Упр. 2. Определите, какие из приведенных ниже утверждений являются неправиль-

        ными и исправьте их согласно информации, приведенной в тексте.

1. Minicomputers, mainframes, and supercomputers all use processors built from a large

number of components.  

2. There are not so many different kinds of computers in the world today.

3. The typical microcomputer sold today can work with more than 300 times as much data as

the first IBM PC.

4. Supercomputers are mostly used at home.

5. Microcomputers are the smallest and are generally designed for a single user.

6. A computer can remember information but it can’t store it for future use.

  

Text 3

USES OF THE COMPUTER

Vocabulary

achievements - достижения

industrially developed countries – промышленно-развитые страны

to release - освобождать                                                            

to save – сберегать

to store – сохранять, накапливать

to carry out - выполнять

application - применение

to process - обрабатывать

software – программное обеспечение

to manage finances – управление финансами

to do calculations – делать вычисления

spacecrafts – космические корабли

to develop equipment – создавать оборудование

database – база данных

send a message – посылать сообщение

basic skill – основные навыки

creative - творческий

word processor – текстовый процессор

to figure taxes – исчислять налоги

 

An electronic computer is one of the greatest achievements of the man. Computers play an increasingly important role in society, particularly industrially developed countries. Electronic computers cannot replace the human brain, but they will release it from mechanical functions.  Today computers play chess, compose music, translate from and into foreign languages, help to solve many important problems in science, engineering, business. They save a lot of time and energy, operate at great speed, store large amount of information, carry out long and complex operations. There are some categories of computer application: business, science, medicine, engineering, education, home.

       The business segment is one of the largest. Computers process a large volume of data in a short period of time. No man can do 500,000 sums per-second, but a modern computer can. The biggest market for application software is the office. Creating documents (correspondence, reports and so on) and managing finances are the main tasks in an office.

       In science and engineering, computers do calculations, draw diagrams, process the results of experiments. Without computer it would be impossible for engineers to perform the great number of calculations needed to solve many advanced technological problems. Computers help in the building of spacecrafts. Computers are also used to develop equipment for exploring the Moon and planets. They also have a major role in the field of information science.

       In medicine databases, diagnostic devices, monitoring systems help doctors in their work, in medical and laboratory research.

       Another application that has steadily grown with microcomputer use is electronic mail, or E-mail. E-mail lets one computer user send a message to another user on the other side of the building – or the other side of the planet.

       The ability to work with a computer is a necessary basic skill today. In schools pupils learn how to operate a computer. Computers help students to study more intensively, and help teachers to do their work more creative. You have seen a few of the ways in which computers are used at the universities. Most students find that using a word processor is faster and far more convenient.

       The first place that microcomputers appeared was home. One popular type is software that you figure your taxes. These programmes can save you great amount of both time and money. Games are also popular on home computers. People also use computers for education, to teach children.

Упр. 1. Ответьте на вопросы.

1. What countries do computers play an increasingly important role in?
2. Can computers replace the human brains?
3. What are the most important categories of application of computers today?
4. Which is the biggest market for application software?
5. What do computers do in science and engineering?
6. Why is E-mail considered one of the greatest achievements in computer technology?
7. Can you learn how to operate a computer in schools?
8. Where did microcomputers appear first?