II Reading and comprehension.

Ex. 2 Read and translate the text

Understanding the computer

1. When you hear the word computer, what’s the first thing you think of? A small desktop machine that hooks up to a television set? Or maybe you think of a huge metal box with blinking lights, like the computers shown in many science-fiction movies. Maybe you think of video games with colorful graphics, and loud sound effects.

2. Computers create different images in our minds, some good, some not so good. When a computer helps us perform a task more easily or quickly, we smile and say, “Aren’t they great!” But when a department store computer sends us a bill for an item we didn’t buy, we groan and complain that computers are driving us crazy. Well, few things in life are all good or all bad, computers included.

3. The pieces of information that a computer processes — numbers, words, facts — are called data. Data is a general term that may refer to anything from sports statistics (numbers) to a list of the top records (words) for the last five years.

4. Data is actually the plural form of the word datum. Datum comes from Latin and originally meant “something given.” However, you’ll rarely hear anyone refer to “one datum.” In fact, the word data has become so much more common that it’s now treated as either singular or plural, as in: “Medical data is/are kept in the patient’s file.”

5. When computers sort, add, rearrange, or otherwise manipulate information, that’s called data processing. Many large businesses have a special data-processing department set up to handle information, keep records and take care of accounting. Such a department may contain millions of dollars’ worth of computer equipment.

6. Computers have memory. Their memory is electronic. They store data in electronic circuits. The data stored in a computer’s memory can be recalled, erased or changed.

7. A microprocessor “brain” and electronic memory are the two most impor­tant parts of a computer. Working together, they enable the computer to use data that it receives. If the computer couldn’t remember numbers or letters, it wouldn’t be able to process them, just as you couldn’t form words if you couldn’t remember, the letters of the alphabet.

Ex. 3 Find where the text describes the following. Put down the number of the paragraph:

1. Computers create good and bad things.

2. Computer’s memory.

3. Іnformation that is processed by а computer.

4. The two most important parts of the computer

Ex. 4 Find the synonyms to the following words in the text:

1. big (1) 4. figures (3)

2. make (2) 5. process (5)

3. fast (2) 6. save (6)

Ex. 5 Find the terms in the text which describe the following. Put down the number of the paragraph:

a. the part of the computer where information is stored

b. to remove something quickly

c. an electronic machine that can store information

d. to deal with information on a computer

e. numbers, words, facts

Ex.6. Say if the following statements are true or false and find them in the text:

1. Computers create only good images in our mind.

2. The pieces of information that a computer processes — numbers, words, facts — are called data.

3. When computers sort, add, rearrange, or otherwise manipulate information, that’s called data multiplication.

4. Computers have iron memory.

5. The data stored in a computer’s memory can be recalled, erased or changed.

Ex. 7 Answer the following questions. Find answers in the text. Put down the number of the paragraph:

1. What is called data?

2. Where does word Datum come from?

3. What is called data processing?

4. Where does computer store data?

5. What are the most important parts of a computer?