Computing: Учебно-методическое пособие по английскому языку

Ф Е Д Е РАЛ Ь Н О Е АГ Е Н Т С Т В О П О О БРАЗО В АН И Ю В О РО Н Е Ж С К И Й Г О С У Д АРС Т В Е Н Н Ы Й У Н И В Е РС И Т Е Т

COMPUTING У ч ебно-м ет одич ес к ое п ос обие п оанглийс к ом у язы к у д л я сту д е нто в 1 к у рса д не в но го о тд е л е ния, о бу чаю щ их ся по спе циал ьно стям: 010501– Прик л ад ная мате матик а и инфо рматик а 010502– Прик л ад ная инфо рматик а ( по о бластям ) 010503– М ате матиче ск о е о бе спе че ние и ад министриро в ание инфо рмацио нных систе м

Г С Э .Ф .01

В О РО НЕЖ 2005

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У тверж дено научно -методическим со ветом ф-таРГ Ф (про токо л№ 5 о т28 июня 2005 г.)

С о ставители: В о ро нинаЕ .В . к.ф.н. Ш иш кинаН .М .

У чеб но -методическо е по со б ие по дго товлено на кафедре английско го язы ка факультета ро мано -германско й фило ло гии В о ро неж ско го го сударственно го университета. П редлагаемо е учеб но -методическо е по со б ие является частью со здаваемо го на кафедре англий ско го язы ка учеб но -методическо го ко мплекса для студентов факультета прикладно й математики, инфо рматики и механики и предназначено для студентов1 курса. У чеб но -методическо е по со б ие со стоитиз пяти раздело в, о б ъединенны х по тематическо мупринципу. Каж ды й разделвключаетв себ я ш иро кий спектр упраж нений по ко нкретно й тематике, а такж е заданий, направленны х на по по лнениесло варно го запасастудентови развитиенавы ко вустно й речи. П редставленны й материал по свящ ен таким аспектам инфо рмацио нны х техно ло гий, как испо льзо вание ко мпьютеро в в со временно м мире, о сно вны е типы ко мпьютерны х систем, аппаратно е и про граммно е о б еспечение. П яты й разделсо держ ито б зо рны е упраж нения по про йденно муматериалу. Г рамматический материал методических указаний о хваты вает систему времен английско го глаго лавдействительно м и страдательно м зало гах, атакж е артикли и степени сравнения прилагательны х. У чеб но -методическо е по со б ие предназначено для практических занятий по английско му язы ку и мо ж ет б ы ть испо льзо вано в качестве о сно вно го материала к курсукак на аудиторны х занятиях, так и в хо де индивидуально й раб о ты студентов.

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Unit I. Everyday uses of computers 1. Many common English words have different meanings when they are used to talk about computers. Look at the pictures and study the words.

2. Use the correct forms of the words in the pictures to complete the sentences. Use each word twice. Common usage 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Could you open the window? It’s hot in here. My ______ is 223 Oak Street. I went to the ______ store to buy a hammer. The ______ ran into its hole. I’m hungry, but I don’t see anything I like on the ______ . Marilyn Monroe is a movie ______ from the 1950s. When I was in California, I went ______ every day. He accidentally ______ his car into a tree. Computer usage

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

My computer ______ . Can you fix it? Plug the ______ into the keyboard. He is always ______ the net for the later news. Open the other web page in a new ______ . An ______ is a small picture on a computer screen. The ______ is the machinery inside a computer. First, click on an item in the ______ . Do you know her e-mail ______ .

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3. Match the computer terms (1-8) with their meanings (a-h). 1. surf ______ a. a list of choices 2. window ______ b. tom@ mymail.com, for example 3. hardware ______ c. a square area on a computer screen 4. icon ______ d. when a computer stops working 5. mouse ______ e. a picture symbol 6. menu ______ f. explore the Internet 7. address ______ g. move this with your hand to move the arrow on the screen 8. crash ______ h. computer parts 4. Computers are everywhere nowadays. Here is the text about some of their possible uses. Computers can help students perform mathematical operations and solve difficult questions. They can be used to access the Internet, teach courses such as computer-aided design, language learning, programming, mathematics, etc. PCs (personal computers) are also used for administrative purposes: for example, schools use databases and word processors to keep records of students, teachers and materials. Race organizers and journalists rely on computers to provide them with the current positions of riders and teams in both the particular stages of the race and in the overall competition. Workstations in the race buses provide the timing system and give up-to-theminute timing information to TV stations. In the press room several PCs give realtime information on the state of the race. Computer databases are also used in the drug-detecting tests for competitors. Computers store information about the amount of money held by each client and enable staff to access large databases and to carry out financial transactions at high speed. They also control the automatic cash dispensers which, by the use of a personal coded card, dispense money to clients. Airline pilots use computers to help them control the plane. For example, monitors display data about fuel consumption and weather conditions. In airport control towers, computers are used to manage radar systems and regulate air traffic. On the ground, airlines are connected to travel agencies by computer. Travel agents use computers to find out about the availability of flights, prices, times, stopovers and many other details. 4a. When you read texts like these, you don’t always need to understand every word. But there are words which you can guess from the context. Look at these words. Are they nouns (n), verbs (v) or adjectives (adj)? 1. workstation … .. 2. data … .. 3. perform … .. 4. automatic … .. 5. monitor… .. 6. financial … .. 7. store … … 8. connected … .. 9. word processor … … 10. large … ..

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Now find the words in the text and match them with the meanings below. a. information ______ g. self-acting, mechanical ______ b. execute (do) ______ h. screen ______ c. connected with money ______ i. powerful computer usually d. keep (save) ______ connected to a network ______ e. massive ______ j. program used for text f. linked ______ manipulation ______ 4b. Look at the text again and discuss these questions. 1. How are/were computers used in your school? 2. What other areas of study would benefit from the introduction of computers?

Language work: Articles Study these nouns. a supermarket technology a computer money Supermarket and computer are countable nouns. We say a supermarket and supermarkets. Technology and money are uncountable nouns. They have no plural and you cannot use them with a or an. Study this paragraph. Computers have many uses. In shops a computer scans the price of each item. Then the computer calculates the total cost of all the items. We use a plural noun with no article, or an uncountable noun, when we talk about things in general. Computers have many uses. Information technology is popular. We use a/an when we mention a countable noun for the first time. In shops a computer scans the price of each item. When we mention the same noun again, we use the. The computer calculates the total cost. We use the with countable and uncountable nouns to refer to specific things. The price of each item. The total cost of all the items. The speed of this computer.

5. Here are some common nouns in computing. With the help of the dictionary divide them into countable and uncountable nouns. In most dictionaries nouns are marked C for countable and U for uncountable. 1. capacity 2. memory 3. drive 4. data 5. monitor 6. speed 7. device 8. mouse 9. port 10. disk 11. software 12. modem

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6. Complete these texts with a/an, the (or nothing at all) as necessary. The Walsh family have (1) ______ computer at home. Their son uses (2) ______ computer to help with (3) ______ homework and to play (4) ______ computer games. Their student daughter uses (5) ______ computer for (6) ______ projects and for (7) ______ email. All (8) ______ family use it to get (9) ______ information from (10) ______ Internet. I use (1)______ computers to find information for (2)______ people. Readers come in with a lot of queries and I use either our own database or (3)______ national database that we’re connected to to find what they want. They might want to know (4) ______ name and address of (5) ______ particular society, or last year’s accounts of a company and we can find that out for them. Or they might want to find (6)______ particular newspaper article but they don’t know (7) ______exact date it was published so we can find it for them by checking on our online database for anything they can remember: (8) ______ name or the general topic. And we use (9) ______ computers to catalogue (10) ______ books in (11) ______ library and to record (12) ______ books that (13) ______ readers borrow. 7. Write a list of as many uses of the computer, or computer applications, as you can think of. 8. Now read the text below and underline any applications that are not in your list. What can computers do? Computers and microchips have become part of our everyday lives: we visit shops and offices which have been designed with the help of computers, we read magazines which have been produced on computer, we pay bills prepared by computers. Just picking up a telephone and dialling a number involves the use of a sophisticated computer system, as does making a flight reservation or bank transaction. We encounter daily many computers that spring to life the instant they’re switched on (e.g. calculators, the car’s electronic ignition, the timer in the microwave, or the programmer inside the TV set), all of which use chip technology. What makes your computer such a miraculous device? Each time you turn it on, it is a tabula rasa that, with appropriate hardware and software, is capable of doing anything you ask. It is a calculating machine that speeds up financial calculations. It is an electronic filing cabinet which manages large collections of data such as customers’ lists, accounts, or inventories. It is a magical typewriter that allows you to type and print any kind of document – letters, memos or legal documents. It is a personal communicator that enables you to interact with other computers and with people around the world. If you like gadgets and electronic entertainment, you can even use your PC to relax with computer games.

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Unit II. Types of computer 1. Read the text and match these names to the different types of computer. 1 mainframe 2 laptop

3 notebook 4 handheld

5 PC 6 minicomputer

Digital computers can be divided into six main types, depending on their size and power: they are mainframes, minicomputers, desktop PCs, laptops, notebooks and handheld computers. ‘Mainframes’ are the largest and most powerful computers. The basic configuration of a mainframe consists of a central system which processes immense amounts of data very quickly. This central system provides data information and computing facilities for hundreds of terminals connected together in a network. Mainframes are used by large companies, factories and universities. ‘Minicomputers’ are smaller and less powerful than mainframes. They can handle multi-tasking, that is, they can perform more than one task at the same time. Minicomputers are mainly used as file servers for terminals. Typical applications include academic computing, software engineering and other sophisticated applications in which many users share resources. PCs carry out their processing on a single microchip. They are used as personal computers in the home or as workstations for a group. Typical examples are the IBM PC, or the Apple Macintosh. Broadly speaking, there are two classes of personal computer: (a) desktop PCs, which are designed to be placed on your desk, and (b) portable PCs, which can be used as a tiny notebook. This is why they are called ‘notebooks’ and ‘laptops’. The latest models can run as fast as similar desktop computers and have similar configurations. They are ideal for business executives who travel a lot. The smallest computers can be held in one hand. They are called handheld computers or palmtops. They are used as PC companions or as electronic organizers for storing notes, reminders and addresses.

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2. Read the text again and say if these sentences true or false? Correct the false ones. 1. Mainframes are multi-user systems – they can be used by many people at the same time. 2. Mainframes are not used for processing large amounts of data. 3. Minicomputers are bigger and more powerful than mainframes. 4. ‘Multitasking’ means doing a number of tasks at the same time. 5. The most suitable computers for home use are minicomputers. 6. Notebooks and laptops are less powerful than desktop computers. 7. Handheld computers are small enough to fit into the palm of one hand. 3. Work in groups. One person chooses a type of computer, the other ask questions trying to find out what type it is. Finally describe each sort of computer.

Language work: Comparison Study this comparison of three types of computer. Mainframes Minicomputers Microcomputers Size Power Cost

+++ +++ +++

++ ++ ++

+ + +

We compare things using adjectives in two ways. 1 We can compare one type of computer with another. Minicomputers are bigger than microcomputers. Mainframes are more expensive than microcomputers. For negative comparisons, we can say: Microcomputers are not as big as minicomputers. Microcomputers are not as powerful as mainframes. 2 We can compare mainframes to all other types of computer. Mainframes are the biggest computers. Mainframes are the most powerful computers. Mainframes are the most expensive computers. With short adjectives (big, small, fast), we add -er and -est (faster, fastest). With longer adjectives (powerful, expensive), we use more/less and the most/the least before the adjective (more powerful, the most powerful). Remember these two exceptions: good – better – the best bad – worse – the worst

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5. Choose the correct adjective. Then fill in the gaps with the correct form of the adjective. 1. light/heavy Laptops are (1) ______ than desktop computers, but (2) ______ than notebooks. 2. large/small The mainframe is the (3) ______ type of computer. A minicomputer is (4) ______ than a microcomputer. 3. common/good Personal computers are (5) ______ than mainframes but mainframes are (6) ______ than personal computers at processing very large amounts of data. 4. powerful/expensive Minicomputers are (7) ______ than mainframes but they are also (8) ______. 5. fast/cheap New computers are (9) ______ and sometimes (10) ______ than older machines. 6. powerful/expensive Laptops are often (11) ______ than PCs but they are not as (12) ______. 6. Put the words in brackets into the correct form to make an accurate description of sizes of computers. There are different types of computer. The (large) 1______ and (powerful) 2______ are mainframe computers. Minicomputers are (small) 3______ than mainframes but are still very powerful. Microcomputers are small enough to sit on a desk. They are the (common) 4______ type of computer. They are usually (powerful) 5 ______ than minicomputers. Portable computers are (small) 6 ______ than desktops. The (large) 7 ______ portable is a laptop. (Small) 8 ______ portables, about the size of a piece of writing paper, are called notebook computers. Subnotebooks are (small) 9______ than notebooks. You can hold the (small) 10 ______ computers in one hand. They are called handheld computers or palmtop computers.

Unit III. Basic hardware 1. Read the text and label the diagram with the correct terms. A computer system consists of two parts: the software and the hardware. The software is the information in the form of data and program instructions. The hardware components are the electronic and mechanical parts of the system. The basic structure of a computer system is made up of three main hardware sections: (i) the central processing unit or CPU, (ii) the main memory, and (iii) the peripherals. The CPU is a microprocessor chip which executes program instructions and coordinates the activities of all the other components. In order to improve the computer’s performance, the user can add expansion cards for video, sound and networking.

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The main memory holds the instructions and data which are currently being processed by the CPU. The internal memory of a microcomputer is usually composed of two sections: RAM (random access memory) and ROM (read only memory). The peripherals are the physical units attached to the computer. They include input/output devices as well as storage devices. Input devices enable us to present information to the computer; for example, the keyboard and the mouse. Output devices allow us to extract the results from the computer; for example, we can see the output on the monitor or in printed form. Secondary storage devices such as floppy, hard and optical disks are used to store information permanently. For example, we use CDs and DVDs to store large amounts of information.

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2. Match these pictures of input devices with their names. 1. joystick 4. barcode reader 7. graphics tablet 2. trackerball 5. scanner 8. touchscreen 3. keyboard 6. mouse 9. lightpen

10. digital camera 11. microphone

3.Each text describes one of these devices: trackerball, joystick, lightpen, scanner. Identify the device each text describes. Write your answers in this table. Then compare your answers with other students. Text 1 2 3 4

Device ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________

1) A ______ is another input device you can connect to a computer system. The ______ is able to move in eight directions. ______ s are mostly used in computer games to control the way a picture on the screen moves. Sometimes two ______ s are connected to a computer so two people can play the game at the same time. 2) A ______ works in exactly the same way as a mouse, except that the ball is on top. The user rolls the ball around with her hand to operate it. If you use a ______, you don’t need any extra space on your desk to move it around (like you do with a mouse). ______ s are often used on small portable computers and on some video game machines.

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3) A ______ can be used to draw pictures directly on to a computer screen or to read the pattern on a barcode. A ______ that can read barcodes detects the difference between the light reflected from a black barcode line and its lighter background. 4) Using a ______, you can input printed drawings, photographs, or text directly into a computer. A ______ works like a photocopier – a light is shone on the material and the ______ detects the reflected light. You can use a ______ with optical character recognition (OCR) software to input the scanned text into a word processing package.

Language work: Present Simple Study these statements about keys. 1. This key moves the cursor down. 2. This key copies the screen display. 3. This key doesn’t have a fixed function. The verbs in italics are in the Present Simple. We use the Present Simple to describe things which are always true.

5.Look at the statements (1-7) and correct the ones which are wrong. Example This key moves the cursor down. It doesn’t move the cursor down. It moves the cursor up. If you are not sure, ask another student. What does this key do? 1

This key moves the cursor down.

2

←

3

Del Del

4

Print Print Screen Screen

This key moves the cursor to the right.

This key inserts a character. This key copies the screen display.

5

Page Down

This key moves the screen up.

6

Home

This key doesn’t have a fixed function.

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Caps Lock

This gives you all lower case letters.

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6. Describe what these keys do. 1

Page Up

2

3

Delete

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7. Read this passage about a computer mouse. Fill in the gaps with the verbs from the list. click double-click drag grab select move control A mouse allows you to (1) ______ the cursor and move around the screen very quickly. Making the same movements with the arrow keys on the keyboard would take much longer. As you (2) ______ the mouse on your desk, the pointer on the screen moves in the same direction. The pointer usually looks like an I-bar, an arrow or a pointing hand, depending on what you are doing. A mouse has one or more buttons to communicate with the computer. For example, if you want to place the insertion point or choose a menu option, you just (3) ______ on the mouse button, and the option is chosen. The mouse is used to (4) ______ text and items on the screen. You can highlight text to be deleted, or you can select an item from a check-box or questionnaire. The mouse is widely used in graphics and design. When you want to move an image, you position the pointer on the object you want to move, press the mouse button, and (5) ______ the image to a new location on the screen. Similarly, the mouse is used to change the shape of a graphic object. For example, if you want to convert a square into a rectangle, you (6) ______ one corner of the square and stretch it into a rectangle. The mouse is also used to start a program or open a document: you put the pointer on the file name and (7) ______ on the file name – that is, you rapidly press and release the mouse button twice. 8. Ask your partner 5 questions about a computer mouse. 9. Read the text and complete the table below. There are many different types of printer. These include inkjet, mono laser, and dye sublimation printers. Basically, you get what you pay for. The more you pay, the better the printer. Inkjet printers are the cheapest, but their print quality is not as good as the other two types of printer. They are expensive to run compared to mono laser printers, but are able to print in colour. Inkjets are the noisiest of the three types of printer. Mono laser printers are more expensive than inkjet printers but give you a better quality of black and white output. They cannot print in colour, but are the fastest type of printer and cost the least to run.

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Dye sublimation printers are the most expensive type of printer, but their print quality is extremely high. They are quiet in operation, but are relatively slow and very expensive to run. Type

Print quality

Inkjet

lowest

Speed

Running costs

Noise level

Price Colour

slower than laser ____________________________________________________________________ Mono laser high quiet ____________________________________________________________________ Dye slow yes Sublimation

10. Read the text and try to guess the meaning of any new words in the box below. Refer to the dictionary if necessary. dot pixel display resolution cathode ray tube electron beam scan (verb) hertz refresh rate flicker bit-mapped visualize The monitor The characters and pictures that we see on the screen are made up of dots, also called picture elements (pixels). The total number of pixels in which the display is divided both horizontally and vertically is known as the resolution. If the number of pixels is very large, we obtain a high resolution display and therefore a sharp image. If the number of pixels is small, a low resolution is produced. Typical resolutions are 640×480 or 1,024×768 pixels. Pixel density affects the image: a large number of pixels gives a much clearer image. The cathode ray tube of the monitor is very similar to that of a TV set. Inside the tube there is an electron beam which scans the screen and turns on or off the pixels that make up the image. The beam begins in the top left corner, and scans the screen from left to right in a continuous sequence, similar to the movement of our eyes when we read, but much faster. This sequence is repeated 50, 70 or 85 times per second, depending on the system. If the rate of this repetition is low, we can perceive a flickering , unsteady screen, which can cause eye fatigue. However, a fast-moving 75 Hz ‘refresh rate’ eliminates this annoying flicker. What we see on the screen is created and stored in an area of RAM, so that there is a memory cell allocated to each pixel. This type of display is called bitmapped. On monochrome monitors, bits 0 are visualized as white dots, and bits 1 as black dots. On colour displays, there are three electron guns at the back of the monitor’s tube. Each gun shoots out a beam of electrons for each of the primary colours: red, green and blue. These electrons strike the inside of the screen which is coated with

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substances called phosphors that glow when struck by electrons. Three different phosphor materials are used – one each for red, green and blue. To create different colours, the intensity of each of the three electron beams is varied. The monitor is controlled by a separate circuit board, known as the display adaptor, which plugs into the motherboard of the computer. Different boards drive different types of displays. For example, the VGA (video graphics array) card has become a standard for colour monitors. Now flat-screen monitors are fashionable. They are inherently flat, and therefore require less space. In addition, they give crisp, clear images and eliminate screen flicker. Portable computers use a flat liquid-crystal display (LCD) instead of a picture tube. An LCD uses a grid of crystals and polarizing filters to show the image. The crystals block the light in different amounts to generate the dots in the image. 11. Read the text again and answer these questions. 1. According to the writer, what is the importance of ‘pixel resolution’? 2. Which unit of frequency is used to measure the refresh rate of a monitor? 3. In the writer’s opinion, why can a low refresh rate produce eye fatigue? 4. What substance is hit by electrons in a monitor? 5. What is the standard display system for many PCs? 6. What does ‘LCD’ stand for? What type of computers use LCD displays? 12. Types of drives. Look at the illustrations and find out: 1 the size of a floppy disk 2 the storage capacity of a high density diskette 3 the name of hard disk 4 the storage capacity of a SyQyest 5 the system that can hold 10 GB tapes 6 a type of drive used by digital cameras and music players.

3.5-inch diskette A high density (HD) floppy disk can store 1.44 MB of information. A floppy drive uses 3.5-inch disks and it’s called drive A.

Hard disk Most PCs have one hard drive, called Drive C. It’s used to keep software and files organized in a convenient way. A hard disk can hold several gigabytes of data

Removable hard drive Popular drives are the Zip and Jaz systems from Iomega. A Syquest cartridge can hold 1.5 GB.

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Tape drive A tape drive stores data on tape cartridges. It’s used for backup purposes. A Digital Audio Tape drive can hold up to 10 GB of data.

Pocket-sized drive Microdrive Ultra portable drives are used with A Microdrive is the smallest mobile computers. They hold 40 MB hard drive for digital cameras, disks. The Peerless system can hold laptops, and audio players. It 20 GB disks, which allows you to comes in 340 MB and 1 GB store thousands of MP3s and capacities. It uses a PC video games. Card adapter.

13a. Match the instructions to the pictures. 1. Protect your floppies against high temperatures. 2. Check for viruses before opening files you receive from the Web or via e-mail. 3. Keep back-ups (spare copies) of your data. 4. Magnetic fields can damage the information stored on disks. Don’t leave them near the telephone. 5. Keep disks away from water and humidity. 6. When handling CDs or DVDs, hold the disks around the edge.

13b. In pairs, tell each other what you must or mustn’t do to protect your data. Example You mustn’t stack disks on top of each other. 1 disks in a protective case 2 into the disk drive very carefully 3 near magnets; they can damage the information stored on them 4 update your anti-virus program regularly since new viruses are created everyday 5 passwords and security devices to protect confidential information

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14a. Read the text and match the terms on the left with the explanations on the right. 1 backing store a) a catalogue of where each piece of data is stored and how to find it 2 floppies b) recording heads 3 disk drive c) secondary memory 4 formatting d) diskettes 5 directory e) initializing; setting tracks and sectors on magnetic disks 6 read/write heads f) a device which spins disks and contains a read/ write head Technical details Floppy disks are so called because they consist of flexible plastic material which has a magnetizable surface. The surface of a disk is divided into concentric circles or ‘tracks’, which are then divided into ‘sectors’. When you insert a blank disk into a disk drive, it must be ‘initialized’, or formatted, before information can be recorded onto it. This means that magnetic areas are created for each track and sector, along with a catalogue or ‘directory’ which will record the specific location of files. When you save a file, the operating system moves the read/write heads of the disk drive towards empty sectors, records the data and writes an entry for the directory. Later on, when you open that file, the OS looks for its entry in the directory, moves the read/write heads to the correct sectors, and reads the file into the RAM area. Hard disks work in the same way as floppies. But they have important advantages: they can hold much more data and spin at higher speed, so you can store and retrieve information much faster than with floppies. The speed at which a hard drive finds data is called ‘access time’ – or seek time. The average access time is measured in milliseconds (ms). Most hard drives have an access time of 8 to 14 ms. You have to distinguish between access time (e.g. 9 ms) and ‘data transfer rate’ (the average speed required to transmit data from a disk system to the RAM, e.g. at 10 megabits per second). Remember that the transfer rate depends also on the power of your PC. If you only use word-processing programs, you will need less storage capacity than if you use CAD, sound and animation programs. If you need an extra hard drive, you should consider the type of mechanism. There are ‘internal’ and ‘external’ drives which are both rigid disks sealed into the drive unit, either within or attached to the computer. Another type of hard drive, known as ‘removable’, allows you to record data on ‘cartridges’, which can be removed and stored off-line for security purposes. Some systems allow you to back up your entire PC on one disk. Laptops use pocket-sized drives. Digital cameras and music players use microdrives with special cards.

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14b. Now read these sentences and decide if they are true (T) or false (F). 1. Hard drives are faster than floppy drives. 2. ‘Access time’ refers to the average time required for the recording heads to move and access data. 3. ‘Access time’ and ‘data transfer rate’ men the same. 4. Hard disks use rigid rotating disks. 5. A hard drive is about 20 times faster than a floppy disk drive. 6. If you use multimedia applications you need the same storage capacity as required for word processors. 7. Removable cartridges are not transportable. 15. Look at the groups of words and decide what class each word belongs to: noun, verb, adjective or adverb. Complete the sentences. magnet magnetism

magnetic magnetize

magnetically magnetized

1. ______ is the science of magnetic phenomena and properties. 2. Floppy and hard disks are considered as ______ storage devices. 3. Data is recorded on a disk in the form of ______ spots called bits. record

recorder

recording

recorded

4. All disks must be initialized before information can be ______ onto them. 5. The ______ heads follow the tracks and magnetize the coating along each track. 6. A disk drive works very much like a tape ______ that can both play and record. fragment

fragmentation

defragmenter

fragmented

7. After you create, delete and modify a lot of files, the hard disk becomes _______ with bits and pieces spread all over the disk. 8. ______ slows down the speed at which data is accessed because the disk drive has to work harder to find the parts of a file stored in many different locations. 9. To recognize your hard disk, you can use a disk optimizer or _______; this will recorder your files into contiguous clusters.

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16. Before reading the text try to answer these questions. 1. What does ‘CD-ROM’ stand for? 2. What is the difference between CD-R and CD-RW? 3. How do you say these expressions in your language? compact disk CD-ROM disk drive laser technology erasable optical disk 17. What are the advantages and disadvantages of optical disks? Read the text to check your answer. Optical disks and drives Optical disks can store information at much higher densities than magnetic disks. Thus, they are ideal for multimedia applications where images, animation and sound occupy a lot of disk space. Besides, they are not affected by magnetic fields. This means that they are secure and stable, e.g. they can be transported through airport metal detectors without damaging the data. However, optical optical drivers are slower than hard drives. While there are hard drives with an average access time of 8 ms, most CD-ROM drives have an access time of 150 to 200 ms. There are various types of optical drives: CD-ROM systems offer everything, from shareware programs to dictionaries and encyclopedias, from multimedia databases to 3-D games. A lot of institutions have discovered that CD-ROM is the most economical way of sharing information. In fact, one CD-ROM disk (650 MB) can replace 300000 pages of text (about 500 floppies), which represents a lot of savings in distributing materials and corporate databases. In addition, CD-ROM drives can play music CDs while you work. Yet CD-ROM technology has one disadvantage: you cannot write anything onto a CDROM disk. You can only ‘read’ it, like a book. CD-Recorders come in two different forms: CD-R and CD-RW. CD-R machines record on CD-R (write-once) disks, allowing you to create and duplicate CDs. They are used to back up hard disks or to distribute and archive information. In fact, these systems are the modern version of old WORM (write once, read many) disks. CD-RW (rewritable) disks can be erased and re-used, just as you would do with a hard disk. The future of optical storage is called DVD (digital versatile disk). A DVDROM can hold 17 GB, about 25 times an ordinary CD-ROM. For this reason, it can store a large amount of multimedia software and complete Hollywood movies in different languages. They can also play music CDs and CD-ROMs. However, DVDROMs are ‘read-only’ devices. To avoid this limitation, companies also produce DVD-R and DVD rewritable disks. Magneto-optical (MO) drives use both a laser and an electromagnet to record information. Consequently, MO disks are rewritable, i.e. they can be written to, erased, and then written again. They usually come in two formats: (i) 5.25” cartridges can hold more than 5.2 GB; (ii) 3.5” floptical disks have a capacity of 230 MB to 1.3 GB. They are ideal for back-up and portable mass storage.

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18. Read the text again and summarize in the table the most relevant information. Technical specifications

Use

CD-ROM CD-Recorder DVD Magneto-optical

Unit IV. Basic software 1. Read the text below and complete it with the phrases in the box.

applications software operating system

software system software

Information provided by programs and data is known as (1) ______. Programs are sets of instructions that make the computer execute operations and tasks. There are two main types of software: • The (2) ______ refers to all the programs which control the basic functions of a computer. They include operating systems, system utilities (e.g. an anti-virus program, a back-up utility) and language translators (e.g. a compiler – the software that translates instructions into machine code). • The (3) ______ refers to all those applications – such as word processors and spreadsheets – which are used for specific purposes. Applications are usually stored on disks loaded into the RAM memory when activated by the user. The (4) ______ is the most important type of system software. It is usually supplied by the manufactures and comprises a set of programs and files that control the hardware end software resources of a computer system. It controls all the elements that the user sees, and it communicates directly with the computer. In most configurations, the OS is automatically loaded into the RAM section when the computer is started up. 2. Read the text and find: 1 the text-based operating system used in older PCs 2 the most secure and reliable version of the Windows family 3 the OS designed for handheld computers 4 the function of the Finder in Macintosh computers 5 the meaning of multi-tasking

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6 the OS written in C language and used on minicomputers and workstations 7 the OS that is freely redistributable under the GNU general public licence 8 the OS originally developed to run on SPARC workstations Operating systems MS-DOS This operating system was developed by Microsoft in 1981 for all IBM PC compatibles. Today it’s only used in old PCs. In this text-based OS, you communicate with the computer by typing commands that exist within its library. For example, some basic DOS commands include: DIR (shows a list of all the files in a directory), COPY (makes a duplicate of a file), DEL (deletes files). WINDOWS Most home PCs use Windows. Here are the most recent versions: • With Windows 98, Internet access becomes part of the user interface. Its active desktop lets you find information easily with the same view of content on your PC, network or the Web. The system includes Outlook Express for e-mail, NetMeeting conferencing software, a chat program and a Web-page editor. It offers advancements such as USB and multimedia extensions. • Windows 2000 is built upon the Windows NT architecture and designed for business uses. • Windows Millennium is designed for home use. It includes new system safeguards and support for DVD, music players and mobile computers. • Windows XP is an update to all Windows versions, with a new visual design. It’s more secure and reliable. It offers support for the latest technologies. POCKET PC (Microsoft) This OS is developed for handheld computers (or palmtops) that use a stylus or a small keyboard for input. MAC OS The Mac OS combines the elegance of Macintosh and the power of UNIX. Large parts of the Mac OS are inside the System file and the Finder, kept in the System folder. The content of the System file is loaded automatically at start-up, and contains information which modifies the routines of the OS in the ROM chips. The Finder displays the Macintosh’s desktop and enables the user to work with disks, programs and files. With the new Mac OS, you can create CDs and record DVDs. It also offers Internet capabilities, support for Java, and AirPort technology for wireless connections. OS/2 WARP (IBM) This is the PC world’s most technically sophisticated operating system. It provides true multi-tasking, allowing a program to be divided into ‘threads’, many of which can run at the same time. Thus, not only can numerous programs run simultaneously, but one program can perform numerous tasks at the same time. The IBM OS/2 Warp includes easy access to networks via modem, support for Java applications, and voice recognition technology.

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UNIX This OS, designed by Bell laboratories for minicomputers and workstations, has been widely adopted by many corporate installations. From the very first, it was designed to be a multi-tasking system. It is written in C language. It has become an operating environment for software development, available for any type of machine, from IBM PCs to Macs to Cray supercomputers. Unix is the most commonly used system for advanced CAD programs. LINUX (Linus Torvalds) Protected under the GNU general public licence, Linux is the open source, cooperatively-developed POSIX-based, multi-tasking operating system. Linux is used as a high value, fully-functional UNIX workstation for applications ranging from Internet Servers to reliable work group computing. Linux is available for Intel, Alpha and Sun SPARC platforms. SOLARIS This is a Unix-based operating system developed by Sun Microsystems. Originally designed to run on SPARC workstations, today Solaris also runs on many Pentium servers. It supports multi-processing – many CPUs and processes on a single system. It includes Java technology, which allows Web pages to display animation, play music and interact with information. 3. Read the text and find definitions of these items. 1 menu 2 interface

3 window 4 active window

5 pointer 6 icon

Most computers have a Graphical User Interface (GUI). The interface is the connection between the user and the computer. The most common type of GUI uses a WIMP system. WIMP stands for Window, Icon, Menu (or Mouse), Pointer (or Pulldown/Pop-up menu). A window is an area of the computer screen where you can see the contents of a folder, a file, or a program. Some systems allow several windows on the screen at the same time and windows can overlap each other. The window on the top is the one which is ‘active’, the one in use. Icons are small pictures on the screen. They represent programs, folders, or files. For example, the Recycle Bin icon represents a program for deleting and restoring files. Most systems have a special area of the screen on which icons appear. Menus give the user a list of choices. You operate the menu by pressing and releasing one or more buttons on the mouse. The pointer is the arrow you use to select icons or to choose options from a menu. You move the pointer across the screen with the mouse. Then you click a button on the mouse to use the object selected by the pointer.

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4. Work in groups and discuss why a good user interface is important.

Language work: Present Simple vs Present Continuous We use the Present Simple to describe routines, standard procedures, and things which are always true, such as likes and dislikes. We use the Present Continuous for actions going on at the moment. Present Continuous an example of what we’re working on at the moment… There are three main areas we’re working in. I’m, at the moment, trying to learn how to use Active Server pages. We’re now using a system called Visual Failsafe. Present Simple We speak to the users. We offer solutions. We don’t spend a full day programming. We go to the canteen and work it out. I enjoy my work.

5. Complete these sentences by putting the verb in brackets into the Present Simple or Present Continuous. 1. At the moment I ______ (work) on a program for schools. 2. We always ______ (ask) the users, not the managers, what they need from the system. 3. Paul is a database expert so usually he ______ (do) anything on databases and I ______ (get) the interfaces. 4. We ______ (use) Active Server for this project because it’s a Web-based. 5. Commonly we______ (use) C++ and Java Script. 6. Whenever we ______ (finish) part of a project, we put a copy of the software in a sub-folder as a record. 7. I ______ (subscribe) to two magazines. 8. Right now I ______ (try) to learn how to use Active Server properly. 9. At the moment we ______ (develop) a Web-based project. 10. It’s a magazine for people who know what they ______ (do). 6.Write four sentences about any project you’re working on at the moment, and about your daily routine. Example

I’m working on a project about … I’m designing a …

I start classes each day at… I finish at …

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Unit V. Revision A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history - with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila. Mitch Ratliffe, American comedian 1. Combine the words in the box into at least ten computer terms. Some are written as two words and some as one. key

site search page data web sheet desk menu hard home board spread help top ad engine disk base banner 2. Match each verb on the left with the item on the right that it collocates most strongly with. a surf 1. a program b enter 2. files off the Net c run 3. on an icon d download 4. data into a computer e click 5. a computer f transmit 6. the Internet g crash 7. a virus h install 8. the trash i burn 9. an attachment j send 10. the Web k empty 11. text l browse 12. to a better model m upgrade 13. CDs n cut and paste 14. software 3. All the verbs below collocate with 'file', but the vowels are missing. Write in the vowels. _p_n d_m_g_ cl _ s_ d _ pl _ c _ t _ b _ ck _ p _ pd _ t _

a file

c _ nv _ rt _ cc _ ss

cr _ _ t _ d_l_t_

s_v_ c _ mpr _ ss

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4. Complete the song about computers using the verbs on the right. Use the rhyme and rhythm to help you. Have you experienced similar problems? My PC is Giving Me Problems (to the tune of My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean, traditional) My PC is giving me problems. My PC is giving me hell. It says it's got Intel inside it. But its Intel inside is not well. Chorus Bring back, bring back, oh bring back my typewriter, please, oh please. Bring back, bring back, oh bring back my typewriter, please. It _________ on me three times this morning. virus And wouldn't connect to the _________ . Net It _________ my trash without warning. crashed It's some kind of _________ , I bet. emptied _____________________________________________________________ I _________ head office a memo attachment And sent an _________ in Word, error But HQs computers are Apple occured And that's when an _________ _________ . e-mailed _____________________________________________________________ I _________ on an icon to _________ program A _________ that iMacs can read files But lost half the _________ on my hard disk download So somehow I must have miskeyed. clicked _____________________________________________________________ Now my spreadsheet has lost all its _________ . upgrade And sadly no _________ were made. helpline I phoned up the _________ at Compaq. data They told me I need to _________ . backups _____________________________________________________________ They finally sent a _________ , type Who debugged my _________ with ease, printer But something's gone wrong with my _________ , technician 'Cause when I _________ 'd's it prints 'c's. desktop _____________________________________________________________ I guess I'm _________ illiterate – keyboard I don't know my _________ from RAM. spam My _________ skills are a disaster computer And my e-mail has filled up with _________ . ROM

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_____________________________________________________________ I think I should _________ down my PC. Resources Admit that I'm going _________ . retrain Arrange to see Human _________ shut And tell them I want to _________ ! insane

И с п ользованная лит ерат ура 1. Basic English for Computing / Eric H. Glendinning, John McEwan. – revised and updated – Oxford University Press, 2003. – 136 p. 2. Infotech: English for computer users / Santiago Remacha Esteras. – 3d edition. – Cambridge University Press, 2003. – 160 p. 3. In Company / Mark Powell. – Intermediate – Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2002. – 142 p. 4. World Link 2, Student Book / Susan Stempleski, Nancy Douglas, James R. Morgan. – Thomson & Heinle, 2005. – 154 p.

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Cо ставители: В о ро нинаЕ ленаВ ладимиро вна к.ф.н. Ш иш кинаН аталья М ихайло вна Редактор БунинаТ .Д .