) Peter, are you still there? | |
| P: | Yeah. Well? | |
| J: | You guessed right. There was a loose connection in the aerial input jack. So I inserted the plug properly into the jack and immediately there came the picture. But there’s another problem. | |
| P: | What is it now? | |
| J: | It’s the colour. There’s a shade of red in all the colours in the picture. I tried to adjust colour quality and worked the colour control. I turned the knob clockwise and anticlockwise, but without much result. | |
| P: | It’s not much of a problem. There is a special switch or a knob on the rear panel. It’s a colour-balance control. Turn it in one direction or the other to adjust colour quality. | |
| J: | Hang on, please. I’ll try it. (A minute later). Peter, are you listening to me? | |
| P: | Yeah, John. | |
| J: | Everything’s OK. I found the colour-balance control on the rear panel all right and with the help of it adjusted colour quality. Now the picture and the colours are marvellous. I hope there’re no more snags. | |
| P: | I hope so, too. | |
| J: | Well, Peter. You’ve really done me a favour. I don’t know how to thank you. | |
| P: | Oh, that’s OK. | |
| J: | Look. Why don’t you drop by some time. We’ll watch television together or just have a chat. | |
| P: | That would be very nice. Thank you. | |
| J: | I’ll give you a ring in a couple of days, then | |
| P: | Fine. Bye now. | |
| J: | Cheerio. | |
Vocabulary Notes
1. to be up (v.i.) – (informal) – to be wrong or unusual; to be the matter
What’s up? You look pale.
I think I know what’s up with the TV set.
2. brand-new – new and completely unused (as if freshly stamped with a brand)
3. tricky – (of work, a state of affairs, etc.) difficult to handle or deel with; full of hidden or unexpected difficulties
4. jiffy (informal) – a moment
in a jiffy (informal) – very soon
I’ll be ready in a jiffy.
5. to go ahead (v.i.) – to begin, esp. to speak
to fire ahead/away (informal)
Go ahead/Fire ahead (away), we’re all listening.
6. shame – (expresses disappointment) – an unfortunate state of affairs; smth that ought not to be
What a shame that it rained on the day of your garden party.
Oh, what a shame! (= What a pity!)
7. to get down (v.t.) – (informal) – to make smb feel nervous, ill, or sad
This continuous wet weather is getting me down.
8. not much of a – not a very good
It’s not much of a day for a walk.
He’s not much of a linguist.
It wasn’t much of a dinner.
I’m not much of a cinema-goer. (= I seldom go to the cinema.)
9. to hope – This verb is often followed by a present tense with a future meaning, esp. in the first person.
I hope he likes (= will like) the book.
I hope he doesn’t dislike (= won’t dislike) the book.
10. snag – a hidden or unexpected difficulty
There’s a snag in it somewhere.
If there are any more snags, please let me know immediately.
11. to do smb a favour – to do smth to help smb
to do a favour for smb
Do me a favour and turn off the radio!
12. to fiddle with (v.t.) – to move the parts of a machine in an undirected
to tinker with (v.t.) way, so as to discover a result
to twiddle with (v.t.)
Perhaps if you fiddle/tinker/twiddle with the controls for a few minutes you could make the television work better.
13. to drop by (informal) (v.i.) – to pay a short informal visit, often without
to drop (a)round (informal) warning
to drop over (informal)
to drop in (on smb) – to drop on smb (informal)
to drop in (at a place) (informal)
to drop into a place (informal)
to call by (informal) (v.i.) – to visit when passing a place
to call in (a place) (v.i.) – to visit a place for a short time
to call into a place
to call in at a place
to call in on smb
to call at a place (v.t.) – to arrive at a place, usu. For a short time and with a special purpose
to call on smb (v.t.) – to visit (smb) formally, either socially or on business
Drop by/(a)round/over/in any time you’re in town.
Let’s drop (in) on Jim and Mary and surprise them.
Let’s drop into/in at the hotel for a quick drink.
Please call in (on us/at our place) any time you’re in town.
Will you call in/into the bank on your way home?
I called at the office as I was passing, but you were out.
Permit me to call on you next Tuesday afternoon.
to pop in/down (informal) (v.i.) – to pay a short visit
to pop across/round/over (to a place) (informal)
to pop into a place (informal)
to pop round a place (informal)
I thought I’d pop in/down/across/over/round and see you one weekend.
I’ll pop over/round/across to the library for a few minutes.
Will you pop into the bank on your way home and order a new cheque book?
Pop across (the road) to the shop and bring me a packet of tea, will you?
Pop round the corner and post this letter, will you?
Comprehension Practice
Exercise 1. Comment on the following statements based on the conversation you have just read. While doing the task, you should, first, say which of the statements are true, which are partly true and which are false and then elaborate on them.
1. John and Peter talked face to face.
2. John rang up Peter to talk about this and that.
3. John made a purchase.
4. The TV set was a second-hand one.
5. The TV set was easy to adjust.
6. Peter did not know much about TV sets.
7. John did not consider the possibility of calling in a repairman.
8. John brought the TV set home himself.
9. John had a good look at the TV set before he went away.
10. When John returned home in the evening and switched on his TV set, it began to work.
11. John did not try to adjust his TV set.
12. Peter was not eager to help John.
13. John advised Peter to see if the TV set was plugged in.
14. The TV set did not work properly because of a loose connection in the aerial input jack.
15. There were no more problems after the aerial cable plug had been inserted securely into the jack.
16. John did not try to adjust colour quality.
17. Peter believed that it was not difficult to adjust colour quality.
18. John followed Peter’s instructions and was a success.
Exercise 2. Answer the following questions about the conversation.
1. Which of the two friends phoned the other?
2. What sort of TV set did John buy?
3. Was it a reliable TV set? Why do you think so?
4. Why didn’t John call in a repairman?
5. Why did Peter volunteer to help his friend to put the TV set right?
6. Did John watch television for a long time before he went away? Why?
7. What can you say about the way John’s TV set worked in the evening?
8. What did John do to try to put the TV set right?
9. Did John locate the fault?
10. Did Peter really know much about the mechanics of the TV set? Substantiate your point of view.
11. Was a loose connection in the aerial input jack the only trouble with the TV set? What was the other fault?
12. How did Peter and John improve colour quality?
Exercise 3. Find the following words and phrases in the dialogue, supply their contexts and paraphrase the sentences in which they are used.
| 1. to be up 2. tricky 3. to put right 4. in a jiffy 5. to deliver 6. to hook up 7. to switch on 8. telly 9. to glow | 10. to jitter 11. to fiddle with 12. to get down 13. jack 14. rear panel 15. to work 16. not much of a 17. to do smb a favour 18. to drop by |
Vocabulary Practice
Exercise 1. Fill the gaps in these sentences with words from the list below.
1. The informal words synonymous with “television set” are...,...,... and....
2. Colour television sets are more popular nowadays than................
3. There are two... available with the television set: the front... and the.......
4. On the front panel of the television set you can find the following controls: a... knob, a......, a......, a...... and a.......
5. In order to operate a television set from a distance one uses a..........
6. Your television set will not work if it is not...... to the aerial.
7. The American word for “aerial” is “...”.
8. The phrasal verbs that can replace “switch on” are......,......,......,......, etc.
9. The phrasal verbs that can substitute for “switch off” are......,......,......,......,......,......, etc.
10. If you want to make adjustments inside a television set, you should... it... the electricity supply.
11. This television set makes ages to.......
12. I switched on my television set and in a few seconds the screen began to....
13. His television set is free from picture....
14. Do not open the cabinet, you may get an.......
15. The installation of the unit near a heat source may affect its....
| performance TV set/telly/box remote control unit | black-and-white TV sets panels/panel/rear panel antenna | warm up electric(al) shock glow | |
| switch out/turn off/turn out/put off/snap off/ shut off volume/contrast knob/brightness knob/focusing knob/colour knob | |||
| turn on/put on/stick on/ snap on | disconnect from | ||
| connected up | distortion | ||
Exercise 2. Supply words and expressions which fit the following definitions and make up sentences with them.
1. A boxlike apparatus for receiving pictures and sound.
2. A device for making or breaking an electric circuit.
3. That part of a radio or TV system which receives or sends out signals, usually wire or rod.
4. A device used to change from one channel to another to choose the desired one.
5. A button used to switch on or switch off a radio, television, etc.
6. A silver surface on which TV picture are projected.
7. To remove a plug or plugs from.
8. The amount of power consumed.
9. A formal declaration that smth will be done, esp. a written agreement by the maker of an article to repair or replace it if it is found imperfect within a period of time.
10. An apparatus made of two parts of metal, plastic, etc. which fits over the ears and is used to receive messages, etc.
Exercise 3. Translate the following sentences into English.
1. Перед заменой перегоревших предохранителей в телевизоре не забудьте вынуть вилку из розетки сети.
2. Особую осторожность следует соблюдать в обращении с кинескопом.
3. Замену кинескопа должен производить специалист ремонтного предприятия.
4. Не ставьте телевизор вблизи отопительных систем.
5. Прием качественного цветного изображения гарантируется только при подключении телевизора к наружной антенне.
6. Питание телевизора осуществляется от сети переменного тока с напряжением 220 В.
7. Вставьте штекер антенны в антенное гнездо телевизора.
8. Установите ручки регуляторов контрастности, яркости и громкости в среднее положение.
9. Вставьте вилку сетевого шнура в розетку сети.
10. Нажмите кнопку включения и выключения сети, при этом засветится индикатор первой программы.
11. Примерно через 30 секунд после включения телевизора на экране должно появиться изображение.
12. Если при включении телевизора (после прогрева) отсутствует звук или изображение, то телевизор следует выключить во избежание его повреждения.
Exercise 4. Act as Interpreter.
| Mr X: | What sort of TV set have you got? |
| Mr Y: | У меня цветной телевизор/телевизор цветного изображения. |
| Mr X: | Since when have you had it? |
| Mr Y: | С 1987 года. |
| Mr X: | And did you have a TV set before that? |
| Mr Y: | Да конечно. До этого у меня был черно-белый телевизор/ телевизор черно-белого изображения. Я его купил в 1964 году. |
| Mr X: | Was it a reliable set? |
| Mr Y: | Да, очень. Мне его ремонтировали только один раз. Пришлось сменить кинескоп. |
| Mr X: | Did you do it yourself? |
| Mr Y: | Нет. Я пригласил специалиста из мастерской по ремонту телевизоров. Поскольку к тому времени гарантийный срок истек, мне пришлось заплатить за ремонт. |
| Mr X: | What kind of aerial do you use? |
| Mr Y: | Когда у меня был черно-белый телевизор, я пользовался комнатной антенной. Но затем, после покупки цветного телевизора, перешел на наружную антенну. Она обеспечивает более качественный прием цветного изображения. |
| Mr X: | Are you satisfied with your colour TV set? |
| Mr Y: | Не совсем. Он, конечно, имеет ряд преимуществ перед моим прежним телевизором, но, к сожалению, менее надежен. Достаточно сказать, что мне его уже дважды ремонтировали. |
| Mr X: | I quite agree with you. New TV sets are highly sophisticated but are tricky to operate and adjust. |
Supplementary Text
A Family Conflict
| John Smith: | There’s a dreadful din coming from Ann’s bedroom. What on earth is it? | |
| Son: | Oh, she’s borrowed a CD-player from one of her friends and she’s trying out some of the latest discs. | |
| J.S.: | Does she have to have it on quite so loud? The whole house seems to be trembling with it. Anyway, why can’t she use our record-player? | |
| Son: | Ours isn’t any good if you really want to hear the music. For one thing, it’s got such a small loudspeaker and only about half the notes come over, and I don’t know how many years we’ve had the sapphire. It must ruin the records we play on it. Besides nobody listens to LP records nowadays. All the new music is on compact discs now and the old one too. It’s time we got a CD-player or a stereo with bass and treble controls. | |
| J.S.: | That would be a waste of money. We hardly ever use the record-player and when we do the quality seems perfectly all right to me. | |
| Son: | That’s because you’ve got used to it. If we had a decent machine, we’d be able to play it more often. As it is, I wouldn’t play my records on it. | |
| J.S.: | Well, we’ll have to think about it. Now, push the door to, will you? It’ll keep some of the noise out. I thought I might look at the play on television. When does it come on? Have you seen the “Radio Times”? | |
| Son: | It’s on the stool by the fireplace. I’d been hoping to see the Soccer International between England and Scotland. It’s being played this evening and I think it’s being televised. | |
| J.S.: | That’s right. From 8 to 9, and the play begins at 9.15 after the News. You may as well switch it on now. You’ll get the end of the football match. | |
| Son: | The picture takes ages to come on this set. Ah, at last. It’s not very good, is it? It looks as though they are playing in a fog. Shall I put the big light out? | |
| J.S.: | Yes, just leave the little lamp on. That’s better. I think that’s as good a picture as your can hope for. I’m afraid the tube’s going. | |
| Son: | What you ought to do is to rent a set. You pay so much a month and the firm guarantees to maintain the set for you. | |
| J.S.: | No, I think I’d rather buy one. These modern sets are pretty reliable. Hello, someone’s scored a goal. Would that be England or Scotland? | |
| Son: | I missed what the commentator was saying because you were talking. I expect they’ll show the score on the screen. Ah, yes. Two goals each, and about a quarter of an hour still to go. The game should warm up now. All the papers were expecting England to win fairly easily. | |
| J.S.: | Now who is talking? | |
(Updated by P. Stepanyants)
Answer the following questions about the conversation.
1. What was John Smith annoyed at?
2. Why couldn’t Ann use their record-player?
3. What did John Smith’s son think about their record-player? Did he suggest buying a CD-player?
4. What was John Smith’s attitude towards his son’s suggestion? Why?
5. What did John Smith want to see on television?
6. What did John Smith’s son hope to watch on television?
7. Was their TV set in good order? What was wrong with it?
8. Why did John Smith’s son suppose that it was preferable to rent a TV set rather than buy one?
9. Did John Smith agree with his son on the point?
10. Did John Smith and his son watch the football match closely?
11. How many years ago might this conversation have taken place? Present your arguments.
Supplementary Text
How Your Television Set Works
A TV camera is different from an ordinary camera. The light that passes through the lens does not fall on to a film. It falls on to a number of electric cells, called photo-electric cells. When these cells receive light, each one produces a small electric current. The light from bright objects produces stronger currents than that from darker objects. All the currents are sent to the TV station, and from there they are broadcast to your home. Your TV aerial (or antenna) picks up the currents and carries them to your set.
The most important part of a TV set is a tube, called the cathode ray tube. Inside the tube, the small currents of electricity are changed into a special kind of electric rays, and these rays are thrown on to the back of the TV screen.
You may have seen fluorescent lighting, or “strip lighting”, as it is often called. A long glass tube is used instead of an electric bulb; and when an electric current is flowing, the whole tube is filled with a white light. The back of a TV screen is also fluorescent, which means that it can change the electric rays into points of light.
The points of light, some bright, some faint (depending on the strength of the original currents), appear on the TV screen very quickly indeed, but only one at a time. They start at the top left-hand corner, run along the screen to the right, move down a little, cross to the left side, move down again, cross to the right – and continue so, across and down, until they reach the bottom right hand corner. Then they start again from the top.
Because these points of light appear only one at a time, you might think that you could never see a complete picture. But they arrive so very quickly that they move across and down the whole screen, from the top to the bottom, once in every one-twentyfifth (1/25) of a second.
This speed is so great that your eyes cannot separate the points of light. When you see something, even a single point of light, your eyes (and your mind) hold the picture for at least one-fifteenth (1/15) of a second. Television is faster than this! All your TV screen is covered by points of light in a shorter time, and so your eyes see them all at once. You see a complete picture, just as it is happening.
Answer the following questions about the text.
1. What is the difference between a TV camera and an ordinary camera?
2. Where do electric currents originate?
3. What does the strength of these currents depend on?
4. Which part of you home television system is responsible for picking up currents broadcast from the TV station?
5. What is the most important part of a TV set?
6. What happens to electric currents inside the cathode ray tube?
7. What are electric rays changed into?
8. How fast do points of light appear on the TV screen?
9. What is the path of movement of points of light on the screen?
10. How does it come about that individual points of light moving across and down the screen form a complete picture?
Supplementary Text