Active Vocabulary

a control unit	electric processes
advantage	fulfill the tasks
an arithmetic unit for performing calculations	general-purpose computers
apparatus	input devices
arithmetic problems	memory
brains	navigate
calculations	output devices
complicated problem	peripherals
constant speed	special-purpose computers
counting machine	specific problems

2. Answer the following questions:

1. What is an automatic computer?

2. What are the most important parts of a general purpose computer?

3. What kinds of computers are there?

4. Why do we call the computer the general purpose machine?

5. Could you name several advantages in making computers as small as one can?

6. The input and output devices are called peripherals, aren’t they?

7. Why have computers become popular?

Reconstruct the text “Computers” into a dialogue.

The main rules governing a conversation in English:

The person who asks questions in a conversation usually controls it. Personal questions should be expressed tactfully.

Excuse me for asking.

I hope you don’t mind asking, but I’d like to know more about …

Could you tell me a bit more about …?

Sorry, I don’t quite understand.

What (exactly) do you mean?

Can you explain it in more detail, please?

Excuse me. Can I interrupt you for a moment?

Hold on, please.

Just a moment, please.

Don’t you agree that …

Sorry, could you say that again (please)?

Sorry, could you repeat that?

Oh, you know what I mean.

Can you guess what I said, etc.

Sure. I know. I see. Really. Right.

Fine. OK. Well. Exactly so. Quite.

That’s a very interesting question.

Well, let me see …

Excuse me, I’m afraid I have to be going now. It was really a pleasure to talk to you.

That’s very interesting, but I don’t think it’s really to the point.

4. Annotate the text in English. Use the phrases:

a) The title of the article is...
It is written by prof... and published in London in the
journal..., No.3, vol.4, 2011	on pp.3-10
magazine..., No.3, vol.4, 2011
collection of articles ... by... editorial house in 2011
book ... by... editorial house in 2011
b) The article... by prof... is published in the journal..., in N.Y., pp.5-10.

II.

a) The article	deals with	the problem of ...
	discusses
	touches
	discloses
	is devoted to
The text tells us about ...

b) Disclosing the problem the author dwells on (upon) such matters as...
The major	points
	matters	of the text are the following: ...
	problems
	issues
c) The author	pays special attention to …
	draws readers’ attention to …
Much	attention is paid to...
Great
Special

The author	concentrates on, focuses on
	stresses, underlines, emphasises
	points out
	dwells on (upon)
	distinguishes between
	speaks in details
	gives the classification

III.

a) As far as I am an expert in ... I
consider	the article to be of some (great) interest for …
believe
suppose
think
guess

b)	In my opinion	the article is of	great some	interest for
	From my point of view
	To my mind

	the students in applied science
	the specialists in...
	a wide range of readers

Discuss the statements given below. It is advisable that the group be divided into two parties, each party choosing one of the statements and working on them independently. Seek your own sources of information.

1. The history of computation and computing devices: finger reckoning → the abacus → early computers → current microcomputers and supercomputers.

2. Calculations which might take a lifetime can now be completed in hours, or even minutes, is it really the case?

Читайте також:

<== попередня сторінка	\|	наступна сторінка ==>
Computers	\|	Writing

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