Text d Society and telecommunication

1 Telecommunication is an important part of modern society. In 2006, estimates placed the telecommunication industry's revenue at $1.2 trillion or just under 3% of the gross world product.

2 On the microeconomic scale, companies have used telecommunication to help build global empires. In cities throughout the world, home owners use their telephones to organize many home services ranging from pizza deliveries to electricians. Even relatively poor communities have been noted to use telecommunication to their advantage. In Bangladesh's Narshingdi district, isolated villagers use cell phones to speak directly to wholesalers and arrange a better price for their goods. Few dispute the existence of a correlation although some argue it is wrong to view the relationship as causal.

3 Due to the economic benefits of good telecommunication infrastructure, there is increasing worry about the digital divide (разноглaсия). This is because the world's population does not have equal access to telecommunication systems. A 2003 survey by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) revealed that roughly one-third of countries have less than 1 mobile subscription for every 20 people and one-third of countries have less than 1 fixed line subscription for every 20 people. In terms of Internet access, roughly half of all countries have less than 1 in 20 people with Internet access. From this information, as well as educational data, the ITU was able to compile a Digital Access Index that measures the overall ability of citizens to access and use information and communication technologies. Using this measure, countries such as Sweden, Denmark and Iceland received the highest ranking while African countries such as Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali received the lowest.

Ex.1 Look through the text carefully and find if the statement:

1. is not mentioned

2. is false

3. is true

1. A number of people with Internet access are increasingly growing.

2. Telecommunication is widely used for creating gross international companies.

3. A Digital Access Index was coined to measure the overall ability of citizens to access and use information and communication technologies.

4. All world's population, even relatively poor communities, have equal access to telecommunication systems.

Ex.2 Scan the text and say which abstract of the text (1, 2, 3) contains the following information:

The income of the telecommunication industry.

Ex.3 Answer the question: Why are there many arguments about digital divide?

1. Countries such as Sweden, Denmark and Iceland received the highest ranking in Internet access .

2. African countries such as Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali received the lowest ranking in Internet access.

3. People all over the world are able to get Internet access at different extend.

4. Telecommunication is an important part of modern society.

Ex.4 Define the main idea of the text.

1. Telecommunication plays an essencial role in our life.

2. Telecommunication is of great help for the gross world product.

3. Citizens all over the world have access to Internet and use information and communication technologies.

4. Even relatively poor communities have been noted to use telecommunication to their advantage.

Ex.5 Translate the text into Russian. Your time is 30 min.

Student A: abstract 1 and 2

Student B: abstract 3