UNIT8
COMPUTERS
Text A: «WHAT IS A COMPUTER?»
The term computer is used to describe a device made up of a combination of electronic and electromechanical (part electronic and part mechanical) components. Computer has no intelligence by itself and is referred to as hardware. A computer system is a combination of five elements:
• Hardware
• Software
• People
• Procedures
• Data/information.
When one computer system is set up to communicate with another computer system, connectivity becomes the sixth system element. In other words, the manner in which the various individual systems are connected — for example, by phone lines, microwave transmission, or satellite — is an element of the total computer system.
Software is the term used to describe the instructions that tell the hardware how to perform a task. Without software instructions, the hardware doesn't know what to do.People, however, are the most important component of the computer system: they create the computer software instructions and respond to the procedures that those instructions present.
The basic job of the computer is the processing of information. Computers accept information in the form of instruction called a program and characters called data to perform mathematical and logical operations, and then give the results. The data is raw material while information is organized, processed, refined and useful for decision making. Computer is used to convert data into information. Computer is also used to store information in the digital form.
Vocabulary:
| characters — символы data — данные decision — решение device — устройство hardware — оборудование instruction — команда intelligence — разум manner — манера, способ microwave — микроволновая procedures — процедуры, операции purpose — цель | raw — необработанный, сырой to come to life — оживать to connect — соединять to convert — превращать, преобразовывать to create — создавать to evaluate — оценивать to refer to as — называть что-либо to refine — очищать to respond — отвечать transmission — передача various — различные |
Text B: «HARDWARE»
What is hardware? Webster's dictionary gives us the following definition of the hardware — the mechanical, magnetic, electronic, and electrical devices composing a computer system.
Computer hardware can be divided into four categories:
Input hardware
Processing hardware
Storage hardware
Output hardware.
Input hardware
The purpose of the input hardware is to collect data and convert it into a form suitable for computer processing. The most common input device is a keyboard. It looks very much like a typewriter. The mouse is a hand held device connected to the computer by small cable. As the mouse is rolled across the mouse pad, the cursor moves across the screen. When the cursor reaches the desired location, the user usually pushes a button on the mouse once or twice to signal a menu selection or a command to the computer.
The light pen uses a light sensitive photoelectric cell to signal screen position to the computer. Another type of input hardware is optic-electronic scanner that is used to input graphics as well as typeset characters. Microphone and video camera can be also used to input data into the computer. Electronic cameras are becoming very popular among the consumers for their relatively low price and convenience.
Processing hardware
The purpose of processing hardware is retrieve, interpret and direct the execution of software instructions provided to the computer. The most common components of processing hardware are the Central Processing Unit and main memory.
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the brain of the computer. It reads and interprets software instructions and coordinates the processing activities that must take place. The design of the CPU affects the processing power and the speed of the computer, as well as the amount of main memory it can use effectively. With a well-designed CPU in your computer, you can perform highly sophisticated tasks in a very short time.
Memory is the system of component of the computer in which information is stored. There are two types of computer memory: RAM and ROM.
RAM (random access memory) is the volatile computer memory, used for creating loading, and running programs and for manipulating and temporarily storing data;
ROM (read only memory) is nonvolatile, non-modifiable computer memory, used to hold programmed instructions to the system.
The more memory you have in your computer, the more operations you can perform.
Storage hardware
The purpose of storage hardware is to store computer instructions and data in a form that is relatively permanent and retrieve when needed for processing. Storage hardware serves the same basic functions as do office filing systems except that it stores data as electromagnetic signals. The most common ways of storing data are Hard disk, floppy disk and CD-ROM.
Hard disk is a rigid disk coated with magnetic material, for storing programs and relatively large amounts of data.
Floppy disk (diskette) - thin, usually flexible plastic disk coated with magnetic material, for storing computer data and programs. There are two formats for floppy disks: 5.25" and 3.5". 5.25" is not used in modern computer systems because of it relatively large size flexibility and small capacity. 3.5" disks are formatted 1.4 megabytes and are widely used.
CD-ROM (compact disc read only memory) is a compact disc on which a large amount of digitized read-only data can be stored. CD-ROMs are very popular now because of the growing speed which CD-ROM drives can provide nowadays. Output hardware
The purpose of output hardware is to provide the user with the means to view information produced by the computer system. Information is output in either hardcopy or softcopy form. Hardcopy output can be held in your hand, such as paper with text (word or numbers) or graphics printed on it. Softcopy output is displayed on a monitor.
Monitor is a component with a display screen for viewing computer data, television programs, etc.
Printer is a computer output device that produces a paper copy of data or graphics.
Modem is an example of communication hardware — an electronic device that makes possible the transmission of data to or from computer via telephone or other communication lines.
Hardware comes in many configurations, depending on what the computer system is designed to do. Hardware can fill several floors of a large office building or can fit on your lap.
Vocabulary:
| amount — количество capacity — вместительность circuitry — эл. цепи CPU, microprocessor — микропроцессор hard disk — жесткий диск, «винчестер» input hardware — устройства ввода данных keyboard — клавиатура lap — колени modem — модем mouse — устройство для перемещения объектов на экране, «мышь» output hardware — выходные устройства отображения информации printer — принтер processing hardware — устройства обработки данных RAM — ОЗУ (оперативное запоминающее устройство) ROM — ПЗУ (постоянное запоминающее устройство) CD-ROM — накопитель на компакт-дисках (CD) scanner — сканер sensitive — чувствительный | sophisticated — сложный storage hardware — устройства хранения данных temporarily — временно temporary — временный the purpose — цель tier — ярус to affect — влиять to connect — соединять to convert — преобразовывать to direct — управлять to execute — выполнять to interpret — переводить to provide — обеспечивать to reach — достигать to retrieve — извлекать to roll — катать, перекатывать volatile — летучий, нестойкий, временный |
Text C: "TYPES OF SOFTWARE»
A computer to complete a job requires more than just the actual equipment or hardware we see and touch. It requires Software — programs for directing the operation of a computer or electronic data.
Software is the final computer system component. These computer programs instruct the hardware how to conduct processing. The computer is merely a general-purpose machine which requires specific software to perform a given task. Computers can input, calculate, compare, and output data as information. Software determines the order in which these operations are performed.
Programs usually fall in one of two categories: system software and applications software.
System software controls standard internal computer activities. An operating system, for example, is a collection of system programs that aid in the operation of a computer regardless of the application software being used. When a computer is first turned on, one of the systems programs is booted or loaded into the computer’s memory. This software contains information about memory capacity, the model of the processor, the disk drives to be used, and more. Once the system software is loaded, the applications software can be brought in.
System programs are designed for the specific pieces of hardware. These programs are called drivers and coordinate peripheral hardware and computer activities. User needs to install a specific driver in order to activate a peripheral device. For example, if you intend to buy a printer or a scanner you need to worry in advance about the driver program which, though, commonly goes along with your device. By installing the driver you «teach» your mainboard to «understand» the newly attached part.
Applications software satisfies your specific need. The developers of application software rely mostly on marketing research strategies trying to do their best to attract more users (buyers) to their software. As the productivity of the hardware has increased greatly in recent years, the programmers nowadays tend to include as much as possible in one program to make software interface look more attractive to the user. These class of programs is the most numerous and perspective from the marketing point of view.
Data communication within and between computers systems is handled by system software. Communications software transfers data from one computer system to another. These programs usually provide users with data security and error checking along with physically transferring data between the two computer's memories. During the past five years the developing electronic network communication has stimulated more and more companies to produce various communication software, such as Web-Browsers for Internet.
Vocabulary:
| aid — помощь to attach — присоединять control — управление developer — разработчик equipment — оборудование general-purpose — общего назначения internal — внутренний mainboard — материнская плата memory capacity — вместимость памяти peripheral — периферийный regard — отношение regardless — несмотря на, безотносительно, security — безопасность specific — конкретный, определенный to boot — загружать | to check — проверять to complete — совершать, завершать to conduct — проводить to develop — развивать, проявлять to direct — управлять, руководить to handle — управлять, обращаться с to install — устанавливать, встраивать, инсталлировать to provide with — обеспечивать чем-либо to require — требовать to secure — обеспечивать безопасность to transfer — переводить, переносить Web-browser — «браузер» (программа, позволяющая пользователю искать и считывать информацию с глобальной электронной сети Internet) |
Exercise 8.12. Find English equivalents in the text:
1) Программное обеспечение определяет порядок выполнения операций.
2) Прикладные программы выполняют поставленную вами конкретную задачу (удовлетворяют вашу потребность).
3) Этот класс программ — самый многочисленный и перспективный с точки зрения маркетинга.
4) Системные программы предназначены для конкретных устройств компьютерной системы.
5) Устанавливая драйвер, вы «учите» систему «понимать» вновь присоединенное устройство.
6) Когда компьютер впервые включается, одна из системных программ должна быть загружена в его память.
7) Развитие систем электронной коммуникации за последние пять лет стимулировало производство соответствующих программных продуктов возрастающим числом компаний-разработчиков.
UNIT 9
MODERN COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES