Voice recognition is another technology that may appear limited in its present form, but it shows great

so promise for the future.

Current voice-recognition systems can handle speaker-dependent continuous speech or speaker-

95 Independent discrete speech.

Speaking to your computer will be a major factor in the office of the future. In some locations, it is already a

loo major factor in the office of today. Stock is traded in some brokerage houses by verbal command from the broker to the computer. So,

105 You ask your computer a question, and it answers you — verbally. Depending on the rate of speech sampling used and the resolution the a/d

110 Converter uses for each

sample, we can already create a credible approximation of human speech with digitized

115 sound.

Large display screens? You can get screens of up to 35 inches now, and between Barco and Mitsubishi

120 competing for the honor of having the largest monitor, it's hard to predict just how big they will get in the future. As for color, some

125 companies offer upwards of 16 million. Somewhere in that number must lie the perfect color for reducing eye-strain.

130 The real disaster that most

of us still have to deal with is

the traditional keyboard, which is the cause of much

pain and suffering in the

135 form of carpal tunnel syndrome and other

repetitive-strain injuries. Wrist rests are available to alleviate the problem, and

140 new designs for strange-looking keyboards, Star Trek-style, are moving from the drawing board to the factory.

Enterprise networks are

145 proliferating almost as fast as LANs did just a year or two ago. Public data

networks are ripe for the dialling up and signing on.

150 And the Internet already

exists, with several of the research and educational facilities on its membership rolls.

155 Worldwide connectivity is

already available in the enterprise networks of some

major corporations (e.g. DEC's DECnet and IBM's

160 Systems Network Architecture). Admittedly, these are proprietary networks, but they are living proof that the concept can

165 and does work.

•

89

Vocabulary

doodle (1. 49) — meaningless drawing

brokerage houses (1. 102) — companies that buy and sell shares for clients carpal tunnel syndrome (1. 135) — chronic wrist-strain caused by repetitive movement, such as typing

Star Trek (1. 141) — futuristic American television series of the 1970s/1980s.

T

90

ask 3 Using the table below, make a summary of the main points of the article in

note form.

Task 4

Each of the following sentences from the text is followed by two paraphrases. Decide which paraphrase (a or b) is closer in meaning to the original comment. Remember to look at the comments in their original context. 1 Pen-based computing is coming into its own. (line 38) a Pen-based computing is receiving the recognition it merits. b Pen-based computing is good for tasks where a conventional pen would normally be used. 2 ...you can't go to an industry show these days without finding some company promoting its 'small footprint'. (line 67) a At every exhibition these days, you will find at least one company advertising its own miniature computer. b It is impossible to get invited to a computer show these days unless you have a contact in a company manufacturing miniature computers.

3

91

Current voice-recognition systems can handle speaker-dependent continuous

speech or speaker-independent discrete speech. (line 91)

a Some of today's voice-recognition systems are set up to recognize continuous speech from certain people, while others can recognize specific words from anyone.

b All of today's voice-recognition systems are set up to recognize either continuous speech from certain people or specific words from anyone.

4 Public data networks are ripe for the dialling up and signing on. (line 147)

a There are public data networks waiting to be used.

b Public data networks are now sufficiently developed to be used.

T ask 5 1 Do you think the English in the text is:

a very formal?

b quite formal?

c neutral?

• quite informal?

• very informal?

2 Do you think this article originally appeared in:

a a computer magazine?

b a general magazine for young people?

c a general magazine for adults?

• an online bulletin board?

• the science page of a newspaper?

3 Do you think this article is written by:

a a British person

b an Australian

c an American

• a non-native speaker of English

Give reasons for your choices.

Task 6

Using the line reference given, look back in the text and find the reference for the words in italics. 1 while others encase (line 7) 2 The other half is a bit more difficult (line 23) 3 but it can be (line 24) 4 but it would know (line 48) 5 in its present form (line 88) 6 it is already a major factor (line 99) 7 which is the cause (line 133) 8 on its membership (line 153)

Task 7

Using the line references given, look back in the text and find words with a similar meaning to: 1 whole (lines 5-10) 2 usually (lines 30-35) 3 acceptable (lines 45-50) 4 seem (lines 85-90) 5 believable (lines 110-115) 6 decreasing (lines 125-130) 7 spreading (lines 140-145) 8 ready (lines 145-150)

N ow find words or phrases that mean the opposite of:

9 danger (lines 1-5)

10 destroy (lines 55-60)

11 rare (lines 55-60)

12 separate (lines 75-80)

13 minor (lines 95-100)

14 less than (lines 120-125)

15 enjoyment (lines 130-135)

1 6 aggravate (lines 135-140)

C

Task 8

92

hoose the correct word to complete each sentence. You may have to change some words slightly.

1 consider, considered, consideration, considerable, considerably

a We'll have to using another company if they can't provide

the software we need.

b The company has invested a sum of money in ergonomic

workstations.

c The CEO has submitted this proposal for your

• This computer is faster than the old one.

2 apply, applying, applicant, application, applicable

a We have interviewed five for the new position.

b The last part of the form is not to foreign students.

c My student is thinking of for a government grant to continue his research.

• The new book uses business to teach computer studies.

3 explain, explained, explaining, explanation, explanatory

a The package includes an booklet.

b The instructions are very clear and do not require any further

c It will only take a couple of minutes to how the program

works.

• If you are new to this system, almost everything will have to be

4 depend, depending, dependent, dependence, dependable, dependably

a The company has supplied us for over ten years.

b We have to reduce our on imported goods.

c This is very equipment. We have never had a serious breakdown.

• Today, many companies more on FAXes than on mail.

c

93

onnect, connected, connecting, connector, connectivity, connection

a is an important concept in global communications.

b He only got that contract because he has in the government.

c Make sure the is not loose before you call a service technician.

d Once the new telephone lines are , our system should be more

efficient.

	'I know they said they were going to introduce new technology, but this isn't quite what I expected.' Listening
Task 9	Listen to this conversation in which Charles, the Information Services Manager in an American insurance company, talks about the steps involved in making a document available to users via document image-processing. Put the steps in the right order.
1			Index is stored.
			Quality of scan is checked.
3			Envelope is opened by a machine.
4			Temporary key number is generated and written on the document.
5			IMS index transaction and customer name is entered into the computer.
6			Mail arrives in the mailroom.
7			Temporary document number is entered into the computer to link it with the previously-generated index.
8			Document is scanned.
9			Document pages are removed and arranged by a clerk.
10			Document can be accessed by users.
11			Computer supplies routing and indexing data.
12			Document pages are transferred to the mail analyst.

94

Task 10

Now listen again and answer the following questions: 1 How long does it take: a for an index to be stored and a key number issued? b for a recent document to be retrieved? 2 Why does it take longer to retrieve a document processed more than a year ago? 3 Note down: a the number of square feet of office space saved. b the number of employees freed from file maintenance. c the approximate net saving per year in pounds.

Speaking

T ask 11 We have looked at some of the benefits of replacing people with computers in

the office. What are the negative aspects of this policy?

Writing

T ask 12 Write two paragraphs, one listing the benefits, the other listing the negative

aspects of replacing people with computers.