Post reading activity

Task 1. Answer the following questions.

1. What is an operating system? 2. What system provides an interface between applications programs and the computer hardware? 3. Is the work of the operating system always obvious to the user? 4. What is the most important program in an OS? 5. How does the supervisor program work? 6. What is the difference between resident and non-resident programs? 7. How can you explain the meaning “command driven”? 8. What is a command prompt? 9. How can you define Unix? What versions is it available in? 10. What do you know about GUI? 11. What are three main functions of an operating system? Give some examples to prove your answer.

Task 2. Give the Russian equivalents for:

load, available, multi-tasking computer, user, user interface, word processor, non-resident programs, command-driven, execute, abbreviations, multi-user mainframe computer, printing files, blank, graphical user interface.

Task 3. Find the English equivalents for the following Russian word combinations.

1. командная строка, подсказка; 2. прикладные программы; 3. текстовый процессор; 4. электронные таблицы; 5. операционная система; 6. пакет программ; 7. резидентная программа; 8. управляющая программа, про­грамма распорядитель; 9. большие компьютеры; 10. пиктограммы; 11. нажать и отпустить клавишу; 12. аппаратное обеспечение компьютера;

a. spreadsheets; b. operating system; c. computer hardware; d. software package; e. resident program; f. mainframe computers; g. icon; h. applications programs; i. supervisor program; j. wordprocessor; k. to click; l. command prompt.

Task 4. Mark the following as True or False.

1. The work of the operating system takes place in the background and is always obvious to the user. 2. The most important in an OS is the supervisor program. 3. Programs that remain in memory while the computer is in use are known as non-resident programs. 4. The screen is usually blank except for a symbol (e.g.$) which acts as a command prompt. 5. OS commands are usually long words. 6.Unix is a command driven operating system used in all sizes of computer but mostly large multi-user, multi-tasking mainframe computers. 7. The hardware doesn’t need software to make it work. 8. An application software package communicates directly with the hardware. 9. An operating system has only two main functions.

Task 5. Match the terms in Table A with the statements in Table B.

Table a Table b

1. operating system interface applications (program or software) Unix menu spreadsheet swipe card word processor software package

The hardware or software that connects two systems and allows them to communicate with each other. A popular multi-user multi-tasking operating system originally designed for mainframe computers. A wide variety of versions exist. The set of programs that controls the basic functions of a computer and provides communication between the application programs and the hardware. A computer program designed to be used for a particular purpose, e.g. a wordprocessor, spreadsheets or database program. A type of application program with an array of cells that is used for calculating formulas. A list of options displayed on a computer screen. An application program or collection of programs that can be used in different ways. A type of computer application program used for typing and editing text documents. A plastic card with a magnetic strip running across it containing confidential data.

Task 6. Fill in the blanks with the words from the box.

interface, supervisor, manage, memory, package, software, drives, interface, nonresident, command driven

1. An applications software ... does not communicate directly with the hardware. 2. Between the applications software and the hardware is a software ... – an operating system. 3. The most important program in the operating system is the ... program, most of which remains in memory. 4. An operating system has three main functions: 1) ... the computer resources, such as the central processing unit, ..., disk ... and printers, 2) establish a user ... , and 3) execute and provide services for applications ... . 5. Unix is a ... operating system used in all sizes of computers. 6. Programs that only stay in memory while they are being used are known as ... programs.

Task 7. Complete the gaps in this summary of the text on operating systems using these linking words and phrases.

although because in addition such as but therefore

The user is aware of the effects of different applications programs ... operating systems are invisible to most users. They lie between applications programs, ... wordprocessing, and the hardware. The supervisor program is the most important. It remains in memory, ... it is referred to as resident. Others are called non-resident ... they are loaded into memory only when needed. Operating systems manage the computer's resources, ... the central processing unit . ... , they establish a user interface, and execute and provide services for applications software. ... input and output operations are invoked by applications programs, they are carried out by the operating system.

Task 8. Problem-solving try to find the commands from the lists below which will have these actions.