Тема 1 Життя в цифровому світі - part 2

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COMPUTER USERS (part 2)

It is also possible to build all the main parts of a computer into one electronic integrated circuit packaged as a single electronic chip. This enables computers to be built into other devices including household devices such as washing machines and fridges and to be incorporated into plastic cards i.e. smart cards, which are able to store information such as health records, drivers' licences, bank balances, etc. Devices that include a computer circuit are commonly referred to as smart devices. A multimedia computer can process different forms of data including text, graphics, audio (sound), animation and video. This enables computer systems to be used for a combination of education and entertainment, sometimes referred to as edutainment.

Unlike most machines, computers do not have a fixed purpose. They are multi-purpose tools. They can be used in a very wide variety of situations and are found in a wide range of systems including security systems, cars and phones. Advanced systems, known as expert systems, enable computers to 'think' like experts. Medical expert systems, for example, can help doctors diagnose an illness and decide on the best treatment. As computer systems are developed, they are becoming more common and are gradually being used for more and more purposes. How they are developed, and for what purposes they are actually used in the future, can be influenced by computer users. A variety of devices known as peripherals can be added externally to a computer. One of the most common peripherals is a printer used for printing the computer output (the processed data or signals that come out of a computer system) on paper. A digital camera allows photographs to be input to a computer for editing.

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Active words: specifications / software / peripherals / portable / speed / the performance / hardware / CPU / data / size;

THE COMPUTER

The parts of a computer you can touch, such as the monitor or the Central Processing Unit (CPU) are (1) … . All hardware except the CPU and the working memory are called (2) … . Computer programs are (3) … . The operating system (OS) is software that controls the hardware. Most computers run the Microsoft Windows OS.

The (4) … controls how fast the computer processes data, or information. We measure its (5) … in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). The higher the speed of the CPU, the faster the computer will run.

We measure the Random Access Memory (RAM) of the computer in megabytes. RAM controls (6) … of the computer when it is working and moves (7) … to and from the CPU. Programs with a lot of graphics need a large RAM to run. The hard disk stores data and software programs. We measure the (8) … of the hard disk in gigabytes.

Computer technology changes fast, but a desktop PC usually has a tower, a separate monitor, a keyboard and a mouse. The CPU, modem, CD-ROM disk drive are usually inside the tower. A notebook is a (9) … computer with all these components inside one small unit. Notebooks have a screen, not a monitor, and are usually more expensive than desktops with similar (10) …

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COMMON PREFIXES

We can form new words by using prefixes and suffixes, e.g. micro-process-or (prefix + root + suffix). Prefixes come before the root word and usually change its meaning. Here are some common ones in ICT.

Negative prefixes meaning 'not':

non- : Non-volatile memory retains its content when the power is turned off.

un- : An unformatted disk has not been 'initialized'; it doesn't allow data to be stored.

Prefixes of location:

trans- (= across): Data transmission can be wired or wireless.

inter- (= between): The Internet consists of millions of computers interconnected in a global network.

intra- (= within): An intranet is a private network, restricted to a company's internal use.

extra- (= outside, in addition to): An extranet links a company with its customers and suppliers.

tele- (= over a distance): Teleconferencing enables users in different places to talk to and see each other.

Prefixes of size:

super- (= large, better): A supersite offers links to other websites on a certain topic.

semi- (= half, partly): A semiconductor is neither a good conductor nor a good insulator (e.g. silicon, used to make computer chips).

micro- (= small): A microbrowser is designed to display web pages on PDAs and mobiles.

Prefixes of size are also used in units of memory like megabyte and gigabyte.

Another common prefix is re- in words like reprint, rewritable and reboot (to start the computer again.)

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1. Medical researchers in many countries exchange information through email and … . 2. … memory (e.g. ROM or flash memory) is able to hold data when switched off. 3. Blogs and web portals are examples of … ; they offer news, opinions and web links. 4. … are used for making integrated circuits and computers. 5. I'll post the agenda for next week's meeting on the company's … . 6. A home network is two or more computers … to form a local area network. 7. … : a disk that is completely blank, so information can't be recorded onto it. 8. … : a network that allows communication between a company and the people it deals with. 9. … : the process of sending data over a communication channel. 10. … : to restart the computer, without switching it off completely. 11. … : a web browser designed for small screens on hand-held devices.