Now read the other FAQ and choose the correct answer according to the information you’ve read.

1) Who will own the laptop?

a) Government, who will lend them to schoolchildren.

b) Schools, that will use them in class.

c) Children.

2) How have manufacturing costs been reduced?

a) By using older versions of software.

b) By using a cheap display panel.

c) By reducing the number of functions the machine can perform.

3) What advantage of using open source software is mentioned?

a) It is simpler and easier to use.

b) It uses less memory.

c) It can be modified by the uses.

4) What can the laptop not do?

a) Connect wirelessly with other computers.

b) Store a lot of information.

c) Connect to peripherals using USB.

5) When is the manufacturing of the laptops due to start?

a) When the first orders have been received.

b) As soon as the design has been finalized.

c) When sufficient orders have been paid for in advance.

Work in groups of two or three and think of the advantages of the laptop project initiated by Nicolas Negroponte and its essential features. Report the general idea of the group to the class.

Work in small groups and discuss the issues.

1) What differs a laptop from a typical modern computer?

2) What technology and software does it use?

3) Compose a list of its technical specification, advantages and the most important characteristics.

Make a report or a presentation for your local Education Department where you persuade them to participate in the (same or similar) project.

29. Rearrange Dialogue A to make it sound logically correct. There are two participants in the conversation: a salesperson in a computer shop and a buyer in the shop Steve. Sentence a) is the first one in the conversation.

Dialogue A. IN A COMPUTER SHOP

Steve is interested in buying a laptop computer and is asking a salesperson about Wi-Fi technology

a) What’s this Wi-Fi thing that’s mentioned in your brochure here?

b) Well, Wi-Fi gives you the freedom to check your e-mails or surf the Web when you’re away from home or out of the office. That’s the main advantage.

c) A what?

d) Well, it’s based on the same technology as cordless phones – not mobile phones, I mean the one’s most people have at home these days, you know. Anyway, your laptop can be fitted with a modem, a special antenna and a software which can send and receive signals the short distance to connect with the hotspot, and then the equipment in the hotel lobby or airport or whatever is wired up to a regular phone line, so you’re connected.

e) I see. And how many of these hotspots are there about?

f) Well, not exactly anywhere. You have to be 100 metres of a Wi-Fi Hotspot.

g) And what would I want that for, exactly?

h) A Wi-Fi Hotspot. That’s just the name for a place where the equipment that can communicate with your computer and connect it to the Internet. You find them in places like airports, hotel lobbies, cafes – even some telephone boxes. But you can’t connect unless you’re fairly close to one.

i) And how much extra would it cost?

j) Oh, Wi-Fi technology? Well, basically it’s a system that allows you to connect to the internet without cables.

k) So, you mean I can log on to my Internet account from anywhere? Sounds good!

l) Oh, about 100 or so. Worth it, though, don’t you think?

m) Hmm. So, how does it work, then, this Wi-Fi business?

n) Well, a bit too expensive, for me, actually.

o) A few thousand in our country. I’d say it’s still early days. I haven’t really caught on yet, you know. But it will!

30. Choose the best answer the question on Dialogue A:

Why doesn’t Steve select Wi-Fi?

a) It’s too expensive.

b) He doesn’t think it’s really useful.

c) He doesn’t understand what it’s for.

Read Text B. This is a summary of Dialogue A. Complete the summary with the correct word.

Text B

Wi-Fi technology gives you the freedom of accessing the Internet and your mail account without the need for a (1) … to connect. You can connect using Wi-Fi whenever there is a Wi-Fi access points, also known as (2) …. With (3) … of (4)… throughout the country, there’s sure to one close to you wherever you can be. At the moment you can find them in airports, hotel (5) …, cafes and public telephone boxes. Wi-Fi is based on the same technology as (6) … phones. If you are within (7) … meters of an access point, a special antenna on your computer can connect you to the (8) … equipment and then to the Internet at broadband speeds. Your laptop can be updated for Wi-Fi capability for as little as $ (9) ….