Текст 7а

You live in an information age. You've already learned how fast the knowledge base is growing. You also know it is impossible for any one person to know everything. An educated person isn't necessarily someone who knows everything. An educated person knows where to find the information he or she needs!

A computer can be used to access (find) information on many topics. You can access information in several ways. Personal computers can be interfaced, or attached to, a CD-ROM (compact disk-read only memory) drive. An entire electronic encyclopedia, for example, can be accessed through a compact disk (CD). A compact disk can hold 1,300 times as much information as a floppy disk. Besides that, it accesses information in a matter of seconds. If you needed information on crash testing of cars, by the time you pulled the encyclopedia from the shelf, the computer would have that information for you. In addition, the computer lists cross-references that allow you to tie the information with other subjects. Sometimes not all the information is available on CDs but many electronic encylopedias also include a bibliography (list of resources) so you can explore further.

Another way to access information from the outside world is by hooking the computer to a modem and a telephone line. A modem is an electronic device that lets computers share information. Attaching a modem to your computer lets you communicate with any other computer that has a modem. Modem is another acronym. It stands for modulator- demodulator.

Two computers can communicate with each other only if one computer can decode (understand) the information received from the other computer. When you receive a file over a modem it is called downloading. When you send a file over the modem to another computer it is called uploading. Communications software on each computer sets up a protocol (special settings) to allow information transfer. One important protocol is how fast information is sent on the telephone line. This is called the baud rate. Most common modems operate from 1,200 to 9,600 baud. The faster the baud rate, the less time you have to spend using the telephone line. The baud rate is important because if you're communicating long-distance the cost can increase quickly!

Using your computer and modem, you can access information stored in huge mainframe computers. Information services are companies that sell information to you. Did you ever think about paying for information like you would for another product such as a hamburger? A rapidly growing use of computers is for accessing information. Whenever a topic needs to be researched, an information service can save valuable time. It gives you bibliographies and abstracts (brief summaries) of articles in magazines as well as books. Abstracts let you see whether that resource will be useful to you.

Завдання 5 Перекладіть подані нижче слова та словосполучення з Тексту 7А:

a) knowledge base, information age, compact disc drive, crash testing, telephone line, communications software, information transfer, mainframe computers, information services, cross references;

b) to access information, to interface a computer, to tie the information with other subjects, to hook the computer to a modem, to share information, to decode information, to receive information, to communicate long-distance, to store information, to save time;

c) ROM (read only memory), CD (compact disc), bibliography, modem, downloading, uploading, baud rate, abstract.

Завдання 6 Дайте відповіді на запитання до Тексту 7А:

1. Should an educated person know everything? What is important for an educated person?

2. In what way can a personal computer be used to access information?

3. Why is bibliography important?

4. What do we call “an abstract”?

5. What do we use a modem for?

6. How can you explain the terms “downloading”, “uploading”, “baud rate”?

7. What is the baud rate of modern modems?

Завдання 7 Прочитайте вголос Текст 7А та перекладіть його рідною мовою.

Завдання 8 Прочитайте та письмово перекладіть рідною мовою поданий нижче текст.