Reading
6 a. You are going to read a passage about Morse telegraphy. Before you read, look at the following words and
phrases which have been taken from the passage. In what context might they be mentioned?
ñ back-up plan ñ short and long tones ñ tedious procedure ñ dying art ñ distress calls ñ military services
b. Think of three things you would like to know about Morse telegraphy.
7 Skim the article to see if your questions were answered. What is the topic of each paragraph?
8 Read the passage and answer the questions that follow (1-6), choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which
you think fits best according to the text.
In orbit high above Earth, a multi-billion- The enduring use of Morse telegraphy is the legacy of a
dollar formation of communications burst of industrialisation in 19th-Century America, when the 50
satellites stands ready to instantly connect railway and telegraph developed side by side. Most of those
pilots, seamen and all kinds of navigators to railway telegraph lines were used well into the mid-20th
5 every available aid when they find themselves century, well after radio, television and computers became
in an emergency. But what if the commonplace. Until 1985, the Milwaukee Road had a Morse
communication computers on board these telegraph line between Milwaukee and La Crosse that was 55
ships and aircraft started acting up or even used routinely to relay orders to train crews. This Milwaukee
broke down? The world could go silent, and operation was shut down quietly in the late Eighties. In many
10 leave travellers groping around for directions. other countries, however, railway Morse is still used.
Not to worry. There is a backup plan, using The military services continue to be the most serious users
technology that was invented in 1835. It's of Morse telegraphy. While billion-dollar satellites and 60
Morse code, the language of dots and dashes sophisticated ground networks are good in theory, such
that has survived the assault of higher communication systems can break down on the battlefield. As
15 technology for a century and a half. a matter of prudence, the Army keeps a functional Morse
Named after its inventor, Samuel F B Morse, the code is a capability. Morse code signals require much less
series of combinations of short and long tones (dots and broadcasting power to transmit than voice messages. In 65
dashes) representing letters of the alphabet that can be addition, even an unclear Morse signal can be interpreted,
transmitted manually by a key operator. A telegrapher whereas a distorted voice transmission is virtually useless.
20 combines the dots and dashes to form letters and words. It is The Army annually trains about 2,800 men and women in
a seemingly tedious procedure, but skilled operators can Morse code for a variety of signal jobs in infantry, artillery,
transmit and receive faster than most secretaries can type. intelligence and even Special Forces. A Morse transmission 70
The fastest Morse transmission ever recorded is an amazing will get through when all else fails, and especially in military
84 words per minute, sent by an operator named T L McElroy conflicts, “he who communicates first, no matter how
25 in 1951. primitively, will come out on top,” says Major General Childs.
Morse telegraphy may seem like a quaint anachronism, In that case, retired railway telegraph operators will
with its brass sounder and key operated by the world's most probably take over the world. Each evening, the amateur radio 75
basic tool, the human finger. However, it is sometimes vital to waves come alive with the Morse transmissions of the retired
worldwide communications. When the Mexico City earthquake operators known among themselves as ‘old heads’. “I get on
30 occurred in 1985 and all the power went off, calls for help were the air and use the code every night to chat to other old
transmitted in Morse by an amateur radio operator. “We see heads,” says Craig Becker, the retired Milwaukee telegraph
the Morse code as a dying art, but we refuse to let it die operator who received the railway’s final telegraph message in 80
completely,” says Major General Leo M Childs, the US Army's 1985. “There are a lot of telegraphers around. Every night you
Chief Signal Officer. “Newer isn't always better. Even though it hear them pecking.” Experienced Morse operators say the
35 is old and slow, Morse is still the most reliable in difficult code is not so much a clatter of sounds as a language,
conditions.” because operators don't hear dots and dashes. “You can sit
Every merchant vessel bearing the US flag must carry a back and hear a conversation,” says Becker. 85
radio officer who can both transmit and receive Morse code. When Morse inaugurated the telegraph service in 1844, he
Under US law, the officer must spend eight hours every day at wired from Baltimore to Washington the now-famed message:
40 sea monitoring the radio for Morse distress signals. Should you “What hath God wrought!” Ever since, the death of Morse
ever find yourself adrift at sea in a lifeboat launched from a code has been predicted regularly. However, although the
sinking passenger cruise ship, it will be equipped with a single telegraph has receded from public view, experts say that 90
communications device: a Morse transmitter that automatically they cannot envision an end to its use any time soon. “I can
signals a distress call, but is also equipped with a keyboard in carry a very small Morse key in my pocket and transmit
45 case you happen to know Morse code. Perhaps the best-known around the world,” says Burke Stinson, a public relations man
bit of Morse code is the call for help – SOS. In the code, these for American Telephone & Telegraph Co. “I don't think you will
letters form a distinctive pattern (dot dot dot, dash dash dash, ever see Morse code die. It is going to be difficult to find 95
dot dot dot) easily recognised in an emergency. another method that is as flexible and reliable.”
8
1
Follow-up
STRATEGY POINT
Get the gist by looking at the title and skimming the text. 9 a. Read the text again and underline any words
Read the question stems (rather than the choices) carefully.
associated with communication. Make sentences
Read the passage thoroughly, underlining the parts of the
using the verbs.
text which are relevant to the questions. Select your b. Explain the words/phrases in bold from the text,
answer to each question. Bear in mind that answer choices then use them in sentences. Use a dictionary if
which reproduce sentences or long phrases from the text you wish. Suggest synonyms for the highlighted
are usually distractors. words.
Some traps to watch out for:
ñ Some wrong choices are generally true statements, but
they don’t answer the question. Underline the word or phrase which best completes
ñ Some wrong choices are almost correct, except for one
10
each of the sentences below.
word (e.g. an adverb like ‘always’).
1 The old man groped around/searched about the
dimly-lit room for his slippers.
1 The reason the writer mentions the possibility of
2 I wanted to get up and leave because the speech
satellite-based communication systems failing is to
was so tedious/strenuous.
A underline the importance of a reliable alternative. 3 Good letter writing is fast becoming a rare thing/
B suggest that satellite communications are unreliable. dying art.
C emphasise the drawbacks of satellite communications. 4 The sailor was adrift at/out to sea for four days
D compare Morse to communication satellites. before he was rescued.
5 The sinking ship sent out a distress message/ call.
2 The process of communicating using Morse code
6 The secretary busily pressed/pecked away at the
A involves more than transmitting tones.
keyboard of her word processor.
B is tedious even for experienced users.
C is not as laborious as people think.
D is simple enough for anyone who can type.
11 Read the table and answer the following questions.
3 In the third paragraph, the writer implies that the
use of Morse code is
A old-fashioned, but attracts many enthusiasts.
B only useful to the armed forces and some hobbyists. STRATEGY POINT
C being revived by amateur radio operators. ñ When you are asked to explain the meaning of a
D often the only way to communicate during a crisis. phrase (as in questions 1 and 3 below) or to locate
and reproduce information from the passage (as in
4 In the fifth paragraph, the writer
question 4 below), do so in your own words and
A implies that Morse telegraphy developed faster than
not by repeating words or phrases from the text.
the railway.
ñ With back-reference questions (like question 2
B implies that Morse has survived for so long because below), bear in mind that you may be looking for a
of the railway. noun or a whole clause (e.g. “it” might refer to
C suggests that the railway developed because of “the fact that Japanese is difficult to learn”).
Morse telegraphy.
D explains why Morse telegraphy eventually became
redundant. 1 What does the writer mean by saying that Morse code
“has survived the assault of higher technology for a
5 The American military
century and a half”(lines 14-15)?
A needs simple communication methods. 2 What does the word ‘it’ refer to in the phrase “It is a
B has recently neglected its Morse capability. seemingly tedious procedure” (lines 21-22)?
C allows its forces some Morse equipment. 3 What does the writer mean by saying that the military
D offers training for recognising distorted Morse. are “the most serious users of Morse telegraphy”
(lines 59-60)?
6 The first message to be transmitted in Morse code
4 What are the two major advantages of Morse
A symbolised the code’s flexibility.
transmissions over voice transmissions, as discussed in
B was used for commercial purposes.
paragraph 6?
C took a long time to reach its destination.
D was sent by Samuel Morse himself.
