Lesson 3

The lesson plan

1. Lead-in (5 min)

2. Active vocabulary (10 min)

3. Listening text (30 min)

4. Listening comprehension (20-25 min)

5. Homework (3 min)

LEAD-IN

Computer technology has become a major part of people’s lives. This technology has its own special words. Especially, if you want to buy a computer being a non-expert. To fully understand and appreciate the meaning of special computer terms, it is necessary to face with them in the real life.

Ask students to discuss what words they need know to buy a new computer. For example, a microprocessor (give them the definition of a microprocessor). Ask them to try to give definitions for these words.

A microprocessor – a single integrated circuit performing the basic functions of the central processing unit in a small computer.

A central processing unit– the part of a computer that performs logical and arithmetical operations on the data as specified in the instructions. Abbreviation: CPU.

Data (sing. datum) – the information operated on by a computer program.

Ask students to discuss the following questions:

1. Who has a computer? Is it important and why?

2. What problems did they face when they were buying their computers?

ACTIVE VOCABULARY

Ask students to give if possible definitions of the following words and word combinations and to pronounce them correctly:

pretty – quite or very

to replace– to substitute a person or thing for; put in place of

to call– to telephone (a person)

PC– personal computer

a fan– an ardent admirer of a pop star, film actor, football team, etc; a devotee of a sport, hobby, etc

fancy– superior in quality or impressive

cool – (inform.) excellent; marvelous

processor– another name for central processing unit

memory– a part of a computer in which information is stored for immediate use by the central processing unit

RAM– random access memory: semiconductor memory in which all storage locations can be rapidly accessed in the same amount of time. It forms the main memory of a computer, used by applications to perform tasks while the device is operating

CD– compact disc

DVD– digital video disk: an optical disk used to store audio, video, or computer data, esp feature films for home viewing

a monitor– the unit in a desk computer that contains the screen

a keyboard– a complete set of keys, usually hand-operated, as on a piano, typewriter, or computer

a mouse– a hand-held device used to control the cursor movement and select computing functions without keying

a speaker– a device for converting audio-frequency signals into the equivalent sound waves by means of a vibrating conical diaphragm

LISTENING TEXT

Ask students to listen the text “MAIN COMPUTER PARTS. BUYING A NEW COMPUTER” paying attention to pronunciation and to the discussed words and word combinations. Ask students to write down all explained in audio file words and word combinations.

My computer has been acting up on me. It's a pretty old model, and I need to replace it. So I decided to call up my friend Kevin to ask for his two cents. Kevin is a computer whiz. He knows PC really well since he worked on them for years, but in his heart of hearts, he is a big Mac fan. So, I thought he would be a good person to ask.

I have always used a PC. I do mostly word processing so I don't need anything fancy. But, I see people I know doing cool things with photos and video, so I would like to take a crack at some new programs in the future.

Well, I called up Kevin to tell him what I needed. He immediately started throwing out specs: "You need at least a 2 Gigahertz processor and 1 Gig of memory, and make sure it has a writable DVD drive." "Whoa," I said. "All of that is way over my head. Let's back up for a minute." Then he laughed and said he had gotten carried away. "Okay," he said. "Let's start at the beginning. Now, the processor determines how easily and how fast you can use the programs on your computer. “Got that?" I said that I did. Then he continued, "How much RAM memory you have is very important, too. Your computer will go faster the more you have. So, I recommend getting at least 1 Gigabyte of RAM memory." "I think I'm following you so far," I said. "Great," he said. Another thing you want is a drive that handles both CDs and DVDs. Some drives can just read DVDs and some can record onto blank ones. If you want to burn your own videos, you'll want a writable DVD drive. Remember though, that's just the computer itself. Don't forget that you'll need a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, and speakers."

"OK," I said. "I think I've got all that. Now, here's the burning question: Mac or PC?

He said: "Now that's a whole different thing. Do you have a couple of hours?"

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

ESL Podcast http://www.eslpod.com

Terms explanation

• to act upmeans to cause you problems. We can use this expression for a computer. We can also use it for, say, your stomach:

My stomach is acting upmeaning it’s causing me problems

or we can use it for children:

The children are acting up: they are making noise, they are causing problems.

Anything that starts to cause problems can be said to be acting up.

• the modelof a computer is sort like the type of computer. For example,

I have a Macintosh computer. The model of my computer is a PowerBook G4. Or you could have a PC computer. And the model is … The company is DELL and the model is ENSPERON.

Model is another word for type.

• to call and to call up mean the same thing.

• to give someone your two cents worthmeans to give your opinion. Sometimes it just means an opinion. Sometimes the expression is used to indicate some humility or some modesty about your opinion. For example,

Well, I don’t know for sure but here is my two cents worth and then you give your opinion.

• to be a whiz at something means to be very good at, to be an expert. Sometimes with computers we use the term geek. A computer geek is someone who is an expert at computers. However, this is often a negative term. Ti use the term “geek” can be an insult. Because it also implies that you do not have very good social skills. You don’t relate well to other people. You have problems communicating with other people. So, be careful about using the word “geek”. It’s sometimes an insult.

• the expression heart of hearts means deep down, what you really, surely believe or what you really and surely like.

I live in California but in my heart of hearts I still feel I am from Minnesotameaning that’s that is where my most strongest feelings rather lie.

• word processingis, as you probably know typing documents, letters. Microsoft Word, for example, is a word processor.

• to take a crack at somethingmeans to try something, usually something bad. Maybe you’re having difficulty with or someone else is having difficulty with. For example,

Here, let me take a crack at that television set that isn’t working.

And you are going to try, another words, to fix it. So, to take a crack at something means to try something.

• to throw out something, in this context, means to give someone information.

He started throwing out information.

usually means

He is giving us information very fast, very quickly.

That phrase “to throw out” also means to put in the garbage, to give read off. Throw out and throw away are used for garbage and for junk or trash. But here to throw out means to give to another person information very quickly.

• specsare specifications. The specs of a computer are its processor speed, its RAM, its hard drive, and how big the hard drive is. All of these are specifications. And the word we use sometimes informally is specs.

• a writable drivefor computers is a drive that you can make a disc on, such as a CD or in this case a DVD. Some DVDs are R-O-M or ROM meaning you can only read a disc. You can’t make a disc. A writable disc is one you can make a disc on.

• to be over your headmeans to be too difficult. Something you don’t understand is way over your head.

• to back upphysically means to go backwards, to move backwards. But here to back up means to go over it again, to go back to a certain point and start over again.

• to be carried awaymeans you get so excited and so interested in something that you begin to talk too fast or start talking over someone’s head, that is when you get carried away. Anytime you get very excited, too excited that it starts to cause problems is getting carried away.

• “Get that?”This is an informal of saying “Do you understand that?” You can respond by saying “Yes, I get it.” meaning “I understand it.”

• to follow someonehas two meanings. Physically it means to go behind someone to walk or drive behind someone. But here it means to understand. “Do you follow me?” means “Do you understand me?”

• a blank CD or a blank DVDis an empty DVD. A CD or DVD or cassette can all be blank. Sometimes we use the expression “my mind is blank” meaning “I forgot something. It escaped, it’s empty. My mind is empty.” That’s the expression.

• to burn something, a DVD or CD, as many of you know, means to record something. It’s the same as to write something to a DVD or to write something to a CD means to record it, to burn it.

• a burning questionis a question that is very important, that is extremely interesting. It is not related to the term burn in a sense that it’s hot. A burning question means that it’s a very important question.

• a whole different thingmeaning it’s a completely different topic that would require much more explanation.

Ask students to listen to the audio file once more and check their notes.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

I. Ask students to read aloud explanations of words and word combinations which they have written listening to the audio text.

II. General understanding. Ask students to answer the questions to text.

• What happened with the computer of the main character?

• Whose help did she ask?

• What does she use her computer for?

• What is she going to try with her new computer in future?

• What computer specifications did her friend list?

• What did he say about her last question whether to choose PC or Mac?

III. Ask students to try to tell a story about the buying of a new computer by the main character.

Homework

Ask students to refresh vocabulary from the first two lessons of the section.

Ask students to refresh grammar information about the Present Perfect Tense.

Ask students to study this lesson new vocabulary.

Ask students to compose a story about the problems they’ve faced buying a new computer.