Past continuous vs. Past simple

Past Continuous	Past Simple
We use it for an incomplete or continuing action in the past	We use it for a single and complete action in the past
We use it for an interrupted action in the past	We use it to say that one thing happened after another.
We use it for repeated actions in the past(with always)	We use it to talk about past habits or regular actions in the past
We use it to describe a background scene	We use it to describe past events and actions

Exercise 3. Complete the sentences with the Past Continuous or the Past Simple.

Example: We were having (have) dinner when a friend of ours arrived(arrive).

1. Roy ______(see)Alice and Tina when he ________(go) to work this morning.

2. I________(break) a cup last night. I_______(do) the washing-up when it______(slip) out of my hand.

3. We ____(not/go) out because it__________(rain)

4. It _____(be) midnight. We______(drive) home.

5. Christopher Columbus _______(sail) in the Santa Maria when he_______(discover) America.

Unit IV computer Lesson 1

ACTIVE VOCABULARY

Give if possible definitions of the following words and word combinations and try to pronounce them correctly:

Computer science, computation, abacus (pl abaci), circa, BCE, to employ, to refer to, to perform, gradually, onset, digital, value, to store, analog, logical, purely, to invent, Turing machine, to evolve, Turing test, to run.

READING TEXT

Read the following text:

HISTORY OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

The earliest known tool for use in computation was the abacus, and it was thought to have been invented in Babylon circa 2400 BCE. Its original style of usage was by lines drawn in sand with pebbles. Abaci, of a more modern design, are still used as calculation tools today.

Before the 1920s, computers were human clerks that performed computations. Many thousands of computers were employed in commerce, government, and research establishments.

After the 1920s, the expression computing machine referred to any machine that performed the work of a human computer.

The phrase computing machine gradually gave away, after the late 1940s, to just computer as the onset of electronic digital machinery became common.

Since the values stored by digital machines were not bound to physical properties like analog devices, a logical computer, based on digital equipment, was able to do anything that could be described "purely mechanical." Alan Turing, known as the Father of Computer Science, invented such a logical computer known as the Turing Machine, which later evolved into the modern computer. These new computers were also able to perform non-numeric computations, like music.

In 1948, the first practical computer that could run stored programs, based on the Turing machine model, had been built – the Manchester Baby.

Wikipedia

READING COMPREHENSION

I. Fill in the blanks with suitable words.

• Many thousands of computers were ………………….. in different spheres of people’s life.

• Human clerks that performed computations were called ……………...

• The original style of abacus, the earliest known tool for use in computation, has been ………………….. circa 2400 BCE.

II. Given below are certain statements. Write ‘T’ against true statements and ‘F’ against false statements.

• Alan Turing is known as the Father of such a logical computer known as the Manchester Baby.

• A logical computer was able to do anything that could be described "purely mechanical".

• The earliest known tool for use in computation was the wheel.

• The phrase computing machine gradually gave away, after the late 1940s.

• The first practical computer that could run stored programs appeared in 1948.

Speaking practice

Discuss the topic “COMPUTERS” with your partner using newly learnt words: the periods of computer science development and the role of computers in our century.

Writing practice

I. Compose sentences as many as you can, using the following words and discuss them with your partner:

Computer, invention, to load, program, microprocessor, to contribute.

II. Read the paragraph as many times as you can in 4 minutes. Then entitle it and tell your partner as much info as you can remember without looking into the text.

By 1987 the computer market on American campuses was thriving. Sales people from all the personal computer companies were actively pursuing the business of college administrators, professors and officials. They were selling computers less than half price and were adding attractive bonuses such as free software and support services. They were willing to venture a great deal of time and money in this market because they foresaw that it would thrive for a long time. There are 14 million people who provide or receive education on campuses, including 12.5 million new freshmen every year. Students who also buy computers are likely to become lifetime customers who may enter business after graduation and influence corporate buying decisions.

Wikipedia

Homework

Study new vocabulary.