Файл: Данное учебнометодическое пособие предназначено для учащихся вторых курсов, специализирующихся в области информационных систем и технологий.docx

Предисловие

Данное учебно-методическое пособие предназначено для учащихся вторых курсов, специализирующихся в области информационных систем и технологий. Целью пособия является развитие и совершенствование навыков различных видов чтения - изучающего, ознакомительного, поискового и просмотрового, усвоение терминологической лексики профессиональной сферы и грамматической структуры текста, а также подготовка студентов к использованию иностранного языка в их будущей профессиональной деятельности. Кроме того, полученные знания могут служить базой для дальнейшего самообразования.

В разработке активизируется большое количество слов и словосочетаний, которые относятся к наиболее частотной лексике данной профессиональной сферы. Новые слова вводятся в предложениях, а для их активизации даны различные послетекстовые упражнения. Неоднократное использование введенных и закрепленных слов в последующих текстах обеспечивает повторяемость лексики, необходимой для овладения активным и пассивным словарем.

При отборе текстового материала в качестве основного критерия служила информативная ценность текстов и их соответствие профессиональным интересам студентов.

Для закрепления новой профессиональной лексики и ранее изученных слов, рекомендуется выполнить все упражнения, предложенные после каждого текста.

Во второй главе содержится 10 дополнительных текстов по специальности, предназначенных для самостоятельного изучения студентами. При прочтении текстов данного раздела студентам рекомендуется не пользоваться словарем, а активизировать имеющийся словарный запас и языковую догадку.

Последовательное изучение лексики к каждому тексту пособия, вдумчивое выполнение лексико-грамматических упражнений, творческий подход к составлению послетекстовых сообщений позволит студентам научиться читать литературу по профилю специальности и вести беседу на профессиональные темы.

Part 1 Computer applications

1. Read the text and discuss with your partners each speaker’s job and what each speaker uses their computer for.

electrical engineer secretary librarian composer

A. I write music mainly for videos and plays. I work on a keyboard connected to a computer. I use the computer in two ways really; first of all, to record what I play on the keyboard, in other words, to store what I play on the keyboard. Secondly, the computer controls the sounds I can make with the different synthesizers. The computer is the link between the keyboard which I play and the synthesizers which produce the sounds.

B. I use my computer to do the usual office things like writing memos, letters, faxes and so on, but the thing which I find really useful is e-mail. We are an international company and we have offices all over the world. We are linked up to all of them by e-mail. With e-mail I can communicate with offices around the world very efficiently. It has really changed my life.

C. Well, I use computers for almost every aspect of my job. I use them to design electrical installations and lighting systems: for example the program will tell you how much lighting you need for a particular room, or how much cable you need, and it will show where the cable should go. I also use the computer to make drawings and to keep records. We have to test our installations every five years and the information is stored on computer.

D. I use computers to find information for people. Readers come in with a lot of queries and I use either our own database or the national database that we are connected to find what we want. They might want to know the name and address of a particular society or last year’s accounts of a company and we can find it for them. Or they might want to find a particular newspaper article but they don’t know the exact date it was published so we can find it for them by checking on our online database for anything they can remember: a name or the general topic. And we use computers to catalogue the books into the library and to record the books that readers borrow.

2. Give English equivalents

Решать сложные проблемы, погодные условия, база данных, полагаться на, хранить информацию, высокая скорость, выполнять, соединять.

3. Write a list of as many uses of the computer, or computer applications, as you can think of.

4. 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 dialing 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), 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.

5. Match the phrases with their Russian equivalents

1. to perform mathematical operations	a. системы радиолокации
2. fuel consumption	b. личная карточка учета
3. to communicate with	c. вести\хранить записи
4. radar systems	d. бронирование билетов
5. administrative purposes	e. проводить математические вычисления
6. to keep records	f. общаться с ...
7. personal coded card	g. расход топлива
8. flight reservation	h. административные цели

6. Translate the text “What can computers do?” in Russian.

7. In small groups, choose one of the areas below and discuss what computers can do in this area.

Formula 1: racing car, car body, design, mechanical parts, electronic components, engine speed.

Entertainment: game, music, animated image, multimedia, encyclopedia.

Factories: machinery, robot, production line, computer-aided manufacturing software.

Hospitals: patients, medical personnel, database program, records, scanner, diagnose, disease, robot, surgery.

Useful expressions: Computers are used to .../ A PC can also be used for .../ Computers can help ... make ... control ... store ... keep ... provide ... manage ... give ... perform ... measure ... test... provide access to ...

Part 2. What is a computer?

Exercise 1. Read the text and translate it into Russian.

What is a computer?

Computers are electronic machines which can accept data in a certain form, process the data and give the results of the processing in a specified format as information.

Three basic steps are involved in the process. First, data is fed into the computer's memory. Then, when the program is run, the computer performs a set of instructions and processes the data. Finally, we can see the results (the output) on the screen or in printed form.

Information in the form of data and programs is known as software, and the electronic and mechanical parts that make up a computer system are called hardware.

A standard computer system consists of three main sections: the central processing unit (CPU), the main memory and the peripherals.

Perhaps the most influential component is the central processing unit. Its function is to execute program instructions and coordinate the activities of all the other units. In a way, it is the 'brain' of the computer.

The main memory holds the instructions and data which are processed by the CPU. The peripherals are the physical units attached to the computer. They include storage devices and input/output devices. Storage devices ( hard or optical disks) provide a permanent storage of both data and programs.

Input devices enable data to go into the computer's memory. The most common input devices are the mouse and the keyboard. Output devices enable us to extract the finished product from the system. For example, the computer shows the output on the monitor or prints the results onto paper by means of a printer.

On the rear panel of the computer there are several ports into which we can plug a wide range of peripherals - modems, sound systems, optical drives and scanners. These are the main physical units of a computer system, generally known as the configuration.

Exercise 2. With the help of the text match the terms with the definitions.

a. software	1. The brain of the computer.
b. peripheral devices	2. Physical parts that make up a computer system.
с. monitor	3. Programs which can be used on a particular computer system.
d. central processing unit	4. The information which is presented to the computer.
e. hardware	5. Results produced by a computer.
f. input	6. Hardware equipment attached to the CPU.
g. port	7. Visual display unit.
h. output	8. Any socket or channel in a computer system into which an input/output device may be connected.

Exercise 3. Complete the sentences with the correct forms of the verbs from the box.

upgrade hold unplug run plug scan

1. 
   The new Intel Core i5-8600K ………… at 4.3 GHz.
   
2. 
   They ……………….. their PC every 2 years.
   
3. 
   This is my new external hard-drive. It …………. a lot of cool music and films.
   
4. 
   How often do you …………… your computer for viruses?
   
5. 
   When I ………. the external hard-drive in the USB port, the computer doesn’t recognize it.
   
6. 
   If you ………………. the drive from the USB port before stopping it via the device manager, you may have problems.
   

Exercise 4. Have you done any of the following actions this year? Circle Y (Yes) or N (No). Try to describe your actions step by step.

1. Add memory to your computer. Y / N

2. Install a new peripheral. Y / N

3. Unplug your computer from the wall socket. Y / N

4. Change your screen. Y / N

5. Mount a new motherboard to the case. Y / N

6. Replace or upgrade an expansion card. Y / N
Exercise 5. Look at the features below - each of them describes a particular kind of a mobile device. Put A for those features which describe a laptop/tablet, B for a PC and C for a mobile phone.

A. laptop/tablet	B. PC	C. smartphone
powerful	near full-size keyboard	limited RAM memory
excellent graphics	small or no keyboard	battery life 6-14 hours
heavy	smaller storage capacity	battery life 4-6 hours
adequate RAM memory	light	large hard disk
few devices can be attached	large screen	moderate graphics
smaller screen	easy to carry	can attach many devices

Exercise 6. Translate into English.

1. 
   Память является очень важным элементом компьютера, но не менее важен процессор.
   
2. 
   Компьютер без программного обеспечения является бесполезным металлом.
   
3. 
   Для периферийных устройств необходимы соответствующие драйверы.
   
4. 
   Сканеры необходимы в тех случаях, когда требуется копировать тексты или изображения.
   
5. 
   Драйверы обеспечивают успешную связь компьютера с периферийными устройствами.
   

Types of computers

1. Before reading, answer these questions.

• 
  Have you got a computer at home, or work? What kind is it?
  
• 
  How often do you use it? What do you use it for?
  
• 
  What are the main components and features (the configuration) of your computer system?
  

Digital computers can be divided into five main types, depending on their size and power: they are mainframes, minicomputers, desktop PCs, laptops 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. 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 carried as a tiny notebook. This is why they are called 'netbooks' 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.

2. Choose the correct answer.

1 According to the text:

• 
  a mainframe computer is less powerful than a minicomputer
  
• 
  a mainframe is more powerful than a minicomputer
  
• 
  a mainframe is not very powerful but can execute jobs very rapidly
  

2 Mainframe computers are used by:

• 
  students and teachers
  
• 
  executives and businessmen
  
• 
  large organizations processing enormous amounts of data
  

3 'Multitasking' means:

• 
  access to a minicomputer through terminals
  
• 
  doing a number of tasks at the same time
  
• 
  connection to a 'host' computer network so that many users have access to data and programs
  

4 The most suitable computers for home use are:

• 
  mainframes
  
• 
  minicomputers
  
• 
  microcomputers (PCs)
  

5 The smallest computers are known as:

• 
  minicomputers
  
• 
  desktop PCs
  
• 
  laptops
  

3. Give English equivalents

Выполнять инструкции, координировать действия, напечатать результат, компьютеры можно подразделить на пять основных видов, в зависимости от, выполнять, похожая конфигурация.

4. Give Russian equivalents

In the printed form, influential component, central processing unit, to execute program instructions, to extract the finished product from the system, a wide range of, to process data, business executives.

5. Study these details of different types оf computer. Find the answers to these questions. Which type of computer is:

1. 
   the most common?
   
2. 
   small enough for a pocket?
   
3. 
   the most common portable?
   
4. 
   used by many people at the same time?
   
5. 
   used like mainframes
   
6. 
   the most powerful?
   
7. 
   not suitable for a lot of typing?
   

Types of computer	Notes
Mainframes	Large, powerful, expensive.  Multi-user systems - used by many people at the same time.  Used for processing very large amounts of data.  The most powerful mainframes are called supercomputers.
Minicomputers	Used like mainframes.  Not as big, powerful, or expensive as mainframes.  Less common now because microcomputers have been improved.
Microcomputers or Personal computers (PCs)	The most common type of computer.  Smaller, cheaper, and less powerful than mainframes and minicomputers.

 

Type of portable	Notes
Laptop	About the size of a small typewriter.  Less common now because smaller and lighter portables are available.
Netbook	About the size of a piece of writing paper.  The most common type of portable.
Smartphone	Small enough to fit into the palm of one hand.  Not easy to type with because of their size.  Often used as personal organizers.

 

6. 
   Compare three types of computer. 
   

	Mainframes	Minicomputers	Microcomputers
Size	+++	++	+
Power	+++	++	+
Cost	+++	++	+

 
Eg.: Minicomputers are bigger than microcomputers. 

       Mainframes are more expensive than microcomputers. 

       Microcomputers are not as big as minicomputers. 

       Microcomputers are not as powerful as mainframes. 

       Mainframes are the biggest computers. 

       Mainframes are the most powerful computers. 

       Mainframes are the most expensive computers. 

7. 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 netbooks. 

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) … . 

 
8. 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 netbook computers. Tablet computers are (small) (9) … than netbooks. You can hold the (small) (10) … computers in one hand. They are called smartphones. 
9. Decide what sort of computer is best for each of these users. 

  

• 
  John Smith spends a lot of time visiting customers. He wants a computer to carry with him so he can access data about his customers and record his sales. 
  

• 
  Kate Nye is a personnel officer. She needs a computer to keep staff records and to keep a diary of appointments. She also needs a computer for writing letters. 
  

• 
  The University of the North needs a computer to look after its accounts. Its network, the records of all students and staff, and to help with scientific research. 
  

• 
  The James family wants a computer for entertainment, writing letters, the Internet, and for calculating tax.
  

• 
   I work as a salesperson. I travel a lot and have to keep in touch with my office headquarters. I need to send my colleagues in the office my customers' orders and budgets. I also need a device to organize all my appointments. I don't want to carry much weight.” 
  

10. Translate into Russian.  

 

Let’s compare smartphones and laptops. Smartphones are smaller in size and easier to carry. They weigh less than laptops so they're a better option if you travel a lot and don't want to have a briefcase with you. They fit in a pocket. The batteries in smartphones last longer, which is another advantage for travelers. They are usually cheaper and more versatile.  

On the other hand, laptops have a keyboard which is easier to use. The processor and memory are more powerful so working with a laptop is more efficient and faster. They offer the possibility of working with highly-demanding applications (multimedia, graphics, etc.). 
Part 3. Hardware and software
 

Different Types of Software

 

Here are some common types of software.  

Type	Operating systems
Examples	Microsoft Windows. Linux. Macintosh OS X.
Purpose	Control your computer.
Type	Word processors
Examples	Word. Corel WordPerfect. AbiWord.
Purpose	Write essays, novels, reports, or other types of text.
Type	Spreadsheets
Examples	Excel
Purpose	Track budgets or investments, or make other calculations.
Type	Presentation software
Examples	PowerPoint
Purpose	Create slideshows for meetings.
Type	Database management systems
Examples	Access. Oracle.
Purpose	Organize and filter lists of data, such as addresses or inventories.
Type	Photo editors
Examples	Photoshop
Purpose	Change digital photos and other images.
Type	Games
Examples	The Sims. PacMan.
Purpose	Have fun playing or experiencing challenges.
Type	Computer-aided design (CAD) software
Examples	AutoCAD.
Purpose	Create blueprints or designs.
Type	Web browsers
Examples	Yandex, Chrome
Purpose	View pages on the World Wide Web.

 

1. Match the task with the type of software you would need. 

To Do This Task	You Need This Type of Software
Write a story	a. Presentation software
Plan a budget	b. Database management system
Prepare a slideshaw	c. Desktop publishing software
Design an engine	d. Web browser
Organize your record collection	e. Spreadsheet
Send a picture to a friend	f. Photo editor
Change a color photo to black and white	g. Operating system
Run any software application	h. Word processor
Visit a Web site	i. CAD software

 

2. 
    Fill in the gaps with the words in the box below. 
   

client         PowerPoint           database          word processor        CAD software operating system         Web browsers          design photo-editing software     spreadsheet

 

1) Microsoft Windows is an …....... .  

2) A grocery store could keep track of what its customers bought in a …....... .  

3) CAD stands for computer-aided …......  .  

4) A software program that performs calculations on rows and columns of numbers is called a …..... .  

5) A feature to check your spelling would be most useful in a …......... .  

6) A photographer could remove a car from a digital photograph with …...... .  

7)  Chrome and Yandex are names of ............. .  

8) If you are going to give a presentation at a meeting, you might want to bring  the software called ............ .  

Introduction to Computer Software

 

For as long as there has been computer hardware, there has also been computer software. But what is software? Software is just instructions written by a programmer which tells the computer what to do. Programmers are also known as 'software developers', or just plain 'developers'. 

 Software programs can have millions of lines of code. If one line doesn't work, the whole program could break! Even the process of starting software goes by many different names in English. Perhaps the most correct technical term is “execute”. Some other common verbs used to start a software program you will hear are “run”, “launch”, and even “boot” (when the software in question is an operating system). 

Software normally has both features and bugs. When software has a bug there are a few things that can happen. The program can crash and terminate with a confusing message.  

Sometimes when software stops responding you are forced to manually abort the program yourself by pressing some strange combination of keys such as ctrl-alt-delete. 

Software programs are normally written and compiled for certain hardware platforms. It is very important that the software is compatible with all the components of the computer. For instance, you cannot run software written for a Windows computer on a Macintosh computer or a Linux computer. Actually, you can, but you need to have special emulation software or a virtual machine installed. Even with this special software installed, it is still normally best to run a program on the kind of computer for which it was intended. 

There are two basic kinds of software you need to learn about as an IT professional. The first is closed source or proprietary software, which you are not free to modify and improve. An example of this kind of software is Microsoft Windows or Adobe Photoshop.  

The other kind of software is called open source software, which is normally free to use and modify (with some restrictions of course). Examples of this type of software include most popular programming languages, operating systems such as Linux, and thousands of applications such as Mozilla Firefox and Open Office. 

But what is the real difference between open source and closed source software? Is open source software just about saving money? Let's investigate. Let's say for instance you find a bug in the latest version of Mozilla Firefox. The bug is causing a major project to fail and you need to fix it right away. This is not very likely to happen, I realize, but it's just an example. You might take the following steps: 

Step 1. Download and unzip (or uncompress) the source code from Mozilla. 

Step 2. Use an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and a debugger to find and fix the bug in the source code. Please note that you will need to know a little C++ to debug applications such as this. 

Step 3. Test the fix and then use a compiler to turn the source code into a binary file. This can take a long time for big programs. Once the source code is compiled then the program should work! 

Step 4. You are almost done. Now send the bug fix back to the Mozilla Firefox team. They may even use your bug fix in the next release! 

 

Translate into Russian.

1. 
   When the word processor application crashed, the user had to abort the program and lose all his unsaved changes.
   
2. 
   An average developer will create one bug for every 10 lines of code written.
   
3. 
   I wanted to develop a new feature for the program, but I couldn't because it was closed source.
   
4. 
   The IBM360 was the first commercially successful computer family with a wide range of compatible parts.
   
5. 
   The user was advised to reboot the computer after a serious crash in which the computer no longer responded.
   
6. 
   Developers must maintain a close relationship with end users if they want to have a successful career.
   
7. 
   The computer reported a "division by zero" error and automatically aborted the program.
   
8. 
   The program was set to execute every night at midnight.
   
9. 
   The man upgraded his copy of Word because of a new feature that allowed him to spell-check documents in Spanish.
   
10. 
    The article stated that many programmers prefer open source solutions because they can modify features and fix bugs without waiting for an upgrade or patch from the manufacturer.
    
11. 
    The software company needed to hire three new programmers to help debug their flagship application.
    

Pick the correct answer from a list. 
'open source'
1) something a computer program is "supposed" to do; these are often reasons to use a particular program or upgrade to a more recent version

2) an incorrect action attributable to poor judgment, ignorance, or inattention

3) a program in which the code is distributed allowing programmers to alter and change the original software as much as they like

'execute'
1) update displayed information with current data

2) to end a program or a process before its completion

3) to start a program on a computer

'abort'
1) to start a program on a computer

2) to terminate a connection to a computer or network

3) to end a program or a process before its completion

'error'
1) an incorrect action attributable to poor judgment, ignorance, or inattention

2) a computer failure due to faulty hardware or a serious software bug

3) something a computer program is "supposed" to do; these are often reasons to use a particular program or upgrade to a more recent version 

'closed source'
1) software in which the license stipulates that the user cannot see, edit, or manipulate the source code of a software program

2) something a computer program is "supposed" to do; these are often reasons to use a particular program or upgrade to a more recent version

3) an incorrect action attributable to poor judgment, ignorance, or inattention

'programmer'
1) a job position acting as a bridge between upper management and IT; one who encourages personal development in IT staff; the boss of an IT worker

2) a person who writes or modifies computer programs or applications

3) a person who uses a product or service on a computer

'compatible'
1) boring, repetitive, or slow or long

2) capable of being used without modification

3) something to type when someone else types something funny

'feature'
1) privately developed and owned technology

2)something a computer program is "supposed" to do; these are often reasons to use a particular program or upgrade to a more recent version

3) an incorrect action attributable to poor judgment, ignorance, or inattention

'crash'
1) a computer failure due to faulty hardware or a serious software bug

2) an error in a computer program

3) privately developed and owned technology

 

Answer the questions.

 1) Have you ever written or modified any software? If so, what were the challenges you faced? If not, why not?