plug-n-play — подключай и работай
upgrade — апгрейд (увеличение возможностей компьютера)
support — поддержка
necessity — необходимость
to move forward — двигаться вперед
shortcut capability — возможность нахождения кратчайшего пути
frequently — часто
INTRODUCTION TO THE WWW AND THE INTERNET
Millions of people around the world use the Internet to search for and retrieve information on all sorts of topics in a wide variety of areas including the arts, business, government, humanities, news, politics and recreation. People communicate through electronic mail (e-mail), discussion groups, chat channels and other means of informational exchange. They share information and make commercial and business transactions. All this activity is possible because tens of thousands of networks are connected to the Internet and exchange information in the same basic ways.
The World Wide Web (WWW) is a part of the Internet. But it's not a collection of networks. Rather, it is information that is connected or linked together like a web. You access this information through one interface or tool called a Web browser. The number of resources and services that are part of the World Wide Web is growing extremely fast. In 1996 there were more than 20 million users of the WWW, and more than half the information that is transferred across the Internet is accessed through the WWW. By using a computer terminal (hardware) connected to a network that is a part of the Internet, and by using a program (software) to browse or retrieve information that is a part of the World Wide Web, the people connected to the Internet and World Wide Web through the local providers have access to a variety of information. Each browser provides a graphical interface. You move from place to place, from site to site on the Web by using a mouse to click on a portion of text, icon or region of a map. These items are called hyperlinks or links. Each link you select represents a document, an image, a video clip or an audio file somewhere on the Internet. The user doesn't need to know where it is, the browser follows the link.
All sorts of things are available on the WWW. One can use Internet for recreational purposes. Many TV and radio stations broadcast live on the WWW. Essentially, if something can be put into digital format and stored in a computer, then it's available on the WWW. You can even visit museums, gardens, cities throughout the world, learn foreign languages and meet new friends. And of course you can play computer games through WWW, competing with partners from other countries and continents.
Just a little bit of exploring the World Wide Web will show you what a much of use and fun it is.
Working vocabulary (В ваш словарь):
retrieve — извлекать
variety — спектр
recreation — развлечение
network — сеть
share — делить
humanities — гуманитарные науки
business transaction — коммерческие операции
web — паутина
browser — броузер (прграмма поиска информации)
to provide — обеспечивать чем-либо
provider — провайдер (компания, предоставляющая доступ к WWW через местные телефонные сети)
broadcast live — передавать в прямом эфире
site — страница, сайт
to link — соединять
hyperlink — гиперссылка
to compete — соревноваться
access — доступ
General understanding (Общее понимание текста):
1) What is Internet used for?
2) Why so many activities such as e-mail and business transactions are possible through the Internet?
3) What is World Wide Web?
4) What is a Web browser?
5) What does user need to have an access to the WWW?
6) What are hyperlinks?
7) What resources are available on the WWW?
8) What are the basic recreational applications of WWW?
Задание 17.1. Какие из приведенных ниже утверждений верны / неверны? Аргументируйте свой ответ, опираясь на текст.
1) There are still not so many users of the Internet.
2) There is information on all sorts of topics on the internet, including education and weather forecast.
3) People can communicate through e-mail and chat programs only.
4) Internet is a tens of thousands of networks which exchange the information in the same basic way.
5) You can access information available on the World Wide Web through the Web browser.
6) You need a computer (hardware) and a special program (software) to be a WWW user.
7) You move from site to site by clicking on a portion of text only.
8) Every time the user wants to move somewhere on the web he/she needs to step by step enter links and addresses.
9) Films and pictures are not available on the Internet.
10) Radio and TV-broadcasting is a future of Internet. It's not available yet.
Задание 17.3. Найдите эквиваленты в тексте:
1) Объем ресурсов и услуг, которые являются частью WWW, растет чрезвычайно быстро.
2) Каждая ссылка, выбранная вами представляет документ, графическое изображение, видео-клип или аудио-файл где-то в Интернет.
3) Интернет может быть также использован для целей развлечения.
4) Вы получаете доступ к ресурсам интернет через интерфейс или инструмент, который называется веб-броузер.
5) Вся эта деятельность возможна благодаря десяткам тысяч компьютерных сетей, подключенных к Интернету и обменивающихся информацией в одном режиме.
6) Пользователи общаются через электронную почту, дискуссионные группы, чэт-каналы (многоканальный разговор в реальном времени) и другие средства информационного обмена.
Задание 17.4. Заполните пропуски:
1) You access the information through one interface or tool called a ...
2) People connected to the WWW through the local... have access to a variety of information.
3) The user doesn't need to know where the site is, the.. follows the...
4) In 1996 there were more than 20 million users of the...
5) Each ... provides a graphical interface.
6) Local ... charge money for their services to access... resources.
Words to match with:
1) web browser, providers, link, WWW.
Тексты для дополнительного чтения
COMPUTER OPERATIONS. TYPES OF DATA
Much of the processing computers can be divided into two general types of operation. Arithmetic operations are computations with numbers such as addition, subtraction, and other mathematical procedures. Early computers performed mostly arithmetic operations, which gave the false impression that only engineers and scientists could benefit from computers. Of equal importance is the computers ability to compare two values to determine if one is larger than, smaller than, or equal to the other. This is called a logical operation. The comparison may take place between numbers, letters, sounds, or even drawings. The processing of the computer is based on the computer's ability to perform logical and arithmetic operations.
Instructions must be given to the computer to tell it how to process the data it receives and the format needed for output and storage. The ability to follow the program sets computers apart from most tools. However, new tools ranging from typewriters to microwave ovens have embedded computers, or built-in computers. An embedded computer can accept data to use several options in it's program, but the program itself cannot be changed. This makes these devices flexible and convenient but not the embedded computers itself.
Types of data
With the advent of new computer applications and hardware, the definition of data has expanded to include many types.
Numeric data consists of numbers and decimal points, as well as the plus (+) and minus (-) signs. Both arithmetic operations and logical operations are performed on numeric data. This means that numbers can be used for calculations as well as sorted and compared to each other.
Text, or textual data, can contain any combination of letters, numbers and special characters. Sometimes textual data is known as alphanumeric data.
Various forms of data that we can hear and see makes up audio-visual data. The computer can produce sounds, music and even human voice. It can also accept audio-information as an input. Data can also take form of drawings and video sequences.
Physical data is captured from the environment. For example, light, temperature and pressure are all types of physical data. In many large buildings, computer systems process several kinds of physical data to regulate operations. Computers can set off security alarms, control temperature and humidity, or turn lights on and off, all in response to physical data. These applications increase people's safety and save the time and money.
Working vocabulary (В ваш словарь):
data — данные
to divide — делить
to compute — вычислять
computation — вычисление
arithmetic operation — арифметическая операция
logical operation — логическая операция
addition — сложение
subtraction — вычитание
false — ложный
to benefit — получать пользу
equal — равный
to determine — определять
to compare — сравнивать
comparison —- сравнение
value — величина
tool — инструмент
microwave oven — микроволновая печь
embedded- встроенный
accept — принимать
flexible — гибкий, изменчивый
advent — приход
to expand — расширять
sequence — последовательность
increase — увеличивать
decimal point — десятичная точка
save — спасать, зд. экономить
Задание Заполните пропуски:
1. ... are computations with numbers such as addition, subtraction, and other mathematical procedures.
2. The computers ability to compare two values to determine if one is larger than, smaller than, or equal to the other is called a ...
3. New tools ranging from typewriters to microwave ovens have embedded computers, or ... computers
4. An ... can accept data to use several options in it's program, but the program itself cannot be changed.
5. ... can be used for calculations as well as sorted and compared to each other.
6. ... can contain any combination of letters, numbers and special characters.
7. Various forms of data that we can hear and see makes up... which is captured from the environment.
a) logical operation
b) Text, or textual data
c) audio-visual data
d) Physical data
e) Arithmetic operations
f) Built-in
g) numbers
Types of Software
A computer to complete a job requires more than just the actual equipment or hardware we see and touch. It requires Software — programs for directing the operation of a computer or electronic data.
Software is the final computer system component. These computer programs instruct the hardware how to conduct processing. The computer is merely a general-purpose machine which requires specific software to perform a given task. Computers can input, calculate, compare, and output data as information. Software determines the order in which these operations are performed.
Programs usually fall in one of two categories: system software and applications software.
System software controls standard internal computer activities. An operating system, for example, is a collection of system programs that aid in the operation of a computer regardless of the application software being used. When a computer is first turned on, one of the systems programs is booted or loaded into the computers memory. This software contains information about memory capacity, the model of the processor, the disk drives to be used, and more. Once the system software is loaded, the applications software can start to work.
System programs are designed for the specific pieces of hardware. These programs are called drivers and coordinate peripheral hardware and computer activities. User needs to install a specific driver in order to activate his or her peripheral device. For example, if you intend to buy a printer or a scanner you need to worry in advance about the driver program which, though, commonly go along with your device. By installing the driver you «teach» your mainboard to «understand» the newly attached part.
Applications software satisfies your specific need. The developers of application software rely mostly on marketing research strategies trying to do their best to attract more users (buyers) to their software. As the productivity of the hardware has increased greatly in recent years, the programmers nowadays tend to include all kinds of gimmicks in one program to make software interface look more attractive to the user. These class of programs is the most numerous and perspective from the marketing point of view.
Data communication within and between computers systems is handled by system software.
Communications software transfers data from one computer system to another. These programs usually provide users with data security and error checking along with physically transferring data between the two computer's memories. During the past five years the developing electronic network communication has stimulated more and more companies to produce various communication software, such as Web-Browsers for Internet.
Working vocabulary
to direct — управлять
to conduct — проводить
to complete — завершать
equipment — оборудование
internal — внутренний
to require — требовать
control — управление
specific — конкретный, опредленный
general-purpose — многоцелевой
aid — помощь
regard — отношение
regardless — безотносительно, несмотря на
memory capacity — вместимость памяти
to install — устанвливать, встраивать, инсталлировать
to transfer — переводить, переносить
to provide with — обеспечивать чем-либо
to secure — обеспечивать безопасность
security — безопасность
to develop — развивать, проявлять
developer — разработчик
to check — проверять
attach — присоединять
Web-browser — «броузер» (программа, Позволяющая пользователю искать и считывать информацию с глобальной электронной сети Internet)
peripheral — периферийный
to boot — запускать
to handle — управлять
gimmick — зд. приманка
General understanding (Общее понимание текста):