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Suggested terms: Shirley Griffith, I'm Steve Ember, Explorations, VOA Special English
Click one for hint, twice for full word
of no use
Meaning: Not helpful or valuable; having no practical purpose.
Example: Hertz believed his discovery was of no use, though it later changed the world.
call for help
Meaning: To request assistance, especially in an emergency.
Example: With radio, ships could call for help when they were in trouble at sea.
pay for
Meaning: To provide money needed for something.
Example: Radio stations sold air time to pay for equipment and workers.
very quickly
Meaning: In a short amount of time; rapidly.
Example: Very quickly, people began sending radio messages across long distances.
separate into
Meaning: To divide something into different parts or categories.
Example: Scientists learned how to separate radio waves into different frequencies.
electromagnetic wave
IPA (UK): /ɪˌlek.trəʊ.mæɡˈnet.ɪk weɪv/
IPA (US): /ɪˌlek.troʊ.mæɡˈnet̬.ɪk weɪv/
Meaning: A form of energy that travels through space, including radio waves, light, and X-rays.
Meaning: A form of energy that travels through space, including radio waves, light, and X-rays.
Example: Maxwell’s theory explained how electromagnetic waves travel through the air.
frequency
IPA (UK): /ˈfriː.kwən.si/
IPA (US): /ˈfriː.kwən.si/
Meaning: The number of cycles of a wave per second, measured in hertz.
Meaning: The number of cycles of a wave per second, measured in hertz.
Example: Radio stations broadcast on different frequencies to avoid interference.
Morse code
IPA (UK): /ˌmɔːs ˈkəʊd/
IPA (US): /ˌmɔːrs ˈkoʊd/
Meaning: A communication system using dots and dashes to represent letters and numbers.
Meaning: A communication system using dots and dashes to represent letters and numbers.
Example: Early radios used Morse code to send messages across long distances.
shortwave
IPA (UK): /ˈʃɔːt.weɪv/
IPA (US): /ˈʃɔːrt.weɪv/
Meaning: A type of radio signal that can travel long distances by bouncing off the ionosphere.
Meaning: A type of radio signal that can travel long distances by bouncing off the ionosphere.
Example: Shortwave radio allows broadcasts to reach listeners around the world.
amplitude modulation (AM)
IPA (UK): /ˈæm.plɪ.tjuːd ˌmɒd.jʊˈleɪ.ʃən/
IPA (US): /ˈæm.plə.tuːd ˌmɑːdʒəˈleɪ.ʃən/
Meaning: A method of radio broadcasting that varies the strength of the signal.
Meaning: A method of radio broadcasting that varies the strength of the signal.
Example: The first radio broadcasts were made using amplitude modulation, or AM radio.
Other Listening Exercises
The Story of Radio
In progressB2 · 14:10