17. Read the text and summarise it.
Integrated Circuits: the Evolution of Electronics
An integrated circuit (also referred to as an IC or a microchip) is a set of electronic circuits on one small flat piece (or "chip") of semiconductor material that is normally silicon. The integration of large numbers of tiny transistors into a small chip results in circuits that are smaller, faster, and less expensive than those constructed of discrete electronic components.
Since their origins in the 1960s, the size, speed, and capacity of chips have progressed enormously. A modern chip may have many billions of transistors in an area the size of a human fingernail. These advances mean that the computer chips of today possess millions of times the capacity and thousands of times the speed of those of the early 1970s.
ICs have two main advantages over discrete circuits: cost and performance. Cost is low because the chips, with all their components, are printed as a unit rather than being constructed one transistor at a time. Performance is high because the IC components switch more quickly and consume comparatively less power because of their small size and proximity. The main disadvantage of ICs is the high cost necessary to design them. This high initial cost means ICs are only commercially viable when high production volumes are anticipated.
Adapted from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_circuit
aperta
Soluzione suggerita: An integrated circuit is a tiny chip of silicon that contains many electronic circuits made from miniature transistors. By integrating many components into one chip, ICs are smaller, faster, and cheaper than circuits made from separate parts. Since the 1960s, their size and performance have greatly improved, with modern chips holding billions of transistors. ICs offer low production cost and high performance because they are manufactured as a single unit. However, they are expensive to design, so they are most cost-effective only when produced in large quantities.
18.1 Listen to the recording about scale integration and decide if the sentences are true (Vero) or false (Falso).