Communication Facts Internet Hunt by Cindy O'Hora
Let's explore the many ways that people send each other a message.

Directions: Click the links (colored words) to go to a site with the question's answer. Although the answer is often on the page you are linked to, a few require you to find an appropriate link to another page with the answer. If you get a File not found message, just write offline on your answer sheet. Use the Go menu to return to the hunt web page. Printer friendly version

1. You are taking a trip around the world. You want to visit countries where you can communicate using English. Use the map to visit Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Pacific. Write the name of a country in each area where English is an official language.

Africa -

Americas -

Asia -

Europe -

Pacific -

2. Morse code is a system of electronic dots and dashes created to send messages over wires.

Type in your school's name. How many dots does it contain? Leave the sound OFF.

After you get the count, listen to it being played.

3. What is ASL?

Who might use it to communicate?

4. Braille is a system used to communicate written words to the blind and visually impaired.
What is the basis of the braille system called?

How many dots does it contain?

Draw the dot patterns for your initials.

5. The Cherokee "alphabet" is called a "syllabary". Each character represents a syllable.

Who developed their syllabary?

How many syllables does it have?

6. What is a rebus puzzle?

What do the puzzles at number 4 on the web page mean?

7. Ryan Patterson won the Intel Science Talent Search in 2002. How would his invention aid communication?

8. People who smoke get cancer of the larynx (voice box). Doctors remove the larynx to treat the cancer.
Now the person cannot speak. List two ways they help these people learn to speak again.

9. Where are International Code Flags used to communicate?

10. For how many centuries have people been using written communication?

How did it differ from our writing?

11. When you are choking you cannot speak. What is the universal signal for choking?

Look at the victim in the picture. They are giving the universal hand signal. Describe it.

12. Different computers use different operating systems. So you cannot easily run a Macintosh program in a PC.
How is it then that all computers can communicate via email and IM?

How does the code work?

13. FYI - Acronyms are abbreviations of names or phrases. They typically use the first letters of words in a name or phrase.
Harness the search engine at The Acronym Database.

What do the following acronyms mean?

FAQ -

LOL -

IM -

IMHO -

MYOB -

WWW -

ROYGBIV -

Want to find out more?

Go to the ASL page and practice signing hello and friend.

View Sequoyah's original syllabary.

Use the braille resource to spell your first name using braille dots.