II. Vocabulary

Exercise 2. Repeat the words and word-combinations after the speaker.

processor

processing

device – пристрій

storage device – пристрій пам’яті

periferals - перифирійні пристрої

to feed (fed, fed) - вводити (дані)

to feed data = to put data (into)

keyboard

to bring out (brought, brought) – виводити (дані)

to control – керувати

core memory – пристрій запам’ятовування на магнітних сердечниках, оперативна пам’ять

magnetic core memory

liquid mercury delay lines – лінії затримки на рідкій ртуті

to perform = to do

reliability – надійність

reliable – надійний

ten times faster – в десять разів швидше

integrated circuits – інтегральні схеми

high capacity integrated circuits – інтегральні схеми великої ємкості

LSI – Large Scale Integration – інтеграція високого рівня

VLSI – Very Large Scale Integration – інтеграція дуже високого рівня

SLSI - Super Large Scale Integration - інтеграція надвисокого рівня

chip – кристал

a single chip

high speed memory - швидкодіюча (швидкісна) пам’ять

optical fibers – оптичні волокна

videodisks

artificial intelligence (AI) – штучний інтелект

to incorporate – поєднувати, включати

to improve – покращувати

powerful – потужний

compact

expensive – дорогий

inexpensive – недорогий, дешевий

cheap = inexpensive

III. Reading

Exercise 3. Read the text “The Development of Computer Systems”.

The 1^st-generation computer systems started in 1950. They used vacuum tubes for calculation, control and sometimes for memory as well. 1^st-generation machines used several other devices for memory, for example, liquid mercury delay lines or magnetic drums. Computers could perform thousand of calculations per second. (BESM-1, Minsk-1, IBM 650 are examples).

The 2^nd-generation systems began in 1960 and used transistors in place of vacuum tubes. Core memory was introduced. Size was reduced and reliability was improved significantly in the 2^nd-generation systems. Computers can perform work ten times faster than their predecessors. The reason for this extra speed was the use of transistors instead of vacuum tubes. (BESM-4, BESM-6, Minsk-32, IBM 1401 are examples).

The 3^rd-generation computers began in 1965. They used integrated circuits, which incorporated hundreds of transistors on a single silicon chip. In the late 1960 integrated circuits were used for high-speed memory, providing some competition for magnetic core memory. At present integrated-circuit memory has largely replaced magnetic core memory. These computers could do a million calculations per second. They are smaller and more reliable. (ES-1033, NAIRI-3, IBM-360, IBM-370 are examples).

The 4^th- generation started in the mid 1970s. Memory and logic were built of chips which contain large numbers of electronic components. The integrated circuits were reduced in size, as many as 1000 tiny circuits now fit onto a single chip. The computers are based on LSI circuits. The 4^th-generation computers are 50 times faster than third-generation computers and can perform approximately 1000000 instructions per second.

(ES-1065, NAIRI-4, ELECTRONIKA-60, ISKRA-1256 are examples).

The 5^th- generation appeared in the mid 1990s. They are based on VLSI and SLSI technologies. Optical fibers, videodisks and artificial intelligence are incorporated into them.

Current computers are hundred times smaller than those of the first generation. A single chip is far more powerful. They are compact, inexpensive, high-speed. They have high-capacity integrated circuit. (Celeron, Duron, Pentium 4, 5, Athlon 64 FX-51 are examples).