V. Comprehension

Exercise 8. Agree or disagree with the following statements.

Use phrases: I don’t agree with you; No, it is not so; I am afraid you are wrong; I agree with you; You are right.

1. The first generation computer system started in 1950.

2. Vacuum tubes were used only for calculation.

3. BESM-4, BESM-6, IBM 1401 are computers of the 3^rd generation.

4. Core memory was introduced into the 2^nd generation computers.

5. The computers of the 4^th generation are based on VLSI technologies.

6. AI was incorporated into the 5^th generation.

Exercise 9. Answer the following questions.

1. What devices were used in the 1^st generation computers?

2. When did the 2^nd generation started?

3. Was core memory introduced into the 2^nd generation computers or the 3^rd generation computers?

4. In what generation of computer system were integrated circuits used?

5. What circuits did the computers of the 5^th generation use?

6. Optical fibers, videodisks and AI are incorporated into the 5^th generation computers, aren’t they?

VI. Practice

Exercise 10. Fill in the table and speak on the topic “The development of computer systems”.

Generation	Times	Model	Characteristics
			Nouns, Adjectives	Verbs
1st generation 2nd generation 3rd generation 4th generation 5th generation

VII. Reading and Comprehension

Exercise 11. Read the text ” Networks ” for 8 ' minutes.

NETWORKS

Computers can communicate with other computers through a series of connections and associated hardware called a network. The advantage of a network is that data can be exchanged rapidly, and software and hardware resources, such as hard- disk space or printers, can be shared.

One type of network, a local area network (LAN), consists of several PCs or workstations connected to a special computer called the server. The server stores and manages programs and data. A server often contains all of a networked group’s data and enables LAN workstations to set up without storage capabilities to reduce cost.

Mainframe computers and supercomputers commonly are networked. They may be connected to PCs, workstations, or terminals that have no computational abilities of their own. These ”dumb” terminals are used only to enter data into, or receive output from, the central computer.

Wide area networks ( WANs ) are networks that span large geographical areas. Computers can connect to these networks to use facilities in another city or country. For example, a person in Los Angeles can browse through the computerized archives of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The largest WAN is the Internet, a global consortium of networks linked by common communication programs. The internet is a mammoth of data, programs, and utilities. It was created mostly by American computer scientist Vinton Cerf in 1973 as part of the United States Department of Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).In 1984 the development of Internet technology was turned over to private, government, and scientific agencies. The World Wide Web is a system of information resources accessed primarily through the Internet.

Users can obtain a variety of information in the form of the text, graphics, sounds, or animations. These data are extensively cross-indexed, enabling users to browse ( transfer from one information site to another) via buttons, highlighted text, or sophisticated searching known as search engines.

Exercise 12. Answer the following questions.

1. What is a network?

2. What is the advantage of a network?

3. What is the organization of a local area network (LAN )?

4. What is a server?

5. What are server’s functions?

6. Do you agree that mainframe computers and supercomputers are networked?

Prove it.

7. What is the largest WAN (wide area networks)?

8. What is the Internet?

9. Whom was it created?

10. What is the World Wide Web?

11. What information can a user obtain?