Lesson 5

LEAD-IN

Discuss the following questions:

1. What major problems are there with the e-mail? Are they opinions or facts? Would it be a problem for you?

2. Is there etiquette for e-mail messages? What is it? What are the examples of this etiquette? What is the reason for the origin of e-mail etiquette?

Reading text

Read the following text:

USING EMAIL

One of the first things I do each morning is to check my email. I open the email program on my computer and I check for new messages. It usually takes only a few seconds for my new messages to download from the server into my inbox unless there’s a large attachment. I can then click onto each new message to read it.

I reply to messages or forward them to someone else. The important messages I save by putting them into one of my mailboxes. The unimportant ones I just delete.

I really hate getting spam. Luckily, my email program allows me to set up filters so that spam messages are put into a separate mailbox automatically. I usually scan the messages to make sure real messages weren’t put into the mailbox by mistake and then I put them in the trash.

I don’t know what I would do without email, but I’m constantly checking it for new messages. I’m not sure if it’s a blessing or a curse. I suppose it’s both.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

http://www.eslpod.com

Tell in what way you use your e-mail service.

Email etiquette

To give you taste of netiquette, here are some highlights to consider:

1. Keep your message brief and to the point and make sure you clear up any spelling slips or grammatical gaffes before shipping it out.

2. Make sure the Subject lines of your message are detailed enough so they explain what your message is all about.

3. Don’t bother other people by sending them test messages. If you must test a program, send a message to yourself.

E-mailers make use of symbols called smileys (or emoticons) which can be written using standard letters and signs.

:-) Your basic smiley. This is used to mean I’m happy.

;-) Winking smiley. I’m flirting or being ironic.

;-( Frowning smiley. I didn’t like something.

8-) I wear glasses.

:-| I’m indifferent.

:-{) I have a moustache.

:-~) I have a cold.

C=:^) Head cook, chef-de-cuisine.

Q:^) Soldier, man with beret, boy scout.

*:O) Clown face; I’m feeling like a buffon.

:^9 Licking the lips; very tasty or delicious.

WRITING PRACTICE

Write three informal e-mails and submit them for the class consideration.

You have visited the Internet and explored there the most interesting places:

• sites for cooking

• free software sites

• sites for learning English

You are full of information and want to share this information with your best friends. Write three informal e-mail messages to your friends. You know who of your friends is interested in what. You should be able to arouse interest in them.

• Use an appropriate format and a chatty style. Try to use at least one smiley.

• Calling the sites in your e-mail messages, try to invent interesting names.

• Remember that e-mails should be brief.

GROUP DISCUSSION

During last several decades minds of scientists in the sphere of information technologies are concerned with the “immortal” questions:

What are the advantages of IT?

and

What are the disadvantages of IT?

You are a participant of the 5th international conference on IT.

You should act in one of the following three roles:

1. a scientist who delivers a report about advantages of IT

2. a scientist who delivers a report about disadvantages of IT

3. an uninterested in IT person

Scientists should prepare reports for a conference and be able to convince their opponents.

An uninterested person should follow the arguments of scientific opponents and in the end represent pluses and minuses of IT.

Homework

Prepare a presentation.

ROLE OF COMPUTERS IN MODERN SOCIETY

Introduction

You are investigators representing the internet generation and are tasked with updating the world on the history of computer-based programs, their use, their benefits and potentially harmful effects on society. It seems that computer-based programs aid the community in functioning, working and communicating with one another. It seems that people are learning to use more and more digital devices. Students should gather the information about the history of computer-based programs and functions using Internet resources.

Task

Each of you will research the history and current use of computer-based programs. Further, after completing their research, you will be responsible for creating and delivering a 10-15 minutes presentation (or computerized) and report back to the class.

Presentation: You will create some type of presentation to be done in front of the class. This can be done in PowerPoint and or with the use of handouts.

A presentation should include:

• Major components of the computer and how they work.

• Describe how computers change the ways in which people live, work, and communicate using computers.

• Finally, list some benefits and potential harmful effects computers may have on society.

Main Internet resources for a quest:

http://www.computerhistory.org/

http://www.apple.com/

http://inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm

http://www.hitmill.com/computers/computerhx1.html

Evaluation

The tasks are assessed from the point of view of how well the research was carried out and how effective your presentation was in terms of grammar, use of active vocabulary, speaking skills.

Conclusion

During your research, you should think of how the different generations have used communication tools and how current technology differs from the past. How do different generations differ with respect to the different modes of computers and communication used?