9 Communication

Communication written by John Lockyer

Communication is getting and giving information. People communicate when they write, talk and listen. Friends who live in different places write letters to each other to tell their news. If someone is in trouble, they can talk to the police, fire or ambulance workers. People also listen to the radio and television to find out information.

cave drawing People have always communicated with each other. Long ago, stories were painted onto the walls of caves. Messages were also sent to people by beating on drums, or by making smoke signals. Another way to send a message without words was by waving two flags. The moving flags made patterns to show numbers and letters of the alphabet. This is called semaphore.

newspaper Before there was writing, many people learned about old or new happenings from storytellers. When the alphabet was invented, stories were written onto stone, clay, and paper. Many years later, after the printing press was invented, the stories were printed in books, magazines, comics, and newspapers.

telegraph The telegraph was once the quickest way to send a message a long way. The letters and words were changed into a code of dots and dashes. Then the code was sent along power lines from one telegraph office to another. The telephone became a better way to communicate because it sent sounds along the power lines. People could hear each other's voices as they shared their important and interesting information.

television The radio helped everyone communicate in another way. It gave information to many people all at the same time. Radios didn't need power lines because the sounds were sent to them through the air. Television was an exciting invention because it had moving pictures as well as sounds. At first, TV showed for just a few hours each night. There were only a few channels, and the pictures were black and white.