Digital Technologies in modern life

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN MODERN LIFE

 

Part I

 

Exercise 1

Read and learn the following words and expressions:

DT-Digital Technology [ies] - цифрові технології

AT-Analog Technology [ies]- аналогові технології

abbreviation – скорочування

data - дані, інформація

storage – запам’ятовуючий пристрій, пам'ять

storage battery – акумуляторна батарея

memory - пам'ять

size – розмір

tape recorder – магнітофон

floppy – гнучкий магнітний диск,дискета

tape – магнітофонна стрічка

advantage – перевага

disadvantage – недолік

device – пристрій, пристосування, механізм

conductor – дріт, жила

to count – рахувати

binary – подвійний, здвоєний, бінарний

prefix – префікс

decimal – десятковий

multiple –складений, що має багато відділів

buffer – резервний

cache – кеш, оперативна пам’ять

to store – берегти, зберігати

array – масив, множина

virus - вірус комп’ютерний

modulation – модуляція

carrier - носій

to convert – перетворити, передавати

ability - здатність

 

 

Exercise 2

Listen to the text and try to understand it.

Exercise 3

Give the name to the text.

Exercise 4

Read and translate the text using the words before.

1. Digital Technologies

1.1 What are DT used for and where

 

Digital Technologies [ or DT as abbreviation] – the kind of technologies based on digital signals and digital data storage principles and rules.

People use DT because it’s more simple to use and store data in digital format. For example, usual phrase “Hello, friend!” can be recorded by computer [DT] and by tape recorder. So, this phrase will take about 20 KB of memory [it’s very small size – usual Floppy Disks can keep 1,44 MB of data], it’s very easy to use that small file. But in tape recorder, it will take some place on the tape and it’s very uncomfortable to look for that area of tape. In computer, you’ll find that file in seconds!

So, one of the most known advantages of DT is that they are easy to use and store. These advantages are the reasons of using DT in a lot of devices.

The devices based on DT are everywhere – from your washing machine with small processor to make washing process simpler to complicated supercomputers in NASA researching laboratories. Any device with some ‘intelligence is based on DT.

 

Main principles of Digital Technologies

Digital signals

The data in devices is transformed into signals. The DT are based on digital signal [look at the scheme1].The form of this signal is very simple – that’s another reason of using DT.

The signal of digital device can be in 2 conditions – it can be 1 or 0. 1 and 0 conditions of signal, but it cannot be 1A or 0A or other conditions. It means that signals in the conductor can be or not be. They can be in another system of differences between signal conditions. This system is divided into different devices.

 

Data, its units and storage

 

The data in DT is very easy to write, copy and read. I will tell you about the system of counting data.

The data of DT is based on binary counting system. The simplest data unit is bit [from BInary digit]. To make understanding easier, we can say that bit is a digital signal, which can be 1 or 0. So, bit can be 1 or 0 too. Other most known data unit is byte. The byte is a complex unit – it consists of 8 bits.

Then, as in Physics, there are some all known prefixes – ‘kilo-’, ‘mega-’, ‘giga-’. In Physics these prefixes mean accordingly ‘thousands of…’, ‘millions of…’, ‘billions of…’. But!!! In DT these prefixes mean other values, because the counting system isn’t decimal, the values of KByte, MByte and GByte are not so simple. They are 1024, 1048576 and 1073741824 bytes respectively.

The storage of data is different in different devices.

The data in computers can be stored in several ways. It means there are many data storage devices. These data storage devices can be divided into some groups:

1. Multiple usable devices [those devices where you can read and write the information as frequent as you want]: hard and floppy disks, CD-RW disks, LS-120 disks, magnetic tapes, and ZIP disks.

2. Multiple readable devices [those devices where you can write the information only once, but any time read it you can]: CD-ROM disks, MiniDisks, Flash ROM memory devices.

3. Other devices: CMOS, RAM, Cache and Buffer devices.

The data in computer is stored in a kind of blocks – clusters. The cluster is an array of bits. Modern computers have 4 Kbytes in cluster as default value. The computer stores the list of clusters in a special File Allocation Table [aka FAT]. The FAT says to a computer where it can “find” the needed data. Some modern computer viruses destroy this FAT, and the computer became disorganized, and it doesn’t work because it doesn’t “know” where the files can be found.

Connection with AT

 

There is no mistake in the name of this device. The first reason to write it like this is that the name of it was made of two words – modulation and demodulation. The second reason is that people, who know computer and programming very well, often write computer [and not only] words like this if they’re made of more than one word [for example, ‘OutTextXY’].

 

Digital signal to analog

 

First principle of the work of modem has the name ‘modulation’. It sounds like this because all analog signals have their modulation – the sum of waves with low and high frequencies. The word ‘modulation’ also means ‘converting digital signal to analog’.

So, the first principle how to use is modulation. In the simplest point of view, modem takes the carrier tone [a kind of main sound – modem uses carrier tone to generate low or high frequency sounds] and modulates it – makes sounds from the bits. Look at the schemes 1 and 2 to see how the digital signal can be transformed to analog.

 

Analog signal to digital

 

Second principle of modem’s work has name ‘demodulation’. As you decide, this is an opposite of the first. The word ‘demodulation’ means ‘converting analog signal to digital’.

In the simplest point of view, modem takes the sound, compares it with the carrier tone to separate high and low sounds and demodulates it – makes sounds from the bits using carrier tone as an etalon.

Look at the schemes 2 and 1 to see an example of transforming the analog signal to digital.

 

Using of modulation and demodulation

As you have head, the processes of modulation and demodulation are used in modems. Modems are the main representatives of the devices that use modulation and demodulation. Only one modem can do many things.

It can be used in Dial-Up Networking to have the possibility of exploring the WorldWideWeb – Internet.

Another use of modems is to connect two computers with the ability to e-talk in real-time mode and to send and get files. It is very good because in our country nobody wants to spend his own money using the Internet and if somebody has a file, he can send it to anybody without spending money.

And the last example is IP-Telephony. It’s a phoning using the Internet. It is used if you need to call to another city or country without paying much money. You just pay for the Internet access and talk via some special servers.

 

Exercise 5

Answer the following questions:

1. What are Digital Technologies?

2. Why do we use DT?

3. What do you know about Digital signal?

4. What is the data in DT based on?

5. Is bit a digital signal or a digital information?

6. How many bits are there in a unit?

7. How can data be stored in computers?

8. What are clusters?

9. What are the principles of modem’s work?

10. Another use of modems is connected between two computers with the ability to e-talk, isn’t it?

 

Exercise 6

Make up a plan of the text.

Exercise 7

Complete the sentences using the text:

1. People use DT because …

2. The data of DT is based …

3. But in tape recorders it will take some place on the tape and …

4. These data storage devices can be divided …

5. The second reason is that people, who know the computer and programming …

6. The computer stores the list of clusters in …

7. Modems are the main representatives of …

8. It is a phoning using …

9. The word “demodulation” means …

10. Some modem computer viruses destroy this FAT and …

Exercise 8

State True or False sentences:

1. So, one of the most known advantages of DT is that they are difficult to use and store.

2. To make understanding easier, we can say that bit is a verbal signal, which can be A or W.

3. The computer stores the list of clusters in a special File Allocation Table [aka FAT].

4. The second reason is that people, who know computer words do not like this if they’re made of more than one word.

5. In the simplest point of view, modem takes the sound, compares it with the carrier tone to separate high and low sounds and demodulates it – makes sounds from the bits using carrier tone as atalon.

6. You just pay for the Internet access and talk via some special servers.

7. But in tape recorder, it will take some place on the tape and it’s very comfortable to look for that area of tape.

8. Any device with some “intelligence” is not based on DT.

9. Other most known data unit is byte.

10. The data in computers can be stored in several ways.

 

 

Exercise 9

Exercise 10

Part II

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

Read and translate the text:

Television helps us

 

The television helps us to see some culture manifestations. It’s used with some gains of using computers – to see paintings, sculptures etc. There are many special TV programmes for that people who won’t visit some faraway galleries because of money problem. So, television helps us to join the cultural life too.

 

Internet and other networks

The Internet and all other networks are used with the same gains as computer. We can say that networks help us to find out something [in our case – some cultural manifestations] and to get it.

People use Internet and LAN [Local Area Network] for this. They look for specialized places [sites or servers] connected with the information they need and try to load it on their computers.

So, networks help the information to circulate around the world [Internet is worldwide Network].

Exercise 3

Fill in the gaps.

1. The Internet and all other … are used with the same gains as computer. 2. Networks help the information … around the world. 3. All information that people store in vast storages can be stored in…powerful computers. 4. Our life depends on and belongs to computers, microprocessors and other …. 5. People correlate culture and … to get more simple access to some cultural manifestations. 6. You can work with all... on computer. 7. With special … you can work with paintings, films, books, sculpture and even science, if you want. 8. People also use computers to make hard … to make pictures, to edit photos etc. 9. Some people use computers with the … to work with different things. 10. Practically computers can … with everything.

to circulate   networks   digital devices     culture manifestations     software     some disks   mathematical calculations   correlate     digital technology     Internet access

 

Exercise 4

Translate the following word-combinations into Ukrainian:

Input device; general-purpose; computer network; computing element; operating time; computer technology; central processing unit; computer laboratory; computing process; electrical circuit; printed board; assembly line; counting machine.

 

Exercise 5

Translate the following sentences into Ukrainian paying attention to the function of the infinitives:

1. For the computer to perform a given task, the programmer may choose a routine that will excel others for one or other reasons.

2. To operate this computer one must have special knowledge.

3. The user who knows how to programme and code a computer is aware of its limitations and also its advantages over other machines.

4. The job of the control unit was outlined previously; it selects the source and destination of the datum to be processed; it determines and controls whether a full or partial datum is to be processed.

5. This method was introduced to achieve better results.

6. He was happy to have been working for many years with this famous scientist.

 

Exercise 6

Arrange the following words in pairs according to:

 

a) Similar meaning: to start, to perform, to call for, to propose, to raise, to carry out, to suggest, to begin, to increase, to supervise, to require, to control; complex, quick, radically, total, fast, considerably, whole, complicated;

b) Opposite meaning: to increase, dynamic, dependently, different, static, to decrease, simple, similar, possible, low-cost, complex, total, impossible, above, high-cost, independently, below, partial.

 

Exercise 7

Translate the following word-combinations into Ukrainian:

the problem to solve the language used

the problem to be solved the information furnished in

the time to perform the operations performed

the ability to store the storage referred to

the datum to be processed the time required

 

Exercise 8

Translate into English using appropriate forms of the infinitive:

1. Цінна інформація, яку повинні зібрати супутники, допоможе поліпшити раніше отримані результати.

2. Час, необхідний для того, щоб здійснити певну операцію, залежить не тільки від швидкості обчислювального пристрою, а й від швидкості введення (інформації).

3. Для того щоб розв’язати цю проблему, вони застосували комп’ютери.

4. Завдяки здатності зберігати значну кількість інформації великий комп’ютер використовується для того, щоб робити переклад з однієї мови на іншу.

5. Здатність комп’ютера управляти собою, приймати рішення робить його особливо ефективним.

6. Речовина, яка мала використовуватися, була ретельно досліджена.

 

Exercise 9

Translate into English using words and word-combinations from the text:

1. Сучасні комп’ютери можуть вирішувати (розв’язувати) дуже складні завдання блискавично.

2. Перші електронні машини з’явилися на основі електронної лампи.

3. Комп’ютери можуть виконувати роботу тисяч людей.

4. В найближчому майбутньому середня школа та вищи навчальні заклади будуть забезпечені сучасними комп’ютерами.

5. Поява інтегральних схем і мікропроцесорів дала можливість створити комп’ютери, здатні виконувати сотні мільйонів операцій за секунду.

6. Електронний комп’ютер може використовуватися для перекладу з однієї мови на іншу.

7. Наша промисловість випускає декілька типів цифрових комп’ютерів.

8. Комп’ютер аналоговий, чи цифровий, - це прилад для математичного розв’язання задач.

 

Exercise 10

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN MODERN LIFE

 

Part I

 

Exercise 1

Read and learn the following words and expressions:

DT-Digital Technology [ies] - цифрові технології

AT-Analog Technology [ies]- аналогові технології

abbreviation – скорочування

data - дані, інформація

storage – запам’ятовуючий пристрій, пам'ять

storage battery – акумуляторна батарея

memory - пам'ять

size – розмір

tape recorder – магнітофон

floppy – гнучкий магнітний диск,дискета

tape – магнітофонна стрічка

advantage – перевага

disadvantage – недолік

device – пристрій, пристосування, механізм

conductor – дріт, жила

to count – рахувати

binary – подвійний, здвоєний, бінарний

prefix – префікс

decimal – десятковий

multiple –складений, що має багато відділів

buffer – резервний

cache – кеш, оперативна пам’ять

to store – берегти, зберігати

array – масив, множина

virus - вірус комп’ютерний

modulation – модуляція

carrier - носій

to convert – перетворити, передавати

ability - здатність

 

 

Exercise 2