II. Define the main idea of each paragraph.

III. Give a title to each passage.

IV. Find the sentence expressing the main idea in each paragraph.

V. Match the headings to the correct paragraph:

1. Telephone service.

2. Air traffic control.

3. Potential cost of computers’ success.

4. Calculating.

5. Some problems in an office network.

6. Gasoline.

7. Time keeping.

8. Ticketing.

9. More complex technology of nowadays.

10. Medical research.

11. Computers success has been for the better.

12. Banking.

 

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

1. There are a lot of advantages of using computers in different fields of our life (e.g. banking, telephone service, medical research, etc.)

2. This success has some disadvantages.

3. No one has a wish to go back.

4. One can often hear cynical words about computers.

5. The technology is becoming more complicated.

 

VII. Check up your understanding:

1. What happens with the company if a network fails?

2. What is the list of areas that the computers have changed? Is it completed or you can add something?

3. What can you tell about a modern watch, telephone service and calculating?

4. Is it effective to use computers in medical research?

5. What is the advantage of using computers in air traffic control and ticketing?

6. Is computer useful at the gas service station?

7. Do you agree with such statement: «If kids can punch buttons to get a sum, they may not learn basic arithmetic»?

8. Do you take computers for granted?

9. What's your opinion about the prospects of the computer technology?

10. Can you imagine what would happen if the computers were removed from our practical activity?

 

VIII. What's missing? You can help yourself referring to the text.

1. This spell-checker program «corrects» a right word …………a wrong one.

2. At times we feel …… the machines' mercy.

3. I've never been ……. a country where banking still runs ….. paper.

4. The price of that was cashless weekends and the embarrassment ….. mooching friends.

5. You can spend as much as you want ….. watch.

6. This watch will wake you an ….. alarm.

7. Squeeze a button and it will turn.... ….. a stopwatch.

8. We still hope ….. the best.

9. You dial the digits and, …… a few seconds, a telephone is ringing a continent ……

10. There was a time when we balanced our checkbooks ……hand.

11. The huge human genome project depends very heavily ….. computer generated analyses ….. genetic structure.

12. When the computers fail, the controllers shift ….. ….. the blips and have to space planes farther …..

13. You can buy a ticket ….. Rolling Stones concert in Washington ….. anywhere ….. the country.

14. There's space the flight … San Francisco ….. Hawaii.

15. You slip your card ….. the pump.

16. It validates the card ….. a few seconds.

17. It's not a possession to be saved …..

18. Most…. these things have been …… the better.

19. We can never go back and wouldn't want …..

20. These ideas will turn …… things that work.

IX. Put the letters in order to make words, then use the words to complete the sentences.

 

wyunra, llbaaaviiity, ppmu, einl, kcba, ssccea, inccayi, mrlaa, eellrt, smnooui

 

1. Large electronic data bases allow companies to check ticket …..

2. That means you sit fuming on a ….. waiting for takeoff clearance.

3. You slip your card into a ….. and a computer inside it validates the card in a few seconds.

4. You don't need to stay in …...

5. We can never go …...

6. Today it's impossible to get ….. about computers.

7. You have to wait in line, deal with a ….. and sit down.

8. The term «banking hours» used to be …...

9. Now we expect 24-hours ….. to our money at machines.

10. Your watch will wake you with an …...

X. Give the opposites of the following words.

1. fail

2. late

3. right

4. complex

5. positive

6. different

7. unscientifically

8. sit down

9. lucky

10. remember

11. spend

12. lose

13. buy

14. take

15. believe

16. unlock

17. allow

18. stand

XI. Give the synonyms of the following words:

1. right

2. wrong

3. lucky

4. to change

5. line

6. trip

7. price

8. 8.to spend;

9. common

10. to tell

11. to happen

12. to buy

13. 13 project

14. to go back