Read and Speak
Jim is at a store buying a computer
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Jim: Yes, I want to buy a new computer. Clerk: How much RAM do you need? How big a hard drive will you need? Jim: Well, I need at least 1028 MBs RAM, and I'll be using word processors and some latest 3D-game programs. I will also be doing some web-design with Photoshop and Dreamweaver and watch DVDs as well. Clerk: I recommend a Pentium or a AMD Athlon with an 180 GB hard drive. And I suppose you’ll need a good video-card, NVIDIA suits your purpose best and you need just to insert a CD with drivers and wait when it adjusts the settings. Jim: I hear Radeon is highly praised… Clerk: Its for watching movies. You’d better buy an NVIDIA for games, it has an in-built accelerator and its settings are quite manageable. Jim: OK, I’ll think about it. Clerk: Of course an Intel-Duo Asus laptop would be a great purchase but the price might seem… eh… somewhat… Jim: Well, I suppose around a thousand bucks? Not right now I guess. I was planning to get one soon, but if I save that big money I’ll prefer a Mac. Clerk: Yes, Apple sounds a real piece! Now what about a display? LCD or CRT? We’ve got good 19” LCDs of Japanese make and… Jim: ..and real costy I suppose. No, thanks I have a 2-year old Samsung and it’s still OK. Well, thanks a lot for your help. As soon as I save enough money I’ll come back for a machine. Clerk: You need neither save nor come, you can buy it now on credit and when it is ready for you we’ll pack it and deliver to your door. Just leave your address and phone number. Hope you’ve got a driving license or any other ID on you?....
Reproduce the dialogue. |
A ctivity: How to read a computer ad
What is the memory size of this PC?
Which input devices are supplied?
What size is the monitor?
How fast is the processor?
What is the capacity of the hard drive?
Which operating system does it use?
What multimedia features does the computer have?
Group work: (group discussion) –
What kinds of computers have you used?
What purposes can they serve?
What do you use computers for?
Vocabulary work
1. match:
LAN |
a. Megabyte |
2. Find equivalents: Сетевая плата; Жесткий диск; Экран; Разрешение; Настройки экрана; Флэш-диск; Дисковод; Кожух; Клавиатура; Коврик для мыши; Кнопки; Пробел; Переходник. |
RAM |
b. Small Computer System Interface |
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SCSI |
c. Local Area Network |
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WAN |
d. Gigabyte |
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MB |
e. Random Access Memory |
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GB |
f. Wide Area Network |
3. Read a Wikipedia article on Hardware parts. In the left column supply the Russian equivalents to the underlined words and expressions. For abbreviations supply their full wording:
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A typical Personal computer consists of a case or chassis in desktop or tower shape and the following parts: Motherboard or system board with slots for expansion cards and holding parts Central processing unit (CPU)
C Random Access Memory (RAM) - for program execution and short term data storage, so the computer does not have to take the time to access the hard drive to find the file(s) it requires. More RAM will normally contribute to a faster PC. RAM is almost always removable as it sits in slots in the motherboard, attached with small clips. The RAM slots are normally located next to the CPU socket. Firmware usually Basic Input-Output System (BIOS) based or in newer systems Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) compliant. Buses PCI, PCI-E USB, HyperTransport CSI (expected in 2008) Power supply - a case that holds a transformer, voltage control, and (usually) a cooling fan Storage controllers of IDE, SATA, SCSI or other type, that control hard disk, floppy disk, CD-ROM and other drives; the controllers sit directly on the motherboard (on-board) or on expansion cards Video display controller that produces the output for the computer display. This will either be built into the motherboard or attached in its own separate slot (PCI, PCI-E or AGP), requiring a Graphics Card. Computer bus controllers (parallel, serial, USB, FireWire) to connect the computer to external peripheral devices such as printers or scanners Some type of a removable media writer: CD - the most common type of removable media, cheap but fragile. CD-ROM Drive CD Writer DVD DVD-ROM Drive DVD Writer Floppy disk Zip drive USB flash drive AKA a Pen Drive, memory stick Tape drive - mainly for backup and long-term storage Internal storage - keeps data inside the computer for later use. Hard disk - for medium-term storage of data. Disk array controller Sound card - translates signals from the system board into analog voltage levels, and has terminals to plug in speakers. Networking - to connect the computer to the Internet and/or other computers Modem - for dial-up connections Network card - for DSL/Cable internet, and/or connecting to other computers. Other peripherals In addition, hardware can include external components of a computer system. The following are either standard or very common. Input devices Text input devices Keyboard Pointing devices Mouse, Trackball Gaming devices Joystick, Gamepad, Game controller Image, Video input devices Image scanner, Webcam Audio input devices Microphone Output devices Image, Video output devices Printer Peripheral device that produces a hard copy. (Inkjet, Laser) Monitor Device that takes signals and displays them. (CRT, LCD) Audio output devices Speakers A device that converts analog audio signals into the equivalent air vibrations in order to make audible sound. Headset A device similar in functionality to computer speakers used mainly to not disturb others nearby. |
omputer
fan
- used to cool down the CPU