Vocabulary:

1) complex — сложный

2) to consume — потреблять

3) to realize — понять, осознать

4) smart — умный

5) decade — декада, десятилетие

6) version — версия

7) to enhance — увеличивать, расширять

8) on top of DOS — «сверху», на основе ДОС

9) compatible — совместимый

10) with a click of a mouse — одним щелчком кнопки мыши

11) are shipped — поставляются

12) to allow — позволять

13) multiple users — многочисленные пользователи

14) access — доступ

15) simultaneously — одновременно

16) to desire — желать

1. Match the following words with the given definition: unix, dos, nt, os/2, Windows 95.

1. Like NT, ... is DOS compatible and provides a graphical user interface that lets you run programs with a click of a mouse.

2. … is the most commonly used PC operating system

3. … is a multi-user operating system that allows multiple users to access the system

4. … is an operating system developed by Microsoft, the enhanced version of the popular Microsoft Windows Programs.

5. The usage of ... is so simple that even little kids learn how to use it very quickly.

2. Are the following statements true or false? Prove your answers.

1. When computers were first introduced in 40's and50's programmers had to write programs to instruct CD-ROMs, laser printers and scanners.

2. The operational system controls and manages the use of the hardware and the memory.

3. There are no commands available in operating systems, they are only in word processors.

4. Microsoft developed MS-DOS to compete with IBM's PC-DOS.

5. NT requires computers with 486 CPU and 16 M random access memory.

6. OS/2 is DOS compatible because it was developed by Microsoft.

7. Traditionally, UNIX was run by many users simultaneously.

8. Windows 95 and Windows 98 are DOS compatible and have very «friendly» and convenient interface.

2 What is the Internet?

Text 2.1 “What is the World Wide Web?”

Pre-reading task:

1. Are you a part of computer revolution?

2. You are going to read a set of texts about the World Wide Web. Discuss in group why you really need the Internet. What factors influence your decision?

3. Read the text “What is the Internet?” and discuss the following questions:

4. Do you use Internet?

5. Why so many activities such as e-mail and business transactions are possible through the Internet?

6. What is the World Wide Web?

7. What is Web browser?

8. What does a user need to have an access to the WWW?

9. What are hyperlinks?

10. What resources are available on the WWW?

11. What are the basic recreational applications of WWW?

12. What is this computer phenomenon called the Internet, or the Net? Do you personally have need of it? Before you decide to get "on" the Internet, you may want to know something about it.

Millions of people around the world use the Internet to search for and retrieve¹ information on all sorts of topics in a wide variety² of areas including the arts, business, government, humanities³, news, politics and recreation⁴. People communicate through electronic mail (e-mail), discussion groups, chat channels and other means of informational exchange. They share⁵ information and make commercial and business transactions⁶. All this activity is possible because tens of thousands of networks⁷ are connected to the Internet and exchange information in the same basic ways.

Using the Internet, David, a teacher in the United States, acquired course materials. A Canadian father accessed⁸ it to stay in contact with his daughter in Russia. A housewife used it to examine scientific research on the early beginnings of the universe. A farmer turned to it to find information about new planting methods that make use of satellites. Corporations are drawn to it because of its power to advertise their products and services to millions of potential customers. People around the globe read the latest national and international news by means of its vast reporting and information services.

The World Wide Web⁹ (WWW) is a part of the Internet. But it's not a collection of networks. Rather, it is information that is connected or linked¹⁰ together like a web. You access this information through one interface or tool called a Web browser¹¹. The number of resources and services that are part of the World Wide Web is growing extremely fast. In 1996 there were more than 20 million users of the WWW, and more than half the information that is transferred across the Internet is accessed through the WWW. By using a computer terminal (hardware) connected to a network that is a part of the Internet, and by using aprogram (software) to browse¹² or retrieve information that is a part of the World Wide Web, the people connected to the Internet and World Wide Web through the local providers¹³ have access to a variety of information. Each browser provides¹⁴ a graphical interface. You move from place to place, from site¹⁵ to site on the Web by using a mouse to click on a portion of text, icon or region of a map. These items are called hyperlinks¹⁶ or links. Each link you select represents a document, an image, a video clip or an audio file somewhere on the Internet. The user doesn't need to know where it is, the browser follows the link.

All sorts of things are available on the WWW. One can use Internet for recreational purposes. Many TV and radio stations broadcast live¹⁷ on the WWW. Essentially, if something can be put into digital format and stored in a computer, then it's available on the WWW. You can even visit museums, gardens, cities throughout the world, learn foreign languages and meet new friends. And, of course, you can play computer games through WWW, competing¹⁸ with partners from other countries and continents.

Just a little bit of exploring the World Wide Web will show you what a lot of use and fun it is.