Basic English for Computing / Basic English for Computing (Units) / UNIT 18

_{18 Graphics and multimedia}

Tuning-in

Task 1 Study this toolbox from a graphics package. Find the icons which represent these features.

1 text

2 eraser

3 polygon

4 rectangle

5 airbrush

6 select

7 curve

8 colour fill

Task 2 Work in pairs. List some occupations that use graphic design software, and say what they use it for.

Listening: Drawing a graphic

Task 3 Study these diagrams. They show the stages in the production of a simple graphic. Then listen to the recording and match each extract to the correct diagram.

Reading: Desktop publishing (DTP)

Task 4 Study this diagram which shows the software involved in producing a DTP document. Which software produced these parts of the final document?

1 page layout 4 bar chart

2 graphic 5 text

3 photograph

Task 5 Read Part 1 of the text. Then complete this table of the hardware required for DTP. Note down the reason for each choice.

Hardware required	Reason
Microcomputer with large hard disk and large amount of memory:	graphics need a lot of memory space
Laser printer	____________________________
_____________________	_____________________
_____________________	______________________

Part1

Desktop publishing (DTP) software allows the user to produce printout in the style of a newspaper.That is, in columns with pictures and other graphics. DTP is run on a microcomputer system with a laser printer for high quality, fast printout.The computer should have a large hard disk and a large amount of memory. A high resolution monitor with a 21-inch screen is recommended for easy working. A scanner is needed to import photographs and possibly a video digitiser to capture video images.

Task 6 Read Part 2 of the text to answer these questions.

1 What two computer applications does DTP integrate?

2 List the features that DTP software provides.

3 Why does it offer only basic word processing and graphics?

Part 2

DTP software can be thought of as integrated word processing and graphics, with additional features to enable pages to be laid out in columns and illustrations to be inserted. A facility to import photographs and video images is also provided. Often DTP software has only basic word processing and graphics facilities. It relies on the user making use of word processor and graphics software to prepare documents and illustrations before importing them into the DTP software. Its strength is in providing the structure to manipulate documents into columns or rows, and to cut and position graphics as required.

5 10

Language work: Time clauses

Study these steps in the production of a graphic.

1 The basic design is drawn. 2 Detail is added. 3 Unnecessary parts are removed using the eraser. 4 The graphic is scaled to the right size. 5 The drawing is complete. 6 Colour is added. 7 Text is added. 8 The author works on the graphic. 9 The graphic is ready to print. 10 The finished product is printed.

We can link some of these steps using time words.

After and before indicate the sequence in which things happen. For example: 1+2 After the basic design is drawn, detail is added. 3 + 4 Before the graphic is scaled to the right size, unnecessary parts are removed using the eraser.

When can indicate that one action happens immediately after another. For example: 5 + 6 When the drawing is complete, colour is added.

Until links an action with the limit of that action. For example: 8 + 9 The author works on the graphic until it is ready to print.

Task 7 Study these steps in the production of a desktop-published student magazine.

1 Text is typed in using a word processor.

2 The text is edited.

3 The text is spellchecked.

4 Line drawings are made using a graphics package.

5 Photographs are scanned in with a scanner.

6 The first draft is completed.

7 The first draft is transferred to a page-makeup program.

8 Text and graphics are adjusted on screen.

9 They all fit together well.

10 The finished document is printed on a laser printer.

Link these pairs of sentences using these time words.

1 + 2 after 3 + 4 after 6 + 7 when 9 + 10 after

2 + 3 before 5 + 6 after 8 + 9 until

Problem-solving

Task 8 Graphics packages allow you to:

draw graphics add text change tools change attributes

scale the graphic rotate the graphic

Which features have been used to change picture 1 to picture 2?

Writing

Task 9 Link these pairs of statements with suitable time words to make a description of the development of computers.

1 Electronic computers were developed.

There were mechanical calculators similar in some ways to computers.

2 World War 2 started.

The first electromechanical computer was developed to decipher codes.

3 The war ended.

Bell Laboratories developed the transistor.

4 But it took more than ten years. Transistors replaced valves in computers.

5 Integrated circuits were introduced in the mid-1960s. Developments happened quickly.

6 The first microcomputers came on to the market in the mid-19 70s. Desktop computing became a reality.