Computerland

(1) But the most unusual section in the museum is "History of Computer Development". There is a mechanical calculating device, which was used for the census¹ of the population in the USA in 1890. One can also find NEC electronic computer that controlled the Moon expedition of the American astronauts, and the first commercial computer UNIVAC (1951) that predicted an election² victory for president Eisenhower.

(2) Not long ago, Oliver Streampel, one of the museum research workers, proposed to build up such a computer that one could walk inside of it. It took a group of enthusiasts a year to construct this museum exhibit. Its keyboard is about 7.5 meters long, and diskettes are 1.8 meter in diameter. All visitors can have a look at the opposite side of the screen and make sense how the computer operates.

(3) The oldest electronic machines of the Boston computer museum were designed soon after World War II. The first IBM personal computer appeared in 1981, but 5-10 years in the computer world seem to be a century.

Notes: ¹census – перепись;

²election – выборы.

Ex. 27.What questions would you ask Mr. Streampel if you were a visitor to he museum?

UNIT EIGHT THE PC REVOLUTION

Ex. 1. Practice the reading of the following words and phrases:

microelectronics, microprocessor, microcomputer, miniaturization, specially, firm, commercial, to concentrate, style, multimedia, percent, agency, genuine, enthusiasm, enthusiast, potential, atmosphere, creativity, prestigious, investor, compactness;

technical innovation, Micro Instrumentation Telemetry Systems, video terminal, computer hobbyist, electronics expert, graphical interface, routine operation, massive machine, technology-oriented business, innovators of computer technology.

Ex. 2. Memorize the following words.

to permit – разрешать, позволять, давать возможность Syn: to let permission – разрешение to flip – переключать, щёлкать (кнопкой, выключателем) Syn: to flick to assemble – собирать, монтировать assembly – сборка, монтаж to supply – 1) подавать, питать; 2) снабжать, обеспечивать, поставлять supply – 2) снабжение, поставка; 2) подача, питание power supply – энергоснабжение slot – слот, разъём, гнездо initially – в начале, сначала, изначально Syn: originally to turn – 1) обращаться (to – к кому-л.)2) превращать (into – во что-л.) opportunity – возможность to resemble – походить, иметь сходство resembling – аналогичный, подобный, похожий immediately – немедленно, тотчас же, сразу to compete – конкурировать (with – с кем-л.) competition – конкуренция competitor – конкурент Syn: rival competitive – конкурирующий, конкурентоспособный Syn: rival to incorporate – включать (в состав чего-л.), содержать user-friendly – удобный для пользователя to adapt – адаптировать, настраивать, приспосабливать environment – 1) окружающая среда; 2) среда, окружение, оборудование, условия hardware environment – аппаратная среда; аппаратные средства software environment – программная среда; программные средства increasingly – всё больше и больше to attract – привлекать (внимание, инвестиции) attractive – привлекательный experience – 1) квалификация, опыт; 2) стаж работы wizard – мастер, эксперт, специалист своего дела to insist – настаивать (on, upon – на чём-л.) average – средний annual – ежегодный, годовой

Ex. 3. Translate the following sentences, paying attention to the italicized words.

1. The software, which is protected by copyright, cannot be copied, distributed or reproduced without the author's permission.

2. Fujitsu, Hitachi, and NEC are competing with US firms to build the world's fastest supercomputer.

3. If you fail to pay your bill, you run the risk of having your power supply cut off.

4. A video display converts information generated by the computer into visual information.

5. Games and songs provide the perfect opportunity for classroom interaction and language skills development.

6. Although 32-bit microprocessors are most common today, microprocessors are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with many 64-bit CPUs available.

7. The philosopher Scott Buchanan once observed in conversation that science resembles theater.

8. The first-person 'shooters' such as DOOM and Quake are action games in which the environment is seen from the player's view.

9. File sharing services on the Internet let individuals swap music, movies, photos, and applications, provided they do not violate copyright protections.

10. It has been calculated that the average citizen in the developed countries uses over 155kg of paper per year.

11. The cars are produced in Europe and specially adapted for the American market.

12. Computers designed originally for arithmetic purposes are applicable for great variety of tasks at present.

13. Simulators are very realistic, but they don't compare to the actual experience of flying an airplane.

14. A computer wizard is a person who is especially good at computers. Or it is a part of a program that helps the user to do a complicated task by providing instructions or asking a series of simple questions.

15. The interface between the user and the machine has been made much friendlier due to various technical developments.

Ex. 4. Fill in the gaps with the required words. (TIP: three words should be used twice.)

You must ask ___ before taking any photographs inside the church. She was delighted to have an ___ to talk with someone who shared her interest in classical music. This new technology will be faster, more versatile and ___ than any previous technology. The word editor ___ informs the user of any syntax error. Are measures to protect the ___ compatible with economic growth? This keyboard has been specially ___ for use by disabled people. Have you had any previous ___ in computer-assisted design? In order to be a pilot you need to be of above ___ intelligence. Ben is a real ___ at chess. We ___ and deliver each computer within five days of order. The software ___ the latest security technology. The company was accused of copying software ideas from larger ___. Cellular phones incorporating digital cameras are ___ becoming popular now. Android is a mobile robot whose structure approximately ___ that of a human. Analyst is a person responsible for understanding a problem in a business ___ and designing a computer system to solve it. How can we ___ more visitors to our website? Many workers now ___ on a smoke-free environment. In an ___ week, I watch about 20 hours of TV. The job requires five years' programming ___. The company plans to sell the ___ rights to its new range of printers.

adapted assemble assembly attract average competitors environment experience immediately incorporates increasingly insist opportunity permission resembles user-friendly wizard

Ex. 5. Give English equivalents to the italicized words. Mind your grammar!

1. If time позволяет, you can repeat the process.

2. The система электроснабжения is менее надёжная in mountainous areas of the country.

3. He works in the workshop where the new computers собирают and the old machines ремонтируют.

4. Films with big stars always привлекают great attention.

5. Recently, banks предложили customers the возможность to change to PC or telephone banking.

6. The furniture comes complete with инструментами and easy-to-follow instructions for сборке.

7. It’s difficult to make точный прогноз about the effects of these experiments on the окружающую среду.

8. WIMPs: windows, icons, menus and pointers – are different ways of making programs более удобные для пользователя.

9. Somebody щёлкнул выключателем and all the lights went out.

10. He настаивал на checking the repaired VCR himself.

Ex. 6. Choose the required word(s) to complete each sentence.

1. [Experience, assembly, supply, competition] is more important for this job than paper qualifications.

2. The password [attracts, incorporates, permits, adapts] access to all files on the network.

3. You’ll have the [chance, environment, competitor, opportunity] to ask any questions at the end of the lesson.

4. The company must reduce costs to [insist, compete, assemble, attract] effectively.

5. [Average, attractive, resembling, competitive] packaging can help to sell products.

6. Most people walk at an [immediate, annual, average, initial] rate of 5 km an hour.

7. The creation of this database will give us a huge advantage over our [rivals, wizards, competitors, environment] in the long run.

8. In its new format, the magazine hopes to [compete, attract, resemble, supply] a much wider readership.

9. [Originally, initially, increasingly, annually], we had intended to go to Italy, but then we won the trip to Greece.

10. It took him a while to [adapt, insist, attract, flip] himself to his new working environment.