Dialogue and Multiple Choice Questions: New Home Theater System

This dialogue contains a lot of jargon related to audio / video. Here is a vocabulary list of the most important related vocabulary, most of which you will find in the dialogue.

Audio Video Related Equipment and Terms

DVD player (digital video disc)
CD (compact disc)
home theater system
speaker
tuner
color saturation
mp3 player
jack
bass
treble
headphones
earbuds
receiver
audiophile
volume
surround sound
HD DVD (high definition DVD)

Audio Video Related Verbs and Adjectives

to turn up / down
to turn off / on
to switch off / on
to put on
to tweak
to tune
to change channels
to connect
to disconnect
to watch
to listen to
to appreciate

Audio Video Related Adjectives

superb
soft
loud
distinct
flat screen
clear
muffled (sound)
fuzzy (vision)
pixelated

Derek: Would you like to see my new home theater system?
Ken: I'd love to. I'm an audiophile - and I love HD TV.

Derek: Then you're going to love my system. I've got surround sound speakers, an incredible receiver, and a 52-inch flat screen LCD.
Ken: I'm green with envy! Put something on!

Derek: How about a movie? Something with lots of action. Let me just turn up the volume a bit...there. What do you think? (watching the movie)
Ken: That's amazing. The picture is so clear! Even when there is a lot of movement, the picture is hardly pixelated at all.

Derek: I know. Isn't it great? How do you like the sound?
Ken: Pretty good. It seems a bit muffled in the bass, though.

Derek: Just a second, I'll tweak the balance.
Ken: Ah, that's better. The bass is much more distinct now.

Derek: Isn't the color saturation superb?
Ken: I'll say it is. I bet golf looks incredible on this TV.

Derek: Ah, you appreciate golf do you?
Ken: I love watching golf on TV. Especially in high definition.

Derek: I think there may be a tournament on now. Just a sec, I'll switch to cable.
Ken: I think it's on channel 806.

Derek: Nope, not there. Let me change channels.
Ken: There, on 808. Wow! You can see the blades of grass.

Derek: I love this system!
Ken: What do you do if it's late at night? You can't listen to this system if your children are sleeping.

Derek: That's not a problem. I just plug my headphones into this jack. Problem solved.
Ken: Speaking of headphones, I bought a pair of earbuds for my mp3 player last week.

Derek: How are they?
Ken: Pretty good. The bass isn't too bad, but the treble is crystal clear.

Derek: I need to get a new CD player for my system.
Ken: Why? You can just put your CDs onto the DVD player, they'll play.

Derek: Really? I didn't know that.
Ken: Come on, you're the proud owner of the latest home stereo system and you didn't know that?

Derek: I'm embarrassed.
Ken: You should be!

Check your understanding with this multiple choice comprehension quiz.

By Kenneth Beare, About.com Guide