PRACTICE

How Telephones Sound Around the World

[1] When you use a phone, you often hear two types of sounds: a dial tone that says the phone is ready and a ringing tone that says a call is coming in. However, these telephone sounds are different in different parts of the world. Knowing these sounds is important if you travel or talk to people from other countries.

[2] In North America, the dial tone is a continuous tone with a frequency of 350Hz ("Hz" means "hertz", which is a measurement of a sound's pitch). The ring pattern is a repeating sequence of two different frequencies, 440Hz and 480Hz. This pattern is often referred to as the "Ma Bell" ring, named after the former telecommunications giant AT&T.

[3] In most of Europe, the dial tone is a single 425Hz tone interrupted by a 50Hz pulse. The ring pattern is a repeating sequence of one long ring followed by two short rings. This pattern is commonly known as the "ring ring" or "trrring trrring" sound.

[4] In Japan, the dial tone is a repeating sequence of high-pitched tones. The ring pattern is a repeating sequence of one long ring followed by two short rings, similar to the European pattern.

[5] In Australia, the dial tone is a 400Hz tone interrupted by a 25Hz pulse. The ring pattern is a repeating sequence of two different frequencies, 400Hz and 450Hz, with a pause in between.

[6] In some parts of Africa, the dial tone is a rhythmic pulsing sound. The ring pattern is a repeating sequence of two different tones, often with a longer pause in between than in other regions.

[7] These are just a few examples of the variations in dial tones and ring patterns around the world. Understanding and recognizing these different sounds can be important for international communication and travel.

INSTRUCTIONS: Answer the questions based on the reading "How Telephones Sound Around the World".

1. What is the topic of the story?
(A) safe travel around the world
(B) telephone sounds
(C) gossip and rumors
(D) how to measure sound in Hertz

2. What is the main idea of the story?
(A) different countries use different sounds for dial tones and ring patterns
(B) a higher Hertz frequency means a higher pitch
(C) the quality of telephone sound is better in the U.S.
(D) travelers need different phones in different countries

3. In paragraph 2, what helps you to understand the abbreviation "Hz"?
(A) a footnote gives the pronunciation and definition from the dictionary
(B) an antonym shows the opposite idea so the reader understands better
(C) a math formula demonstrates how the letters connect to numbers
(D) a sentence in parentheses defines the abbreviation and explains the word

4. True or false? In North America, the ring pattern uses two frequencies.
(A) True
(B) False

5. What is the dial tone in Japan?
(A) a repeating sequence of high-pitched tones
(B) a 400Hz tone interrupted by a 25Hz pulse
(C) a continuous tone with a frequency of 350Hz
(D) the dial tone in Japan has no sound

6. Skim the article again. Overall, this article ...
(A) gives an opinion about which sounds are better
(B) wants you to change your ringtone
(C) describes the different sounds in different parts of the world
(D) explains why different countries use different sounds

7. Scan the article for a dial tone interrupted by a 25Hz pulse. Where does this happen?
(A) North America
(B) Asia
(C) Europe
(D) Australia