COMPUTERS TODAY
In this lesson, you will learn how to:
Talk and write about computer applications in everyday life
Recognize the basic components of a computer system and understand their functions
Understand the structure of different CPUs (central processing units)
Understand the units of memory (bits, bytes, KB, MB, GB)
Build up new words by using prefixes and suffixes
Use synonyms, acronyms, and abbreviations when talking about computers
Computer applications
Match the pictures
A Computers have many applications in a great variety of fields Look at these photographs of different situations and match them with texts 1 to 4 below
1) Airline pilots use computers to help them control the plane For example, monitors display data about fuel consumption, and weather conditions
In airport control towers, computers are used to manage radar systems, and regulate air traffic
2) Computers can help students perform mathematical operations and solve difficult questions They can be used to teach courses such as computer- aided design, language learning, programming, mathematics, etc
3) Computer is used with laser and barcode technology to scan the price of each item and present total at a supermarket
4) Banks use computers to look after their customers’ money They also control the automatic cash dispensers which, by the use of a personal coded card, dispense money to clients
A Match these titles with the pictures
Using an automatic cash dispenser
In education, computers can make all the difference
Scanning the price of each item and present total at a supermarket
B Match the places in column A with the computer uses in column B
Banks Provide information and entertainment
Factories Look after, patient records and medicines
Now use the above words and phrases to fill in the gaps in this paragraph about computer uses
Computers have become integral to our daily lives, playing vital roles in various settings In retail shops, they streamline transactions and inventory management In factories, they enhance production efficiency and quality control In healthcare, they manage patient records and medication tracking When we maintain a bank account, computers facilitate secure transactions and account management At home, computers serve as essential tools for communication, entertainment, and information access.
C Look at text one again and discuss these questions
How are/were computers used in your school?
What other areas of study would benefit from the introduction of computers?
In my school, computers are used to speed up the process of looking for references in the library.
Language work: The passive
In technical writing, the use of passive voice is prevalent as it emphasizes facts, processes, and events rather than the individuals involved To construct a passive sentence, one must use the correct tense of the verb "to be" followed by the past participle of the main verb.
1) We sell computers (simple present)
2) Babbage invented ‘The Analytical Engine’ (simple past)
1) Computers are sold (simple present)
2) ‘The Analytical Engine’ was invented in 1830 (simple past) Facts and processes
When we write or talk about facts or processes that occur regularly, we use the present passive
1) Data is transferred from the internal memory to the arithmetic- logical unit along channels known as buses
2) The other users are automatically denied access to that record
3) Distributed systems are built using networked computers
A Read the text below, which describes the insurance company’s procedure for dealing with PC-users’ problems Fill in the gaps using the correct form of the verb in brackets
All calls 1 ……… (register) by the Help Desk staff Each call
2……… (evaluate) and then 3 ……… (allocate) to the relevant support group If a visit 4 ……… (require), the user 5 ……… (contact) by telephone, and an appointment 6 ……… (arrange) Most calls
7……… (deal with) within one working day In the event of a major problem requiring the removal of a user’s PC, a replacement can usually 8 ……… (supply)
B Fill in the gaps in the following sentences using the appropriate form of the verb in brackets
1) The part of the processor which controls data transfers between the various input and output devices ……… (call) the control unit.
2) An operating system ……… (store) on disk.
3) Instructions written in a high-level language ……… (transform) into machine code
4) In the star configuration, all processing and control functions
……… (perform) by the central computer.
5) When a document arrives in the mail room, the envelope ……… (open) by a machine
When we write or talk about past events, we use the past passive Let us look at some examples
1) COBOL was first introduced in 1959
2) Microsoft was founded on the basis of the development of MS/DOS
3) The organization was created to promote the use of computers in education
C Fill in the gaps in the following sentences using the appropriate form of the verb in brackets
1) Microsoft ……… (found) by Bill Gates.
3) In the 1980s, at least 100,000 LANs ……… (set up) in laboratories and offices around the world
4) The first digital computer ……… (build) by the University of Pennsylvania in 1946
5) IBM’s decision not to continue manufacturing mainframes
……… (reverse) the year after it ……… (take).
Reading
A Write a list of as many uses of the computer, or computer applications, as you can think of
B Now read the text below and underline any applications that are not in your list
Computers and microchips are integral to our daily lives, influencing everything from the design of shops and offices to the production of magazines and the management of bills What makes computers remarkable is their ability to perform a wide range of tasks whenever they are powered on, thanks to the right combination of hardware and software.
The modern computer is a powerful calculating machine that accelerates financial computations and serves as an electronic filing cabinet for managing extensive data collections like customer lists and inventories Additionally, it functions as a versatile typewriter, enabling users to create and print various documents, including letters and legal papers As a personal communicator, it facilitates interaction with other computers and people globally For those who enjoy gadgets and electronic entertainment, a PC also offers a platform for relaxation through computer games.
Other application
A In small groups, choose one of the areas in the diagram below and discuss what computers can do in this area
Formula 1: racing car, car body, design, mechanical parts, electronic components, engine speed
Entertainment: game, music, animated image, multimedia, encyclopedia
Factories: machinery, robot, production line, computer-aided manufacturing software
Hospitals: patients, medical personnel, database program, records, scanner, diagnose, disease, robot, surgery
A PC can also be used for …
Computers can help … make … control … store … keep … provide … manage
… give … perform … measure … test … provide access to …
B Now write a short paragraph summarizing your discussion Then ask one person from your group to give a summary of the group’s ideas to the rest of the class
In business, computers are used for financial planning, accounting, and specific calculations
In the office, computers are used to write letters and keep records of clients, suppliers, and employees
Computer essentials
Computer hardware
A In pairs, discuss these questions
1) Have you got a computer at home, school or work? What kind is it?
2) How often do you use it? What do you use it for?
3) What are the main components and features of your computer system?
B In pairs, label the elements of this computer system
What is a computer?
A computer is an electronic device that receives data, processes it, and outputs information in a specified format Initially, data is stored in the computer's memory When a program is executed, the computer follows a series of instructions to process the data The final results are displayed on the screen or printed out.
A computer system is composed of two main components: hardware and software Hardware includes the tangible electronic and mechanical parts, while software consists of programs that instruct the computer on its operations The primary hardware components are the central processing unit (CPU), main memory, and peripherals The CPU acts as the "brain" of the computer, executing program instructions and coordinating the functions of other units Main memory, made up of RAM chips, stores the data and instructions currently being processed Peripherals encompass physical devices connected to the computer, including storage devices like hard drives and flash drives, which provide permanent data storage, and input devices such as keyboards and mice that allow data entry Output devices, including monitors and printers, enable users to receive the processed information.
The rear panel of a computer features multiple ports that enable connection with various peripherals such as modems, digital cameras, and scanners, facilitating communication between the computer and these devices Additionally, many desktop PCs are equipped with USB ports and memory card readers located on the front panel for easy access.
B Match these words from the text (1-9) which the correct meanings (a-i)
4 Hard drive (also known as hard disk)
9 Central processing unit a The brain of the computer b Physical parts that make up a computer system c Programs which can be used on a particular computer system d The information which is presented to the computer e Results produced by a computer f Input devices attached to the CPU g Section that holds program and data while they are executed or processed h Magnetic device used to store information i Sockets into which an external device may be connected
III Different type of computer
A Label the pictures (a-e) with words from the box
Laptop Desktop PC PDA Mainframe Tablet PC a……… b………
B Decide whether these sentences are true of false Correct the false ones
1) A mainframe computer is less powerful than a PC
2) A mainframe is used by large organizations that need to process enormous amounts of data
3) The most suitable computers for home are desktop PCs
5) Laptops are not as powerful as desktop PCs
6) Using a stylus, you can write directly onto the screen of a tablet PC
7) A Personal Digital Assistant is small enough to fit into a palm of your hand
8) A PDA does not allow you to surf the Web
A Look at the HELP box and then use suitable classifying expressions to complete these sentences
2 Peripherals……….three types: input, output and storage devices
Classifying means putting things into groups or classes We can classify types of computers, parts of a PC, etc
3 A word processing program………… software which lets the user create and edit text
4 ……….of network architecture: peer-to-peer, where all computers have the same capabilities, and client-server (e.g the Internet), where servers store and distribute data, and clients access this data
Some typical expressions for classifying are
…are classifying into X types/categories
…can be divided into X types/categories
Digital computers can be divided into five main types: mainframes, desktop PCs, laptops, tablet PCs and handheld PDAs
The basic configuration of a mainframe consists of a central system which processes immense amounts of data very quickly
There are X types/classes of…
A tablet PC is a type of notebook computer
V Benefits of laptops and tablet PCs
Your school is considering buying tablet PCs to use in the classroom Write an email to your teacher explaining the benefits for the students and the school
Inside the system
Worm-up
A Read the advertisement and translate the technical specifications into your own language
B Try to answer these questions (If necessary look at the Glossary)
1) What is the main function of a microprocessor?
2) What unit of frequency is used to measure processor speed?
3) What does ‘RAM’ stand for?
Reading
A Read the text below and then sentences 1 to 8 that follow Decide if the sentences are true (T) or false (F), and rewrite the false ones to make them true
The central processing unit (CPU) is the core component of a microcomputer, housed within a single microprocessor chip This integrated circuit is responsible for executing program instructions and managing the overall functionality of the computer The CPU comprises three primary components: the control unit, which analyzes and interprets user program instructions, directing the circuits and other elements accordingly.
Notebook Apple Macbook MC374ZP/A: CPU Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (2.4Ghz/ Mb), 4GB RAM, 250GB HDD, DVDRW Super drive, 13.3" Monitor, camera isight, card reader, Lan Gigabit wifi
21 components – disk drives, monitor, etc – to be activated to execute the functions specified; ii The arithmetic logic unit
(ALU), which performs mathematical calculations (+,
Registers are high-speed memory units essential for storing and managing information in a computer's architecture Among these, the program counter (PC) plays a crucial role by tracking the next instruction to be executed from the main memory Additionally, the instruction register (IR) holds the currently executing instruction, facilitating efficient processing and execution of tasks.
Microprocessors vary in their data handling capacity, measured in bits, with options including 8, 16, 32, and 64-bit processors The rapid advancement in computer architecture has led to the development of 64-bit processors, which can address 4 billion times more information than their 32-bit counterparts.
The programs and data which pass through the central processor must be loaded into the main memory (also called the internal memory) in order to be processed
Thus, when the user runs an application, the microprocessor looks for it on secondary storage devices
When a computer runs an application, it transfers a copy from the disk into the RAM (random access memory), which is temporary and loses its data when powered off In contrast, the ROM (read-only memory) is permanent and holds essential instructions required by the processor.
Modern computers are equipped with internal expansion slots that enable users to install various adapters or expansion boards Commonly used adapters include high-resolution graphics cards, memory expansion boards, and internal modems, enhancing the computer's functionality and performance.
The performance of a computer is significantly influenced by its microprocessor speed, which is measured by the clock speed in MHz (megahertz) This clock emits pulses at fixed intervals to synchronize circuits and units, with a CPU operating at 500 MHz (500 million cycles per second) delivering rapid processing capabilities Such a high clock speed allows the computer to efficiently manage even the most demanding applications.
The new generation of processors
Set Computing) architecture, providing lightning- fast performance
1) The CPU directs and coordinates the activities taking place within the computer system
2) The arithmetic logic unit performs calculations on the data
3) 32-bit processors can handle more information than 64-bit processors
4) A chip is an electronic device composed of silicon elements containing a set of integrated circuits
5) RAM, ROM, and secondary storage are the components of the main memory
6) Information cannot be processed by the microprocessor if it is not loaded into the main memory
7) ‘Permanent’ storage of information is provided by RAM (random access memory)
8) The speed of the microprocessor is measured in megahertz One MHz is equivalent to one million cycles per second
B Contextual reference What do the words in bold and italics print refer to?
1) … which executes program instructions and supervises …
2) …the instruction that is currently being executed
3) …the amount of data – the number of bits – they can work with at a time
4) …the microprocessor looks for it on …
5) …its information is lost when the computer is turned off
6) …expansion slots that allow users to install adapters or expansion boards.
Language work: Relative clauses
2) The chip processes the information provided by the software
Both these sentences refer to chip We can link them by making sentence 2 a relative clause:
The microprocessor is a chip which processes the information provided by the software
The relative clause is in bold italics Note that ‘ The chip ’ in sentence 2 becomes
Study these other pairs of sentences and note how they are linked
3) The teacher has just arrived
4) The teacher is responsible for the computer centre
3+4: The teacher who is responsible for the computer centre has just arrived
B Now link these sentences Make the second sentence in each pair a relative clause
1) The microprocessor coordinates the activities
These activities take place in the computer system
He works for GM as a computer programmer
3) A co-processor is a silicon chip
The chip carries out mathematical operation at a very high speed
4) A megahertz is a unit of frequency
The unit is used to measure processor speed
The word must be entered before access is given to a computer system
The device is used to interconnect different types of networks
You lent me the disk
The gateway is used to connect all kinds of external devices to your computer
This software causes damage to the data, the information or the hardware of the computer.
Reading
A Read the text and complete it with the phrases in the box b All the information stored in the RAM is temporary c Microcomputers make use of two types of main memory d ROM chips have ‘constant’ information e The size of RAM is very important
Main memory: RAM and ROM
The main memory of a computer is also called the ‘immediate access store’, as distinct from any storage memory available on disks (1)
…………: RAM and ROM, both contained in electronic chips connected to the main board of the computer
RAM stands for ‘random access memory’ and is the working area of the computer, that is, the basic location where the microprocessor stores the required information It is called
‘random access’ because the processor can find information in any cell or memory address with equal speed, instead of looking for the data in sequential order
When a machine is turned off, any unsaved information is lost, making it essential to store data on a disk for future use During application execution, the microprocessor locates the application on the storage device and transfers a temporary copy to RAM To enhance computer performance, especially when running multiple applications or handling complex documents, increasing RAM capacity is crucial.
The RAM capacity can sometimes be expanded by adding extra chips These are usually contained in single in-line memory modules or
SIMMs, which are installed in the motherboard of the computer
Designating a portion of RAM as a cache can significantly enhance application performance by storing frequently used information While a RAM cache accelerates tasks, it requires sufficient internal memory or a dedicated cache card to function effectively.
ROM, or 'read-only memory,' refers to a type of memory where the processor can access and utilize the stored information but cannot write or modify it.
The CPU operates using a set of unchangeable instructions stored in the ROM, which is also known as firmware These instructions are essential for basic functions such as starting up the computer, reading keyboard inputs, and displaying characters on the screen Importantly, this firmware remains intact even when the power is turned off.
B As we have seen, there are three types of memory used by computers: RAM, ROM and secondary storage Look through this list of features and decide which type of memory they refer to
2) Any section of the main memory can be read with equal speed and ease
3) It is available in magnetic, optical and video disks
4) A certain amount of this memory can be designated as ‘cache’ memory to store information in applications that are used very frequently
5) It stores basic operating instructions, needed by the CPU to function correctly
6) Memory which can be expanded by adding SIMMs of 8 MB, 16 MB, 32
MB or other major increments
7) Information is permanent and cannot be deleted
8) You can save and store your documents and applications.
Vocabulary quiz
In groups of three, write answers to these questions The winners are the group that answers the most questions correctly in four minutes
1) What are the main parts of the CPU?
3) What memory section is also known as ‘firmware’?
4) What information is lost when the computer is switched off?
5) What is the typical unit used to measure RAM memory and storage memory?
6) What is the meaning of the acronym SIMM?
8) What is the ALU? What does it do?
9) What is the abbreviation for ‘binary digit’?
10) How can we store data and programs permanently?
Your ideal computer system
A Make about the features of the computer that you would like to have
CPU: ………… Speed: ………… Optical disk drives: …………
Hard disk: …… Software: ……… Minimum/maximum RAM:………… Monitor: ………
B Now describe it to your partner
It’s very fast It runs at…
The standard RAM memory… and it is expandable…
The hard disk can hold…
Lesson 4 Buying a computer Buying a Home Computer
Purchasing a home computer is a significant decision, akin to buying a car, with numerous makes and models available To enhance your shopping experience, it’s essential to conduct thorough research beforehand Determine your specific needs for the computer and set a budget, whether you’re considering new or used options.
Deciding On An Operating System
Computers are primarily categorized into two types based on their operating systems: those optimized for graphics work and those designed for word processing While both systems can perform either function, your choice should depend on whether you will use the computer more for graphics or text production Additionally, consider the software you plan to use and its compatibility with the operating system, as most applications offer versions for both types of computers.
When purchasing a computer for your child, consider the type of computer used in their classroom If you plan to share files with your sister, it's essential to understand her system as well Both computer types have their advantages, so knowing your specific needs will guide you in making the right choice before making a commitment.
Purchasing your computer from a trusted electronics dealer ensures you receive superior warranty options and exceptional customer service These dealers offer high-quality machines that have proven their reliability and performance, contributing to their strong reputation in the market.
What to Consider Before Buying a Computer
Understanding your intended computer usage is crucial for selecting the right device Whether you plan to write academic papers with word processing software, manage finances on a spreadsheet, communicate via email, browse the internet, or enjoy gaming, identifying these needs will guide you in determining the minimum specifications required for your computer.
Bigger Programs Require More Memory
When selecting a computer, it's essential to consider the size of the software you intend to run, as this will determine the necessary memory Assess your intended usage and inquire about the required software, as a sales associate can guide you on the appropriate memory in megabytes Generally, a minimum of 64 megabytes is needed to run most applications effectively Additionally, check the preloaded software on the system to understand what is included with your purchase.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THE SIZE OF THE SOFTWARE YOU PLAN TO RUN WILL DICTATE HOW MUCH MEMORY YOUR COMPUTER SHOULD HAVE
How Much Should You Spend?
When purchasing a computer, it's advisable to invest as much as your budget allows, with prices ranging from $1,000 for entry-level models to over $3,000 for high-end options While it's not necessary to choose the most powerful computer available, selecting the best system within your budget is crucial, including components like the monitor, microprocessor, memory, hard drive, keyboard, and printer Additionally, consider delaying software purchases until you've assessed the pre-installed options that come with your new computer.
WITH COMPUTERS, IT'S A G00D RULE OF THUMB TO BUY AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AFFORD
When selecting a computer, you can choose between a laptop or a desktop model Laptops are portable and ideal for frequent travelers, while desktops offer larger screens and greater expandability Although laptops are often seen as secondary devices, many are advanced enough to serve as primary computers Notably, some lightweight laptops, known as notebooks, weigh less than five pounds.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW A MOUSE FROM A RAM, THEN YOU NEED
TO BRUSH UP ON THE LANGUAGE OF COMPUTERS
If you don't know a mouse from a RAM, then you need to brush up on the language of computers Here's a crash course
Cache: Cache is another type of memory kindred to RAM Cache is used by the computer to quickly move data between the RAM and the CPU
Most modern computers are equipped with a CD-ROM drive, which is essential for reading data from discs that resemble music CDs but store various types of information instead CD-ROMs can hold a wide range of content, including games, dictionaries, recipe files, and much more, making them versatile tools for data storage and access.
The central processing unit (CPU) serves as the brain of a computer, with most new Windows-based programs relying on a Pentium processor, while newer Macs utilize a different CPU known as PowerPC.
THE CPU, OR CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT, IS THE BRAINS OF THE COMPUTER
Most computers are equipped with a disk drive that reads and saves data on portable floppy disks These disks are useful for storing information and installing new software on your computer.
The hard drive, often referred to as the hard disk, is a crucial component of your computer, serving as its electronic filing cabinet Although it is typically hidden inside the device, it plays a vital role in storing the operating system, files, programs, and documents essential for your computer's functionality.
Keyboard: Just like a typewriter keyboard, this device is the primary way of inputting data into many programs
In this lesson, you will learn how to:
Describe input and output devices
Identify important keys on a keyboard and explain their functions
Distinguish between facts and opinions in advertisements about peripherals (e.g scanners)
Understand technical specifications given about monitors
Use different grammatical forms to give instructions, advice or warnings
Compare different types of printers, and choose one for yourself
Understand what sort of input/output devices are used by disabled people
Lesson 1 Type, click and talk!
Input devices are essential hardware components that enable users to enter information into a computer The most widely used input devices include the keyboard and mouse, but other options such as light pens, scanners, trackballs, graphics tablets, joysticks, and voice recognition systems also facilitate interaction with computers.
Look at the illustrations and see if you can name them
Work in pairs III About the keyboard
C Look at the picture of a PC-compatible keyboard below and identify these groups of keys
1) Alphanumeric keys: arranged in the same order as a typewriter
2) Function keys: used by various programs to instruct the PC to perform specific tasks such as Save, Copy, Cut, Paste, Help, etc
3) Numeric keypad: set of numeric or editing keys The Num Lock key is used to switch from numbers to editing functions
4) Editing keys: cursor and other keys usually used within word processors to page up and down in a long document or to edit text (using Insert or Delete keys)
5) Special keys: used is to issue commands or to produce alternative characters in key combinations, for example, the Alt key
D Match these keys abbreviations with their full names
E Computer system may have different keyboard options Here is an example
If we enter the Key Caps menu on a Macintosh in Courier and then press the Option key, we obtain the following symbols on the screen
Identify these symbols on the keyboard
1 Slash 2 Not equal to 3 Plus and minus
A Try to answer these questions
1) How is the mouse connected to the computer?
2) What does the mouse pointer look like on the screen?
3) What are the functions of the mouse buttons?
4) What are the advantages of a computer mouse over a keyboard?
Read the text to check your answer or to find the right answers
The computer mouse is a user-friendly device that allows for precise control of the on-screen pointer, enabling effortless selection and navigation through its buttons.
The mouse contains a rubber-coated ball that rests on the surface of your working area or a mousemat When the mouse is moved on that surface, the ball rolls
The ball’s movements up and down, and left and right, turn the two axles inside the mouse As they turn, detectors register the changing position A small integrated
32 circuit inside the mouse sends signals to the operating system, which instructs it to move the pointer on your screen
B Here are some basic mouse actions Match the terms in the box with the explanations below a Click b Double-click c Drag
1) Position the pointer on something, then rapidly press and release the mouse button twice (You do this to load a program, open a document, or select text or graphics)
2) Position the pointer on something, hold down the mouse button, and move the mouse to the desired position, then release the button (You do this to move an image to a new location on the screen)
3) Position the pointer on something, then press, and release the mouse button (You do this to place the insertion point, to choose an option, or to close a window)
We can describe the function of an item in a number of ways
1 ROM holds instructions which are needed to start up the computer
Used to-infinitive , Used for +
2 ROM is used to hold instructions which are needed to start up the computer
3 ROM is used for holding instructions which are needed to start up the computer
4 The function of ROM is to hold instructions which are needed to start up the computer
Now, match each item in Column A with its function in Column B Then describe its function in two ways
INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICES
In this lesson, you will learn how to:
Describe input and output devices
Identify important keys on a keyboard and explain their functions
Distinguish between facts and opinions in advertisements about peripherals (e.g scanners)
Understand technical specifications given about monitors
Use different grammatical forms to give instructions, advice or warnings
Compare different types of printers, and choose one for yourself
Understand what sort of input/output devices are used by disabled people
Type, click and talk!
Interacting with your computer
Input devices are essential hardware components that enable users to enter information into a computer The most widely used input devices include the keyboard and mouse, but other options such as light pens, scanners, trackballs, graphics tablets, joysticks, and voice recognition devices also facilitate computer interaction.
Look at the illustrations and see if you can name them
About the keyboard
C Look at the picture of a PC-compatible keyboard below and identify these groups of keys
1) Alphanumeric keys: arranged in the same order as a typewriter
2) Function keys: used by various programs to instruct the PC to perform specific tasks such as Save, Copy, Cut, Paste, Help, etc
3) Numeric keypad: set of numeric or editing keys The Num Lock key is used to switch from numbers to editing functions
4) Editing keys: cursor and other keys usually used within word processors to page up and down in a long document or to edit text (using Insert or Delete keys)
5) Special keys: used is to issue commands or to produce alternative characters in key combinations, for example, the Alt key
D Match these keys abbreviations with their full names
E Computer system may have different keyboard options Here is an example
If we enter the Key Caps menu on a Macintosh in Courier and then press the Option key, we obtain the following symbols on the screen
Identify these symbols on the keyboard
1 Slash 2 Not equal to 3 Plus and minus
A Try to answer these questions
1) How is the mouse connected to the computer?
2) What does the mouse pointer look like on the screen?
3) What are the functions of the mouse buttons?
4) What are the advantages of a computer mouse over a keyboard?
Read the text to check your answer or to find the right answers
The computer mouse is an essential hand-operated device that simplifies the control of the pointer's location on your screen, allowing for easy selections and choices through its buttons.
The mouse contains a rubber-coated ball that rests on the surface of your working area or a mousemat When the mouse is moved on that surface, the ball rolls
The ball’s movements up and down, and left and right, turn the two axles inside the mouse As they turn, detectors register the changing position A small integrated
32 circuit inside the mouse sends signals to the operating system, which instructs it to move the pointer on your screen
B Here are some basic mouse actions Match the terms in the box with the explanations below a Click b Double-click c Drag
1) Position the pointer on something, then rapidly press and release the mouse button twice (You do this to load a program, open a document, or select text or graphics)
2) Position the pointer on something, hold down the mouse button, and move the mouse to the desired position, then release the button (You do this to move an image to a new location on the screen)
3) Position the pointer on something, then press, and release the mouse button (You do this to place the insertion point, to choose an option, or to close a window)
Language work: Describing function
We can describe the function of an item in a number of ways
1 ROM holds instructions which are needed to start up the computer
Used to-infinitive , Used for +
2 ROM is used to hold instructions which are needed to start up the computer
3 ROM is used for holding instructions which are needed to start up the computer
4 The function of ROM is to hold instructions which are needed to start up the computer
Now, match each item in Column A with its function in Column B Then describe its function in two ways
A computer's functionality relies on various components: the cursor is controlled by the ROM, while data is input through keys similar to a typewriter The output is displayed on a screen, and DVD-ROMs are read for additional data Removable magnetic disks can be read and written to, and essential instructions for startup are stored in ROM The processor interacts with data held in memory, allowing for extremely fast access to program sections and their data Additionally, timing signals are managed to ensure synchronization, while overall operations are controlled by the computer's central unit.
Capture your favorite images
Scanners: The eyes of your computer
Use the information in the text and the illustration to answer these questions
1) What is a scanner? Give a definition in your own words
2) How does a color scanner work?
A scanner converts texts or pictures into electronic codes that can be manipulated by the computer
A flatbed scanner operates by placing the paper with the image face down on a glass screen, similar to a photocopier Beneath the glass, lighting and measurement devices work together to read the image as a series of dots When activated, the scanner generates a digitized image that is transmitted to the computer and stored as a file Additionally, manufacturers typically provide software that offers various options for editing and enhancing the scanned image.
A color scanner utilizes three rotating lamps equipped with distinct colored filters—red, green, and blue—to capture images These three separate images are then merged into a single cohesive image using specialized software.
What do you think are the benefits of using scanners in business?
Facts and opinions
A Read the advertisements on the following page and underline what you think are facts and circle the opinions Then write them in the table below.
Facts are ‘real’ objective information Opinions usually include emotive words, positive/negative phrases, and subjective (persuasive) statements
9’’ x 15’’: scanning area measured in inches
JPEG, which stands for Joint Photographic Experts’ Group, is a widely used standard for image compression This format allows for significant reduction in image size, compressing files to as little as 1/50th of their original size, leading to considerable savings in both disk space and loading time.
Opinions You can get crisp, clean scans
The ColorScan XR from Sunrise is a flatbed scanner with 600dpi of resolution and 9’’ x 15’’ of scanning area
You can enter data and graphic images directly into your applications
– word processors or databases You can get crisp, clean scans for color
The ScanPress 800 is an advanced self-calibrating flatbed scanner that offers an impressive resolution of 800 dpi It supports a wide range of scanning options, from black and white to vibrant 24-bit color Included in the package is a hardware accelerator that enhances JPEG compression and decompression, allowing for efficient storage by compressing images by up to 50:1, thereby saving valuable disk space.
In creating ScanPress 800, the manufacturers have chosen the highest
B In small groups, compare your answers and decide
1) Which text has got more persuasive language?
2) Which text is more factual or objective?
Language work: Making comparisons
The regular comparative and superlative forms of descriptive words (adjectives and adverbs) are shown below:
1 Words of one syllable add the ending – er and – est
Adjectives New old newer older newest Oldest
Adverbs soon late sooner later
2 Words with three or more syllables are preceded by more and most
Adjectives interesting more interesting most interesting convenient more convenient most convenient
Adverbs easily more easily most easily carefully more carefully most carefully
3 Adjectives with two syllables may be like 1 or 2 above in that they will add the ending – er and – est if they end in – y or – ly, -ow, -le , and – er
-y tiny tinier tiniest compositions, video, and animation work
This product includes user-friendly image-capture software that enables both color and grayscale retouching, all for an unbeatable price of just £616.
In the field of flatbeds, the
ColorScan XR stands out as an exceptional choice for effortless scanning, delivering high-definition images with remarkable color accuracy and sharpness Equipped with OCR software and Adobe Photoshop, it allows users to easily edit and enhance all captured images.
This is fantastic machine you will love working with And at only £1,037 it is an excellent investment
-ly early earlier earliest friendly friendlier Friendliest
4 Most of the remaining two-syllable adjectives take more and most in front of them
Absolute Comparative Superlative careful more careful most careful boring more boring most boring awful more awful most awful
5 Some common two-syllable adjectives can have either type of formation
Absolute Comparative Superlative common Commoner/ more common
Commonest/ most common gentle gentler/ more gentle gentlest/ most gentle quiet quieter/ more quiet quietest/ most quiet
6 Two-syllable adverbs ending in – ly take more and most
Absolute Comparative Superlative quickly more quickly most quickly slowly more slowly most slowly
7 A small number of adjectives and adverbs have an irregular comparative and superlative form
Adjectives bad worse worst far further/farther furthest/farthest good better best many more most
36 much more most little less least
Comparison may show equivalence, non-equivalence, the highest degree of something, and parallel increase
1 Equivalence: the following words and constructions are used to show that things or people are similar in some way as … as as many … as as much … as similar to the same are similar equal to is like similar/ly equal/ly compared to/with each either all both alike
Here, the term ‘processor’ is equivalent to the central processing unit
Laptops are as powerful as microcomputers
2 Non-equivalence: the following words and constructions are used to compare or contrast things or people that are separate from each other not as … as
…-er than more … than greater than not as many … as not as much … as unequal(ly) unlike not the same as less … than not equal fewer … thanto
A mainframe is larger and more expensive than a microcomputer
Learning to use a computer is not as difficult as learning to program
3 The highest degree: the following words and constructions are used to compare one member of a group with the whole group (superlative) the …-est the most … the least …
This is the most popular package on the market today
BASIC is probably the least difficult programming language to learn
4 Parallel increase: the following words and constructions are used to show parallel increase (two comparatives) the … -er, the more … the more…, the ….-er the …-er, the less…
The more memory your computer has, the more data it can store
The bigger your computer system is, the less time you spend waiting
The more training you give to your employees, the better they will perform
C The following sentences express computer capabilities and limitations Decide whether the sentences express equivalence, non-equivalence, or the
37 superlative, then underline the words expressing the comparison The first one has been done for you
1) equivalence Speeds for performing decision-making operations are comparable to those for arithmetic operations
2) ……… Even the most sophisticated computer, no matter how good it is, must be told what to do
3) ……… A computer can perform similar operations thousands of times without becoming bored, tired, or careless
4) ……… For example, modern computers can solve certain classes of arithmetic problems millions of times faster than a skilled mathematician
5) ……… One of the most important reasons why computers are used so widely today is that almost every big problem can be solved by solving a number of little problems
6) ……… Finally, a computer, unlike a human being, has no intuition.
Further reading
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The GT-7000 provides amazing quality with powerful, (1) ……… software and hardware at a very (2)
……… price Using a combination of EPSON Advanced
Scanning Technologies, the GT-7000 provides (3) ……… quality whether scanning text documents, photos, or films
The EPSON START Button simplifies the scanning process; just press it once to scan your photo or document, which is then automatically placed into your preferred software for easy editing, printing, or publishing.
Included with the GT-700 is a (4)
….………… range of bonus software to help with home and business scanning, printing, and publishing, allowing you to create (5) ……… posters, letters, flyers, and Web pages
The GT-7000 is also available as the GT-7000 Photo scanner (6)
……… with advanced film adapter unit
Viewing the output
Read and think
Describe the screen of our computer to another student Use these questions to help you
- Does it produce a high quality image?
- Which is the common size of a monitor ?
A Read the text and try to guess the meaning of any new words in the box below Refer to the Glossary if necessary dot pixel resolution scan (verb) display hertz Flicker bit-mapped visualize
The quality of the display depends on the number of dots which make up the image The more dots the better display
1,024 x 768 pixels The diagrams above show how pixel density affects the image: a larger number of pixels gives a much clearer image
The monitor refreshes the image on the screen all the time The faster this happens, the less the screen flickers
The frequency of screen refresh can vary, typically occurring 50, 60, or 75 times per second, depending on the system A lower refresh rate may lead to noticeable flickering and an unstable display, potentially resulting in eye fatigue In contrast, a higher refresh rate of 75 Hz provides a smoother visual experience.
‘refresh rate’ eliminates this annoying flicker
The size of the screen is the diagonal distance from one corner to another The actual area for images is smaller than this
The price of a monitor is primarily influenced by its screen size, with common sizes including 14-inch, 17-inch, and 21-inch models Additional factors affecting the price include aperture grill pitch, resolution, and the number of controls Aperture grill pitch refers to the spacing between the dots that compose the image; a smaller pitch results in a superior display quality Most monitors feature a dot pitch of 0.28mm, although some may range from 0.25mm to 0.31mm Monitors are managed by a dedicated circuit board called the display adaptor, which connects to the computer's motherboard, with various boards supporting different display types The VGA (video graphics array) card has emerged as the standard for color monitors.
B Read the text again and answer these questions
1) According to the writer, what is the importance of ‘pixel resolution?’
2) Which unit of frequency is used to measure the refresh rate of a monitor?
3) In the writer’s opinion, why can a low refresh rate produce eye fatigue?
4) Is a dot pitch of 0.31 mm is better than one of 0.25mm ? why ?
5) Does the price of a monitor depend only on the size ?
6) Is a maximum resolution of 1600x1200 better than 1280x1024 ? why ?
Language work: Instructions and advice
A Look at the HELP box and then use suitable classifying expressions to complete these sentences
2 Peripherals……….three types: input, output and storage devices
Classifying means putting things into groups or classes We can classify types of computers, parts of a PC, etc
3 A word processing program………… software which lets the user create and edit text
4 ……….of network architecture: peer-to-peer, where all computers have the same capabilities, and client-server (e.g the Internet), where servers store and distribute data, and clients access this data
Some typical expressions for classifying are
…are classifying into X types/categories
…can be divided into X types/categories
Digital computers can be divided into five main types: mainframes, desktop PCs, laptops, tablet PCs and handheld PDAs
The basic configuration of a mainframe consists of a central system which processes immense amounts of data very quickly
There are X types/classes of…
A tablet PC is a type of notebook computer
V Benefits of laptops and tablet PCs
Your school is considering buying tablet PCs to use in the classroom Write an email to your teacher explaining the benefits for the students and the school
A Read the advertisement and translate the technical specifications into your own language
B Try to answer these questions (If necessary look at the Glossary)
1) What is the main function of a microprocessor?
2) What unit of frequency is used to measure processor speed?
3) What does ‘RAM’ stand for?
A Read the text below and then sentences 1 to 8 that follow Decide if the sentences are true (T) or false (F), and rewrite the false ones to make them true
The central processing unit (CPU) is the core component of a microcomputer, encapsulated in a single microprocessor chip known as an integrated circuit It is responsible for executing program instructions and overseeing the computer's overall functionality The CPU is comprised of three primary parts: the control unit, which analyzes and interprets the instructions from the user’s program, directing the necessary circuits and operations.
Notebook Apple Macbook MC374ZP/A: CPU Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (2.4Ghz/ Mb), 4GB RAM, 250GB HDD, DVDRW Super drive, 13.3" Monitor, camera isight, card reader, Lan Gigabit wifi
21 components – disk drives, monitor, etc – to be activated to execute the functions specified; ii The arithmetic logic unit
(ALU), which performs mathematical calculations (+,
Registers are high-speed memory units essential for storing and managing information in a computer's processing unit Notably, the program counter (PC) tracks the next instruction to execute from the main memory, while the instruction register (IR) holds the currently executing instruction.
Microprocessors vary in their data handling capabilities, specifically in the number of bits they can process simultaneously, including 8, 16, 32, and 64-bit processors The rapid evolution of computer architecture has led to the development of 64-bit processors, which can address 4 billion times more information than their 32-bit counterparts.
The programs and data which pass through the central processor must be loaded into the main memory (also called the internal memory) in order to be processed
Thus, when the user runs an application, the microprocessor looks for it on secondary storage devices
When a computer is turned on, it transfers a copy of the application from the disks into the RAM (random access memory), which is temporary and loses its data when powered off In contrast, the ROM (read-only memory) is permanent and stores essential instructions required by the processor.
Modern computers typically feature internal expansion slots that enable users to add various adapters or expansion boards Commonly used adapters include high-resolution graphics cards, memory expansion boards, and internal modems.
The performance of a computer is significantly influenced by its microprocessor speed, which is measured in MHz (megahertz), indicating the frequency of pulse emissions A CPU operating at 500 MHz, equating to 500 million cycles per second, typically delivers rapid processing capabilities, allowing the computer to efficiently manage demanding applications.
The new generation of processors
Set Computing) architecture, providing lightning- fast performance
1) The CPU directs and coordinates the activities taking place within the computer system
2) The arithmetic logic unit performs calculations on the data
3) 32-bit processors can handle more information than 64-bit processors
4) A chip is an electronic device composed of silicon elements containing a set of integrated circuits
5) RAM, ROM, and secondary storage are the components of the main memory
6) Information cannot be processed by the microprocessor if it is not loaded into the main memory
7) ‘Permanent’ storage of information is provided by RAM (random access memory)
8) The speed of the microprocessor is measured in megahertz One MHz is equivalent to one million cycles per second
B Contextual reference What do the words in bold and italics print refer to?
1) … which executes program instructions and supervises …
2) …the instruction that is currently being executed
3) …the amount of data – the number of bits – they can work with at a time
4) …the microprocessor looks for it on …
5) …its information is lost when the computer is turned off
6) …expansion slots that allow users to install adapters or expansion boards
III Language work: Relative clauses
2) The chip processes the information provided by the software
Both these sentences refer to chip We can link them by making sentence 2 a relative clause:
The microprocessor is a chip which processes the information provided by the software
The relative clause is in bold italics Note that ‘ The chip ’ in sentence 2 becomes
Study these other pairs of sentences and note how they are linked
3) The teacher has just arrived
4) The teacher is responsible for the computer centre
3+4: The teacher who is responsible for the computer centre has just arrived
B Now link these sentences Make the second sentence in each pair a relative clause
1) The microprocessor coordinates the activities
These activities take place in the computer system
He works for GM as a computer programmer
3) A co-processor is a silicon chip
The chip carries out mathematical operation at a very high speed
4) A megahertz is a unit of frequency
The unit is used to measure processor speed
The word must be entered before access is given to a computer system
The device is used to interconnect different types of networks
You lent me the disk
The gateway is used to connect all kinds of external devices to your computer
This software causes damage to the data, the information or the hardware of the computer
A Read the text and complete it with the phrases in the box b All the information stored in the RAM is temporary c Microcomputers make use of two types of main memory d ROM chips have ‘constant’ information e The size of RAM is very important
Main memory: RAM and ROM
The main memory of a computer is also called the ‘immediate access store’, as distinct from any storage memory available on disks (1)
…………: RAM and ROM, both contained in electronic chips connected to the main board of the computer
RAM stands for ‘random access memory’ and is the working area of the computer, that is, the basic location where the microprocessor stores the required information It is called
‘random access’ because the processor can find information in any cell or memory address with equal speed, instead of looking for the data in sequential order
When a machine is turned off, any unsaved information is lost, making it essential to save and store data on a disk for future use During application execution, the microprocessor locates the application on the storage device, such as a floppy or hard disk, and transfers a temporary copy to the RAM To enhance computer performance, especially when multiple applications are running simultaneously or when dealing with complex documents, it is crucial to optimize RAM usage.
The RAM capacity can sometimes be expanded by adding extra chips These are usually contained in single in-line memory modules or
SIMMs, which are installed in the motherboard of the computer
Designating a portion of RAM as a cache can enhance application performance by storing frequently used information While a RAM cache can significantly speed up tasks, it requires sufficient internal memory or a dedicated cache card to function effectively.
ROM, or 'read-only memory', refers to a type of memory where the processor can access and utilize the stored information but cannot modify or write new data to it.
The CPU operates using a set of unchangeable instructions and routines stored in the ROM, which is also known as firmware These instructions are essential for basic functions such as starting up the computer, reading keyboard input, and displaying characters on the screen Importantly, this firmware remains intact even when the power is turned off.
B As we have seen, there are three types of memory used by computers: RAM, ROM and secondary storage Look through this list of features and decide which type of memory they refer to
2) Any section of the main memory can be read with equal speed and ease
3) It is available in magnetic, optical and video disks
4) A certain amount of this memory can be designated as ‘cache’ memory to store information in applications that are used very frequently
5) It stores basic operating instructions, needed by the CPU to function correctly
6) Memory which can be expanded by adding SIMMs of 8 MB, 16 MB, 32
MB or other major increments
7) Information is permanent and cannot be deleted
8) You can save and store your documents and applications
In groups of three, write answers to these questions The winners are the group that answers the most questions correctly in four minutes
1) What are the main parts of the CPU?
3) What memory section is also known as ‘firmware’?
4) What information is lost when the computer is switched off?
5) What is the typical unit used to measure RAM memory and storage memory?
6) What is the meaning of the acronym SIMM?
8) What is the ALU? What does it do?
9) What is the abbreviation for ‘binary digit’?
10) How can we store data and programs permanently?
VI Your ideal computer system
A Make about the features of the computer that you would like to have
CPU: ………… Speed: ………… Optical disk drives: …………
Hard disk: …… Software: ……… Minimum/maximum RAM:………… Monitor: ………
B Now describe it to your partner
It’s very fast It runs at…
The standard RAM memory… and it is expandable…
The hard disk can hold…
Lesson 4 Buying a computer Buying a Home Computer
Purchasing a home computer is a significant decision, akin to buying a car, with numerous makes and models available To enhance your shopping experience and navigate the variety of options, it's essential to conduct thorough research beforehand Determine your specific needs for the computer and establish a budget, whether you're considering new or used models.
Deciding On An Operating System
Computers can be divided into two main types based on their operating systems: those optimized for graphics work and those focused on word processing While both types can perform either function, your primary use case will help you choose the right system Consider whether you will use the computer mainly for graphics or text production, the specific software you plan to run, and the compatibility of that software with the operating system, as most applications are available for both types.
When purchasing a computer for your child, consider the type used in their classroom to ensure compatibility If you plan to share files with your sister, it's essential to check her system requirements as well Both computer systems have their advantages, but understanding your specific needs will help you make an informed decision before committing to a purchase.
Choosing a printer
Reading
A How many kinds of printers can you think of? Make a list
B Read the text below and label these types of printers
The resolution depends on the number of pins (9 or 24)
The quality (resolution) of the images ranges from 180 to 720 dots per inch (dpi)
Provides high quality output – a resolution of 600/1200 (dpi)
Provides the highest resolution – more than 2,000 dpi
Provides high quality for linework
Printing is the crucial final step in document creation, facilitated by printers connected to your computer Understanding the significant differences in output quality among various printer types is essential, so this guide aims to assist you in making informed choices.
42 you decide which one is most suitable for your needs
Dot-matrix printers use pins to print the dots required to shape a character
They print text and graphics and nowadays some of them can print up to
Inkjet printers operate at a speed of 450 characters per second (cps) but deliver lower resolution outputs of 72 or 144 dots per inch While this quality is adequate for initial drafts, it is not ideal for reports or books intended for a broad audience Although inkjet printers are slower than laser printers, they offer a more cost-effective printing solution.
Ink-jet printers are a popular type of non-impact printer that work by projecting tiny droplets of ink onto paper to create images They are known for their speed, quiet operation, and affordability compared to laser printers Many ink-jet models offer impressive print quality, with resolutions reaching up to 720 dpi, making them a great choice for high-quality printing needs.
Laser printers operate by scanning images with a laser beam and transferring them onto paper using special ink powder, achieving impressive speeds and high resolutions of 600/1200 dpi Constant advancements enhance their performance, making them favored by experts due to their superior speed and image quality They offer a broader range of scalable fonts, the ability to emulate various language systems, and the capability to produce high-quality graphics, among other benefits However, it's important to note that laser printers remain relatively expensive.
C Read the text again and complete this table with the most relevant information Then compare your notes with a partner
Technical specifications and other features
Discourse cohesion
Reference signals: Read the text and say what the underlined words refer to
Printing is the final step in document creation, facilitated by printers connected to your computer Given the significant differences in output quality among various printer types, this guide will assist you in selecting the most suitable printer for your specific needs.
Dot-matrix printers utilize pins to create dots that form characters, enabling them to print both text and graphics Modern models can achieve speeds of up to 450 characters per second (cps).
Scan reading: Quiz
Read the advertisements for printers below, and then with your partner, answer the questions See who in your group/class can finish first
1) How many laser printers are advertised here?
2) Is there a printer that operates by spraying ink droplets onto paper?
3) Which laser printer offers the highest resolution or output quality?
4) Which printer is the most expensive?
5) Which one would you recommend to a friend who does not have much money?
6) Which one has more internal fonts?
7) A printer language is software that tells printers how to print a document Can you find two types of laser printer languages?
8) What connectivity features are offered by the Turbo Laser Writer QR?
9) A very common feature in advertisements is the use of abbreviations Find the abbreviations for these expressions: dots per inch, characters per second, pages per minute, small computer system interface, and liquid- crystal display
Workgroup laser printer 15 pages per minute 600 dpi for graphics 36 MB of
RAM Includes Adobe PostScript and
Hewlett Packard PCS printer languages
75 resident fonts Connectivity: one bi- directional parallel port, one LocalTalk port, and one Ethernet port for networks
Dot-matrix printer with 24 pins Prints text and graphics 450 cps Compatible special interface Free unlimited hotline support for our customers One year on-site maintenance
Color printer 40 Adobe PostScript fonts
36 MB RAM with a SCSI interface for an optional 20 MB hard disk
Parallel, serial and AppleTalk interfaces
Two 200 sheet selectable input trays
HP plotter emulation Thermal printing system 30-day money-back guarantee
1 year’s on-site parts and labor and £2,249
Comes with PostScript language and PCL (printer control language) Telephone hotline support
Resolution: Up to 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi on premium photo paper
Paper input capacity: Up to 150 sheets
Reliable color printer with cost-effective features for the home or office on a budget
Personal laser printer, 5 pages per minute 4 MB RAM expandable to 64
MB Parallel interface 200 sheet input tray 35 resident fonts One-year on-site maintenance Prints on a wide range of materials and sizes £649
Language work: Revision of comparison
A Study the sentences below and do the following:
Draw a circle around comparatives and a rectangle around superlatives
1) Dot-matrix printers are cheaper than laser printers
2) A photosetter is the fastest output device
3) A thermal wax printer is more expensive than a monochrome laser printer
4) The Micro Laser XT is the most reliable of all
5) Personal laser printers cost less than ordinary laser printers They also weigh less and require less space
6) My printer has more resident fonts than yours
7) This printer offers laser quality at a lower price
8) Monochrome printers operate faster than color ones
9) Dot-matrix printers are too slow
10) Dot-matrix printers are not quick enough
Describing your ideal printer
Describe to your partner the characteristics of the printer you would like to use Give reasons (Does your ideal printer look like the one below?)
I/O devices for the disabled
Adaptive technology
Working in pairs or small groups, look at the pictures and discuss these questions Use the phrases in the box to help you
1) What sort of difficulties do you think are experienced by computer users with limitations of vision or mobility?
2) What types of devices could be helpful to blind users?
3) How can a person with mobility limitations communicate with a computer?
4) Think of possible tools or solutions
Key words blind person magnification software
Braille printer adaptive switch motor-impaired person adapted keyboard on-screen keyboard voice recognition system screen-pointing device speech synthesis system optical head pointer
A Read the text below and find:
1) Two examples of speech synthesis systems
2) The kind of software which is recommended for someone with partial vision
3) The speed of the Juliet Braille printer
4) The ways adaptive switches can be activated
5) The function of voice recognition devices
6) The devices used by the disabled person at the Center for the Handicapped in Seattle
7) How the blind student interacts with the machine
Sal possesses the essential traits of a successful telemarketer, including brightness, outgoing nature, and persistence, despite being blind Phillis is interested in hiring him but has reservations about how he will access the company's database without visual aids, read office correspondence, and the potential costs of adapting the workplace to meet his needs.
Phillis is required to accommodate Sal due to her company's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Fortunately, she doesn't need to be concerned, as the latest adaptive technology for personal computers offers a cost-effective solution that enables Sal and other employees with disabilities to work independently.
To effectively integrate adaptive technology into a computer for a disabled worker, it's essential to first identify their specific needs For instance, blind users typically require tailored adaptations to their computers to enhance usability and improve their work efficiency.
48 such as speech synthesis, magnification,
Braille and OCR One example of a speech-synthesis system is VertPro from
This product can read MS-DOS- based word processors, databases, spreadsheets, and other text-based software Window Bridge from Syntha-
Voice can verbalize both MS-DOS and
For someone with limited but usable vision, a software magnification package may be appropriate
Magnification software can enlarge text appearing on the screen by up to 16 times
For Braille output, the Juliet printer from Enabling Technologies interfaces to any standard serial or parallel port
This printer can emboss Braille on both sides of a page at a speed of 40 characters per second The Reading
Edge OCR from Xerox Imaging
Systems and the Arkenstone Open Book
Unbound from Arkenstone can read printed material to blind people and send the text to a PC
To adapt equipment for motor- impaired workers unable to type on standard keyboard, you can employ adapted keyboards, head pointers, and Morse code systems
Users can utilize external adaptive switches to navigate menu options or virtual keys on an on-screen keyboard These adaptive switches are available in various forms and can be activated through eye movements, breath control, or other consistent muscle movements.
Controlling computers can also be achieved through a Morse code system, which utilizes adaptive switches and specialized software This method is particularly beneficial for individuals who are unable to use a full keyboard but can physically press at least one key.
Voice-recognition systems permit people to issue verbal commands to a computer to perform data entry
(Adapted from ‘Computers for the disabled’, Joseph J Lazzaro, BYTE Magazine, June 1993)
* Someone who markets products by phone
# This makes it illegal for employers to discriminate against people with disabilities
B Match the terms in the box with the explanations below a disability b Braille c port d interface e Morse code f speech synthesizer
1) A system of writing and reading (using raised dots) for blind people, to enable them to read by touch
4) A system of dots and dashes, or short and long sounds, representing letters of the alphabet and numbers
5) A hardware device used in conjunction with a screen reader program to convert screen contents into spoken words
6) Channels and control circuits which allow different parts of a computer to communicate with one another It also refers to the part of the system that allows a user to interact with programs
Dear Mike Hartley, I am writing to inquire about the various computer technologies available for individuals with disabilities, specifically those designed to enhance accessibility for the blind I would greatly appreciate any information on adaptive software, hardware options, and resources your project may offer to support the integration of these technologies Additionally, insights on training programs or workshops that promote the effective use of these tools would be invaluable Thank you for your assistance in empowering the disabled community through technology Sincerely, [Your Name]
- Begin by saying why you’re writing: I’m writing to…
- Ask for information about specific I/O equipment for deaf, blind, and motor- disabled workers: I would like to know…
Ask for a free handbook about how to add adaptive technology to personal computers: I would be very grateful if…
- End the letter appropriately: I look forward to hearing from you soon
Language work: Compound nouns
The language of computing in English contains an ever-increasing number of compound nouns, that is, a group of two or more nouns which act as a single noun
Examples memory capacity an address bus an arithmetic unit information systems a bar code scanner a computer keyboard
It is important to be able to recognize how such compounds are formed in order to understand what they mean
In compound nouns, the last word defines the object, while the preceding words provide descriptive context To understand these expressions, start with the final word and move backward through the phrase.
An address bus is a bus dedicated to address information
The memory capacity of a computer is the capacity of its memory
Compound nouns convey a variety of meanings, with the first noun or group of nouns indicating the composition, purpose, or association of the second noun.
1 Material: the first noun tells us what the second noun consists of
Example: a silicon chip (a chip made of silicon) a ferrite ring (a ring made of ferrite)
2 Function: the first noun tells us what the second noun is for
Example: an address bus (a bus dedicated to address information an arithmetic unit (a unit which performs arithmetic functions)
3 Part: the second noun refers to a part of the first noun
Example: a computer keyboard (the keyboard of a computer) a monitor screen (the screen of a monitor) a program feature (a feature of a program)
4 Activity or person: the second noun refers to an activity or person related to the first noun
Example: computer programming (the programming of computers) a computer programmer (a person who programs computers) systems analysis (the analysis of organizational systems) a systems analyst (a person who analyses organizational systems)
5 Multiple nouns: sometimes a compound noun will join together with one or more other nouns to give an expression that has three or four words In such cases, it is important to examine the expression very carefully to break it into its constituent parts The secret, as always, is to read the expression from the back towards the front
4 3 2 1 a document-image-processing program (a program which processes images of documents)
Note: some expressions are written separately, while others are joined by hyphens
There are no clear rules for this Sometimes you will see the same expression written in different ways in different texts
Example: document-image-processing program document image-processing program document image processing program However, it is important to be consistent within a single text
1 A device that scans bar codes is called a bar code scanner
What name is given to:
1) a unit that gives a visual display of information on a screen?
2) a device that reads magnetic cards?
4) a device that prints using a laser as the light source?
5) a unit that holds magnetic disks?
6) a device that prints using a jet of ink?
7) the rate of transmission of data?
8) a package for making presentations using multimedia?
9) a program which processes data in batches?
10) the process for the conversion of disks for computers?
2 Using the explanations in Exercise 1 as models, write short simple explanations of the following items:
STORAGE DEVICES
In this lesson, you will learn how to:
Ask and answer questions about hard disks
Describe different types of storage devices
Locate specific information in texts about optical disks
Use technical vocabulary connected with disks and drives
Give advice and make recommendations about disks and drives.
Hard drives
Before you read
Try to answer these questions
1 What is the main function of a hard disk?
2 Which unit is used to measure hard disk capacity?
A Read the text quickly to find out if you were right in task 1
B Read the text again and make a list of the technical aspects that you should consider when buying a hard disk
Hard disks offer significant advantages over floppy disks, primarily due to their higher spinning speeds, which enable faster data storage and retrieval They can accommodate large volumes of data, ranging from 500 MB to several terabytes Both hard disks and floppy disks operate similarly; the read/write heads of hard disks quickly seek the necessary tracks and sectors to transfer information to the computer's main memory or another storage form, accomplishing this in just a few milliseconds.
When considering disk storage, it's essential to evaluate your needs by asking key questions: What storage capacity is necessary for my tasks? What speed do I require? Which type of storage device best fits my requirements? For instance, if your primary use is word processing, you will need significantly less storage than if you are utilizing resource-intensive applications like CAD, sound editing, or animation software.
Now let’s turn our attention to speed Access times vary from 8 ms to 20 ms
Access time, also known as seek time, refers to the duration it takes for the read/write heads to locate a specific record on a disk It is essential to differentiate seek time, which might be around 20 ms, from data transfer rate, which measures the average speed of data transmission from the disk system to the RAM.
20 megabits per second) Remember that the transfer rate also depends on the power of your computer
When buying a hard disk you should consider the kinds of drive mechanisms and products available There are
Internal and external drives are both types of fixed hard drives, consisting of rigid disks sealed within the drive unit, either inside or connected to the computer Additionally, there is a third category known as removable hard drives.
54 allows information to be recorded on
‘cartridges’, which can be removed and stored off-line for security purposes
Popular removable hard disks include
Jaz and Zip drives A Jaz cartridge can store up to 2 GB of data, whereas a Zip drive can store up to 250 MB of data
Finally, a few words about ‘optical’ technology: CD-ROMS and CD-
Recordable drives have emerged as a viable option for data storage, yet magnetic hard disks remain the preferred choice for personal data management In contrast, optical discs are commonly utilized for archiving extensive information, such as dictionaries and encyclopedias.
C Now read these sentences and decide if they are true (T) or false (F)
1) Hard disks use rigid rotating disks
2) ‘Seek time’ refers to the average time required for the recording heads to move and access data
3) If you use multimedia applications, you need the same storage capacity as required for word processors
4) ‘Access time’ and ‘data transfer rate’ mean the same.
6) Each Jaz cartridge can hold up to 1,000 MB of data
7) CD-ROM disks are used for storage of massive amounts of information.
Work in group
Work in group of three Read two texts each and complete your sections of the table
1) Almost all desktop computers have hard disks They are fast and store much amounts of data, but they are fixed inside the computer and you cannot use them to transfer data
2) You can move data from place to place using removable hard disks They are almost as fast as fixed hard disks and also have high capacities, but they are relatively expensive They do not all conform to one standard and they are not very common
3) CD-ROM disks are very common and conform to a standard They are removable and can hold large amounts of data They are also cheap to make However, they are usually read-only You can not change the information on them They are also slow compared to hard disks
4) Magneto-optical disks are like CD-ROMs, but you can write data on to them, they are removable, have large capacities, and last for a long time, but they are expensive and do not all conform to one standard For this reason they are not very common
5) Magnetic tape is a cheap medium You can use it to store very large amounts of data, but it does not allow random access Every time you read or write a piece of data, you start at the beginning of the tape Tape drives are slow Therefore, it is only suitable for doing backups.
Vocabulary
The term "hard disk" is made up of the adjective "hard" and the noun "disk." By combining "hard" and "disk" with other words, we can create various phrases For example, "hard disk drive" refers to the device that reads and writes data on a hard disk "Hard disk space" denotes the storage capacity available on a hard disk Additionally, "external hard disk" describes a portable storage device that connects to a computer These combinations enhance our understanding of storage technology and its applications.
(Use your dictionary if necessary) sell drive copy drugs worker optical internal hard dirk magnetic compact labor currency capacity ware directory
Language work: Revision of prefixes
Fill in the gaps with the correct prefix from the following list auto maxi mono de mega multi dec micro semi inter mini sub
1) Most people prefers a color screen to a ………… chrome screen.
2) ………… script is a character or symbol written below and to the right of a number or letter, often used in science
3) A ………… byte equals approximately one million bytes.
4) Once you finish your program, you will have to test it and ………… bug it to remove all mistakes
5) The introduction of ………… conductor technology revolutionized the computer industry
6) If a computer system has two or more central processors which are under common control, it is called a ………… processor system.
7) The ………… imal system is a number system with a base of 10
8) When the user and the computer are in active communication on a graphics system, we refer to this as ………… active graphics
Magnetic storage
Types of magnetic drive
A Look at the pictures and descriptions below and find the following
1) The name of the hard drive on a PC platform
2) The type of hard drive that plugs into a socket at the back of a computer
3) The system that works in sequential format
4) The size and storage capacity of a floppy disk
The inside of a hard drive
Most personal computers are equipped with a single internal hard drive, commonly referred to as the C: drive This drive is essential for storing the operating system, applications, and user files in an organized manner With the capacity to hold hundreds of gigabytes of data, a hard drive plays a crucial role in managing and accessing information efficiently.
A tape drive is a sequential-access device that reads and writes data on tapes, requiring it to traverse all preceding points to reach a specific location Capable of storing hundreds of gigabytes of data, tape drives are commonly utilized for data collection, backup, and archiving purposes.
External hard drives connect to a computer via USB or FireWire ports and offer storage capacities comparable to internal drives Compact in size, often resembling a wallet, these devices are primarily utilized for backup purposes or as additional storage solutions.
B Complete these sentences with words from the box capacity storage archiving hold secondary
1) There are basically three types of magnetic………… Device available to the computer user-hard drives, diskettes and tapes
2) Hard drives can………….hundreds of times more data than floppy disks
3) A portable hard drives is a good choice for………storage.
4) Magnetic tapes are used for……… information that you no longer need to use regularly
Magnetic storage
A Read the text and then identify a sector and a track
B Read the text again and decide whether these sentences are true or false Correct the false ones
1) If you format a hard drive that has files on it, the files will be deleted
2) Hard drives cannot be partitioned to run separate operating systems on the same disk
3) Seek time and transfer rate mean the same thing
4) Disk drives are not shock resistant, especially in operating mode
Magnetic storage devices store data by magnetizing particles on a disk or tape
A hard drive operates at speeds exceeding 7,200 rpm, utilizing a series of metal rotating disks known as platters to store data This design allows for greater data capacity and significantly faster information retrieval.
New disks need to be formatted before you can use them, unless they come preformatted from manufacturer
When the disk is formatted, the operating system
(OS) organizes the disk surface into circular tracks and divides each track into sectors The
OS creates a directory which will record the specific location of files
When a file is saved, the operating system directs the read/write head of the drive to empty sectors, records the data, and updates the directory entry Upon opening the file, the OS retrieves its directory entry, positions the read/write head to the appropriate sector, and reads the file into RAM It's important to note that formatting a disk will erase all existing files, so avoid formatting any disks that contain important data you wish to keep.
The operating system (OS) enables the creation of multiple partitions on your hard drive, effectively segmenting it into logical sections This partitioning allows for the installation of various operating systems, such as Windows and Linux, on a single computer Additionally, users may choose to separate their hard drive to keep the OS and applications on one partition while storing data files on another, facilitating easier reinstallation of the OS without affecting personal data.
OS when a problem occurs, without affecting the data partition The average time required for the read/write heads to move and find data is called seek time
Access time, measured in milliseconds (ms), typically ranges from 7 to 14 ms for most hard drives It is important not to confuse access time with transfer rate, which refers to the average speed of data transmission from the disk to the CPU, measured in megabytes per second.
C Match these words (1-5) with the definitions (a-e)
5 Back up a A file system that defines the structure for keeping track of the files b The part of a drive that reads and records data on a disk c To make a copy of data of software in case the original disk is damaged
58 d Initialized; when the tracks and sectors on magnetic disks are set e A serious disk malfunction; when the read/write head touches the rotating disk
Language work: precautions
A Look at the HELP box and then match the instructions (1-6) with the pictures (a-f)
1) Do not expose discs to heat or direct sunlight
2) Check for viruses before opening files you receive from the Web or via mail
3) Make backup copies of your files
4) Don’t shake or move the computer violently while the hard drive is spinning
5) Keep you discs away from water and humidity
6) Hold discs by the edges or by one edge and the centre hole a…… d……
We use the imperative to give precautions and warnings
Check your hard drive regularly for logical and physical errors
…formatting erases any existing files on a disk, so do not formatting disks on which data that you don’t want to lose is stored
We use should + infinitive without to to give advice or to talk about what we think is right
…you should install an up- to-date virus scanner
We use shouldn’t + infinitive without to to give advice or to talk about what we think is wrong
You shouldn’t turn your computer off and on quickly b…… e……. c… f………
B In pairs, discuss what you should or shouldn’t do to protect your data Use the suggestions below
Example: discs on top of each other (stack)
You shouldn’t stack discs on top of each other / Don’t stack discs on top of each other
1) Your anti-virus program regularly, since new viruses are created everyday (update)
2) Discs in a protective case (store)
3) Passwords and security devices to protect confidential information (use)
4) On discs with permanent marker pens (write)
5) The disc into the disc drive carefully (insert)
Note: disc (optical media); disk (magnetic storage media)
Word building
Look at the words in the boxes Are they nouns, verbs, adjectives or adverbs? Write n, v, adj or adv next to each word and then complete the sentences below
1) ……….is the science of magnetic phenomena and properties
2) Hard drive is………storage device
3) Data is recorded on a disk in the form of…….spots called bits
Explaining hard drive precautions
A friend has sent you an email explaining that she has just lost all of the information on her PC because of a head crash Write a reply explaining the following
Why the head crash happened
What precautions she should take with her new PC to avoid similar problems in the future
What steps she could take up her files
Flash memory
Flash-based gadgets
Flash memory is used in many handheld devices Match the descriptions (1-6) with the pictures (a-f)
1) This handheld console lets you play games stored on ROM game cards, which have a small amount of flash memory to save user data, for example high scores
2) This flash memory card is used as “digital film” to store images on a digital camera
3) This wireless LAN card allows laptop and PDA users to access the Internet form any Wi-Fi access point
4) This USB flash pen drive is the latest mobile drive for your computer
5) It looks like an ordinary watch, but this USB drive from Edge Tech can store up to 1GB of flash memory It will let you save and transfer your photos, songs and data files easily
6) This flash-based player provides everything you need to play music and store data on the go It also comes with a built-in FM radio and voice recorder a…… b………… c……… d……… e……… f…………
Memory in a flash
A Look at the title of the text Why is it a suitable title for an article about flash memory? Read the first paragraph of the text to find out
B Read the whole text and answer these questions
2) What are the differences between RAM memory and flash memory?
3) What can devices which use multi-level cell technology do?
4) What are the differences between flash drives and external hard drives?
5) What is the advantage of using U3 technology in flash drives?
6) How much data can a flash memory card hold?
7) What is the name of the flash card created by Sony for its digital cameras?
Flash memory is a non-volatile memory that can be electronically erased and reprogrammed The term was coined by Toshiba to highlight its rapid erasure capabilities, signifying that it can be done "in a flash," or very quickly.
Unlike RAM, which is volatile, flash memory retains the information stored in the chip when the power is turned off
Flash memory is perfect for digital cameras, laptops, network switches, video game cards, mobile phones, and portable multimedia players due to its rewritable nature, allowing software updates It provides quick read access times, achieving transfer rates of 12MB per second, although it is not as fast as RAM.
Data is stored in chips using floating gate transistors known as cells, with each traditional cell holding one bit of data (1 for erased and 0 for programmed) Modern devices utilize a multi-level cell structure to store multiple bits per cell These chips are built with either NOR or NAND gates, where NOR chips operate similarly to a computer’s main memory.
NAND works like a hard drive For example, in a camera, NOR flash contains the camera’s internal software, while NAND flash is used to store the images
Flash memory is used in several ways:
Many PCs have their BIOS (basic input/output system) stored on a flash memory chip so it can be updated if necessary
Modems use flash memory because it allows the manufacturer to support new protocols
USB flash drives are a convenient solution for transferring MP3s and other data files between computers, thanks to their compact size and solid-state technology, which eliminates fragile moving parts that are prone to damage Although they offer less storage capacity compared to external hard drives, their portability makes them an ideal choice for users on the go.
New U3 smart drives allow users to store both applications and data They have two drive partitions and can carry applications that run on the host computer without requiring installation
Flash memory cards are essential for storing images on cameras, backing up data on PDAs, transferring games on video consoles, and recording music on MP3 players, as well as storing movies on MP4 players These compact devices, comparable in size to a stamp, offer capacities ranging from 8MB to several gigabytes, although they often lack interchangeability between different devices Common formats include CompactFlash, Secure Digital, MultiMedia Card, miniSD card, and xD-picture Card, with Sony's Memory Stick being designed for its digital cameras, video camcorders, and PlayStation Portable Users can transfer photos from digital cameras to computers via cable or wirelessly, or by using a flash card reader connected to their PC for easy access.
62 card from the camera and put it into the reader instead of having to plug the camera in
The future of storage technology lies in hybrid hard drives, which integrate magnetic hard disks with flash memory This innovative combination enables faster boot times for computers and significantly lowers power consumption, making them an efficient choice for modern computing needs.
Find words or phrases in the text with the following meanings
A Look at the HELP box and then, using affixation, conversion and compounding, try to make as many words as you can from blog, mail and print Use a dictionary and the Internet to help you
Blogger (a person who writes a blog)
To mail (the verb form) Printout (the pages produced by the printer)
B Choose the correct word in brackets to complete this description of a voice recorder Use a dictionary to help you
Olympus WS-320M digital voice recorder
Slim, attractive, and highly functional, the Olympus WS-320M digital voice recorder packs 1GB of internal flash memory into is 1
Lightweight housing allows you to record up to 277 hours of high-quality audio in WMA format This device is perfect for taking notes, attending long lectures, conducting interviews, or capturing fleeting song ideas Additionally, it offers convenient features that enhance your recording experience.
WS-320M can store up to 266 WMA or
MP3 song for high-quality stereo 3
The WS-320M offers five distinct folders, each capable of storing up to 199 files, allowing users to efficiently organize nearly 1,000 files by various subjects or themes Additionally, it provides four recording modes: HQ for high-quality audio, LP and SP for longer recording durations, and ST HQ for enhanced sound quality.
We can create new words from existing words in three main ways:
Affixation (adding a prefix or suffix)
Adding a prefix volatile non-volatile date update
Adding a suffix: erase erasable install installation
Conversion (turning a noun into a verb, or a verb into a noun, etc) network (now) to network (verb)
We networked all the PCs in the office
We created a network of all the PCs in the office
Compounding (putting two or more words together)
I bought a new handheld last week
SanDisk’s card readers read and write to just about every flash memory card
63 stereo recording And thanks to the voice
5 (activation/activate/active) option, users don’t need to press a single button to start recording- the WS-320M will record as soon as the built-in microphone picks up sound
Perhaps the most convenient feature, however, is the built–in USB 6
(connector/connect/connected), which eliminates the need for a USB cable
Once this is connected, you can 7
Easily download music files, images, or documents from your PC, effectively transforming the recorder into a compact hard drive Additionally, you can transfer voice recordings to your computer for convenient storage and access.
(store/storage/storeroom) or multimedia use
Compounds can be expressed in three forms: as two separate words (flash card), as hyphenated words (solid-state), or as a single word (handheld) There are no strict rules governing these variations, and some compounds may evolve in spelling over time For instance, "web site" started as two words, transitioned to a hyphenated form (web-site), and is now commonly written as one word—website Always consult a dictionary or Google for clarification if you're uncertain.
In pronunciation, compounds normally have the main stress on the first part, and the secondary stress on the second part, for example “video, game”
Vocabulary revision
Solve the clues and complete the puzzle
4 Thousand of a second, abbreviated to ms, used to measure the access time of hard drives
6 Floating gate transistors are called…… in flash memory technology.
7 Prefix meaning very large or one thousand million
11 acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation
1 Concentric ring on the surface of a disc when the disc is formatted
2………memory retains its data when the power is switched off
3 CD-RW means Compact Disc………
5 Abbreviation of digital versatile disc
8 To write information on a disk or storage area
9 Type of external bus or connector that plugs into the computer
10 The physical mechanism that accepts, reads and writes data on disk
BASIC SOFTWARE
In this lesson, you will learn how to:
Extract relevant information form texts about system software
Recognize the characteristics of a typical graphical user interface or GUI
Make a summary of a written text
Identify the function of different word-processing capabilities: search and replace, cut and paste, spell checkers, etc
Understand the basic features of spreadsheets and databases
Acquire specific vocabulary related to Internet utilities
Operating Systems
Warm-up
A Look at the diagram What is the function of the operating system?
B Read the text below and complete it with the phrases in the box
An operating system is a piece of software that presents an interface between the computer and the user One of the first operating systems was the
GM OS or General Motors Operating
There are two major kinds of operating systems, Command Line
Interfaces (CLI), and more recently,
Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) CLIs use only text and no graphics to display information and the user navigates by means of the shell Examples of popular
CLI operating systems still in use today are MS-DOS and Linux Examples of popular GUI operating systems are
Until the 1990s, Unix on mainframes and MS-DOS on PCs were the most popular operating systems Unix, developed by Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thompson in 1970, evolved from the earlier MULTICS system, which they found unsatisfactory Both Linux and Mac OS X have their origins in the original Unix, while MS-DOS was a product of Microsoft.
Before Windows, Microsoft was built on MS-DOS, a rebranded version of QDOS, a Unix-like program created by Tim Paterson Bill Gates acquired QDOS and licensed MS-DOS to IBM, establishing it as the foundational command-line interface for all of Microsoft's graphical user interface operating systems, including Windows.
Microsoft Windows dominates the PC operating system market with over 90% share Originally designed for home and office use, Windows has evolved into a formidable competitor to Unix systems, even within enterprise environments where Unix-derived systems maintain a strong presence.
An operating system is fundamentally composed of a collection of programs known as the kernel, which serves as the core layer that manages hardware and the file system To facilitate communication between the kernel and various components or peripherals, additional programs called device drivers are utilized.
An operating system's primary role is to manage user access to various computer resources, typically requiring authentication through a username and password It enables system administrators to set permissions for files and directories Additionally, modern operating systems provide numerous utilities, such as streamlined software installation and uninstallation, hardware monitoring, and network-based upgrades Most releases now also include essential productivity applications, like web browsers and text editors, as standard features.
Read the text and answer these questions:
1) What is an operating system ?
2) What are two major kinds of operating systems?
3) Name one of popular GUI operating systems?
4) What was the most popular OS up until the 1990’s?
5) Whom was Unix created by?
6) Which is the main operating system today on PCs?
7) What exactly is an operating system composed of?
9) What is another main task for an operating system?
10) What do modern operating systems offer?
Basic DOS commands
Match the DOS commands on the left with the explanations on the right Some commands are abbreviations of English words
1 FORMAT a erases files and programs from your disk
2 CD (or CHDIR) b copies all files from one floppy disk to another
3 DIR c changes your current directory
MKDIR) d initializes a floppy disk and prepares it for use
5 DISKCOPY e displays a list of the files of a disk or directory
6 BACKUP f changes names of your files
8 DEL h saves the contents of the hard disk on floppy disk for security purposes
Language work: Revision of the passive
We form the present simple passive with am/is/are + past participle
- This program is written in a special computer language
- Programs and data are usually stored on disks
Remember that the word data takes a singular verb (3 rd person singular) when it refers to the information operated on in a computer program
- The data is ready for processing
B Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in brackets
1) Various terminals (connect) ……… to this workstation.
4) When a particular program is run, the data (process) ……… by the computer very rapidly
5) Hard disks (use) ……… for the permanent storage of information
6) The drug-detecting test in the Tour de France (support) ……… by computers
7) All the activities of the computer system (coordinate) ……… by the central processing unit
8) In some modern systems information (hold) ……… in optical disks.
Quiz
Work with a partner Try to answer as many questions as possible
(Use the Glossary if you need to)
1) What name is given to the set of programs that interface between the user, the applications programs, and the computer?
2) What types of programs are designed for particular situations and specific purposes?
3) What does ‘MS-DOS’ stand for?
4) What is the basic DOS command for copying a file?
5) The Macintosh operating system is kept in various locations Where exactly are these?
6) Can you give synonym for the term ‘routine’?
7) What is the abbreviation for ‘International Business Machines’?
9) Which programming language allows you to play animations on the
10) What are the effects of computer viruses?
The graphical user interface
A user-friendly interface
The picture below illustrates a user interface based on graphics
Read the definitions in the HELP box and then match with the concept in the right column:
The interface elements of the Windows XP
The HELP box is a designated area on the computer screen that displays the contents of folders, files, or programs, with the ability for multiple overlapping windows, where the top window is the active one Icons, which are small pictures on the screen, represent various programs, folders, or files, such as the Recycle Bin icon for file management Menus provide users with a list of choices, operated by clicking buttons on the mouse The pointer, an arrow used to select icons or options from a menu, is navigated across the screen using the mouse.
Then you click a button on the mouse to use the object selected by the pointer e Containers for documents and applications, similar to the subdirectories of a PC platform
A Read the article below and decide which of the expressions in the box best describe a graphical user interface (GUI) user-friendly slow text-based complex graphics-based attractive
The terms user-interface refers to the standard procedures the user follows to interact with a particular computer
An effective user interface is crucial for a seamless software experience, allowing users to navigate programs effortlessly A graphical user interface (GUI) significantly enhances efficiency by eliminating the need to memorize complex commands; instead, users can simply point and click to access the application's features and content.
Macintosh computers – with a user interface based on graphics and intuitive tools – were designed with a single clear aim: to facilitate interaction with the computer Their interface is called
WIMP: Window, Icon, Mouse, and
Pointer, and software products for the
Macintosh computers are engineered to fully leverage their unique interface, enhancing user experience Additionally, the ROM chips in a Macintosh house libraries that equip program developers with essential routines for creating windows, dialog boxes, icons, and pop-up menus This integration guarantees the development of applications that maintain a high degree of consistency.
The most innovative graphical user interfaces (GUIs) today include Macintosh, Microsoft Windows, and IBM OS/2 Warp, all featuring a desktop environment with icons, windows, folders, a printer selector, file finder, control panel, and various desk accessories Users can open a folder by double-clicking, revealing a window that contains programs, documents, or additional nested folders Within any folder, programs or documents can be easily launched by double-clicking their icons or dragged to different locations for convenience.
The three platforms differ in other areas such as device installation, network connectivity, or compatibility with application programs
User -friendly interfaces have gained immense popularity due to their simplicity, encouraging creativity and enhancing the quality of work produced by users The appeal of visually attractive designs significantly influences public engagement and satisfaction.
B Look at the text again and guess the meaning of the words in bold and italics in your own language
C Find answers to these questions
1) What does the abbreviation ‘GUI’ stand for?
2) What is the contribution of Macintosh computers to the development of graphic environments?
3) What does the acronym ‘WIMP’ mean?
4) What computing environments based on graphics are mentioned in the text?
5) How do you run a program on a computer with a graphical interface?
6) Can you give two reasons for the importance of user-friendly interfaces?
Exercise work
Add to the statements (1-10) using the extra information (a-j)
1 A barcode is a pattern of printed black lines a it contains the main electronic components
2 A floppy is a disk b it adds features to a computer
3 A mother is a printed circuit board c it is about the size of a piece of paper
4 A password is a secret set of characters d supermarkets use them for pricing
5 A monitor is an output device e it reads and writes to disks
6 A disk drive is a unit f it can hold 1.44Mb of data
7 An expansion card is an electronic board g it allows access to a computer system
8 A CD-ROM drive is a common storage device h it controls all the other boards in a computer
9 A notebook is a portable computer i it displays data on a screen
10 The system unit is the main part of the computer j it read data from a CD_ROM disk
Language work: Short relative clauses
We can join these sentences by using a relative clause
2) It allows basic file-sharing and multi-player gaming
1) + 2) Her house has a network which allows basic file-sharing and multi- player gaming
Relative clauses with specific active verbs can be condensed by removing the relative word and converting the verb into its ‘-ing’ form This allows for a more streamlined sentence structure.
Her house has a network allowing basic file-sharing and multi-player gaming
Note how these two sentences are joined by a relative clause
3) The technology is here today
4) The technology is needed to set up a home network
3) + 4) The technology which is needed to set up a home network is here today
Relative clauses like this with passive verbs can be shortened by omitting the relative word and the verb ‘to be’.
The technology needed to set up a home network is here today
Now link each group of sentences into one sentence using short relative clause
1 a The technology is here today b It is needed to set up a home network
2 a You only need one network printer b It is connected to the server
3 a Her house has a network b It allows basic file-sharing and multi-player gaming
4 a There is a line receiver in the living room b It delivers home entertainment audio to speakers
5 a Eve has designed a site b It is dedicated to dance
6 a She has built in links b They connect her site to other dance sites
7 a She created the site using a program called Netscape
Composer b It is contained in Netscape Communicator
8 a At the centre of France Telecom’s home of tomorrow is a network b It is accessed through a Palm Pilot-style control pad
9 a The network can simulate the owner’s presence. b This makes sure vital tasks are carried out in her absence
10 a The house has an electronic door-keeper b It is programmed to recognize you c This gives access to family only
Using short relative clauses is one way of reducing sentences Other ways of reducing sentences are:
Taking out relative pronouns where possible e.g The software (that) we bought last year
Omitting qualifying words (adjectives, or modifying adverbs) e.g (quite) complex/(very) similar
Taking out that in reported speech or thoughts
e.g It is well known (that) computers…
I think (that) there’s something wrong with this program.
e.g Macintosh computers were designed with a clear aim: to facilitate the user’s interaction with the computer.
= Macintosh computers were designed to facilitate the user’s interaction with the computer.
Writing
Summarize the text in Task 2 in 70 – 75 words You may like to follow these steps
1 Read through the whole text again and think of a suitable title for it
2 Make sure you understand all the main points Go through the text and underline the relevant information in each paragraph
3 Make notes about the main points:
Omit repetitions and unnecessary phrases
Leave out details, such as examples E.g notes on the first paragraph: In the past, only experts used computers
But now, emphasis on user-friendly interfaces
4 Make sentences from the notes and connect the sentences by using linking words (and, but, also, because, that’s why, in fact, therefore, etc.) Write your first draft
5 Improve your first draft by reducing sentences
6 Check grammar, spelling, and punctuation Write the final version of your summary
Spreadsheets
Vocabulary
Match the terms in the box with the explanations below a formul b cell c sales d payroll e shares f revenue g interest h expenses
1) A sum of money that is charged or paid as a percentage of a larger sum of money which has been borrowed or invested, e.g High rates./ 7 percent
2) The intersection of a column and a row in a spreadsheet, e.g the ~ B2
3) The quantity sold, e.g The ~ of PCs rose by 10 percent last year
4) The income – or money – received by a company or organization, e.g The annual ~ of this multinational company is…
5) A ~ in a company is one of the equal parts into which the capital of the company is divided, entitling the holder of the ~ to a proportion of the benefits, e.g £10 ~s are now worth £11
6) Financial costs; amounts of money spent, e.g Travelling ~
7) A function or operation that produces a new value as the result of adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing existing values, e.g If we enter the ~
8) 1 A list of people to be paid and the amount due to each 2 Wages or salaries paid to employees, e.g He was on the company’s ~.
Language work: Prepositions of place
A Study these examples of prepositions of place
1 Data moves between the CPU and RAM
2 Data flows from ROM to the
3 A program is read from disk into memory
4 Data is transferred along the data bus
5 The address number is put onto the address bus
6 The hard disk drive is inside a sealed case
7 Heads move across the disk
8 Tracks are divided into sectors
B Now complete each sentence using the correct preposition
1) The CPU is a large chip ……… the computer
2) Data always flows ……… the CPU ……… the address bus.
3) The CPU can be divided ……… three parts.
4) Data flows ……… the CPU and memory.
5) Peripherals are devices ……… T he computer but linked ……… it
6) The signal moves ……… the VDU screen ……… one side ……… the other
7) The CPU puts the address ……… the address bus.
8) The CPU can fetch data ……… memory ……… the data bus.
Graphic representation
A Look at the graph below and, with the help of a partner, check that it is an exact visual representation of the spreadsheet in Task 1
B Can you calculate the net profits of this firm during the period 1997-98?
C What type of image is this: a pie chart, a bar chart, an area graph, or a line graph?
D What is the advantage, if any, of displaying information as a graph, rather than as a spreadsheet?
Extension
A Spreadsheet programs are also used to make out invoices Look at the invoice below and fill in the blanks with the right words from the box
Quantity Description Price VAT (Value Added Tax)
B Have you got a spreadsheet program at work or school? If so, try to produce a similar invoice
Companies often use databases to store information about customers, suppliers and their own personnel Study the illustrations and then try to answer these questions
2) Which tasks can be performed by using a database? Make a list of possible applications
3) What do the terms mean in your language: file, record, field?
A Here is a part of an article about databases First, read all the way through and underline the basic features of a database
Basic features of database programs
A database serves as an electronic filing cabinet, allowing you to efficiently store, organize, and retrieve extensive collections of related information on a computer This technology offers various features and applications that enhance data management and accessibility.
Information is entered on a database via fields Each field holds a separate piece of information, and the fields are collected together into records
Employee records typically include essential information such as name, address, telephone number, age, salary, and length of employment These records are organized into files that can store extensive data Updating files is straightforward; fields can be modified, new records added, or outdated ones removed Utilizing effective database software allows businesses to monitor stock, sales, market trends, orders, invoices, and other critical details that contribute to company success.
Database programs offer the ability to automatically search for and retrieve records that contain specific information, allowing users to conduct searches across multiple fields simultaneously For instance, a managing director can easily access all relevant data points they need.
78 customers that spend more than £7,000 per month, the program would search on the name field and the money field simultaneously
A computer database offers significantly faster consultation and updates compared to traditional card index systems It requires considerably less physical space and allows for automatic sorting of records in either numerical or alphabetical order based on any selected field.
The best packages also include networking facilities, which add a new dimension of productivity to businesses
Managers across various departments can benefit from direct access to a shared database, enhancing collaboration and efficiency Security features enable selective file sharing on the network, allowing control over who views specific information User-defined passwords can safeguard sensitive data; for instance, an employee's personal details can be shared while keeping their commission information protected.
In short, a database manager helps you control the data you have at home, in the library or in your business
B Now make a list of the words you don’t understand Can you guess their meaning? Compare your ideas with other students
C Using the information in the text, complete these statements
2) Information is entered on a database via ……… ………
5) The advantages of a database program over a manual filing system are …
6) Access to a common database can be protected by using ………
Language work
To protect your eyes, you should wear sunglasses that block UV rays when outdoors You must take regular breaks from screens to reduce eye strain You can maintain a proper distance from your computer or device to enhance comfort You ought to ensure that your workspace is well-lit to prevent glare You may consider using artificial tears to keep your eyes moist Additionally, you should schedule regular eye exams to monitor your eye health.
Position your keyboard at the same height as your elbows
Don’t use a monitor that is fuzzy or distorts the image
You should position your keyboard at the same height as your elbows You ought to position …
You shouldn’t use a monitor that is fuzzy or distorts the image = You ought not (oughtn’t) to use …
1) Do not stare at the screen for long periods of time
2) Avoid placing the monitor so that it reflects a source of bright light, such as a window
3) Keep the screen clean to prevent distorting shadows
4) If you work in an office with a large number of computers, don’t sit too close to the sides or backs of the monitors
5) Buy a protective filter that cuts down the ELF (extremely low frequency) emissions
A How many kinds of printers can you think of? Make a list
B Read the text below and label these types of printers
The resolution depends on the number of pins (9 or 24)
The quality (resolution) of the images ranges from 180 to 720 dots per inch (dpi)
Provides high quality output – a resolution of 600/1200 (dpi)
Provides the highest resolution – more than 2,000 dpi
Provides high quality for linework
Printing is the crucial final step in document creation, facilitated by printers connected to your computer Different types of printers yield significantly varied results, so this guide aims to assist you in choosing the right one for your needs.
42 you decide which one is most suitable for your needs
Dot-matrix printers use pins to print the dots required to shape a character
They print text and graphics and nowadays some of them can print up to
Inkjet printers can produce up to 450 characters per second (cps), but their output quality is relatively low, typically at 72 or 144 dots per inch While this resolution is adequate for preliminary drafts, it is not ideal for reports or books intended for a broad audience Although inkjet printers are slower than laser printers, they are a more cost-effective option for those on a budget.
Ink-jet printers are a popular type of non-impact printer that work by projecting tiny droplets of ink onto paper to create images They are known for their speed, quiet operation, and affordability compared to laser printers Many ink-jet models offer impressive print quality, with some achieving resolutions of up to 720 dpi, making them a great choice for high-quality printing needs.
Laser printers are known for their high-speed output and exceptional resolution of 600/1200 dpi, utilizing a laser beam to scan images and transfer them to paper with specialized ink powder Continuously improving, these printers are favored by experts due to their scalability in font options, ability to emulate various language systems, and capability to produce high-quality graphics, among other advantages However, it is important to note that they remain relatively expensive.
C Read the text again and complete this table with the most relevant information Then compare your notes with a partner
Technical specifications and other features
Reference signals: Read the text and say what the underlined words refer to
Printing is the crucial final step in document creation, facilitated by printers connected to your computer As different printer types yield significantly varied results, this guide will assist you in selecting the most suitable printer for your specific needs.
Dot-matrix printers utilize pins to create the dots that form characters, enabling them to print both text and graphics Modern models can achieve impressive speeds of up to 450 characters per second (cps).
Read the advertisements for printers below, and then with your partner, answer the questions See who in your group/class can finish first
1) How many laser printers are advertised here?
2) Is there a printer that operates by spraying ink droplets onto paper?
3) Which laser printer offers the highest resolution or output quality?
4) Which printer is the most expensive?
5) Which one would you recommend to a friend who does not have much money?
6) Which one has more internal fonts?
7) A printer language is software that tells printers how to print a document Can you find two types of laser printer languages?
8) What connectivity features are offered by the Turbo Laser Writer QR?
9) A very common feature in advertisements is the use of abbreviations Find the abbreviations for these expressions: dots per inch, characters per second, pages per minute, small computer system interface, and liquid- crystal display
Workgroup laser printer 15 pages per minute 600 dpi for graphics 36 MB of
RAM Includes Adobe PostScript and
Hewlett Packard PCS printer languages
75 resident fonts Connectivity: one bi- directional parallel port, one LocalTalk port, and one Ethernet port for networks
Dot-matrix printer with 24 pins Prints text and graphics 450 cps Compatible special interface Free unlimited hotline support for our customers One year on-site maintenance
Color printer 40 Adobe PostScript fonts
36 MB RAM with a SCSI interface for an optional 20 MB hard disk
Parallel, serial and AppleTalk interfaces
Two 200 sheet selectable input trays
HP plotter emulation Thermal printing system 30-day money-back guarantee
1 year’s on-site parts and labor and £2,249
Comes with PostScript language and PCL (printer control language) Telephone hotline support
Resolution: Up to 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi on premium photo paper
Paper input capacity: Up to 150 sheets
Reliable color printer with cost-effective features for the home or office on a budget
Personal laser printer, 5 pages per minute 4 MB RAM expandable to 64
MB Parallel interface 200 sheet input tray 35 resident fonts One-year on-site maintenance Prints on a wide range of materials and sizes £649
IV Language work: Revision of comparison
A Study the sentences below and do the following:
Draw a circle around comparatives and a rectangle around superlatives
1) Dot-matrix printers are cheaper than laser printers
2) A photosetter is the fastest output device
3) A thermal wax printer is more expensive than a monochrome laser printer
4) The Micro Laser XT is the most reliable of all
5) Personal laser printers cost less than ordinary laser printers They also weigh less and require less space
6) My printer has more resident fonts than yours
7) This printer offers laser quality at a lower price
8) Monochrome printers operate faster than color ones
9) Dot-matrix printers are too slow
10) Dot-matrix printers are not quick enough
Describe to your partner the characteristics of the printer you would like to use Give reasons (Does your ideal printer look like the one below?)
Lesson 5 I/O devices for the disabled
Working in pairs or small groups, look at the pictures and discuss these questions Use the phrases in the box to help you
1) What sort of difficulties do you think are experienced by computer users with limitations of vision or mobility?
2) What types of devices could be helpful to blind users?
3) How can a person with mobility limitations communicate with a computer?
4) Think of possible tools or solutions
Key words blind person magnification software
Braille printer adaptive switch motor-impaired person adapted keyboard on-screen keyboard voice recognition system screen-pointing device speech synthesis system optical head pointer
A Read the text below and find:
1) Two examples of speech synthesis systems
2) The kind of software which is recommended for someone with partial vision
3) The speed of the Juliet Braille printer
4) The ways adaptive switches can be activated
5) The function of voice recognition devices
6) The devices used by the disabled person at the Center for the Handicapped in Seattle
7) How the blind student interacts with the machine
Sal possesses the essential traits for a successful telemarketer, including intelligence, sociability, and determination, despite being blind Phillis is interested in hiring him but has reservations regarding his ability to access the company’s database, read office correspondence, and the potential costs associated with adapting the workplace to meet his needs.
Phillis's company, being based in the US, is required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which means she must accommodate employees like Sal Fortunately, the latest adaptive technology for personal computers offers a cost-effective solution, enabling Sal and other workers with disabilities to perform their jobs independently.
To effectively integrate adaptive technology into a computer, it's essential to first identify the specific needs of the disabled worker For blind users, customizing their computers with appropriate technologies is crucial for optimal performance.
48 such as speech synthesis, magnification,
Braille and OCR One example of a speech-synthesis system is VertPro from
This product can read MS-DOS- based word processors, databases, spreadsheets, and other text-based software Window Bridge from Syntha-
Voice can verbalize both MS-DOS and
For someone with limited but usable vision, a software magnification package may be appropriate
Magnification software can enlarge text appearing on the screen by up to 16 times
For Braille output, the Juliet printer from Enabling Technologies interfaces to any standard serial or parallel port
This printer can emboss Braille on both sides of a page at a speed of 40 characters per second The Reading
Edge OCR from Xerox Imaging
Systems and the Arkenstone Open Book
Unbound from Arkenstone can read printed material to blind people and send the text to a PC
To adapt equipment for motor- impaired workers unable to type on standard keyboard, you can employ adapted keyboards, head pointers, and Morse code systems
Users can utilize an external adaptive switch to navigate menu options or select virtual keys from an on-screen keyboard These adaptive switches are available in various forms, allowing activation through eye movements, breath control, or other dependable muscle movements.
Morse code systems offer an alternative method for controlling computers, utilizing adaptive switches and specialized software This technology is particularly beneficial for individuals who are unable to use a full keyboard but can physically press at least one key.
Voice-recognition systems permit people to issue verbal commands to a computer to perform data entry
(Adapted from ‘Computers for the disabled’, Joseph J Lazzaro, BYTE Magazine, June 1993)
* Someone who markets products by phone
# This makes it illegal for employers to discriminate against people with disabilities
B Match the terms in the box with the explanations below a disability b Braille c port d interface e Morse code f speech synthesizer
1) A system of writing and reading (using raised dots) for blind people, to enable them to read by touch
4) A system of dots and dashes, or short and long sounds, representing letters of the alphabet and numbers
5) A hardware device used in conjunction with a screen reader program to convert screen contents into spoken words
6) Channels and control circuits which allow different parts of a computer to communicate with one another It also refers to the part of the system that allows a user to interact with programs
Dear Mike Hartley, I hope this message finds you well I am reaching out to inquire about the latest advancements in computers designed for individuals with disabilities Specifically, I am interested in learning about the features and technologies that enhance accessibility for blind users Additionally, any recommendations for resources or programs that support the integration of adaptive technology in everyday computing would be greatly appreciated Thank you for your assistance in helping to improve the lives of those with visual impairments Sincerely, [Your Name]
- Begin by saying why you’re writing: I’m writing to…
- Ask for information about specific I/O equipment for deaf, blind, and motor- disabled workers: I would like to know…
Ask for a free handbook about how to add adaptive technology to personal computers: I would be very grateful if…
- End the letter appropriately: I look forward to hearing from you soon
IV Language work: Compound nouns
The language of computing in English contains an ever-increasing number of compound nouns, that is, a group of two or more nouns which act as a single noun
Examples memory capacity an address bus an arithmetic unit information systems a bar code scanner a computer keyboard
It is important to be able to recognize how such compounds are formed in order to understand what they mean
The internet and email
A In pairs, discuss how you would define the Internet
B Make a list of all the things you can use the Internet for
A Read Part 1 of the internet FAQs and choose the correct answers
1) The internet was a Invented in the mid-90s b Popular in the 1960s c Probably created in the USA
2) Which term describes any fast, high-bandwidth connection? a Broadband b Dial-up connection c Wi-Fi connection
3) The power-line internet provides broadband access through a Telephone lines b Satellites c Electrical power lines
4) Which device converts computer data into a form that can be transmitted over phone lines? a ADSL b A mobile phone c A modem
5) The standard protocol that allows computers to communication over the Internet is called a An IP address b TCP/IP c HTTP
6) The geographical region covered by one or several access points is called a a Wireless access point b Hotspot c Wireless network device
How old is the Internet (the Net)? When was it created?
It’s hard to say exactly The research that led to what we now know as the Internet was begun in the 1960s
Again, it’s hard to say exactly who created it The initial research was carried out by the Advanced Research Projects Agency in America, funded by the US government
Did the Internet become popular quickly?
It took many years for the Internet to become popular around the world
It’s only really since the mid-90s that the Internet has been a part of our daily lives
How do you get online?
To get connected, you need a computer, the right connection Software and a modem connected to the phone line You also need an account with an Internet
Service Provider (ISP), which acts a gateway between your PC and the rest of the
How fast are today’s internet connections?
Today, ISPs offer a broadband, high-speed connection The most common types are cable-offered by local cable TV companies-and ADSL (Asymmetric
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) technology utilizes phone lines to deliver faster internet speeds compared to traditional dial-up connections Additionally, some electricity networks offer broadband access through a developing technology called power-line Internet, which provides affordable connectivity via power outlets.
How long has broadband existed?
How much does broadband access cost?
It depends on which company you choose Nowadays, some companies even offer free broadband
Why do you need a modem?
A modem (modulator/demodulator) converts digital signals into analogue signals so that data can be transmitted across the phone or cable network
What does TCP/IP mean?
TCP/IP, or Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, serves as the fundamental language for data transfer on the Internet, functioning similarly to an operating system for the web Each computer connected to the Internet is assigned a unique identifier, ensuring effective communication across the network.
Are there other ways of accessing the Internet?
Alternative internet access methods encompass Wi-Fi, satellite, mobile phones, and TV sets with modems Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as laptops and PDAs, can connect to the internet when in proximity to wireless access points, commonly found in hotspots like cafés, parks, or campuses Satellite services provide connectivity in areas lacking terrestrial access, such as on ships at sea.
High-end mobile phones provide access through the phone network
B In pairs, discuss which of the internet systems (1-6) you would use to do the tasks (a-f) then read Part 2 of the FQAs and check your answers
1 Email a Transfer files from the Internet to your hard drive
2 The Web b Send a message to another person via the Internet
3 Newsgroups c Have a live conversation (usually typed) online
4 Chat and IM d Connect to a remote computer by entering instructions, and run a program on it
5 FTP e Take part in public discussion areas devoted to specific topics
6 Telnet f Download and view documents published on the Internet
Email lets you exchange messages with people all over the world Optional attached files can include text, pictures and even audio and animation
A mailing list uses email to communicate messages to all its subscribes – that is, everyone that belongs to the list
Which email program is the best?
Outlook Express is a popular program, but many users use web-based email accounts such as Hotmail
The Web is made up of billions of documents hosted on web servers that utilize the HTTP protocol Users navigate the Web through web browsers, which enable them to search for, view, and print web pages.
How often are web pages updated?
It depends entirely on the page Some are updated thousands of times a day
Chat and Instant Messaging (IM)
Chat and Instant Messaging technologies allow you to have real-time conversations online, by typing messages at the keyboard
FTP, or File Transfer Protocol, facilitates the transfer of files across TCP/IP networks and is now integrated into web browsers This allows users to easily download programs, games, and music files from remote computers directly to their hard drives.
Telnet is a protocol and a program used to log onto remote computer systems
It enables you to enter commands that will be executed as if you were entering them directly on the remote server
Newsgroups are public discussion forums that form part of the Usenet system, where individuals contribute by posting and responding to articles, resulting in interconnected message threads To access and participate in newsgroups, users require a newsreader, which can be a standalone application or integrated within a web browser.
How many newsgroups are there?
There are approximately 30,000 active newsgroups
Where can you find newsgroups?
You can download newsgroup addresses from your ISP's news server using a newsreader, or alternatively, you can visit web forums that serve the same purpose without requiring additional software.
C Find words and phrases in part 2 with following meanings
1) A system used to distribute email to many different subscribers at once (in Email paragraph)
2) A program used for displaying web pages (in The Web paragraph)
3) To connect to a computer by typing your username and password (in Telnet paragraph)
4) A series of interrelated messages on a given topic (in Newsgroups paragraph)
5) A program for reading Usenet newsgroups (in Newsgroups paragraph)
A Look at the HELP box and then make a question about Sue Clarke for each of her answers
I use the Internet to find information requested by clients
I’ve been doing this job for six months
In questions, we normally place the auxiliary verb before the subject
Are there other ways of accessing the
If there is no other auxiliary, we use do/does (present simple) or did (past simple)
Did Internet become popular quickly?
There are many question words in
English which we use to find out more information than just yes or no
What does TCP/IP mean?
Which email program is the best?
Where can you find newsgroups?
How often are web pages updated?
How long has broadband existed?
Why do you need a modem?
How much does broadband access cost?
How many newsgroups are there?
How do you get online?
How fast are today’s internet connections?
How old is the Internet?
B In pairs, make questions using these prompts Then practice asking and answering the questions
Example: When / first / use the Internet when did you first use the Internet?
1) What type of internet connection / have at home?
2) How fast/ your internet connection?
3) How much / pay for broadband access?
4) How often/ access the internet?
7) Do / use you mobile phone to access the Internet?
8) Do / use the internet in public spaces using Wi-Fi?
10)How many newsgroups / subscribe to?
The web
A typical web page
Read the text and label the features on the screenshot with the terms in bold
The URL, or Uniform Resource Locator, is the address used to access a file on the Internet, typically formatted like this: http://www.24h.com.vn/abc.
A URL, such as http://www.24h.com.vn, consists of several components: "http" stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol, which directs the browser to locate a web page, while "www" signifies the World Wide Web The domain name "24h.com.vn" identifies the server hosting the website, which is a Vietnamese company Various top-level domains exist, including com for commercial sites, edu for educational institutions, org for organizations, and net for networks The directory path, indicated by "abc," specifies the location of the web page URL components are separated by dots, slashes, and colons, and some sites may start with "ftp://," which denotes the File Transfer Protocol used for transferring files between computers.
The toolbar features navigation icons that allow users to easily move back or forward between pages, access the home page, or halt ongoing transfers when circuits are congested.
Tab buttons allow simultaneous viewing of multiple websites, while the integrated search box facilitates information retrieval The illuminated feed button indicates the availability of RSS feeds for automatic updates If a webpage fails to load, refreshing the page will reload its content To easily revisit a website later, you can bookmark it by adding it to your favorites, which can be accessed with a simple click.
Most websites utilize clickable image links and hypertext links, collectively referred to as hyperlinks, which direct users to other web pages upon clicking.
Language work: collocations 2
A Look at the HELP box and then match the words on the left (1-6) with the words on the right (a-f) to make collocations There may be more than one possible answer
6 official a friends b photos c action d website e encyclopedia f player
B In pairs, make sentences using the collocations above
C Find the collocations in these sentences and say what type they are
1) Once you are online, you can browse the Web, visit chat rooms or send and receive emails
2) Instant messaging can be a great way to communicate with friends
3) This software may not be fully compatible with older operating systems
4) Most webcam plug into a USB port
5) This highly addictive game will keep you playing for hours
6) Companies are starting to use virtual reality on their websites
A collocation is a pair or group of words that are often used together For example, we say make phone call, not do phone calls
Here are some common types of collocation
Highly sensitive information Freely available on the Web
Mathematical formulas Up-to-date information
The world online often collocates with other words and can function as adjective or adverb
Adjective: They post opinions on online journals
Adverb: a podcast is an audio recording posted online
D Complete the extracts with words from the box
Authorization Fake Internet auction Shopping cart
1) Occasionally I also buy things on………….sites such as eBay where people offer and sell things to the highest bidder
2) First you enter a site dedicated to e-commerce and………… their products
3) Then you put the items you want to buy into a virtual…………-a program that lets you select the products and buy with a credit card
4) You may have to……….with a username and a password…
5) …for some transactions, you will be required to use a TAN, a transaction………number
6) Be aware of phishing – you may receive………….emails claiming to be from your bank and asking for personal information or account details in an attempt to……….you identity.
Language work: the prefixes e- and cyber-
Look at the HELP box and then complete these sentences
1 A………….is an employee who uses his company’s internet connection during work hours to chat with friends, play games, etc
2 An ……….is a postcard sent via the
3 An……….is a small magazine or newsletter published online
4 In a………… you can use computers with internet access for a fee
5 Examples of……….include internet fraud, digital piracy, theft of confidential information, etc
6 In the future, all elections will be carried out using………
7 You can now sign legal documents online using an……….
8 ………will revolutionize the way we take exams
9 ……… can be used on some websites instead of real money to make purchases It reduces the risk of fraud
10 An……… is like the paper version, but in digital form
The "e-" prefix signifies electronic, applied to various activities conducted online or via computers Notable examples include e-business or e-commerce, which refers to transactions carried out over the Internet, as well as e-learning, e-cards, e-zines, e-voting, e-signatures, e-assessments, e-cash, e-books, and e-pals.
There are often spelling variations, with or without a hyphen, so always check your dictionary
The term "cyber" originates from cybernetics and is commonly used to refer to concepts associated with computer networks Examples include cybercafé, which denotes an internet café, as well as terms like cybercrime, cyberculture, cyberslacker, and cyberspace.
What do you use the Web for?
In pairs, discuss these questions Give reasons for your answers
1 what is your favorites search engine to find information on the Web? Why?
2 Do you download music or video clips from the Web? Do you pay for them?
3 Do you buy things online? Is it better to buy online or go to a shop?
4 Have you ever listened to the radio or watched TV online?
5 Do you use the Web to do school/university assignments or projects? How?
Internet security
On alert
A In pair, discuss these questions
3) How easy do you think it is to infiltrate the Internet and teal sensitive information?
4) How can you protect your computer from viruses and spyware?
A Match the captions (1-4) with the pictures (a-d)
1 A secure website can be recognized in two ways: the address bar shows the letters https and a closed padlock or key is displayed at the bottom of the screen
2 You have to type your username and password to access a locked computer system
3 This program displays a message when it detects spyware and other unwanted software that may compromise your privacy or damage your computer
4 Private networks use a software and/or hardware mechanism called a firewall to block unauthorized traffic from the Internet a………. c……… b………… d……….
Security and privacy on the Internet
A Read the text quickly and see how many of your ideas from 1A Question are mentioned
B Read the text more carefully and answers these questions
1) Why is security so important on the Internet?
2) What security features are offered by Mozilla Firefox?
3) What security protocol is used by banks to make online transactions secure?
4) How can we protect our email and keep it private?
5) What methods are used by companies to make internal networks secure?
6) In what ways can a virus enter a computer system?
7) How does a worm spread itself?
Security and privacy on the Internet
While the Internet offers numerous advantages, it also exposes us to risks such as hacking, where individuals breach computer systems for amusement, data theft, or virus distribution To ensure the security of our online transactions, it is essential to implement effective protective measures.
Security is crucial when you send confidential information online
When purchasing a book online, you enter your credit card information into an order form that transmits your data across various computers to reach the online bookstore However, if any of these intermediary computers are compromised by hackers, your sensitive information can be intercepted and copied.
To mitigate risks while browsing, ensure that all security alerts are set to high on your web browser In Mozilla Firefox, a lock icon indicates a secure website, and you can manage cookies—small files stored on your hard drive by web servers that help them recognize your device—by disabling or deleting them as needed.
PC when you return to their site
When utilizing online banking services, ensure they employ digital certificates, which function as digital identification cards for both users and web servers Additionally, verify that your browser is SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) compliant to enhance security during online transactions.
Socket Layer), a protocol which provides secure transactions
When you send an email, it is temporarily stored on multiple computers along its journey across the internet, making it vulnerable to unauthorized access by individuals who illegally infiltrate computer systems.
To safeguard a message, it is essential to encrypt it, effectively placing it in a virtual envelope One notable system for ensuring private email communication is Pretty Good Privacy (PGP), a freeware program developed by Phil Zimmermann.
Private networks are vulnerable to intruders seeking sensitive information like Social Security numbers and bank account details To safeguard critical data, businesses engage security consultants to assess risks and recommend protective measures Common security strategies include implementing access control passwords, utilizing firewalls, and employing encryption and decryption systems Encryption transforms data into a coded format, ensuring that only authorized users with a key can access it, while decryption restores the encrypted data to its original state.
Malware protection Malware (malicious software) are programs designed to infiltrate or damage your computer, for example viruses, worms, Trojans and spyware
Viruses can infiltrate a computer through infected discs inserted into the disc drive or through online sources In contrast, worms are self-replicating programs that propagate via email attachments, automatically duplicating themselves and sending copies to all contacts in the user's address book.
A Trojan horse is disguised as a useful program; it may affect data security Spyware collects information from your
PC without your consent Most spyware and adware (software that allows pup- ups- that is, advertisements that
91 suddenly appear on your screen) is included with “free” downloads.
To safeguard your PC, avoid opening email attachments from unknown senders and exercise caution when downloading files from the internet Regularly updating your antivirus software is crucial, as new viruses are constantly emerging.
Language work: the past simple
Requirements: Need to, have to, must, be + essential, critical
Note how we describe requirements of particular jobs:
1 You need to be able to empathise with the person at the other end of the phone
2 IT managers have to take responsibility for budgets
3 You must be interested in your subject
4 You must have worked for at least two years in systems analysis
5 Experience with mainframes is essential/ critical
We can describe things which are not requirements like this:
6 You don’t need to have a degree in computing science
We can also treat need as a modal verb and use the negative form needn’t:
7 You needn’t have a degree in computing science
Have to is an ordinary verb
Its negative form is made in the usual way:
8 You don’t have to be an expert in everything
Mustn’t has a quite different meaning It means it is important not to do something It is used for warning, rules, and strong advice For example:
9 You mustn’t make unauthorized copies of software
A Now fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of the verbs, need to, have to, and must , to make sensible statements More than one answer is possible in some examples
1) Technical qualifications ………… to be renewed at intervals to ensure they do not go out of date
2) You ………… become an expert in too narrow a field.
3) You ………… to have good communication skills to become an IT
4) You ………… be an expert in hardware to become a programmer
5) You ………… have worked with IBM mainframes for at least two years
6) You ………… be able to show leadership.
7) You ………… have a degree but it ………… be in computing science
8) You ………… to have experience in JavaScript
9) You ………… be able to use C++
10) These days you ………… study BASIC
B Study these requirements for different jobs in computing advertised on the Internet Then describe the requirements using the methods studied in this unit
Min 2 yrs work in systems programming
1 yr exp of VTAM, NCP, SSP, NPM, IBM 3745-900 hardware
Authorized to work in the EU
3 yrs exp SAP Basic Technical
Team player with strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Ability to communicate issues and solutions and manage time effectively
Webmaster Cisco Technician IS Manager
Excellent skills in the surrounding technologies
Min 2 yrs work in support
Knowledge of NT and Netware
Experience of ERP systems implementation
Dear Valued Clients, We are excited to announce the launch of our new software products at Sunrise Computer, designed to enhance your business operations and productivity To give you a firsthand experience of these innovative solutions, we are pleased to offer you a complimentary demonstration disk This is an excellent opportunity to explore the features and benefits of our latest offerings Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to schedule a demonstration Thank you for your continued support.Sincerely, Barry Stephens Sales Manager, Sunrise Computer
MODULE 5 FACES OF THE INTERNET
Lesson 1 The internet and email
A In pairs, discuss how you would define the Internet
B Make a list of all the things you can use the Internet for
A Read Part 1 of the internet FAQs and choose the correct answers
1) The internet was a Invented in the mid-90s b Popular in the 1960s c Probably created in the USA
2) Which term describes any fast, high-bandwidth connection? a Broadband b Dial-up connection c Wi-Fi connection
3) The power-line internet provides broadband access through a Telephone lines b Satellites c Electrical power lines
4) Which device converts computer data into a form that can be transmitted over phone lines? a ADSL b A mobile phone c A modem
5) The standard protocol that allows computers to communication over the Internet is called a An IP address b TCP/IP c HTTP
6) The geographical region covered by one or several access points is called a a Wireless access point b Hotspot c Wireless network device
How old is the Internet (the Net)? When was it created?
It’s hard to say exactly The research that led to what we now know as the Internet was begun in the 1960s
Again, it’s hard to say exactly who created it The initial research was carried out by the Advanced Research Projects Agency in America, funded by the US government
Did the Internet become popular quickly?
It took many years for the Internet to become popular around the world
It’s only really since the mid-90s that the Internet has been a part of our daily lives
How do you get online?
To get connected, you need a computer, the right connection Software and a modem connected to the phone line You also need an account with an Internet
Service Provider (ISP), which acts a gateway between your PC and the rest of the
How fast are today’s internet connections?
Today, ISPs offer a broadband, high-speed connection The most common types are cable-offered by local cable TV companies-and ADSL (Asymmetric
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) utilizes phone lines to deliver faster internet speeds compared to traditional dial-up connections Additionally, some electricity networks offer broadband access through a technology called power-line Internet, which allows for low-cost connectivity via power plugs, although it remains in development.
How long has broadband existed?
How much does broadband access cost?
It depends on which company you choose Nowadays, some companies even offer free broadband
Why do you need a modem?
A modem (modulator/demodulator) converts digital signals into analogue signals so that data can be transmitted across the phone or cable network
What does TCP/IP mean?
TCP/IP, or Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, serves as the fundamental language for data transfer on the Internet, functioning similarly to an operating system for the web Each computer connected to the Internet is assigned a unique identifier, ensuring seamless communication and data exchange.
Are there other ways of accessing the Internet?
Alternative internet access methods encompass Wi-Fi, satellite, mobile phones, and TV sets with modems Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as laptops and PDAs, facilitate internet connectivity near wireless access points known as hotspots, commonly found in cafes, parks, and campuses In areas lacking terrestrial internet options, satellite services provide connectivity, making them ideal for remote locations like ships at sea.
High-end mobile phones provide access through the phone network
B In pairs, discuss which of the internet systems (1-6) you would use to do the tasks (a-f) then read Part 2 of the FQAs and check your answers
1 Email a Transfer files from the Internet to your hard drive
2 The Web b Send a message to another person via the Internet
3 Newsgroups c Have a live conversation (usually typed) online
4 Chat and IM d Connect to a remote computer by entering instructions, and run a program on it
5 FTP e Take part in public discussion areas devoted to specific topics
6 Telnet f Download and view documents published on the Internet
Email lets you exchange messages with people all over the world Optional attached files can include text, pictures and even audio and animation
A mailing list uses email to communicate messages to all its subscribes – that is, everyone that belongs to the list
Which email program is the best?
Outlook Express is a popular program, but many users use web-based email accounts such as Hotmail
The Web comprises billions of documents hosted on web servers that utilize the HTTP protocol Users navigate the Web through web browsers, enabling them to search, view, and print web pages efficiently.
How often are web pages updated?
It depends entirely on the page Some are updated thousands of times a day
Chat and Instant Messaging (IM)
Chat and Instant Messaging technologies allow you to have real-time conversations online, by typing messages at the keyboard
FTP, or File Transfer Protocol, enables the transfer of files across TCP/IP networks and is now integrated into web browsers This functionality allows users to easily download programs, games, and music files from remote computers directly to their hard drives.
Telnet is a protocol and a program used to log onto remote computer systems
It enables you to enter commands that will be executed as if you were entering them directly on the remote server
Newsgroups are public discussion forums within the Usenet system, where users contribute by posting articles and responding to others, forming message threads To engage with newsgroups and access messages, a newsreader is required, which can be a standalone application or integrated into a web browser.
How many newsgroups are there?
There are approximately 30,000 active newsgroups
Where can you find newsgroups?
You can download newsgroup addresses from your ISP's news server using a newsreader, but an alternative is to visit web forums, which offer similar functionality without requiring additional software.
C Find words and phrases in part 2 with following meanings
1) A system used to distribute email to many different subscribers at once (in Email paragraph)
2) A program used for displaying web pages (in The Web paragraph)
3) To connect to a computer by typing your username and password (in Telnet paragraph)
4) A series of interrelated messages on a given topic (in Newsgroups paragraph)
5) A program for reading Usenet newsgroups (in Newsgroups paragraph)
A Look at the HELP box and then make a question about Sue Clarke for each of her answers
I use the Internet to find information requested by clients
I’ve been doing this job for six months
In questions, we normally place the auxiliary verb before the subject
Are there other ways of accessing the
If there is no other auxiliary, we use do/does (present simple) or did (past simple)
Did Internet become popular quickly?
There are many question words in
English which we use to find out more information than just yes or no
What does TCP/IP mean?
Which email program is the best?
Where can you find newsgroups?
How often are web pages updated?
How long has broadband existed?
Why do you need a modem?
How much does broadband access cost?
How many newsgroups are there?
How do you get online?
How fast are today’s internet connections?
How old is the Internet?
B In pairs, make questions using these prompts Then practice asking and answering the questions
Example: When / first / use the Internet when did you first use the Internet?
1) What type of internet connection / have at home?
2) How fast/ your internet connection?
3) How much / pay for broadband access?
4) How often/ access the internet?
7) Do / use you mobile phone to access the Internet?
8) Do / use the internet in public spaces using Wi-Fi?
10)How many newsgroups / subscribe to?
Read the text and label the features on the screenshot with the terms in bold
A URL, or Uniform Resource Locator, is the address of a file on the Internet, typically formatted like this: http://www.24h.com.vn/abc.
A URL, or Uniform Resource Locator, consists of several components that provide essential information about a web page The "http://" prefix indicates the Hypertext Transfer Protocol, signaling the program to retrieve the web page "www" stands for World Wide Web, while "24h.com.vn" is the domain name of a Vietnamese server hosting the website Different top-level domains, such as com for commercial sites, edu for educational institutions, org for organizations, and net for networks, categorize websites The "abc" portion represents the directory path where the specific web page resides URL components are separated by dots, slashes, and colons, and some websites may start with "ftp://", which denotes the File Transfer Protocol used for transferring files between computers.
The toolbar features navigation icons that allow users to easily move back or forward between pages Additionally, it provides quick access to the home page and the option to halt any ongoing transfer when the circuits are overloaded.
Tab buttons allow simultaneous viewing of multiple websites, while the integrated search box facilitates information retrieval An illuminated feed button indicates the availability of RSS feeds for automatic updates If a web page fails to load, you can refresh it to reload the content To easily revisit a website later, you can bookmark it by adding it to your favorites, which you can access by clicking on the show favorites option.
Most websites incorporate clickable image links and hypertext links, collectively referred to as hyperlinks, which direct users to other web pages upon being clicked.
A Look at the HELP box and then match the words on the left (1-6) with the words on the right (a-f) to make collocations There may be more than one possible answer
6 official a friends b photos c action d website e encyclopedia f player
B In pairs, make sentences using the collocations above
C Find the collocations in these sentences and say what type they are
1) Once you are online, you can browse the Web, visit chat rooms or send and receive emails
2) Instant messaging can be a great way to communicate with friends
3) This software may not be fully compatible with older operating systems
4) Most webcam plug into a USB port
5) This highly addictive game will keep you playing for hours
6) Companies are starting to use virtual reality on their websites
A collocation is a pair or group of words that are often used together For example, we say make phone call, not do phone calls
Here are some common types of collocation
Highly sensitive information Freely available on the Web
Mathematical formulas Up-to-date information
The world online often collocates with other words and can function as adjective or adverb
Adjective: They post opinions on online journals
Adverb: a podcast is an audio recording posted online
D Complete the extracts with words from the box
Authorization Fake Internet auction Shopping cart
1) Occasionally I also buy things on………….sites such as eBay where people offer and sell things to the highest bidder
2) First you enter a site dedicated to e-commerce and………… their products
3) Then you put the items you want to buy into a virtual…………-a program that lets you select the products and buy with a credit card
4) You may have to……….with a username and a password…
5) …for some transactions, you will be required to use a TAN, a transaction………number
6) Be aware of phishing – you may receive………….emails claiming to be from your bank and asking for personal information or account details in an attempt to……….you identity.
III Language work: the prefixes e- and cyber-
Look at the HELP box and then complete these sentences
1 A………….is an employee who uses his company’s internet connection during work hours to chat with friends, play games, etc
2 An ……….is a postcard sent via the
3 An……….is a small magazine or newsletter published online
4 In a………… you can use computers with internet access for a fee
5 Examples of……….include internet fraud, digital piracy, theft of confidential information, etc
6 In the future, all elections will be carried out using………
7 You can now sign legal documents online using an……….
8 ………will revolutionize the way we take exams
9 ……… can be used on some websites instead of real money to make purchases It reduces the risk of fraud
10 An……… is like the paper version, but in digital form
Internet issues
A In small groups, look at the list of cybercrimes and discuss these questions
1) Which crimes are the most dangerous?
2) Is it fair or unfair to pay for the songs, videos, books or articles that you download? Should copyright infringement be allowed online?
3) What measures can be taken by governments to stop cybercrime?
4) Do you think governments have the right to censor material on the Internet
5) Personal information such as our address, salary, and civil and criminal records is held in databases by marketing companies Is our privacy in danger?
Piracy – the illegal copy and distribution of copyrighted software, games or music files
Plagiarism and theft of intellectual property – pretending that someone else’s work is your own
Phishing, also known as password harvesting fishing, involves the deceptive practice of obtaining sensitive information such as online banking passwords and credit card numbers through fraudulent emails that appear to be from legitimate organizations Victims often mistakenly believe these messages are from their bank, leading them to unwittingly provide their security details to cybercriminals.
IP spoofing – making one computer look like another in order to gain unauthorized access
Cyberstalking – online harassment or abuse, mainly in chat rooms or newsgroups
Distribution of indecent or offensive material
B Write a summary of your discussion on PowerPoint and present it to the rest of the class
CREATIVE SOFTWARE
In this module, you will learn how to:
Identify the functions of different graphics tools
Understand specific aspects of desktop publishing and multimedia applications
Write a letter to a newspaper asking for information about the hardware and page- layout software used for its production
Multimedia
Multimedia is here!
Look at the cover for Encarta ’05
What types of data are integrated in multimedia applications?
A Read the texts and match them with the headings in the box below
Sound, Music, MIDI CD-ROM titles full of pictures, action and sound!
The potential of using multimedia
CD-ROM is more than just heavy metal
Multimedia applications have primarily been utilized in information dissemination, training, and entertainment sectors Various institutions, such as museums, banks, and real estate agencies, employ multimedia kiosks to enhance user engagement Additionally, companies create training programs on optical disks, while marketing managers leverage presentation software like Microsoft PowerPoint and Lotus Freelance Graphics to deliver impactful business presentations The integration of moving images, sound, and music not only informs viewers but also emotionally engages them, making the conveyed messages more memorable.
Sound plays a crucial role in multimedia, effectively capturing participant attention, setting the mood, and emphasizing key points One of the most common tools for delivering sound is the hardware soundboard, which features two essential functions: a built-in stereo synthesizer with an audio amplifier for instant sound, music, and speech, and a musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) that enables communication between electronic instruments and MIDI-equipped devices or PCs.
Between 80 and 90 percent of all multimedia applications are distributed on CD- ROM, some just on CD, some on several media (as with Autodesk’s Multimedia Explorer, which comes with both a CD-ROM and diskettes) The reason for CD-ROM’s popularity in multimedia is simple –a single CD can contain 650 MB of data That’s over 500 floppy disks’ worth of programs, sound, and graphics The newest CD-ROM standard, CD-ROM XA (for eXtended Architecture) uses data compression to fit even more on these shiny discs Many XA drives are also compatible with Kodak’s PhotoCD technology, which digitizes photographs and places them on a CD-ROM
Electronic encyclopedias combine text, images, and audio, often featuring a video section with full-motion clips For example, Compton’s Encyclopedia allows users to explore information about whales, view photographs, listen to their songs, and watch animated sequences depicting their movements in the ocean Similarly, Grolier offers comparable multimedia resources for various topics.
Encyclopedia lets you read about birds, view pictures of birds, and listen to recordings of their songs
CD-ROMs offer a variety of educational resources, including dictionaries, guides, and courses covering topics such as history, science, and foreign languages A notable example is Microsoft's Cinemania, which provides extensive information on thousands of films, including photographs, reviews, biographies, and dialogue excerpts.
(Section 2 and 3 adapted from ‘Updating to multimedia’ in PC Upgrade, June 1993)
B Read the texts again and correct these statements There is a technical mistake in each of them
1) Multimedia applications do not use huge amounts of data
2) You don’t need to have a soundboard on your PC to hear speech and music
3) Most multimedia software is distributed on magnetic disks
4) Kodak’s PhotoCD technology is not compatible with many CD-ROM drives
5) There are no language courses available on CD-ROM
D Match these terms in the box with the explanations b Computer animation c Video computing d MIDI interface e CD-ROM player f Multimedia control panels
1) Small programs inside the OS designed to work with audio and video files
2) A code for the exchange of information between PCs and musical instruments
3) A drive used to handle CD-Rom disks
4) Manipulating and showing moving images recorded with a video camera or captured from a TV or video recorder
5) Images which move on the screen.
Language work: If – clauses
When you want to talk about a possible situation and its consequences, you use a conditional sentence Here, we examine two types of conditionals
(present + simple), (will + verb) E.g If you click on the speaker icon, you’ll get a piece of dialogue from the movie
In the main clause, we can also have modal (can), an imperative, or a present tense verb
(past simple), (would + verb) E.g If I had the money, I would (I’d) invest in a multimedia upgrade kit Other modals (could, should, might) may appear in the main clause
Read these sentences, then identify the tenses used in the if-clause and in the main clause
1 If you upgrade your PC, you’ll be able to run multimedia applications.
2 If the marketing manager had a multimedia system, she could make more effective presentations
B Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form
1) If I (get) ……… a sound card, I’ll be able to create my own music with a MIDI
2) If the system (have) ……… a SuperVGA card, we would obtain a better resolution
3) You won’t be able to play CD-ROM disks if you (not have) ……… a CD-ROM drive
4) If you (come) ……… to the annual computer exhibition, you could see the new Macs
5) If I could afford it, I (buy) ……… a Multimedia PC
C Match the sentences in Column A with appropriate sentences from Column
B Then join each action and effect using an if-sentence
2 You press Ctrl + Alt + Del in Windows
5 You used a better search engine
6 You forget to save regularly
7 You hold down the mouse button over an icon
8 You used an LCD display
Dragging Column B across the screen can enhance your computer's speed, while also providing more desk space However, be cautious as you may risk losing data Additionally, this action allows for connection to a telephone line and enables you to make a copy of the screen By utilizing this feature, you can discover more relevant results and view a list of active programs displayed on your device.
D Describe the consequences of these actions using an if-sentence
1) you don’t virus-check floppies
2) there was a power cut while you were using your computer
5) you press the delete key
7) you double-click on an icon
8) you use power-saving options
Multimedia on the Web
Read the text and find:
1) the function of the extension that is usually added to a file name
2) the language used to create the majority of text files on the Web
3) the graphics interchange format created by CompuServe to compress images
4) the small program (plug-in) that lets you hear audio recordings on the net
5) the most popular video formats
6) the format created by the Moving Picture Experts’ Group to capture, store and play back movies
7) the extension for the files that can be decompressed with a program like
Web pages feature a variety of multimedia elements, including text, graphics, audio, video, and animations Typically, a three-letter file extension is appended to the file name when saving to indicate the format or type of file.
The most common text extensions are txt, pdf, doc and htm (or
html) Most of the text files that you find on the Web have the extension htm, created with the hypertext markup language
Web graphics encompass various elements such as pictures, photos, paintings, image maps, and buttons The predominant formats used for these graphics are gif, a standard image format developed by CompuServe, and jpg or jpeg, which were created by the Joint Photographic Experts Group.
The Internet is a great place to find and hear hit songs, movie soundtracks, and recorded interviews The most common formats are these:
wav: wave files can be played with Sound Recorder included with Windows
ra or ram: files generated by RealAudio, a plug-in you can download from the Web
You can see cartoons and movie clips on the Web, but you need the appropriate software Video files are usually stored in: avi, mov and mpg (or mpeg) formats
To view MPEG videos, Video for Windows is sufficient, but creating high-quality movie clips requires a dedicated MPEG expansion card Additionally, you can explore animation and 3-D environments, with two standard tools available for manipulating these animated worlds.
99 are VRML and Java To view a virtual animation, you need a program like QuickTime VR
When you download files, they’re probably compressed Windows files have a zip extension Macintosh files usually have a sit extension and are opened with StuffIt
Web design
A typical home page
In pairs, discuss these questions
1) Why do companies have websites?
2) What is the difference between a website and a web page?
4) Do you have a blog or personal website? Describe the home page to your partner
Web page design
A Read the text and find the following
1) The language used to create web documents
2) The type of software that lets you design web pages without writing
3) The format invented by Adobe to distribute text files over the Internet
4) A method of displaying multiple HTML documents in the same browser window
5) Three common graphics formats used on websites
6) Three popular formats used to store and play back video
Web page design HTML and web editors
The code behind most web pages is
HTML, or Hypertext Markup Language, is composed of commands known as tags that instruct web browsers on how to display text and images While you can view the HTML source code of any webpage through the Page Source option in your browser, learning HTML is not necessary for creating your own website Instead, you can utilize a word processor with web design features or specialized web editors such as Macromedia Dreamweaver or Microsoft FrontPage, which offer user-friendly interfaces for web development.
101 friendly and WYSIWYG (What You
See Is What You Get) Different buttons and menu items let you design a page without writing HTML
HTML files have this basic structure:
Have heading text that begins with
, which has a title enclosed between tags and ends with
Have body text that starts with , where you place the contents of the actual document (i.e text, images, links, etc.) and ends with
You can create link to other web pages by using the tag active text
There are a number of different elements that you can use on a web page:
Text – displayed in a variety of fronts and sizes Most text files are available in two formats: HTML of
PDF (the portable document format that can be viewed with Acrobat
Background – the underlying colors and patterns of a web page
Tables – with columns and rows, used to position images and text on a page
Frames – rectangular areas that allow the display of different pages in the same browser window
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are essential for enhancing the visual presentation of web documents While HTML allows for basic styling, such as defining fonts, text styles, and background colors, CSS has become the preferred method for applying comprehensive styles to websites today.
CSS This makes, it easy to apply presentation changes across a website
Graphics, including clip art, icons, background templates, wallpapers, and transparent images, are commonly available in various formats The jpg (Joint Photographic Experts Group) format is ideal for vibrant images with many colors, while gif (Graphics Interchange Format) is best suited for images with limited color palettes Additionally, png (Portable Network Graphics) supports up to 16 million colors, making it a versatile choice for high-quality graphics.
Hyperlinks, which can be highlighted text or images, serve as links to other pages and are essential for sharing information To keep your audience informed, consider using RSS feeds, enabling subscribers to receive updates on blogs, news, and podcasts Before launching your content, it's crucial to ensure that all hyperlinks are functioning properly.
Incorporating audio files into websites has become increasingly popular, allowing designers to enhance user experience with songs, podcasts, and more The most widely used audio formats include wav (Windows Wave Audio), ra (RealAudio), and mp3, providing versatile options for seamless integration.
Full-motion video is stored in these formats: avi (audio video interleave), mov (QuickTime movie) and mpg
If you want to inject something special into you web pages, you can use Adobe Flash to include interactive animations and streaming audio
You can enhance your website by incorporating Java applets, which are small programs that facilitate the creation of interactive content Animations consist of a sequence of independent images that combine to create the illusion of motion To view or hear these files, it is essential to have the appropriate plug-in, an auxiliary program that enhances your web browser's capabilities.
B Read the text again and then match the sentence beginnings (1-6) with the correct ending (a-f)
2) Cascading Style Sheets are the way
3) A hyperlink is any clickable text
4) A plug-in is a small program
5) Java applets are used to provide
6) RSS feeds are summaries of web content a Image or button that takes you to another place on the Web b Used for handling audio, video and animation files c Are called tags d Interactive features to web applications e To define the presentation of web pages, from fonts and colors to page layout f Published in the Really Simple Syndication format for download
Language work: modal verbs
A Underline all the modal verbs in the above text and then look at the HELP box Which modal verb from the HELP box does not appear in the text? Can you think of any other modal verbs?
We use modal verbs to add extra meaning to the main verb They are followed by infinitive without to
Modal verbs are used in the following ways:
You can/could use Adobe Flash to include interactive animations
You may like to insert songs, podcasts, etc
"Can" and "could" are frequently used interchangeably to discuss possibilities In contrast, "may" and "might" indicate weaker possibilities and typically precede the verb, suggesting that it is possible you will like something.
Can/Could/May I use your mobile phone?
May is more formal than can or could
They are looking for artists who can draw and design web pages
Could is the past tense of can and is used to talk about ability in the past
To talk about obligation or necessity
To see or hear all these files You must have the right plug-in
…you needn’t learn HTML in order to build your own website
Needn’t means don’t need to or don’t have to and is used to express a lack of obligation
Before going live, you should check that all the links work
B Complete these sentences with suitable modal verbs from the HELP box There may be more than one possible answer
1) With Java, I………… include some attractive banners on my website
2) With a web editor, you…… create a web document easily
3) These days, you………….learn how to use complicated HTML codes Modern web design software is user-friendly and converts a visual layout into HTML code
4) Once live, you…………update your website regularly
5) To view a PDF file, you……….have Adobe Acrobat Reader
6) Websites with graphics are more inviting than those written in plain text, so you………… like to insert some graphics into your documents.
7) ………I use your laptop? I need to print out this report.
C In pairs, discuss at least two things
1) You can now do more easily because of the Internet
2) You could do better if you had a faster internet connection
3) That may/might happen to the Internet in the next ten years
4) You must consider when designing a website
5) You should take into account when choosing which PC to buy.
Blogs
A In pairs, discuss these questions
2) Which blogs do you read regularly?
B Imagine you wanted to start your own blog In pairs, discuss these questions
1) Why would you start your own blog – to write a diary of your thoughts or to share you expertise on a particular topic?
2) What types of media would you include – text, photos, video, audio (including podcasts)?
3) Would you insert links to other blogs? Which ones?
4) Would you focus on a particular subject or have a mix of several topics?
5) Which site would you use to host your blog?
PROGRAMING / JOBS IN ICT
In this module, you will learn how to:
Understand basic concepts in programming, and acquire vocabulary connected with it
Recognize acronyms and abbreviations associated with programming
Ask and answer questions about computer languages
Discuss the professional skills and personal qualities required for the jobs of senior programmer and DTP operator
Write a letter applying for a job
Program design
Language work: Infinitive constructions
- It is difficult to use machine code
After modal verbs with to: ought to, used to
- I ought to make a back-up copy
- Using a computer is much easier than it used to be
After modal and auxiliary verbs without to: can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, would rather, would sooner
- Unfortunately, computers can’t understand English
- I’d rather buy a game than a spreadsheet
B Make sentences as in the example
Not easy/write instructions in Pascal
It is not easy to write instructions in Pascal
1) advisable/test the program under different conditions
2) expensive/set up a data-processing area
3) unusual for a program/work correctly the first time it is tested
4) difficult for students/learn FORTRAN
5) important/consider the capabilities of the programming language
6) quite easy/write instructions in BASIC
C Now look again at the reading passage in Task 2 Underline the infinitive constructions after modal verbs
Unfortunately, computers cannot understand ordinary spoken English…
D Look at these pairs of examples and decide where there is an ‘important’ change in meaning
1 a I remember shutting down the computer before I left the room b Please, remember to buy the new program
2 a They stopped to look at the flowchart
108 b They stopped looking at the flowchart
3 a I like studying C language b I like to study C language in the evenings
4 a It has started to rain b It has started raining
5 a He needs to work harder b This hard disk needs repairing
Languages
Language work: Would, Revision of time clauses
We use ‘would’ in conditional sentences For example:
If you spilled coffee on the keyboard, you would damage it
Often the condition is implied, not stated For example:
(If I had time) I’d like to build in new links.
(If I had to make a choice) my favorite site would have to be the Internet Movie Database
What is the implied condition in this extract?
I would look at other sites too for good ideas
B Complete the gaps in this dialogue with ‘will’ or ‘would’ or the reduced forms ‘’ll’ and ‘’d’ where appropriate.
A What ……… 1 you do when you finish your diploma?
B I ……… 2 like to take a course in multimedia
B If I choose the certificate, it ……… 4 take 6 months but if I chose the master’s, it ……… 5 take a full year
A What ……… 6 be the advantage of the master’s?
B I guess I ……… 7 have better job prospects
B It depends on my finals If I do well, I ……… 9 go for the master’s.
C Link these statements using an appropriate time clause
1 a You click the mouse pointer on the file b It is highlighted
2 a You cannot save a file b You name it
3 a The files are transferred b The transfer is graphically displayed
4 a Remove any floppies b You close down the computer
5 a The OK button is clicked b The copying process begins
6 a The percentage of file transferred is displayed b Your browser downloads from the Internet
7 a The virus is not activated b You open the infected file
8 a You repair a PC b Ensure the machine is disconnected
9 a Don’t open an email attachment. b You have virus-checked it
10 a You add memory b Change the BIOS settings.
Speaking
A short description of BASIC
Read the passage and complete it with verbs in brackets in the correct form
BASIC is a general purpose high-level programming language, originally designed (develop) ……… 1 program in conversational mode The name BASIC (stand) ……… 2 for Beginner’s All-purpose
Symbolic Instruction Code, commonly known as BASIC, is prevalent on most microcomputers due to its user-friendly and easy-to-learn nature BASIC consists of two main components: source language statements, which form the core instructions of the program, and system commands that allow users to control and edit the program This language enables users to interact with the program during execution, facilitating real-time data input.
……… 9 while the program is running Each instruction is (give)
……… 10 a line number which defines the logical sequence of statements within the program Some well-known system commands in BASIC are: RUN, which executes a program (hold) ……… 11 in a BASIC file; LIST,
111 which prints a listing of a program on the screen; and DELETE, which (remove) ……… 12 a program from a file
Many PC manufacturers have embraced BASIC; however, there are now numerous versions and extensions, making programs written for one type of PC incompatible with others.
Jobs in ICT
IT professionals
Complete these definitions with jobs from the box
Software engineer Computer security specialist
Blog administrator Help desk technician DTP operator Hardware engineer Network administrator webmaster
1) A……… designs and develops IT devices
3) A………….edits and deletes posts made by contributors to a blog
4) A………….uses page layout software to prepare electronic files for publication
5) A……… manages the hardware and software that comprise a network
7) A…………works with companies to build secure computer systems
8) A………… helps end-users with their computer problems in person, by email or over the phone
Job advertisements
Discuss if you would like to apply for one of the jobs Give reason answers
Required for a leading financial magazine
We are looking for a bright, competent QuarkXpress operator with at least three years’ experience in design and layout Skills in Photoshop, Freehand or Illustrator an advantage
Ability to work in a team and to tight deadlines is vital
Please apply in writing, with CV and samples of your work, to Tom Parker, Production Manager, Financial Monthly, Stockton Street, London
SENIOR PROGRAMMER required by DIGITUM-UK, a leading supplier of business systems to the insurance industry
You will engage in various software development activities, including analysis, design, coding, testing, debugging, and implementation A minimum of two years of experience in COBOL or C++ is required.
As we are active in Europe, fluency in French, Italian or another
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn new skills and develop your career
Send your CV to CHRIS SCOTT, PERSONNEL MANAGER,
DIGITUM-UK, 75 PARKSHILL STREET, LONDON SW14
A letter of application
A Read the letter of application below and answer these questions
1) Which job is Sarah Brown applying for?
2) Where did she see the advertisement?
3) How long has she been working as a software engineer?
4) What type of programs has she written?
5) When did she spend three months is Spain?
I am writing to apply for the position of Senior Programmer, which was advertised on
28 th March in The Times
I graduated in May 2007 and did a work placement with British Gas as part of my degree
Before taking my present job I worked for a year with NCR I stayed in this job
(2)……….the last three years I have been working as a software engineer for
Intelligent Software I have designed four programs in COBOL for commercial use, and
(3)……… January I have been writing programs in C for use in large retail chains
These have been very successful and we have won several new contracts in the UK and
Europe on the strength of my team’s success.
Over the past two years, I dedicated three months to testing our programs in Spain and made multiple visits to Italy, which has provided me with a foundational understanding of both Spanish and Italian I am now eager to take on greater responsibilities and tackle more challenging projects, and I would be excited to explore opportunities in a new industry.
I enclose my curriculum vitae I will be available for an interview at any time
I look forward to hearing from you
B Look at the HELP box and then complete the letter with for, since, ago or until
Language work: the present perfect
A Look at the HELP box and then choose the correct words in brackets to complete these sentences
1) He (‘s never liked/ ‘s never been liking) Maths
2) They (‘ve worked/ ’ve been working) on the project all day
3) John (‘s used / ‘s been using) the computer for hours – he looks really tired
4) How many emails (have you written / have you been writing) to day?
5) She (‘s written / ‘s been writing) this essay since 9 o’clock.
6) They (‘ve interviewed/ ‘ve been interviewing) five candidates today.
Present perfect simple Present perfect continuous
HELP box for, since, ago, until
We use for to refer to a period of time I’ve lived in Liverpool for five years.
We use since to refer to a point in time I’ve been unemployed since May 2007
We use ago with the past simple to say when something happened We put ago after the time period
I got married five years ago
We use until to mean up to a certain time
I stayed at high school until I was 18
We form the present perfect simple with have/has + past participle
I’ve used Microsoft Access for many years
I haven’t used Microsoft Access for years
We use this tense to talk about:
States that started in the past and continue to the present
Since 2006, I’ve been a computer operator for PromoPrint
Past actions that continue to the present, where we put an emphasis on quantity (how many)
I have designed four programs in
Personal experiences, especially with ever and never
Have you ever worked with database?
I’ve never worked with databases
We form the present perfect continuous with have/has been + present participle
Since January I’ve been writing program in C
We use this tense to talk about:
Action which started in the past and are still happening
For the last three years I’ve been working as a software engineer of Intelligent Software
Past actions that continue to the present, where we put an emphasis on duration (how long)
She’s been working all morning
Contrast with the past simple
We use the past simple to talk about events that happened at a specific time in the past that are now finished
I stay in this job until March 2009 Two years ago, I spent three months in Spain
B Make questions using these prompts In pairs, ask and answer the questions
1) Ever/live or work in another country?
2) Ever/ have a bad job interview?
3) Ever/do a job you hated?
6) How many emails / receive today?
7) How many jobs / apply for this year?
COMPUTERS TOMORROW
In this module, you will learn how to:
Talk about different kinds of data communication systems: teletext, fax, local bulletin boards and the Internet
Describe the components and functions of a computer network, in oral and written form
Understand and discuss basic ideas about security and privacy on the Internet
Talk and write about new technologies
Understand predictions about the impact of computers on our lifestyle
Electronic communications
Language work: Making predictions
A prediction refers to a statement regarding a specific topic, indicating what we believe will occur in the future While predictions are not absolute, they can vary in certainty based on the context Certainty can be conveyed using terms like "will" or phrases such as "without a doubt." Probability is expressed through words like "probable" or "likely," while possibility can be indicated by more tentative language.
When discussing probability and possibility, we can use various terms to convey different levels of certainty For probable scenarios, terms like "may," "might," "can," and "could" indicate potential outcomes, while expressions such as "possible," "possibly," and "perhaps" suggest uncertainty Improbability is conveyed through words like "improbable," "unlikely," and "doubtful," with phrases such as "most likely not" and "highly improbable" emphasizing a low chance of occurrence In contrast, impossibility is expressed with terms like "cannot," "could not," and "impossible," clearly indicating that certain events cannot happen in the present, future, or past.
A These expressions are used in sentences in different ways For examples:
1) Notebook computers will definitely be cheaper next year
2) It is (highly) probable/ likely that notebook computers will be cheaper next year
3) Notebook computers may/ might be cheaper next year
4) Perhaps notebook computers will be cheaper next year
5) It is unlikely/ doubtful that notebook computers will be cheaper next year
6) Notebook computers will most probably not be cheaper next year
7) Notebook computers will definitely not be cheaper next year
8) It is impossible that notebook computers will be cheaper next year
B Match the if-clauses (1 to 6) to the main clauses (a to f) to make complete sentences
1 If you never read computer magazines… a …you would be able to access our bulletin board
2 If you never back up your hard disk… b …it is unlikely that you will have a problem with computer viruses
3 If you had a modem… c …we would have a bigger range of typefaces and fonts to choose from
4 If you don’t copy pirated software… d …you will miss important new products
5 If I knew more programming languages… e …I would get a better job.
6 If we bought a better printer… f …you will probably lose some important files
C Complete the sentences with the words in the box Are the sentences first (F) or second (S) conditionals?
121 would not post will be look at will get grows wanted leave Would need will be reduced installed
1 If you ……… your VDU in direct sunlight, it ……… damaged
2 If you ……… your screen for too long, you……… a headache.
3 If you ……… to link your PCs with a mainframe, you ……… to install a network
4 If the market for portable computers ……… , prices ……… even more next year
5 If we ……… a fax machine and email facility, we ……… so many letters each day
D Now make up three first conditional and three second conditional sentences of your own
Internet issues
Language work: The past simple (revision)
A Look at the HELP box and then complete Part 2 of the text with the past simple form of the verbs in the box show spread steal launch affect attempt overwrite be infect
The history of hacking – Part 2
1992- David L Smith (1)………… prosecuted for writing the Melissa virus, which was passed in Word files sent via mail
1997- The German hacker Chaos Computer Club (2)………… on TV how to obtain money from bank accounts
2000- A Russian hacker (3)………… to extort $100,000 from online music retailer CD Universe A Canada hacker (4)………… a massive denial of service attack against website like Yahoo! And Amazon
The ILoveYou virus, cleverly disguised as a love letter, spread rapidly, leading to the shutdown of email systems in numerous companies This worm attached itself to image and sound files, propagating itself with each infected file.
2001- The Code Red worm (7)……… Tens of thousands of machines
2006- Hackers (8)………….the credit card details of almost 20,000
AT&T online customers However, subscribers to its services (9) (not)………….
We use the past simple to talk about a complete action or event which happened at a specific time in the past
We form the past simple of regular verbs by adding –(e)d to the infinitive
John Draper discovered that a whistle…
We form questions and negatives using did/didn’t
When did Captain Zap hack into the Pentagon?
He didn’t expect that his most famous exploit…
There are many verbs which are irregular in the past simple
Kevin Mitnick began hacking into…
We form questions and negatives for irregular verbs in the same way as for regular verbs The exception is be
When did Kevin Mitnick begin hacking into…?
He didn’t begin hacking until 1974
We form the past passive with the past simple of be + the past participle
IBM international was paralyzed by hackers
He wasn’t sent to prison Why was Nicholas Whitely arrested in 1998?
B Read these landmarks in the history of the Internet and prepare at least five questions in the past simple
Example: what happened in 1969? What did Ray Tomlinson do in 1971?
1969- The US Defense Department establishes ARPANET, a network connecting research centre
1971- Ray Tomlison of BBN invents an email program to send message across a network The @ sign is chosen for its at meaning
1981- IBM sells the first IBM PC, BITNET provides email and file transfers to universities
1982- TCP/IP is adopted as the standard language of the Internet
1988- Jarkko Oikarinen develops the system known as Internet Relay Chat
1991- CERN creates the World Wide Web
1998- Online banking, e-commerce and MP3 music become popular
In 2001, Napster, a platform enabling users to share downloaded music, claimed it did not promote music piracy However, a court determined that Napster's technology violated music copyright laws.
2004- Network Solution begins offering 100-year domain registration
2006- Americans spend over $100 billion shopping online
C In pairs, ask and answer your questions
A In small groups, look at the list of cybercrimes and discuss these questions
1) Which crimes are the most dangerous?
2) Is it fair or unfair to pay for the songs, videos, books or articles that you download? Should copyright infringement be allowed online?
3) What measures can be taken by governments to stop cybercrime?
4) Do you think governments have the right to censor material on the Internet
5) Personal information such as our address, salary, and civil and criminal records is held in databases by marketing companies Is our privacy in danger?
Piracy – the illegal copy and distribution of copyrighted software, games or music files
Plagiarism and theft of intellectual property – pretending that someone else’s work is your own
Phishing, also known as password harvesting fishing, is a deceptive practice where cybercriminals send emails that appear to be from legitimate organizations to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information such as online banking passwords or credit card numbers These fraudulent messages often mimic the official communication of banks, leading recipients to mistakenly provide their security details.
IP spoofing – making one computer look like another in order to gain unauthorized access
Cyberstalking – online harassment or abuse, mainly in chat rooms or newsgroups
Distribution of indecent or offensive material
B Write a summary of your discussion on PowerPoint and present it to the rest of the class
MODULE 6 CREATIVE SOFTWARE Learning objectives
In this module, you will learn how to:
Identify the functions of different graphics tools
Understand specific aspects of desktop publishing and multimedia applications
Write a letter to a newspaper asking for information about the hardware and page- layout software used for its production
Look at the cover for Encarta ’05
What types of data are integrated in multimedia applications?
A Read the texts and match them with the headings in the box below
Sound, Music, MIDI CD-ROM titles full of pictures, action and sound!
The potential of using multimedia
CD-ROM is more than just heavy metal
Multimedia applications have primarily been utilized in information dissemination, training, and entertainment sectors Various organizations, including museums, banks, and real estate agencies, employ multimedia kiosks to enhance visitor engagement Additionally, companies create training programs on optical disks, while marketing professionals leverage presentation software like Microsoft PowerPoint and Lotus Freelance Graphics to deliver impactful business presentations The integration of moving images, sound, and music not only informs viewers but also evokes emotional responses, making messages more memorable.
Sound plays a crucial role in multimedia, effectively capturing participants' attention, establishing mood, and emphasizing key points The hardware soundboard is a popular tool for delivering sound, featuring a built-in stereo synthesizer and audio amplifier for immediate sound, music, and speech capabilities when connected to speakers Additionally, it includes a musical instrument digital interface (MIDI), enabling communication between electronic musical instruments and other MIDI-equipped devices or computers.
Between 80 and 90 percent of all multimedia applications are distributed on CD- ROM, some just on CD, some on several media (as with Autodesk’s Multimedia Explorer, which comes with both a CD-ROM and diskettes) The reason for CD-ROM’s popularity in multimedia is simple –a single CD can contain 650 MB of data That’s over 500 floppy disks’ worth of programs, sound, and graphics The newest CD-ROM standard, CD-ROM XA (for eXtended Architecture) uses data compression to fit even more on these shiny discs Many XA drives are also compatible with Kodak’s PhotoCD technology, which digitizes photographs and places them on a CD-ROM
Electronic encyclopedias combine text, images, and sound, often featuring a video section with full-motion visuals For instance, Compton's Encyclopedia allows users to explore topics like whales through reading, viewing photos, listening to whale songs, and watching animated sequences that illustrate whale movements in the ocean Similarly, Grolier offers comparable multimedia experiences for various subjects.
Encyclopedia lets you read about birds, view pictures of birds, and listen to recordings of their songs
CD-ROMs offer a variety of educational resources, including dictionaries, guides, and courses covering topics such as history, science, and foreign languages A notable example is Microsoft's Cinemania, which provides extensive information on thousands of films, including reviews, photographs, biographies, and dialogues.
(Section 2 and 3 adapted from ‘Updating to multimedia’ in PC Upgrade, June 1993)
B Read the texts again and correct these statements There is a technical mistake in each of them
1) Multimedia applications do not use huge amounts of data
2) You don’t need to have a soundboard on your PC to hear speech and music
3) Most multimedia software is distributed on magnetic disks
4) Kodak’s PhotoCD technology is not compatible with many CD-ROM drives
5) There are no language courses available on CD-ROM
D Match these terms in the box with the explanations b Computer animation c Video computing d MIDI interface e CD-ROM player f Multimedia control panels
1) Small programs inside the OS designed to work with audio and video files
2) A code for the exchange of information between PCs and musical instruments
3) A drive used to handle CD-Rom disks
4) Manipulating and showing moving images recorded with a video camera or captured from a TV or video recorder
5) Images which move on the screen
III Language work: If – clauses
When you want to talk about a possible situation and its consequences, you use a conditional sentence Here, we examine two types of conditionals
(present + simple), (will + verb) E.g If you click on the speaker icon, you’ll get a piece of dialogue from the movie
In the main clause, we can also have modal (can), an imperative, or a present tense verb
(past simple), (would + verb) E.g If I had the money, I would (I’d) invest in a multimedia upgrade kit Other modals (could, should, might) may appear in the main clause
Read these sentences, then identify the tenses used in the if-clause and in the main clause
1 If you upgrade your PC, you’ll be able to run multimedia applications.
2 If the marketing manager had a multimedia system, she could make more effective presentations
B Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form
1) If I (get) ……… a sound card, I’ll be able to create my own music with a MIDI
2) If the system (have) ……… a SuperVGA card, we would obtain a better resolution
3) You won’t be able to play CD-ROM disks if you (not have) ……… a CD-ROM drive
4) If you (come) ……… to the annual computer exhibition, you could see the new Macs
5) If I could afford it, I (buy) ……… a Multimedia PC
C Match the sentences in Column A with appropriate sentences from Column
B Then join each action and effect using an if-sentence
2 You press Ctrl + Alt + Del in Windows
5 You used a better search engine
6 You forget to save regularly
7 You hold down the mouse button over an icon
8 You used an LCD display
Dragging Column B across the screen can enhance your workspace by providing more desk space, while also allowing you to connect to a telephone line This action may speed up your computer, but be cautious as you might risk losing data Additionally, you can make a copy of the screen to keep track of your work and easily view a list of active programs, which can help you find more relevant results.
D Describe the consequences of these actions using an if-sentence
1) you don’t virus-check floppies
2) there was a power cut while you were using your computer
5) you press the delete key
7) you double-click on an icon
8) you use power-saving options
IV Multimedia on the Web
Read the text and find:
1) the function of the extension that is usually added to a file name
2) the language used to create the majority of text files on the Web
3) the graphics interchange format created by CompuServe to compress images
4) the small program (plug-in) that lets you hear audio recordings on the net
5) the most popular video formats
6) the format created by the Moving Picture Experts’ Group to capture, store and play back movies
7) the extension for the files that can be decompressed with a program like
Web pages can feature various multimedia elements such as text, graphics, audio, video, and animations Typically, a three-letter file extension is appended to the file name to indicate its format or type when saved on a disk.
The most common text extensions are txt, pdf, doc and htm (or
html) Most of the text files that you find on the Web have the extension htm, created with the hypertext markup language
Web graphics encompass a variety of visual elements, including pictures, photos, paintings, image maps, and buttons The predominant file formats used for these graphics are gif, which is a standard format developed by CompuServe, and jpg or jpeg, created by the Joint Photographic Experts Group.
The Internet is a great place to find and hear hit songs, movie soundtracks, and recorded interviews The most common formats are these:
wav: wave files can be played with Sound Recorder included with Windows
ra or ram: files generated by RealAudio, a plug-in you can download from the Web
You can see cartoons and movie clips on the Web, but you need the appropriate software Video files are usually stored in: avi, mov and mpg (or mpeg) formats
To view MPEG videos, you only require Video for Windows, but for creating high-quality movie clips, a dedicated MPEG expansion card is essential Additionally, there are options for animation and 3-D environments, with two standard tools available for manipulating these animated worlds.
99 are VRML and Java To view a virtual animation, you need a program like QuickTime VR
When you download files, they’re probably compressed Windows files have a zip extension Macintosh files usually have a sit extension and are opened with StuffIt
In pairs, discuss these questions
1) Why do companies have websites?
2) What is the difference between a website and a web page?
4) Do you have a blog or personal website? Describe the home page to your partner
A Read the text and find the following
1) The language used to create web documents
2) The type of software that lets you design web pages without writing
3) The format invented by Adobe to distribute text files over the Internet
4) A method of displaying multiple HTML documents in the same browser window
5) Three common graphics formats used on websites
6) Three popular formats used to store and play back video
Web page design HTML and web editors
The code behind most web pages is
HTML, or Hypertext Markup Language, is composed of tags that instruct web browsers on how to display text and images You can view the HTML source code of a webpage by selecting the Page Source option in your browser However, learning HTML is not necessary to create your own website; instead, you can utilize a word processor with web design features or a dedicated web editor like Macromedia Dreamweaver or Microsoft FrontPage, which are user-friendly tools for web development.
101 friendly and WYSIWYG (What You
See Is What You Get) Different buttons and menu items let you design a page without writing HTML
HTML files have this basic structure:
Have heading text that begins with
, which has a title enclosed between tags and ends with
Have body text that starts with , where you place the contents of the actual document (i.e text, images, links, etc.) and ends with
You can create link to other web pages by using the tag active text
There are a number of different elements that you can use on a web page:
Text – displayed in a variety of fronts and sizes Most text files are available in two formats: HTML of
PDF (the portable document format that can be viewed with Acrobat
Background – the underlying colors and patterns of a web page
Tables – with columns and rows, used to position images and text on a page
Frames – rectangular areas that allow the display of different pages in the same browser window
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) serve as a powerful tool for enhancing the visual presentation of web documents, allowing developers to define styles such as fonts, text formatting, and background colors efficiently While HTML can specify these elements, the use of CSS has become the standard practice for web design today.
CSS This makes, it easy to apply presentation changes across a website
Networks
Small networks
In pairs, discuss these questions
2) What are the benefits of using networks?
Networking FAQs
A Look at the FAQs (i - vi) without reading the whole text In pairs, try to answer as many of the questions as you can
B Read the whole text and answer these questions
1) What does PAN stand for?
3) How do you log on to an Internet Service Provider?
4) WiMAX is a type of wireless network What is it used for?
5) What equipment do you need to set up a wireless LAN?
6) What are the advantages and disadvantages of wireless networks?
Networking FAQs i How many types of network are there?
Networks are classified according to different criteria:
(Personal Area Networks) typically include a laptop, a mobile phone and a PDA; LANs cover a building; MANs
(Metropolitan Area Networks) cover a campus or a city; WANs
(Wide Area Networks) cover a country or a continent
In a client-server network, one computer serves as the central server, storing and distributing information to other connected nodes, known as clients Conversely, a peer-to-peer network allows all computers to function equally, enabling them to share files and peripherals directly without the need for a dedicated server.
Topology, or layout: In bus network, all the computers are connected to a main cable, or bus
In a star network, devices communicate through a central hub, serving as the main connection point, while in a ring network, each device connects to the next in a continuous loop.
A network protocol is a set of rules that enables computers to communicate effectively Different networks utilize various protocols, with the Internet primarily relying on TCP/IP To install a wired modem router, follow the manufacturer's instructions for connecting the device to your internet service and configuring the network settings.
A modem router is a device that connects your computer or home LAN to the Internet
Plug one end of the phone cord directly into a phone jack, and the other end into the ADSL port on the router
Plug one end of the Ethernet cable into your computer’s network port and the other end into an Ethernet port on the router
Turn on your computer To set up, or configure, the router, you’ll need to input some parameters, for example your ISP’s name and phone number.
Ethernet ports, so you can connect various PCs to the router via Ethernet cables If you already have a hub or switch connecting a LAN, you only need
127 one cable to connect the hub to the router iii How do I log on to the Internet service Provider?
To access online services, enter your username and password Once logged in, you can check your email, search for information on the web, look up IT terminology in dictionaries, explore new software, and subscribe to RSS feeds and newsletters.
Always remember to log off after using the Internet, as leaving your connection open heightens the risk of viruses and potential hacks that could compromise your confidential data Understanding wireless networking is essential in today's digital landscape.
Wired networks are linked by
Ethernet cables, phone lines, and high-speed fiber optic cables are essential for wired connections, while wireless networks utilize electromagnetic waves, including radio waves, for data transmission The primary types of wireless networks include various technologies designed to facilitate seamless connectivity.
WiMAX – for connecting Wi-Fi hotspots
Wi-Fi – for medium-range distances
GSM – for mobile phones v What do I need to set up a home wireless LAN?
You’ll need computers equipped with a wireless adapter or wireless card, a wireless access point (a wireless router) and a broadband internet connection vi Which is better, a wired or wireless LAN?
Wired LANs, while more challenging to install, offer advantages such as lower costs, higher speeds, and greater reliability compared to wireless networks In contrast, wireless networks provide the convenience of mobility between access points; however, they come with increased security risks and susceptibility to interference.
C In pairs, do this network quiz See which pair can finish first
1) This network typically consists of two or more local area networks, covering a large geographical area a LAN b WAN c Intranet
2) This type of network does not have a dedicated server; all the computers are independent a Peer-to-peer b Client-server c Metropolitan Area Network
3) On this topology, all devices are connected to the same circuit, forming a continuous loop a Star b Ring c bus
4) The language used by computers to communicate with each other on the Internet is called a Ethernet b ADSL c TCP/IP
5) Which cables are used to transfer information for the Internet over long distances at high speeds? a Telephone lines b Ethernet cables c Fiber optic cables
6) Which device allows several computers on a local network to share an internet connection? a An ADSL port b A router c Wireless adapter
7) Which device serves as a common connection point devices in a wireless network? a Wireless access point b Wire router c Wireless adapter
8) Bluetooth is a wireless technology that uses radio waves to transmit data over
128 a Long distances b Medium-range distances c Short distances (ten meters of less)
Language work: phrasal verbs
A Look at the HELP box Do you have the equivalent of phrasal verbs in your language? How do you say the phrasal verbs in the HELP box?
The meaning of some verbs with particle (often called phrasal verbs) can be easily understood form its two parts
Separate network are linked over a public network, the Internet
However, many phrasal verbs have an idiomatic meaning, not predictable from the meaning of its parts carry (= transport); carry out (= execute)
Computer carry out the programs…
Certain particles have similar meanings, regardless of the verb (on/off, in/out, etc.)
(= start the operation of something)
(= stop the operation of something)
Other common phrasal verbs in computing include:
Plug one end of the phone cord into the phone jack
What do I need to set up a wireless LAN?
Sign up (= register, enroll in a service)
Once connected, you can sign up for RSS feeds, newsletters, etc
Try out (= test or use experimentally)
You can try out new software on their site
Search the Web to find out more information about WiMAX
Fiber optic cables take up less space than copper cables make up ( = constitute, form)
Several LANs connected together make up a WAN fill in (= write the necessary information)
You need to fill in this online form
When the verb has a preposition associated with it, the preposition must precede the object:
You can look for information on the Web
When the particle is an adverb, it can precede or follow the direct object:
You need to type in your username/…type your username in
Turn on the computer/ turn the computer on
If the direct object is a pronoun, the: particle must follow it
You need to type it in
B Complete these sentences with the correct form of a phrasal verb from the HELP box
1) To join the club, ………… this form and send it to our office
2) The CPU……… all the basic operations on the data
3) Digital music…………a lot of space – about 10 MB for every minute of stereo sound
4) Thousands of networks………… the Internet
5) You can use newsgroups to……….about the latest trends, customer needs, etc
C Match the questions (1-6) with the answers (a-f)
1) Why was the hacker arrested?
2) Is it OK to log on to my bank account using public computers in a cybercafé?
3) How do I set up an internet connection at home?
4) Can I download software from your site?
5) How can I add video to instant messaging?
6) What do I need to do sign up for a Yahoo! Email account? a Yes, but always remember to log off after you’ve ended your session. b Yes, you can even try the programs out for a period before you buy them! c Because he broke into a computer system and stole confidential data d Simply install this program and plug the webcam into your computer e You need to install the software for your router Follow the instructions provided by your ISP, probably in the form of a pdf file on a CD f You have to create a username and password and then give some personal details
New technologies
Future trends
A In pairs, discuss these questions
1) What do you think a trend is?
2) What trends in ICT do you think will affect our lives in the future? Make a list
B Match the texts (1-5) with the pictures (a-e) which trends from your list in
Nanotechnology, the science of creating devices from individual atoms and molecules, is poised to significantly influence both businesses and everyday life With nano devices measured in nanometers (one billionth of a meter), their applications are anticipated to span various fields, revolutionizing industries and enhancing daily experiences.
Nanocomputers: Chip makers will make tiny microprocessors with nanotransistors, ranging from 60 to 5 nanometers in size
Nanomedicine: By 2020, scientists believe that nano-sized robots, or nanobots, will be injected into the body’s bloodstream to treat diseases at the cellular level
Nanomaterials, particularly carbon nanotubes, are revolutionizing material science with their superior flexibility, resistance, and durability compared to steel and aluminum These innovative materials are set to enhance a wide range of products, including stain-resistant coatings for clothing and scratch-resistant paints for automobiles.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the development of intelligent machines and programs, a concept that dates back to the 1940s when Alan Turing defined it as a machine's ability to generate conversation indistinguishable from that of a human A prominent application of AI is in robotics, exemplified by Honda's ASIMO, an advanced humanoid robot In the near future, engineers are expected to create various types of androids that mimic human form and capabilities Additionally, AI is utilized in expert systems, which encapsulate the knowledge of specialists; in the coming years, these systems are anticipated to assist doctors in diagnosing illnesses.
Picture yourself preparing for a holiday in Europe, stepping into your garage where your car responds to your voice by unlocking its doors As you head to the airport, you make a quick stop at an ATM, where an advanced camera scans your iris, granting you access to withdraw cash effortlessly from your account.
Upon entering the airport, a hidden camera scans your face and compares it to images of suspected criminals At the immigration checkpoint, you simply swipe your card and place your hand on a metal surface, where the geometry of your hand is verified against the card's code, allowing the gate to open and enabling you to proceed on your journey.
Biometrics is revolutionizing identification by utilizing advanced computer technology to recognize individuals through unique physical traits, including fingerprints, facial features, voice patterns, and iris and retina scans.
Adapted from the Richmond Times-Dispatch
Ubiquitous computing, or pervasive computing, seamlessly integrates computer functions into daily life, often in an unobtrusive manner This concept encompasses a wide range of devices, including smartphones and small sensors found in homes, offices, and vehicles, all connected to networks As a result, information can be accessed anytime and anywhere, truly embodying the essence of ubiquity.
In the future, individuals will seamlessly engage with numerous smart devices daily, as these microchip-enabled objects will be discreetly integrated into our surroundings, communicating wirelessly with one another.
C Read the text again and answer these questions
1) Which unit of measurement is used in nanotechnology?
2) What are the advantages of nanotubes over regular materials?
3) What will doctors use experts systems for?
4) What featutes are analyzed by biometrics?
5) Which trend refers to computers embedded in everyday devices, communicating with each other over wireless networks?
6) What will the alarm system do if someone breaks into a smart home
7) How will devices be interconnected inside the smart home?
D Find words in the text with the following meanings
1) A microscopic robot, built with nanotechnology (text 1)………
2) A robot that resembles a human (text 2)……….
3) Biological identification of a person (text 3)………
In an ideal smart home, appliances and devices work together to enhance security and convenience For instance, when a smart alarm system detects a break-in, it not only alerts the authorities but also activates lights and sends real-time notifications to the homeowner's phone Advanced systems, like Motorola Homesight, even provide image feeds from wireless cameras directly to smartphones and PCs Smart homes adapt to individual preferences, automatically playing classical music upon the owner's arrival and ensuring all appliances are turned off when the house is empty This interconnected network includes phones, cable services, home cinemas, touch screens, smart mirrors, and refrigerators, all designed to create a more comfortable living environment.
Adapted from www.businessweek.com
5) Electrical devices, or machines, used in the home (text 5)…………
Language work: future forms
A Look at the HELP box and then choose the correct words in brackets to complete these sentences
1) In the future, I hope we (‘ll have/ ‘re going to have) robots in the home to help us with the housework
2) Hey, Nick, be careful, you (‘re going to spill/ ‘ll spill) that coffee on the computer!
3) It’s John’s birthday next week We (‘ll give/ ‘re going to give) him a mobile phone
- Don’t worry I (‘ll lend/ ‘m going to lend) you mine
5) The Internet (will probably change/ is probably going to change) the publishing industry in the way that TV changed the movie industry
6) Futurists predict that smart technology (will be/ is going to be) incorporated into fabrics, so you’ll be able to email from your coat!
We use the future simple (will/ won’t + verb) in the following ways:
To make predictions when you don’t have present evidence that something will happen
Nanobots will be injected into the body’s bloodstream to treat diseases
To talk about hopes and promises, especially with the words expect, think, hope and probably
They hope that people will interact naturally with hundreds of smart devices at a time
To describe an instant decision, often when we make an offer
Sure, I’ll help you with your homework
To talk about facts that will inevitably happen
She’ll be 21 in May
We use be going to + verb in the following ways:
She’s going to write a book about ubiquitous computing
To make predictions when you have present evidence that something is going to happen
By all accounts, nanotechnology is going to have a huge impact on business and our daily lives
We use the future continuous (will be
+ -ing form of the verb) to talk about actions in progress at a specific time in the future
In a few years, doctors will be using expert systems to diagnose illnesses
We use the future perfect (will have + past participle) to talk about actions finished at a specific time in the future
Soon, engineers will have built different types of android
B Complete these sentences with the correct future form of the verb in brackets Use the future continuous of future perfect
1) Thanks to ICT, by the year 2030 we (find)………cures for the major diseases of our time
2) In twenty years’time, some people (live)…………in space, perhaps inside a computerized colony
3) By this time next week, I (work) ……… for IBM
4) By this time next month, I (buy)………… that BlackBerry that I’ve been wanting to buy for months
5) Scientists predict that in twenty years’s time nearly everyone (live)………….in smart houses.
C In pairs, discuss these predictions Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answers Look at the Useful language box to help you
1) Someday, we’ll be talking to computers naturally, like friends.
2) Microchips implanted in our arms will serve as ID cards and contain our medical records
3) Robots will learn to build themselves, without human help
4) Smart homes will be voice-activated
5) Computers will be ubiquitous and almost invisible, embedded into our homes and integrated into our lives.
Making predictions
A Write your own predictions about these topics\
Example: By the year 2030, human labor in industry will have been replaced by robots
Example: Cash will be replaced by electronic money
Example: By the end of this century, every student in every school will have a PC
Example: People in every country will have high-speed access to the Internet with five years
B In pairs, compare your predictions Find out more about your partners’
What do you think about number…? I’m not sure that…….will……
I completely agree/disagree with……Useful language
The Personal Computer
The computer case plays a crucial role in safeguarding and cooling the internal components of a computer system When selecting a case, it's essential to consider factors such as size, the placement of I/O ports, and the availability of internal drive bays.
It needs to be compatible with the form factor of the motherboard in addition to the power supply
A computer case serves as the essential framework that supports and protects internal components, typically constructed from materials like plastic, steel, or aluminum, and available in various styles It creates an environment that maintains optimal cooling through case fans, which circulate air to dissipate heat from warm components, preventing overheating Additionally, computer cases safeguard against static electricity by grounding internal components The design of the case is influenced by the size and shape of the motherboard, power supply, and other internal elements, with the power supply converting alternating current (AC) from the wall into direct current (DC) for the computer's operation.
The form factor of a computer case refers to its size and layout, with the primary types being desktop and tower cases Desktop cases come in two variations: slimline and full-sized, while tower cases are categorized as mini or full-sized.
Figure 1-1 Types of Computer Cases
You can select a larger computer case to accommodate additional components that may be required in the future Or you might select a smaller case that requires minimal space
In general, the computer case should be durable, be easy to service, and have enough room for expansion
Computer cases are referred to in a number of ways: Computer chassis Cabinet Tower Box Housing
You need to consider several factors when choosing a case: Size of the motherboard Number of external or internal drive locations, called bays Available space
When selecting a computer case, it's essential to consider the two primary models: desktop and tower cases The compatibility of the case is dictated by the motherboard type, requiring precise alignment in size and shape Additionally, systems with numerous components necessitate larger cases to ensure adequate airflow for effective cooling.
Desktop cases optimize space in compact environments by allowing the monitor to be positioned on top of the unit However, the design of these cases may restrict the number and size of components that can be incorporated.
When selecting a power supply for your motherboard, it's essential to ensure that the power rating and connection type are compatible While the appearance of a computer case may not be important to everyone, for many, it plays a crucial role in their overall setup Fortunately, there is a wide variety of case designs available to suit different aesthetic preferences.
The internal components of a computer case play a crucial role in system performance and monitoring External LED indicators provide essential information about power status, hard drive activity, and sleep or hibernate modes Additionally, all cases feature a vent on the power supply, with some models including an extra vent at the back to facilitate airflow Enhanced ventilation is particularly beneficial for systems with multiple devices installed closely, helping to effectively dissipate excess heat and maintain optimal operating conditions.
When selecting a computer case, it's essential to understand the two primary types: desktop PC cases and tower computer cases The compatibility of your motherboard directly influences the choice of case, as the size and shape must align perfectly for optimal functionality.
Size If a computer has many components, it will need more room for airflow to keep the system cool
Availablespace Desktop cases optimize space in compact environments by enabling the monitor to be positioned on top of the unit However, the design of these desktop cases may restrict the number and size of components that can be incorporated.
Power supply You must match the power rating and connection type of the power supply to the type of motherboard you have chosen
When it comes to phone cases, opinions on appearance vary significantly; while some individuals prioritize aesthetics, others are indifferent For those who value style, there is a wide array of attractive case designs available to suit their preferences.
LED indicators on the exterior of a computer case provide crucial insights into system status, showing whether the system is powered on, indicating hard drive activity, and signaling when the computer is in sleep or hibernate mode.
All computer cases feature a vent on the power supply, with some models including an additional vent on the back to facilitate airflow Certain cases are specifically designed with multiple vents to effectively dissipate excess heat, which can arise when numerous devices are installed in close proximity within the case.
Select a case that matches the physical dimensions of the power supply and motherboard
When selecting a power supply, it's crucial to ensure it delivers sufficient power for your existing components while also accommodating potential future upgrades Opting for a power supply that only meets the current requirements may lead to the necessity of replacing it when you decide to enhance your system with additional components.
The power supply, depicted in Figure 1-2, transforms alternating current (AC) from wall outlets into direct current (DC) power, essential for computer components There are three primary power supply form factors: Advanced Technology (AT), AT Extended (ATX), and ATX12V, with ATX12V being the most prevalent in modern computers.
A computer can handle minor power fluctuations, but significant deviations may lead to power supply failure To safeguard against such issues, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is essential, as it protects computers from power-related problems The UPS utilizes a power inverter, which converts the direct current (DC) from its built-in battery into alternating current (AC) for the computer This battery is continuously charged by converting AC supply into DC current, ensuring reliable power supply.