Unit 4

Text Study: Application of Computers.

Additional Text: Computers in Education.

Grammar: Revision of the Module I.

Text Study

I. Pre-reading Exercises

1. Repeat the words in chorus:

To engage, commonplace, a research, an insti­tute, widespread,  quality, accounting,  to withdrawal,  current,  guidance, environment,  recognition,  view,  schedule, availability, sophisticated,  a vehicle,  to verify,  an employee, society.

2. While reading the text you will come across a number of international words. Try to guess what Ukrainian words they remind of you:

Communicating, service, manufacture, financial, terminal, million, operation, terminal, navigation, medicine, image, technician, tomography, scanner, transition, status.

3. Pay attention to some grammatical points:

1) At present a great deal of the work force of most coun­tries is engaged in creating, processing, storing, communicating and just working with information. 2) Computer-controlled robots are able to improve the quality of manufactured products and to increase the productivity of industry. 3) Computers can control the work of power stations, plants and docks. 4) Without the terminals, records of deposits and withdrawals would be difficult to maintain, and it would be impossible to make inquiries about the current sta­tus of customer accounts. 5) Computers form a part of many military systems including communication and fire control. 6) They are applied for automatic piloting and automatic navigation. 7) The computer has changed the production of copy in the newspaper industry.

II. Reading

Read the text and be ready to be ready to fill in the table:

branch	application
medicine	valuable medical diagnostic tools

Application of Computers

At present a great deal of the work force of most coun­tries is engaged in creating, processing, storing, communicating and just working with information. Computers have become commonplace in homes, offices, stores, schools, research insti­tutes, plants. The use of computers in business, industry and communi­cation services is widespread today.

Computer-controlled robots are able to improve the quality of manufactured products and to increase the productivity of industry. Computers can control the work of power stations, plants and docks.

They help in making different decisions and in management of economy. In business, computers are used for financial planning, accounting and specific calculations. The work of banks depends upon computer terminals for millions of daily operations. Without these terminals, records of deposits and withdrawals would be difficult to maintain, and it would be impossible to make inquiries about the current sta­tus of customer accounts.

Computers form a part of many military systems including communication and fire control. They are applied for automatic piloting and automatic navigation. Space exploration depends on computers for guidance, on-board environment and re­search.

For feather prediction macro computers are used to fully describe countless factors such as wind currents, solar effects and even planetary configuration must be calculated, correlated and simulated.

It is interesting to note that computers are widely used in medicine. They became valuable medical diagnostic tools. Computers are used for optical scanning and image processing, ranging from pattern recognition to image processing. Technicians can operate computer tomography scanners which combine x-rays with computer technology to give sectional views of the body of patients. The views then can be combined into a single image shown on the screen.

The computer has changed the production of copy in the newspaper industry. There are three steps involved in the process: input, correction, and output.

Railway companies use large computer systems to control ticket reservations and to give immediate information on the status of their trains. The computer system is connected by private telephone lines to terminals in major train stations, and ticket reservations for customers are made through these phone lines. Computers are used for a variety of other jobs including train schedules, planning, freight and cargo loading, meal planning, personnel availability, accounting and stock control.

More and more police departments are now using sophisticated devices to help control the increasing crime rate. Some of these devices are: firstly, a computer terminal inside a police vehicle to answer an officer’s questions, secondly, a computer-controlled display unit for displaying fingerprints, and thirdly, educational systems for police officers such as terminals, enabling them to verify changes in laws, rules, and regulations.

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 so all sorts of different jobs. Computers are used to write letters and keep records of clients, suppliers and employees.

It should be noticed that learning on a computer can be fun. Students spend more time with computer-aided instruction per­forming the assigned task, as compared with conventional classroom.

At last air traffic control is impossible without computer application. It fully depends upon computer-generated informa­tion.

Many other uses of computers that we cannot imagine at present will become commonplace in the transition from an industrial to post industrial, or information society.

Vocabulary Notes

to engage in – бути залученим у щось

commonplace – банальний, звичайний, неоригінальний

widespread – розповсюджений, широко поширений

а research [rI'sq:tS]– дослідження

to improve – покращувати

to maintain records – вести облік

deposits [dI'pOzIts] and withdrawal [wiD'drL(q)l]– вклади та вилучення

an inquiry [In'kwaiqrI]– довідка, запит

guidance ['gaid(q)ns]– управління; керівництво

an environment  [In'vaIqr(q)nmqnt]– середовище

freight [freIt] / cargo ['kQ:gqu]– вантаж, вартість перевезення

sophisticated – мудрий

an employee ["emplOi'J]– робітник, службовець

to assign [q'saIn]– назначати, встановлювати

a society [sq'saiqtI]– суспільство

countless [kauntlIs] – багаточисленний, незчисленний

to verify ['verIfaI]– перевіряти, контролювати

Comprehension

1. Tell what sentences are true and what are false.

1) Computers have become commonplace in homes, offices, stores, schools, research insti­tutes, plants. 2) Computer-controlled robots are not able to improve the quality of manufactured products and to increase the productivity of industry. 3) Space exploration can not depend on computers for guidance, on-board environment and re­search.4) The computer has changed the production of copy in the newspaper industry. There are ten steps involved in the process. 5) Almost every medium-sized or large company will use computers to help run the office.

2. Choose the right answer:

1) The use of computers in business, industry and communi­cation services is … today.

a) seldom;

b) widespread;

c) interesting.

2) Computers … control the work of power stations, plants and docks.

a) can;

b) can not;

c) could.

3) In … , computers are used for financial planning, accounting and specific calculations.

a) home;

b) farm;

c) business.

4) … are used to fully describe countless factors.

a) macro computers;

b) minicomputers;

c) desk computers.

5) … use large computer systems to control ticket reservations

a) institutions;

b) universities;

c) rrailway companies.

6) ...  is impossible without computer application.

a) air traffic control;

b) air control;

c) water control.

3. Complete the sentences.

1) At present a great deal of the work force of most coun­tries is engaged in … . 2) Computers have become commonplace in … .3) The work of banks depends upon … . 4) There are three steps involved in the process of copy in the newspaper industry: … . 5) People use computers in different branches: ….  6) Students spend more time with … .

4. Answer the questions:

1) Where have computers become commonplace? 2) How do computers help in business? 3) What does the work of banks depend upon? 4)  Do computers form a part of many military systems? In what way? 5) How are computers used in medicine? 6) Why do Railway companies use a computer? 7) Can police departments work without using sophisticated devices? Why? 8) How do we use a computer in everyday life?

5. Find as quickly as possible and read out the sentences containing the following important information:

• application of a computer in medicine
• application of a computer in business
• application of a computer in day-to-day duties

*6. Try to tell the gist of the text.

Word Study

1. Give Ukrainian equivalents of the following.

A great deal of the work, to be engaged,  research insti­tutes, to improve the quality,  to increase the productivity,  making different decisions,  deposits and withdrawals,  to make inquiries,  military systems,  valuable medical diagnostic tools,  to give immediate information,  sophisticated devices,  to verify changes, day - to-day duties, air traffic control,  computer application,  information society.

2. Give English equivalents of the following.

Інформаційне суспільство, велика кількість роботи, бути залученим, дослідницькі інститути, застосування комп’ютера, покращити якість, контроль повітряного транспорту, збільшувати продуктивність, приймати різного роду рішення, вклади та вилучення коштів, мудра машина, військова система, цінні медичні діагностичні інструменти, надавати негайну інформацію, контролювати зміни, наводити довідки.

3.  Match the words in A with their synonyms in B:

A                                 B

a research                    wise

sophisticated               to control

to verify                      to better

to improve                  popular

to widespread              to appoint

to assign                      an investigation

countless                     cargo

freight                         innumerable

4. Fill in the gaps with the words from Vocabulary Notes in the appropriate form.

to be engaged / to improve / medical / widespread / employees / sophisticated / to verify

1) Today a great deal of the work force of most coun­tries … in creating, processing, storing, communicating and just working with information. 2) The use of computers everywhere is … today. 3) Computers are able … the quality of manufactured products. 4) Computers became valuable …diagnostic tools. 5) More and more police departments are now using … devices to help control the increasing crime rate.  6) They help … changes in laws, rules, and regulations. 7) Computers are used to write letters and keep records of clients, suppliers and … .

5. Translate sentences into English using words and word combinations from the Vocabulary Notes.

1) Комп’ютер сьогодні має дуже багато застосувань у різних сферах життя. 2) Ці мудрі машини стали звичайною річчю у бізнесі, промисловості, сфері зв’язку і т.д. 3) Комп’ютерні роботи мають здатність покращити якість виробництва і збільшити його продуктивність. 4) Робота банків залежить від роботи терміналів, які виконують мільйони операцій щоденно. 5) У медицині комп’ютери стали необхідною річчю. Вони допомагають встановити діагноз. 6) Міліцейські відділки використовують ці машини з метою зменшення злочинності. 7) Залізнодорожні компанії використовують комп’ютер у своїй роботі також. 8) Студенти не уявляють свого життя без Інтернету. Також вони виконують різні завдання, складають програми і т.п.

Grammar in Use

Revision of the Module I

1. Replace the Infinitive in brackets by the necessary tense-form. Translate the sentences into Ukrainian.

1) The microprocessor chip (to consist) of arithmetic-logic unit, one or more working registers to store data being processed, and accumulators for storing the results of calculations. 2) Accumulators (to be) groups of devices used to store information in a computer system for high-speed access. 3) The control bus (to be) a group of signal lines dedicated to the passing of control signals. 4) The first calculating machine (to appear) in 1820. 5) This machine (to save) a great deal of time and (to reduce) the possibility of making mistakes. 6) Charles Babbage (to work) out plans for several calculating machines which he (to call) ‘engines’. 7) But he never (to finish) any of them. 8) The clock (to be) an electrical circuit, usually a quartz crystal, that (to generate) electronic pulses at fixed time intervals to control the timing of all operations in the processor. 9) Next year the machine (to be) on show at a special exhibition in the Science Museum to remind people of Babbage’s work.

2. Make the sentences interrogative and negative.

1) The computer memory contains all kinds of information. 2) It has information on missing persons and wanted fugitives. 3) Computers have certainly revolutionized police work by providing access to millions of items of information. 3) Almost every medium-sized or large company will use computers to help run the office. 4) You will probably have to work with a computer in your day - to-day duties. 5) You will need to know something about computers. 6) A computer makes office life easier. 7) The operator typed the password and opened the file. 8) He downloaded all the information he could find on the Internet about this subject.

3. Make up sentences using the following words. Translate the following definitions or explanations.

1) Mainframe, big, is, computer, a, system, used, operations, for, large-scale.

2) Mouse, a, device, is, moved, to indicate, by, hand, position, on, screen, the.

3) Icon, visual, is, a, symbol, in, a, used, menu, of, instead, natural, language.

4) Operating, is, the, system, of, set, software, that, a, computer, controls, system.

5) Hardware, physical, is, the, portion, system, of, a, computer.

6) Microchip, piece, is, a, small, very, of, a, silicon, carrying, complex, circuit, electrical.

Additional Text

(for individual work)

Read and translate the text.

Computers in Education

Computers are used in education in the following technologies: CD-ROM, interactive video, computer-assisted learning, multimedia, distance learning (where students and their tutor connect their computers via modem and telephone lines), etc.

Computers could be used to teach such courses as programming, writing, mathematics, languages, etc. There may be computers available for students to use on their own, in the library or in a media center. Many libraries have computerized catalogues.

The term ‘’educational technology’’ covers many areas, including the use of computers and interactive video in education.

The word CALL stands for Computer Assisted Language Learning. CALL has certain advantages and disadvantages as a way of learning foreign languages. Its main advantages are the following: software often provides  instant feedback, students can learn at their own pace, students can control their progress, computers don’t get tired, content can be customized  to suit particular needs’ gaining computer literacy is a desirable skill in today’s world.

CALL’s main disadvantages: the training can be impersonal, some students (and teachers) have difficulty adapting to machines, and computers cannot answer all the student’s questions.

Is it possible that one day language teachers will be completely replaced by computers?

The answer is NO because computers are unlikely to be able to provide the same interactions as a human being can in terms of variety of responses, feedback on points that are not included in the software package, etc. A teacher will probably know more about language and how it is used than the programmed software available for computers. Teachers can intervene at any time to help students with any problem, no matter when it comes up.

Most educational software fails because it cannot easily adapt to the pace of the student and cannot adequately interact with the student in the way that a teacher can. If you could make educational software as absorbing as games software and teach at the same time, this would be ideal.

1. Divide the text into the logical parts and give a title to each one.

2. Put questions to the text.

3. Discuss it with your groupmates.