Text a Computers

A computer is a machine that manipulates data according to a set of instructions. The first electronic computers appeared in the mid-20th century (1940–1945). These were the size of a large room and consumed much power. Those computers used vacuum tubes and electric relays as their electronic elements and were in use throughout the 1950s. In 1960s transistor-based machines, which were smaller, faster, cheaper and more reliable replaced the first computers.

In the 1970s, integrated circuit technology and the creation of microprocessors, such as the Intel 4004, decreased size and cost and increased speed and reliability of computers. The Intel 4004 was powerful enough to become the main unit of many useful hand calculators at the time. Computing technology rapidly advanced and in the 1980s the first personal computers appeared.

Modern computers on the base of integrated circuits are millions of times more powerful than the first machines. There are computers small enough to build into a watch, which have a watch battery as a source of power. The built-in computers which are present in many devices from MP3 players to aircraft and from toys to industrial robots are however the most numerous.

A Computer-based system consists of two major elements: Hardware and Software. Hardware refers to the physical elements of a computer and consists of three major components: CPU (Central Processing Unit), IO (Input/Output), and Memory.

CPU, in its turn, consists of Arithmetic and Logic Unit(ALU), Control Unit(CU) and Registers. CPU is the main information processor in a computer which performs software instructions, makes calculations and comparisons, provides logical decisions on the base of the Boolean algebra rules.

The Input-Output equipment refers to the communication between an information processing system and the outside world. Common input devices include keyboards and optical scanners; output devices include printers and cathode-ray tube and liquid-crystal display monitors. Devices for communication between computers, such as modems and network interface cards, usually serve for input and output.

Data comes through Input and the CPU processes the data on the base of a program which is in Memory. Memory is a computer data storage system and one of the fundamental components of all modern computers. The information which a computer receives from its input unit is in the main memory or in an auxiliary storage device.

In contrast to hardware software has a non-physical nature. Software is a collection of electronic instructions (routines) and rules that tell the hardware how to perform a task. With the evolution of the Internet, which allows computer users to access and exchange information with other computers personal computers will become as common as the television and the telephone in the household.

Задания к тексту А:

I. Прочитайте и переведите следующие выражения:

according to a set of instructions; the size of a large room; a transistor-based system; integrated circuit technology; subsequent creation of microprocessors; to be powerful enough; a source of power; the embedded computers; however the most numerous; two major elements; Hardware and Software; Central Processing Unit; Arithmetic and Logic Unit; Control Unit; the Input-Output equipment; an information processing system; the outside world; to serve for both input and output; a computer data storage system; one of the fundamental components; an auxiliary storage device; in contrast to; a collection of routines.

II. Найдите в предыдущем упражнении английские эквиваленты следующих русских выражений:

последующее создание микропроцессоров; устройство управления; технология интегральных микросхем; в противоположность к ; встроенные компьютеры; согласно набору инструкций; система обработки информации; быть достаточно мощным; внешний мир; размером с большую комнату; компьютерная система хранения данных; коллекция программ; один из фундаментальных компонентов; система на основе транзисторов; центральный микропроцессор; оборудование ввода-вывода (данных); арифметическое и логическое устройство; источник энергии; вспомогательное устройство хранения; однако самые многочисленные; аппаратные средства и программное обеспечение; два основных элемента; служить как для ввода, так и для вывода (данных);

III. Глагол в скобках поставьте во время Present Indefinite:

1. Those computers (to use) vacuum tubes and electric relays as their electronic elements. 2. Computing technology rapidly (to advance). 3. A Computer-based system (to consist of) two major elements: Hardware and Software. 4. Common input devices (to include) keyboards and optical scanners. 5. Common output devices (to include) printers and cathode-ray tube and liquid-crystal display monitors. 6. CPU interprets and implements software instructions, performs calculations and comparisons, makes logical decisions.

IV. Сказуемое в предложениях из предыдущего упражнения поставьте сначала во время Past Indefinite, а затем во время Future Indefinite.Предложения переведите.

V. Сделайте грамматический разбор предложения:

1. In the 1970s, integrated circuit technology and the subsequent creation of microprocessors, such as the Intel 4004, decreased size and cost and further increased speed and reliability of computers. 2. With the evolution of the Internet, which allows computer users to access and exchange information with other computers personal computers became as common as the television and the telephone in the household.

VI. Ответьте письменно на следующие вопросы:

1. What is a computer?

2. When did the first electronic computers appear?

3. When did transistor-based computers appear?

4. What decreased size and cost and increased speed and reliability of computers?

5. When did the first personal computers appear?

6. What is the difference between the first machines and modern computers?

7. What are the examples of built-in computers?

8. Does a computer-based system consist of two major elements? What are they?

9. What are the examples of input devices and output devices?

10. Has software a non-physical nature?

11. What is software?

12. What will become with the evolution of the Internet?

VII. Переведите текст А письменно.