Programs (II)

While it is possible to write computer programs as long lists of numbers (machine language) and this technique was used with many early computers, it is extremely tedious to do so in practice, especially for complicate programs. Instead, each basic instruction can be given a short name that is indicative of its function and easy to remember a mnemonic such as ADD, SUB , MULT or JUMP. These mnemonics are collectively known as a computer’s assembly language. Converting programs written in assembly language into something the computer can actually understand (machine language) is usually done by a computer program called an assembler. Machine languages and the assembly languages that represent them (collectively termed low-level programming languages) tend to be unique to a particular type of computer. This means that an ARM architecture computer (such as may be found in a PDA or a hand-held videogame) cannot understand the machine language if an Intel Pentium or the AMD Athlon 64 computer that might be in a PC.

Though considerably easier than in machine language, writing long programs in assembly language are often difficult and error prone. Therefore, most complicated programs are written in more abstract high-level programming languages that are able to express the needs of the computer programmer more conveniently (and thereby help reduce programmer error). High level languages are usually “compiled” into machine language (or sometimes into assembly languages and then into machine language) using another computer program called a compiler. Since high level languages are more abstract than assembly language, it is possible to use different compilers to translate the same high level language program into the machine language of many different types of computer. This is part of the means by which software like video games may be made available for different computer architectures such as personal computers and various video game consoles.

Translate into Ukrainian.extremely tedious

1. to do so in practice

2. especially

3. complicate

4. instead of

5. each basic instruction

6. to convert into

7. collectively termed

8. low-level programming languages

9. tend

10. though

11. considerably easier than

12. difficult and error prone

13. therefore

14. are able to express

15. more conveniently

16. compiler

17. of the means by which

18. software

19. console

Module 4

LESSON 1

How computers work

A general purpose computer has four main sections: the arithmetic and logic unit (ALU), the control unit, the memory, and the input and output devices (collectively termed 1/0). These parts are interconnected by busses, often made of groups of wires.

The control unit, ALU, registers, and basic 1/0 (and often other hardware closely linked with these) are collectively known as a central processing unit (CPU). Early CPUs were comprised of many separate components but since the mid-1970s CPUs have typically been constructed on a single integrated circuit called a microprocessor.

Translate into Russian.

1. general purpose computer

2. main

3. arithmetic and logic unit memory

4. input and output devices

5. bus

6. wire

7. register

8. hardware

9. central processing unit

10. to be comprised of

11. single integrated circuit

12. microprocessor

Give a full name.

ALU-

1/0-

CPU-