Read the article again and answer the questions.

1. What is the "passive optical diode" made from?

2. What does "nonreciprocal transmission" mean?

3. What are the benefits of using the new optical diodes?

4. What is the major factor limiting supercomputers today?

5. How do the new optical diodes make it possible to eliminate these limitations?

Match a verb from A with a word or phrase from B to make phrases from the article.

 

A	B
1.pass 2.integrate 3.handle 4.create 5.plug 6.constitute 7.require 8.translate 9.open 10.transmit	a.a new type of optical device b.external assistance to transmit signals c.into computer chips d.the door to optical information processing e.large quantities of data f.into electronic signals for use in computers g.the fiber directly into computers h.critical junctions in transistors i.in the forward direction j.a broad frequency range

Find words in the article which fit these meaning.

1. a small piece of silicon that has a set of complicated electrical connections on it and is used to store and process information in computers

2. 2.a piece of electrical equipment that makes an electrical current flow in one direction

3. a closed system of wires or pipes through which electricity or liquid can flow

4. the use of very thin glass or plastic threads through which light can travel to carry information, especially in telephone, television and computer systems

5. the amount of information that can be carried through a telephone wire, computer connection etc at one time

6. a material, such as silicon, which allows electricity to move through it more easily when its temperature increases, or an electronic device made from this material

Use the words in the box to complete these sentences.

 

diode fiber semiconductor bandwidth device optical chip photonic

 

1. Many companies have found that domain controllers placed in smaller sites that were intended to reduce ………. usage actually increased it.

2. The semiconductor device may be made as the tunnel ………..

3. This ………. pulls characters or bits out of the video RAM and generates the video signal used to drive the monitor.

4. In order to transmit data files or messages, this ………. requires a good quality connection to the network.

5. The channel also can be made on the base of any ferroelectric ………..

6. For the transmission of multimedia content, satellite technology is much more efficient than that of ………..

7. The special processor as well as microcircuits of other ………. elements has input and output channels for sending information to computers of the inner and outer computer lines.

8. The tracking system includes an electronic processor for processing control signals for correction of the ………. stereoscopic projection system.

 

 

TEXT 6

USING COMPUTERS

 

Almost every medium-sized or large company will use computers to help run the office. You will probably have to work with a computer in your day-to-day duties, so you will need to know something about computers and the way they are used. A computer really does make office life easier because it can do all sorts of different jobs.

The same computer could be used, for example, as a word processor, for filing, printing invoices, working out statistics for the accounts department, and communicating with other offices.

When a company decides to install a computer (of any size), it usually gets a systems analyst to study the ways in which the machine might best be used. The system analyst will recommend what kinds of program and computer equipment are required. Programming is for experts. Computer programs are written in languages with names that are usually abbreviations or acronyms: Cobol (Common Business Oriented Language), RPG (Report Program Generator), Fortran (FORmula TRANslator), BASIC (Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code).

Many companies buy ready-written programs' «off the shelf», or buy programs that can be tailored to specific needs but are mostly standard. This reduces the cost of the system, for programming is very expensive and time-consuming. Once it is installed and running, a well- designed computer system can take over much of the routine (and boring) work and at the same time provide accurate information about the business quickly and efficiently.

In practice, the office computer system may appear to be more complicated. A typical business microcomputer system consists of the computer, fitted with two disk drives, a monitor, and a printer. Microcomputers generally use 5 ¼— or 3 ½-inch disks, which are protected by a square plastic sleeve or pack. In some cases, the computer may require two programs. The list of these is called the operating system. Operating systems have names like CP/M, Unix and MS-DOS. The operating system is really just a program that tells the computer how to control the disk drive, printer, and whatever else is attached. After the operating system is loaded, the main program, which may be on a separate disk, can go in.

Once the program starts up, the screen will tell you what to do. Some programs are more obscure than others. One may say «Put data disk on drive 2», another may say «I/O D2?» which may require the look at the instruction manual for translation. Programs are getting better— more «user-friendly» in this respect. Word processing programs are generally easy to use. It is impossible to harm the computer by pressing the wrong keys. Sometimes microcomputers are linked together in what is called a network.

 

Notes:

• invoice - счет
• obscure - малоизвестный

 

Exercise 1. Read through the text carefully, then answer the following questions.

1. How does a computer make office life easier?

2. Who decides what sort of equipment to install?

3. Do you need to know which language a computer uses?

4. What is the advantage of using ready-written programs?

5. What are the basic components of a microcomputer system?

6. What's an operating system?

7. What information can be found in the instruction manual?

8. What do you think «user-friendly» means?

9. What is a network?

 

Exercise 2. Match each English term in the left-hand column with the Russian equivalent from the right-hand column and learn these computer terms.

 

1)	microcomputer	a)	устройство ввода
2)	output device	b)	терминалы
3)	peripheral devices	c)	файл
4)	secondary storage	d)	экран дисплея
5)	software	e)	память
6)	data processing	f)	программное обеспечение
7)	keyboard	g)	дискеты
8)	disk driver	h)	микрокомпьютер
9)	hardware	i)	устройство вывода
10)	programming language	j)	дисководы
11)	network	k)	компьютерная сеть
12)	monitor	1)	клавиатура
13)	file	m)	язык программирования
14)	printer	n)	вторичная память
15)	display screen	o)	обработка данных
16)	memory	P)	монитор
17)	terminals	q)	принтер
18)	input device	r)	периферийные устройства
19)	diskettes	s)	аппаратная часть

 

Exercise 3. Study the following computer terms.

 

INPUT DEVICES

Keyboard

The computer keyboard is similar in layout to a typewriter keyboard, but may have extra keys. These are generally marked Fl, F2, etc., and can be used for different purposes in different programs. The keyboard is generally connected to the computer by a flexible cable.

Joystick

A control stick is sometimes used to supplement the keyboard. It is used to move something, generally cursor, about the screen. The cursor is a flashing square or arrow that is used to point to something on the screen or the monitor.

Mouse

A mouse is an improvement on the joystick. Instead of the control stick, you have a small plastic box on the desk in front of you. To move the cursor, you just move the mouse in the appropriate direction, across the desk, and the cursor follows. This is a more natural action than using the joystick.

Touch-screen

Some monitors are built with a system that can detect where a finger is placed on the screen. You can select menu items simply by touching the appropriate part of the screen.

Bar-code reader

Anyone who shops in a modern supermarket will be familiar with bar-code readers. The reader is a penshaped device that is plugged into the computer. At the tip of the reader is an optical sensor that detects printed marks.

 

Exercise 4. Answer the questions below.

 

1. What is meant by peripherals?

2. What is the joystick for?

3. What is a cursor and how is it controlled?

4. What's a mouse? What is it for?

5. In what way can a menu item be selected?

6. What is the bar-code reader?

 

Exercise 5. Choose the right word from the list below.

 

1. It is wise to make copies of __ at regular intervals when you are typing data into a microcomputer.

2. Always be aware that a disk fault, or even a brief power failure, will lose all the work you have typed in, from the point when you last made a __.

3. Almost all microcomputers have two disk drives, so you can ___ a blank disk in one slot and the full disk in the other to copy it.

4. Some microcomputers use cassette tapes for storing __ and data.

5. Tapes can hold a lot of ___, but are much slower to use than disks.

6. The computer can go immediately to any of the __ data.

7. A tape, on the other hand, is a serial access device from which information can be retrieved only in the __ in which it was recorded.

 

recorded, information, disks, back-up, order, put, programs

 

 

TEXT 7

CAN A COMPUTER RESPOND

TO THE HUMAN VOICE?

 

A team of university academics has joined forces with the electronics giant Plessey to produce a speech-driven» typewriter. Scientists have spent years trying to crack the problem of creating a computer which responds to the human * voice. The Plessey team believes that it may be able to produce a machine which responds to the sound and shape of words-and print them out in typewritten form.

Research on the Plessey project has been going on for six months. It combines the electronic expertise of Plessey with the linguistic and computer skills of academics at Edinburgh university, Loughborough and Imperial College, London.

The obstacles to producing a speech-driven typewriter or word-processor are formidable. Computers cannot understand the subtleties of the spoken language, differences in tone, clarity and speed of diction. But the Plessey team hopes to develop amachine which can reproduce the sound and shape of words in written form, without necessarily understanding the content.

«We're not trying to create a voice-controlled typewriter, but one which responds to the human voice», says Dr Henry Thompson, an American expert in artificial intelligence a| Edinburgh university. The machine would operate like this, businessman speaks into a microphone at dictation speed, giving the computer time to analyse the speech signals and-process them into words. Processing is the difficult bit. The human voice is capable of around 130 different speech sounds, so the computer has to select the right one and then decide where to split the sounds into words and sentences.

In addition, there are hundreds of different ways of pronouncing words. So how does the computer cope with a heavy Scottish accent? Dr Thompson says that the computer will have to be «trained». This involves giving it a prepared text and then letting our imaginary Scot dictate the same text so the computer can acclimatize itself. Inevitably, there will be mistakes in final text produced by the computer. But as Thompson says: «How many times do you get a perfect text back from your secretary?»

The big advantage of the speech-driven typewriter will be its commercial potential. «Businessmen want access to computers without having to learn typing skills», says Thompson. «The project is a good example of academics wanting to solve a problem joining up with a company looking for a commercial product».

Thompson has been working on artificial intelligence for nearly 10 years since he studied at Berkeley, the University of California. Other academics include members of the linguistics department at Edinburgh University, a team at Loughborough who specialise in communications between machines and men, and Professor John Darlington, an expert in computer architecture at Imperial College. Plessey, meanwhile, will provide the microchips and the hardware.

(After Lionel Barker)

Notes:

· word processor -– текстовый процессор

· bit – бит; кусок, кусочек

· to cope with – справляться

· microchip – микрочип

· hardware – оборудование, аппаратура

· to crack the problem – решать проблему

 

Exercise I. Read the article through carefully and then decide how many of the following observations are correct.

The article is about...

1) a new kind of typewriter that is on the sale in the..... UK.

2) a collaboration between industry and university scientists.

3) a typewriter that will be able to record sounds.

4) a machine for transforming sounds into printed words.

5) something that will be very useful for businessmen.

6) a typewriter without a keyboard.

7) a new kind of dictating machine.

8) an invention by an American scientist who is working at Edinburgh University.

9) something Dr Thompson has been working on for ten days.

10) a typewriter that will respond to words spoken by the human voice.

Exercise 2. Are you sure that you pronounce these words correctly?

 

microchip

artificial

expertise

giant

subtlety

microphone

processing

Edinburgh

architecture

keyboard

peripherals

visual

cursor

microcomputer

appropriate

facsimile

scientist

procedure

machine

hardware

commercial

 

Exercise 3. Read the following extract. Choose the right word from the list below.

 

In E-mail messages are sent from _1_ computer to another. Many companies have computerized their accounting procedures because _ 2_ can do the work more quickly and more _ 3 _ than people.

The work the computer does – storing information, finding the right _ 4_ and doing calculations – is called DATA PROCESSING. The part of the computer that processes the data (information) is called the CPU (central _ 5_ unit).

This contains only electronic _ 6_, called microchips. A computer can only do what it is instructed to do. The _ 7 _ that are stored in a computer are called the computer program. The_ 8_ who write these instructions and put them in the computer are called computer programmers. You do not have to be a computer __ 9 to use a computer.

 

information, people, one, processing, accurately, programmer, computers, instructions, components

 

Exercise 4. Now read the text more carefully. In every column choose the word which is a synonym of the underlined word. (Only one answer is possible in each case).

Joint forces

unfortunately

unite

break

collaborate

open

Crack

perhaps

combine

melt

of course

merge

Inevitably

solve

eventually

add

cut

at first

 

myriad	bit	potential
lot of	chip	power
innumerable	fragment	activity
large	piece	possibilities
plenty	share	range
great quantity	part	earnings

 

Exercise 5. Discuss the extract and say what new facts you’ve found in it.

 

Qwerty is the name of the standard typewriter keyboard. Q, W, E, R, T and Y are the first six keys in the upper row of letters. Together they make up the traditional name for the keyboard

The first practical typewriter was put together in Milwaukee between 1867 and 1872. The letters were arranged alphabetically at first, but this proved useless. Because of the mechanics of the machine the letters jammed together when you typed fast. The inventors asked a school teacher which letters were used most in English, and then designed a keyboard where the most-used letters were as far apart as possible — qwerty. Since then typewriters changed completely, but, despite all the changes, the keyboard has-remained the same. Even though they operate in quite a different way, computer keyboards have followed the typewriter, so that we have qwerty computers, too.

 

 

TEXT 8

Cloud and Security

 

Today, innovations in information technology are creating a new paradigm for human communication and collaboration on a global scale. The Internet is evolving into the cloud: the means through which everything will be delivered as a service — from computing power to business processes and personal interaction. The cloud is fundamentally changing the way we connect with each other and with information.

 

At Hewlett-Packard Labs the research is focused on delivering the secure application and computing end-state of “Everything-as-a-Service.” This research envisions billions of users securely accessing millions of services through thousands of service providers, over millions of servers that process exabytes of data, delivered securely through terabytes of network traffic. They’re creating the foundational technologies to expand the use and relevance of cloud computing in the enterprise. They’re working on an enterprise cloud platform, from computing resources to human skills. And they’re working on the security analytics that will automate enterprise-grade security and address one of the biggest obstacles in the broad adoption of the cloud in the enterprise.

 

Cloud and Security Big Bets:

Curious: Enterprise Cloud Software Platform

 

The curious vision is to lead HP in becoming the foremost Service Providers’ Service Provider, delivering a set of cloud capabilities that enable service providers to take full advantage of the power of the cloud. HP’s work enables service providers of all types to tap into foundational cloud capabilities – general purpose horizontal capabilities, as well as those tailored for specific industry verticals – that make it easy for them to develop, host and manage their services to deliver value from the cloud, and to integrate with an ecosystem of services from other providers.

Automating Security

 

HP’s security research agenda focuses on developing analytical and architectural computing models to support assured governance of information security management. In the context of a worsening threat environment, increased consumerization of IT, and the highly sought-after cloud computing paradigm, they are creating technology and methodologies that will improve situational awareness and help assure customers that security of their information assets is appropriately managed. Their approach is to introduce innovative analytics in the lifecycle of security management, to help analyze and drive appropriate desired security outcomes at the governance level; and to design the next generation of trusted system architectures that will help ensure that IT operations can achieve those outcomes reliably and with strong assurances.

 

Notes:

· end-state – конечное состояние

· bet – пари, ставка

· exabytes – эксабайт, квадриллион килобайт

· terabytes – терабайт, 1000 Гбайт

· cloud – глобальная сеть

· governance – управление

· envision – представлять себе; предвидеть

· relevance – значимость; существенность; важность

· to have relevance to smth. – иметь отношение к чему-л.

· assets – средства; фонды; имущество

1. Match the words with their definitions:

1. to evolve a) something difficult to see through or into

2. cloud computing b) to gradually change or develop over a period of

time

3. obstacle c) all the things that need to be done or that need to

be thought about or solved

4. enterprise d) the final result of a process, meeting, activity etc.

5. agenda e) made for a particular purpose, situation, or need

6. to automate f) to change a factory or process so that machines do

the work instead of people

7. outcome g) a large or important project, especially one that is

new or different

8. sought-after h) wanted by many people but not easy to get

9. to host i) difficulty or problem that prevents you from

achieving something

10. tailored j) most important or most well known

11. foremost k) to arrange and provide

2. Answer the questions:

1. What is the research at HP Labs focused on?

2. What is the Internet evolving into?

3. Define the term “cloud”.

4. What are Hewlett-Packard Labs working on (that will automate enterprise-grade security and address one of the biggest obstacles in the broad adoption of the cloud in the enterprise)?

5. What enables service providers to take full advantage of the power of the cloud?

6. What enables service providers of all types to get some benefit from foundational cloud capabilities?

7. Why does HP’s security research agenda focus on developing analytical and architectural computing models?

8. What will help ensure that IT operations can achieve the outcomes reliably and with strong assurances?

3. Find the words in the text which have similar meanings:

1. The degree to which something is important or useful

2. A typical example or model of something

3. To put information into a computer in order to organize it

4. Match the words to make word expressions:

 

1. information a) communication and collaboration

2. human b) traffic

3. global c) agenda

4. computing d) interaction

5. personal e) power

6. network f) technology

7. research g) scale

5. Translate the chains of nouns:

 

• enterprise cloud platform
• information assets
• governance level
• cloud capabilities

 

TEXT 9

Compiling or interpreting

 

A computer program in the form of a human readable, computer programming language is called source code. Source code may be converted into an executable image by a compiler or executed immediately with the aid of an interpreter.

Either compiled or interpreted programs might be executed in a batch process without human interaction, but interpreted programs allow a user to type commands in an interactive session. In this case the programs are the separate commands, whose execution occurs sequentially and thus together. When a language is used to give commands to a software application (such as a shell) it is called a scripting language.

Compilers are used to translate source code from a programming language into either object code or machine code. Object code needs further processing to become machine code and machine code is the central processing unit's native code, ready for execution. Compiled computer programs are commonly referred to as executables, binary images, or simply as binaries — a reference to the binary file format used to store the executable code.

Interpreted computer programs in a batch or interactive session are either decoded and then immediately executed or are decoded into some efficient intermediate representation for future execution. BASIC, Perl, and Python are examples of immediately executed computer programs. Alternatively, Java computer programs are compiled ahead of time and stored as a machine independent code called byte-code. Byte-code is then executed on request by an interpreter called a virtual machine.

The main disadvantage of interpreters is that computer programs run slower than when compiled. Interpreting code is slower than running the compiled version because the interpreter must decode each statement each time it is loaded and then perform the desired action. However, software development may be faster using an interpreter because testing is immediate when the compiling step is omitted. Another disadvantage of interpreters is that at least one must be present on the computer during computer program execution. By contrast, compiled computer programs need no compiler present during execution.

No properties of a programming language require it to be exclusively compiled or exclusively interpreted. The categorization usually reflects the most popular method of language execution. For example, BASIC is thought of as an interpreted language and C a compiled language, despite the existence of BASIC compilers and C interpreters. Some systems use just in time compilation (JIT) whereby sections of the source are compiled 'on the fly' and stored for subsequent executions.

 

 

1. Answer the questions:

1. How is computer programming language called?

2. May source code be converted into an executable image by a compiler or executed immediately with the aid of an interpreter?

3. What is the main disadvantage of interpreters?

4. Object code needs further processing to become machine code, doesn’t it?

5. Can compiled or interpreted programs be executed in a batch process without human interaction?

 

2. True or false:

1. A computer program in the form of a human readable, computer programming language is called driver.

2. Compilers aren’t used to translate source code from a programming language into either object code or machine code

3. The main disadvantage of interpreters is that computer programs run slower than when compiled.

4. Software development may be slower using an interpreter.

5. Byte-code is then executed on request by an interpreter called a virtual machine.

3. Choose the right preposition:

1) A computer program in the form … a human-readable.

1. off 2. of 3. for

2) Interpreted programs allow a user to type commands … an interactive session.

1. from 2. in 3. at

3)...contrast, compiled computer programs need no compiler present during execution.

1. on 2. at 3. by

4) The categorization usually reflects the most popular method … language execution.

1. in 2. of 3. for

5) Byte-code is then executed on request... an interpreter called a virtual

machine.

1. by 2. in 3. at

4. Choose the following words:

1. A computer … in the form of a human readable, computer programming language is called source code.

1) code 2) program 3) driver

2. Either compiled or interpreted programs might be … in a batch process without human interaction, but interpreted programs allow a user to type commands in an interactive session.

1) used 2) performed 3) executed

3. Byte-code is then executed on request by an interpreter called a … machine.

1) virtual 2) real 3) virtualization

4. Another... of interpreters is that at least one must be present on the computer during computer program execution.

1) lack 2) disadvantage 3) advantage

5. Some systems use just in time compilation (JIT) whereby sections of the source are compiled 'on the fly' and... for subsequent executions.

1) stored 2) save 3) keep

 

TEXT 10

Term information technology

 

In the 1960s and 1970s, the term information technology (IT) was a little known phrase that was used by those who like banks and hospitals to describe the processes they used to store information. With the paradigm shift to computing technology and "paperless" workplaces, information technology has come to be a household phrase. It defines an industry that uses computers, networking, software programming, and other equipment and processes to store, process, transmit, and protect information.

In the early days of computer development, there was no such thing as a college degree in IT. Software development and computer programming were best left to the computer scientists and mathematical engineers, due to their complicated nature. As time passed and technology advanced, such as with the advent of the personal computer in the 1980s and its everyday use in the home and the workplace, the world moved into the information age.

By the early 21st century, nearly every child in the Western world, and many in other parts of the world, knew how to use a personal computer. Businesses' information technology departments have gone from using storage tapes created by a single computer operator to interconnected networks of employee workstations that store information in a server farm, often somewhere away from the main business site. Communication has advanced, from physical postal mail, to telephone fax transmissions, to nearly digital communication through electronic mail (email). Great technological advances have been made since the days when computers were huge pieces of equipment that were stored in big, air conditioned rooms, getting their information from punch cards. The information technology industry has turned out to be a huge employer of people worldwide, as the focus shifts in some nations from manufacturing to service industries. It is a field where the barrier to entry is generally much lower than that of manufacturing, for example. In the current business environment, being proficient in computers is often a necessity for those who want to compete in the workplace.

Jobs in information technology are widely varied, although many do require some level of higher education. Positions as diverse as software designer, network engineer, and database administrator are all usually considered IT jobs. Nearly any position that involves the intersection of computers and information may be considered part of this field.

1. Answer the questions:

1. When was a term information technology in the first there?

2. Who used term information technology firstly?

3. For whom were best left software development and computer programming?

4. Did every child know how to use a personal computer?

5. In the 1980s the world moved into the information age, didn’t it?

6. Are jobs in information technology widely varied?

7. What kinds of jobs are usually considered as IT jobs?

 

2. Choose true or false:

 

1. In the 1970s and 1980s, the term information technology (IT) was a little known phrase that was used by those who like banks and hospitals.

2. Information technology was used by those who worked in places like banks and hospitals.

3. In the early days of computer development, there was such thing as a college degree in IT

4. In the 1980s world moved into the information age.

5. In the early 21st century no one child in the world, knew how to use a personal computer.

6. Great technological advances have been made in present days.

 

3. Put the following sentences logically in the right order according to the text:

1. In the 1960s and 1970s, the term information technology (IT) was a little known phrase

2. The information technology industry has turned out to be a huge employer of people worldwide.

3. Software development and computer programming were best left to the computer scientists and mathematical engineers.

4. Jobs in information technology are widely varied.

5. By the early 21st century, nearly every child in the Western world, and many in other parts of the world, knew how to use a personal computer.

4. Match the sentence halves:

1. Communication has advanced, from physical postal mail

2. In the 1960s and 1970s, the term information technology (IT)

3. Businesses' information technology departments have gone

4. Nearly any position that involves the intersection of computers and information

 

a. from using storage tapes created by a single computer operator to interconnected networks of employee workstations.

b. may be considered part of this field.

c. was a little known phrase.

d. to telephone fax transmissions, nearly digital communication electronic mail (email).

 

 

TEXT 11

Taking computer for granted

(1) How easy is to get cynical about computers. Almost every day comes news of an office network that fails and paralyzes the company, of software that is years late, millions over budget and still doesn't work, of a spell-checker program that «corrects» a right word into a wrong one.

(2) At times we feel at the machines' mercy, propelled in directions we would rather not go. The technology keeps growing more complex, more demanding, more intimidating. But every now and then it's worthwhile to think positive, to take stock of the computers that work, that we use daily without thinking, that have made a difference. And that would have most of us screaming if taken away. Herewith is an unscientifically compiled list of areas that the machines have forever changed.

 

(3) Have you ever been to a country where banking still runs on paper? You wait in line, deal with a teller, than take a number and sit down. If you're lucky, the clerk takes only 30 minutes to go to a back room and rummage through giant ledgers to see if you have money. Remember how ominous the term «banking hours» used to be? We had to build a trip to the bank into our weekly schedules. The price of missing that trip was cashless weekends or embarrassment of mooching from friends. Now we expect 24-hours access to our money at machines.

 

(4) When I was a boy you had to spend hundreds of dollars to get truly accurate time on your wrist. It was common for watches (even those allegedly packed with tiny jewels) to lose or gain 10 minutes a day and break after a few months. You can still spend as much as you want on a watch, but $10 or $15 will buy you one that is off only by seconds a month and lasts for years. There's more: it will wake you with an alarm. Squeeze a button and it will turn into a stopwatch and tell you precisely how many seconds it takes from door to bus stop. As a boy I always wanted a stopwatch, but never had the money for one.

 

(5) We used to think nothing of waiting hours for an overseas call to go through. We would tell an operator the number and hope for the best. Now we dial the digits and, in a few seconds, a telephone is ringing a continent away. Computers make that happen.

 

(6) People under 30 won't believe it, but there was a time when we balanced our check-books by hand. Or didn't balance them at all. Of course, there are plenty of people who still pursue that route. But the point is that if you want mathematical accuracy, you can get something that does the numbers as accurately as any child prodigy.

 

(7) The huge human genome project, which proposes to unlock the basic genetic code from which we are constructed and possibly tame AIDS, cancer and a host of other incurables, depends very heavily on computer-generated analyses of genetic structure.

 

(8) With computers' help, controllers can place many more planes close in the sky than they could using ghostly blips on a radar screen. When the computers fail, the controllers shift back to the blips and have to space planes farther apart. That means you sit fuming on a runway waiting for takeoff clearance.

(9) Large electronic data-bases allow companies to instantly check ticket availability. That's why you can buy a ticket to a Rolling Stones concert in Washington from anywhere in the country. Or how the airline reservation agent knows whether there's space on the flight from Denver to Los Angeles.

 

(10) You do not need to stand in line inside the service station to pay. You slip your card into a pump. A networked computer inside it validates the card in a few seconds. You ump your gas and hit the road. And cars go further these days because of «electronic engine management», a collection of chips in your car that control such crucial as spark plug timing and air flow.

(11) Of course, each of these successes carries a potential cost. If kids can punch buttons to get a sum, they may not learn basic arithmetic. We may lose something in a world in which a watch is a throwaway commodity, not a possession to be saved for, lovingly chosen, than cared for through the years.

(12) But it seems that most of these things, and plenty of others, have been for the better. We can never go back and, in most cases, wouldn't want to. Imagine the protests if somebody proposed removing computers from medical research labs, or that banks go back to paper ledgers. One thing that stands out about the positives - they tend to be technologies that began 15, 20 or even 30 years ago. There's been plenty of time to rethink and refine, and turn them into things that really work.

Exercises

I. Define the main idea of the text:

1. Computer literacy.

2. The areas that computers have changed.

3. Computers and their numerous applications are the most significant technical achievements we can’t live without.

4. Advantages of using computers in everyday life.

5. Steps in the developing of computers.