I.4 Do you agree with the statements below? Correct the wrong ones.

1. Many terms used in computing are common words and each of them possesses its own definite meaning, for instance, mouse, window, disk, etc. 2. Computer Science is a very ancient one and it has already devel­oped rather complicated system of terminology. 3. For instance, the latest IBM Dictionary of Computing contains more than 300.000 terms. 4. The mouse owes its name to its colour. 5. The mouse's tail is a cable that connects the device to the computer. 6. When the mouse is moved, the cur­sor will move along the screen in the different direction in which the mouse is being moved. 7. The term window in Computing means "an onscreen frame that surrounds an application or document, setting it apart from other applications or documents".

I.5 Ask questions to each other.

1. Do you think words are not simple linguistic units? Why? 2. What smaller units does a word consist of? 3. What four different groups of linguistic units do we find in the structure of a language? 4. Why do we call words linguistic signs? 5. How many words does a language possess and how many words do we use in our everyday life? 6. What does the term "passive vocabulary" mean? 7. What are polysemantic words? 8. What are terms and what are they used for? 9. Are terms specially invented words? 10. May we use one and the same word as a term in different sciences? 11. What borrowed Computing terms do you know? 12. What is the main source of Computing terms in the Russian language?

I.6 Ask your fellow students some questions to each sentence.

E.g. each term must possess only one definite meaning. 1. Must each term possess only one definite meaning? 2. What must possess only one definite meaning? 3. What must each term possess? 4. How many meanings must each term possess? 5. Why must each term possess only one definite meaning? 6. What kind of meaning must each term possess? 7. Must each term possess one or more definite meanings? 8. each term must possess only one definite meaning, mustn’t it?

1. There are words in a language which we use in a specific way.

a) are there any …?; b) What is there …?; c) where are there …? d) how do we …?; e) …, aren’t there? f) … in a specific or an ordinary way?

2. But words possess defi­nite structure and consist of some smaller units – roots, prefixes, suffixes, and endings or inflections - called morphemes.

a) Слова обладают определенной структурой? b) Из чего они состоят? (What do … of?) c) Какой структурой обладают слова? (What structure do…?) d) каковы меньшие единицы, из которых состоят слова? (What kind of … do …?) e) Как называются части слова? (What are … ?)

3. in order to express our thoughts we combine words into phrases and sentences.

a) Do we …? b) What do we…? c) What do we… for? d) What do we… into? e) do we … or …? f) …, don’t we? e) Who …?

4. Words are linguistic signs, i.e. they are two-sided units, possessing form, represented by the combination of speech-sounds (or letters in writing), and lexical and grammatical meaning (at least 5 questions).

5. The cur­sor will move along the screen in the same direction in which the mouse is being moved (at least 5 questions).

i.7 Make small dialogues about computing terms using the information from text A above, find out the origin of some more English technical words.

i.8 a) Study more meanings of term.

term n. 1. период; триместр, учебная четверть; сессия. 2. (math., logic) элемент, член. 3. термин; in terms of с точки зрения; 4. условия; terms of reference круг полномочий; (charges) условия оплаты; 5. (pl) личные отношения; v.t. называть.

b) Match the following with the hints below the line.

fall term / bold term / clear term / to set terms / familiar terms / even terms / familiar terms / stand upon terms. 1. he thinks of everything in terms of money. 2. will you accept my terms? 3. What are their terms of surrender? 4. they came to terms. 6. what are your terms? 7. they met on equal terms. 8. we are on the best of terms. 9. I kept on good terms with him. 10. they are not on speaking terms. 11. She described him in glowing terms. 12. They acceded to all his terms. 13. Such muscles are termed rotators. 14. London is termed big smoke and New york is termed Big Apple.

Hints: самоуверенное высказывание / ставить условия / настаивать на выполнении условий / близкие отношения / равные условия / близкие отношения / осенний семестр / недвусмысленное выражение. *они пришли к соглашению. *Она очень ярко описала его. *каковы ваши условия? *Они согласились на все его условия. *я поддерживал с ним хорошие отношения. *он всё переводит на деньги. *вы принимаете мои условия? *Каковы их условия капитуляции? *мы в прекрасных отношениях. *народное название Лондона a big smoke, а Нью-Йорка - Big Apple. *они не разговаривают друг с другом. *Такие мышцы называются мускулами-вращателями. *они встретились на равных.

Word power

Own собственный; to vary расходиться (во вкусах, мнениях); to spare уделять (несколько минут); to clarify вносить ясность; extremely чрезвычайно; крайне, очень; a curriculum учебный план; программа; to solve решать; разрешать проблему; ordinary обыкновенный, обычный; appropriate подходящий, соответствующий; elementary первичный; inexperienced неопытный; skilled опытный, квалифицированный; one's own opinion чье-то особое мнение; extremely difficult чрезвычайно трудно; a skilled user квалифицированный пользователь; significant knowledge существенные знания; summary knowledge общий объем знаний; elementary knowledge начальные знания; in accordance with в соответствии с этим; at least по крайней мере; on evidence при наличии доказательств; inexperienced in computing неопытный в компьютерном деле; the whole picture цельная картина; active experience действительный опыт; main points главные моменты; appropriate points соответствующие пункты; teachers of Computer Science to be будущие преподаватели информатики; I'm satisfied with it Я удовлетворен этим; somewhat что-то, кое-что.

Dialogue II

How Much an Educated Person Should Know

Read the conversation in which Peter, the student of a Russian Uni­versity, talks about the problem of ‘an educated person’ to Professor Walton from the USA.

Peter: Mr. Walton, some days ago we had a discussion in our group on how much an educated person should know about computers. Everybody of us has his own view on the problem and these opinions vary greatly. Could you spare a few minutes to help us clarify the things? What do you, Americans, think of it?

Pr. Walton: I don't think it's easy to say something definite here, I am afraid. The problem's extremely difficult. People always try to solve it. To say something definite, we are to decide, first of all, who we are speaking about - experts, skilled users, or all the other ordinary people inexperienced in Computing. Be sure, it's simply impossible to give the whole picture.

P: I suppose so too. As for us, teachers of Computer Science to be, the problem is somewhat settled. We've got the curriculum and we are taught in accordance with it. I mean here an ordinary educated man, not professional or expert.

W: OK. That's a good point. I've got to know the system of education in your University and I'm satisfied with it. But as for the theme of our talk, first of all, we must decide what the notion ‘an educated person’ means. In the United States of America an educated person of 200 years ago knew nothing about computers. Furthermore, he or she didn't need to know anything about science either.

P: Exactly. Quite the same things we had here, in Russia. But to my mind, an educated person today needs, at least, some significant knowledge about computers.

W: Very clever. I quite agree with you. You know, some years ago we had such a discussion in America. Just now I don't remember the exact definitions of an educated person, which were formulated then, I’m afraid.

P: I see. But will you be so kind as to give us some appropriate points of it?

W: Good. Let me see. An educated person must be able, first of all, to read, write, and do arithmetic. Then, he or she also must have a basic knowledge of the history and geography of the world and man, then understand the scientific method and possess an elementary knowledge of mathematics and logic and know how to use them. Next, he or she should know at least one foreign language well enough to be able to speak and write what he means.

P: Is that all?

W: Surely. One more point. An educated person must be able to know how to learn and enjoy learning. He or she should never forget that his views and opinions may be wrong and be ready to change them on evidence.

P: and what about the knowledge of computers, I wonder? Can you add any definite points, formulated on the basis of this discussion concerning computers?

W: Yes, certainly. According to these definitions an ordinary educated person must possess an elementary knowledge of computers and programming and some active experience with a whole computer is highly desirable for him or her. The summary knowledge that an educated person should have about computers could be put down on ten sheets of paper in about 3.000 words. These are the main points.

P: Thank you very much for this very interesting and useful information.

Discussion

What the notion ‘educated Person’ means