PART 4

BUILDING A COMPUTER

Source: https://www.ofi.co.uk/blog/mobile-technology-explosion/

A. Reading Text

The Evolution of Computer

Computers in the form of personal desktop computers, laptops and tablets have become
such an important part of our everyday lives that it’s now hard and grasp that not so long
age, personal computers did not exist. Although computers have technically been used
since abacus approximately 5000 years ago, it is modern computers that have had the
greatest and most profound impact on society.

First Generation: The first full-sized digital computer in history was developed in 1944 and
it was named Mark I. It weighted five tons and was used only for calculation. Despite its
size and limited ability, it was the first of many that would start off generation computers,
created between 1940 and 1956 were all extremely large in size. The inner working of the
computers at the time were largely unsophisticated. These early machines required
magnetic drums for memory and vacuum tubes that worked as switches and amplifiers. It
was the vacuum tubes that were mainly responsible for the large size of the machine and
the massive amounts of heat that they released. These computers produces so much heat
that they regularly overheated despite large cooking unites.

Second Generation: The second generation of computers, developed from 1956 to 1963,
managed to do away with vacuum tube and replaced them with transistors. This allowed
computers to used less electricity and generate less head. Second generation computers
were also significantly faster and smaller than their predecessors. Another significant
change was the fact that a core memory was developed for second generation computers.

Third Generation: From 1964 to 1971 computers were through significant breakthrough in
terms of speed, courtesy of integrated circuits. Integrated circuits, or semiconductor chips,
were large number of miniature transistors packed on silicon chips. This not only increased
the speed of computers but also made them much smaller, more powerful, and less
expensive. In addition, instead of the punch cards and the printouts of previous systems,
keyboard and monitors were now allowing people to interact with computing machines.

Fourth Generation Computers: The height of computer revolution took place in the years
from 1971 till the present time. During this time technology developed to a point where
manufacturers could place millions of transistors on a single circuit chip. This was called
monolithic integrated circuit technology. It also heralded the invention of the intel 4004 chip
which was the first microprocessor to become commercially available in 1971. This
invention led to the drawn of the personal computer industry. By the mid 70’s, personal
computers such as the Altair 8800 became available to the public in the form of kits and
required assembly. By the late 70’s and early 80’s assembled personal computers for home
use, such as the Commodore Pet, Apple II and the first IBM Computers, were making their
way into the market. The fourth generation of computers also saw the creation of even
smaller computers including laptops and hand-held devices while computer memory and
storage also went through major improvement, with an increase in storage capacity and
speed. Which leaves us to wonder: “what will the first Generation of computers look like?”

Present and beyond: In the future, computer users can expect even faster and more
advanced computer technology. Fifth generation computing devices, based on artificial
intelligence, are still in development, though there are some applications, such as voice
recognition, that are being used today. Quantum computation and nanotechnology will
also radically change the face of computers in years to come. The goal of fifth-generation
computing is to develop devices that respond to natural language and are capable of
learning and self-organization.

https://www.tes.com/

A. True or False
Read the fact file on the last part and write true or false for these sentences.
1. What is the name of the first full-sized digital computer?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. When was the second generation of computer was developed?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. What is the benefit of integrated circuits or semiconductor chips in the computer?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. What were the example of the first personal computer for home use assembled by
the late of 70’?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
 5. What are the goal of fifth-generation computing development?
………………………………………………………………………………………………

B. Vocabulary Building

Find out the unfamiliar words in the text above.

Impact …………………..

Unsophisticated …………………..

………………….. …………………..

………………….. …………………..

………………….. …………………..

………………….. …………………..

C. Language Focus

1. Prepositional Verb

A prepositional verb is a verb that is followed by a preposition. The meaning of

these two words together is usually very similar to the original meaning of the
verb. It consists of a transitive verb plus a preposition with which it is closely
associated.

• He stared at the girl.

• She finally decided on the blue car.

Prepositional verbs cannot be separated. The two words must remain together.

Some common Prepositional Verb

There are some prepositional verbs that we use very often, so it’s useful to try to
remember them. Here they are with their meanings and an example:

Prepositional Verb Example

Agree with “I agree with you 100%.”

Approve of “My parents didn’t approve of me leaving university.”

Believe in “He’s 11 years old but he still believes in the tooth fairy.”

Care for “She’s a nurse. she cares for the elderly.”

Consist of “What does your course consist of?”

 Decide on “We need to decide on the budget for next year.”

Depend on “I’m not sure if we’ll go out. it depends on the weather.”

Deal with “Our manager has several problems to deal with.”

Get on “Get on! the train is about to leave!”

Get off We arrived at the museum and got off the bus.”

Get in “She got in the cab and it drove off.”

Get out of “Paul got out of his car and opened the gate.”

Insist on “They insist on meeting us tonight.”

Laugh at “Are you laughing at me?”

Listen to “I love listening to music.”

Look after “My mum looks after our kids after school.”

Look at “Look at this painting. it’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

Look for “Ana is looking for a job.”

Pay for “Dad paid for the meal and left a tip.”

Specialize in “Pablo is specializing in international law.”

Think about “It’s a great offer. think about it and let me know your decision.”

Wait for “Wait for me! I’m coming.”

Work for Who do you work for?”

Prepositional verbs with an object

There are a few prepositional verbs that have an object which can be put between
the verb and the preposition.

Example:

• Remind + object + of

You remind me of my cousin.

• Provide + object + with

They provided us with the material we needed.

• Thank + object + for

I’d like to thank you for coming today.

Fill the blank with the correct prepositions. Number 1 has been done for you.

1. Do you believe …in…. gost?

2. She spends years carrying ……………her sick husband.

3. Please refer …………… the notes at the end for more information.

4. I can't go out tonight because I have to prepare …………… my interview tomorrow.

5. We're finding it difficult to deal …………… the stress.

6. Our company specialises …………….. computer software.

7. She won an award because she saved someone …………. drowning.

8. Can I introduce you ……………… my grandfather?

9. I applied ……………. the job but I didn't get it.

10. Brenda should look …………… her sisters in the playground.

11. Before going to walk, John put ………… his shoes.

12. She apologised …………… me the next day.

2. The Use of “… to” and “… for”

“To” and “for” are commonly used as prepositions. Changing a preposition, such as
using “to” in the place of “for,” can completely alter the meaning of a sentence.

Sometimes, if you use the wrong word, you’ll get a sentence that isn’t grammatically
correct. So, let’s begin by talking about one of the most common (and most confusing)
uses of “to” and “for”:

• Using “To” vs. “For” to Talk About Reasons and Purposes

We frequently use the prepositions “to” and “for” to talk about why somebody did
something.

Examples:

• Why did you travel to London? I traveled to London to improve my English.

 • Why did she buy a cake? She bought a cake for her brother’s birthday.

• Why are you going home? I’m going home to feed my cats.

• Why did you go to the museum yesterday?

I went to the museum for a lecture on modern art.

Use “to” when the reason or purpose is a verb. Use “for” when the reason or purpose is
a noun.

Example:

• I bought a present to give to Sarah on her birthday.

(verb)
• I bought a present for Sarah’s birthday.
(noun)
• I drink coffee to feel more awake.
(verb)
• I drink coffee for its wonderful taste.
(noun)
• I’m exercising to stay healthy.
(verb)
• I’m exercising for my health.
(noun)

Another example is dealing with the use of “used to” and “used for” is drawn in the
following sentences.

• Water is used to put out fires.

• Water is used for putting out fires.

The words ending in “ing” are gerunds. The function the same as nouns. they’re
preceded by a preposition: “for.”

The words not ending in “ing” are verbs. Those constructions (“to put,” “to paint”) are
infinitives.

Fill the blank with “to” or “for”. Number 1 has been done for you.

1. An eraser is used to …erase… the writing. (erase)

2. A paint brush is used to ……………… pictures. (paint)

3. I celebrate his birthday for ……………. him happy. (make)

4. I eat fruits and vegetables for ……………. healthy. (stay)

5. I come earlier to office to ……………... my work. (finish)

3. The Use of “Made of” and “Made from”

”Made of” is used when talking about the basic materials, qualities of an
object while “Made from” is used when talking about the substances used in
manufacturing.

“Made of” Meaning

We often use ‘made of’ when we are talking about the basic materials or qualities of
something. It has a similar meaning to ‘composed of’ or ‘manufactured by using.’ Look
at the examples below, to understand this concept better.

• This cabin is made of wood. (They are still wood)

• This bottle is made of glass. (They are still glass)

• His coat is made of leather. (They are still leather)

“Made from” Meaning

“Made from” is also used to describe the origins of a material. We use ‘made from’
when we are talking about how something has been manufactured. For example,

• Vine is made from grapes. (Grapes turns into vine)

• Paper is made from trees. (Trees turns into paper)

• Plastic is made from oil. (Oil turns into plastic)

Fill the blank with “made from” or “made of”. Number 1 has been done for you.

1. The box is made of aluminium

2. This ship is made …………….. iron.

3. Paneer is made ………….. milk.

4. Cheese is made …………… milk.

5. The gloves are made ………………. wool.

6. The candle is made ………….. wax.