3 Current techniques used to dampen down noise and vibration b. can result in the efficient performance of mufflers c. cause noisy components to suffer 4 The expert claims that the new systems can deal with repetitive noise b. eliminate noise completely c. deal with one -off noise 5 The expert describes a new technique using a microphone and a microprocessor which a. responds to particular types of noise b. produces noise quieter than the car engine c. causes the car engine to run more quietly 6 The expert refers to one area of application which cannot minimize the noise of aircraft engines and helicopter vibrations b. would be able to reduce noise in the cabin of an aircraft to more acceptable levels c. has resulted in new aircraft engines that are noisier than earlier ones 7 According to the expert, people working in loud workplaces with anti-noise systems a. are affected by the effects of noise b. can work more efficiently in"zones of quiet c. can hear conversations from another part of the room. 12.5 About time Readi Read this article and then fill each gap below with one word. about time For the manager of the 1990s, time is apparently of the essence. Consumers, the argument runs, want to get their hands on the products --- be they burgers or Buicks -- faster than ever The fashionable will buy from your firm only if you have the latest designs before your rivals to look at the entire manufacturing operation and then restructure that Traditionally, manufacturing is a carefully ordered affair: tasks usually have a sequence that can be changed only in small ways. Most firms will have employed special ists to determine the best scheduling logic for manufacturing. But"precedence constraints"(eg Task A must be carried out before task B) can cause queues and bottlenecks in even the most logical manufacturing orocess. This not only results in delay, it also introduces an unpredictable variability into company s operations. There is a cheaper route. By breaking down tasks into ever smaller, faster bits, companies can increase their manufacturing flexibility. This, in turn, will tend to increase the number of tasks that can be performed in parallel rather than in sequence. For instance, several smaller machines can be used to perform one task, rather than a single large machine. Parallel tasks have no precedence constraints and can reduce bottlenecks. That helps speed a company's manufacturing process closer to the theoretical id e which reduces queues and bottlenecks elsewhere in the factory Perhaps the single most effective answer to the problem is to invest in lots of excess capacity3 3 Current techniques used to dampen down noise and vibration … a. are thirty or forty years old. b. can result in the efficient performance of mufflers. c. cause noisy components to suffer. 4 The expert claims that the new systems can … a. deal with repetitive noise. b. eliminate noise completely. c. deal with one-off noise. 5 The expert describes a new technique using a microphone and a microprocessor which … a. responds to particular types of noise. b. produces noise quieter than the car engine. c. causes the car engine to run more quietly. 6 The expert refers to one area of application which … a. cannot minimize the noise of aircraft engines and helicopter vibrations. b. would be able to reduce noise in the cabin of an aircraft to more acceptable levels. c. has resulted in new aircraft engines that are noisier than earlier ones. 7 According to the expert, people working in loud workplaces with anti-noise systems … a. are affected by the effects of noise. b. can work more efficiently in “zones of quiet”. c. can hear conversations from another part of the room. 12.5 About time Reading Read this article and then fill each gap below with one word. About time For the manager of the 1990s, time is apparently of the essence. Consumers, the argument runs, want to get their hands on the products ---- be they burgers or Buicks ---- faster than ever. The fashionable will buy from your firm only if you have the latest designs before your rivals. Better still, they will invariably pay more for the privilege of speed. The key is to look at the entire manufacturing operation and then restructure that, systematically. Traditionally, manufacturing is a carefully ordered affair: tasks usually have a sequence that can be changed only in small ways. Most firms will have employed specialists to determine the best scheduling logic for manufacturing. But “precedence constraints” (eg Task A must be carried out before task B) can cause queues and bottlenecks in even the most logical manufacturing process. This not only results in delay, it also introduces an unpredictable variability into a company’s operations. There is a cheaper route. By breaking down tasks into ever smaller, faster bits, companies can increase their manufacturing flexibility. This, in turn, will tend to increase the number of tasks that can be performed in parallel rather than in sequence. For instance, several smaller machines can be used to perform one task, rather than a single large machine. Parallel tasks have no precedence constraints and can reduce bottlenecks. That helps speed a company’s manufacturing process closer to the theoretical ideal ---- which reduces queues and bottlenecks elsewhere in the factory. Perhaps the single most effective answer to the problem is to invest in lots of excess capacity