Computer without a program is just a heap of metal!

Vocabulary

1. Guess the meaning of these international words. Check with your teacher or a dictionary.

Metal, structure, logical, initial, indicate, accurate, code

2. Key words

Heap	Купа, маса
Moron	Дурень, ідіот
To supply	Постачати
Flowchart	Блок-схема
Arrowhead	Стрілка
To cause	Бути причиною, викликати
To alter	Змінити що-небудь
To eliminate	Уникнути
To fix	Налаштовувати, регулювати, ремонтувати
Amazingly	Дивовижно, дуже, надто

Reading

Task 1. Read the text and get its general idea

Today computers are everywhere. When they came in use it was fashionable to talk of them as ‘electronic brains’, but it is safer to think of them as ‘high-speed morons’. They will do the wrong thing as readily as the right, introduce error where there was none and do the stupid as readily as the seemingly intelligent.

1______________________________________________________________. People must supply these things and monitor what the machines do at all time, and these people are programmers. I think a programmer is the main figure today because a computer without a program is just a heap of metal, and can you imagine our lives today without a computer?

Programmers write programs using special languages called programming languages.

2______________________________________________________________. Their first task is usually to analyze the problem, so that they can design a system to deal with it. When they have designed a code for a system and tested it, they then have to create documentation, that is, notes which explain the structure and logical steps of the program for future users and trainers. They have to be involved in the initial training of users, so that they can make changes to the program according to information obtained from the users.

3______________________________________________________________. Flowcharts have arrowheads to indicate the direction of program flow and special symbols to indicate different functions in the program.

It is very difficult to write a program without any faults. The errors, or bugs as they are commonly known, can be caused by a number of factors, and programs usually have to be debugged, i.e. tested and altered to eliminate all the errors, before they are used.

Programming is very stressful. Programmers are often asked to fix something on the network so that gives them a break.

4_________________________________________________. It’s impossible.

5______________________________________________________________.Computer magazines and the Internet are good for finding out what’s new on the scene, and this takes up your free time as well as work time, but you enjoy it, especially at the end of the day when things are beginning to go well.

Task 2. Read the text again. Fill the gaps in it with a sentence or phrase from the list A-G below

1. They sometimes use diagrams, called flowcharts, to show the sequence of logical steps in a program.

2. They are ignorant of right or wrong, good or bad, accurate or inaccurate.

3. Things in computing are changing amazingly quickly so it’s vital to keep up.

4. They often do some systems analysis as well as writing the program code.

5. They never spend a whole day programming.

Task 3. Answer the following questions

1. What were the first computers compared with?

2. Why is it safer to think of computers as high-speed morons?

3. Why is a job of a programmer so important today?

4. What are the main stages in program writing?

5. What are the ways to keep up with new developments in computing?

Speaking

Give the reasons behind your decision to become a programmer

Unit 11