Text A «The use of computers» Part II

On the other hand, there is a negative side.

It looks like the computer "virus" has penetrated into the popular masses and now influences adolescents, their emotional, cognitive and social development significantly and very often results in psychiatric syndrom.

More often than not, PCs with colour monitors are viewed by their owners as an expensive toy or an object of pride in the eyes of friends.

A lot of children and young people use the screen as a replacement for friends. They even begin to think and dream in computer language. Some of them can spend about 10-15 hours a day in front of the computer and they aren't aware of the health hazard involved in that machine.

Personal computers and video equipment which have cathode- ray tubes are a source of the following electromagnetic radiation:

– mild X-radiation;

– ultraviolet;

– near infra-red;

– radio-frequency;

– super and low – frequency radiation;

– and the radiation of electrostatic fields.

Complaining of frequent headaches, dizziness, nausea, insomnia, depression, loss of appetite and eye-strain, people rarely link those symptoms with the bewitching flickering of the screen. Meanwhile, researchers came to the conclusion that a non-ionizing low-frequency radiation gravely affects the central nervous system, which leads to headaches, cataracts, skin diseases, tumors and even some other more dangerous deseases.

Those young people who are obsessed by computers and spend a lot of time in front of them become quiescent, lacked initiative, they are afraid to sleep and some of them are admitted to a psychiatric department because of growing anxiety. They begin suffering from "computer sickness".

Health protection in the fast-growing computer-related professions remains a weak point.

There are several techniques for protecting oneself from PC radiation,that have been worked out by specialists.

For instance, U.S. experts believe that:

– an outstretched arm's length from the screen is safest distance;

– monitors should be at least 222cm apart from one another;

– but screen filters have been recognized world wide as the most effective means against PC radiation.

 

4. Complete the sentences using the correct form of the verb in the box.

Link come lead affect obsess spend admit begin remain

Complaning of frequent headaches, dizziness, eye-strain, people rarely______ those symptoms with the bewitching flickering of the screen. Meanwhile, researchers ____ to the conclusion that a non-ionizing low-frequency radiation gravely _____ the central nervous system, which ____to headaches, cataracts, skin diseases, tumors and even other more dangerous deseases. Those young people who are _____by computers and____ a lot of time in front of them become quiescent, lacked initiative and some of them are _____to a psychiatric department because of growing anxiety. They ____suffering from " computersickness". Health protection in the fast - growing computer-related professions _____a weak point.

 

5. Decide if the following statements are true(T) or false (F).

1. Computers are machines that are capable of very rapid and accurate calculations, but they don't need instruction from human beings.

2. Great advances have been made recently in the techniques of programming computers to act in remarkably intelligent ways.

3. The computer may not make possible entirely new ways of conducting a business.

4. The application of computers relieved us of much detailed routine mental effort.

5. Scientific research, in many fields, is now dependent on computers.

6. It looks like the computer "virus" has penetrated deeply into the popular masses.

7. There are no techniques for protecting oneself from PC radiation.

8. A lot of children and young people use the screen as a replacement for friends.

9. Medical scientists with the help of computers, deduced the structure of large molecules.

 

6. Answer the questions.

1. Why computers are used more extensively in the world today.

2. What can computers do faster and better than a man.

3. How do the computers concern people in their daily lives and work.

4. What arenegativ sides of computers?

5. What techniques are there for protecting from PC radiation?

 

The gerund forms

	Active	Passive
Indefinite Perfect	writing having written	being written having been written

 

The tense distinctions of the gerund are relative:

The Indefinite Gerund	The Perfect Gerund
denotes an action simultaneous with that of the predicate e.g. He avoided downloading unreliable information	denotes an action prior to that of the predicate e.g. He admitted having downloaded unreliable information

1. Prior action is not always expressed by a perfect gerund. in some cases we find an Indefinite gerund.

After the verbs: remember, excuse, forgive, thank.

After the prepositions: on (upon), after, without

e.g. I don’t remember hearing the legend before.

  You must excuse my not answering you before.

2. After the verbs want, need, deserve, require, be worth the gerund is used in the active form though it is passive in meaning. E.g. The room needs painting.

Ex.7. Open the brackets using the correct form of the Gerund.

1. He remembered (cross) the road, but he didn’t remember (knock down).

2. I am still hungry in spite of (eat) four sandwiches.

3. He got into the house by (climb) through the window, without (see) by anyone.

4. He woke up at 7 a.m. in spite of (work) late.

5. He complained of (give) a very small room.

6. The baby went to sleep a few minutes after (feed).

7. Mary was chosen to fill the vacancy. She was very pleased at (choose).

8. I always treat people politely and I insist on (treat) politely.

 

The gerund is always used after verbs followed by prepositions:
to accuse of to agree to to approve of to be afraid of to congratulate on to depend on to dream of to feel like to inform of	to insist on to look forward to to object to to persist in to prevent from to succeed in to suspect of to thank for to think of

 

Ex. 8. Fill in the necessary preposition.

1. He was afraid …… playing this computer game alone.

2. I’m looking forward …… receiving email message from my friend.

3. My friend succeeded …….. buying things through shopping sites.

4. He has always dreamt ……. taking part in video conference.

5. The false network address prevented him …….. visiting the site.

6. He never agreed …… their using the software.

7. He informed ………having installed a new processor.

8. The children were accused ……… having visited unallowed site.

9. I insisted …….. being sent the complete data.

10. I object …….. your downloading music at the lesson.