COMPACT DISC

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 485.

Part B

I. Look through the list of English words and their Russian equivalents facilitating reading text B.

II. Define the meaning of the “x” words.

e.g. develop: development = развивать: х

store: storage = хранить: х

invent: invention = изобретать: х

view: viewer = рассматривать: х

load: loading = загружать: х

reduce: reduction = уменьшать: х

increase: increasing = увеличивать: х

III. Complete the sentences with the given words:

invented, a data storage device, audio CDs, the advantage of MP3, coated, the data format of the disc, silkscreening and offset printing.

1. A compact disc is also used as……

2. Personal computers can generally play …..

3. …. is that it reduces the amount of space required to store audio by around ten times.

4. Philips …. the general manufacturing process.

5. Compact discs are made of polycarbonate plastic … with a much thinner aluminium.

6. Common printing methods for compact discs are ….

7. The Dutch electronics company Philips laid out … .

IV. Choose:

a) nouns

b) adjectives

V. Read the text and define its main idea.

1. A compact disc(or CD)is an optical disc used for storing digital data. It was originally invented for digital audio and is also used as a data storage device, a CD-ROM. CD-ROM reading device is a standard component of most modern personal computers. In general, audio CDs are distinct from CD-ROMs, and CD players intended for listening to audio cannot make sense of the data on a CD-ROM, though personal computers can generally play audio CDs. It is possible to produce composite CDs containing both data and audio with the latter capable of being played on a CD player, whilst data or perhaps video can be viewed on a computer. Lately, with the advent of MP3 technology, audio player devices have been developed that can load and play MP3-formatted files from CD-ROM discs. The advantage of MP3 is that it reduces the amount of space required to store audio by around ten times, thereby increasing maximum playback time per disc from around 74 minutes to more than 700 without significant degradation in sound quality.

2.The compact disc was developed in 1979 by Philips and Sony. Philips invented the general manufacturing process, based on their earlier Laserdisc technology, while Sony contributed the error-correction method. 1982 saw its mass production in Langenhagen near Hanover, Germany. Microsoft and Apple Computer were early enthusiasts and promoters of CD-ROMs. John Sculley. CEO of Apple at the time, said as early as 1987 that the CD-ROM would revolutionize the use of personal computers.

Originally the CD was supposed to be 60 minutes, but Sony insisted on it being 74 minutes so it could hold even the slowest versions of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Later on, the discs would become larger, tough.

3. Compact discs are made from a 1.2 mm thick disc of polycarbonate plastic coated with a much thinner aluminium (originally gold, although you can still buy gold CDs for their data longevity) layer which is protected by a film of lacquer. The lacquer can be printed with a label. Common printing methods for compact discs are silkscreening and offset printing. CDs arc available in a range of sizes but the most commonly available is 120 mm (about 5 inches) in diameter. A 120 mm disc can store about 74 minutes of music or about 650 megabytes of data. Discs that can store about 700 megabytes (80 minutes of music) have become more common however. Less common 90, 99, and 100 minute discs also exist but are not compatible with all CD writers or readers. The mini-CD (not to be confused with the similar MiniDisc) is 80 mm (about 3 1/8 inches) in diameter, holds about 184MB of data or 21 minutes of audio, and has the exact same data format as the larger one. Yet another version of the CD has a mini-CD trimmed down to fit in with business cards.

4. The data format of the disc, known as the “Red Book” standard, was laid out by the Dutch electronics company Philips, who own the rights to the licensing of the “CDDA” logo that appears on the disc. In broad terms the format is a two-channel (left and right, for stereo) 16-bit PCM encoding at a 44.1 kHz sampling rate. Reed-Solomon error correction allows the CD to be scratched (to a certain degree) without degradation of the contents.

VI. Say if the following statements are true or false. Correct the false statements.

1. Personal computers can't play audio CD.

2. There are many advantages of MP3 technology.

3. Microsoft was the pioneer in the usage of CD-ROMs.

4. First disks were large and tough.

5. The producers protect CD by a film of lacquer.

6. Mini-CD holds 80 minutes of audio.

VII. Choose the best continuation for each of the following.

1. Compact disk was invented for a. a personal computer

2. CD-ROM is a part of b. 1979

3. The first CD was developed in c. thin aluminium

4. The mini CD has the same data format d. digital devises

5. CD is coated with e. 700 megabytes

6. CD can store f. as the larger

VIII. Divide the text into logical parts and find the topical sentences in each

part.

IX. Give a short summary of text B.