Writing Tools

Three major features that word processors offer are spell checkers, online thesauruses and grammar checkers. Read the descriptions of these features.

1. Spell checkers can be used to compare words in the program’s dictionary to those used in the user’s document. The spell checker points to any words it cannot match, notifies the user, and allows him or her to make any changes; it sometimes even suggests possible correct spellings. Like a conventional thesaurus, this database of words contains definitions and suggestions of words with similar and opposite meanings. A word may be spelled correctly but still be wrong (too instead of two). This is a good first step at proofing a document because it can find many common errors, but will still need to proofread documents to ensure complete accuracy.

2. Many word processors include an on-line thesaurus with which the users can look up different words to use in similar instances. Their power comes not from knowing every grammatical rule, but from the questioning the writer about certain parts of the text. Some even include information about pronunciation and histories of evolving meaning.

3. Grammar checkers are applications that attempt to check more than just spelling. They count words in sentences to flag possible run-on sentences. They look for words that show possible conflicts between verbs and subjects and they offer advice about corrections. Grammar checkers are a step beyond spell checkers, but they are still not a substitute for a human editor. However, this does not mean that all the words in the document are spelled correctly. This gives the writer another chance to think about what he or she has written; the computer can alert writers to problems that wouldn’t be obvious to them otherwise.

(E.C.U.)

4 Listening

Listen the lecture on word processing and answer the questions which follow:

1) In terms of correcting mistakes, what is the advantage of a word processor over a conventional typewriter?

2) What is a word-wrap?

3) Explain the function(s) of the cursor.

4) What three main functions of editing are available with word processors?

5) What is the most common use of a spelling checker?

6) About how many words might a spelling checker dictionary contain?

7) By what means is text highlighted using the formatting facility?

8) go through the steps to move text around the screen.

Summing-Up

How often and how much do you write by hand?

Are there any situations when you MUST or SHOULD write by hand?

Unit D. Computer Uses (3): Machine Translation

1 Vocabulary

to investigate

investigation

to achieve

achievement

trace

to trace

to trace back

tongue

to claim

claim

to fulfil

fulfilment

to increase

to decrease

to propose

proposal

to compose

composition

entire

entirely

entirety

deep

depth

in-depth

to deepen

challenge

distinct

distinction

distinctive

to exploit

to offer

offer

to approach

approach

value

valuable

to evaluate

evaluation

to assess

assessment

enormous

enormously

immediate

immediately

to adapt

adaptable

adaptation

suite

simultaneous

simultaneously

to remain

a) chose the correct translation:

1) achievement

a) сочинение

b) достижение

c) расследование

d) среда

2) increase
a) выполнять	b) уменьшать		c) увеличивать		d) оценивать

3)simultaneous

a) ценный

b) отчетливый

c) одновременный

d) глубокий

4) investigation
a) сочинение	b) достижение		c) расследование		d) среда

5)valuable
a) ценный	b) отчетливый		c) одновременный		d) глубокий

6) composition
a) сочинение	b) достижение		c) расследование		d) среда

7)distinct
a) ценный	b) отчетливый		c) одновременный		d) глубокий

8) decrease

a) выполнять

b) уменьшать

c) увеличивать

d) оценивать

9) environment
a) сочинение	b) достижение		c) расследование		d) среда

10)deep
a) ценный	b) отчетливый		c) одновременный		d) глубокий

b) Match the words with their meanings:

1) trace 2) approach 3) evaluation 4) tongue 5) offer 6) enormous 7) remain 8) immediately 9) suite 10) deepen

язык оценка оставаться углублять след немедленно огромный подход комплект предложение

2. Match the words with their definitions:

1) entire 2) claim 3) exploit 4) assess 5) distinction 6) enormous 7) adapt 8) propose 9) investigate 10) fulfil

decide or fix the amount of (a tax or a fine) point of difference offer or put forward for consideration whole, complete examine, make a careful study make suitable for a new use, need, situation perform or complete a task, a duty work, use or develop very great, immense right to ask for