The word computer has been part of the

0/5000

computer, device for processing, storing, and displaying information.

Computer once meant a person who did computations, but now the term almost universally refers to automated electronic machinery. The first section of this article focuses on modern digital electronic computers and their design, constituent parts, and applications. The second section covers the history of computing. For details on computer architecture, software, and theory, see computer science.

Computing basics

The first computers were used primarily for numerical calculations. However, as any information can be numerically encoded, people soon realized that computers are capable of general-purpose information processing. Their capacity to handle large amounts of data has extended the range and accuracy of weather forecasting. Their speed has allowed them to make decisions about routing telephone connections through a network and to control mechanical systems such as automobiles, nuclear reactors, and robotic surgical tools. They are also cheap enough to be embedded in everyday appliances and to make clothes dryers and rice cookers “smart.” Computers have allowed us to pose and answer questions that could not be pursued before. These questions might be about DNA sequences in genes, patterns of activity in a consumer market, or all the uses of a word in texts that have been stored in a database. Increasingly, computers can also learn and adapt as they operate.

Computers also have limitations, some of which are theoretical. For example, there are undecidable propositions whose truth cannot be determined within a given set of rules, such as the logical structure of a computer. Because no universal algorithmic method can exist to identify such propositions, a computer asked to obtain the truth of such a proposition will (unless forcibly interrupted) continue indefinitely—a condition known as the “halting problem.” (See Turing machine.) Other limitations reflect current technology. Human minds are skilled at recognizing spatial patterns—easily distinguishing among human faces, for instance—but this is a difficult task for computers, which must process information sequentially, rather than grasping details overall at a glance. Another problematic area for computers involves natural language interactions. Because so much common knowledge and contextual information is assumed in ordinary human communication, researchers have yet to solve the problem of providing relevant information to general-purpose natural language programs.

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Analog computers

Analog computers use continuous physical magnitudes to represent quantitative information. At first they represented quantities with mechanical components (see differential analyzer and integrator), but after World War II voltages were used; by the 1960s digital computers had largely replaced them. Nonetheless, analog computers, and some hybrid digital-analog systems, continued in use through the 1960s in tasks such as aircraft and spaceflight simulation.

One advantage of analog computation is that it may be relatively simple to design and build an analog computer to solve a single problem. Another advantage is that analog computers can frequently represent and solve a problem in “real time”; that is, the computation proceeds at the same rate as the system being modeled by it. Their main disadvantages are that analog representations are limited in precision—typically a few decimal places but fewer in complex mechanisms—and general-purpose devices are expensive and not easily programmed.

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Digital computers

In contrast to analog computers, digital computers represent information in discrete form, generally as sequences of 0s and 1s (binary digits, or bits). The modern era of digital computers began in the late 1930s and early 1940s in the United States, Britain, and Germany. The first devices used switches operated by electromagnets (relays). Their programs were stored on punched paper tape or cards, and they had limited internal data storage. For historical developments, see the section Invention of the modern computer.

Mainframe computer

During the 1950s and ’60s, Unisys (maker of the UNIVAC computer), International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), and other companies made large, expensive computers of increasing power. They were used by major corporations and government research laboratories, typically as the sole computer in the organization. In 1959 the IBM 1401 computer rented for $8,000 per month (early IBM machines were almost always leased rather than sold), and in 1964 the largest IBM S/360 computer cost several million dollars.

These computers came to be called mainframes, though the term did not become common until smaller computers were built. Mainframe computers were characterized by having (for their time) large storage capabilities, fast components, and powerful computational abilities. They were highly reliable, and, because they frequently served vital needs in an organization, they were sometimes designed with redundant components that let them survive partial failures. Because they were complex systems, they were operated by a staff of systems programmers, who alone had access to the computer. Other users submitted “batch jobs” to be run one at a time on the mainframe.

Such systems remain important today, though they are no longer the sole, or even primary, central computing resource of an organization, which will typically have hundreds or thousands of personal computers (PCs). Mainframes now provide high-capacity data storage for Internet servers, or, through time-sharing techniques, they allow hundreds or thousands of users to run programs simultaneously. Because of their current roles, these computers are now called servers rather than mainframes.

Министерство
образования и науки Самарской области

государственное
бюджетное образовательное учреждение среднего профессионального образования

ТОЛЬЯТТИНСКИЙ
МАШИНОСТРОИТЕЛЬНЫЙ  КОЛЛЕДЖ

Методическая
разработка открытого урока

по
дисциплине «Английский язык»

на
тему: «Computers»

Тольятти
2013-2014 уч. год

«СОГЛАСОВАНО» Зам. директора по НМР __________С.А.Свитов _______________2013г.

«УТВЕРЖДАЮ» Зам. директора по учебной работе _________________  А.Н. Мазаев  _______________________ 2013 г.

Составитель:
___________Шашкина А.А., преподаватель
английского языка          ГБОУ СПО ТМК

Методическая
разработка по теме «Computers»
разработана
на основе Федерального государственного образовательного стандарта (далее –
ФГОС) по специальности среднего профессионального образования (далее — СПО).

Методическая разработка  предназначена для проведения открытого
урока по английскому языку среди студентов I-ого курса.

ГБОУСПО
ТМК,
2013

Пояснительная
записка

В
настоящее время компьютеризация прочно вошла в нашу жизнь. Компьютеры проникли
во все сферы экономики и народного хозяйства: промышленность, управление,
банковское дело, торговлю. Повышение уровня образования так же тесно связано с
использованием компьютеров, что и обусловило выбор темы данной методической
разработки. 

Методическая
разработка по теме «Computers
— Компьютеры» разработана на основе Федерального государственного
образовательного стандарта (далее – ФГОС) по специальности среднего профессионального
образования (далее — СПО).

Методическая разработка  предназначена для проведения открытого
урока по английскому языку среди студентов I-ого курса. Разработка содержит информацию направлению на
улучшение качества знаний в компьютерной сфере.

Цель
разработки состоит в формирование основ информационной культуры на уроке
английского языка. Основными задачами является:

1.   развить
интерес к английскому языку и информатике;

2.   углубить
и расширить знания по данной теме;

3.   научить 
работать с текстом;

4.   ознакомить
со специальной лексикой;

5.   развивать
навыки говорения, чтения, письма.

Методическая
разработка включает в себя тематический текст с выделенными новыми словами для
тренировки компьютерной терминологии. Точное и полное
понимание текста осуществляется путем изучающего чтения. Выполнение упражнений
после прочтения поможет закрепить новую лексику и знания содержания текста. В
конце разработки представлен тест из 10-ти вопросов для самостоятельной работы
студентов, также имеется список
используемой литературы.

Материал разработки позволит студентам овладеть компьютерной
терминологий  на английском языке и поможет, в будущем, использовать полученные
знания на практике (в работе), также методическая
разработка окажет действенную помощь преподавателям английского языка в
осуществлении межпредметных связей.

Technological progress

Computers

Pre-reading
task:

·        
Do
you have a computer at home?

·        
Do you use a computer at college? What
do you use it for?

·        
What programs did you use and why?

·        
What is the Internet?

·        
Do you use the Internet at home?

1.    Read and translate the text:

As
well as the hardware (= the machines), you also need software (=
the programs needed to work the machines). These programs are on disks, for
example: the hard disk inside the computer, or floppy disks
or on CD-ROMs (= Compact Disc Read Only Memory, a CD on which you can put a
large amount of information).

В       Operating a computer

Using the mouse, you can do a number of things by clicking on different
icons (= moving the mouse to point at different pictures at the top of the
screen).

С      What
do people use computers for?

1.   Many
people use their computers for word processing, for example:
writing letters and reports.

2.   A
lot of business people use spreadsheets (= a program used to enter and
arrange numbers and financial information) and databases (= programs which
allow you to store, look at or change a large amount of information quickly and
easily).

3.  
Some people also use graphics (= the
pictures and symbols a computer program can produce).

D      Important vocabulary

More and more people are becoming computer-literate
(= have experience of working with computers and know how to use them) as many
programs and machines are so user-friendly (= easy to use). You can now connect
your computer to computers all over the world using the Internet. People
send each other e-mail (electronic mail) messages using this system or network.

If your computer is slow it may need
more memory. It may crash (= stop working) if there is not enough
memory or if it has a bug (= a software problem; also a virus). Make
sure you make a back-up copy of your work (= an extra copy on a floppy
disk).

Exercises

1.   Add
another word, abbreviation, or part of a word, to complete common ‘computer’
words and phrases.

2.    Can
you remember what these symbols mean?

3.    Complete
this text about using a computer for word processing.

graphics (х2)     
printed     
computer     
down    
save
(х2)     back-up
(х2)      cut

I wrote a report on the 1) … this morning. When I finished,
I 2) …. out two copies — one for me and one for my boss. Then, without any
warning, the computer went 3) … and I’m afraid I lost the whole document. This is very
unusual because normally I 4) … the data while I’m writing and then make a 5) … copy when I have
finished; this morning I forgot.

Anyway, I gave the report to my boss, hoping that she would
not ask me to change it in any way.

She
did. She thought it was a bit long and said it would be better if I used more 6)
… to illustrate
some of the written information. She also thought it would make the report look
more attractive.

I went back and rewrote most of the report when the
computer was OK, only I 7) … part of

the
middle section which was rather repetitive, and I added extra … as my boss
advised.

It did look better by the time I’d finished, and this time
I remembered to 9) …   it and make a 10) … copy.

Check your knowledge!

Answer
the questions:

1.   
The programs needed to work the
machines are …

a)   
software                 b) hardware

2.   
The machines needed to work the
programs are …

a)
software                  b) hardware

3.    Using
the …, you can do a number of things by clicking on different icons.

a)    keyboard      
          b) mouse

4.    A
program used to enter and arrange numbers and financial information.

a)    spreadsheets    
        b) graphics

5.    A
computer program can produce the pictures and symbols.

a)    spreadsheets    
         b) graphics

6.    People
who have experience of working with computers and know how to use them are …

a)    computer-literate    
  b) literate-computer

7.    You
can now connect your computer to computers all over the world using the …

a)    another
computer        b) Internet

8.    What
is e-mail?

a)   
electrical mail              b) electronic
mail

9.    An
extra copy on a floppy disk is …

a)   
memory                         b)
back-up copy

10.    Bug
is…

a)    a
 hardware problem      b) a software problem

Answers to the exercises

1 Exercise

1    Software

2    a
word processor

3    floppy
disk

4    user-friendly

5    computer-literate

6    keyboard

7   
a computer program/programmer/game

8   
CD-ROM

9   
laser printer

10 laptop

11 spreadsheet

12 e-mail

2 Exercise

1   
cut

2   
print

3   
save the data in this document

4   
open a new document

5   
open an existing document

6   
copy

7    paste

3
Exercise

1   
computer

2   
printed

3   
down

4   
save

5   
back-up

6   
graphics

7   
cut

8   
graphics

9    save

10 back-up

Список
используемой литературы

1.       English Vocabulary in use – Stuart Redman. Pre-intermediate and
Intermediate. Cambridge University Press, p. 266, 1997

2.      
Мюллер В.К. Англо-русский и русско-английский словарь. – М.: Эксмо, p.698, 2008.

3.      
www.macmillanenglish.com

4.      
www.onestopenglish.com 

A computer is a machine that uses electronics to input, process, store, and output data. Data is information such as numbers, words, and lists. Input of data means to read information from a keyboard, a storage device like a hard drive, or a sensor. The computer processes or changes the data by following the instructions in software programs. A computer program is a list of instructions the computer has to perform. Programs usually perform mathematical calculations, modify data, or move it around. The data is then saved on a storage device, shown on a display, or sent to another computer. Computers can be connected together to form a network such as the internet, allowing the computers to communicate with each other.

The processor of a computer is made from integrated circuits (chips) that contains many transistors. Most computers are digital, which means that they represent information using binary digits, or bits. Computers come in different shapes and sizes, depending on the brand, model, and purpose. They range from small computers, such as smartphones and laptops, to large computers, such as supercomputers.

Characteristics[change | change source]

The two important parts of a computer are that it responds to a specific instruction set in a well-defined manner and that it can execute a stored list of instructions called a program. There are four main actions in a computer: inputting, storing, outputting and processing.

Modern computers can do billions of calculations in a second. Being able to calculate many times per second allows modern computers to multi-task, which means they can do many different tasks at the same time. Computers do many different jobs where automation is useful. Some examples are controlling traffic lights, vehicles, security systems, washing machines and digital televisions.

Computers can be designed to do almost anything with information. Computers are used to control large and small machines that, in the past, were controlled by humans. Most people have a personal computer at home or at work. They are used for things such as calculation, listening to music, reading an article, writing, or playing games.

Hardware[change | change source]

Modern computers are electronic computer hardware. They do mathematical arithmetic very quickly, but computers do not really «think.» They only follow the instructions in their software programs. The software uses the hardware when the user gives it instructions and produces useful outputs.

Controls[change | change source]

Computers are controlled with user interfaces. Input devices which include keyboards, computer mice, buttons, and touch screens, etc.

Programs[change | change source]

Computer programs are designed or written by computer programmers. A few programmers write programs in the computer’s own language, called machine code. Most programs are written using a programming language like C, C++, JavaScript. These programming languages are more like the language with which one talks and writes every day. The compiler converts the user’s instructions into binary code (machine code) that the computer will understand and do what is needed.

History of computers[change | change source]

First computer[change | change source]

In 1837, Charles Babbage proposed the first general mechanical computer, the Analytical Engine. The Analytical Engine contained an Arithmetic Logic Unit, basic flow control, punched cards, and integrated memory. It is the first general-purpose computer concept that could be used for many things and not only one particular computation. However, this computer was never built while Charles Babbage was alive, because he didn’t have enough money. In 1910, Henry Babbage, Charles Babbage’s youngest son, was able to complete a portion of this machine and perform basic calculations.

Before the computer era there were machines that could do the same thing over and over again, like a music box. But some people wanted to be able to tell their machine to do different things. For example, they wanted to tell the music box to play different music every time. This part of computer history is called the «history of programmable machines» which in simple words means «the history of machines that I can order to do different things if I know how to speak their language.»

One of the first examples of this was built by Hero of Alexandria (c. 10–70 AD). He built a mechanical theater which performed a play lasting 10 minutes and was operated by a complex system of ropes and drums. These ropes and drums were the language of the machine- they told what the machine did and when. Some people argue that this is the first programmable machine.^[1]

Some people disagree on which early computer is programmable. Many say the «castle clock», an astronomical clock invented by Al-Jazari in 1206, is the first known programmable analog computer.^[2][3] The length of day and night could be adjusted every day in order to account for the changing lengths of day and night throughout the year.^[4] Some count this daily adjustment as computer programming.

Others say the first computer was made by Charles Babbage.^[4] Ada Lovelace is considered to be the first programmer.^[5][6][7]

The computing era[change | change source]

At the end of the Middle Ages, people started thinking math and engineering were more important. In 1623, Wilhelm Schickard made a mechanical calculator. Other Europeans made more calculators after him. They were not modern computers because they could only add, subtract, and multiply- you could not change what they did to make them do something like play Tetris. Because of this, we say they were not programmable. Now engineers use computers to design and plan.

In 1801, Joseph Marie Jacquard used punched paper cards to tell his textile loom what kind of pattern to weave. He could use punch cards to tell the loom what to do, and he could change the punch cards, which means he could program the loom to weave the pattern he wanted. This means the loom was programmable. At the end of the 1800s Herman Hollerith invented the recording of data on a medium that could then be read by a machine, developing punched card data processing technology for the 1890 U.S. census. His tabulating machines read and summarized data stored on punched cards and they began use for government and commercial data processing.

Charles Babbage wanted to make a similar machine that could calculate. He called it «The Analytical Engine».^[8] Because Babbage did not have enough money and always changed his design when he had a better idea, he never built his Analytical Engine.

As time went on, computers were used more. People get bored easily doing the same thing over and over. Imagine spending your life writing things down on index cards, storing them, and then having to go find them again. The U.S. Census Bureau in 1890 had hundreds of people doing just that. It was expensive, and reports took a long time. Then an engineer worked out how to make machines do a lot of the work. Herman Hollerith invented a tabulating machine that would automatically add up information that the Census bureau collected. The Computing Tabulating Recording Corporation (which later became IBM) made his machines. They leased the machines instead of selling them. Makers of machines had long helped their users understand and repair them, and CTR’s tech support was especially good.

Because of machines like this, new ways of talking to these machines were invented, and new types of machines were invented, and eventually the computer as we know it was born.

Analog and digital computers[change | change source]

In the first half of the 20th century, scientists started using computers, mostly because scientists had a lot of math to figure out and wanted to spend more of their time thinking about science questions instead of spending hours adding numbers together. For example, if they had to launch a rocket ship, they needed to do a lot of math to make sure the rocket worked right. So they put together computers. These analog computers used analog circuits, which made them very hard to program. In the 1930s, they invented digital computers, and soon made them easier to program. However this is not the case as many consecutive attempts have been made to bring arithmetic logic to l3.Analog computers are mechanical or electronic devices which solve problems.Some are used to control machines as well.

High-scale computers[change | change source]

Scientists figured out how to make and use digital computers in the 1930s to 1940s. Scientists made a lot of digital computers, and as they did, they figured out how to ask them the right sorts of questions to get the most out of them. Here are a few of the computers they built:

Defining characteristics of some early digital computers of the 1940s (In the history of computing hardware)

Name	First operational	Numeral system	Computing mechanism	Programming	Turing complete
Zuse Z3 (Germany)	May 1941	Binary	Electro-mechanical	Program-controlled by punched film stock	Yes (1998)
Atanasoff–Berry Computer (US)	mid-1941	Binary	Electronic	Not programmable—single purpose	No
Colossus (UK)	January 1944	Binary	Electronic	Program-controlled by patch cables and switches	No
Harvard Mark I – IBM ASCC (US)	1944	Decimal	Electro-mechanical	Program-controlled by 24-channel punched paper tape (but no conditional branch)	No
ENIAC (US)	November 1945	Decimal	Electronic	Program-controlled by patch cables and switches	Yes
Manchester Small-Scale Experimental Machine (UK)	June 1948	Binary	Electronic	Stored-program in Williams cathode ray tube memory	Yes
Modified ENIAC (US)	September 1948	Decimal	Electronic	Program-controlled by patch cables and switches plus a primitive read-only stored programming mechanism using the Function Tables as program ROM	Yes
EDSAC (UK)	May 1949	Binary	Electronic	Stored-program in mercury delay line memory	Yes
Manchester Mark 1 (UK)	October 1949	Binary	Electronic	Stored-program in Williams cathode ray tube memory and magnetic drum memory	Yes
CSIRAC (Australia)	November 1949	Binary	Electronic	Stored-program in mercury delay line memory	Yes

• Konrad Zuse’s electromechanical «Z machines». The Z3 (1941) was the first working machine that used binary arithmetic. Binary arithmetic means using «Yes» and «No.» to add numbers together. You could also program it. In 1998 the Z3 was proved to be Turing complete. Turing complete means that it is possible to tell this particular computer anything that it is mathematically possible to tell a computer. It is the world’s first modern computer.
• The non-programmable Atanasoff–Berry Computer (1941) which used vacuum tubes to store «yes» and «no» answers, and regenerative capacitor memory.
• The Harvard Mark I (1944), A big computer that you could kind of program.
• The U.S. Army’s Ballistics Research Laboratory ENIAC (1946), which could add numbers the way people do (using the numbers 0 through 9) and is sometimes called the first general purpose electronic computer (since Konrad Zuse’s Z3 of 1941 used electromagnets instead of electronics). At first, however, the only way to reprogram ENIAC was by rewiring it.

Several developers of ENIAC saw its problems. They invented a way to for a computer to remember what they had told it, and a way to change what it remembered. This is known as «stored program architecture» or von Neumann architecture. John von Neumann talked about this design in the paper First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC, distributed in 1945. A number of projects to develop computers based on the stored-program architecture started around this time. The first of these was completed in Great Britain. The first to be demonstrated working was the Manchester Small-Scale Experimental Machine (SSEM or «Baby»), while the EDSAC, completed a year after SSEM, was the first really useful computer that used the stored program design. Shortly afterwards, the machine originally described by von Neumann’s paper—EDVAC—was completed but was not ready for two years.

Nearly all modern computers use the stored-program architecture. It has become the main concept which defines a modern computer. The technologies used to build computers have changed since the 1940s, but many current computers still use the von-Neumann architecture.

In the 1950s computers were built out of mostly vacuum tubes. Transistors replaced vacuum tubes in the 1960s because they were smaller and cheaper. They also need less power and do not break down as much as vacuum tubes. In the 1970s, technologies were based on integrated circuits. Microprocessors, such as the Intel 4004 made computers smaller, cheaper, faster and more reliable. By the 1980s, microcontrollers became small and cheap enough to replace mechanical controls in things like washing machines. The 1980s also saw home computers and personal computers. With the evolution of the Internet, personal computers are becoming as common as the television and the telephone in the household.

In 2005 Nokia started to call some of its mobile phones (the N-series) «multimedia computers» and after the launch of the Apple iPhone in 2007, many are now starting to add the smartphone category among «real» computers. In 2008, if smartphones are included in the numbers of computers in the world, the biggest computer maker by units sold, was no longer Hewlett-Packard, but rather Nokia.^[9]

Kinds of computers[change | change source]

There are many types of computers. Some include:

1. personal computer
2. workstation
3. mainframe
4. minicomputer
5. supercomputer
6. embedded system
7. tablet computer
8. quantum computers

A «desktop computer» is a small machine that has a screen (which is not part of the computer). Most people keep them on top of a desk, which is why they are called «desktop computers.» «Laptop computers» are computers small enough to fit on your lap. This makes them easy to carry around. Both laptops and desktops are called personal computers, because one person at a time uses them for things like playing music, surfing the web, or playing video games.

There are larger computers that can be used by multiple people at the same time. These are called «mainframes,» and these computers do all the things that make things like the internet work. You can think of a personal computer like this: the personal computer is like your skin: you can see it, other people can see it, and through your skin you feel wind, water, air, and the rest of the world. A mainframe is more like your internal organs: you never see them, and you barely even think about them, but if they suddenly went missing, you would have some very big problems.

An embedded computer, also called an embedded system is a computer that does one thing and one thing only, and usually does it very well. For example, an alarm clock is an embedded computer. It tells the time. Unlike your personal computer, you cannot use your clock to play Tetris. Because of this, we say that embedded computers cannot be programmed because you cannot install more programs on your clock. Some mobile phones, automatic teller machines, microwave ovens, CD players and cars are operated by embedded computers.

All-in-one PC[change | change source]

All-in-one computers are desktop computers that have all of the computer’s inner mechanisms in the same case as the monitor. Apple has made several popular examples of all-in-one computers, such as the original Macintosh of the mid-1980s and the iMac of the late 1990s and 2000s.

Uses of computers[change | change source]

At home[change | change source]

• Playing computer games
• Writing
• Solving math problems
• Watching videos
• Listening to music and audio
• Audio, Video and photo editing
• Creating sound or video
• Communicating with other people
• Using The Internet
• Online shopping
• Drawing
• Online bill payments
• Online business

At work[change | change source]

• Word processing
• Spreadsheets
• Presentations
• Photo Editing
• E-mail
• Video editing/rendering/encoding
• Audio recording
• System Management
• Website Development
• Software Development

Working methods[change | change source]

Computers store data and the instructions as numbers, because computers can do things with numbers very quickly. These data are stored as binary symbols (1s and 0s). A 1 or a 0 symbol stored by a computer is called a bit, which comes from the words binary digit. Computers can use many bits together to represent instructions and the data that these instructions use. A list of instructions is called a program and is stored on the computer’s hard disk. Computers work through the program by using a central processing unit, and they use fast memory called RAM (also known as Random Access Memory) as a space to store the instructions and data while they are doing this. When the computer wants to store the results of the program for later, it uses the hard disk because things stored on a hard disk can still be remembered after the computer is turned off.

An operating system tells the computer how to understand what jobs it has to do, how to do these jobs, and how to tell people the results. Millions of computers may be using the same operating system, while each computer can have its own application programs to do what its user needs. Using the same operating systems makes it easy to learn how to use computers for new things. A user who needs to use a computer for something different, can learn how to use a new application program. Some operating systems can have simple command lines or a fully user-friendly GUI.

The Internet[change | change source]

One of the most important jobs that computers do for people is helping with communication. Communication is how people share information. Computers have helped people move forward in science, medicine, business, and learning, because they let experts from anywhere in the world work with each other and share information. They also let other people communicate with each other, do their jobs almost anywhere, learn about almost anything, or share their opinions with each other. The Internet is the thing that lets people communicate between their computers.

Computers and waste[change | change source]

A computer is now almost always an electronic device. It usually contains materials that will become electronic waste when discarded. When a new computer is bought in some places, laws require that the cost of its waste management must also be paid for. This is called product stewardship.

Computers can become obsolete quickly, depending on what programs the user runs. Very often, they are thrown away within two or three years, because some newer programs require a more powerful computer. This makes the problem worse, so computer recycling happens a lot. Many projects try to send working computers to developing nations so they can be re-used and will not become waste as quickly, as most people do not need to run new programs. Some computer parts, such as hard drives, can break easily. When these parts end up in the landfill, they can put poisonous chemicals like lead into the ground-water. Hard drives can also contain secret information like credit card numbers. If the hard drive is not erased before being thrown away, an identity thief can get the information from the hard drive, even if the drive doesn’t work, and use it to steal money from the previous owner’s bank account.

Main hardware[change | change source]

Computers come in different forms, but most of them have a common design.

• All computers have a CPU.
• All computers have some kind of data bus which lets them get inputs or output things to the environment.
• All computers have some form of memory. These are usually chips (integrated circuits) which can hold information.
• Many computers have some kind of sensors, which lets them get input from their environment.
• Many computers have some kind of display device, which lets them show output. They may also have other peripheral devices connected.

A computer has several main parts. When comparing a computer to a human body, the CPU is like a brain. It does most of the thinking and tells the rest of the computer how to work. The CPU is on the Motherboard, which is like the skeleton. It provides the basis for where the other parts go, and carries the nerves that connect them to each other and the CPU. The motherboard is connected to a power supply, which provides electricity to the entire computer. The various drives (CD drive, floppy drive, and on many newer computers, USB flash drive) act like eyes, ears, and fingers, and allow the computer to read different types of storage, in the same way that a human can read different types of books. The hard drive is like a human’s memory, and keeps track of all the data stored on the computer. Most computers have a sound card or another method of making sound, which is like vocal cords, or a voice box. Connected to the sound card are speakers, which are like a mouth, and are where the sound comes out. Computers might also have a graphics card, which helps the computer to create visual effects, such as 3D environments, or more realistic colors, and more powerful graphics cards can make more realistic or more advanced images, in the same way a well trained artist can.

Largest computer companies[change | change source]

Company name	Sales (US $ billion)
Apple	220,000
Samsung	212,680
Foxconn	132,070
HP (Hewlett-Packard)	112,300
IBM	99,750
Hitachi	87,510
Microsoft	86,830
Amazon	74,450
Sony	72,340
Panasonic	70,830
Google	59,820
Dell	56,940
Toshiba	56,200
LG	54,750
Intel	52,700

References[change | change source]

UNIT 1

2. Read the statement from the DataPro Inc. CEO. Then , mark the following statements true(T) or false (F):

    1) The IT Department is increasing. — FALSE

    2) Data processing employees now encode data — FALSE

    4) Supervisors know the employees’ new assignments  — TRUE

3. Match the words with definitions:

    1) software — G

    2) code — I

    3) hardware — B

    4) data processing — F

    5) information security — J

    6) online — C

    7) technical support — H

    data — D

    9) quality assurance — E

    10) encoding — A

         A. putting secret information into code;

         B. the physical parts of computer;

         C. connected to the Internet;

         D. numbers entered/held in a computer;

         E. checking products for problems;

         F. the act of using information;

         G. programs/instructions added to computer;

         H. helping people use/understand technology;

         I. program language;

         J. the act of protecting information;

4. Fill in the blanks with the correct words from word bank:

    1) Enter the data into the computer.

    2) The company uses encoding to protect information.

    3) Quality assurance finds and fixes problems in new projects.

UNIT 2

2. Read the email about computers available at TEI Inc. Then, choose the correct answers.

    1) What is the email about?

         A. The types of work employees do.

         B. computers that the company sells.

         C. What computers the company uses.

         D. the installation of a server.

    2) According to the passage, employees use laptops when they

         A. respond to email.

         B. work on spreadsheets.

         C. process the largest files.

         D. Work outside the office.

    3) Which of the following is not true?

         A. the company has a mainframe.

         B. employees get email on their cell phones.

         C. All employees receive desktop computers.

         D. The desktop computers are faster than the workstations.

3. Read the sentence and choose the correct word:

    1) My PDA/mainframe notifies me when I have a meeting.

    2) I have a laptop/supercomputer to do work on a plane.

    3) John has server/desktop computer because he only uses simple programs.

    4) This computer/server runs programs, but doesn’t have Internet access.

    5) A workstation/handler PC is smaller than a laptop, but still has a keyboard.

    6) Connect to the server/PDA to use that printer.

    7) A supercomputer/handler PC is the most popular machine in the world.

4. Match the words with the definitions:

    1) Workstation — fast computer that is used by one person and has more memory than an ordinary personal computer.

    2) Mainframe — Large and powerful computer that supports many other computers working at once.

    3) Cell phone — A device that makes and receive calls.

UNIT 3

2. Read the technology guide about computer assembly. Then, choose the correct answer:

    1) What is the guide mostly about?

         A. Putting together a computer.

         B. Problems with computer parts.

         C. Uses of expansion cards.

         D. Repairing a broken computer.

    2) When should the hard drive be installed?

         A. Step #1

         B. Step #3

         C. Step #5

         D. Step #6

    3) According to the guide, what is NOT an assembly step?

         A. Collecting parts

         B. Opening the case

         C. Connecting the drives

         D. Installing the RAM card

3. Match the words with definitions:

    1) heat sink — C

    2) RAM — B

    3) expansion card — E

    4) processor — F

    5) hard drive —D

    6) motherboard — A

         A. a slotted board with circuits and ports;

         B. a short term, quick memory source;

         C. a part used to cool the processor;

         D. a part used to store large amounts of data;

         E. a part used to increase a computer’s functions;

         F. a part that completes tasks for the computer;

4. Write a word that is similar in meaning to the underlined part:

    1) Spinning blades keep the computer from underlined part. (Fun)

    2) The electrical source directs power throughout the computer. (Power supply).

    3) Joey purchased a protective bag for his computer. (Case)

    4) Can the coded disk reader play DVDs? (disk drive.)

UNIT 4

2. Read the advertisement from a computer parts catalogue. Then, mark the following answers as true(T) of false (F).

    1) The keyboard has a wireless connection. — FALSE

    2) The LCD monitor does not require a lot of room. — TRUE

    3) The touch screen comes with keyboard. — FALSE

3. Match the words (1-5) with the definitions (A-E)

    1.  keyboard — C

    2.  mouse — E

    3.  scanner — A

    4.  microphone — D

    5.  monitor — B

         A.  a device that reads images and sends them to a computer

         B.  a device that displays images

         C.  a device that enters information into a computer

         D. a device that gathers sounds

         E. a device that is used to control a pointer  or cursor

4. Check the sentence that is true

    1) A. A keyboard reads documents

         B. A USB cable connects computers and devices

    2) A. A peripheral is the main part of a computer

         B. A printer creates documents and pictures

    3) A. An input device   enters information

         B. A microphone creates  sounds

    4) A. A monitor input sounds

         B. A touch screen does not need a mouse

     5) A. A scanner displays pictures and words

         B. A peripheral is a device that is added to a computer

UNIT 5

2. Read the article about networks. Then, choose the correct answers.

    1. What is the main idea of the passage?

         A. how to set up a network

         B. correcting network problems

         C. choosing network equipment

         D. a comparison of LANs and WLANs

    2. What  can you infer from the passage?

         A. A computer is not functioning during the cycle

         B. LAN routers do not work well near walls of metals

         C. Interference impacts a routers configuration

         D. Renewing an IP address fixes DHCP errors

    3. According to the passage, a LAN ___

         A. assigns IP address

         B. requires a router

         C. links CAT-5 cables

         D. cycles a network

3. Fill in the blanks with the correct words or phrases from the word bank

DHCP    CAT-5 cable    router  network    cycle    WLAN  Internet  configuration

    1.  The router lets a network connect to the Internet.

    2. A LAN is a type of network.

    3. Businesses communicate on the Internet.

    4. We do not use cables for our network. We have a WLAN.

    5. Routers need a correct configuration to work properly.

    6. Businesses with a LAN use CAT-5 cable to connect computers.

    7. It is something necessary to cycle a network to make it work.

    8. The DHCP provides different IP addresses for computers.

4. Choose the best definition for each word

    1.Router

         A. a part of a computer

         B. a wireless network

         C. a networking device

    2. IP address

         A. a city-wide network

         B. an identification number

         C.  a networking device

    3. LAN

         A. a local network

         B. a networking device

         C. a wireless network

UNIT 6

2. Read the introduction to the operating system manual. Then, choose the correct answers.

    1.  What is the main ides of the passage?

         A. where to locate shortcuts

         B. the advantages of the CCC OS

         C. how to identify and use parts of the OS

         D. types of operating systems available

    2. What can you infer about this operating system?

         A. It comes with free software

         B. Files have to stay in one folder

         C. Menus contain multiple commands

         D. Folders do not maximize or minimize

    3. According to the passage, what does the pointer NOT do?

         A. move files

         B. open menus

         C. start software

         D. minimize windows

3. Fill in the blanks with the correct words and phrases from the word bank

Icons   desktop operating system pointer windows  GUI

    1.  Use the pointer to choose files and commands.

    2. Small pictures or symbols in software are icons.

    3. The operating system is the program that makes a computer work.

    4. When something is on the desktop you see in onscreen.

    5. An OS that uses small pictures to represent files is a GUI.

    6. You can minimize files and programs in different windows.

4.  Choose the best definition for each word.

    1. Drag

         A. save an icon

         B. close a desktop

         C. move a file

    2. Folders

         A. organize files

         B. move windows

         C. create shortcuts

    3. Shortcut

         A. a type of software

         B. a type of icon

         C. a type of window.

UNIT 7

2.  Read the advertisement for a new word processing program. Then, mark the following statements as true (T) or false (F).

    1) Macros determine the layout of a document. — FALSE

    2)TypeWrite 4.0 features customizable fonts. — FALSE

    3) Not all file formats work with TypeWrite 4.0. — TRUE

3.Fill in the blanks with the correct words and phrases from the word bank.

    1) Use a macro to type out phrases that you use a lot.

    2)My file won’t open in other programs due to a compatibility problem.

    3) Instead of writing by hand use a word processing program.

    4) This fie is in a format that doesn’t open in TypeWrite.

    5) Save each document with a different name so you have a copy of each.

    6) The letter’s layout is wrong. The heading is in the wrong place.

    7) Increase the font size to make the file easier to read.

    Most word processors offer spell check to help you find mistakes.

4. Choose the word that is closest in meaning to the underlined part.

    1. The style you use for this document makes it hard to read.

         A — macro

         B — formatting

          C – compatibility

    2.To write a business letter, use the appropriate document pattern.

         A -word processing

         B — compatibility

         C– template

    3. She did not think that her typing command was saving her any time.

         A — formatting

         B – macro

         C– template

UNIT 8

2. Read the excerpt from the employee handbook guide at T.B. Brown Inc. Then, mark the following statements as true (T) or false (F).

    1. The company uses a P093 server to receive email. — TRUE

    2. The company provides webmail for all employees. — FALSE

    3. All employees have multiple company email accounts. — FALSE

3. Match the words (1-5) with the definitions (A-E).

    1) Attachment – E

    2) domain name–C

    3) password – D

    4) email client – B

    5) SMTP server – A

         A. a computer that sends email.

         B. a program that saves sends and receives email.

         C. words/letters used to identify companies and addresses.

         D. letters/numbers that let a person access something.

         E. a file that is sent with an email.

4. Choose the word that is closest in meaning to the underlined part.

    1. That company that provides access to the internet has very good service.

         A – ISP

         B —  email address

         C – username

    2. I use an email service available on web browsers so my emails are not saved on my computer.

         A -POP3 

         B — webmail

         C — ISP

    3.Enter your code that identifies you on a computer and ‘press’ Enter.

         A — username

         B — webmail

         C — POP3

    4. Most people use a method to receive emails from a server to get their email.

         A -email address

         B — POP3

         C – webmail

UNIT 9

2. Read the email from the IT department of TS. Brown Inc. Then, mark the following statements as true (T) or false (F).

    1) T.B. Brown Inc. now has a different URL.  — TRUE

    2) The hyperlinks navigate away from the original page. — FALSE

    3) The web site now has fewer meta tags. — FALSE

3. Match the words (1-5) with the definitions (R-E).

    1) Hyperlink – C

    2) Website –  A

    3) HTML –  D

    4) Web host –  E

    5) Web browser – B

         A. a collection of related Internet pages.

         B. a program that lets you look at web pages

         C. a word image that you can clock on to navigate.

         D. a computer language used to make web sites.

         E. a company that provides space for a websites.

4. Choose the word that is closest in meaning to the underlined part.

    1) The text used in webpage codes that provide information to search engines gives us high search rankings.

         A — hyperlink

         B — meta tag 

         C — web host

    2) Type a word into the computer program that allows people to look for particular information to find a web site.

         A — search engine

         B – http

         C — website

    3) Our website is very popular on the system of information that is available on the internet.

         A -meta tag

         B –hyperlink

         C – www

    4) The company’s text and symbols that form a web address is http://tbbronincorp.com

         A — URI

         B — search engine

         C — web host

    5) Please begin the web address with the part of the web address that allows the computer to connect to the site.

         A –HTML

         B —  web browser

         C — http

UNIT 10

2. Read the article from Graphic Arts Magazine. Then choose the correct answers.

    1) What is the article mostly about?

         A. why people edit graphics

         B. how to edit graphics

         C. the causes of poor exposure

         D. how to crops picture

     2) According to the article, how can you remove unwanted parts of images?

         A. crop the picture

         B. resize the image

         C. save the picture as a JPEG

         D. increase the number of pixels

     3) According to the article, what is NOT a way to fix a blurry photo?

         A. resize the photo

         B. increase the lighting

         C. save in JPEG format

         D. increase the amount of pixels 1

3. Match the words (1-6) with the definitions (A-F).

    1. pixel — B

    4. graphics — A

    2. exposure — D

    5. resolution — F

    3. JPEG — C

    6. tint — E

         A images on a computer, in a book or magazine etc.

         B a small dot that makes up part of an image a computer screen

         C a file used to store pictures on a computer

         D the length of time film is open to light when taking a picture

         E a small amount of a color in something

         F a computer or camera’s ability to produce a clear picture

4. Fill in the blanks with the words and phrases from the word bank.

     1) It’s hard to see the details of this picture. Pease ________  it so that it is bigger.( RESIZE)

     2) I want to edit my pictures .I need a__________. (GRAPHIC EDITING PROGRAM)

     3) I don’t like the background of this picture. Lets_________ it out.  (CROP)

     4) This picture is too dark. Make the ____________ a little lighter. (CONTRAST)

UNIT 11

2. Read the email from it department of TB. Brown Inc.  Then, read the paraphrase of the email. Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the wont bank.

    Employees often use databases and spreadsheets incorrectly. Use a database to organize largo amounts of information about Clients. A database makes it easy to Search   multiple tables for client information. Use a spreadsheet to perform calculations about sinks data. Spreadsheets are also able to create graphs and charts showing profits.

3. Match the words (1-5) with definitions (A-E).

     1) Worksheet — D

    2) database — B

    3) sort — A

    4) field — E

    5) formula — C

         A to arrange the information in a database

         B a large group of data organized in a computer

         C a mathematical instruction that performs spreadsheet calculations

         D a single page of a spreadsheet

         E a database category that hot a type 01 information

4. Choose the word that is closest in meaning to the Underlined part.

    1) Sue types in a(n) symbol that performs a specific calculation on the line

         A cell

         B operator

         C worksheet

    2) Please arrange the client addresses in a single collection of information a database.

         A table

         B field

         C query

    3) Dave adds up the values with a mathematics spreadsheet calculation

         A worksheet

          B formula

          C database

    4) Jim organizes records in a computer program that organizes information and performs calculations.

         A function

         B query

         C spreadsheet

    5) Martha finds clients who live nearby with a search that locates all information of a specific type

         A query

         B field

         C operator

    6) Some information in one unit of a spreadsheet that holds a piece of information is incorrect.

         A table

         B function

         C cell

UNIT 12

2. Read the article from a business newsletter. Then, choose the correct answers.

    1) What does the Web Development class teach?

         A making a website easy to use

         B improving a website’s visibility

         C using code to program a website

         D how to market a new website

    2) What can you inter about the Web Design

         A Attending the class is mandatory.

         B The first class addresses functional

         C it focuses on improving a site’s visual

         D Its registration fee is less than the Web Development class.

    3) What is the function of CSS?

         A It helps improve navigation.

         B It decreases a website’s visibility.

         C It changes the style of a web page.

         D It expands the functionality of a web

3. Match the words (1-6) with the definition (A-F).

    1) web design — A

    2)coding — C

    3) navigation — E

    4) visibility — B

    5) usability — D

    6) content — F

         A choosing a website’s visuals

         B how easily you can find a website on a engine

         C a website’s programming

         D how easily a user can use a website

         E moving around a website

         F everything contained h a website

4. Fill in the blanks with the correct words and phrases from the word bank.

     1) The website doesn’t work well. I want to improve its functionality

     2) My website locks boring. I’ll give it a more interesting appearance

     3) If you are interested in making a website, take a web development class.

     4) I’m learning CSS so that I can change my website.

UNIT 13

2. 1. What is the purpose of this advertisement?

         A to post a job opening

         B to describe a company

         C to start a publishing company

         D to sell a desktop publishing program

    2. Which is NOT a job qualification?

         A the ability to make clip art

         B project planning skills

         C a college education

         D the ability to make layouts

    3. What can you infer from this advertisement?

         A The job pays very well.

         B This is a managerial position.

         C The company is hiring from within.

         D Students do not meet the requirements.

3. Read the sentence pair. Choose correct word

    1. electronic paper/ assemble electronic pages

         Many books are available on electronic paper.

         Desktop publishing specialists assemble electronic pages.

    2. page layout/clip art

         If you need an extra picture use clip art.

         That page layout looks complete.

    3. Electrostatic printing/Offset lithography

         Electrostatic printing is all done with machines.

         Offset lithography uses oil and water to transfer ink.

4. Match the words (1-4) with the definitions (A-D).

1. comprehensive layout —  B

2. desktop publishing  — C

3. desktop publishing software — D

4. graphic communications — A

         A. a form of visual language

         B. a piece that is ready for print

         C. the design of a layout using software

         D. a computer program used by publishers

UNIT 14

2. Read the email from IT professional at Acme Enterprise. Then, mark the following statements with true (T) or false(F)

    1. Videoconferencing reduces traveling time and cost. (TRUE)

    2. The dedicated system comes with a video bridge. (FALSE)

    3. Videoconferencing works best with low bandwidth Internet access.(FALSE)

3. Fill in the blanks with the correct words and phrases from the word bank.

    1) My computer isn’t working. No images are showing on the monitor.

    2) Let’s purchase a dedicated system It comes with everything we need for videoconferencing

    3) Only I can edit the report. The videoconference system does not allow document sharing

    4) You can’t hold a multipoint videoconference without a video bridge

    5) The echo-cancellation feature eliminates unwanted

    6) I want face-to-face meeting. Let’s hold a videoconference

4) Write a word that s similar in meaning to the underlined part.

    1) A high amount of information that a network sends and  receives helps images load quickly on the Internet. Bandwidth

    2) To set up a videoconference system, first connect the equipment that codes and reads signals. Codec

    3) John attached a camera that broadcasts sound and video on the Internet. Webcam

    4) Our offices can hold a videoconference among people in different locations. Multipoint videoconference

UNIT 15

2. Read the email from the marketing director of bargainequipment.com. Then, mark the following statements as true(T) or false(F)

    1) BargainEquipment.com has a brick and mortar shop. (False)

    2) TFC Gaming is an affiliate of BargainEquipment.com. (False)

    3) Affiliates earn a percentage of sales for increases in page views.(True)

3. Read the sentence pairs. Choose where the words best fit in the blanks.

    1) digital certificate/certificate authority

         I don’t trust this site, it has no digital certificate .

         The certificate authority will tell customers our site is safe.

    2) page views/traffic

         My site has two hundred more page views today.

         Advertising a website should increase  traffic

    3) FAQs/banner

         Let’s display a new banner to attract attention.

         Check the FAQs to find out about tine company.

4 . Fill in the blanks with the correct words and phrases from the word bank.

    1) E-commerce allows people to shop with businesses globally.

    2) My business is a(n) affiliate of that website. We share profits.

    3) There are many brick and mortar shops on Main Street.

    4) Put an item in a shopping cart and pay for it later.