Lesson three

I. Look through the list of the English words and their Russian equivalents for text B:

disappointing – вызывающий разочарование; properly – правильно; как следует; inwards – внутрь; lead – провод; amplifier – усилитель; feedback – обратная связь; record-deck – электропроигрыватель; stylus – (воспроизводящая) игла; socket – гнездо, розетка.

П. Read the following text and entitle it. Compare your title with the title given by the author.

Text В

Have you or your family got a stereo system? If you have, are you sure that you're getting the best from it? Expensive equipment can sound very disappointing if it isn't set up properly. Here are some points to check.

The stereo area is the part of the room in which the listener can hear exactly the right sound. Put the two loudspeakers about two metres apart (more in a very large room, less in a small one). Turn them slightly inwards. Now imagine a line from the centre of each speaker. Where the lines meet is the stereo area and the best place to sit and listen.

There are two important points to remember when you're deciding where to put the rest of the system. First the lead between the amplifier and the tape or record deck should be as short as possible¹. A long lead will give poor sound. The leads between the amplifier and the speakers can be as long as you like. Secondly watch out for feedback. This is the sound you hear when vibrations from the music (or even footsteps) affect the record deck. Feedback can spoil the sound of the record or make the stylus jump. The answer is to make sure² the record deck is on a wall shelf or a heavy piece of furniture.

If the sound of your stereo is still disappointing, perhaps you've mixed up the leads. If you've accidentally put a left-hand lead into a right-hand socket, you won't get a stereo sound. The quickest way to test your stereo system for this and other problems is to buy a test record, which will have all kinds of sound tests on it.

Notes

1. as short as possible – по возможности короче

2. to make sure – убедиться

III. Name the author's recommendations on making your stereo system sound properly.

Lesson four

I. Look through the list of the English words and their Russian equivalents:

to coat – покрывать; digital – цифровой; to claim – утверждать; distortion – искажение; background hiss – фоновый шум (шипение); studio master – студийный диск; tough – прочный; careful handling – бережное обращение; to damage – наносить ущерб, повреждать; to wear out (wore, worn) – изнашиваться; conventional – обычный; hi-fi system – high fidelity system – система с высокой точностью воспроизведения.

II. Scan text С and say where compact disks are used.

Text с Compact Disks

1. You have not only heard about Compact Disks (CD), you’ve been using them here and there in your everyday life. The invention of Sony has very quickly become popular all over the world.¹. A CD consists of a piece of aluminium coated with transparent plastic, 12 cms across, for producing sound. It's similar² to an ordinary record, except that it's "read" by a laser beam, and the information recorded on the aluminium is digital.

2. The makers claim that a CD can reproduce the original sound perfectly, without any distortion or background hiss. As the system is computerized, there's no loss of quality between the studio master and the record you buy. Also, a CD is much tougher than a vinyl record, so it doesn't need such careful handling. Dust and dirt won't damage it, and as there's no contact between the laser and the disk, it will never wear out.

3. The CD player produces an audio signal which you can amplify through a conventional hi-fi system, to produce the best sound possible. The technique became a new exciting development in hi-fi, linking sound recording with the computer revolution: What has followed it?

Notes

1. Sony – Сони {японская фирма no производству радиоаппаратуры)

2. It's similar to – он похож на

3. Say what a compact disk looks like.

4. Write out of paragraph I two peculiarities of CD disks.

V. Try to answer the following questions about ordinary disks:

1. How is an ordinary record "read"?

2. In the new design the information is digital. What about ordinary disks?

VI. Look through paragraph 2 again and speak about:

1) the construction of a compact disk: 2) the peculiarities of it; 3) the advantages of it; 4) the principle of operation.

VII. Count the number of advantages of new records mentioned in paragraph 2 and name them.

VIII. Use the information of texts А, В and С for preparing a report on the theme "Everything about record-players".

Key to Lessоп 3: Getting the best from your stereo system.