Unseen Passage- 9 | English Grammar Class 8 PDF Download

9. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

1. Televisions show sound and pictures. They get data from cables, discs or overthe- air signals. They turn this data into sounds and images. People watch news and shows on them. You probably call them TVs. The first TV was made by John Baird in 1925. It had one colour. It could only show 30 lines. There was just enough room for a face. It did not work well, but it was a start.

2. The first TV station was set up in 1928. It was in New York. Few people had TVs. The broadcasts were not meant to be watched. They showed a ‘Felix the Cat doll’ for two hours a day. The doll spun around a record player. They were experimenting. It took many years to get it right. By the end of 1930s, TVs were working well. America got its first taste at the 1939 World’s Fair. This was one of the biggest events ever. There were 200 small, black and white TVs set up around the fair. The U.S. President gave a speech which was aired over the TVs. The TVs were only five inches big but people loved it.

3. They wanted TVs. But World War II was going on during this time. Factories were busy making guns and bombs. When the war was over, TV spread across the country. By 1948 there were 4 big TV networks in America. They aired their shows from 8 to 11 each night. Local shows were aired at other times. Most of the time nothing was shown at all. TV was not “always on” like it is now.

4. Colour TVs came out in 1953. They cost too much money for most people. Also, shows were aired in black and white. By 1965, colour TVs were cheaper. TV stations started airing shows in colour. People had to switch if they wanted to see the shows. Nowadays, most TVs are high- definition ones. This means that they have many lines on them. This makes the image clear. TVs have come a long way since Baird’s 30 line set. High- definitions TVs have 1080 lines. There are state-of -the art sets called 4K TVs. These TVs have 3,840 lines. Some people watch TV in 3D. I wonder what will come up next.

I. Choose the correct option to answer the questions given below:

(i) When did colour TVs come out?
(a) 1953
(b) 1925
(c) 1939
(d) 1965

Correct Answer is Option (a)

(ii) Which was not true about the first TV?
(a) It did not work well
(b) It had only 30 lines
(c) It could only show one colour
(d) It did not have sound

Correct Answer is Option (d)

(iii) Why did the first TV station only show Felix the Cat for two hours a day?
(a) Felix the Cat was really popular
(b) Felix the Cat had been a big radio star
(c) They were running tests
(d) Felix the Cat was the only show that they had

Correct Answer is Option (c)

(iv) Which of these events slowed the spread of TVs?
(a) The Civil War
(b) World War II
(c) The election of the U.S. President
(d) The World’s Fair of 1939

Correct Answer is Option (b)

(v) Which best explains why families switched to colour TVs in 1965?
(a) Colour TVs cost a lot of money
(b) World War ended
(c) troops came home with a lot of money
(d) Many shows were only shown in colour

Correct Answer is Option (d)

(vi) Why was 1939 an important year for TV?
(a) The first TV station began broadcasting
(b) John Baird created the first TV
(c) Many Americans were introduced to TV
(d) The first colour TV was released

Correct Answer is Option (a)

(vii) What is the author’s main purpose in writing this?
(a) He’s telling readers how TVs became popular
(b) He’s trying to get people to watch more TV
(c) He’s trying to explain how a TV works
(d) He’s describing the history of the TV

Correct Answer is Option (d)

(viii) Which happened first?
(a) The end of World War II
(b) The release of high-definition TVs
(c) The release of colour TVs
(d) The 1939 World’s Fair

Correct Answer is Option (d)

II. State if the following statements are True or False:

(i) TVs get data from cables, discs or over–the–air signals. ______ 

True

(ii) By 1956, colour TVs were cheaper. ______

False

(iii) When the war was over, TV spread across the world. ______

False

(iv) The more the number of lines on the screen, clearer will be the image. ______

True

III. Answer the following questions.

(i) Why would watching TV have been boring in 1928? Use information from the text to support your answer.

The first TV station was set up in 1928. It was in New York. Few people had TVs. The broadcasts were not meant to be watched. They showed a Felix the Cat doll for two hours a day. The doll spun around on a record player.

(ii) How did the five-inch black-and-white TVs at the World’s Fair impress people?

America got its first taste at the 1939 World’s Fair. This was on of the biggest events ever. There were 200 small, black and white TVs set up around the fair. The U.S.President gave a speech over the TVs. The TVs were only five inches big but the people loved it.