1. alt.algebra.help

2. alt.asian-movies

3. alt.comics.batman

4. alt.education.disabled

5. alt.fasion

6. alt.sport.soccer.european

7. alt.tasteless-jokes

8. rec.antiques.bottle

9. alt.food.wine

10. alt.music.world

1. a football fan

2. a student with maths problems

3. a bottle collector

4. a comic book collector

5. a fan of Indian cinema

6. some one interested in clothes

Task 10 Write a brief email to a friend describing your course. Your message should answer these questions.

1. What is your course called?

2. When do you have classes?

3. Which subjects do you study?

4. Which subjects do you enjoy most? Why?

5. Which subjects do you like least?

6. What do you do in your free time?

GRAMMAR: Indefinite Tenses (Passive Voice).

THE PASSIVE VOICE:

Note: in computer messages the auxiliary verbs are often omitted:

e.g. Data is lost = Data lost.

The basic form of the Passive Voice:

the Present Tense – am/is/are loaded, found

the Past Tense – was/were loaded, found

the Future Tense – shall/will be loaded, found

Task 12. Pay attention to the following sentences:

1. Historically, most programs have been written in "higher-level" languages such as COBOL, FORTRAN, PL/I, and C.

2. C is a structured, procedural programming language that has been widely used both for operating systems and applications.

3. C is being quickly replaced as the programming language by C++.

4. Java can be used to create complete applications that may run on a single computer or be distributed among servers and clients in a network.

5. Using a language that comes with a virtual machine for each platform, your source language statements need to be compiled only once and will then run on any platform.

Task 13. Change the sentences into the Passive Voice:

1. A programmer writes language statements.

2. The program processes the source code.

3. An assembler converts the assembler language statements into machine language.

4. The Central Processing Unit (CPU) of a computer executes elementary instructions.

5. Most languages share many functional features.

Task 14. Translate into English:

1. Последовательность нулей и единиц иногда называется машинным кодом.

2. PL/I был разработан в начале 1960-х (in the early 1960s) как альтернатива ассемблеру.

3. “Виртуальная машина” используется для обозначения либо операционной системы либо любой программы, которая запускает компьютер.

4. LISP был создан для работы над проблемами искусственного интеллекта (artificial intelligence).

5. Программы на языке Ассемблера выполняются быстрее, чем программы тех же задач, написанные на других языках.

PROBLEM- SOLVING

Task 11. Questions for group discussion:

1. Some people think that Internet is very harmful, especially for young people, because it carries a lot of information about sex, drugs, violence and terrorism. Do you think that some kind of censorship is necessary on the WWW?

2. World famous authors and publishers say that the Internet violates their copyright because Web-program­mers put all kinds of books, pictures, music, films and programs free on the Internet and this reduces their sales and profits.

3. Has anyone in your group experience working on the Internet? Ask them 1) about the difficulties they had;

2) useful information retrieved;

3) fun they got?

4. Why so few people have experience working on the Internet?

SUPPLEMENTARY READING

Task 15. Read and translate the text.

HISTORY OF INTERNET

The Internet technology was created by Vinton Cref in early 1973 as a part of a project headed by Robert Kahn and conducted by the Advanced Research Projects Agency, part of the United States Department of Defence. Later Cerf made many efforts to build and standardise the Internet. In 1984 the technology and the network were turned over to the private sector and to government scientific agencies for further development. The growth has continued exponentially. Service- provider companies that make “gateways” to the Internet available to home and business users enter the market in ever increasing numbers. By early 1995, access was available in 180 countries and more than 30 million users used the Internet. The Interner and its technology continue to have a profound effect in promoting the exchange of information, making possible rapid transactions among businesses , and supportingglobal colloboration among individuals and organisations. More than 100 million computers are connected via the global Internet in 2000, and even more are attached to enterprise internets. The development of the World Wide Web leads to the rapid introduction of new business tools and activities that may lead to annual business transactions on the Internet worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

UNIT 11. THE INTERNET 2: THE WORLD WIDE WEB

Abbreviation

1. SIMM (Single In Line Memory Module) – модуль памяти с одним рядом контактов

2. DIMM (Dual In Line Memory Module) - модуль памяти с двумя рядами контактов

3. CELP (Card Edge Low Profile) – невысокая карта с ножевым разъемом на краю

4. DOS (Disk Operating System) - дисковая операционная система

5. FAT (File Allocation Table) – таблица размещения файлов

6. MBR (Master Boot Record) - главная загрузочная запись

7. MFM (Modified Frequency Modulation) – модифицированная частотная модуляция

8. RLL (Run Length Limited) – запись с ограниченной длиной отрезка

9. IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) – интегрированная дисковая электроника

10. ESDI (Enhanced Small Device Interface) - улучшенный интерфейс

Task 1.Work in groups. Study this extract from the Yahoo search engine home page (http://www.yahoo.com). Which category is the best one to search in for this information?

1. the phone number of the White House

2. a video of a black hole developing

3. a new treatment for cancer

4. new Hollywood movies

5. the Italian word for computer

6. the main news stories in the US

7. Tibetan Buddhism

8. unemployment statistics for Germany

_____________________________________________________________

Arts & Humanities News & Media

Literature, Photography... Full Coverage, Newspapers, TV…

Business &_Economy Recreation & Sports

B2B, Finance, Shopping, Jobs... Sports, Travel, Autos, Outdoors…

Computers & Internet Reference

Internet, WWW, Software, Games... Libraries, Dictionaries, Quotations…

Education Regional

College and University, K-12… Countries, Regions, US States…

Entertainment Science

Cool links, Movies, Humor, Music… Animals, Astronomy, Engineering…

Government Social Sciences

Elections, Military, Law, Taxes... Archeology, Economics, Languages…

Health Society & Culture

Medicine, Diseases, Drugs, Fitness... People, Environment, Religion

_____________________________________________________________

Task 2. Study these sample webpages. Classify them as:

1 news 2 sport 3 entertainment 4 education

Webpages

Task 3. Match each webpage to the correct text.

A Offering unparalleled access to world news and current affairs, the Internet lets you keep up with the latest stories as they happen. Newspapers from around the world are available online, and TV news services, such as CNN (Cable News Network) and Sky TV, offer excellent coverage. There are even special interest news sites, including some designed for children.

B Whatever your favourite sport, it is likely to have at least one devoted fan who has prepared a website dedicated to it. By visiting the site, you can pick up the latest news and gossip, and even chat to other fans around the world. As you might expect, football fans are well catered for on the Web with a mass of information on famous teams, league positions, fixtures, and player profiles.

C Keeping up with your favourite band, finding out about exhibitions, or simply organizing your TV viewing is easy on the Web. Major TV companies have their own sites where you can find a wealth of information on TV shows and the activities of your favourite celebrities. If you want to find a restaurant, see a movie, or just visit a new bar, you will find the Internet a great resource.

D You can study for school or college and even obtain a degree using the Internet. Universities from around the world have sites and some offer online courses. Most schools now have an Internet connection, and many school children use it for research and for keeping in touch with schools abroad. Children can also visit special online exhibitions created by world-famous museums.

Task 4. Saladin designs websites. This is one of his designs. Discuss with your group what you think a good website should have.

Website designer

Task 5. Read and translate the interview.

Part 1

INTERVIEWER: What kind of people want websites and why do they want

websites?

SALADIN: People who feel they have to be on the Web because competitors

are on the Web. They feel that not having a website is a sign of being behind the times.

INTERVIEWER: So other people have got a website and therefore they have to have one, too?

saladin: Yes. The better reason is people who have information they would normally provide free-like brochures, application forms, anything that would normally be sent out by mail.

intierviewer: So it saves fax, postage ...

Saladin: Printing costs. I think it's particularly useful for colleges and

universities.

interviewer: Why is that?

Saladin: Because they tend to have a large amount of information to

distribute.

interviewer: If a client comes to you and asks you for a webpage, how do

you set about designing a page for a client?

saladin: The first thing I would ask for is all their printed promotional material. I would look at all that material and then discuss with the client how much of it to put on the Web. The most important thing is to decide who is the audience for this website , who's it aimed at.

INTERVIEWER: Is there a danger of putting too much on?

SALADIN: There's certainly a danger of putting too much on. Also, the client has to make a clear decision about how much time or money they're going to spend to keep the pages updated.

interviewfr: Aha. so it's not enough simply to have a page, you need regular maintenance of that page.

saladin: Right, so these are the first two questions - who is it aimed at and how often will it be updated?

Part 2

Saladin: Once we've decided what materials should be put on, there are a couple of basic principles to follow. One is that there should never be any dead ends, you should never reach a page which has no...

interviewer: Ah, which doesn't go anywhere?

saladin: ... Which has no links to take you back to somewhere else. So that's one principle. And the other principle is to try to limit the number of steps that have to be taken from the main home page to any other page. I would normally aim for a maximum of four steps.

interviewer: Do people give up if there are more than two or three links, they simply give up, is that a problem?

Saladin: Some people will give up. Others will just never find the information, there are too many diversions. Another principle is not to have too many links to scroll through on one page. If you have a page which has 150 links and you have to keep scrolling through them, people will give up ... they'll never find the links at the bottom.

interviewer: What about graphics, sound and animations, and all these multimedia features? What's your feeling about these?

saladin: Always ask why is it there? That's the first thing. And if it's there simply because it makes the page look nicer, think quite carefully about whether to put it there or not. The more of that sort of thing you have, the more time it will take to download the pages. Another factor to bear in mind is that there are still a lot of users with less sophisticated browsers than Netscape or Microsoft Explorer, and if you make the use of the page dependent on graphics and so on, you'll exclude these users.

INTERVIEWER: So no dead-ends, no more than four steps from home, and pictures have to serve a serious purpose.

Part 3

Saladin: Another aspect of designing pages is to break the information into relatively small sections.

interviewer: Is that just because of the size of the screen, what you can see at one time?

saladin: It's partly that, but it's also to do with download time and printing. People can find they're printing forty pages of a document, most of which they don't want.

interviewer: Is it a big temptation to add links to similar organizations? Is there strength in that, or is there a danger in that?

Saladin: In most cases it's a big strength. Browsers who come across your page, if they discover that your page is a very good gateway to all sorts of interesting sites, will bookmark your page because they know it's a good way to get to all the other sites. If they're coming back to it, they're exposed to your message every time. One final point: it is useful to have on the front page something brief which catches the reader, which says 'this is who we are'.

Task 6.In this interview Saladin describes what makes a good website. Read Part 1 of the interview and answer these questions.

1. Name two kinds of people who want websites.

2. Why is a website good for people with a lot of information to distribute?

3. What sort of clients is a website particularly useful for?

4. What does Saladin ask for first from a client?

5. What important point must be decided?

6. What must the client make a clear decision about?

Task 7. Read Part 2 of the interview and complete the five design principles mentioned.

1. There should never be __________.

2. A maximum of ______ from home page to other pages.

3. Don't have ________ on one page.

4. Don't use multimedia simply to make _________.

5. Remember there are still a lot of users with _________.

Task 8. Read Part 3 of the interview. Decide which of these statements Saladin would agree with.

1. Information on websites should be divided into small sections.

2. Long sections can be a problem for users who want to print from a website.

3. It's a bad idea to have a lot of links to other sites.

4. You want users to bookmark your site as a way to get to other sites.

5. Your website should start with a brief piece of information to attract the reader.

Task 9. Read the whole interview again. Put these pieces of advice about website design into two sets: A (things to do) and B (things not to do).

1. Include graphics only to make it look nice.

2. Divide information into small sections.

3. Have pages with dead-ends.

4. Have a lot of links to other sites.

5. Have a lot of links on one page.

6. Start with a brief piece of information to attract the reader.

7. Forget about readers with less sophisticated browsers.

8. Update your page regularly.

GRAMMAR: Modal Verbs (Indicating Importance)

Task 10. Give advice about website design using has/have to or must/mustn’t. Use these answers to Task 9 to help you.

A: things to do B: things not to do

PROBLEM-SOLVING

Task 11. Write a set of points to advise someone thinking of designing a website. Advise them of things to do or not to do. Use the interview with Saladin and your own ideas.

UNIT 12. LANGUAGES

Abbreviation

1. SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) - интерфейс малых компьютерных систем

2. PIO (Processor Input/Output) - режим передачи данных через ЦП, программный ввод/вывод

3. CLV (Constant Linear Velocity) – постоянная линейная скорость

4. DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) - цифровой универсальный диск

5. DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) – динамический обмен данными

6. OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) - связь и внедрение объектов

7. IRQ (Interrupt Request) – запрос на прерывание

8. IBM (International Business Machines) - международные бизнес-машины

9. DBMS (Database Management System) – система управления базами данных

10. SQL (Structured Query Language) – структурированный язык запросов

Task 1. Read and translate the text about computing languages and make notes in the table.

Computing languages

C++ was developed from the C language. It was designed as a systems programming language with features that make it easy to control the computer hardware efficiently. It was used to produce the Microsoft Windows operating system. It is portable, i.e. programs written in C++ can be easily adapted for use on many different types of computer systems.

HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language. It is a page description language used for creating webpages. HTML uses a system of tags to mark page links and formatting. For example, the tag <u> tells the program to start underlining a text. Although programs cannot be created using HTML, small programs can be embedded in HTML code using a scripting language like JavaScript.

Java is a programming language originally designed for programming small electronic devices such as mobile phones. It can run unchanged on any operating system that has a Java Interpreter program. Java is used for writing programs for the World Wide Web.

JavaScript is a scripting language. It is powerful and easy to use. Scripts are small programs that can be used to perform simple tasks or tie other programs together. JavaScript is designed for use inside webpages. It can enable a webpage to respond to a mouse click or input on a form. It can also provide a way of moving through webpages and produce simple animation.

Visual Basic is a programming environment, not simply a language. It uses the language BASIC, a simple language developed to make it easy for people to learn how to program. Visual Basic has predefined objects such as dialog boxes, buttons, and text boxes which can be chosen from a toolbox and dragged across the screen using the mouse and dropped into the required position. BASIC programming code is attached to form a complete program. Visual Basic is used to write general purpose applications for the Windows operating system.

Delphi is similar to Visual Basic. It is also a programming environment for developing programs for the Windows operating system. It has predefined objects that can be chosen from a toolbox. In Delphi, however, the code attached to the objects is written in a form of Pascal. You can think of Delphi as a kind of 'Visual Pascal', Like Visual Basic, it is often used for general purpose programs.

_____________________________________________________________

Language Associated Type of

language language Use

_____________________________________________________________

C++ _________ _________ __________________

HTML _________ _________ __________________

Java _________ _________ __________________

JavaScript _________ _________ __________________

Visual Basic _________ _________ __________________

Delphi _________ _________ __________________

Task 2. General understanding.

1. Which language uses a system of tags?

2. Which languages are designed to be used inside webpages?

3. Which language was used to write the Windows operating system?

4. What is a 'portable' language?

5. Which language can have small programs embedded in it using JavaScript?

6. What does HTML stand for?

7. Which languages can only be used in the Windows operating system?

8. Which language cannot be used for writing programs?

Task 3. Using the information in the reading text decide which languages would be best for these users and tasks.

1. A language for school pupils learning to program for the first time.

2. A language for professional programmers who want their software to run on any type of computer system.

3. A language for a student who wants to create her own webpage.

4. A language for a website designer who wants to include simple animation in a site.

5. A language for computing students who want to write a general purpose program as a college project.

GRAMMAR: Revision (Indefinite Tenses, Passive Voice)

Task 4. Change the following sentences into the Passive Voice

1.We thought of him all the time. 2.The doctor will pay for the car soon. 3.He will operate on her in a week. 4.The teacher sent for the pupil’s parents. 5.I look for the newspaper everywhere. 6.Mother reminded me of the incident. 7.The neighbor asked for the telegram. 8.The senior students laughed at the freshman. 9.The group spoke to the dean yesterday. 10.The young mothers looked after their children with great care. 11.We asked him about his holidays. 12.They discuss the novel. 13.He didn’t give me his address. 14.She showed him the way to the metro. 15.He will introduce me to his friends. 16.They built the bridge over the river. 17.I shall not translate this article. 18.We saw that man yesterday. 19.They spoke about the film at the lesson. 20.The dean sent for the monitor of group 12.

PROBLEM-SOLVING

Task 4. Look back at the notes you made in the table in Task 1. Write a brief summary of the reading text based on your notes.

Example C++ is a programming language. It is used for general and systems programming.

UNIT 13 PROBLEMS IN COMPUTING

Abbreviation

1. UTP (Unshielded Twisted-Pair) - неэкранированная витая пара

2. STP (Shielded Twisted-Pair) - экранированная витая пара

3. IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) - институт инженеров по электротехнике и электронике

4. HTML (HyperText Markup Language) - гипертекстовый язык меток/язык разметки гипертекста

5. HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) - гипертекстовый протокол передачи/протокол передачи гипертекста

6. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) - протокол передачи файлов

7. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) - протокол управления передачей

8. URL (Uniform Resource Locator) – унифицированный/ универсальный адрессатор/ указатель ресурса

9. WWW (World Wide Web) - всемирная (глобальная) паутина

10. P2P (Peer-to-Peer Network) – одноранговая/равноправная сеть

Task 1. Try to answer these questions in your group.

1. What is a computer virus?

2. How are viruses spread?

3. How can you deal with viruses?

4. Name any viruses you know.

Task 2. Read this text to check your answers to Task 1. Then find the answers to these questions.

1. List three computer crimes.

2. What do you think these words in the passage mean?

flash

gobbledegook

dormant

eradicate

3. Why is it difficult to remove all viruses?

4. Complete this table.

__________________________________________________________

Virus Effect

_____________________________________________________________

Yankee Doodle ________________________________________

Cascade ________________________________________

Michelangelo ________________________________________

Jerusalem B ________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Computer viruses

The Maltese Amoeba may sound like a cartoon character, but if it attacked your computer, you wouldn't be laughing. The Maltese Amoeba is a computer virus. It is a form of software which can 'infect' your system and destroy your data. Making computer viruses is only one type of computer crime. Others include hacking (changing data in a computer without permission) and pirating (illegally copying software programs).

Viruses are programs which are written deliberately to damage data. Viruses can hide themselves in a computer system. Some viruses are fairly harmless. They may flash a message on screen, such as ‘Gotcha! Bet you don't know how I crept in'.

The Yankee Doodle virus plays this American tune on the computer's small internal speaker every eight days at 5 p.m. Others have serious effects. They attach themselves to the operating system and can wipe out all your data or turn it into gobbledegook.

When the Cascade virus attacks, all ib the letters in a file fall into a heap at the bottom of the screen. This looks spectacular but it's hard to see the funny side when it's your document.

Most viruses remain dormant until activated by something. For example, the Jerusalem B virus is activated every Friday the 13th and erases any file you try to load from your disk.

The Michelangelo virus was programmed to become active on March 6th 1992, the 517th birthday of Michelangelo. It attacked computer systems throughout the world, turning data on hard disks into nonsense.

Viruses are most commonly passed via disks but they can also spread through bulletin boards, local area networks, and email attachments. The best form of treatment is prevention. Use an antivirus program to check a disk before using it. Always download email attachments onto a disk and check for viruses. If you do catch a virus, there are antivirus programs to hunt down and eradicate the virus. The problem is that around 150 new viruses appear every month and you must constantly update your antivirus package to deal with these new forms.

Task 3.Read the text and translate the text.

Access Systems

How can you protect your computer from unauthorized access? Various ways have been developed to ensure that only the right people can access a system. We can divide these methods into three groups:

what you have, what you know, and who you are.

What you have

You may have a plastic card, a swipe card, to get into rooms where there are computers. In some companies, workers wear an active badge, an ID card with an embedded chip, which signals where the wearer is at any time. The company knows immediately if an employee enters a computer room.

What you know

Computers are often protected by passwords. You have to know the correct password to enter the system, in the same way that you have to know your personal identification number to get money out of a bank cash machine.

Who you are

Every individual is unique. Some security systems use individual body characteristics. For example, your computer can be protected by a fingerprint recognition system. The computer will only respond when it reads your unique fingerprint. A new product called Facelt uses face recognition to protect individual files. It will only give access to a file if your face matches stored pictures of authorized users. However, beards and spectacles can cause problems. Voice recognition and identification, by the retina of the eye are other means to protect access.

Some systems use a combination of these groups. For example, an ID card and a password.

Task 4. Make notes about each type of access system in the table

_____________________________________________________________

Access system Examples

_____________________________________________________________

What you have ________________________________________

What you know ________________________________________

Who you are ________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

GRAMMAR: Неопределенные местоимения SOME, ANY и отрицателтьное местоимение NO

В зависимости от контекста some и any могут переводиться на русский как «некоторый», «какой-то», «несколько», «некоторое количество», «сколько-нибудь».

В утвердительных предложениях употребляется some:

I have some cassettes of country music.

В вопросительных и отрицательных предложениях употребляется any:

Have you any cassettes of country music?

I haven’t any cassettes of country music.

Вместо сочетания not any часто употребляется отрицательное местоимение no:

I have no cassettes of pop music.

ЗАПОМНИТЕ!

There is something on the table.

Is there anything on the table?

There is nothing on the table.

Task 5. Answer the questions:

1. What is there in your bag?

2. What is there in your hand?

3. What is there on the wall?

4. How many students are there in the classroom?

5. How many tables are there in the room?

6. Are there any newspapers on the desk?

7. Is there anybody in the corridor?

8. Is there anything in your bag?

9. Was there a concert at the Theatre last Sunday?

10. Will there be a party at school next Saturday?

PROBLEM-SOLVING

Task 6. These headlines cover some of the ethical issues involved in computing. Try to match the headlines to the first sentence of each story.

Task 7. Revise the following abbreviations:

ISA, MCA, PCI, VESA ,USB, AGP, DMA, CPU, RAM, ROM, DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, FPM DRAM, PB SRAM, SIMM, DIMM, CD-ROM, DVD, PCMCIA

UNIT 14 FUTURE TRENDS

Task 1. Read and translate the text.

Virtual Reality

Part 1

Virtual reality (VR) means using 3-D graphics to create an imaginary world, or virtual world, which surrounds the user.

You need special equipment to use VR. A VR headset or head-mounted display shows graphics on a screen in front of your eyes. As you turn your head, the picture on the screen moves around too, so it feels as if you are in a 3-D world. A dataglove, or VR glove, is a glove with pressure pads which make your hand feel as if it's picking up objects or touching surfaces. You use a kind of mouse called a VR mouse. 3-D mouse or virtual mouse to move around in virtual space.

Part 2

Virtual reality is already being used in many ways —in medicine, entertainment, and design. But VR is not yet very realistic. As techniques improve, though, VR could seem so real that you could live a virtual life -having many of your experiences through VR. For example, virtual travel systems could take you on a virtual holiday, letting you experience other parts of the world through a VR headset.

Some people even think that VR headsets might he replaced by DNI-Direct Neural Interface - that would stimulate your brain cells to give you a virtual experience. A brain implant would work in a similar way, but would give you special skills, like being able to speak a new language or play an instrument, without, having to learn it.

Glossary

virtual (reality) mouse- a cursor control input device used in VR systems

virtual reality- a simulated three dimensional environment that surrounds the user and

robot- a mechanical device controlled by a computer

robotic- to do with robots

robotics- the study of robot systems

smart card- a plastic card containing a processor and memory chip

Task 2. Complete the gaps in this table of equipment required to use virtual reality.

_____________________________________________________________

Equipment Alternative name Purpose

_____________________________________________________________

________ head-mounted display __________________________

VR glove __________________ makes your hand feel pressure

VR mouse __________________ __________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Task 3. Make a note of the existing and possible future uses of virtual reality which are mentioned.

____________________________ __________________________

Existing uses Possible future uses

____________________________ __________________________

____________________________ __________________________

____________________________ __________________________

____________________________ __________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Task 4. Read and translate the text.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS

Smart Cards

A chip to save your life

If your friend suddenly had an accident and was unconscious or incoherent, could you provide any information to an ambulance crew? Would you know her blood type, her allergies, and the prescription drugs she takes? Probably not. Even family members may not have this information, or be too distraught themselves to provide needed medical information. Enter the MediCard, a plastic card that has an embedded chip containing all that patient information. Small computers that can read the cards are installed in ambulances and in hospital emergency rooms. This system is working successfully in some communities. The biggest problem is making sure that people carry their cards at all times.

Robotics

What is a micro-machine?

One of the most important steps in computing technology in the coming years is likely to be a return to mechanical methods. Using the same process used to create chips, it's possible to fabricate mechanical parts - levers, gear wheels, and small motors.

The best known example of a micro-machine was created by Sandia Laboratories in New Mexico in the US. It's a complete motor developing 50uW of power in one square millimetre - still a bit big for some of the micro-machines planned for the future.

What are micro-machines going to be used for? Obvious applications are sensors, gyros, and drug delivery. The idea is that a micro-machine could have a strain sensor or a gyroscopic attitude sensor and electronics built into a single chip-sized package. The idea of using a micro-machine to deliver drugs is getting a bit closer to more sci-fi applications. Only a step further is the idea of building insect-sized robots that could do difficult jobs in very small places. Swallowing an ant-sized machine to cure you or putting one inside some failed machinery seems like a really good idea!

Virtual Reality

Getting practical

Here are some applications of virtual reality under development. Wearing head mounts, consumers can browse for products in a ”Virtual showroom”. From a remote location a consumer will be able to manoeuvre and view products along rows in a warehouse. Similarly, from a convenient office a security guard can patrol corridors and offices in remote locations.

Air traffic controllers may someday work like this. Microlaser scanner glasses project computer-generated images directly into the controller's eyes, immersing the controller in a three-dimensional scene showing all the aircraft in the area. To establish voice contact with the pilot of the plane, the controller merely touches the plane's image with a sensor-equipped glove.

Using virtual reality headsets and gloves, doctors and medical students will be able to experiment with new procedures on simulated patients rather than real ones.

Task 5. Read the texts and make notes in the table below.

_____________________________________________________________

Development _______________________________________________

Applications _______________________________________________

How soon? _______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Task 6. Read and translate the texts.

FUTURE TRENDS

HEALTH

Body chips

In the next decade we can have miniature computers inside us to monitor, and even regulate, our blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol. Such a chip would include a microprocessor, sensors, and a radio frequency device that would permit accurate read-cuts of vital statistics. All this would happen, of course, without taking any blood or attaching any external devices to the body.

Since we are already familiar with the notion of an internal pacemaker for the heart, including a chip or two may not seem all that astonishing. But this is just the beginning. Experts foresee, within twenty years, implanted chips that can correct our ability to interact with the world. Once implanted, the chip is invisible, unlike a hearing aid. A more common implant would be a chip to correct visual signals. No more glasses!

SHOPPING

Computer shopping

This may sound very much like shopping by the Internet, but in fifty years' time it will be very different. Shoppers will be able to scan down virtual supermarket aisles on their PC and click on to whatever they want; the goods will then be delivered shortly afterwards. Customers may well be able to call up a virtual assistant who will talk them through their shopping or to ask the computer for suggestions. Moreover, people will be able to get background information on shops and goods, and will be able to boycott any that offend their ethical considerations.

MONEY

Electronic cash

Bank customers can now download money from their account to an electronic wallet, a smart card, using a specially designed phone equipped with a smart card reader. To download cash you have to enter your PIN. You can then use your electronic wallet to pay for goods and services, to purchase goods across the Internet, and to transfer money to other cardholders.

Using the Internet, customers can now check their account balance and see their latest statement. One bank has developed a multi-currency payment engine which allows online retailers to sell their goods in sixteen countries, with customers paying in their local currency. With these developments, coins and notes are likely to disappear.

GRAMMAR: Revision phrases

Task 7. Read and translate the following phrases, find the main word:

a database program, a subsequent action, external device, file time, collection of partitions, interactive mode, a remote computer, font family, digital system, code distortion, common interface, a single character, physical layer, definition of data, a file error, power failure, the title of the window, program execution, screen buffer, dialog box, Disabled User Account, hardware-level resources, printing support, page fault, clipboard buffer, executable file, boot sequence, system management mode, path name, mouse button, logical device, input\output space, memory size, insert mode, database device

PROBLEM-SOLVING

Task 8. Write a summary “How computers will affect our future lives”. Use the vocabulary and information from the texts.

Task 9. Revise the following abbreviations:

PC/XT, PC/AT, ISA, EISA, ACPI, RISC, CISC, EPIC, SPARC, SIP, DIP, EDO, BEDO, CELP, MMX, IDE, ESDI, SCSI, PIO, MFM

SUPPLEMENTARY READING

History of robotics

The concept of robots dates back to ancient times, when some myths told of mechanical beings brought to life. Such automata also appeared in the clockwork figures of medieval churches, and in the 18th century some clockmakers gained fame for the clever mechanical figures that they constructed. Today the term automaton is usually applied to these handcrafted, mechanical (rather than electromechanical) devices that imitate the motions of living creatures. Some of the «robots» used in advertising and entertainment are actually automata, even with the addition of remote radio control.

The term robot itself is derived from the Czech word robot, meaning “compulsory labour”. It was first used by the Czech novelist and playwright Karel Chapek, to describe a mechanical device that looks like a

human but, lacking human sensibility, can perform only automatic, mechanical operations. Robots as they are known today do not only imitate human or other living forms. True robots did not become possible, however, until the invention of the computer in the 1940s and the miniaturization of computer parts. One of the first true robots was an experimental model designed by researchers at the Stanford Research Institute in the late 1960s. It was capable of arranging blocks into stacks through the use of a television camera as a visual sensor, processing this information in a small computer.

Computers today are equipped with microprocessors that can handle the data being fed to them by various sensors of the surrounding environment. Making use of the principle of feedback, robots can change their operations to some degree in response to changes in that environment. The commercial use of robots is spreading, with the increasing automation of factories, and they have become essential to many laboratory procedures. Japan is the most advanced nation exploring robot technology. Nowadays robots continue to expand their applications. The home-made robots available today may be one sign of the future.

UNIT 15 CAREERS IN COMPUTING

Task 1. Work in groups. List some of the jobs you know in computing. Compare your lists with other students in the class.

Task 2. Which of the jobs listed would you like to make your career- Explain why to others in your group.

Task 3. Read these descriptions of jobs in computing and make notes about the main responsibilities.

Computing jobs

Example

Systems Analyst

Studies methods of working within an organization to decide how tasks can be done efficiently by computers. Makes a detailed analysis of the employer's requirements and work patterns to prepare a report on different options for using information technology. This may involve consideration of hardware as well as software. Either uses standard computer packages or writes a specification for programmers to adapt existing software or to prepare new software. May oversee the implementation and testing of a system and acts as a link between the user and the programmer.

_____________________________________________________________

Job Main responsibilities

_____________________________________________________________

Systems analyst Studies employer's requirements and working patterns. Reports on different options. Writes specifications for programmers. Oversees implementation and testing.__________________

Software Engineer/Designer

Produces the programs which control the internal operations of computers. Converts the system analyst's specification to a logical series of steps. Translates these into the appropriate computer language. Often compiles programs from libraries or sub-programs, combining these to make up a complete systems program. Designs, tests, and improves programs for computer-aided design and manufacture, business applications, computer networks, and games.

Computer Salesperson

Advises potential customers about available hardware and sells equipment to suit individual requirements. Discusses computing needs with the client to ensure that a suitable system can be supplied. Organizes the sale and delivery and, if necessary, installation and testing. May arrange support or training, maintenance, and consultation. Must have sufficient technical knowledge.

Computer Systems Support Person

Systems support people are analyst programmers who are responsible for maintaining, updating, and modifying the software used by a company. Some specialize in software which handles the basic operation of the computers. This involves the use of machine codes and specialized low-level computer languages. Most handle applications software. May sort out problems encountered by users. Solving problems may involve amending an area of code in the software, retrieving files and data lost when a system crashes, and a basic knowledge of hardware.

Computer Systems Analyst Programmer

Creates the software programs used by computers. May specialize in the internal operating systems using low level computer language, or in applications programs. May specialize in one aspect of the work, e.g. programming, systems design, systems analysis, or cover them all. May support the system through advice and training, providing user manuals, and by helping users with any problems that arise.

Hardware Engineer

Researches, designs, and develops computers, or parts of computers and the computerized element of appliances, machines, and vehicles. Also involved in their manufacture, installation, and testing. May specialize in different areas: research and development, design, manufacturing. Has to be aware of cost, efficiency, safety, and environmental factors, as well as engineering aspects.

Network Support Person

Maintains the link between PCs and workstations connected in a network. Uses telecommunications, software, and electronic skills, and knowledge of the networking software to locate and correct faults. This may involve work with the controlling software, on the wiring, printed circuit boards, software or microchips on a file server, or on cables either within or outside the building.

Task 4. Read about five people employed in computing talking about their work. Try to match each extract to the correct job from this list.

Talking about Work

1. □ Hardware Engineer

2. □ Network Support Person

3. □ Operator

4. □ Software Designer

5. □ System Analyst Programmer

6. □ System Support Person

7. □ Technical Sales Manager

1.

Before I write a program. I have to carry out a feasibility study in the company. The aim is to see whether a new program would he better than the methods they use at present. I have to observe what the users do, speak to them, and make an analysis of their systems. It's very important to speak to the actual users, not just the managers.

2.

My job is to persuade customers that it's worth investing in new computer systems or extending the systems they already have. But it's not enough simply to sell the systems. We have to keep in touch after the sale and make sure things are working well, and to provide any backup the client needs. That's the only way to build up trust with a customer and to get new orders. It's a very competitive market.

3.

I'm called out if there's a fault on the network. We try to solve the problem by phone at first, but if that doesn't work, we have to go and look for ourselves. It could be anything: the software, the server, even the cabling. Sometimes the problem is the user! You have to be good at working out where the problem is.

4.

It's my job to try out new components before they're used in our computers, it's not only how well the components work that matters, they also have to meet health and safety requirements. I need to write reports and make recommendations on my findings. If problems arise after the components have been installed, I'm the person who has to find the solution.

5.

I have to change the specifications for a system into a logical sequence that can be programmed. The language I choose for coding will depend on various factors such as what type of program it is, and where it's going to be used. A lot of testing has to be done and I use the feedback to decide where improvements can be made.

GRAMMAR: Revision

Task 5. Read and translate the following sentences:

1. The device driver does not exist.

2. The data type is not supported by the processor.

3. Use a different print processor for jobs that have this data type, or rewrite the application so that it uses a data type the print processor can recognize.

4. The service cannot be controlled in its present state.

5. This workstation is already logged on to the local-area network.

6. You specified an invalid password.

7. The user accounts database is full.

8. The RPL.MAP file cannot be opened or may be corrupted.

9. Verify the correct filename and retype the command.

10. Unable to complete execution -- too many open files.

11. The command failed because too many files were open.

12. Unable to allocate memory.

13. The computer ran out of memory.

14. The specified program couldn't be found.

15. An error occurred while MAKEIMG was creating a subdirectory on the floppy disk.

16. You must use a floppy disk formatted with MS-DOS.

17. Use CHKDSK to be sure the floppy disk is not damaged.

18. The drive you specified doesn't exist.

19. This floppy disk is not a bootable MS-DOS disk.

20. MAKEIMG couldn't read the floppy disk.

21. You tried to perform an administrator task in a domain without having admin privilege in the domain.

22. This is an invalid response.

Task 6. Revise the following abbreviations:

RLL, CLV, DDE, OLE, IRQ, IBM, DBMS, SQL, UTP, STP, IEEE, HTML, HTTP, FTP, TCP, URL, WWW, P2P, DOS, FAT, MBR

PROBLEM-SOLVING.

Task 7. Write a summary “What I want to be?”

GLOSSARY

OF COMPUTING TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

A

active badge a smartcard device worn by the user

Active Server page a type of webpage that contains a script that is processed on a web server

active window the window in WIMP system that is currently being used. It is usually on top of any other open windows.

add-on a small program that can be attached to a browser program to give the browser extra functions

address box the area in a web browser program where the web address is displayed

address bus the set of conductors that carry the memory address signals between different parts of a computer system

ALU abbreviation for arithmetic and logic unit

amend to make corrections

analogue signal a type of signal that can take any value between a maximum and a minimum

analogue-to-digital converter a device for changing analogue signals into digital signals

animation drawings that have moving images

anti-virus program a set of programs used to detect, identify, and remove viruses from a system

aperture grill pitch the distance between the holes or slots in the filter screen inside a monitor

Apple Macintosh a type of personal computer manufactured by Apple Computer Incorporated

applications (program or software)a computer program or programs designed to be used for a particular purpose

arithmetic and logic unit the part of the CPU that performs the mathematical and logical operations

arrow keys the set of four keys on a keyboard used for moving the cursor around the screen

assembly language a low-level computer language that uses mnemonics rather than only numbers, making it easier than machine code for humans to read and write

B

back up to store a copy of data on a storage device to keep it safe

backup the process of storing a copy of data on a storage device to keep it safe

backup device a storage device used for copying files to a storage medium to keep them safe

barcode a sequence of vertical parallel lines used to give items a unique identification number /to mark with a barcode

barcode label a label that is used to attach a barcode to an item

barcode reader an optical input device that uses the reflection of a light beam to read barcode labels

batch job sets of data to be processed together by a mainframe computer bidirectional designed to carry signals in either direction

binary belonging to the number system that has only two digits, i.e. 1 and 0

bit a small unit of storage capacity / one of the eight binary digits that make up a byte. The term comes from an abbreviation of binary digit.

bookmark a web address stored in a browser program to allow a webpage to be found easily / to store a web address in a browser program to allow a webpage to be found easily

branch a point in a program or flowchart where there are two possible paths

browser a program used for displaying webpages

bulletin board a kind of electronic noticeboard system that enables users to display messages for other users to read bus

bus the set of conductors that carry the signals between different parts of a computer

bus topology a physical layout of a network where all the computers are attached to one main cable terminated at both ends

byte a unit of capacity. A byte is made up of eight bits and stores one character, i.e. a letter, a number, a space or a punctuation mark.

C

cache memory high speed memory used to speed up a computer

CCD abbreviation for charge-coupled device

CD-ROM (disk) abbreviation for compact, disk read-only memory. A read-only storage device (a disk)| that is read using laser light.

CD-ROM drive a storage device for reading CD-ROM disks

cell the rectangular box formed where a row and a column meet in a spreadsheet

Central Processing Unit the electronic processor at the centre of a computer. It is sometimes used lo refer to the combination of the processor and the main memory.

checkbox a dialog box component in the form of a small square box used to indicate one of two alternative states, e.g. true or false. When the user clicks the box with a mouse, a cross appears in the box. Clicking again clears the box.

chip common name for a microchip

click to press and release a button on a mouse

client a network computer used for accessing a service on a server

clock chip the electronic device in a computer that controls the timing of the signals

clock line the conductor that carries the clock signal to different parts of thecomputer

coax(ial) cable a type of shielded cable for carrying signals. It is often used with radio frequency and video signals.

code a program written in a computer language/to write a program using a computer language

COM port another name for a serial port (from an abbreviation for communications)

command button a dialog box component that takes the form of a rectangular icon that causes a program command to be carried out when clicked with a mouse

compilation error a programming error that prevents a program from being converted into machine code by a compiler

compile to convert a program written in a high-level language into machine code using a compiler

compiler a program that converts the whole of a program into machine code before the program is used

computer aided design the process of designing using a computer program

computing the theory and practice of computers

control bus the set of conductors that carry the control signals between the control unit and other parts of a computer

control unit the part of the CPU that generates the signals that control the computer programs and hardware

CPU abbreviation for central processing unit

crash a sudden and complete failure/to fail suddenly and completely

CU abbreviation for control unit

cursor the symbol on the monitor screen that indicates the point on the screen that is being used

D

data the information processed by a computer

data bus the set of conductors that carry the data signals between different parts of a computer

database a type of application program used for storing information so that it can be easily searched and sorted

decode to decide what a program instruction means

desktop (computer) a personal computer designed to sit on a desk

desktop publishing an application program that is used for creating and editing the text and layout of pages to be published

dialog box a window in a WIMP system that is used to provide information or obtain information from the user

digital camera an input device for taking pictures that has an electronic lens and uses electronics for storing the images rather than chemical film

digital signal a signal that only has one of two values representing on or off

disk a flat circular storage device

disk drive a storage device for reading from and writing to disks

distributed computing a network system that uses different servers throughout the network rather than a single server at the centre of the network

DNI an abbreviation for direct neural interface

dot pitch the distance between the dots on a monitor screen

dot-matrix printer a printer that prints by hammering pins onto an linked ribbon

double density floppy (disk) a removable magnetic storage device in the form of a plastic disk that can hold about 712 kilobytes of data

download to copy a file from a server to a client computer in a network

drag to move an object across the display screen by moving a mouse while holding down the mouse button

drop-down list box a dialog box component that opens a list of items when the user clicks on the arrowhead at the end

drop-down menu a list of options that opens downwards and stays open when clicked with a mouse

DVD abbreviation for digital versatile disk. An optical disk storage device that can hold a large amount of video data

dye sublimation printer a type of colour printer that prints by heating dye that is transferred onto special paper.

E

E-time a common name for the execution time

Edit to make changes to

editing keys the set of keys on a PC keyboard to the right of the main keyboard that is used for moving around the screen and making changes lo a document

electronic wallet a smartcard used for storing money downloaded from a computer bank account

email the common name for electronic mail, i.e. messages sent electronically using a computer / to send an email message

email address the unique address code used to contact someone using electronic mail

email attachment a file that is attached to an email message

embed to insert an object inside another object

encode to write information in a coded form

execute to perform a computer operation by processing a program instruction

execution time the time taken to execute a program instruction and store the result in memory

expansion card an electronic circuit board used for adding facilities to a computer

expansion slot a long thin connector that is used for adding additional electronics in the form of expansion cards

extended keyboard the common arrangement of keys on a PC keyboard with editing keys and a numeric keypad to the right of the main keyboard

F

fibre-optic(s) a cable made from strands of glass that is used for carrying information signals on a beam of light

field a section of a database where an item of data is stored

file a computer program or data stored on a storage device

file server a main computer that provides a data file store on a network

flicker-free having no variation in the brightness of the display of a monitor screen

floppy (disk) a magnetic storage device in the form of a small plastic disk (also known as a diskette)

floppy (disk) drive a common magnetic storage device that reads and writes data on a floppy disk

flowchart a kind of diagram used by programmers to show the logical steps in a program

folder a way of grouping filenames so that the files can be easily located on a storage device

font a set of text characters of a particular design

format (1) the design and appearance of text in a document / to design the look of text in a document

format (2) the arrangement of storage areas on a storage medium / to create storage areas on a storage medium

formatting toolbar a row of icons in a program, used to change the appearance of the text when clicked with a mouse

freeze suddenly to stop responding. It is usually used in reference to a screen display.

function keys keyboard keys that are normally programmed to perform different functions by each program or by the user

G

graphic a picture, drawing, animation or other type of image

graphical user interface part of an operating system that allows the user to interact with a computer using images and a cursor

graphics card an expansion board containing electronics for controlling the computer output to a monitor

graphics package a type of applications program that is used for creating and editing images and drawings

graphics tablet a graphical input device that tracks the movement of a stylus across a flat surface

GUI abbreviation for graphical user interface

H

hacking the practice of breaking into computer systems and changing data without permission

handheld a small portable computer that can he held in one hand.

hang suddenly and unexpectedly to stop processing during the execution of a program

hard (disk) (drive) a common magnetic storage device that reads and writes data on metal disks inside a sealed ease

hardware the physical components of a computer system

high density floppy (disk) a removable magnetic storage device in the form of a plastic disk that can hold about 1.4 megabytes of data. i.e. twice as much as a double density disk

high-level language a programming language closer to human language than low-level computer languages such as machine code or assembly language

home page the starting page on a website

HTML abbreviation for hypertext markup language/a computer language that uses a system of tags for creating web pages

hub an electronic device at the centre of a star network topology

I

l-time a common name for the instruction time

IT abbreviation for information technology

IBM abbreviation for the computer company called International Business Machines Corporation

icon a small picture used in a WIMP system to represent a program, folder or file

information technology the study and practice of techniques or use of equipment for dealing with information

inkjet printer a printer that prints by spraying ink onto paper

input data put into a system / to put data into a system

input device a piece of equipment used for entering data or controlling a computer

insertion point the position where something is put into a file

instruction one line of a computer program

instruction time the time taken to fetch and decode a program instruction

interface the connection between two different systems / to provide a connection between two different systems

Internet service provider an organization that provides Internet connections for a fee

Internet, (the) the connection of computer networks across the world

interpreter a program that converts other programs into machine code line by line as the programs are being used

interrupt a signal that causes the processor to stop what it is doing temporarily so that it can process something that is more urgent

ISP abbreviation for Internet service provider

J

jam to get stuck in one position

joystick a cursor control input device with an upright arm. It is commonly used for controlling fast moving objects in computer games.

K

keyboard the main electronic input device that has keys arranged in a similar layout to a typewriter

keypad a small keyboard with a few keys used for a special purpose

L

LAN acronym for local area network

laptop (computer) the largest type of portable computer

laser high-frequency light used in optical devices

laser printer a printer that prints using toner powder and laser light on a photosensitive drum

LCD abbreviation for liquid crystal display / an electronic display device that uses liquid crystal cells to control the reflection of light

light pen a pen-shaped input, device used for drawing on a display screen. It detects light on the screen.

linking error a programming mistake caused by trying to use a function from a program library that is not available

local area network computers connected together over a small distance

log to record the time that an event happened

logic error a programming mistake caused by the use of a sequence of instructions that are not logical

loop a part of a program that is repeated until a set condition occurs

loudspeaker sound output device

low-level language a computer language such as machine code or assembly language that is closer to the form that a computer understands than to that of a human language

M

machine code a computer language that consists entirely of a combination of 1s and 0s

magnetic tape a magnetic storage medium in the form of a thin plastic ribbon wound on a reel or a cassette

magneto-optical disk a storage device that uses a combination of magnetism and laser light to store data

main memory the electronic memory that holds the programs and data being used

mainframe (computer) the largest and most powerful type of computer. It is operated by a team of professionals.

memory (store) the part of a computer system that is used for storing programs and data

memory address a code indicating the location of a unit of memory

memory chip an electronic integrated circuit that is used for storing programs and data while they are being used by a computer

memory slot a connector on the motherboard of a computer that enables extra memory chips to be added

menu a list of options displayed on a computer screen

menu bar a row of icons on a display screen that open up menus when selected

mesh topology an arrangement of computers in a network where every computer is connected to every other computer by a separate cable

micro-machine an extremely small mechanical mechanism that contains a tiny computer

microchip an electronic integrated circuit in a small package

microcomputer a personal computer, smaller and less powerful than a mainframe or a minicomputer

microphone an input device used for sound

microprocessor the main electronic chip in a computer

minicomputer a computer that is slightly less powerful and a little smaller than a mainframe

modem an electronic device for converting signals to enable a computer to be connected to an ordinary telephone line.

monitor the main output device used to display the output from a computer on a screen.

motherboard the main electronic circuit board inside a computer trial holds and connects together all the main electronic components

mouse a common cursor control input device used with a graphical user interface. It has two or three button switches on top and a ball underneath that is rolled on a flat surface.

mouse button a switch on a mouse that is pressed to select an object on the screen

mousemat the small pad that a mouse sits on

MS-DOS trademark, abbreviation for Microsoft disk operating system / the operating system that was used in the first PCs

multimedia the combination of text, graphics, animation, sound, and video

multimedia computer a computer suitable for running multimedia programs. It usually has a sound card and a CD-ROM drive.

multiuser capable of being used by many people at the same time

N

network a combination of a number of computers and peripheral devices connected together/to connect a number of computers and peripheral devices together

network (interface) card the electronic circuit board inside a computer that is used to connect the computer to a network

news group an Internet discussion group made up of people with a common interest who use an area on a server computer to display messages about their interest

notebook (computer) a portable computer that is about the same size as piece of writing paper

O

OCR abbreviation for optical character recognition

online connected to a system and able to be used

operating system the set of programs that control the basic functions of a computer

optical disk a storage device in the form of a disk that uses laser light to store data

output data brought out of a system/to bring data out of a system

output device a piece of equipment used to bring data out of a system

P

package an application program or collection of programs that can be used in different ways

palmtop (computer) a portable computer that is small enough to be held in the palm of one hand.

password a secret code used to control access to a network system

paste to insert a copy of data held in the computer's memory at a chosen position

picture-in-picture a display screen feature that has a video picture displayed inside another video picture

PIN abbreviation for personal identification number

port a connector at the back of a system unit of a PC that is used for connecting external devices to the CPU

portable (computer) a computer that is small and light enough to be carried from place to place. It can usually be powered by batteries.

post to display a message in a computer newsgroup or bulletin board

power supply the electrical component that provides filtered mains electricity at the correct voltage for a computer

printer a common output device used for printing the output of a computer on paper

processor the part of a computer that processes the data

program a set of instructions written in a computer language that control the behavior of a computer

programming language a computer language used for coding computer programs

punched card an obsolete computer input medium consisting of a set of cards with holes punched in them

R

RAM acronym for random access memory - memory that can be read and written to by the processor

random access a system of getting access to any location in a storage area in any order

read-only an only be read from and not written to

read-only memory memory that contains programs and data that the user cannot change, for example, it may contain the programs required to start up a computer

record a section of a database made up of related database fields

recycle bin a program used to hide files that are no longer required and bring them back if they are required again. Emptying the recycle bin deletes the files completely

ring topology a physical layout of a network where all the computers are connected in a closed loop

robot a mechanical device controlled by a computer

robotic to do with robots

robotics the study of robot systems

ROM acronym for read-only memory

run to execute a program, i.e. to get a program to process the data

S

scanner an optical input device that uses the reflection of light to copy text or graphics into a computer

scripting language a simple computer language used for writing scripts that control computer applications

scroll to move displayed information, either horizontally or vertically, on the screen

serial port the small connector at the back of the system unit of a PC that is used to connect a serial device such as a serial mouse or a modem.

server a main computer that provides a service on a network

SIMM acronym for single in-line memory module/a small electronic circuit board containing memory chips.

smart card a plastic card containing a processor and memory chip

software the programs and data used in a computer

spacebar the long key along the bottom of a keyboard used for inserting blank spaces in a document

spreadsheet a type of application program with an array of cells that, is used for calculating formulas

SQL abbreviation for structured query language, used for searching databases

star topology a physical layout of a network where all the computers are connected by separate cables to a central hub

storage medium a material used for storing programs and data

subnotebook (computer) a portable computer that is a little smaller than a notebook computer. It is small enough to fit inside a jacket pocket.

subscriber a user who becomes a member of a newsgroup

supercomputer the most powerful type of mainframe computer

syntax error a mistake in a program due to a wrong word or punctuation symbol being used

system error a program error caused by a fault affecting the operating system, usually due to a hardware failure

T

tab a dialog box component that is used to switch between different sets of data

TCP/IP abbreviation for transmission control protocol

terminal a network device used to input and output data

toner the powder used inside laser printers

toolbar a row of icons displayed on a screen that start common program functions when clicked with a mouse

toolbox a set of icons displayed on a screen for selecting common program editing functions

topology the physical layout of a network

touchscreen an input device in the form of a monitor screen that responds when touched by the user

tracker ball cursor control input device that has a hall on top that is moved by the user's fingers

Trinitron the trade name for a type of monitor technology created by Sony

U

undo to restore a file to the condition it was in before the last change was made

update to bring up to date. i.e. to change into the latest version

upgrade to add components to improve the features or performance of a system

USB abbreviation for universal serial bus. A standard way of connecting peripherals to a computer system.

V

VDU abbreviation for visual display unit / another name for a computer monitor

video memory the memory used to store graphics data on a graphics card

video (VGA) port the small connector at the back of the system unit of a PC that is used to connect the monitor to the graphics card

virtual (reality) mouse a cursor control input device used in VR systems

virtual reality a simulated three dimensional environment that surrounds the user and is generated by a computer

virus a program written deliberately lo damage data or cause a computer to behave in an unusual way

voice mailbox a storage area for spoken messages

voicemail a system of communication that uses computers to store spoken messages

VR abbreviation for virtual reality

W

WAN acronym for wide area network

Web, (the) the common name for the World Wide Web

webpage a hyperlinked page in a web network system

website a set of pages on the World Wide Web

website address the unique address that is used to access a website

White Pages, (the) a website used for finding the email addresses of registered users

wide area network computers connected together over a large distance

WIMP system acronym for windows, icons, menus, and pointers/a common type of graphical user interface

window a rectangular screen area containing a program, folder, or file in a WIMP system

Windows the common name for Microsoft Windows, a popular graphical user interface developed by the Microsoft Corporation

workstation a desk area used for working with a computer system

World Wide Web, (the) an information service on the Internet that allows document pages to be accessed using hyperlinks

ACTIVE VOCABULARY

1. access - доступ

2. account – учетная запись, бюджет

3. (to) add – добавлять

4. (to) allow – позволять, разрешать

5. (to) append - добавлять

6. application – приложение, прикладная программа

7. array – массив

8. (to) assign – приписывать, назначать

9. (to) attempt – пытаться

10. authentication – аутентификация, опознавание, отождествление

11. available - доступный

12. background – фон, заставка

13. backup copy – резервная копия

14. bin – (мусорная) корзина

15. binary files двоичный файл

16. (to) boot - загружать

17. (to) browse – просматривать, обозревать

18. bulletin board - (электронная) доска объявлений

19. bus - шина

20. (to) cancel - отменять

21. capacity - емкость

22. case – регистр

23. cell - ячейка

24. (to) change - изменять

25. character - символ

26. (to) check - проверять

27. choice - выбор

28. common – общий

29. (to) compare - сравнивать

30. compatible - совместимый

31. concurrent - параллельный

32. confirmation – подтверждение

33. (to) contain -содержать

34. Control Panel – панель управления

35. corrupt - искаженный, испорченный

36. current - текущий

37. custom – заказной, настраиваемый

38. (to) customize – настраивать

39. (to) damage – повреждать

40. database - база данных

41. datastream – поток данных

42. default - по умолчанию

43. (to) delete -удалять

44. density – плотность

45. (to) deploy – развертывать, применять

46. desktop – рабочий стол, рабочая поверхность

47. (to) destroy - разрушать, уничтожать

48. development - разработка

49. device - устройство

50. dialog box – диалоговое окно

51. (to) display - отображать, выводить на экран

52. distributed - распределенный

53. (to) download – загружать, “скачивать”

54. (to) edit –редактировать, править

55. (to) embed – встраивать, внедрять

56. encryption - шифрование

57. enhancement – расширение, улучшение

58. environment – среда, окружение

59. error -ошибка

60. (to) exceed - превышать

61. execution – выполнение, исполнение

62. (to) exist - существовать

63. (to) extend - расширять

64. extension - расширение

65. feature – свойство, черта, возможность

66. flexibility - гибкость

67. floppy disk – гибкий диск

68. folder - папка

69. gateway - шлюз

70. hardware - аппаратное обеспечение

71. (to) hide- скрывать

72. image изображение, образ, картинка

73. (to) implement - реализовывать, применять

74. (to) include - включать

75. (to) install – инсталлировать, устанавливать

76. (to) intercept – прерывать, захватывать

77. internal error –внутренняя ошибка

78. invalid – недействительный, неправильный, неверный

79. italic(s) -курсив

80. item – пункт, элемент

81. kernel - ядро

82. keyboard - клавиатура

83. label-метка

84. list – список, перечень

85. location – местоположение, нахождение

86. log – журнал, регистрация

87. log off - выход из системы,

88. log on – вход в систему, подключение к системе

89. master – главный

90. media – среда, носитель

91. message - сообщение

92. mode – режим

93. multitasking - многозадачность

94. network - сеть

95. Network Neighborhood – сетевое окружение

96. node - узел

97. (to) occur – происходить, случаться

98. overflow - переполнение

99. partition – раздел, область, сегмент

100. password - пароль

101. (to) paste - вставлять

102. (to) perform - выполнять

103. permission - разрешение

104. (to) preserve – сохранять

105. preview – предварительный просмотр

106. priority – приоритет, очередность

107. profile – профиль, настройка, конфигурация

108. property - свойство

109. provider - поставщик

110. query - запрос

111. queue - очередь

112. (to) quit – прекращать, выходить

113. range – диапазон, пределы

114. (to) record – записывать

115. (to) recover - восстанавливать

116. (to) refresh - обновлять

117. register – регистр

118. registry – реестр

119. remote – удаленный, дистанционный

120. Remote Access Service – служба удаленного доступа

121. removable – перемещаемый, съемный

122. (to) remove – удалять, перемещать

123. request - запрос

124. requirement - требование

125. (to) reset – сбрасывать, перезагружать

126. resource - ресурс

127. (to) restore - восстанавливать

128. retrieval – выборка, поиск

129. (to) run – запускать, выполнять

130. (to) save – сохранять

131. scalability - масштабируемость

132. security -защита, безопасность

133. (to) set – устанавливать

134. setting, setup – установка

135. (to) share – разделять, совместно использовать

136. shortcuts - ярлыки

137. shutdown - отключение, завершение работы

138. socket – разъем

139. software – программное обеспечение

140. source – источник, исходный

141. space - пространство, место

142. spreadsheet – электронная таблица

143. storage - место (область) хранения

144. subsequent - последующий

145. support- поддерживать

146. taskbar - панель задач

147. temporary - временный

148. (to) terminate – прекращать, заканчивать

149. toolbar – панель инструментов

150. tools – инструменты, инструментальные программы

151. (to) transmit - передавать

152. (to) update- усовершенствовать, модернизировать

153. (to) verify - проверять

154. warning - предупреждение

155. wizard – мастер, помощник, ассистент

156. write-protected disk – защищенный от записи диск