Module II. Computer essentials

 

UNIT 1. COMPUTER AS IT IS

 

Lesson 1. Computers

 

I. Read and memorize the following words and combinations:

physical quantities – физические величины

device – прибор, устройство, механизм

to measure – измерять

numerical value – численное значение

incredible – невероятный, немыслимый

ability – способность

to add – прибавлять, складывать

to subtract – вычитать

to multiply – умножать

to divide – делить

human brain – человеческий мозг

solution – решение

circuit – электронная схема, микросхема

to clock – заводить, запускать

 

II. Read and translate the text.

There are two types of computers, the analogue and the digital. Basically, today’s analogue computer is a device for measuring such physical quantities as lengths and voltages and, through a mechanical linkage, exhibiting the measurement as a numerical value. However, the analogue computer is limited to special classes of problems and when most people say “computer” today, they mean the digital computer which is a marvel of precision and accuracy, for it works with specific units rather than approximations.

The modern electronic digital computer counts with incredible speed using only two numbers — the one and zero what mathematicians call the binary system. The counting ability of the computer is used to feed it information. But first the information is translated into a code.

The information is then stored in a memory bank made of magnets. The direction in which electrical signals run through the magnets means one or zero, yes or no, off or on. Each magnet contains one piece of information called a bit. A large computer system can store hundreds of millions of such information bits.

But information by itself is useless. The computer must be told what to do with it — to add, subtract, multiply, or divide the coded pulses stored in its memory. Parts of that memory contain instructions, prepared by a human brain, that provide the computer with the road to follow in order to solve a problem. These instructions are called the program.

What makes the computer different from an adding machine is that the computer can modify its instructions.

If a problem cannot be solved by following one route, the computer can search its memory for another set of instructions until a solution is found. And it does all this at superhuman speeds. The on-off switching of the computer’s logic circuits has been clocked at a billionth of a second. That is to one second what one second is to thirty years.

But the computer cannot actually think. It performs all of its functions by route. Once an answer is achieved, another program within the memory tells the computer how to display the solution, to type it out on paper, display it as pictures or words on a television screen, or perhaps even to speak the answer in words a man can hear.

Notes

A marvel of precision and accuracy – чудо четкости и точности. It performs all of its functions by route. – Он выполняет все свои функции по программе.

 

III. Give the Russian equivalents.

Analog computer is a device for measuring physical quantities, to count with incredible speed, the counting ability, a piece of information called a bit, information by itself is useless, superhuman speeds, the computer cannot actually think.

 

IV. Give the English equivalents.

Физические величины, численное значение, чудо четкости и точности, двоичная система, сотни миллионов бит информации; складывать, вычитать, умножать или делить; инструкции, подготовленные человеческим мозгом; включение и выключение компьютерных схем.

 

V. Fill in the blanks.

1. In fact the analogue computer /ограничен/ to special classes of problems. 2. The counting ability of the computer /используется/ to feed it information. 3. First the information /переводится/ into a code. 4. The information /хранится/ in a memory bank made of magnets. 5. The computer /нужно сказать/ what to do with information. 6. These instructions /называются/ the program. 7. If a problem /не может быть решена/ by following one route, the computer can search its memory for another set of instructions. 8. Once an answer /получен/, another program tells the computer how to display the solution.

 

VI. Answer the following questions.

1. What are the two types of computers? 2. What is today’s analog computer? 3. What device do most people mean when they say “computer”? 4. How many numbers does the so-called binary system use? 5. Where is information stored inside a computer? 6. What do we call a magnet containing one piece of information? 7. How many information bits can a large computer system store? 8. What does the computer use its counting ability for? 9. Is information useful by itself? 10. Who prepares instructions for the computer? 11. What is program? What makes the computer different from the adding machine? 12. Explain the word combination “superhuman speed”. 13. What is the difference between the computer and the human brain?

 

VII. Give a brief summary of the text.

 

VIII. Read the text and translate it without a dictionary. Write a short summary of it.

What a computer is

The term “computer” is used to describe a device made up of a combination of electronic and electromechanical (i.e. electronic and mechanical) components. Computer has no intelligence by itself and is referred to as hardware.

A computer system is a combination of five elements:

Hardware

Software

People

Procedures

Data/information

When one computer system is set up to communicate with another computer system, connectivity becomes the sixth system element. In other words, the manner in which the various individual systems are connected — for example, by phone lines, microwave transmission, or satellite — is an element of the total computer system.

Software is the term used to describe the instructions that tell the hardware how to perform a task. Without software instructions, the hardware doesn’t know what to do. People, however, are the most important component of the computer system: they create the computer software instructions and respond to the procedures that those instructions present.

The basic job of the computer is the processing of information. Computers accept information in the form of instructions called a program and characters called data to perform mathematical and logical operations, and then give the results. The data is raw material while information is organized, processed, refined and useful for decision making. Computer is used to convert data into information and to store information in the digital form.

 

Notes

Connectivity – связь, согласованность; raw material(s) – сырье