English for AVT specialists. Английский для специалистов в сфере аудиовизуальных технологий. Сборник текстов и упражнений по английскому языку

10. Fill the gaps in the sentences with the verbs given. Use them in the correct tense either in the active or in passive voice.

Remain, influence, introduce, limit, evolve, fail, beset, receive, increase.

1) Some of these technological advances finally _______ into meaningful improvements.

2) The cinematic systems of that time were unable to produce loud low frequency signals without clipping, that’s why a subwoofer channel (also called the «LFE channel») _____ ______ by Dolby Laboratories.

3) Though the pioneering idea of the Quad installation______, it led to further exploration into consumer surround sound.

4) The acceptance of new technologies, especially since the expansion of television was making serious inroads into the profit margins of the cinematograph, _____ ______ by certain economic factors.

5) Until the early 1950s the dominance of the movie was obvious and it _______ the main source of public entertainment.

6) By the late 1970s, specialists at Dolby Laboratories started their development of the Dolby Stereo system, whereby information _____ _____ by three front speakers and a few rear speakers.

7) The invention of the «boom» subwoofer channel had an added advantage: it effectively ______ the dynamic range of theatrical installations.

8) The growing popularity of television certainly _______ the development of the film industry.

9) The analog four-channel arrangement Quad turned out to _____ _____ by a multitude of economic, technical, and aesthetic problems that eventually led to its failure.

Vocabulary work: adjectives and adverbs

A lot of adverbs are made from adjectives by adding —ly:

Quick-quickly, careful-carefully

Note that not all words, which end in —ly, are adverbs. There are some adjectives that have the —ly ending, too:

Friendly, lively, etc.

11. Transform the adjectives into adverbs using the pattern given below. Work out the meaning of the unknown words from the text.

Example: amazing – amazingly

Certain, real, meaningful, desperate, eventual, significant, great, progressive, complete, optical, separate, effective, approximate, sufficient, definite.

Use the words in sentences of your own.

TALKING AND DISCUSSING POINT

12. Make a plan to the article using your notes in exercise 5.

13. Write a key sentence for each point of your plan.

14. Make a summary of the article adding a few more sentences to each point of your plan. Use the key words.

15. Answer the «What do you think» questions.

1) Why did television threaten the cinema in the early 1950s?

2) Which of the two opponents —the movie or the television – has eventually won?

3) Why 3D glasses are called a gimmick in the text? What other «gimmicks» used to attract audience can you name?

4) Are there any economic, technical and aesthetic problems in the sphere of the sound production nowadays?

5) What technological advances in the surround sound will be achieved in the nearest future?

WRITING

16. Write a commentary that contains two arguments for and two arguments against the statement: «Society cannot do without technologies.» Write 120—180 words.

17. Write an essay commenting on the following statement (State Exam Writing).

Work is the most important thing in life.

Do you agree with the statement? What is your point of view?

Write 200—250 words.

Use the plan below:

– make an introduction (state the problem)

– express your personal opinion giving 2—3 reasons to support it

– express an opposing opinion giving 1—2 reasons for it

– explain why you do not agree with the opposing opinion

– write a conclusion restating your position

CHECK POINT

18. Complete the sentences choosing from the words in brackets. Use the information you have learnt from Unit 1, Part 2.

1) Though some advances introduced by the film studios in the 1950s were just … (gimmicks, failures, digital schemes) to attract viewers, other ones eventually developed into significant improvements.

2) The stereo recordings of a … (child, ping – pong ball, football) bouncing between speakers encouraged the growth of the modern consumer surround sound.

3) In the early 1970s, the … (research, experiment, record) into the consumer surround sound led to an analog four – channel configuration called Quad.

4) The «LFE channel» invented by Dolby specialists in the 1970s really (decreased, made, increased) dynamic range in cinematic configurations.

5) In the name «5.1» the». 1» stands for the LFE channel because it carries only approximately (one-third, one-fifth, one-tenth) of the frequency range of the other channels.

Text 3. Part 3. The 1990s – today