Mobile Phone networks

In Britain there are several mobile phone __(1)__ including Vodaphone, O2, T-mobile and Orange. There are also ___(2)___ like Virgin Mobile who use the network of another company. When you buy a cell phone, you have a choice of ___(3)___. The most popular is “____(4)____”, with customers paying for their calls in advance. They can ____(5)____ their accounts in shops, over the Internet, and at cash machines. Heavy __(6)__ may prefer a ___(7)_____. They pay a fixed amount every month, but the calls are much cheaper than they are for pay-as-you-go customers. Mobile phones usually come with a ____(8)____ already ____(9)___. If you take the phone abroad, you may be able to use it on a local network. This is called “____(10)____”. It can be expensive, and it may be cheaper to buy a foreign SIM card.

contract installed operators top up

pay-as-you-go SIM card roaming

tariffs networks users

Task 8. Choose the correct words.

1. A laptop computer with a screen you can write on is called a _______ .

A. tablet PC B. table PC C. flat screen PC

2. An image on TV or computer screen is made up of thousands of ____.

A. points B. pixels C. bits

3. You can draw directly onto a computer screen with a __________.

A. bright pen B. light pen C. pixel pen

4. A camera connected directly to the Internet is called _________.

A. an Internet camera B. a web watcher C. a webcam

5. After 6 pm, calls cost 20 p __________ minute

A. for one B. per C. each

6. You can't use a mobile in a cave because there's no __________.

A. network B. connection C. power

7. I need to charge up my mobile phone battery. Have you seen my ______?

A. charger B. recharger C. charging machine

8. When you send a text message, the __________ function can help your write it more quickly.

A. predicting text B. predictive text C. text predictor

9. In the car, it's safer to use a __________ phone.

A. handless B. no hands C. hands-free

10. If you don't want to dial a number by mistake, turn on the __________.

A. keypad locker B. keypad lock C. locker of keypad

11. Which network has the lowest __________?

A. call charges B. call costs C. call expenses

12. My pay-as-you-go account __________ is about £7.

A. balance B. level C. amount

13. My average call __________ is about two minutes.

A. time B. length C. duration

Task 9. Which is NOT possible to complete the sentence?

1. I'll call her on my…

A. mobile phone B. cell phone

C. moving phone D. cellular phone

2. A mobile phone can't work without a…

A. SIM card B. sim card

C. sim chip D. similar card

3. Don't forget to send me…

A. a text message B. a text

C. an SMS D. a phone message

4. When I arrive, I'll…

A. text you B. textualise you

C. send you an SMS D. send you a text

Task 10. Read the text and choose the correct words.

Electronic payments

EPOS (electronic point of sale) terminals are (1) cash / money registers found in retail (2) openings / outlets such as shops and restaurants. They are connected to a (3) central / centre computer, and data about (4) objects / goods and services sold is entered into the terminals via keyboards, barcode readers, (5) touch / finger screens etc. They are useful for stock management, and can produce itemized bills and (6) receipts / recipes.

EFTPOS (electronic funds transfer point of sale) can also transfer (7) cash / funds directly from the customer's bank account via a (8) debit / paying card. They are now more common than EPOS terminals.

Task 11. Match the plastic cards of different types with the phrases.

1. credit card A. Buy now, pay now.

2. debit card B. Buy now, pay the bank later.

3. cash card C. Buy now, pay the shop later.

4. loyalty card D. Spend, and get some money or goods

back from the shop.

5. store card E. Take money out of a cash machine.

Task 12. Explain the meanings of the abbreviations from Units 1 and 2.

1. DTP 2. CD-ROM 3. MS-DOS

4. GUI 5. MHz 6. SMS

7. CV 8. CD-RW 9. IT

10. ATM 11. LCD 12. SIM

Task 13. Choose the correct word to complete each sentence. You may change some words if necessary.

electron, electronic, electronics, electronically

1. An _______ pen is one example of input devices.

2. An _______ is a subatomic particlethat carries a negativeelectric charge.

3. The door opens _______ .

4. He studied _______ in the college.

technology, technological, technologist, technologically

5. The computer is the greatest _______ invention of the twentieth century.

6. There are two ________ involved in a clipboard PC.

7. Today’s computers are ______ far superior to those used a few years ago.

8. He applied to the position of a __________.

Writing and Translating

Task 14. Make the written translation into Russian (2,000 characters).