Hints on writing business letters

УДК 811.111 (075.8)

ББК Ш 143.21-923

АЗ: Б 891

Е.Г. Брунова IT World. Учебно-методическое пособие по английскому языку для студентов Института математики и компьютерных наук. Тюмень: Издательство Тюменского государственного университета, 2009. – 84 с.

Пособие предназначено для профессионально ориентированного обучения английскому языку студентов 2 курса математических и компьютерных специальностей и направлений. Основная цель пособия – развитие навыков устной и письменной речи, а также перевода с английского языка на русский. Пособие построено с учетом требований Федерального Интернет-экзамена по английскому языку.

Рекомендовано к изданию кафедрой иностранных языков естественных факультетов. Утверждено проректором по учебной работе Тюменского государственного университета.

ОТВЕТСТВЕННЫЙ РЕДАКТОР: Е.Г. Брунова, доктор филол. наук,

профессор кафедры иностранных языков естественных факультетов ТюмГУ

РЕЦЕНЗЕНТЫ: Л.В. Скороходова, старший преподаватель кафедры иностранных языков естественных факультетов ТюмГУ

С.Н. Бронникова, канд. филол. наук, профессор кафедры лексики английского языка факультета иностранных языков Московского педагогического государственного университета

© ГОУ ВПО Тюменский государственный университет, 2009.

© Е.Г. Брунова, 2009.

Contents

Unit 1. Personal Computing. Reading about the history of PC industry; processors and memory. Writing a business letter and a CV. Discussing printers and problems with hardware and software. Humour: Gigabytes Song…………………………………………………..
Unit 2. Gadgets. Reading about technical toys; mobile phone networks; electronic payments; virtual reality. Writing a memo and a business letter. Discussing mobile phones and other gadgets. Humour: How to Spot a Computer Science Student……………….
Unit 3. Computer Software. Reading about software, the control panel, information systems. Distinguishing between different documents. Discussing software products. Humor: Error Messages…………………………………………………………………….
Unit 4. Networks. Reading about computer networks; the OSI reference model; network topologies; the Web and the Internet, a contract, payment and prices. Distinguishing between different documents. Discussing careers in IT. Humor: If a packet hits a pocket……………………………………………………………………….
Unit 5. Information Security. Reading about Internet firewalls, types of web-attackers, viruses and malware. Distinguishing between different documents. Discussing home computer security, hacker’s ethics. Humor: Virus Alert……………………………………………….…
Appendix. Confusable Words……………………………………………..
Bibliography………………………………………………………………….
Recommended Web-Sources……………………………………………..

ПОЯСНИТЕЛЬНАЯ ЗАПИСКА

Учебно-методическое пособие предназначается для студентов 2 курса математических и компьютерных специальностей и направлений. Пособие рекомендуется для аудиторной и самостоятельной работы при изучении дисциплины: «Иностранный язык (английский)».

Основная цель пособия – развитие навыков профессиональной коммуникации. Пособие построено с учетом требований Федерального Интернет-экзамена по английскому языку, что позволяет использовать его для подготовки по таким аспектам экзамена, как «Лексика», «Чтение» и «Письмо».

При выборе языкового материала для упражнений и текстов использовались аутентичные материалы, отражающие современные тенденции в области информационных технологий.

Пособие состоит из пяти разделов («Персональные компьютеры», «Технические новинки», «Программное обеспечение», «Сети передачи данных», «Информационная безопасность»), приложения, библиографии и списка рекомендованных веб-ресурсов. Каждый из разделов включает перечень специальной лексики с переводом, текст для чтения, задания на понимание текста и усвоение лексических единиц, тексты для письменного перевода на русский язык, упражнения по практике устной и письменной речи, а также юмористические материалы компьютерной тематики (стихотворения, пародии, анекдоты). Приложение включает перечень «похожих» слов с переводом.

Упражнения по развитию навыков письменной речи позволяют студентам ознакомиться с особенностями составления деловых писем, служебных записок, контрактов и резюме.

Unit 1. Personal Computing

Reading and Vocabulary

1) advantage (N) – преимущество

2) assemble (V) – собирать, assemblage (N) – сборка, монтаж

3) back (V) – поддерживать, субсидировать; back up (V) – дублировать, резервировать

4) binary (A) – двоичный

5) bus (N) – шина

6) capacity (N) – емкость, мощность

7) capital (N) – капитал; capitalize (V) – использовать для своей выгоды

8) circuit (N) – сеть, система, цепь; circuitry (N) – схема, плата

9) compatible (A) – совместимый

10) compete (V) – конкурировать

11) curriculum vitae, CV – жизнеописание, биография, резюме

12) desktop – настольный; desktop publishing, DTP – настольная издательская система

13) develop (V) – разрабатывать

14) device (N) – устройство

15) digit (N) – цифра; digital (A) – цифровой

16) draft (A) – черновой

17) dual core – двухъядерный

18) environment (N) – среда (разработки)

19) external (A) – внешний

20) feasible (A) – осуществимый, возможный, доступный

21) hardware (N) – аппаратное обеспечение

22) inkjet printer – струйный принтер

23) input / output – ввод / вывод

24) internal (A) – внутренний

25) kit (N) – набор, комплект

26) landscape orientation – альбомная ориентация (страницы)

27) lay out (V) – размечать, layout (N) – разметка

28) manufacture (V) – производить

29) network (N) – сеть

30) portable (A) – переносной

31) portrait orientation – книжная ориентация (страницы)

32) process (V) – обрабатывать

33) proliferate (V) – расти, распространяться

34) pull-down menu – всплывающее меню

35) purchase (V) – приобретать

36) rival (N) – соперник, конкурент

37) routine (A) – текущий

38) run (V) – работать

39) scale (N) – шкала, масштаб

40) semiconductor (N) – полупроводник

41) share (V) – совместно использовать

42) software (N) – программное обеспечение

43) still (A) – неподвижный

44) store (V) – хранить; storage (N) – хранилище

45) upgrade (V) – совершенствовать

46) various (A) – различный

 

Task 1. Answer the questions.

1) Have you got a PC at home? Is it a desktop, or a notebook?

2) Do you have an opportunity to use a PC at university?

3) Where do you prefer to use a computer, at home or at university? Why?

4) What do you use a PC for?

 

Task 2. Read the text and match each highlighted word with its correct definition.

A) A display format that allows the user to select commands, call up files, start programs, and do other routine tasks by using a device called a mouse to point to pictorial symbols (icons) or lists of menu choices on the screen.

B) A semiconductor chip that contains all the arithmetic, logic, and control circuitry needed to perform the functions of a computer's central processing unit.

D) Various devices used to enter information and instructions into a computer and to deliver processed data to a human operator.

E) The generic term for any microcomputer that is designed to be carried around.

F) The use of a computer system to perform many of the functions of a printing shop, including page layout and design, choice of fonts, and the inclusion of illustrations.

G) A type of microcomputer designed for use by only one person at a time.

H) The ability to address a given quantity of data held in memory storage.

 

1) Personal computers generally are low-cost machines that can perform most of the functions of larger computers but use software oriented toward easy, single-user applications. A typical personal computer (1) assemblage consists of a central processing unit; primary, or internal, memory, consisting of hard magnetic disks and a disk drive; various input/output devices (2), including a display screen (cathode-ray tube), keyboard and mouse, modem, and printer; and secondary, or external, memory, usually in the form of floppy disks or CD-ROMs (compact disc read-only memory).

2) Computers small and inexpensive enough to be purchased by individuals for use in their homes first became feasible in the 1970s, when large-scale integration made it possible to construct a sufficiently powerful microprocessor on a single semiconductor chip. A small firm named MITS made the first personal computer, the Altair. This computer, which used the Intel Corporation's 8080 microprocessor, was developed in 1974. Though the Altair was popular among computer hobbyists, its commercial appeal was limited, since purchasers had to assemble the machine from a kit. The personal computer industry truly began in 1977, when Apple Computer, Inc., founded by Steven P. Jobs and Stephen G. Wozniak, introduced the Apple II, one of the first pre-assembled, mass-produced personal computers. Radio Shack and Commodore Business Machines also introduced personal computers that year. These machines used 8-bit microprocessors (3), which process information in groups of 8 bits, or binary digits, at a time and possessed rather limited memory capacity. But because personal computers were much less expensive than mainframes, they could be purchased by individuals, small and medium-sized businesses, and primary and secondary schools.

3) The IBM Corporation, the world's dominant computer maker, did not enter the new market until 1981, when it introduced the IBM Personal Computer, or IBM PC. The IBM PC was only slightly faster than rival machines, but it had about 10 times their memory capacity (4), and it was backed by IBM's large sales organization. The IBM PC became the world's most popular personal computer, and both its microprocessor, the Intel 8088, and its operating system, which was adapted from the Microsoft Corporation's MS-DOS system, became industry standards. Rival machines that used Intel microprocessors and MS-DOS became known as “IBM compatibles” if they tried to compete with IBM on the basis of additional computing power or memory and “IBM clones” if they competed simply on the basis of low price.

4) In 1983 Apple introduced Lisa, a personal computer with a GUI, graphical user interface (5), to perform routine operations. This type of format had certain advantages over interfaces in which the user typed text- or character-based commands on a keyboard to perform routine tasks. A GUI's windows, pull-down menus, dialog boxes, and other controlling mechanisms could be used in new programs and applications in a standardized way, so that common tasks were always performed in the same manner. The Lisa's GUI became the basis of Apple's Macintosh personal computer, which was introduced in 1984 and proved extremely successful. The Macintosh was particularly useful for DTP, desktop publishing (6) because it could lay out text and graphics on the display screen as they would appear on the printed page. The Macintosh's graphical interface style was widely adapted by other manufacturers of personal computers and PC software. In 1985 the Microsoft Corporation introduced Microsoft Windows, a graphical user interface that gave MS-DOS-based computers many of the same capabilities of the Macintosh. Windows became the dominant operating environment for personal computers. These advances in software and operating systems were matched by the development of microprocessors containing ever-greater numbers of circuits, with resulting increases in the processing speed and power of personal computers.

5) By 1990 some personal computers had become small enough to be completely portable (7); they included laptop computers, which could rest in one's lap; notebook computers, which were about the size of a notebook; and pocket, or palm-sized, computers, which could be held in one's hand. At the high end of the PC market, multimedia personal computers equipped with CD-ROM players and digital sound systems allowed users to handle animated images and sound (in addition to text and still images) that were stored on high-capacityCD-ROMs. Personal computers were increasingly interconnected with each other and with larger computers in networks for the purpose of gathering, sending, and sharing information electronically. The uses of personal computers continued to multiply as the machines became more powerful and their application software proliferated.

 

Task 3. Answer these questions about the text.

1) What parts does a typical PC include?

2) What company was the first to introduce a PC?

3) When did the PC industry begin?

4) What is the difference between “IBM compatibles” and “IBM clones”?

Task 4. Decide if the statement is true, false or there is no information

in the text.

1) The first personal computer was developed by IBM Corporation, the world’s dominant computer maker.

2) The widespread availability of computers has in all probability changed the world for ever.

3) The first IBM PC was nearly as fast as rival machines.

4) The IBM PC is particularly useful for desktop publishing.

5) The price of a desktop PC is not much higher than that of a portable computer.

 

Task 5. Using the paragraph number references given, look back in the text and find words that have a similar meaning to.

1) cheap (1) 2) bought (2) 3) mount (2) 4) benefits (4)

5) prevailing (4) 6) growth (4) 7) comprised (5)

 

Task 6. Using the paragraph number references given, look back in the text and find the reference for the words in italics.

1) … that can perform most of the functions (1).

2) … which used the Intel Corporation's 8080 microprocessor (2).

3) … they could be purchased by individuals (2).

4) but … it had about 10 times their memory capacity (3).

5) in … which the user typed text- or character-based commands (4).

6) because … it could lay out text and graphics (4).

7) and … their application software proliferated (5).

 

Task 7. Choose the correct words.

1) To turn on the computer, __________ the "Start" button.

a. touch b. press c. switch

2) The printer has __________ of ink.

a. finished b. ended c. run out

3) Unfortunately, my scanner isn't __________ at the moment.

a. working b. going c. doing

4) ______ any key to continue.

a. Kick b. Smash c. Hit

5) The projector isn't working because it isn't __________.

a. plugged b. plugged in c. plugged into

6) The mouse moves on a __________.

a. mouse mat b. mouse carpet c. mouse table

7) TV and computer screens are usually measured in __________.

a. feet b. miles c. inches

8) Oh dear! I pressed the __________ button.

a. incorrect b. wrong c. false

9) I can't use my mobile phone. The battery's __________.

a. over b. flat c. exhausted

10) Keeping files on a computer database is a __________ solution.

a. new-tech b. now-tech C. high-tech

 

Writing and Translation

Task 8. Read the texts, fill in the gaps using the words below, and translate into Russian.

Processors and memory

The "brain" of a computer is the __(1)____. Most of these are made by Intel and AMD, and are sometimes referred to as "___(2)___". The fastest processors are ____(3)____, which means that there are two processors working together. The ____(4)_____ of a processor is measured in ___(5)__, which is usually written as MHz. A computer's memory is measured in ___(6)___. The processor and memory modules are located on the ____(7)___. Changing a computer's processor is not generally practical, but the memory can usually be ____(8)__.

chips dual core megabytes megahertz

motherboard processor speed upgraded

Structure of the processor

The processor consists of a ___(1)__, which is a circuit board on which are mounted ___(2)_, memory chips, and other components linked together by __(3)_ lines or channels in the form of control, address, and data __(4)_. In addition, a processor has ___(5)___, which are electronic circuits providing specialized functions such as graphics, or which connect a system board to __(6)_ The system board also consists of electronic devices, such as an electronic ___(7)__ for controlling the speed of operation; ___(8)__, which store numeric data during the course of processing; and various __(9)__ including sequence control register, address register, and function register.

adaptor boards registers microprocessor

clock conductive buses

system board accumulators input or output devices

 

Task 9. Make the written translation into Russian (2,000 characters).

The history of the multi-billion dollar PC industry has been the hisrory of mistakes. Xerox Corporation funded the initial research on personal computers in their Palo Alto laboratory in California. However, the company failed to capitalize on this work, and the ideas that they put together went into the operating system developed for Apple's computers. This was a graphical interface: using a mouse, the user clicks on icons which represent the function to be performed.

The first IBM PC was developed using existing available electrical components. With IBM's badge on the box it became the standard machine for large corporations to purchase. When IBM were looking for an operating system, they went initially to Digital Research, who were market leaders in command-based operating systems (these are operating systems in which the users type in commands to perform a function). When the collaboration between IBM and Digital Research failed, IBM turned to Bill Gates, then 25 years old, to write their operating system. Bill Gates founded Microsoft on the basis of the development of MS/DOS, the initial operating system for the IBM PC. Digital Research have continued to develop their operating system, DR/DOS, and it is considered by many people to be a better product than Microsoft's. However, without an endorsement from IBM, it has become a minor player in the market. Novell, the leaders in PC networking, now own Digital Research, so things may change.

The widespread availability of computers has in all probability changed the world for ever. The microchip technologywhich made the PC possible has put chips not only into computers, but also into washing-machines and cars. Some books may never be published in paper form, but may only be made available as part of public databases. Networks of computers are already being used to make information available on a world-wide scale.

 

Task 10. True or false? Read the text and check your answers.

1) On unheaded notepaper, you should always write your name above your address.

2) On unheaded notepaper, the address of the sender is on the right.

3) Our ref. refers to the writer's filing system.

4) In the UK, the date 2/4/09 means February 4th, 2009.

5) You should always write the name and position of the person you are writing to above his/her company address.

6) You use the salutation Dear Sir or Dear Madam when you know that the person you are writing to is older or more senior than you.

7) If you begin with Dear Sir, you end with Yours faithfully.

8) The initials p.p. indicate that the person signing the letter is doing so on behalf of someone else.

9) It is unusual for the writer to put his/her company position at the end of the letter.

10) In business letters, dates should appear as numbers separated by full points (.) or obliques (/).

Speaking

Task 14.

A) Which type of printer is each phrase about?

1. cheaper to buy

2. cheaper to run

3. faster printing speed

4. takes up more space

5. uses liquid ink

6. uses toner

7. more reliable

8. cartridges need changing more often

 

B) True or false?

1. Inkjet cartridges can be refilled up to three times.

2. Inkjet cartridges are very difficult to change.

3. Photo-paper is a lot more expensive than plain paper.

4. Recycled paper is made out of old bottles

5. Some inkjet printers have three print qualities: draft, normal and best.

6. Before you can use a new printer, you have to install the driver from a CD-ROM.

7. When a print job has started, it can't be cancelled.

 

С) Do you have a printer at home? Is it a laser printer or an inkjet one? Describe to your partner the characteristics of the printer you would like to use.

 

Task 15. Which do you think is the best solution for each problem? More than one solution is possible for some of problems.

1. I want to make a copy of a music CD.

2. I want to store some files. I may need to update them in the future.

3. I want to back up data on my computer. I want to update it every day.

4. My computer's having problems with reading and writing CDs.

5. I want to add 100MB of extra storage to my computer.

6. I want to give a copy of a small file to a friend. He has an old computer.

7. My computer's running slowly.

 

A. You need an external hard drive.

B. Use a CD-R.

C. Try a USB flash drive.

D. Perhaps you need a new internal CD drive.

E. Put them on a CD-RW.

F. Perhaps you need to defragment the hard drive.

G. You could put it on a floppy disk.

 

Task 16.

A. Comment on these forecasts about computing.

1. "Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons." (Popular Mechanics, 1949)

2. "There is a world market for maybe five computers." (Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943)

3. "I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year." (The editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall, 1957)

4. "But what is it good for?" (Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip)

5. "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
(Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977)

Notes: fad – причуда, кратковременное увлечение

 

B. Tell about the history of PC.

Task 17. Review crossword

Across

1. A camera connected to the Internet. (6 letters)

6. To send an SMS message. (4)

9. The most common page orientation. (8)

10. A computer's "brain". (9)

11. It prevents a computer from overheating. (3)

14. A connection without wires. (8)

15. The place where you put a plug. (6)

20. Processor speeds are measured in these. (9)

21. The cheapest type of printer. (6)

22. Lift this before you use your scanner. (3)

24. The shop assistant does this to your credit card. (5)

26. The strip on the back of a credit or debit card. (8)

Down

2. When it's dead, recharge it or replace it. (7)

3. You speak into this. (10)

4. The mouse moves on this. (3)

5. A computer, printer and scanner on a desk with a chair. (11)

7. Laser printers use this instead of ink. (5)

8. A design (for example, a type of keyboard) which is better for your body. (9)

12. An image on a screen is made up of thousands of these. (6)

13. Printers, scanners, webcams etc. (11)

16. A very large computer which never moves. (9)

17. A photo or drawing. (5)

18. You need to change or refill this when your printer runs out of ink. (9)

19. Two or more computers connected together. (7)

23. The slowest form of Internet connection. (4, 2)

26. Image resolution is usually measured in this. (3)

 

Task 18. Enjoy the poem.

Gigabytes Song

Ten little gigabytes, waiting on line

one caught a virus, then there were nine.

Nine little gigabytes, holding just the date,

someone jammed a write protect, then there were eight.

Eight little gigabytes, should have been eleven,

then they cut the budget, now there are seven.

Seven little gigabytes, involved in mathematics

stored an even larger prime, now there are six.

Six little gigabytes, working like a hive,

one died of overwork, now there are five.

Five little gigabytes, trying to add more

plugged in the wrong lead, now there are four.

Four little gigabytes, failing frequently,

one used for spare parts, now there are three.

Three little gigabytes, have too much to do

service man on holiday, now there are two.

Two little gigabytes, badly overrun,

took the work elsewhere, now just need one.

One little gigabyte, systems far too small

shut the whole thing down, now there's none at all.

Notes: to hold a date – собраться на вечеринку

prime (сокр. от prime number) – простое число

hive – улей, пчелиный рой

lead – подводящий провод

Unit 2. Gadgets

Reading and Vocabulary

1) account (N) – счет (в банке и т.п.)

2) advance (N) – аванс, in advance – заранее, авансом

3) ATM (Automatic Teller Machine) / cash dispenser / cash machine – банкомат

4) average (N) – средний

5) barcode (N) – штрих-код

6) bill (N) – счет (в ресторане, магазине и т.п.)

7) broadband (N) – широкая полоса (частот)

8) broadcast (N) – широкое вещание, широковещательный пакет

9) cash (N) – наличность

10) cell phone / cellular phone / mobile phone – сотовый / мобильный телефон

11) charge (N) – цена, плата за услуги, charge (V) – заряжать, charger (N) – зарядное устройство

12) deliver (V) – доставлять, передавать

13) dial (V) – набирать (номер)

14) duration (N) – продолжительность, длительность

15) gadget (N) – (разг.) гаджет, техническая новинка

16) item (N) – пункт, статья (в счете), единица (оборудования); itemize (V) – детализировать, распределять по статьям

17) jack (N) – гнездо, разъем

18) loyalty (N) – лояльность, преданность, приверженность

19) medium (N, pl. – media) – среда (в т.ч. передачи данных)

20) memo, memorandum (N) – служебная записка

21) pay-as-you-go – плати по пути

22) podcast (N) – подкаст (музыка или речь, преобразованные в цифровой формат для автоматической загрузки из Интернета). От англ. iPod (торговая марка) + broadcast.

23) predict (V) – предсказывать, predictive (A) – предсказательный, упреждающий

24) receipt (N) – расписка, квитанция

25) reduce (V) – уменьшать

26) retail outlet – предприятие розничной торговли

27) SIM card (Subscriber Identification Module) – сим-карта

28) SMS (Short Message Service) – СМС

29) subscribe (V) – подписываться; subscriber (N) – абонент, подписчик

30) top up (V) – пополнять (счет)

31) touch screen – сенсорный экран

32) transfer (V) – передавать

33) vendor (N) – производитель

34) wireless (A) – беспроводной

Task 1. Match the devices with the places you would find them.

1. cash dispenser / cash machine / ATM A. at a supermarket checkout

2. barcode reader B. connected to a pair of

headphones

3. magnetic strip C. in the headquarters of a

large company

4. MP3 player D. in an office, university or

copy shop

5. photocopier E. in the hands of a tourist

6. video camera F. on the back of a credit card

7. mainframe computer G. outside a bank

Task 2. Read the text and match its parts with the subheadings.

A. Flash drive D. Voice recognition software

Mobile Phone networks

In Britain there are several mobile phone __(1)__ including Vodaphone, O2, T-mobile and Orange. There are also ___(2)___ like Virgin Mobile who use the network of another company. When you buy a cell phone, you have a choice of ___(3)___. The most popular is “____(4)____”, with customers paying for their calls in advance. They can ____(5)____ their accounts in shops, over the Internet, and at cash machines. Heavy __(6)__ may prefer a ___(7)_____. They pay a fixed amount every month, but the calls are much cheaper than they are for pay-as-you-go customers. Mobile phones usually come with a ____(8)____ already ____(9)___. If you take the phone abroad, you may be able to use it on a local network. This is called “____(10)____”. It can be expensive, and it may be cheaper to buy a foreign SIM card.

contract installed operators top up

pay-as-you-go SIM card roaming

tariffs networks users

 

Task 8. Choose the correct words.

1. A laptop computer with a screen you can write on is called a _______.

A. tablet PC B. table PC C. flat screen PC

2. An image on TV or computer screen is made up of thousands of ____.

A. points B. pixels C. bits

3. You can draw directly onto a computer screen with a __________.

A. bright pen B. light pen C. pixel pen

4. A camera connected directly to the Internet is called _________.

A. an Internet camera B. a web watcher C. a webcam

5. After 6 pm, calls cost 20 p __________ minute

A. for one B. per C. each

6. You can't use a mobile in a cave because there's no __________.

A. network B. connection C. power

7. I need to charge up my mobile phone battery. Have you seen my ______?

A. charger B. recharger C. charging machine

8. When you send a text message, the __________ function can help your write it more quickly.

A. predicting text B. predictive text C. text predictor

9. In the car, it's safer to use a __________ phone.

A. handless B. no hands C. hands-free

10. If you don't want to dial a number by mistake, turn on the __________.

A. keypad locker B. keypad lock C. locker of keypad

11. Which network has the lowest __________?

A. call charges B. call costs C. call expenses

12. My pay-as-you-go account __________ is about £7.

A. balance B. level C. amount

13. My average call __________ is about two minutes.

A. time B. length C. duration

 

Task 9. Which is NOT possible to complete the sentence?

1. I'll call her on my…

A. mobile phone B. cell phone

C. moving phone D. cellular phone

2. A mobile phone can't work without a…

A. SIM card B. sim card

C. sim chip D. similar card

3. Don't forget to send me…

A. a text message B. a text

C. an SMS D. a phone message

4. When I arrive, I'll…

A. text you B. textualise you

C. send you an SMS D. send you a text

 

Task 10. Read the text and choose the correct words.

Electronic payments

EPOS (electronic point of sale) terminals are (1) cash / money registers found in retail (2) openings / outlets such as shops and restaurants. They are connected to a (3) central / centre computer, and data about (4) objects / goods and services sold is entered into the terminals via keyboards, barcode readers, (5) touch / finger screens etc. They are useful for stock management, and can produce itemized bills and (6) receipts / recipes.

EFTPOS (electronic funds transfer point of sale) can also transfer (7) cash / funds directly from the customer's bank account via a (8) debit / paying card. They are now more common than EPOS terminals.

 

Task 11. Match the plastic cards of different types with the phrases.

1. credit card A. Buy now, pay now.

2. debit card B. Buy now, pay the bank later.

3. cash card C. Buy now, pay the shop later.

4. loyalty card D. Spend, and get some money or goods

back from the shop.

5. store card E. Take money out of a cash machine.

 

Task 12. Explain the meanings of the abbreviations from Units 1 and 2.

1. DTP 2. CD-ROM 3. MS-DOS

4. GUI 5. MHz 6. SMS

7. CV 8. CD-RW 9. IT

10. ATM 11. LCD 12. SIM

Task 13. Choose the correct word to complete each sentence. You may change some words if necessary.

Writing and Translating

Task 14. Make the written translation into Russian (2,000 characters).

Virtual Reality

Computers are about to take people to places they have never been able to visit before, including the surface of other planets. Such a trip will be an illusion, but one that comes closer to real life than anything on stage or screen. Artificial worlds are being built up in a computer memory so that people can walk through at will, look around, and even touch objects. The system is called virtual reality, so called from the mathematical concept of an image that has the virtues of a real object without the substance.

A virtual reality system consists of a helmet with a colour display in front of each eye, and wide-angle lenses to cover the entire field of view and give a stereoscopic effect. The helmet contains sensors, rather like electronic compasses, to record where it is pointing. A computer calculates what the wearer should be seeing in that direction and displays it on the screen. In more advanced systems, the operator wears an electronic glove that detects exactly what the fingers are doing and transmits the information to the computer. If the user tries to pick up something, the computer will make the object follow the hand to give the illusion of carrying it.

Pads in the latest type of gloves press into the insides of the fingers and palm when an object is encountered, to create the illusion of feeling it. Complete 'exoskeletons' covering the user and allowing the computer to simulate almost anything possible in real life are being developed.

A fire-fighter in a nuclear power plant, for example, would move through a computer model wearing an exoskeleton, while a robot would move through the real thing. The computer program will be derived from the data used to design the plant in the first place.

The biggest initial market is likely to be for a new generation of video games. Such a system, called Virtuality, consists of a cockpit in which a player sits, wearing the helmet, at a set of controls that can mimic a bobsleigh, a spaceship or whatever the imagination of the games programmer can devise.

 

Task 15. Read the memo and the business letter and fill in the table.

	Formal	More friendly	Salutation used	To colleagues within the same company	To another company	Initials possible
Memo		+
Business letter

 

Memo

TO: John Jones, Sales Assistant

FROM: Kate Fitzgerald, Sales Executive

DATE: September 14, 2009

SUBJECT: Supply of 10,000 iPods

 

Please write a letter to Frith Components, 139 Giles Kemp Road, London Nl 2RR.

Say we saw the advertisement for their company in the latest issue of Electronic Engineer.

Ask if they are able to supply 10,000 ipods in November and find out what discounts they give and what their terms of payment are.

K.F.

 

Business Letter

ABC Company

16, Green Street

Liverpool, England, BZ244

 

Frith Components

139, Giles Kemp Road, London Nl 2RR.

September 14, 2009

 

SUBJECT: Supply of 10,000 iPods

Dear sirs,

We saw the advertisement for your company in the latest issue of Electronic Engineer.

We would like to know if you could supply 10,000 ipods in November for our company. Please inform us if any discounts are possible and what your terms of payment are.

Looking forward to our future cooperation,

 

Sincerely yours,

John Jones

Sales Assistant

ABC Company

Task 16. Write the answer to the letter on behalf of Frith Components.

Speaking

Task 17.

A. Use the Internet to find a new, up-to-date mobile phone. Make a list of the features it has and report back to the group.

B. Describe a gadget you have or the one you would like to have.

Task 18. Enjoy the joke. Can you add your own ideas how to spot a computer science student?

Unit 3. Computer Software

Reading and Vocabulary

1) apply (V) – применять; application (N) – приложение

2) coin (V) – создавать (новые слова или выражения)

3) comprise (V) – включать, охватывать, состоять из

4) consequence (N) – следствие, заключение

5) feature (N) – отличительная черта, свойство

6) firmware (N) – встроенные («зашитые») программы

7) implement (V) – реализовывать; implementation (N) – реализация

8) inventory (N) – запасы (на складе и т.п.)

9) maintain (V) – поддерживать, обслуживать; maintenance (N) – уход, обслуживание; maintainability (N) – ремонтопригодность

10) payroll (N) – платежная ведомость

11) perceive (V) – понимать, ощущать

12) permanent (A) – постоянный

13) rely on (V) – полагаться на; reliable (A) – надежный; reliability (N) – надежность

14) require (V) – требовать; requirement (N) – требование

15) routine (N) – стандартная программа

16) spreadsheet (N) – электронная таблица

17) succession (N) – последовательность; successive (A) – последовательный

18) temporary (A) – временный

19) word processor – текстовый процессор

Task 1. Match the descriptions on the left with these well-known applications.

1. word processor A. Adobe Photoshop

2. spreadsheet B. Internet Explorer

3. virus protection C. Microsoft Word

4. browser D. Microsoft Excel

5. image editor E. Microsoft PowerPoint

6. media player F. Dr. Web

7. e-mail software G. The Bat

8. presentation software H. Adobe PageMaker

9. graphic design software I. RealPlayer

 

Task 2. Read the text and write out the definitions of the following terms.

1) hardware

2) software program

3) system software

4) application software

5) network software

6) running (executing) a program

7) firmware

 

1) The term software is generally used for instructions that tell a computer what to do. Software comprises the entire set of programs, procedures, and routines associated with the operation of a computer system. The term was coined to differentiate these instructions from hardware – i.e., the physical components of a computer system. A set of instructions that directs a computer's hardware to perform a task is called a program, or software program.

2) The two main types of software are system software and application software. System software controls a computer's internal functioning, chiefly through an operating system, and also controls such peripherals as monitors, printers, and storage devices. Application software, by contrast, directs the computer to execute commands given by the user and may be said to include any program that processes data for a user. Application software thus includes word processors, spreadsheets, database management, inventory and payroll programs, and many other applications. A third software category is that of network software, which coordinates communication between the computers linked in a network.

3) Software is typically stored on an external long-term memory device, such as a hard drive or magnetic diskette. When the program is in use, the computer reads it from the storage device and temporarily places the instructions in random access memory (RAM). The process of storing and then performing the instructions is called running, or executing, a program. By contrast, software programs and procedures that are permanently stored in a computer's memory using a read-only memory (ROM) technology are called firmware, or hard software.

4) Computer programs, the software that is becoming an ever-larger part of the computer system, are growing more and more complicated, requiring teams of programmers and years of effort to develop. As a consequence, a new subdiscipline, software engineering, has arisen. The development of a large piece of software is perceived as an engineering task, to be approached with the same care as the construction of a skyscraper, for example, and with the same attention to cost, reliability, and maintainability of the final product.

The software-engineering process usually consists of several phases:

(1) identification and analysis of user requirements,

(2) development of system specifications (both hardware and software),

(3) software design (perhaps at several successively more detailed levels),

(4) implementation (actual coding),

(5) testing,

(6) maintenance.

 

Task 3. Answer these questions about the text.

1) What types of software do you know? Give examples of each type.

2) Where is software typically stored?

3) What are the phases of the software-engineering process?

Task 4. Decide if the statement is true, false or there is no information

in the text.

1) Software consists of programs, procedures, and the physical components of a computer system.

2) Network software is produced by multiple software houses.

3) Computer programs are getting simpler and quicker to develop.

4) Software engineering is a complicated, multiphase process.

 

Task 5. Using the paragraph number references given, look back in the text and find words that have a similar meaning to.

1) invented (1) 2) execute (1) 3) comprises (2)

4) kept (3) 5) concern (4)

 

Task 6. Using the paragraph number references given, look back in the text and find words that have an opposite meaning to.

1) integrate (1) 2) for a long term (3)

3) appeared (4) 4) simple (4)

 

Task 7. Choose the correct words.

1. Turn on your computer. It will usually take a few minutes to __________.

A. boot itself B. boot up C. get booted

2. Windows XP, Macintosh OSX and Linux are __________.

A. operating systems B. operating tools C. operators

3. On my computer, I have a picture of my cat as the __________.

A. desktop background B. desktop picture C. desktop scene

4. Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat and CorelDraw are programs or ________.

A. applicators B. appliers C. applications

5. I keep all my digital photos in a __________ called "Photos".

A. folder B. packet C. box

6. Deleted documents stay in the recycle bin until you __________ it.

A. wash B. empty C. clean

7. If I leave my computer on without using it, after a while it goes into __________ mode.

A. passive B. waiting C. standby

Task 8. Fill in the gaps using the words below.

1. I couldn't open the document you e-mailed me. I don't have Microsoft Word ____________ on my computer.

2. Click on that icon to ____________ Internet Explorer.

3. I ____________ an important document, and now I can't find it.

4. You can access all the applications on your computer from the _________.

5. It's easy to move files into a folder. You can just ____________.

6. I asked the computer to ____________ for files with "English" in the name, but it didn't find any.

7. This is a shared computer. Each user has their own ____________.

8. You can free up space on your hard drive by ____________ applications you never use.

9. If you ____________ your photos as JPEGs instead of TIFFs, you'll use a lot less memory.

drag and drop installed launch

password renamed save

search uninstalling start menu

 

Task 9. Choose the correct English equivalents for the Microsoft Word

menu items.

1. сохранить как

A) keep as B) protect as C) save like D) save as

2. править

A) edit B) correct C) check D) insert

3. вставить

A) include B) paste C) add D) fill

4. параметры страницы

A) page setup B) page parameters C) page outline D) page view

5. расстановка переносов

A) splitting B) division C) hyphenation D) spelling

6. орфография

A) writing rules B) hyphenation C) grammar D) spelling

7. вырезать

A) delete B) cut C) clear D) cancel

8. курсив

A) bold B) italic C) font D) script

9. выделить все

A) choose all B) outline all C) select all D) focus all

10. строка

A) sentence B) line C) phrase D) passage

11. верхний индекс

A) top index B) superscript C) top mark D) high index

12. поля (страницы)

A) fields B) areas C) boundaries D) margins

13. оглавление

A) contents B) chapters C) summary D) list

14. нижний индекс

A) bottom index B) subscript C) bottom mark D) low index

15. полужирный

A) bold B) italic C) font D) script

 

Task 10. Choose the correct preposition. Then match the problem with

the solution.

1. The operating system in / on A. You can download one for

my computer doesn't support the free to / from the internet.

latest version of / from this

application.

 

2. These files are too big. B. Perhaps you could get an

older version – or buy a new

computer!

3. My computer says it C. What about uninstalling the

hasn't got enough memory for / driver for your old printer?

to run this program.

 

4. I can't understand this D. Have you checked to see if

program. It's too complicated. there are any updates available in / on the Internet?

 

5. I think there's a bug in / E. Why don't you close off / down

inside this software. all those other applications you've opened?

 

6. There doesn't seem to be an F. You can get a manual. I've seen icon for the program in / on the one in the local bookshop.

desktop.

 

7. I can't use this program. It's all G. How about compressing

in / with French! them with / by WinZip?

 

8. I can't get the driver f