Unit 12

Information technology

Section A. Your task: Read the text. Copy out words pertaining to the field Information technology to start forming your own glossary on the topic. Answer the questions below. Be prepared to produce a sight translation in class.

Give a summary translation of the text basing upon the questions.

New Concepts

The microchip revolution* is having a huge impact on modern business. While the advent of completely automated (robotized*) production systems is producing legions of unemployed workers, people at work are most likely to come into contact with microelectronics through the medium of «information technology».

Information technology (IT) covers a wide range of operations based on a combination of computing and telecommunications techniques. It includes the compilation of information in the form of data banks and the material, which may be textual, numeric, pictorial or even vocal can be processed and stored until retrieval* is required.

In the past, information management involved massive dependence on paper, but today tiny electronic pulses are stored on floppy disks. Although modern disks have an incredible capacity, newer and even more compact devices are being developed.

The earliest forms of computers were so-called mainframe computers, programmed electronic machines capable of processing almost limitless amounts of routine data and making complex calculations repetitively, speedily and accurately.

Microelectronics involves the design, application and production of very small electronic devices containing many miniaturised components. Microcomputers are obviously much smaller in size than the mainframe computers. They are also cheaper and more flexible in operation. A substantial range of software programs are on offer to perform many of the key office functions such as accounting, stock control and word processing.

The other branch of information technology is telecommunications, which covers the transmission of information by electronic cables (telephone and telegraph) or radio waves. Fibre optics (very fine strands of glass) transmitting high speed pulses of light are replacing the old-fashioned, conventional copper cables and allow many thousands more telephone calls to be made. Using microwave transmissions, static space satellites are also revolutionising international communication.

Perhaps the example of the new concepts with which we are most familiar is the infra-red system which we use to operate our television sets by remote control.

Questions

1. What benefits as an individual do you expect from the increasing use of computers in our society?

2. What do you see as the major problem arising from the increasing use of computers?

For example, do you think they depersonalise work? What dangers do you see with respect to possible computer frauds? Do you see any military implications?

3. Do you think the microchip revolution has created unemployment? If so, what do you see as the answer to the problem? Shorter working weeks? Work sharing? Earlier retirement?

4. How do you think satellite communications can be useful to:

• multinational corporations

• companies providing information on world events for newspapers and television news and entertainment?

Section B. Sight translation

Translate the texts. Pay special attention at translating abbreviations and precise information.

After translating Text 1 complete the following list, naming advantages and disadvantages for cashless shopping.

Text 1