PRE-READING
1. Guess the meaning of the following words from the text.
Organization, information, communication, optimum, allocation, classical, material, effect, result, document, accompany, professional, standard, factual, industry, recommendation, modern, mix, method, equally, film, production, role, studio, number, laser, disc, encoded, industry, theater, mass, public, manufacturer, multitrack, component, console, monitor, integral, automobile, gadget, content, compromise.
2. Think of some more words or phrases to supplement the list above.
3. Think of some achievements in the sphere of sound production that have come in sight over the past 30 years. How have they influenced ordinary customers’ lives?
SUBJECT AND LANGUAGE STUDY
Reading
4. Skim the text. Are the following statements true or false?
1) The ITU carried out research to determine the optimal position of the speaker in a 5.1 system.
2) The ITU document «Recommendation for Multichannel Stereophonic Sound System With and Without Accompanying Picture» came out in 1990.
3) In the 1990s, at least five major film digital surround sound encoding formats made appearance.
4) The DVD appeared in the middle 90s.
5) Using high definition formats to allocate content surround sound producers can do without clipping and sonic compromise.
In the early 1990s, the organization that is responsible for information and communication technologies throughout the world known as the ITU (International Telecommunications Union) conducted research aimed at determining the optimum speaker allocation in a 5.1 arrangement. The research was based mainly on the classical music as source material and the rear speakers were described only as «effects» or «ambience» speakers. As a result, a document entitled «Recommendation for Multichannel Stereophonic Sound System With and Without Accompanying Picture» was issued in 1994. Actually, professionals widely accepted it as a factual industry standard. The ITU Recommendation, however, may not be considered to be perfectly suitable for many music applications, since it came out long before the appearance of modern surround sound mixing methods which treat all the five speakers as equally important.
The 1990s were featured by development and proliferation of digital audio systems. Employment of digital audio for film production was practically becoming a commonplace; the role of digital audio workstations (DAWs) in recording studios all over the world was getting more and more important. There were plans for creating a digital television broadcast system that gradually would mature into High Definition Television (HDTV). Researchers made a focus on embedding surround sound into the second-generation digital audio systems that were growing in number successfully. In that period, at least three major film digital surround sound encoding formats saw the light of the day. These were Sony SDDS TM, Dolby R Digital TM (technically called «AC-3»), and DTS TM. Moreover, the introduction of laser discs (with their ability to carry encoded surround sound) greatly encouraged advance of a nascent industry known as home theater. People began to add supplementary subwoofers and surround speakers to their home listening sets.
In the mid – 1990s, the DVD was released. It provided the mass public with a medium delivering surround sound right into the comfort of their homes. Audio manufacturers started offering different surround sound tools that whetted the consumer’s appetite for high quality digital multitrack systems and a variety of components such as surround – ready mixing consoles, monitoring units and effects devices have found their way into people’s living rooms as well as into professional studios.
Today, surrounds sound is an integral part of home theater and has also made its appearance in the automobile. Multichannel audio is used in the digital television broadcast, gaming gadgets, and in the Internet (through streaming codecs). High definition formats (like SA – CD Multichannel and DVD – Audio) enable the surround sound producer to allocate content without clipping and sonic compromise. This makes their advent one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of the sound production.
Essential glossary
• aimed at – нацеленный на
• allocation – расположение, расстановка
• source – источник
• ambience – окружение, обстановка, среда
• suitable – подходящий, соответствующий
• application – приложение, (прикладная) система
• proliferation – распространение
• employment – использование
• commonplace – привычное явление, обычное дело
• gradually – постепенно
• to encode – кодировать, шифровать
• nascent – рождающийся, в стадии возникновения, появляющийся
• supplementary – дополнительный, добавочный
• medium (pl. media) – носитель
• a variety of – разнообразие
• integral part – (неотъемлемая) составляющая
• codec – кодек (компрессор-декомпрессор) данных
• high definition format – формат с высоким разрешением
• allocate – размещать, распределять
• content – содержание
• clipping – ограничение (сигнала), отсечение
5. Scan the article and use the words in brackets to complete the statements.
1) The document «Recommendation for Multichannel Stereophonic Sound System With and Without Accompanying Picture» was issued in 1994 as a result of the… conducted by the ITU.
2) The 1990s are characterized by development and proliferation of…
3) In the 1990s, at least three main film digital surround sound encoding formats arrived on the scene: …, Dolby R Digital TM (technically called «AC-3»), and DTS TM.
4) The DVD, which appeared in the mid – 1990s, provided the mass public with a… bringing surround sound right into their homes.
5) Today, high definition formats enable the surround sound producer to allocate content without clipping and…
(digital audio systems, Sony SDDSTM, sonic compromise, research, medium)
6. Read the article in detail to find the answers to the questions below.
1) What was the purpose of the ITU research done in the 1990s?
2) Why may the ITU recommendation not be ideal for many music applications?
3) What was one of the main characteristics of the 1990s regarding the sound production technologies?
4) What was the focus in the exploration into surround sound throughout the 1990s?
5) What event served as a springboard to a newly – born industry called home theater?
6) What fact may be considered as one of the most important achievements proving that surround sound has finally come of age?
7. Find the English equivalents of the following words and expressions in the text.
Отвечающий, ответственный за; проводить научное исследование; главным образом; исходный материал; идеально подходящий; одинаково важные; использование цифрового аудио; по меньшей мере; появились на свет; способность нести закодированный объёмный звук; цифровое телевизионное вещание; их появление; одно из самых значительных достижений.
Grammar revision: comparative and superlative adjectives
The comparative form of adjectives is —er or more… The superlative form is —est or the most
We use —er and —est for one-syllable words (short adjectives).
High-higher-the highest, cheap-cheaper-the cheapest
We use more… and the most… for longer adjectives.
Difficult-more difficult-the most difficult, expensive-more expensive-the most expensive
Some words are irregular: good-better-the best, bad-worse-the worst, and others.
8. Use the adjectives given below in the comparative and superlative degrees. Mind the grammar rules. Some of the words are irregular.
Example: suitable – more suitable – the most suitable
Important, long, successful, little, high, good, remarkable, far, modern, popular, significant, short, meaningful, advanced.
Present continuous and present perfect (simple).
The present continuous is be + verb + ing (am/is/are + verb + ing)
We use the present continuous tense.
1) To talk about an action that is happening at the moment of speaking
Don’t enter the studio. They are recording a song at the moment.
2) To describe a temporary situation
The engineers are working at the new audio scheme this month.
3) To talk about changes occurring around now
The role of this digital audio arrangement in recording studios all over the world is getting more and more important.
4) When we are irritated (with always)
He is always listening to loud music in the evenings.
5) When we talk about arrangements and plans
They are trying out the new device tomorrow.
The present perfect simple is have + past participle.
We use the present perfect tense.
1) To talk about actions and states that started in the past and continue up to the present
He has been a sound engineer for ten years.
2) When we see the result of a past action now
Look! They’ve left a terrible mess in the laboratory.
3) When we talk about repeated actions in the past continuing in the present
The company has taken part in every exhibition so far.
4) To talk about our life experience
I have never visited Disney Land.
5) To say how many times we have done something.
That is the second time they’ve won the award.
6) With superlatives
This is the worst film I have ever seen.
Note that we often use these adverbs with the present perfect: yet, since, ever since, already, ever, never, still, before, this morning, this week, this month, this year.
9. In the following sentences, change the present continuous to the present perfect. Translate the sentences into Russian.
Example:
The scientists are conducting research to determine optimum speaker placement.
The scientists have conducted research to determine optimum speaker placement.
1) In the experiment, the researchers are describing the component as «effects» or «ambience» part only.
2) Gradually, manufacturers are accepting this recommendation as a de facto industry standard.
3) Usage of this audio digital format is becoming a commonplace.
4) Some of these technological advances are obviously maturing into meaningful improvements.
5) The laboratory engineers are making a focus on incorporating the invention into the digital audio systems.
6) The new generation audio systems are growing in number successfully.
7) Modern surround sound tools are certainly whetting the consumer’s appetite for adding extra units to their home listening environments.
8) The new device is also finding its way into gaming consoles.
Vocabulary work
10. Write a list of key words for text 3. Compare your list with the classmates’ key words. Use them in your own sentences.
TALKING AND DISCUSSING POINT
11. Explain these words and expressions from the text. Paraphrase them; give synonyms or/and antonyms to them where possible.
Conduct research, industry standard, equally important, proliferation of digital audio systems, become a commonplace, gradually, nascent industry, whet appetite, professional studio, integral part, enable.
12. Write a list of five questions to the text. Exchange your list with your classmate and answer their questions.
13. Think of a plan to the article. Make a summary of the article according to your plan.
14. What information about audio systems today would you add to the article?
15. Talk to your classmate. Express your attitude to the following quotation:
Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master.
Christian Lous Lange
Report your idea to the class. Discuss, compare and contrast your points of view.
WRITING
16. You want to enter a short story competition. The rules say that your story must start or end with the words: «There is music everywhere…» The story should contain 120—180 words (FCE Writing).
17. Make a report, do an electronic presentation or a project on one of the topics:
– The International Telecommunications Union
– Development and usage of digital audio systems
– High Definition Television (HDTV)
– Home theater (home cinema). History and later development
– DVD format
– Audio systems today
CHECK POINT
18. What have you learnt from the text in Unit 1, Part 3 about the following?
– The document «Recommendation for Multichannel Stereophonic Sound System With and Without Accompanying Picture»
– Achievements in the audio and video practices throughout the 1990s
– Surround sound systems in common use today
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