Basic English for Computing / Basic English for Computing (Units) / UNIT 25
.doc2 5 Interview: IT Manager
Tuning-in
Task 1 Which do you think came first in the development of computing?
1 The first computer or the first transistor?
2 Integrated circuits or the first minicomputer?
3 The first IBM PC or the first Apple Macintosh?
Check your answers using this data on the development of computing.
|
Computer generation |
Dates |
Technology |
|
First Second Third Fourth |
1951-58 1958-64 1965-70 1971- |
vacuum tubes (valves) transistors integrated circuits (ICs) microprocessors |
1942 First electronic computer built
1947 Transistor invented
1954 First commercial computer put on sale
1960 First minicomputer
1965 ICs introduced
1971 Microprocessors introduced
1981 First IBM PC
1984 First Apple Macintosh
1993 First palmtop developed
Task 2 Work in pairs. What do you think will be the next important developments in computing? Make a list.
Listening
Task 3 Tom is head of IT in a large company. In Part 1 of the interview he talks about past developments in his own company. Listen and fill in the gaps in this table.
|
Date |
What happened |
|
|
Started in computing. Transistorized computer |
|
1974 |
|
|
1980 |
|
|
|
Enormous changes in hardware |
|
|
Change from central to distributed computing |
|
early 90s |
|
Task 4 Listen again to find the answers to these questions.
1 How big a memory did the ICT 1904 have?
2 What kind of drive did it have?
3 By how much did electrical load drop each year?
4 Why did it drop?
5 What changes were there in staffing?
6 What was the problem with hardware in the early days?
Task 5 Listen to Part 2 of the interview. Tick (γ) the statements which match Tom's views. Cross (X) those which do not.
1 Speech recognition will be important.
2 Users will use a web interface to access programs.
3 Unless there's a good reason for it, people will not want to change
because computers already do most things they want.
4 New products provide significant changes.
5 Things will get cheaper and faster.
6 Video conferencing is worthwhile for long distances.
7 Computer teaching is good for reinforcing, practising, and self-study.
8 Computers will replace teachers.
|
Language work: Certainty 2 Study these predictions from the interview. Which predictions is Tom most certain about? We're going to live in the web browser environment a lot more. Things will get cheaper and faster. I think speech recognition could be big. Computer teaching may be used more. I don't see computer teaching replacing courses.
Study these ways of showing how certain you are about future events. |
||
|
Certain |
Fairly certain |
Uncertain |
|
YES will happen is/are going to happen |
I think it will happen. It will probably happen. |
It may happen. It could happen. It might happen. It's a possibility. |
|
NO will not/won't happen is/are not going to happen |
I don't think it will happen. It's unlikely to happen. I don't see it happening. |
|
Task 6 Do you think these developments will take place in the next ten years? Give your own views using the expressions listed opposite.
1 Computers will replace teachers.
2 Computers will direct surgical operations.
3 Computers will replace bus drivers.
4 Money will be replaced by smart cards.
5 Television sets will also be computers.
6 Speech will be the main way of inputting data.
7 Computers will talk back to you.
8 Most shopping will be done using the Internet.
9 Videophones will replace existing phones.
10 Flat panel screens will replace monitors.
Computing words and abbreviations
Task 7 Put the words from the list into the correct box.
|
address control data |
decode execute decimal |
HTML JavaScript Visual Basic |
binary Delphi С++ hexadecimal Java store |
Task 8 Study these terms and their meanings.
an insect-sized robot (a robot which is the size of an insect)
computer-generated graphics (graphics which are generated by a computer)
Write the meaning of each of these terms.
1 an ant-sized machine 5 computer-aided design
2 a head-mounted display 6 computer-aided manufacturing
3 computer-assisted instruction 7 character-based operating system
4 an IT-based future 8 write-protected disk
Writing
Task 9 1 Describe some of the important developments in computing with the help of the information given in Tuning-in. Use the past passive in your description.
Example The transistor was invented in 1947.
The first generation of computers were operated by valves.
2 Describe how developments in computing will affect homes in the future.