COMMUNICATION. NETWORK DEVELOPMENT
Communication is the process of exchanging information. People exchange information using communication means. Communication has always some purpose. Mass communication, for example, sends messages for masses of people.
The history of communication means is a long and interesting one.
Communication through electric media. At the beginning of the 19th century the electric revolution made great progress. By 1832 the telegraph had been invented. . Wires crossed the continents and cables were put under the Atlantic Ocean. Some 40 years later (in 1876) the telephone was patented. Messages began to be transmitted over electrical currents carried by wires.
"Early radio". At the beginning of the 20th century it became possible to transmit messages without wires. Messages were sent by wireless telegraph that is now called "early radio". But modern radio became possible only when a vacuum tube had been invented (1906). Soon after the invention of tubes, radio receivers began to be widely used in the world.
Television. Television was used experimentally as far as 1930. But its popular use began only some ten years later. And in about twenty years colour television became dominant over black-and-white.
Audio and video recordings are most popular means of communication today. Filming and photography are also popular.
High-technology revolution in electronics influenced the sphere of communication and greatly changed it. The new technology used for space exploration influenced modern communication both in offices and home. It became possible for business people to communicate with their colleagues in faraway places.
Computers and word processors serve this purpose and are being widely used in many offices all over the world.
The new technology has also influenced communication in everyday life. For example, it became possible for people to receive television programs through cables. Modern cable is a complex wire system that makes it possible to transmit a number of television signals al the same time.
People today also widely use videotape recorders to record television programs. One of the most interesting inventions of today is also the usage of satellites for video and audio communications. People can receive programs through using satellites.
Communication between information sources can be carried out through the combination of the sources into networks. Telephone and telegraph networks may serve as examples. Telex has been used for communication for a long time. Not long ago cable transmission has also become used for the same purpose. As for computer networking, it is also highly developed in every sphere of communication and is very popular locally and internationally.
Interconnection of exchange networks is carried out by the usage of telephone lines, microwave relays, and some other high-speed communication links. For people who have personal computers (PC) – and their number is growing – computer-to-computer communication has become very popular and is being developed throughout the world.
One can see from the data given above that the development of communication means has a long and interesting history. Historically, communication means moved from writing to printing, then to the telegraph, radio and television, and, finally, into the space communication and the usage of satellites.
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to carry out – исполнять
to connect – соединять
to develop – развивать, совершенствовать
to move – двигать(ся)
to equip- оборудовать
Current – ток
Wire – проволока, провод
Tube – электронная лампа
GRAMMAR EXERCISES
I. Translate the following sentences, pay attention to the Predicates in Passive. 1. The operation of a receiving station is influenced by a number of factors. 2. Magnetron is a vacuum tube whose current is affected by a magnetic field. 3. Valve radio sets were followed by the transistor radio sets. 4. The work of Rutherford was followed by great research work of many other scientists. 5. Cosmic radiation is influenced by some phenomena of nature. 6. The properties of these systems were spoken about. 7. New electronic devices are dealt with in this article. 8. The use of colour television is spoken about in the following article. 9. Solar batteries are dealt with in this new textbook.
II. Choose the required verb and put it in necessary tense and voice.