English For IT Coursebook 2018 PDF

University of Applied Sciences Velika Gorica
Ivana Rubić, prof.
English for IT
Coursebook for students of Computer System Maintenance
Reviewers:
mr.sc. Marina Manucci, prof.
mr.sc. Jadranka Majić, prof.
ISBN 978-953-7716-52-3
Copyright © 2014., University of Applied Sciences Velika Gorica

All rights reserved
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Contents
Preface
Chapter 1: The Computer Age
Unit 1: The Computer Age…………………………………………………………………………… 4

Unit 2: Computers and the Internet………………………………………………………………… 6
Unit 3: Computer Types……………………………………………………………………………... 9
Unit 4: Computer Architecture………………………………………………………………………. 12
Unit 5: Storage and Memory………………………………………………………………………… 14
Unit 6: Computer Memory Basics…………………………………………………………………... 16
Unit 7: Software………………………………………………………………………………………. 19
Unit 8: Computer Security – Internet Security…………………………………………………….. 22
Unit 9: Avoiding Email Misunderstandings………………………………………………………… 27
Unit 10: People In IT…………………………………………………………………………………... 29
Chapter 2: Software and Information Technology
Unit 1: The Software Development Cycle…………………………………………………………. 31

Unit 2: Should All Software Be Free? ……………………………………………………………... 33
Unit 3: Operating Systems………………………………………………………………………… 35
Unit 4: History of the World Wide Web…………………………………………………………….. 38
Unit 5: Basic Networking…………………………………………………………………………….. 40
Unit 6: Cyber Crime…………………………………………………………………………………... 43
Unit 7: What is Information technology?................................................................................... 46
Unit 8: Speech-recognition………………………………………………………………………….. 49
Unit 9: Future Robotics Technology………………………………………………………………... 52
Unit 10: IT Jobs: A Bright Future Ahead…………………………………………………………….. 54
Chapter 3: Trends in IT
Unit 1: How to Recycle Your Used Electronics........................................................................ 57

Unit 2: Database Basics........................................................................................................... 59
Unit 3: VoIP............................................................................................................................... 62
Unit 4: Privacy in the Digital Age.............................................................................................. 64
Unit 5: How Cloud Computing Works....................................................................................... 66
Unit 6: Green Networking in a Nutshell..................................................................................... 68
Unit 7: Cyber Crime Hall of Fame............................................................................................. 70
Unit 8: Phishing........................................................................................................................ 72
Unit 9: Nanotechnology: It's a Small, Small, Small, Small World............................................. 75
Unit 10: Computing Careers....................................................................................................... 77
Bibliography ...................................................................................................................................... 79
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Preface
'English for IT' is a coursebook for the students of Computer Systems Maintenance at the University of Applied Sciences
Velika Gorica. Each unit focuses on a particular topic and includes learning activities with up-to-date and authentic materials.
The overall aim is to help students learn and also improve their English and develop skills needed for career and further
studies such as presentation skills, business correspondence, expressing opinions and participating in meetings,
discussions etc.
The coursebook contains 30 units, organized in three chapters, which cover a wide variety of topics related to ICT. Units
include:
 Authentic texts which develop specialized vocabulary learners need for the job in real work situations
 Language work sections which explain grammar points and structures
 Vocabulary and grammar practice exercises
 Writing tasks such as CV writing, cover letter and business letter writing and writing summaries and essays.
Acknowledgements
The author is grateful for the given permission to use copyright material, especially to Larry Zoumas.
Every effort has been made to identify the sources of all the materials used and trace all copyright owners. The author
apologizes for any omissions or errors that may have occurred.
Ivana Rubić, prof.
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Chapter 1: The Computer Age
Unit 1 The Computer Age
A) What do you think? Read the sentences below and decide if you agree or disagree with them.
The following structures will help you express your

opinion: Statement A D
Everyone should know how to use a computer.
In my opinion… Computers make learning/studying easier.
It isn’t good that students copy and paste
As I see it…
information they find online and try to pass it
Personally, I think... off as their own work.
Using a computer is bad for your health.
I'd like to point out that… Web surfing can be very dangerous.
Computers just waste your time.
Speaking for myself… Computers have made positive contribution
to society.
As far as I'm concerned… Computers cause serious environmental
problems.
I agree (NOT I’m agree) ... People should be free to say whatever they want
on the Internet.
I disagree (NOT I’m disagree) ...
One day the world will be ruled by computers
B/ Read the text:
The Importance of Computers

Select hundred people randomly and ask each one of them what the biggest invention of the century is and quite surely,
more than ninety percent of them will say that it is the invention of computer. Just think how significantly computers have
contributed to the rapid development in global technology. Computers have benefited us in all possible spheres of life.
From mere clerical jobs to the making of million dollar movies, computers are bound to be used in each and every activity
that takes place in today's world. The first personal computer was invented in 1970 and since then, there have been
constant developments in the field of computers and now, almost all homes in the urban world have a PC to flaunt.
The factors which have made computers a success are definitely speed, accuracy, data storage and multi tasking. How
much time does it take for you to communicate with someone sitting in a different continent of the world using a
computer? The answer will be not more than 5 seconds. You can say that it is possible more because of the internet but
computer and internet is largely interdependent on each other. Even for performing complex calculations, computer hardly
takes a noticeable amount of time. Computer has also enabled storing large quantity of data in a digital format to make
things more convenient for us. Not a single big organization in the world can now think of operating without using
computers. The progress that has taken place in businesses and economies worldwide in recent years wouldn't have
been possible without computers.
There isn't a single machine invented till date having so many multiple uses. Be it education, entertainment, business or
communication, for whatever purpose you want to use a computer, it will successfully satisfy you. The advent of portable
computers has made things better for us. Nowadays, there are various types of computers which we may choose from
according to our needs and requirements.
Desktop models are the most commonly used computers worldwide. The desktop computer comprises of an externally
attached computer keyboard, mouse, computer monitor and a processor unit called CPU. It is called desktop because it
can be fitted on the top of a desk easily. The main disadvantage of a desktop computer is the lack of mobility. To solve
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this problem, IBM came up with the first ever Laptop in 1986. Laptops are compact computers weighing extremely light
and small in size which can be taken places. Laptop computers are nowadays referred to as Notebooks and they are
constantly becoming popular worldwide. One can do the same work in a notebook which he/she does in a desktop
computer but at the same time it is possible to carry a notebook to any place as it hardly weighs more than 6 pounds.
Other specialized laptops are also built nowadays which are meant for specific purposes. For example, laptops that are
made only for the objective of internet browsing are called Netbooks. These are even lighter and smaller forms of
computers. Many other innovations are also happening and you can also have devices like Palmtops or PDAs which are
very much fall under different types of computers but their functions are limited to a certain extent.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeffrey_Frasco

Adverbs
 We use adverbs to give information about an action. Adverbs of

C) Find words or phrases in the text with the manner, time and place describe how, when or where something
following meaning: happens.
He speaks nervously. (= manner, i.e. how)
a) having no specific pattern, purpose, or LCD monitors are currently the most popular. (= time, i.e. when)
objective:………….....(line 1) Let's go inside and play some games. (= place, i.e. where)
b) moving, acting, or occurring with great We also use adverbs to describe adjectives.
speed:……………(3) Sports games are an increasingly popular portion of the gaming
c) of or relating to clerks or office workers or their industry.
work:………………(4) Adverbs of manner tell us how something happens.
d) being nothing more than what is We usually form an adverb by adding -ly to an adjective.
specified:………………(4) correct— correctly You replied correctly.
e) to display ostentatiously; show off:…………(6) • With adjectives ending in -y, we change the y to i before
(possessions, oneself, etc.) adding the ending -ly.
f) development or growth:……………(13) easy — easily She easily passed the test.
g) having or involving more than one  Be careful! Not all words that end in -ly are adverbs. These words are
part:………………(15) adjectives: friendly, deadly, lovely, lonely.
h) the coming or arrival:……………(16)  The adverb from good is well. His English is very good.
i) during the present time; now:………(17) He speaks English well.
j) throughout the world:………………(19) Some words have the same form as an adjective and an adverb (e.g. fast,
hard, early, late, daily, monthly).
New games require a fast processor. (= adjective)
The processor speed tells you how fast your PC executes instructions.
D) Fill in the missing words in the table
(= adverb)
below.
NOUN VERB ADJECTIVE ADVERB
multiple
significant
differently
successful
productively
normal
easy
specifically
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Unit 2 Computers and the Internet
A/ Read the text.
The Internet is a worldwide collection of computer networks that began as a single network that was originally created in
1969 by ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency), a U.S. government agency that was far more interested in creating
projects that would survive a nuclear war than in creating anything useful for the civilian population.
In its original form, ARPANET, the U.S. government hoped to create a network of computers that would allow
communication between government agencies and certain educational centers that would be able to survive a nuclear
explosion. It is doubtful that the original founders of ARPANET foresaw what we now know as "the Internet." From its
humble beginnings as a military project, the ARPANET grew slowly throughout the 70's and 80's as a community of
academics accomplished the truly monumental task of hammering out the building blocks of this new, open, modular
conglomeration of networks.
The various protocols, including IP, TCP, DNS, POP, and SMTP, took shape over the years, and by the time the World
Wide Web (HTML and HTTP) was created in the early 90's, this "Internet" had become a fully functional, fairly robust
system of network communication, able to support this new pair of protocols which eventually turned the Internet into a
household word.
While a large portion of users today confuse the Web with the Internet itself, it must be emphasized that the Web is only
one type of Internet application, and one set of protocols among a great many which were in use for over a decade before
the Web entered into the public awareness.
The Web is a subset of the Net. Email is not a part of the Web, and neither are newsgroups, although Web designers
have developed web sites through which users, the world over, commonly access both of these much older forms of
Internet media.
While the Net is a largely abstract phenomenon, it cannot (at least, not yet) be accurately equated with the concept of
"cyberspace" as depicted in science fiction. If "judgement day" were to occur as depicted in the latest "Terminator" film,
much of the Internet would survive it, but most of the electrical and data infrastructure by which we access the net would
not. The line which currently demarcates the "digital divide" would shift dramatically to a point where it would leave only a
small segment of humanity in virtual touch. This limitation, however, will slowly be overcome as wireless technologies
continue to proliferate and wired technologies become increasingly cheaper. Taken from en.wikibooks.org
10 Countries With Best Internet Speed In The World
While many countries, including the poorly ranked India, suffer from slow or deteriorating internet connections, certain
countries across the world cherish the flair of ultra speed network connectivity even in their outskirts! With millions of web
connections and multiple network service plans, here are the 10 countries that have the best internet speed in the world,
according to the latest report from Akamai.
#10 Bulgaria Year-to-year change: 36 per cent Global rank: 6
Internet Speed: 27.9 Mbps (Peak) Global rank: 8
Year-to-year change: 17 per cent #7 Belgium #5 Latvia
Global rank: 10 Internet Speed: 29.5 Mbps (Peak) Internet Speed: 33.5 Mbps (Peak)
#9 Hungary Quarter-to-quarter change: 1.1 per cent Year-to-year change: 14 per cent
Internet Speed: 28.0 Mbps (Peak) Year-to-year change: 10 per cent Global rank: 5
Year-to-year change: 15 per cent Global rank: 7 #4Romania

Global rank: 9
#6 Switzerland Internet Speed: 38.6 Mbps (Peak)
#8 Singapore
Internet Speed: 29.9 Mbps (Peak) Year-to-year change: 15 per cent
Internet Speed: 28.3 Mbps (Peak)
Year-to-year change: 25 per cent Global rank: 4
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#3 Japan Internet Speed: 49.2 Mbps (Peak) India
Internet Speed: 40.5 Mbps (Peak) Year-to-year change: 11 per cent Global rank: 116
Year-to-year change: 28 per cent Global rank: 1 Internet Speed: 6.9 Mbps (Peak)
Global rank: 3 Year-to-year change: 21 per cent
#2 South Korea
Internet Speed: 46.9 Mbps (Peak) United States Taken from Bloomberg.com
Year-to-year change: 31 per cent Global rank: 11
Global rank: 2 Internet Speed: 27.1 Mbps (Peak)
#1 Hong Kong Year-to-year change: 24 per cent
B/ Find the words (1- 9) in the text above. Try to explain the meaning of the words by paraphrasing. Are
they nouns, verbs, adjectives or adverbs?
1) single ...................................................................................................................
2) survive .................................................................................................................
3) doubtful ................................................................................................................
4) founders .............................................................................................................
5) foresee.................................................................................................................
6) robust .................................................................................................................
7) protocols ..............................................................................................................
8) equate ..................................................................................................................
9) cyberspace..........................................................................................................
C/ Numbers and figures

Hundreds: 425 – four hundred (AND) twenty-five
Thousands: 15,560 – fifteen thousand five hundred (AND) sixty
786,450 – seven hundred eighty-six thousand four hundred (AND) fifty
Millions: 2,450,000 – two million four hundred (AND) fifty thousands
Decimals: 2.34 – two point three four
Percentages: 27% – twenty-seven percent
Fractions: 3/8 – three eighths NOTE: ¼ - one quarter, 2/3 – two thirds, ½ one half
Temperature: 28° C (Celsius) OR 72° F (Fahrenheit)
Speed: 100 km/mph (kilometres /miles per hour)
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How is 0 pronounced in English? Dates:
nought British English British: Day-Month-Year American: Month-Day-

Year
zero American English the Fourteenth of March, March the Fourteenth,
2011 2011
in measurements of temperature
14th March 2011 March 14th, 2011
(B&A)
in count-downs (B&A)) 14 March 2011 March 14, 2011
score in team games, e.g. football (A) 14/3/2011 3/14/2011
oh when each figure is said separately
(e.g. in phone numbers, account 14/3/11 3/14/11
numbers etc.)
nil score in team games, e.g. football (B) 14/03/11 03/14/11
love in tennis and similar games
D/ Write these numbers as they would be spoken:

86% .................................................................................................................................................................
2.05 ..................................................................................................................................................................
35,522 .............................................................................................................................................................
28 ºC ................................................................................................................................................................
$25.60 ..............................................................................................................................................................
50 km/h ............................................................................................................................................................
⅝......................................................................................................................................................................
½.. ...................................................................................................................................................................
⅔......................................................................................................................................................................
By Rodolfo E. Aristimuño
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Unit 3 Computer Types
A/ Read the text.

Different types of computers and what makes them unique.
Computers were not always things you could carry around with you, or even have in your bedroom. Sixty
years ago, computers (such as ENIAC) were as big as entire apartments. They were difficult to use and not very
powerful by today's standards. They also cost a lot of money to build and operate. So computers were only used by
large organizations such as governments, international corporations, and universities.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, computers captured the public's imagination in literature, films, and TV.
More and more companies wanted computers, even if they didn't always have a good reason to own one. As a result,
computers gradually became smaller, cheaper, and more practical to own. This was thanks in part to companies like
IBM, which mass-produced computers for the first time and promoted them to medium and large businesses to do
things like payroll, accounting, and other number-crunching tasks.
In the 1970s and 1980s a new type of computer started to gain in popularity. It was called the PC or personal
computer. For the first time in history, computers were now for everyone. The PC started a revolution which affects
nearly everything we do today. The ways we work, play, communicate, and access information have all been radically
reshaped due to the invention and evolution of the PC.
PCs are everywhere you look today. At home, at the office, and everywhere in between. Many people still
mistakenly believe the term PC is synonymous with a desktop computer running Windows. This is not really true.
Really, any computer you use by yourself for general purposes could be called a PC. You probably already own at
least one of these types of PCs:
- laptop, desktop computer, PDA or personal digital assistant, workstation
Besides PCs, there are other types of computers you probably see at work or school. These include:
- file servers, print servers, web servers
But not all types of computers are so obvious as the ones above. There are still other kinds of computers that
fit inside of other devices and control them. These computers are known as embedded systems.
Embedded systems can be found in traffic lights, TV sets, refrigerators, coffee machines and many more
devices. Embedded systems are typically controlled by inexpensive, specialized processors which can only handle
very specific tasks.
Types of computers go in and out of fashion as times changes. Older kinds of computers which were very
popular in the 20th century (1900s) are now referred to as legacy systems. These include:
- Mainframes
- Minicomputer
- IBM clones
New types of computers are always coming out and replacing or augmenting existing computer types.
Examples of new types of computers emerging would be netbooks, tablet PCs, and even wearable computers. Keep
in mind that the lines between computer types are constantly being blurred. This phenomenon is known as
convergence. Technological convergence is the tendency for different technological systems to evolve towards
performing similar tasks. Convergence can refer to previously separate technologies such as voice (and telephony
features), data (and productivity applications), and video that now share resources and interact with each other
synergistically. Convergence is the evolution of devices towards common functionality, e.g. “The iPhone is a good
example of convergence. It has all the features of a PDA, mobile phone, and an MP3 player in one package.”
Taken from www.english4it.com.
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B/ Discussion Questions:
Explain the terms embedded systems and 'convergence'? Can you give a few examples?
C/ Match the terms described with the following explanations. Then complete the sentences with
those terms.
legacy system / tablet PC / convergence / server / embedded system / supercomputer / router /
PC (personal computer)
a) ___________the evolution of devices towards common functionality.
b) _________a type of computer intended primarily for central distribution of data to other computers on the same
network.
c)__________a computer using a relatively slow and specialized processor and ROM chip, normally used to control a
particular device such as a washing machine or an MP3 player.
d)__________a computer designed for use by one person at a time.
e) ________refers to only the most powerful class of computer, typically designed to perform specialized tasks such
as weather prediction, governmental financial calculations, or space research.
f) __________an older computer system that continues to be used because an organization does not wish to redesign
it with a more modern device.
g) __________a specialized computer which connects two networks.
h) __________a portable computer shaped in the form of a notebook and capable of advanced handwriting
recognition via use of a stylus or on-screen keyboard.
1) _________ provide essential services across a network, either to private users inside a large organization or to
public users via the Internet.
2) Many household appliances, such as microwave ovens, washing machines and dishwashers, are including
___________ to provide flexibility, efficiency and features.
3) When people use the term __________, they are often referring to a desktop computer running Windows.
4) ___________ are used for highly calculation-intensive tasks such as problems involving quantum physics, weather
forecasting, climate research,, physical simulations such as simulation of airplanes, simulation of the detonation of
nuclear weapons etc.
5) Mainframes and minicomputers used to be cutting edge; now they are known as ____________.
6) The iPhone is a good example of___________. It has all the features of a PDA, mobile phone, and an MP3 player
in one package.
7) The most familiar type of __________are home and small office ___________that simply pass data, such as web
pages and email, between the home computers and the owner's cable or DSL modem, which connects to the Internet.
8) The term was made popular as a concept presented by Microsoft in 2001, but ___________now refer to any tablet-
sized personal computer, even if it's not using Windows but another PC operating system.
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D/ Write the plural of the following nouns.
Plurals
 In most cases, we form the plural in

database…………… English by adding -s.
record - records
switch…………….  If a word ends in -s, -sh, -x or -ch, we
add -es.
phenomenon…………….
address - addresses
check-in………….  If a word ends in a consonant + y, the y
becomes i and we add -es.
spreadsheet…………. company - companies
 However, if the y follows a vowel, we add
device.…………….
only -s.
business……………. birthday - birthdays
file…………. There are several irregular plural forms:
graphics stylus…………… man/woman – men/women

child – children
input device………………. mouse – mice
liquid crystal display……………. Foreign plurals:
1.Personal computer
datum – data
phenomenon – phenomena
basis – bases
medium – media / mediums
index – indices / indexes
analysis – analyses
formula – formulae (or formulas)
criterion – criteria
2. Computer structure
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Unit 4 Computer Architecture
A/ Computer Architecture is the design and internal organization of how computer hardware components
and software interact based on the requirements imposed by real world components and technology, and
also depends on the current market demands. Computer architecture addresses all levels of the computer
system, from the core, to the chip, to the board, to the whole system and its interconnect.
History
The first use of the word "computer" was recorded in 1613 in a book called "The yong mans gleanings" by English
writer Richard. It referred to a person who carried out calculations, or computations, and the word continued with the same
meaning until the middle of the 20th century. From the end of the 19th century the word began to take on its more familiar
meaning, a machine that carries out computations. Alan Turing was a
British mathematician, cryptographer, and computer scientist often credited as the founder of computer science. In 1936
he developed the concept of the Turing Machine and with it the intellectual underpinnings of the modern digital computer. A
pioneer in the field of artificial intelligence, Turing was keenly involved in the development of the first self-modifying
stored program computer. He also proposed a method for determining machine intelligence, the now famous Turing Test.
Turing contributed pioneering work in biology in the area of non-linear dynamics. During World War II he was principally
responsible for cracking the German Enigma cipher.
Of his role in the creation of the modern computer, Time magazine in naming Turing one of the 100 most influential
people of the 20th century, states: "The fact remains that everyone who taps at a keyboard, opening a spreadsheet or a
word-processing program, is working on an incarnation of a Turing machine".
His model is considered by some (for example, Martin Davis (2000)) to be the origin
of the stored program computer—used by John von Neumann (1946) for the "Electronic
Computing Instrument" that now bears von Neumann's name: the von Neumann architecture.
Stored-program architecture
Nearly all modern computers implement some form of the stored-program

architecture, making it the single trait by which the word "computer" is now defined. While
the technologies used in computers have changed dramatically since the first electronic,
general-purpose computers of the 1940s, most still use the von Neumann architecture. It
describes the design of an electronic computer with its CPU, which includes the arithmetic
logic unit, control unit, registers, memory for data and instructions, an input/output
interface and external storage functions.
Taken from Wikipedia
B/ Read the text about computer hardware components and think about how a computer is built.
Due to convergence, the traditional categories we divide computing into are blurring. But for practical reasons, IT
professionals can still divide hardware into two main classes: components and peripherals.
Components are primarily core internal devices of a computer which help define what type a computer is, what it is
capable of doing, and how well it is capable of doing it. Nothing affects the overall quality of a computer more than its
components.
Components must be compatible with each other in order to function correctly. For example not all processors are
compatible with all motherboards. Research is necessary to solve your dependencies.
At the heart of the computer lies several key components sitting on the motherboard including the microprocessor, the
chip set, RAM and a ROM firmware instruction set called the BIOS. These core components are connected by several
"buses" made to carry information around the system and eventually out to display devices and other peripherals.
The CPU is another name for the 'brain' of the computer and normally includes the microprocessor and RAM. This is
what does all the calculations. One or more coprocessors may or may not be needed depending on what the
computer is used for. In the 20th century, coprocessors were often used for mathematics such as floating point
operations. Today however coprocessors are mostly used for 3D graphics (GPUs), sound generation, and physics
applications.
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RAM is the memory which allows your computer to hold the operating system and all running programs while your
computer is in use. On the contrary, ROM is a kind of permanent memory which is still intact even when the computer
is off. The BIOS is a good example of an application using ROM. The BIOS controls very low-level access to the
hardware.
Busses and ports are general terms for connectivity components with connect the different parts of the PC together.
These include the serial port, parallel port, PCI and PCIe busses, and the Universal Serial Bus(USB) controller. These
devices allow communication between different parts of the system.
Also network interface cards are now standard on most motherboards, although USB and PCI versions of the
devices are also available.
Optical drives and hard disk drives are also components in your computer.
The core multimedia components include the sound card and graphics card. They make computing more fun and
useful for creative professionals such as designers, gamers, and musicians. Multimedia is definitely a place where
high-quality components really matter.
Feeding all these components with a steady supply of energy is another component called the power supply. This is
an often overlooked piece of hardware but obviously very important! A low quality power supply can cause havoc in a
computer system. On the other hand a bigger than necessary power supply can increase system heat, waste power,
and make a lot of noise.
At the most exterior of the computer we see the computer case. This is meant to look good, protect the components,
and provide an easy interface to plug in peripherals. Taken from www.english4it.com
To describe a process or how something works use:

C/ Describing a process
present simple: it connects
Computer science is the study of information processes and a present simple passive: it is connected
process is a sequence of steps. For example, baking a cake, linking words:
mailing a letter, and planting a tree are all processes. Some processes •To begin with/First of all/Firstly/Secondly, thirdly, etc
•Then/Next/After that
involve physical things while other involve information. •Subsequently /Eventually/Finally
Computer science focuses on processes that involve abstract
information rather than physical things.
D/ The notes explain how a mobile phone is made. Describe the process by making the verbs in
bold passive. Use time sequencers: First, next, then, after that, and now, finally.
1) a manufacturer creates a blueprint, which is designed to surpass the previous model or start one from scratch.
2) during the design process, make decisions on features, such as cameras, GPS, Internet, MP3 player, games,
radio, playback recording and anything else designers can think of including
3) approve each feature of a mobile phone goes to ensure its functionality and compatibility
4) identify the parts
5) create some of them on-site, others buy from different companies. The parts of a mobile phone include the hard
case, battery, volume control, keypad, headset socket and Bluetooth enabler.
6) put the parts of a cell phone together on an assembly line. Keep the building that houses an assembly line
between 55 and 65 degrees F, to ensure that the parts and chips do not melt.
7) test it through Quality Assurance (QA) testing to ensure quality and functionality by testing the signal, battery
power, texting, photo, video, volume and other functions.
8) once a mobile phone goes through QA testing, send it back for correction or send it out for buyers.
E/ Describe how a computer is built

Imagine you want to build your own computer. Is it very difficult or fun? How would you start? Do you think putting
computers back together is harder than taking them apart? Make a list of all the components that are in your
computer. Now, try to describe how a computer is built.
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Unit 5 Storage and Memory
A/ What are the main differences between memory and storage? How much memory does your
computer have? How much storage does your computer have?
B/ Read the text and underline all the comparatives and superlatives.
Computer memory needs to be quick. It is constantly feeding the CPU with data to process. Since nobody likes to wait
for a computer, high-quality computers will have fast processors and lots of quick memory.
Computers do not normally process all the information they have at once. They also need to save some data for long
term use. This is where storage comes in. Think of all the video files, mp3s, photos, documents, etc. on your PC.
These files are not always being processed by the CPU, they are mostly just hanging around waiting to be used at
some point. Storage doesn't need to be as quick as memory, but there does need to be a lot more of it. This is a key
difference between memory and storage.
Because memory needs to be much faster than storage, it is rather more expensive than storage per KB. A typical
desktop computer today (in 2009) typically has between 512 MB and 8 GB of memory running at speeds of anywhere
from 300 MHZ to 1.2 GHZ.
Memory is almost always based on semiconductor technology. Examples of common computer memory include RAM,
ROM, and video memory. Memory is typically volatile in nature, meaning that it needs power in order to retain its
state. There are exceptions however, such as EPROMs, which can retain their state even when the power is off.
Computer storage is typically cheaper, slower, and more plentiful than computer memory. Storage comes in many
different types including magnetic storage, optical storage, and more recently semiconductor storage. Storage is
typically non-volatile in nature, meaning that it retains its state even when the power is off. A typical computer today
comes with anywhere between 50 GB and 1 TB of computer storage.
The most popular example today of magnetic storage is the hard disk drive. These devices use rotating, magnetically-
charged platters to store data. Hard disk drives are popular because they can store a lot of data very reliably with
relatively quick access times. Trends in computer storage are always changing. Now it looks as if traditional magnetic
hard disk drives might eventually be replaced by SSDs or solid state drives. SSDs have many key advantages over
magnetic storage including 1) no moving parts and 2) less power consumption. This makes them very good for
laptops where battery life and overall durability can be big issues. If the technology continues to improve, we may
even see them in desktop computers as well.
Optical storage is another technology strategy used in computer storage, and is particularly useful for sharing audio,
video, and larger programs. Optical storage works by a laser burning or reading data off a plastic disc coated with
various types of light sensitive material in it. Due to reliability and space limitations, optical storage is seldom used as
a primary means of data storage.
Taken from www.english4it.com
C/ Read the text about optical drives and fill in the blanks with the comparative or superlative form
of the following adjectives:
small / great / close / cheap / expensive / demanding / close / economical / 2x high / good
Types of optical drives:
CD-ROM systems offer everything, from shareware programs to dictionaries and encyclopaedias, from multimedia
databases to 3-D games. A lot of institutions have discovered that CD-ROM is __________way of sharing
information. In fact, one CD-ROM disk (650 MB) can replace 300,000 pages of text (about 500 floppies).
A DVD-ROM can hold 17 GB, about 25 times an ordinary CD-ROM. For this reason, it can store a large amount of
multimedia software.
Just as DVD meant a five to ten time increase in storage capacity compared to CD, Blu-ray Disc will increase DVD
capacity by five to ten times. This is due, among other reasons, to the usage of a blue instead of a red laser and
improved lens specifications, allowing for a much ___________focus laser beam which enables the recording of
much__________ and __________density pits on the disc.
14
The future of optical storage is called Blu-ray Disc. Due to the fact that the data layer on a Blu-ray Disc is placed much
"__________" to the laser lens than in DVD (or even the HD-DVD proposal), there is less distortion resulting in
significantly improved tolerances. Hence, more precision and ultra high storage densities are made possible.
The Blu-ray Disc format is designed to stay relevant for at least 10 to 15 years. Its high storage capacity of 25 to 50
GB allows for the best-possible High Definition video quality and satisfies _____________data storage needs. As we
have seen with DVD in the past, most premium titles require two discs.
A Blu- ray disc drive offers ___________ capacity and ___________quality than standard DVDs.
However, Blu-ray Disc production costs are within 10% of DVD production costs, although a Blu-ray Disc offers 5-10 x
the capacity. Therefore, is by far ____________format measured in cost per GB.
Comparison of Adjectives
Positive comparative superlative

Slow – slower – the slowest (one syllable adjectives)
Versatile – more versatile – the most versatile (more than one syllable adjectives)
Computer storage is typically cheaper, slower, and more plentiful than computer memory
BUT! easy – easier – the easiest

good – better – the best
bad – worse – the worst
much/many – more – the most
little – less – the least
Equality is expressed by using as...as.

Difference is expressed by using not as...as.
Storage does need to be as quick as memory, but there does need to a lot more of it.
D/ What types of storage and memory do the following sentences describe?

_______________an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. It allows six times more
storage than a DVD.
_______________a non-volatile (permanent) memory type that is erasable via ultra-violet light and reprogrammable.
_______________a type of memory which is manufactured with permanent contents which cannot be modified.
_______________a newer data storage device meant to replace a traditional hard disk drive; these are characterized
by non-moving parts and lower energy consumption.
_______________a data storage medium sealed in a square or rectangular plastic carrier which was once included
with almost all computers, but is now considered obsolete.
15
Unit 6 Computer Memory Basics
A/ What is computer memory (used for)? How do you know it is time for a memory upgrade? Why
do we call ROM a temporary memory? What is the difference between ROM and RAM?
B/ Reading: Computer memory

You already know that the computer in front of you has memory. What you may not know is that most of the electronic
items you use every day have some form of memory also. Here are just a few examples of the many items that use
memory:
•Cell phones, PDAs, Game consoles, Car radios, VCRs, TVs
Although memory is technically any form of electronic storage, it is used most often to identify fast, temporary forms of
storage. If your computer's CPU had to constantly access the hard drive to retrieve every piece of data it needs, it
would operate very slowly. When the information is kept in memory, the CPU can access it much more quickly. Most
forms of memory are intended to store data temporarily.
The CPU accesses memory according to a distinct hierarchy. Whether it comes from permanent storage (the hard
drive) or input (the keyboard), most data goes in random access memory (RAM) first. The CPU then stores pieces of
data it will need to access, often in a cache, and maintains certain special instructions in the register. We'll talk about
cache and registers later.
All of the components in your computer, such as the CPU, the hard drive and the operating system, work together as
a team, and memory is one of the most essential parts of this team. From the moment you turn your computer on until
the time you shut it down, your CPU is constantly using memory.
MULTIPLES OF BYTES
A kilobyte, abbreviated K or KB, equals 1,024 bytes, but is commonly rounded to

1,000.
A megabyte, which is abbreviated M or MB, equals one million bytes (actually

1,048,576 bytes).
A gigabyte, abbreviated G or GB, represents about 1billion bytes

(actually1,073,741,824 bytes).
A terabyte, abbreviated T or TB, equals about 1 trillion bytes (actually

1,009,511,627,776 bytes).
A petabyte equals about 1 million gigabytes.
C/ Complete the text with the following expressions:
Application / / Plug and Play / / operating system (OS) / / basic input/output system (BIOS) / /
power-on self-test (POST) / / read-only memory (ROM) / / memory controller / / read/write / / files
Let's take a look at a typical scenario:
You turn the computer on. The computer loads data from ___________________and performs
a__________________ to make sure all the major components are functioning properly. As part of this test,
the_______________ checks all of the memory addresses with a quick______________ operation to ensure that
there are no errors in the memory chips. Read/write means that data is written to a bit and then read from that bit.
16
The computer loads the ____________________ from ROM. The BIOS provides the most basic information about
storage devices, boot sequence, security, ________________(auto device recognition) capability and a few other
items.
The computer loads the________________ from the hard drive into the system's RAM. Generally, the critical parts of
the operating system are maintained in RAM as long as the computer is on. This allows the CPU to have immediate
access to the operating system, which enhances the performance and functionality of the overall system.
When you open an_____________, it is loaded into RAM. To conserve RAM usage, many applications load only the
essential parts of the program initially and then load other pieces as needed.
After an application is loaded, any _____________ that are opened for use in that application are loaded into RAM.
When you save a file and close the application, the file is written to the specified storage device, and then it and the
application are purged from RAM.
D/ Put the instructions in correct order:
How to Record Cell Phone Conversations
1 Press "Options" or "Preferences," and then "Record." You will see a timer begin counting to indicate that the call is
being recorded.
2 End the call. Once the call is ended, the recording will end too. You can also stop the recording before the call is
completed by pressing "Options" again and then "Stop
3 Initiate your call. Most cell phones won't allow you to record until the call is in progress.
4 Inform the other party that the call is being recorded before any pertinent information is discussed. It is illegal to
record someone else without their knowledge--you must get a consent.
5 Name the sound file and save it to your phone.
6 Buy a new cell phone that can record.
E/ Language work: Present Simple and Present Continuous
Study the following examples. Which tense is used for:
1) routines and procedures
2) actions happening now
3) things that are always true
4) actions happening around the time of speaking and with words such as "always" and ''constantly'' to talk
about things that happen repeatedly
A/ …most of the electronic items you use every day have some form of memory...
B/ From the moment you turn your computer on until the time you shut it down, your CPU is constantly using memory.
C/ The computer loads data from read-only memory (ROM) and performs a power-on self-test (POST) to make sure
all the major components are functioning properly.
D/ The computer loads the basic input/output system (BIOS) from ROM.
E/ Look! He's inserting a CD-ROM into the disk drive.
17
So, to sum up:
We use the present simple
 to describe routines, standard procedures and permanent situations and things which are always true.
We use the present continuous:
 to talk about something that is happening at the time of speaking, repeated actions around the time of
speaking and with words such as "always" and ''constantly'' to talk about things that happen repeatedly, future
plans.
F/ Complete the sentences with the Present Simple or Present Continuous form:
1) He ____________ (meet) his client on Wednesday morning.
2) More and more people____________ (constantly/ volunteer) articles for the online encyclopaedia
Wikipedia and they___________ (collaborate) with programmers around the world.
3) They both ____________ (work) for a company whose main office is in Split.
4) ______ you _______ (have) a printer at home?
5) Robots usually __________ (contain) software that runs automatically.
6) How often _____ you _______ (use) computers at work?
7) Increasingly, people _________ (take) power of the Internet back into their own hands.
8) The CPU __________ (request) the data it needs from RAM, _________ (process) it and ___________ (write) new
data back to RAM in a continuous cycle.
Picture by Larry Ewing
18
Unit 7 Software
A/ What are two basic kinds of software? What is a software bug? Now, read the text.
For as long as there has been computer hardware, there has also been computer software. But what is
software? Software is just instructions written by a programmer which tells the computer what to do. Programmers are
also commonly known as 'software developers', or just plain 'developers'.
Nothing much is simple about software. Software programs can have millions of lines of code. If one line
doesn't work, the whole program could break! Even the process of starting software goes by many different names in
English. Perhaps the most correct technical term is 'execute', as in "the man executed the computer program." Be
careful, because the term 'execute' also means (in another context) to put someone to death! Some other common
verbs used to start a software program you will hear are 'run', 'launch, and even 'boot' (when the software in question
is an operating system).
Software normally has both features and bugs. Hopefully more of the former than the latter! When software
has a bug there are a few things that can happen. The program can crash and terminate with a confusing message.
This is not good. End users do not like confusing error messages.
Sometimes when software stops responding you are forced to manually abort the program yourself by
pressing some strange combination of keys such as ctrl-alt-delete.
Because of poor usability, documentation, and strange error messages, programming still seems very
mysterious to most people. That's too bad, because it can be quite fun and rewarding to write software. To succeed,
you just have to take everything in small steps, think very hard, and never give up.
Programming forces you to think like a computer. This can be very rewarding when dealing with a wide range
of IT-related issues from tech support to setting up PPC (pay-per-click) advertising campaigns for a client's web site.
IT professionals deal with programmers on a daily basis. Having some understanding of the work they do helps
people get along with them better.
Software programs are normally written and compiled for certain hardware platforms. It is very important that
the software is compatible with all the components of the computer. For instance, you cannot run software written for a
Windows computer on a Macintosh computer or a Linux computer. Actually, you can, but you need to have special
emulation software or a virtual machine installed. Even with this special software installed, it is still normally best to run
a program on the kind of computer for which it was intended.
There are two basic kinds of software. The first is closed source or proprietary software, which you are not
free to modify and improve. An example of this kind of software is Microsoft Windows or Adobe Photoshop. This
software model is so popular that some people believe it's the only model there is. But there's a whole other world of
software out there.
The other kind of software is called open source software, which is normally free to use and modify (with some
restrictions of course). Examples of this type of software include most popular programming languages, operating
systems such as Linux, and thousands of applications such as Mozilla Firefox and Open Office.
But what is the real difference between open source and closed source software? Is open source software just
about saving a money? Let's investigate. Let's say for instance you find a bug in the latest version of Mozilla Firefox.
The bug is causing a major project to fail and you need to fix it right away. This is not very likely to happen but it's just
an example.
You might take the following steps:
Step 1. Download and unzip (or uncompress) the source code from Mozilla.
Step 2. Use an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and a debugger to find and fix the bug in the
source code. Please note that you will need to know a little C++ to debug applications such as this.
Step 3. Test the fix and then use a compiler to turn the source code into a binary file. This can take a long time
for big programs. Once the source code is compiled then the program should work!
Step 4. You are almost done. Now send the bug fix back to the Mozilla Firefox team. They may even use your
bug fix in the next release!
19
Now imagine you find a bug in a proprietary code base such as Microsoft Word. What can you do? Not much,
just file a bug report and hope someone fixes it at some point.
This is a rather radical example, but it illustrates to a large degree why programmers generally prefer open source
software to closed source alternatives. Good programmers love code and they want access to it. Hiding the code from
a programmer is like hiding the car engine from an auto mechanic. They don't like it!
B/ Questions:
Have you ever written any software? What do you think are the four key steps to developing a computer
program? What kind of software would you be interested in creating?
C/ Find words or phrases in the text with the following meaning:

a) to perform or carry out what is required (line 6)………………………
b) quality, or characteristic (10)…………………….
c) the ultimate user for which something is intended (12)…………………..
d) to stop functioning (11)……………………..
e) to terminate (an undertaking or procedure) before implementation or completion (13)……………………
f) that can be integrated into or used with another device or system of its type (23)………………………
g) a software defect (10)……………………
h) a piece of hardware that allows software to run (22)……………………
i) the ability of a computer program or electronic device to imitate another program or device (25)…………………
D/ Complete the sentences:

Closed source software is a kind of software.........................................................................................................
Open source software is a kind of software...........................................................................................................
PPC is an Internet advertising model.....................................................................................................................
A combination of keys ctrl-alt-delete is used.........................................................................................................
E/ Put the parts of the dialogue about installing software in the correct order:
A: "Thanks. I found it. I'll need it when I get the software."
B: "It's not that difficult to use, trust me. You'll figure it out without the manual. You could need the manual for
advanced options but we don't really need those."
A: "No. They were supposed to install it for me, but they didn't do it yet."
B: "Go ask your boss. He probably forgot."
A: "You're right. Most of the manuals I've used were not helpful at all. I'll come to you for questions when I am using
the software. If you don't mind too much."
A: "We need a new software to do this work, don't we?"
B: "Yes but you have it installed on your computer, don't you?"
B: "Not at all. Feel free to ask anything. I'll help you if I can."
A: "Thanks a lot. I better go find the boss to get the software installed on the computer."
A: "I'll do that. Can you see an instructional manual for this software?"
B: "It's in my cabinet, the first drawer, under Software Applications."
20
 Countable nouns are the names of objects, people, etc. that we can count. They have a singular and a
plural form.
file – files
computer – computers
program – programs
system – systems
Computers do not normally process all the information they have at once.
Think of all the video files, mp3s, photos, documents, etc on your PC.
 Uncountable nouns are the names for things we can't count. Uncountable nouns do not have a plural
form.
e.g. storage, software, multimedia
Trends in computer storage are always changing. (NOT storages)

Optical storage works by a laser burning or reading data off a plastic disc. (NOT storages)
There are two basic kinds of software. (NOT softwares)
The Internet gives people access to information. (NOT informations)
Uncountables go with much, some, any, little, a little, a great deal.
 Sometimes, the same noun can be countable and uncountable, often with a change of meaning.
Most forms of memory are intended to store data temporarily. (NOT memories)
Childhood memories are some of our most precious memories we possess.
F/ Complete the sentences with much, many or any.

a) There are ________computers in the library.
b) How _________ information about student services do you need?
c) Optical discs can store ___________ data.
d) There aren't __________versions of Windows Vista.
e) Are there ________unused icons on your desktop?
f) Your website has _______adware.
g) I get far too ___________ spam.
i) ________viruses attach themselves to executable files that may be part of legitimate programs.
G/ Are these nouns countable or uncountable?

DVD ___ Database ________
Networking _______ Equipment ________
Technology ______ Query _______
Icon _______ Information ________
Hardware _______ E-commerce _______
21
Unit 8 Computer Security
A/ Before reading the text think about the following question: Think of some important data on your
computer. Which would be worse – having data fall into the wrong hands or losing access to it?
B/ Try to give answers to these questions. Then read the text and check your answers.
1 Have computing developments over the last 30 years increased or decreased the security risk? Why?
2 What are some of the threats that face computer users?
3 What simple steps can users take to protect themselves? Are there any totally secure storage devices? What about
you? Do you back up your own private files? Is this important?
4 When do most people realise how valuable their data is?
COMPUTER SECURITY: AN INTRODUCTION

Effective computer security therefore involves taking physical security measures (to ensure hardware and
media are not stolen or damaged), minimising the risk and implications of error, failure or loss (for example
by developing a resilient back-up strategy), appropriate user authentication (for example by employing strong
passwording), and possibly the encryption of sensitive files.
We live in a world where "information wants to be free" and in which people are getting used to having
access to whatever information they want anytime, anywhere and from a wider and wider range of
computing devices. Unfortunately, in terms of the security and control of the resources to which computers
permit access, this can prove quite a problem. Indeed, many users unfortunately often view security and
control measures as inhibitors to effective computer use.
SECURITY AND DATA INTEGRITY THREATS
The range of means by which the security and integrity of computing resources can be threatened is very
broad, and encompasses:
Operator error (for example a user deleting the wrong file).
Hardware or media failure (either as a result of wear-and-tear, old age or accidental damage).
Theft or sabotage (of hardware and/or data or its media).
Hackers (who obtain unauthorised online access via the Internet).
Malware (any form of virus, and including "Trojan" e-mail attachments that users are encouraged to open).
Power surges and/or outages (which are one of the most common means of hard disk corruption and
hardware damage).
Flood, fire, storm or other natural disasters.
Fraud or embezzlement.
Industrial espionage.
Terrorism.
MINIMISING THE IMPACT OF ERROR, FAILURE OR LOSS
1 Why is it important to back up your data?

2 What examples of data backup media can you think of?
22
Whilst physical threats need to be protected against, most data is lost or corrupted following user error or
hardware failure. The best defence against this is an appropriate back-up strategy.
Users need to ensure that they take regular backs-ups at regular intervals and before and after making key
data changes. They also need to store multiple back-ups on different media in different locations. There is no
such thing as a permanent store of any form of computer data. Nor is any storage location entirely safe.
Many people are excellent at keeping back-ups, but have never thought about the consequences of one of
their back-up devices (such as a USB key containing all of their personal files) getting lost or stolen and
falling into the wrong hands.
Taking regular back-ups is at best only half of the story. Far too many individuals and businesses keep their
back-up media -- be they removable hard drives, optical disks and even USB memory sticks, in an entirely
insecure manner and in the same physical location as their computer. Even in corporate IT departments this
has been known. Such practice has to significantly reduce the value of back-ups.
When making their disaster recovery plans and addressing the key computer security questions (as
discussed at the end of this section), the location of back-up media needs careful consideration. Even on a
domestic level, most households could keep a few writable CD or DVD disks of key back-ups (including
photographs and their music collection) in a secure location (in the roof or under a floorboard or with family
and friends or wherever), and which would provide significantly increased data storage resilience.
However, unfortunately most people still only ever think of this kind of simple strategy after it is too late.
PASSWORDS AND APPROPRIATE USER AUTHENTICATION
Physically protecting computer equipment and data against damage or loss is a large element of computer
security. However, another large element is limiting access to all or part of a system or data store to
authorised users only.
Where computer security is concerned, one measure of user verification will almost always be a password
given the relative technical ease with which this can be implemented. Computer keyboards, mobile
computers and dedicated input devices that include finger print readers are also becoming more common,
and can be combined with passwording to achieve two-factor security. ID cards and even retinal scans are
also used in conjunction with passwords on high-end security systems.
The users must be educated to use strong passwording -- or in other words, to choose and use passwords in
a manner that makes the password difficult to either fathom or otherwise obtain by an unauthorised party.
To be classed as "strong", passwords:
Should be at least six and preferably eight or more characters in length.
Should be mixed case alphanumeric (a mix of apparently random upper and lower case letters and numbers
is best).
Should be changed regularly (at least every three months is a common rule).
Should be known only to the user.
Should not be obviously related to the user.
Should be different for each application used, and
Should not be written down (let alone stuck on a post-it note on the side of a computer!)
Taken from www.explainingcomputers.com
C/ In groups prepare short presentations on the topics covered in this text. Add some ideas of your
own:
Group 1 Making Backups
Group 2 Protecting Hardware and Media
Group 3 Encrypting Sensitive Data
Group 4 Effective Passwords

23
Instructions and advice – should, ought to, had better
 We use should, ought to andhad better to give advice or to talk about what we think is a good or a bad
idea. "Should" and "Ought to" have a very similar meaning when giving advice. When we want to give
URGENT advice we use "had better" . HAD BETTER is a stronger expression because it implies a
negative result or consequence. Also, ought to and had better are not used with questions.
Computer users should be educated never to open unsolicited (spam) emails.

Internet connection should be protected via a firewall.
You ought to tell the truth.
You had better check your hard disk for viruses.
NEGATIVE FORM
We ought NOT to test the safety of new drugs on sentient animals, such as dogs and rabbits.
They had better NOT be late.
You SHOULDN’T speak to your professor like that.
 We use the imperative form to give instructions, commands or orders and to make a request (if you use
"please").
Open your book.
As a basic rule, never enter your credit card details into a web page without first checking that the address
of the page starts "HTTPS"
Always update your antivirus software.
D/ Practice giving advice about how to keep your data and computer safe using should/shouldn't or
it's a good/bad idea to.
Talk about: malware, antivirus software, handling e-mails, passwording, online-transactions, trusted
websites, over secure (encrypted) connections.
E/ Imagine that you're helping a friend buy and use a computer. Use should/shouldn't or had
better/had better not to give advice and imperative to give instructions.
24
Internet security
A/ Read the text and find the answers to these questions:

1. What three things do you need to do to maintain effective internet security?
2. A firewall is like a filter. What information is blocked?
3. When managing a computer system, which priorities need to be balanced?
The connection of most computers in the world to the In addition to antivirus software and a firewall, user
Internet, coupled with the growth of cloud computing, vigilance and even plain common sense provide one of
has inevitably broadened significantly the scope of the most effective defences against potential Internet-
computer security and control vulnerabilities. related security vulnerabilities. For example, users
should be educated never to open unsolicited (spam)
Before the widespread adoption of personal emails, and doubly-so never to open any e-mail
computers, rogue programmers with malicious or attachments included with such e-mails (and as may
criminal intent would try to "hack" into big computing be automatically opened by some configurations of e-
facilities via the phone network. Then, once personal mail software). Viruses and other malware (such as
computing really took told, the focus for many such "sniffer" software intended to record and communicate
malicious programmers shifted to writing computer usernames and passwords) can be attached as
viruses that could be unknowingly distributed on floppy "Trojan" (horses) to e-mails. However, it is only when
disks, and which could hence disrupt the operation of the user opens such messages and executes their
those millions of computers not connected to the attachments that corruption or security risks can occur.
telephone network. Today, this situation has
evolved again, with many personal computers having Users also need to ensure that they use strong
an "always on" broadband connection which makes passwording (as above) when setting up accounts for
them potentially prone to unauthorised access via a web transactions.
computer network. And on top of this, the virus writers
are still at work, the fruits of their corruptive Talking of online transactions, users should also be
programming labours now distributed both online and careful only to conduct business online with trusted
via physical storage media. websites and over secure (encrypted) connections.
Trusted websites are those that are well known, have
More and more people and organizations an established trading history, and which advertise
conduct their affairs over the world-wide web. The contact points for both online and off-line customer
sensible use of a credit card over the web is not that support. Secure connections can be identified by
much more secure than it was five years ago. The fact looking for the letters "HTTPS" (a secure version of the
that it has become the norm is therefore due to the fact hypertext transfer protocol that facilitates web
that the risk/benefit ratio of doing e-business has communications) at the start of the web address seen
shifted significantly in favour of the "benefit" side in the at the top of a web browser window. HTTPS
eyes of the value-seeking majority. connections exchange digital certificates to encrypt
communications via what is known as a "secure socket
Care, of course, does need to be taken. For a start layer" (SSL). As a basic rule, never enter your credit
these days it is foolish to run any computer with an card details into a web page without first checking that
Internet connection without antivirus software. Such the address of the page starts "HTTPS".
software -- such as the range of Norton security
software is most usually commercially purchased with For users of cloud computing services such as SaaS
a yearly subscription for regular updates to its virus applications, all of the above points relating to good
definition database. However, it is possible to obtain Internet security clearly apply. Computing in the cloud
antivirus software for free. is still deemed by many to be risky. However, it can
also bring security advantages as user data is
In addition (though often bundled with) antivirus protected off-site in large vendor data centres
software, all computers with a potentially always-on
Internet connection should be protected via a firewall. In addition to using antivirus software, a firewall, strong
Whilst antivirus software is intended to detect and passwords, and uploading regular operating system
prevent infestation with malicious software (including and browser updates, it is doubly important for users of
viruses and other "malware"), the job of a firewall is to the cloud to ensure the security of the computer they
regulate the network communications a computer use to access their chosen online services. In
receives, permitting or denying such communications particular care needs to be taken to make certain that
based on how trusted the communications source is they never leave active accounts on a device that may
considered to be. be stolen or otherwise accessed by inappropriate
users.
Like antivirus software, a firewall needs to be Taken from www.explainingcomputers.com
regularly updated with the latest threat information to
be most effective.
25
B/ Watch and discuss a presentation on computer security. Summarize the main points.
http://www.youtube.com/user/explainingcomputers#p/u/7/Wc1dOw4j3J8
C/ Using the line reference given, look back in the text and find references for the words in bold.
1) ...and which could hence...
2) ...connection which makes them...
3) The fact that it has become... Reference words are words

used to link ideas together
4) Such software... so that the text is easier to
read. Their function is to
5) ...updates to its virus definition... take your thoughts back to
something that has already
6)...and executes their attachments... been mentioned.
7)...to ensure that they use...
Words which are often used
8)...and which advertise... to refer backwards are
pronouns such as it, they,
9) However, it can also... them, I, he, she, which,
who, whose, that, such,
10)...certain that they never... one, and this, that, these
and those, the former, the
latter, the first, second,
etc., the last.
26
Unit 9 Avoiding Email Misunderstandings
A/ Discuss the following sentence and then read the text.
According to a recent survey, around 1/3 of people are regularly offended by emails. Why do you think it is so? Have
you heard of email etiquette and the rules for better email communication?
Email is an offensive business
Tuesday, 28 July 2009
Apparently one in three of us are regularly offended by incorrectly-read emails. So few?
In a survey of 1,900 UK workers, email provider GMX found a third of us are erroneously offended by work emails on
a regular basis – usually because we’ve misread what was being said, or misunderstood the tone. It also causes us
great angst if emails are too long, or too short, or too slow, or too fast. In fact there are so many ways to be offended
by emails that we’re not sure we believe the two-thirds that don’t have their noses regularly put out of joint. Perhaps
the survey came by email and they didn’t understand the question?
Clearly people rely on email to communicate in the office to a ridiculous extent these days – we’ve worked in some
places where people sitting within ten yards of each other would email rather than deign to hold an actual
conversation. But this impersonal style of communication has obvious drawbacks; notably that recipients don’t have
the benefit of tone of voice and body language. So misunderstandings are much more common. Time constraints are
also a problem: when people start firing back rapid replies, or skim-reading messages too quickly, there’s always a
chance that someone is going to get the wrong end of the stick. All in all, over 40% of us have apparently experienced
this in the last year.
In some ways the recession has helped matters. Waiting around for a reply to a carefully crafted email was a major
irritant to 70% of people surveyed (a delay of more than three days is enough to make most workers antsy). But in
these troubled times, people seem determined to be more efficient – a quarter said they’d tried to reply to emails more
quickly. On the other hand, this probably increases the chances of them accidentally offending someone, so this isn’t
necessarily a good thing.
Perhaps more significantly, hardly any of them have adapted their tone or style to suit the climate – and therein lies
the real problem, as we see it. Replying quickly is much less useful than replying appropriately. Why do people seem
to think it’s perfectly ok to be brusque, equivocal and occasionally downright rude over email, when they’d never
dream of being any of these things in person? The rules of normal polite discourse don’t go out of the window just
because you’re corresponding in a different medium. Although this is hardly rocket science, a lot of people clearly
don’t get it – and it’s causing a lot of energy to be expended on unnecessary offence. So MT’s Campaign for Better-
Mannered Emails starts here.
Taken from www.managementtoday.co.uk/news/923463/email-offensive-business/
B/ 12 Business Email Etiquette Tips
“Writing ‘LOL’ in a text is a deal breaker for me. So is using multiple exclamation points.”- Actress Olivia Wilde talks
about judging guys on their texts. (Us Weekly)
Email Etiquette, who needs a refresher course or who needs to understand the rules and guidelines.
tech.yahoo.com posted a story about an employee, Vicki Walker, of New Zealand’s Procare Health who was fired
from her job for sending confrontational emails enriched with text formatted in a variety of red, bold and ALL CAPS
fonts and included stern instructions on how forms should be filled out.
The rules of email etiquette are not "rules" in the sense that ” I will come after you if you don't follow them”.
They are guidelines that help avoid mistakes (like offending someone when you don't mean to) and
misunderstandings (like being offended when you're not meant to).
In business emails, try not to use abbreviations such as BTW (by the way) and LOL (laugh out loud). The recipient
might not be aware of the meanings of the abbreviations and in business emails these are generally not appropriate.
The same goes for emoticons, such as the smiley:-). If you are not sure whether your recipient knows what it means, it
is better not to use it. BTW: If you ever see someone TYPING AN ENTIRE SENTENCE IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS
that means SHOUTING!
These core rules of email etiquette help us communicate better via email. Taken from http://www.examiner.com/
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C/ Complete the rules with the following words:
never salutation punctuation appropriate forward spread concise avoid abbreviations subject expose
attachments reply humour
1.Use a meaningful _________ line.

2. Be ________ and get to the point.
3.Use the right ________.
4. Don’t ________ your email list.
5. Check spelling, grammar and _________.
6. Keep _________ to a minimum.
7. Do not send very large _________.
8. ________ promptly.
9. Avoid inappropriate ________.
10. ________ using your company email for personal business.
11. Always use an_________ email address.
12. ________ write in all CAPITALS.
13. Don't ____________ hoaxes.
14. Use antivirus software so you don't ____________viruses, worms or spam via email.
D/ Samples for writing emails
Match the topic with the right sample. Then, write an email. Here are a few topics you can choose from:
a) Invite somebody to a meeting or event. (or respond to an invitation)
b) Enquire about a product or service you are interested in. (or complain)
c) Apologize to a client for a project delay.
d) Give updates or write a short report about some project. (or inform about a change of plan)
e) Ask for advice or give some to a colleague.
1 Greeting - Hi/hello - "Dear Mr Jones" / "Dear Ms Jones"/ ''Dear colleague''
2 Replying to a previous mail - Thanks for the information/phone call/getting me the figures...
3 Stating your purpose- Just a quick note to tell you/let you know/update you on…
I am writing to enquire/get some information about...
4 Closing – Thank you for/I am looking forward to/ If you have any questions...
5 Ending - Yours sincerely/Best wishes/Regards
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Unit 10 People in IT
A/ How many people that are famous in IT world can you think of? What are they famous for? Read
the text to find out more.
Almost everyone uses computers these days for everything from shopping to working to playing games. But
have you ever stopped to think about where all this amazing technology came from? Who invented it all? Well, behind
every company, programming language or piece of software, there is a person - or sometimes a team of people - who
turned ideas into reality. We've all heard of Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft and one of the richest men in history.
Equally famous is Steve Jobs, the person who, along with Steve Wozniak, started Apple computers. However, there
are hundreds of other people, from early pioneers to later geniuses, who aren't as well known but who deserve
recognition for the work they did in advancing the world of computing.
One of the first people to conceive of computers was Charles Babbage (December 26, 1791 - October 18,
1871), an English mathematician and analytical philosopher who drew up plans for the first programmable computer
called the Difference Engine. George Boole (November 2, 1815- December 8, 1864) came up with a way of
describing logical relations using mathematical symbols - now called Boolean logic - that is the basis of all modern
computer processes. Vannevar Bush (March 11, 1890 - June 28, 1974) first proposed an idea in 1945 he called
'memex', which we now know as 'hypertext'. Another notable figure in early computing was Alan Mathison Turing
(June 23, 1912 - June 7, 1954), an Englishman known as the "father of computer science". He invented the Turing
Test, which is a way to find out if a computer is acting like a machine or a human. Another English computer scientist,
Edgar Frank Codd (August 23, 1923 - April 18, 2003), is known for inventing the "relational" model for databases, a
model which is still in use today.
As computing became more complicated, people needed a way to make it easier to tell computers what to do
- in other words, they needed ways to program the computers. These computer instruction systems became known as
computer, or programming, languages. FORTRAN, the first widely used high-level programming language, was
invented by an American computer scientist, John Warner Backus (December 3, 1924 - March 17, 2007). Other
notable North American inventors of programming languages include Dennis Ritchie, author of the C programming
language, Larry Wall, creator of Perl, and Canadian James Gosling, known as the father of Java. Two men from
Denmark are responsible for writing two other famous programming languages. Bjarne Stroustrup came up with C++
and Rasmus Lerdorf devised PHP. Dutchman Guido van Rossum wrote the Python programming language, while
the Japanese computer scientist, Yukihiro Matsumoto, made a language called Ruby.
One of the uses of programming languages is to create operating systems, which are essentially sets of
instructions that allow computers to function. The most widely-used operating system in the world is Microsoft
Windows, but there are other powerful ones that exist, such as Unix, created by Ken Thompson and his team at
AT&T in 1969, and Linux, written by Linus Torvalds in 1991.
Microsoft, of course, is the largest software company in the world, but there is another company, Intel, that is
equally important when it comes to hardware. Intel was started by several people who are now legends in the
computer world, including Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore. Moore is also famous for coming up with Moore's Law,
which predicts the rapid increase of computer technology over time. Intel expanded rapidly during the 1980s and
1990s when a man named Andy Grove was in charge of the company.
Other notable figures in the evolution of the computer industry are Ralph Baer, inventor of the first home
video game console, Seymour Cray, for many years the manufacturer of the world's fastest supercomputers, Richard
Stallman, founder of the free software movement called GNU, and Tim Berners-Lee, the man who created the basis
for the World Wide Web.
Through their creativity and hard work, all of these people contributed to shaping what we now experience as
Information and Computer Technology. Every time you boot up a computer, play a video game or surf the Internet, try
to remember the individuals who made these wonders possible.
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B/ Correct the following sentences:
1. Bill Gates, who started Apple computers, is one of the richest men in history.
2. George Boole came up with a way of describing logical relations using graphic symbols - now called Graphic logic -
that is the basis of all modern computer processes.
3. John Warner Backus, an American computer scientist, invented COBOL which is the first widely used high-level
programming language.
4. Bjarne Stroustrup who came up with C++ and Rasmus Lerdorf who devised PHP both come from Sweden.
5. Intel, of course, is the largest software company in the world, but there is another company, Microsoft, that is
equally important when it comes to hardware.
6. Gordon Moore, one of the top Intel people is also famous for coming up with Moore's Law, which predicts the rapid
decrease of computer technology over time.
Charles Babbage’s engine
Relative clauses
We can define people or things with a relative clause. To refer to people we use the relative pronouns who or that.
For things, we use the relative pronouns which or that.
We use whose to talk about possession.
Instead of the relative pronoun we can use relative adverbs of place WHERE and time WHEN.
Example: This is the town where I was born.
C/ Complete the sentences using relative pronouns and extra information.

1.Bill Gates is one of the richest men in history...
2. Charles Babbage… is known as ‘the father of the computer".
3. Linux operating system...
4. Operating systems are essentially sets of instructions...
5. Ralph H. Baer …is called "The Father of Video Games".
6. Steve Jobs...saw some of the potential in a GUI.
D/ Writing
1. Write a short essay about one person from the text and explain why that person inspires you.
2. Do you know of any computer scientists in your own country? What are Mario Kovač and Tomislav Uzelac famous
for? Write a short biography of them for homework.
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Chapter 2: Software and Information Technology
Unit 1 The Software Development Cycle
A/ Reading
Without software applications, it would be very hard to actually perform any meaningful task on a computer unless one
was a very talented, fast, and patient programmer. Applications are meant to make users more productive and get
work done faster. Their goal should be flexibility, efficiency, and user-friendliness.
Today there are thousands of applications for almost every purpose, from writing letters to playing games. Producing
software is no longer the lonely profession it once was, with a few random geeks hacking away in the middle of the
night. Software is a big business and the development cycle goes through certain stages and versions before it is
released.
Applications are released in different versions, including alpha versions, beta versions, release candidates, trial
versions, full versions, and upgrade versions. Even an application's instructions are often included in the form of
another application called a help file.
Alpha versions of software are normally not released to the public and have known bugs. They are often seen
internally as a 'proof of concept'. Avoid alphas unless you are desperate or else being paid as a 'tester'.
Beta versions, sometimes just called 'betas' for short, are a little better. It is common practice nowadays for companies
to release public beta versions of software in order to get free, real-world testing and feedback. Betas are very popular
and can be downloaded all over the Internet, normally for free. In general you should be wary of beta versions,
especially if program stability is important to you. There are exceptions to this rule as well. For instance, Google has a
history of excellent beta versions which are more stable than most company's releases.
After the beta stage of software development comes the release candidates (abbreviated RC). There can be one or
more of these candidates, and they are normally called RC 1, RC 2, RC 3, etc. The release candidate is very close to
what will actually go out as a feature complete 'release'.
The final stage is a 'release'. The release is the real program that you buy in a shop or download. Because if the
complexity in writing PC software, it is likely that bugs will still find their way into the final release. For this reason,
software companies will offer patches to fix any major problems that end users complain loudly about.
Applications are distributed in many ways today. In the past most software has been bought in stores in versions
called retail boxes. More and more, software is being distributed over the Internet, as open source, shareware,
freeware, or traditional proprietary and upgrade versions. Taken from www.english4it.com
B/ Discussion Questions
What are your favourite applications that you use every day? Explain the terms 'alpha version', 'beta version' and
‘release candidate' of an application.
C/ Language work: Expressing opinions - Agreeing and disagreeing
Expressing opinions in meetings, discussions, problem solving and other situations are an important part of a
businessperson's day. Learning to express an opinion, to agree or disagree, in a positive and inoffensive manner is an
important social skill. Below are some phrases that you can use to help express opinions.
Example: (+) I think / (-) I don’t think that Macs are better than PCs.
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 That's just what I was thinking.
To Agree with a sentence:
 (+) Me too. / (-) Me Neither. To Disagree with a sentence:

 (+) So do I/ (-) Neither do I.
 You're absolutely right.  (+) I don’t/ (-) I do!
 Yes, I agree.  I don't agree with you.
 I think so too. / I don't think so either.  That's not entirely true.
 That's a good point.  On the contrary…
 I'd go along with that.  I'm sorry to disagree with you, but…
 I agree with you entirely.  Yes, but don't you think…
 I'm not so sure about that.
 I'd like to point out that…

Expressing personal point of view
 I believe that…
 What I mean is…
 In my experience…
 As far as I'm concerned… Expressing general point of view
 Speaking for myself…
 In my opinion…  It is thought that...
 Personally, I think…  Some people say that...
 I'd say that…  It is considered...
 I'd suggest that…  It is generally accepted that...
D/ Give your opinion on the following statements:
1) Computer techs of today are the TV repairmen of tomorrow?
2) In the future, computers will replace teachers.
3) Computers are more interesting than people.
4) I'd rather program computers than go to the cinema.
5) Green IT in not just a trend but new normal.
6) I think it's normal to give names to your computers.
7) Tracking cookies should be illegal.
8) The more firewall you have running the safer you are.
9) Most web surfers do not take computer security seriously.
10) Internet should be free for everyone.
11) Social Networks are platforms for social surveillance.
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Unit 2 Operating Systems
A/ What are the basic functions of an operating system? Which operating systems have you used
or tried out? Why? Which operating system do you think will be the most popular in 10 years?
Why? Can you name some of the newest operating systems?
B/ Reading: Operating systems
When you turn on your computer, it's nice to think that you're in control. There's the trusty and useful
computer mouse, which you can move anywhere on the screen, summoning up your music library or Internet browser
at the slightest whim. Although it's easy to feel like a director in front of your desktop or laptop, there's a lot going on
inside, and the real man behind the curtain handling the necessary tasks is the operating system. Most desktop or
laptop PCs come pre-loaded with Microsoft Windows. Macintosh computers come pre-loaded with Mac OS X. Many
corporate servers use the Linux or UNIX operating systems. The operating system (OS) is the first thing loaded onto
the computer -- without the operating system, a computer is useless.
More recently, operating systems have started to pop up in smaller computers as well. If you like to tinker with
electronic devices, you're probably pleased that operating systems can now be found on many of the devices we use
every day, from cell phones to wireless access points. The computers used in these little devices have gotten so
powerful that they can now actually run an operating system and applications. The computer in a typical modern cell
phone is now more powerful than a desktop computer from 20 years ago, so this progression makes sense and is a
natural development.
The purpose of an operating system is to organize and control hardware and software so that the device it lives
in behaves in a flexible but predictable way. Taken from computer.howstuffworks.com
C/ Can you guess the meaning of these words from context? Are they nouns, verbs, adjectives or
adverbs? Now, match them with the correct meaning:
1) whim I______
2) pop up a_____
3) tinker p___
4) summon up g_____
D/ Find the opposites of the following words in the text:
1 obsolete(line 4) _____________________
2 futile(line 1) ______________________
3 unreliable(line 1) ______________________
4 artificial (line 13) ______________________
5 rigid(line 15) ______________________
Language work: Articles
 a = indefinite article (not a specific object, one of a number of the same objects )- with consonants
 A virus is a piece of software.
 an = indefinite article (not a specific object, one of a number of the same objects) - with vowels (a,e,i,o,u)
When you open an infected file, the virus is activated.
 the = definite article (a specific object that both the person speaking and the listener know)
Try to update the database of your anti-virus program regularly.
 The first time you speak of something use "a or an", the next time you repeat that object use "the".
In shops a computer scans the price of each item. The computer calculates the total cost.
 We don't use articles with plural and uncountable nouns when we talk about things in general.
Computers and microchips have become part of our everyday lives.
DO NOT use an article with countries, states, counties or provinces, lakes and mountains except when the country is a collection of
states such as The United States.
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E/ Put in a, an, the or X (zero article):
1) I can’t do any work without_____ computer.
2) _____computer in my office is broken.
3) She works as_____ computer programmer.
4) When you are connected to ____ Internet you are described as being online.
5) This house is very nice. Has it got ____garden?
6) There isn't ____airport near where I live. _____nearest airport is 70 miles away.
7) Excuse me, please. Can you tell me how to get to ____ airport?
8) We looked up at all the stars in _____ sky.
9) I want to buy _____laptop computer next week.
10) I'd like to go to _____ Egypt and see _____ Pyramids.
11) Last year I visited _____Mexico and _____ United States.
12) _____UK consists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
13) John works for ____ IBM now.
14) Ken's brother is in _____prison for robbery. (general idea of places such as prison, hospital, university, and
church)
15) Excuse me, where is _______university, please? (the university buildings)
16) If you want to get a degree, you normally have to study at_______ university.
F/ Complete the text: No Operating System Written By: Paul Siegel
Imagine ____ computer with no operating system. If you can do that, you can imagine _____computer that is
extremely difficult to hack into. _____ computer that is almost immune to viruses. _____ computer that rarely crashes.
Too good to be true? No, such _____ computer has been invented.
Eric Hauk and Eric Uner, 2 former Motorola engineers, invented this computer. They became so frustrated
and annoyed by hack attacks and by all the time they wasted installing software patches, that they decided to change
their server. Instead of _____ operating system, they designed _____chip storing a “kernel” of only about 4 Kilobytes
of code. They founded Bodacion Technologies Inc. (http://www.bodacion.com) to market _____ computer, which is
called Hydra. This is essentially _____ same idea that is used for medical devices and for game-playing machines like
Nintendo. Nintendo rarely breaks down even though young hackers are constantly trying.
Why is _____operating-system-less computer more sturdy than one with an operating system? What do many viruses
do? Once they get into _____ system they manage to modify operating-system instructions to kill _____ whole
system. But if operating-system instructions do not exist, or rather they exist in hardware, they cannot be modified.
Result: _____ computer you can depend on. Of course, this tremendous reliability comes at price. Why does _____
operating system have millions of lines of code? To increase the flexibility of _____ computer. This is why such
computers are called general purpose computers. Without ___ O.S., _____computer loses this flexibility and becomes
one that is tailored for _____
given purpose.
Producing many tailored non-O.S. computers is now worthwhile in order to achieve greater reliability.
It seems that this new technology is better than it appears to be at first blush. It may even be used to make general
purpose computers more resistant to viruses. If _____ non-O.S. computer were used as _____ input-output device for
_____ conventional O.S. computer, it could kill viruses before they reach the conventional computer.
Maybe non-O.S. computers have _____ great future!
34
Unit 3 Should All Software Be Free?
A/ There are people who make remarkable software that can be freely used, changed and shared.
Some of them are even more successful than those who sell their software for a lot of money. Have
you heard of the Free Software Movement?
In the last quarter of century many changes happened in the fast world of computers. Usually these changes
are about newer and faster hardware but in the middle of this contest another argument focused the attention of
programmers and non programmers. This time the topic was on an ethical issue.
Software should be free (libre) or proprietary?
Have you ever tried to give someone else the last version of your best program? Including the source code? It
can be painful sometimes to literally ”donate” your own mind product and effort. Effort that, in many cases, is the result
of several dozens or even hundreds of hard work hours.
The only thing we should think when we do it is that the suffering is only a very small price to pay if we
compare to what we have in return from the free software community.
Before starting we have to make a step back and define what is free software. Unfortunately because English
language has a bug in it we have to start by defining terms. English has more words than any other language on the
planet, it still has only one adjective for two very different concepts. In this paper when we are talking about free
software, we are talking about free as in freedom, not necessarily price. So just think about free speech, NOT free
beer. Free software is a matter of the users’ freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software.
More precisely, it refers to four kinds of freedom, for the users of the software:
freedom 0 The freedom to run the program, for any purpose.
freedom 1 The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs (access to the source code is a
precondition for this).
freedom 2 The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbour.
freedom 3 The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole
community benefits (Access to the source code is a precondition
for this).
Definition: A program is free software if users have all of these freedoms.
Now that we defined exactly what free software means, we can explain who are the people that joined and
join the community. Free software is a large community of users who run, share, copy and write free software. If we
want to underline the date when this community was born, probably the best choice would be 5 Jan 1984. In that date,
Richard M. Stallman (or by the community usually referred as RMS) quit his job at MIT to begin developing a free
software operating system: GNU (GNU is Not Unix). He was the first one, many others followed.
Free software community gives us the opportunity to download, use, redistribute and modify all software created year
by year with the same philosophy. On the opposite side of the river there is proprietary software.
Definition: A program is proprietary software if it is not free software or semi-free software. Its use, redistribution or
modification is prohibited, or requires you to ask for permission, or is restricted so much that you effectively can’t do it
freely. The term open source software is used by some people to mean more or less the same thing as free software.
Taken from www.cs.rutgers.edu
B/ An Interview: Why software should be free

Richard Stallman is a pioneer of the free software movement. His vision is of software that has no secrets that people
can share freely. He told BBC News Online's Alfred Hermida why free software could replace proprietary programs.
Richard Stallman: Free software means that you the user are free to study what the program does, change it to suit
your needs, distribute copies to other people and publish improved versions. And if you are not a programmer, you
can engage someone else to do it for you.
Alfred Hermida: We're not talking here of software that is free of commercial value; you can sell this software?
35
RS: Those are two different questions. Free software today has tremendous value to commerce and as a separate
matter you can sell it. That's part of the freedom. You can make copies and sell it. Everyone has the freedom to do
that.
AH: How does this empower the user?
RS: It means that you can see what the program does. So if you are concerned it might have a back door, you can
check what it really does. And you can study it to learn how you do those jobs. You can study it to see precisely what
it does.
If you are a business user, anytime you want the program changed, you can change it to suit your needs. It
means the whole community does this and together we make the software better. That's why today free software has
a general reputation to be powerful and reliable. Systems will stay up for months without crashing.
AH: So you can customise it to meet your needs?
RS: They get the benefits of your improvements and you get the benefits of theirs. Fundamentally it means that when
your friend says 'hey, that looks nice, can I have a copy?', you can openly and lawfully make a copy for your friend.
You are not reduced to doing that as an underground activity in fear.
AH: If free software is so appealing how come a lot of people use proprietary systems?
RS: Inertia. Our first free operating system became available in 1992 at which point Microsoft already had a quasi-
monopoly and when society has inertia, it tends to have a lot of resistance to switching. In addition some of these
proprietary software companies are very clever at locking the users in, deliberately making it difficult for them to
switch. But in fact people are switching in our direction.
AH: If we look to the future, proprietary software is the predominant force in the computer industry. What's the role for
free software in this environment?
RS: We're going to replace them. To have freedom to live as part of a community, to have the freedom to treat other
people decently, you must replace your propriety software with free software, software that lets you have those
freedoms.
Proprietary software is software that takes away those freedoms, divides people and keeps them helpless.
Proprietary software is an anti-social system and I hope to see that system come to an end.
AH: Do you see it as a David versus Goliath battle?
RS: A little bit. But I am not so much interested in focusing on whether it is heroic, as on winning the battle. We're
fighting for people's freedoms. Taken from www.linuxtoday.com
C/ How do you like the idea of sharing what we know and learn with others? Do you think software
should be free? Give your opinion on this topic.
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D/ Language work: Reported speech
If we report what another person has said, we usually do not use the speaker’s exact words (direct speech),
but reported (indirect) speech.
 direct speech - “I speak English.”
 reported speech - (no backshift) He says that he speaks English.
(backshift) He said that he spoke English.
Questions
 direct speech - “Why don’t you speak English?”

 reported speech - He asked me why I didn’t speak English.
 direct speech - “Do you speak English?”
 reported speech - He asked me whether / if I spoke English.
E/ Report on what Richard Stallman said about why software should be free.
He said...........................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................................
F/ Finish the sentences using reported speech.

1) "The internet as we know it will no longer be able to grow."
He said.....................................................................................................................................................................
2) "All sorts of devices need to access the internet now, from smartphones and games consoles, to cars."
Karrenberg said........................................................................................................................................................
3) "My impression is that while awareness of the issue is quite high, a lot of businesses are sitting on the fence.’’
He said......................................................................................................................................................................
4) "Many small businesses are waiting to see what the early adopters do; how they handle things.’’
He said........................................................................................................................................................................
5) "My suspicion is too many are leaving it too late."
He said........................................................................................................................................................................
6) ''How often do you use the Internet?''
He................................................................................................................................................................................
7) ''Has the Internet changed society?’’
He...............................................................................................................................................................................
8) ''Do you access the Internet from your mobile phone?'''
He...............................................................................................................................................................................
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Unit 4 History of the World Wide Web
A/ Do you know why the World Wide Web was invented and by whom? Read the text to find out.
Before the World Wide Web the Internet really only "GUIs we talked about before only belonged to
provided screens full of text (and usually only in one different computers or different computer software.
font and font size). So although it was pretty good for They could not be networked.
exchanging information, and indeed for accessing It was Tim Berners Lee who brought this all
information such as the Catalogue of the US Library of together and created the World Wide Web. The first
Congress, it was visually very boring. trials of the World Wide Web were at the CERN
In an attempt to make this more aesthetic, laboratories in Switzerland in December 1990. By
companies like Compuserve and AOL began 1991 browser and web server software was available.
developing what used to be called GUIs (or graphical By the end of 1992, there were about 26 sites.
user interfaces). GUIs added a bit of colour and a bit of The first browser which became popularly
layout, but were still pretty boring. Indeed IBM available to take advantage of this was Mosaic, in
personal computers were only beginning to adopt 1993. Mosaic was as slow as a wet week, and really
Windows interfaces - before that with MSDOS didn't handle downloading pictures well at all.
interfaces they were pretty primitive. So the Internet On April 30, 1993 CERN's directors made a
might have been useful, but it wasn't good looking. statement that was a true milestone in Internet history.
Probably the World Wide Web saved the net. On this day, they declared that WWW technology
Not only did it change its appearance, it made it would be freely usable by anyone, with no fees being
possible for pictures and sound to be displayed and payable to CERN.
exchanged. The browser really did begin to change
The web had some important predecessors, everything. By the end of 1994 there were a million
perhaps the most significant of these being Ted browser copies in use - rapid growth indeed!!
Nelson's Xanadu project, which worked on the concept Then we really started to see growth. Every
of Hypertext - where you could click on a word and it year from 1994 to 2000, the Internet saw massive
would take you somewhere else. Ted Nelson growth, the like of which had not been seen with any
envisaged with Xanadu a huge library of all the worlds' preceding technology. The Internet era had begun.
information. In order to click on hyperlinks, as they The first search engines began to appear in
were called, Douglas Engelbart invented the mouse, the mid 1990s, and it didn't take long for Google to
which was to later become a very important part of come on the scene, and establish a dominant market
personal computers. So the idea of clicking on a word position.
or a picture to take you somewhere else was a basic In the early days, the web was mainly used for
foundation of the web. displaying information. On line shopping, and on line
Another important building block was the URL purchase of goods, came a little bit later. The first large
or Uniform Resource Locator. This allowed you a commercial site was Amazon, a company which in its
further option to find your way around by naming a initial days concentrated solely on book markets.
site. Every site on the worldwide web has a unique By 1998 there were 750,000 commercial sites
URL (such as www.nethistory.info). on the world wide web.
The other feature was Hypertext Markup All these developments rapidly changed the way
Language (html), the language that allowed pages to traditional markets worked. In some industries, the
display different fonts and sizes, pictures, colours etc. world would never be the same again.
Before HTML, there was no such standard, and the Taken from www.nethistory.info
B/ Using the line reference given, look back in the text and find the reference for the words in bold.
1) So although it was pretty good… .....................................................................................
2) …they were pretty primitive. .....................................................................................
3) Not only did it change… .....................................................................................
4) … the most significant of these… .....................................................................................
5) … and it would take you somewhere else ...................................................................................
6) …, which was to later become … ....................................................................................
7) … there was no such standard .....................................................................................
8) …, they declared that WWW technology... ................................................................................
C/ Language work: Emphasizing
Study the following example:
It was Tim Berners Lee who brought this all together and created the World Wide Web.
We can emphasize an element with it is/was…that/who…
38
D/ Now change these sentences to emphasize the words in italics.
1) GUIs added a bit of colour and a bit of layout
................................................................................................................................................
2) Probably the World Wide Web saved the net.
...............................................................................................................................................
3) Douglas Engelbart invented the mouse
...............................................................................................................................................
4) The first trials of the World Wide Web were at the CERN laboratories in Switzerland
.............................................................................................................................................
5) The browser really did begin to change everything.
..............................................................................................................................................
6) In the early days, the web was mainly used for displaying information.
.................................................................................................................................................
7) George arrived first at the meeting.
................................................................................................................................................
8) We now need actions rather than words.
................................................................................................................................................
9) I'm not questioning his dedication at all.
................................................................................................................................................
10) Nowadays, I find learning English most enjoyable.
..................................................................................................................................................
E/ Language work: Passive forms

The subject of a passive verb corresponds to the object of an active verb.
 Active voice: Intel makes Pentium chips.

 Passive voice: Pentium chips are made by Intel.
Present simple: This engine is made in Korea.
Present progressive: PCs are constantly being improved.
Past simple: BASIC was devised in 1964.
Past progressive: My printer was being repaired, so I couldn't print out the report.
Present perfect: A supercomputer has been developed by IBM.
Past perfect: The system had been infected by a new virus.
Future simple: Our society will be controlled by intelligent machines.
Future perfect: By the year 2020, teachers will have been replaced by robots.
Modal verbs: Computers may also be connected via satellite.
Infinitive: A modem permits digital data to be converted into sound signals
F/ Mixed tenses. Complete these sentences with a suitable passive verb.

1) The ARPANET_______ now _________the precursor to the Internet. (consider)
2) The ARPANET ___________to the general public in 1972 (October). (introduce)
3) At the time, the character "@"_______ already _________to separate the user's name from the rest of the address.
(use)
4) The naming system DNS used today ______________in 1984, in order to remedy the lack of flexibility inherent in
hosts files. (implement)
5) In August 1969, separate from the military project, the experimental network ARPANET __________by ARPA.
(create)
6) In late 1990, Tim Berners-Lee finished the protocol HTTP and HTM the World Wide Web________. (bear)
39
Unit 5 What is Information Technology?
A/ Read the text.
Information technology (IT) is the application of computers and telecommunications equipment to store,
retrieve, transmit and manipulate data. Several industries are associated with information technology, such as
computer hardware, software, electronics, semiconductors, internet, telecom equipment, e-commerce and computer
services.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the term information technology (IT) was a little known phrase that was used by
those who worked in places like banks and hospitals to describe the processes they used to store information. With
the paradigm shift to computing technology and "paperless" workplaces, information technology has come to be a
household phrase. It defines an industry that uses computers, networking, software programming, and other
equipment and processes to store, process, retrieve, transmit, and protect information.
In the early days of computer development, there was no such thing as a college degree in IT. Software
development and computer programming were best left to the computer scientists and mathematical engineers, due to
their complicated nature. As time passed and technology advanced, such as with the advent of the personal computer
in the 1980s and its everyday use in the home and the workplace, the world moved into the information age.
By the early 21st century, nearly every child in the Western world, and many in other parts of the world, knew how to
use a personal computer. Businesses' information technology departments have gone from using storage tapes
created by a single computer operator to interconnected networks of employee workstations that store information in a
server farm, often somewhere away from the main business site. Communication has advanced, from physical postal
mail, to telephone fax transmissions, to nearly instantaneous digital communication through electronic mail (email).
Great technological advances have been made since the days when computers were huge pieces of
equipment that were stored in big, air conditioned rooms, getting their information from punch cards. The information
technology industry has turned out to be a huge employer of people worldwide, as the focus shifts in some nations
from manufacturing to service industries. It is a field where the barrier to entry is generally much lower than that of
manufacturing, for example. In the current business environment, being proficient in computers is often a necessity for
those who want to compete in the workplace.
Jobs in information technology are widely varied, although many do require some level of higher education. Modern
Information Technology Departments:
In order to perform the complex functions required of information technology departments today, the modern
Information Technology Department would use computers, servers, database management systems, and
cryptography. The department would be made up of several System Administrators, Database Administrators and at
least one Information Technology Manager. The group usually reports to the Chief Information Officer (CIO).
Taken from www.wisegeek.com/what-is-information-technology
B/ Here are some of the trends in information technology. These changing technologies will
transform how we sell, market, communicate, collaborate, educate, train, innovate, and much more.
Match the trend with the explanation.
Green IT / Social Media / Cloud computing / Cyber-security / The Mobile Enterprise / Consumerization
a) a collection of measures that ensure Information Technology is developed, delivered and used in a way that is
environmentally friendly, sustainable and energy efficient.
b) technological innovation which is driven by the consumer world and the tendency to emerge first in the consumer
market and then spread into business and government organizations.
c) the set of hardware, networks, storage, services, and interfaces that combine to deliver aspects of computing as a
service.
d) measures designed to protect networks, computers, programs and data from attack, damage or unauthorized
access.
e) extending content to mobile devices increases the value of information by giving people real-time access to
information and resources at any time, in any place.
f) services to stay in touch, communicate, and collaborate.
40
C /Why do you think these have become the biggest technology influences and what advantages
can they provide?
Most people are familiar with Moore's prediction, popularly known as Moore’s Law. "The number of transistors and resistors
on a chip doubles every 18 months." By Intel co-founder Gordon Moore regarding the pace of semiconductor technology. He
made this famous comment in 1965 when there were approximately 60 devices on a chip.
In 1975, Moore extended the 18 months to 24 months. More recently, he said that the cost of a semiconductor
manufacturing plant doubles with each generation of microprocessor.
Moore’s law is a violation of Murphy’s law. Everything gets better and better. Gordon Moore
 Present perfect simple and past simple
The present perfect is formed with has/have + past participle.

The present perfect is being used to describe an action that started in the past and continues to the present (one of the
hottest topics has been wireless technology) or recent actions that affect the present (wireless technology has reached a
turning point). We also use this tense to talk about personal experiences, that happened at an unspecified time, especially
with ever end never.
 Contrast with the past simple
We use the past simple to talk about events that happened at a specific time in the past that are now finished.
I sent my CV last Monday.
I stayed in this job until June 2006.
D/ Put the verbs in brackets into the present perfect simple or past simple.
1) In the late 1970s and early 1980s, consumer wireless communications ____________ (begin) to take off.
2) The early mobile phones ___________ (use) first-generation technology, which __________(be) analogue, circuit-
based, narrowband, and suitable only for voice communications.
3) For the past few years, commercial wireless devices _____________ (use) second-generation technology, which is
digital, circuit-based, narrowband, and suitable for voice and limited data communications.
4) Many vendors and industry observers ____________ (assume) that the next important wireless approach will be
3G technology, suitable for voice and advanced data applications, including online multimedia and mobile e-
commerce.
5) I ____________________ (lose) my PDA.
6) _____________________ (you ever work) as a software engineer?
7) Two years ago, I _____________ (work) in Spain for two months.
E/ Match the phrases on the left with the explanations on the right.
CIO N. forms of electronic communication which do not use wires (such as

cellular technology)
to converge N. a job title commonly given to the most senior executive in an enterprise
41
to distribute V. to come together or achieve union
e-commerce N. an interconnected set of computers
cryptography N. conversion of data into a secret code for transmission over a public
network
a network N. buying and selling things on the Internet
wireless communications V. to divide among many people or places; to pass out, to hand out
F/ Complete the text using the new vocabulary.

cell phones / converge / devices / distribution / e-commerce / high bandwidth / modems / network
portable / wireless communications
Nick: How are you doing at school, Jane? Are you taking any new classes?
Jane: I'm taking a new interesting course called "Business and IT." It is about _____________ and how new
technological developments will affect the way we buy, sell and market things in the future.
Tim: That sounds great. I think I should take it too.
Barbara: It's definitely one of the most useful courses I've taken so far. Right now, we are
studying________________. It's a fascinating field. The most interesting are lectures on how the increasing use of
______________ has led to the development of a whole new generation of ______________ computers and hand-
held electronic_________________.
Tim: What other topics will you be doing?
Barbara: The next topic is _________________ Internet connections, like cable_____________, which will enable us
to exchange information more quickly. Then we will concentrate on how TV, Internet, telephone technologies, radio,
and _______________ are all starting to converge and work together.
Tim: I remember reading about that in the newspaper recently. But has that got to do with online business?
Barbara: A new high-speed ___________________ will develop in the future which will be perfect for the
________________ of products and services online.
42
Unit 6 Basic Networking
A/ Reading: Networking
In the simplest explanation, networking is just computers talking to each other. They do this by sending data
packets using various protocols and transmission mediums such as ethernet cable or Wi-Fi connections. Computers
must also know how to find other computers on the network. To put it briefly, every computer on the network needs a
unique address so messages know where to go after they are sent.
Networks exist for many reasons including:
•distributed computing in a client-server or peer-to-peer networking architecture

•centralized data security and authentication
•elimination of risk of computer downtime.
•combining computers into a single domain to facilitate groupware applications and system administration tasks
•communication and fun!
The types of networks you deal with on a daily basis include local area networks (LANs) and wide area
networks (WANs). Many people today have LANs in their schools, offices, and even their homes. LANs are especially
good for sharing Internet access and commonly used files and databases. Users can also connect to wide are
networks (WANS) as well, which are just large LANS spread out over several physical locations. The Internet itself is
basically a large WAN, with each node on the network having it's own unique IP address.
As you may have read in books or seen in movies, security considerations play a large role when designing
networks. Technology such as firewalls can both block and filter unwanted network traffic. Virtual private networks
(VPNs) are used to connect remote users to office networks without jeopardizing security. VPNs use strong data
encryption to hide data as it is moving between routers over the Internet.
Networking is not something you can master in a week or even a month. Hundreds of books have been
written about the subject and many more hundreds will come in the future as technologies mature and evolve. If you
work on networks for a living, you are called a network engineer, and you will probably take certification exams by
networking companies such as Cisco.
There are other kinds of networking as well which are not always between PCs and servers. An example is
Bluetooth technology, which is optimized for networking between common consumer electronics such as mobile
phones, mp3 players, and similar devices.
B/ Language work: Acronyms
Acronyms and abbreviations are essential to IT. They have always been an integral part of computer culture, and they
have since spawned a new language on the Internet. Commonly thought of as a series of letters that make up a 'word'
there is a distinction between acronyms and abbreviations.
Online enthusiasts often think that abbreviations and acronyms are the same thing, but this is incorrect. In fact, any
shortened form of a word is an abbreviation, and acronyms and initialisms (often called abbreviations) are types of
abbreviations. The difference between acronyms and initialism is that with acronyms, you pronounce the letters as a
new word (for example 'RADAR' is pronounced 'ray-dar'). In contrast, initialism is not pronounced as a word, instead,
you say the letters one-by-one (for example, ‘DVD’ is an initialism for 'Digital Versatile Disc).
Some of the expressions you see below are not acronyms, but rather shorthand (abbreviations) used while text
messaging or in chats.
Non-Technical abbreviations Technical abbreviations
AFAIK: As Far As I Know FAQ: Frequently asked questions

AKA: Also Known As GUI: Graphical Users Interface
ASAP: As Soon As Possible HTML: HyperText Markup Language
BTW: By The Way HTTP: HyperText Transfer Protocol
BRB: Be Right Back ISP: Internet Service Provider
FAQ: Frequently asked questions IO: Input Output As in file IO.
FYI: For Your Information LAN: Local Area Network
FWIW: For What It's Worth WWW or 3W: World Wide Web
IDK: I don't know
IMHO: In My Humble Opinion
OTOH: On The Other Hand
43
C/ Match the abbreviation with the explanation.
P2P HTML CRT FTP NAS W3 MCSE SMS ISO NTFS

Cathode Ray Tube (antiquated terminology for monitors)
File Transfer Protocol (standard method a file is transferred from an internet to a local computer, often called
downloading)
Hyper Text Markup Language
International Organization for Standardization
Microsoft Certified System Engineer
Network Attached Storage
New Technology File System
System Management Server
Peer To Peer ... computers connecting over the internet
Sometimes shorted from the WWW or World Wide Web
D/ Funny slang and abbreviations are often used in chats and other social situations. There is also
a more relaxed attitude towards grammar as well. Read the chat transcript between an account
manager and a software engineer working at a web hosting company. They are troubleshooting a
server problem that affects one of their customers.
Try to guess what the abbreviations stand for. Look at the explanations for the abbreviated phrases
below.
Keep in mind that you should not use slang in a professional setting. Using slang is not professional
and can be taken as rude. You have been warned!
Account Manager: TIL that some web page requests are taking too long to load on some of our servers. One of our
clients is getting angry.
Sysadmin: What is the name of the client?
Account Manager: Clark boating.
Sysadmin: brb i need to be afk for 20 minutes
Account Manager: 20 minutes? He is an important client and management says we need to fix this issue asap. I was
told you were the 1337 alpha geek who could fix this right away.
Sysadmin: lol... 1337 alpha geeks need to eat too.
Account Manager: Please look into the problem right now!
Sysadmin: OK, give me 10 minutes
Time passes...
Account Manager: Did you find the problem?
Sysadmin: Well... imho the site was set up by a total n00b. there is a major security hole in their iis web server.
Someone set up a warez site on a subdomain and there are 100 leeches sucking up all the bandwidth.
Account Manager: That's why their site is that slow.
Sysadmin: They are using a really old version of iis server. Let me upgrade and patch it for them.
44
Account Manager: OK. I will call the client and update them on the status.
Time passes...
Sysadmin: Okay the server is patched and running normally. Now I'm going to lunch. 1337 alpha geek ftw!
Account Manager: Well done!
Sysadmin: How about telling management to give me a raise since I'm the only one who knows how to solve client
problems?
Account Manager: Wow that's funny. I'm literally ROTFL L8R SK8R.
TIL / something to type in a chat before stating a humorous or educational fact.
BRB / busy in the 'real world'; often used in chats after a long pause in a chat.
AFK /something you say in a chat message to show you will need to go to the toilet or go grab a Coke.
1337 /one of the best hackers or coders that you know.
alpha geek / the guy the other engineers go to when they have a problem they can't solve.
LOL / something to type when someone else types something funny.
IMHO / something to put in a chat before stating something which is subjective (not a fact).
n00b / someone who can't hack or program very well.
FTW / something to say when you are trying to accomplish something important and you are very near to your goal.
ROTFL / something to type when lol or LMAO isn't enough.
L8R / something you say when you are leaving a chat.
45
Unit 7 Cyber Crime
A/ What is cybercrime? Do cyber crimes occur on social networking sites like Facebook? Are cyber
crimes punishable by prison time? How can we prevent cyber crime?
Cybercrime Quiz
This quiz is about the basic subcategories of cybercrime. Are the following statements true or false?
1. Cybercrime is basically criminal activity done by using computers and the internet.
2. A situation in which an individual makes another person feel uncomfortable online is hacking.
3. Spam floods the internet and leaves people with no option other than to recieve it.
4. The act of stalking an individual through a group or electronic means is called cyberstalking.
5. Revenge is a common issue when it comes to hacking.
7. Identity Theft is a type of crime in which personal information is stolen to commit fraudulent activity.
8. Social networking sites have nothing to do with the percentage of missing kids annually.
9. Deliberate and repeated hostile behaviour towards another individual is known as harassment.
10. When cyberstalking occurs you should always confront your stalker.
Taken from www.proprofs.com
B/ Reading: Cybercrime
Introduction
Over the last half century, computer systems have changed out of all recognition. In 1943, Thomas Watson
(Chairman of IBM) said "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." Today's computers are more
powerful, smaller, cheaper, and more user-friendly. As they have improved, computers have proliferated in our
society, our businesses, and our personal lives. Most modern businesses and governments depend on their computer
systems to support their operations, from personnel files to financial management and everything in between.
The Internet is everywhere and pervasive in everyday life. In future there will be continued and increasing
reliance on the Internet as a major component of the critical infrastructure. Many of today's utility services will become
controlled by the Internet, examples being the electric grid, gas, telephones (voice over IP), emergency services,
banking and transport. The capabilities and opportunities provided by the Internet have transformed many legitimate
business activities, augmenting the speed, ease, and range with which transactions can be conducted whilst also
lowering many of the costs. However, sophisticated scammers are found on the Internet, but for most users they will
never be encountered if they are careful about what they do on the Internet or with email.
Criminals have also discovered that the Internet can provide new opportunities and multiplier benefits for illicit
business. The dark side of the Internet involves not only fraud and theft, pervasive pornography, and paedophile rings,
but also drug trafficking and criminal organizations that are more intent upon exploitation than the disruption that is the
focus of the hacking community.
New technology now and in the future will create more opportunity for crime by:
Providing easier access to systems, premises, goods and information;
Removing geographical obstacles to crime;
Increasing the scale of potential rewards;
Increasing anonymity in committing crime or consuming its proceeds.'
46
The origins of the problems with the Internet are that the Internet did not have security as a design consideration, it
was designed for resilience in case of war. Given the lack of security being designed into the Internet and that no one
actually owns it and there is no central operating authority it makes changing the Internet a difficult, if not impossible,
task.
Definition
Cyber crime--or computer crime--involves the use of computers or the Internet to commit crimes.
Types of Crime
Types of cyber crime include fraud, theft, hacking, cyberstalking, child pornography, piracy and drug trafficking. Many
governments are also under attack from foreign enemies and terrorist organizations, looking for important military,
financial and other top secret information.
Industrial Cyber Crime
Businesses are frequently the victims of cyber crime. Competing companies can use the Internet or a company's own
network to steal important documents, plans or other sensitive product and financial information.
Methods
Viruses and other malicious software, such as Trojans or spyware, are the most common methods for launching cyber
crime attacks. Criminals can use these programs to take over your computer. Phishing scams in the form of emails
asking for personal information are another common form of attack.
Protection
The best way to protect yourself against cyber crime is installing antivirus and Internet security software and keeping
both current. Also don't respond to emails asking for passwords or other personal information.
Taken from legal.practitioner.com
C/ In pairs, write five questions about cyber crime. When you have finished, interview other
students. Write down their answers.
D/ In groups, write a magazine article about cyber crime. Read what you wrote to your classmates.
Give each other feedback on your articles.
E/ Language work: Conditional sentences
 Conditional Sentence Type 1 - (possible situation)
It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.
Form: if + Simple Present, will-Future
If A happens B will happen,
(present simple) (will + verb)
If you click on the speaker icon, you'll get a piece of dialogue from the movie.
In the main clause we can also have a modal [can], an imperative, or a present tense verb.
 Conditional Sentence Type 2 - (unlikely situation)
It is possible but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form: if + Simple Past, Conditional I (= would + Infinitive)
If A happened B would happen,
(past simple) (would + verb)
 Conditional Sentence Type 3 - (impossible situation)
It is impossible that the condition will be fulfilled because it refers to the past.
Form: if + Past Perfect, Conditional II (= would + have + Past Participle)
47
Example: If I had found her address, I would have sent her an invitation
If I had the money, I would (I'd) invest in a multimedia upgrade kit.
Other modals (could, should, might) may appear in the main clause.
F/ Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form.

1) If I had detected fraudulent activity in my bank accounts, I __________(contact) the bank.
2) It has been scientifically proven that if a young man ___________________(commit) piracy, he is more likely to
commit murder.
3) If he didn't have enough money to buy needed software he _________(download) it with torrent download tool and
commit an act of online piracy.
4) If you _________ (use) a security-enhanced e-mail system, your E-mail addresses will be easily 'spoofed' or cloned
by a knowledgeable user;
5) If his encryption or key ____________(be) weak enough encrypted email may be cracked.
6) If they offered me the job, I think I _____________(take) it.
7) If I could afford it, I ____________(buy) a Multimedia PC.
8) If you _____________(come) to the annual computer exhibition, you could see the new Macs.
G/ Complete the following sentences.
1 If somebody stole my identity........................................................................................................
2 If you don't use encryption software for the e-mail transmission of important files.....................
........................................................................................................................................................
3 If I had received a message claiming that I have won a prize from a lottery I did not enter.......
.........................................................................................................................................................
4 If you upgrade your PC………………………………………………………………………………….
48
Unit 8 Speech - recognition
A/ Answer the questions and read the text.

Who should use speech recognition? What are the pros and cons of speech recognition? How do you
make the software more accurate?
One famous T-shirt worn by Apple Computer researchers stated,
‘I helped Apple wreck a nice beach’,
which, when spoken, sounds like I helped Apple recognize speech.
Speech recognition is a computer application that lets people control a computer by speaking to it. In other
words, rather than using a keyboard and mouse to communicate with the computer, the user speaks commands into a
microphone that is connected to a computer. By speaking into the microphone, users can do two things. First, they
can tell their computers to execute some commands such as open a document, save changes, delete a paragraph,
even move the cursor, all without touching a key. Second, users can write using speech recognition in conjunction
with a standard word processing program. When users speak into the microphone their words can appear on a
computer screen in a word processing format, ready for revision and editing.
Although many modern speech-recognition programs and devices voice-enable their systems, the terms voice
recognition and speech recognition are not synonymous. While both use technology to capture the spoken word, voice
recognition and speech recognition have different goals, and run different technologies. Speech recognition is
continuous, natural language processing. In contrast, voice recognition uses recordings to determine an individual's
identity, a twist on today's social security number and fingerprint.
There are two kinds of speech recognition software now available; discrete speech and continuous speech.
The older technology, discrete speech recognition, requires the user to speak one word at a time. A newer technology,
continuous speech recognition, allows the user to dictate by speaking (at a more or less normal rate). As the user
speaks, the software puts one or more words on the screen by matching the sound input with the information it has in
the user's voice file. Both kinds of speech recognition store frequently used words and related information in the
computer's memory (RAM) for immediate use in guessing a word or string of words. This is called the active
dictionary. When new vocabulary is added, it enters the active dictionary. For less common vocabulary, all speech
recognition products have a large back-up dictionary stored on the hard drive, so that it is relatively rare that one
would use a word that is entirely unknown to the software.
As the user trains and speaks to the system, the software creates a user-specific voice file that contains a lot
of information about user voice qualities and pronunciations, and with continuous speech recognition, patterns of word
usage. Both types of speech recognition software also capture the user's preferred vocabulary. The voice file in
discrete speech recognition software is built primarily on the user's pronunciation of individual words. The voice file in
continuous speech recognition also contains information about the user's grammar and word usage (i.e., which
words/phrases tend to be used in what order). The software uses this acoustic and linguistic information to make its
best guess at each word or phrase as it is dictated. Some continuous speech products also offer one additional tool
for improving the voice model: the software can analyze documents that the user has created previously for the
vocabulary and language/grammar used, and incorporate this into its prediction routines. This is a very powerful tool in
terms of increasing accuracy when dictating about specific subjects, but it may not always help students if they are
writing about widely divergent topics, or writing in different styles.
The process of creating a strong voice file -(i.e., "familiarizing" the speech recognition software with an
individual voice and language pattern)- takes time. When a user takes the time to properly train and use the speech
recognition system, which creates a strong and accurate voice file, the system will supply the correct word or phrase
most of the time. However, the system will never achieve a 100% accuracy rate in all situations. Sometimes the
software just doesn't get it right and suggests the wrong word. The user must then stop and make a correction.
A speech recognition system is made up of a multimedia computer with speech recognition software, a
microphone (which typically comes with the software), and usually a sound card. To use speech recognition to write, a
word processing program or other text input software such as email is also needed, although some systems have a
built in word processor. Each kind of speech recognition program has different hardware requirements. For example,
49
discrete speech software (e.g., DragonDictate, v. 3) can operate on older machines, generally a Pentium with 32 MB
of RAM and a 16-bit soundcard. However, the newer continuous speech recognition software generally requires a
more powerful computer, and the latest versions tend to operate best with the high end machines available at the time
of the software's release (e.g., a Pentium III or alternative processor operating at at least 350 MHz and with 128 MB
RAM).
Typical users of speech recognition technology are the disabled, those with “busy hands” or hands too dirty
for the keyboard, and those with no access to a keyboard. It is important to note that speech recognition technology is
not only used for word processing and the like; other uses for speech recognition include changing radio frequencies
in airplane cockpits, placing a call on a car phone, asking for stock market quotations over the phone, and inspecting
items moving along an assembly line. The possibilities do not end here; there has been talk by Microsoft of integrating
speech recognition technology and natural language processing to not only listen to words but to understand what
they mean, resulting in a voice-only operating system. However, this integration has been controversial. People argue
that although there are some advantages and some situations where this technology would be appropriate, for the
most part it would be a nuisance. Offices would become noisier, making concentration difficult. Those in customer
service would not be able to talk to their customer and their computer simultaneously. And most people can type or
point-and-click more quickly than they can speak.
Overall, speech recognition has come a long way since its first uses. Now people are able to buy programs
and software for their homes and actually speak to their computers. Although it is still rather new for computers to be
able to understand and transcribe the imprecise speech of humans, it is possible and systems are only continuing to
improve.
Taken from www.voicexmlreview.org/voicexml
Funny misrecognitions
Dictated .... Interpreted
web site ... wet sight

worked as a tax analyst ... worked as attacks analyst
a glass of wine with meals ... a glass of wine with nails
electroretinogram ... electro-wrecked program
too lazy to go to school ... to laser decoder school
that are occurring ... at her crying
he was introverted ... he was intervertebral
residual ... recent jewel
no formal thought disorder ... no formal fog disorder
you've given me ... you kidney
irresponsible ... years possible
precipitated ... pursued potato
B/ Language work: Giving guidelines and making rules
You use imperative construction when you want to tell someone what to do (e.g. ‘work!) or what not to do
(e.g. ‘don’t work’) or when you’re making a suggestion, giving advice or making guidelines and rules:
 make it stronger by adding always and never:
Always leave the station ready for the next person to use.
 make a rule by using must or mustn’t:
You must update installed security applications frequently
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C/ Rewrite the sentences using always / must or never / mustn’t:
1) Users use their personal APU password to utilize the computers.
2) Spell-check and proofread before printing.
3) Log off when you're finished.
4) Do not bring food or drink, lotions, or combs near the computers.
5) Don't eat or drink near the computers.
6) Prevent unauthorized users from viewing personal information or financial data on a computer.
7) Log out of a website instead of closing the page.
8) Don't open any e-mails if you don't know who sent them.
D/ Write rules about each of these topics:

1) Junk mail (spam)
2) 'Netiquette' - Internet Etiquette
3) Spell-check
4) Computer maintenance
5) E-waste
6) E-commerce
E/ Change the following sentences into the passive voice.

1. Manufacturers claim an accuracy rate of around 98 percent.
...............................................................................................................................................
2. Mobile phones and the Internet have changed the way we communicate.
..............................................................................................................................................
3. You dictate the text directly onto your word processor, spreadsheet or e-mail.
..............................................................................................................................................
4. You train the software by reading aloud for about 20 minutes.
...............................................................................................................................................
5. Microsoft is integrating speech recognition technology and natural language processing to not only listen to words
but to understand what they mean.
...............................................................................................................................................
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Unit 9 Future Robotics Technology
Famous Wrong Predictions
Be careful what you predict. It may come back to haunt you... or laugh at you:
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977
"640K ought to be enough for anybody."
Bill Gates, 1981
"$100 million dollars is way too much to pay for Microsoft."
IBM, 1982
"Who the h_ll wants to hear actors talk?"
H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927.
"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."
Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949
A/ Reading
Future Robotics Technology
Imagine having a robot that can do anything you like or that can help you with all the work that you prefer not doing.
What would that be like? How would that affect your life? Would it affect you as a person?
Robots can do the jobs that are too exhausting, dangerous of boring or people. Many believe that the future robotics
technology means that there would be no use for the human race and that everything will be run by means of
computers, this is in fact a myth. There is no way that robots, no matter how programmed they are and which
curriculum they were formed out of, would be able to take care of an elderly person, or a cat. You are able to discover
your own robotic technologies by making use of the robotics technology curriculum or even the latest software. The
matter of the fact is that you would be on a losing streak; the future robotics technology is more advanced than you
think.
The field in which you can find a robotic engineering career is simple and easy to get into. Robotic engineering is
growing at a rapid rate, with new technologies that improve robotic engineering coming into the field constantly, a
robotic engineering career will easy to come by.
A Robotic engineering career is without a doubt, a busy career. With robot engineers continuously designing and
developing new robotic applications and trends, according to the robotics technology curriculum, which can prove to
be extremely useful in many fields and industries. With computer sciences frequently upgrading and improving, the
possibilities for engineers are endless, not to forget the large amount of websites that offer positions and scholarships
for this field. From experimental robotics involved in the military, medical and automotive industries to production line
robotics, the opportunities for professionals looking to enter this field in the future will be endless.
Robot engineers mainly focus on the science of robotics, where most robots are created to fill in where a human
usually would have. This then ensures that the productivity of a company or business will run smoothly and will be
more efficient. It will also help the companies and businesses minimize accidents and injuries by a substantial amount.
The designing, building and testing of robots that operate safely and productively is that of the engineers. They must
also ensure that the robots are easy to maintain and are economical to have as well. Many companies and
businesses are setting trends with the use of robotic engineering, just look at the development history of robotics.
The key system engineers use to carry out their tasks is known as computer – aided design and drafting (CADD)
which is what the engineers use to draw up their designs in both real and virtual forms in 2-D and or 3-D drawings.
Making it easier for the engineers to see exactly how and what their new designs would look like. This also enables
them to construct the robots easier, faster and more efficiently. The engineers design and research the robotic
systems on various websites in search of ways to make them economical to the buying companies or businesses.
There are many kinds of robotics, used in many different industries such as; textile, nuclear, automotive, mining and
aerospace to name a few, which means that there are many applications for the engineers to work with, by finding out
what one specific applications need are and then customizing the robot to suit that application.
Future robotics technology is fast approaching, and a robotic engineering career is the best option for you if you are
mad about technology. Robotics engineering is a fast paced, and even faster growing line of work as the technology of
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this day and age is advancing at such a rate and in many ways that it is almost hard to keep up with. Choosing a
career in this field is no waste of time, as every day, the robotics engineering professionals are relentlessly designing
and developing new robotics for all industries.
B/ Language work: Expressing future in speech
Study these examples:
 1. Present progressive: I am finishing my new webpage next week.(for fixed plans with a future
time expression)
 2. Going to future: I'm going to finish my new webpage. (a decision was made in the past to do sth
in the future)
 3. Simple future: I will finish my new webpage today.(a decision is made now to do sth in the
future)
In technical, business and written English we don't use going to and present continuous for the future
even when activities are planned. Instead, in formal writing we use will:
Instead of the iPhone 5, Apple will launch the iPhone Play and the iPhone Air.
C/ Choose the correct tense in the following sentences:

1) The use of robots will greatly reduce/ is greatly reducing the number of human casualties in the future.
2) Don't forget you're/ will meet meeting our new hardware technician at 2 o'clock.
3) You're about to fall asleep. You need to wake up! I am going to get/will get you a cup of coffee. That will wake you
up.
4) We are going to lay/will lay the network cables next Tuesday.
D/ Language work: Making predictions

When making predictions (what we think will happen in the future) we can either use:
• will followed by the verb without to: What do you think will happen if I quit my job?
• going to followed by the verb: I think they are going to get married soon.
E/ In pairs, write your own predictions about the following topics:

1) Robotic technologies for social uses (domestic work, security, hospitals, hotels, bars...), industrial uses and space
explorations.
2) Social Networks
3) Mobile phones
4) The Internet
5) Intelligent homes
6) Size/price/power of computers
F/ Make a presentation about the use of robotics technologies.
53
Unit 10 IT Jobs: A Bright Future Ahead
A/ Reading
Not long ago there was an IT boom that revolutionized the whole industry as well as the economy. An IT
professional is indispensable today in every organization and every industry. It is thus no surprise that even today IT
professionals are sought after and are paid equally huge salaries.
So what is information technology? It is the process of acquiring, processing, storing and disseminating
information related to pictures, text and numericals by computing and telecommunications. IT professionals have a
variety of jobs to perform like installing applications, designing complex computer networks, databases, data
management, networking, computer hardware and software design and management and administration of such
systems.
IT professionals are required in every sector of the economy and are the first choice career for the bright and
intelligent lot of the student Diaspora. They are the heart of the business and there is thus an increasing demand for
them by every organization for those who possess competitive skills and are highly professional.
Their job profile includes working with clients over the telephone, via email or in person. They guide the client
and help in the step by step process of how to fix their computer problems, using certain applications, installing
hardware, troubleshooting both software and hardware problems. They work round the clock for rigorous hours. They
are required in every field such as education, hospitality, medicine and pharmaceutical, education, government and
private organizations and every other field that exists today.
In order to be successful in this field, one is required to possess good knowledge about computers and its
hardware and software components. They also should have good communication skills and should be capable of
handling customers, as well as should have problem solving ability without actually having to look at the computer.
There is something new to learn everyday as technology is constantly changing and hence this is a highly interesting
and challenging career option.
These specialists are offered high pay packages depending upon the industry in which they are employed,
their experience and skills. They have a huge opportunity to climb up the ladder of success and since there is an
internet revolution and every activity ranging from accounting to advertising and selling make use of the internet as a
vital media source for increasing profits and sustaining themselves, these professionals are going to be in demand in
the years to come. Taken from ezinearticles.com
COMMON BOND
Computer scientists may work in different areas. However, they all work with scientific theory to solve complex
computer problems with new and innovative techniques.
B/ Talking about Your Job: Put Peter's lines in correct order.
Useful Vocabulary
computer technician day-to-day basis glitch good working order in-house

need-to-know basis organizational meeting to produce reports
Jack: Hi Peter. Can you tell me a little bit about your current job?
Peter:____________________________________________________
Jack: First of all, what do you work as?
Peter: ____________________________________________________
Jack: What do your responsibilities include?
54
Peter: ___________________________________________________
Jack: What sort of problems do you deal with on a day-to-do basis?
Peter: ___________________________________________________
Jack: What else does your job involve?
Peter: ___________________________________________________
Jack: Do you have to produce any reports?
Peter: ___________________________________________________
Jack: Do you ever attend meetings?
Peter: ___________________________________________________
Jack: Thanks for all the information, Peter. It sounds like you have an interesting job.
Peter: Yes, it's very interesting, but stressful, too!
1) I'm responsible for systems administration and in-house programming.

2) No, I just have to make sure that everything is in good working order.
3) Well, as I said, for part of my job I have to develop in-house programs for special company tasks.
4) Oh, there are always lots of small system glitches. I also provide information on a need-to-know 5 basis for
employees.
5) Certainly. What would you like to know?
6) Yes, I attend organizational meetings at the end of the month.
7) I work as a computer technician at Schuller's and Co.
C/ Write a dialogue similar to this one by asking your partner the questions from above. Try to think
of some new questions yourself.
D/ Writing business letters - Useful phrases

Everyone knows how important English is as a global language and how important it is to speak good English in a
working environment. Emails are taking over traditional letters but still, the way you write your business letters can
make or break your business deal. There are a number of conventions that should be followed when writing a
business letter. However, some general guidelines are easy to learn:
 Write simply and clearly

 Have a good layout
E/ Take the quiz to test your ability to format a business letter.
1) An example of a salutation is? A. Mr.

A. Dear Mr. Smith B. Miss
B. How are you? C. Ms.
C. Hello D. Mrs.
D. Sincerely
6) The signature on a letter is handwritten directly above
2) The part of the letter that follows the date is _____. the
A. letter address A. Postscript
B. return address B. Enclosure
C. salutation C. Reference notation
D. complimentary close D. Writer's typed name
3) The farewell or goodbye part of a letter is the 7) The return address represents _________.
A. the person mailing the letter.
A. Salutation B. the company it is mailed from.
B. Complimentary Close C. the person writing the letter
C. Body D. the person receiving the letter
D. Reference Initials
8) The enclosure notation represents ____.
4) Paragraphs of the body of the letter are keyed A. the typists name.
A. double spaced with a triple space between each B. that you have left out a part of the letter and need to mail
paragraph. them another letter.
B. double spaced with a double space between each C. none of the above.
paragraph. D. that there is something else besides the letter included in
C. single spaced with a triple space between paragraphs. the envelope.
D. single spaced with a double space between each
paragraph. 9) An example of a personal business letter is ____.
A. a letter from a department manager to all sales
5) If you are keying a letter to a person you don't know and managers.
the person's name doesn't clearly indicate if the person is a B. a letter from you to a prospective employer.
male or a female, which of the following titles should you use C. a letter from you to your best friend.
for the letter? D. a letter from the president of a college to all faculty.
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F/ Layout of a formal letter
Sender’s address and other contact info:

Email
Telephone
Fax
Date
Recipient’s address
Reference number if available
Salutation: Dear……… (If name is unknown use Sir/Madam
 It may be appropriate to start with a reference line Re: ………………………………….

 Do not use contracted forms - write all words in full.
 Use formal standard English - no slang
 Keep sentences precise and get straight to the point.
 Keep business letters focussed.
 If complaining, be polite and use intelligent vocabulary.
Body: Reason for Writing
I am writing to inquire about/apologize for/confirm/inform you...

With reference to our telephone conversation today, I am writing to confirm your order.
Requesting:
Could you possibly? /Would it be possible? /I would be grateful if you could...
Agreeing to Requests:
I would be delighted to...
Giving Bad News:

Unfortunately/I am afraid that...
Enclosing Document:
I am enclosing...
Closing sentence:
Sum up your main point and state that you look forward to a response to your letter / query / complaint etc if appropriate.
Thank you, in advance, for taking time to respond to my ….
Yours faithfully – (if greeting is to Sir/Madam)

Yours sincerely – (if name is given)
Best wishes/regards
Sign your name, then print it underneath the signature.
56
Chapter 3: Trends in IT
Unit 1 How to Recycle Your Used Electronics

A/ Answer the questions and then read the text.
What is E-waste? How much of it is recycled? Where can you find a place to recycle your electronics? What
do you do with your old mobile phones, batteries or monitors?
Electronic waste, or "e-waste" as it's called, is a growing problem, as obsolete or broken computers and other
electronic equipment are taking up increasingly precious amounts of landfill space and potentially leaking hazardous
substances into surrounding ecosystems.
The non-profit Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition reports that 70% of the heavy metals in U.S. landfills are from discarded
electronics -- even though the e-waste itself accounts for only two percent of the trash by volume
Most people love getting new gadgets for the holidays, whether they are tech-savvy professionals or folks who never
figured out how to program their VCRs or set up a Facebook page.
But the burgeoning market of electronics and accelerating pace of technology have meant increased environmental
impact. This is perhaps never more true than after the holidays, when people clean out their old gear in favor of the
new shiny toys and appliances they have just received, or purchased through gifts, bonuses or seasonal sales. Many
people use the holidays as an excuse to update to the latest games, toys, and electronic devices. But what happens
to all the old stuff that's not getting used anymore?
"During the holidays, consumers buy new gadgets, host parties and even update home decor," said Linda Gabor, vice
president of marketing and account management for Call2Recycle. "This is a great time to give a gift to the planet by
recycling old batteries, cell phones, and other products that we typically upgrade during the holidays, or items that we
buy and then throw away at the end of the season."
Here are a few recycling tips for the holidays:

1. Make e-cycling a top priority.
2. Don't forget the rechargeable batteries.
3. If it still works, donate it.
Plus, consider that the average cell phone user changes handsets every 18 months. The good news is awareness of
the potential ecological impact is also rising, and there are ways to make a difference, especially at the end of your
product's life. It's no small step, considering that 20 to 50 million tons of electronics waste (often called e-waste) is
discarded globally every year, according to Greenpeace. If all that e-rubbish were put into containers on a train it
would go once around the world! E-waste is the fastest growing component of the municipal solid waste stream, and
currently makes up five percent of all municipal solid waste.
Taken from www.emagazine.com
B/ Can you guess the meaning of these words from context? Are they nouns, verbs, adjectives or
adverbs? Try to match them with the correct meanings:
1) tech-savvy to grow or develop rapidly
2) pace having knowledge of something
3) awareness well-informed about technology
4) municipal firm or compact in substance
5) solid the rate of speed at which activity or movement proceeds
6) burgeoning of or relating to the government of a city or town
57
C/ Find the words (1-8) in the text above. Try to explain the meaning of the words by paraphrasing.
e-waste (line 1) ...........................................................................................................................................
impact (line 12) ...........................................................................................................................................
gadgets (line 8) ........................................................................................................................................
accelerating (line 11) ................................................................................................................................
gear (line 13) ............................................................................................................................................
appliances (line 14) ................................................................................................................................
recycling (line 21) ....................................................................................................................................
upgrade (line 21) .....................................................................................................................................
D/ Complete the text using these words:
recycling tossing valuable emissions warming supply lead e-waste
In the past, no one thought of ________computers and other electronics. The only option was ________them on the
curb. But these days engineers have taken notice that electronics usually contain a wealth of_________ materials.
Plus, recycling almost always means lower net carbon__________, which is something everyone is now paying closer
attention to because of global_________. Finally, electronics are made with a sizable amount of_________, cadmium,
brominated fire retardants and plastics that can leach toxic breakdown products — that's stuff no one wants in their
water_________!
The Consumer Electronics Association, which represents electronics manufacturers, encourages people to recycle
their_________, and has set up a handy Website to make the process simple.
E/ Language work: Writing a summary
Summarize the text. Follow these steps:
1 Read the text.
2 Try to find the main idea in the reading; it’s usually in the first paragraph. Highlight important information in
each paragraph.
3 Make notes about the main points. Leave out details such as examples description, and unnecessary
explanations.
4 Start your summary by stating the author’s name, title and type of work in the first sentence. Present the main
idea, followed by the supporting points.
5 Make sentences from the notes and link the sentences with connectors (and, but, because, therefore, etc.).
6 Don't put your own opinions, ideas, or interpretations into the summary.
7 Write in your own words.
8 A summary should usually be no more than one-fourth the length of the original.
9 Write the final version of your summary. Don't forget to check the spelling and grammar.
58
Unit 2 Database Basics
A/ Try to answer the following questions about databases and then read the text to check your
answers. What is a Database? Have you ever worked with databases? What different types are
there? How are they different from spreadsheets? Where can we find database systems in everyday
life? What does the expression ''The Big Brother'' have to do with databases?
What is a database?
Databases are designed to offer an organized mechanism for storing, managing and retrieving information. They do
so through the use of tables. If you’re familiar with spreadsheets like Microsoft Excel, you’re probably already
accustomed to storing data in tabular form. It’s not much of a stretch to make the leap from spreadsheets to
databases. Let’s take a look.
Database Tables
Just like Excel tables, database tables consist of columns and rows. Each column contains a different type of attribute
and each row corresponds to a single record. For example, imagine that we were building a database table that
contained names and telephone numbers. We’d probably set up columns named “FirstName”, “LastName” and
“TelephoneNumber.” Then we’d simply start adding rows underneath those columns that contained the data we’re
planning to store.
If we were building a table of contact information for our business that has 50 employees, we’d wind up with a table
that contains 50 rows.
Databases and Spreadsheets
At this point, you’re probably asking yourself an obvious question – if a database is so much like a spreadsheet, why
can’t I just use a spreadsheet? Databases are actually much more powerful than spreadsheets in the way you’re able
to manipulate data. Here are just a few of the actions that you can perform on a database that would be difficult if not
impossible to perform on a spreadsheet:
• Retrieve all records that match certain criteria
• Update records in bulk
• Cross-reference records in different tables
• Perform complex aggregate calculations
You can correlate information from multiple tables in a database by creating foreign key relationships between the
tables.
Both spreadsheets and databases play an important part in the daily operations of many businesses. They are both
used to store and manage sets of data. While spreadsheets are based on figures a database data is often a mix of
text and numbers. Spreadsheets have the ability to perform complex calculations using advanced formulas with the
information provided. However, a database can handle more data that would become unmanageable in spreadsheet
and process it quickly. Databases write data to the hard drive immediately.
When it comes to access, you can have two or more people editing a database at the same time. Spreadsheets are
not meant to be accessed and updated by more than one person at a time.
To conclude, database management systems (DBMS) and spreadsheets are different but complimentary types of
software so it's important to know when a database is the right tool for a job.
Taken from sites.google.com
59
B/ This text has eight words missing. You must choose the best word to fill the gaps from the
selection below.
Databases can be confusing to a beginner but they are useful tools. They allow a large amount of data to be for
stored, manipulated and 1…….... They help business become more efficient and save enormous amounts of time and
money. However, if there are no legal controls on databases and they get into the wrong 2……., they can become
dangerous. For example, someone could sell information to a third party or change some of it.
Examples of databases in everyday life can be found in your local shops, banks, video rentals, doctors rooms, on
websites and so on. Your personal 3………. - everything from your shopping habits, credit and health history to your
background information can be available to banks, employers, insurers and others. In most countries, it is possible for
the government to check your address, driving license, and tax 4…….. in a few clicks of a mouse. To protect important
and personal information from being accessed by third-parties without clearance, companies and organizations have
to be 5……… about data protection.
However, file cabinets can be 6. ………. too. They can be stolen, accidentally destroyed or lost. All in all, databases
are much more efficient than paper storage in that they 7………. less space, are easily 8……….. and kept up to date
by multiple users at once and can be transferred long distances with virtually no delay.
1. retrieved taken out excavated 5. diligent hardworking halfhearted

2. usage computers hands 6. comprised disabled compromised
3. informations information data 7. take on take in take up
4. Lists paying records 8. assessed accessed assigned
C/ Parts of a Table
Tables are a popular and useful method of showing/presenting to people information. Like charts, tables
are used to organise data, so the data is easier to understand. Knowing this vocabulary is important when
describing or explaining a table to people. Translate the following expressions and give examples.
 1 = title/heading
 2 = column title/heading
 3 = column
 4 = row
 5 = not available(n/a)
 6 = underlined
 7 = italics
 8 = bold
 9 = highlighted
 10 = asterisk
 11 = footnotes
D/ Describing trends
We can describe trends in English in various ways. In the business world you may have to describe trends
in reports, meetings, and presentations. In everyday life, people describe changes in different subjects
because things change all the time.
Trends are changes. Sometimes more information about the change has to be given:
Raw material cost has fallen slightly. (the degree of change)
There has been a rapid increase in our expenses. (the speed of change)
Note: nouns are modified with adjectives (a dramatic rise); and
verbs are modified with adverbs (to rise dramatically).
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Describing the degree of change:
E/ Use the verbs and prepositions bellow to complete the sentences.
Rise, raise, lower, fall, grow

1. Inflation ___________dramatically at the moment.
2. Inflation rose by one per cent last month.
3. Petrol prices ___________this week.
4. The Government ___________ taxes last year.
5. Unfortunately, we have to report that the demand for our products ___________last year.
6. Interest in mobile computers _________ a lot in the last few years.
for, by, in, on, to, of

1. We hope to achieve a steady growth _______sales.
2. The company has raised employees’ salaries ______5%.
3. This year there has been an increase in sales ______10 per cent.
4. We spent too much money ______ advertising.
5. They have lowered the rate of income tax ______ married couples.
6. This year profits have risen ______ 2 million.
F/ Complete the tables with suitable words.
VERB NOUN
To rise
To raise ADJECTIVE ADVERB
A fall slight
An increase sharply
To decrease dramatic
To improve steady
A recovery suddenly
gradual
61
Unit 3 VoIP

What is VoIP and what does it stand for? How do you make a VoIP phone call? What do you need to
start using VoIP?
VoIP - Quick Facts
Voice over Internet Protocol — VoIP — is a new way to make and receive telephone calls using a broadband internet
connection rather than a regular phone line. A VoIP service may offer unlimited local and long distance calls for a fixed
price, as well as features like integrated calls and email, and access to your phone line from many locations. Keep in
mind:
Some services allow you to use a traditional telephone through an adaptor, but others work only over your
computer or a special VoIP phone.
Costs include a monthly calling plan as well as a monthly bill for your broadband service.
VoIP services don't have the same access to some services — including the 911 emergency system and
directory assistance — as traditional telephone service.
If you lose your internet connection (or lose power), your phone service will be out as well.
VoIP services can be attacked by computer viruses, worms, or spam over internet telephony (SPIT).
VoIP: It's A Phone, It's a Computer, It's…
Voice over Internet Protocol — VoIP — is one way people are making and receiving telephone calls using a
broadband internet connection rather than a regular phone line. VoIP converts your phone call — actually, the voice
signal from your phone — into a digital signal that travels through the internet to the person you are calling. If you are
calling a plain old telephone number, the signal is converted back at the other end. If you're comfortable with new
technology, you may want to learn more about VoIP. OnGuard Online suggests that it's smart to do some research on
this technology before signing up for it.
VoIP Technology
VoIP technology is offered by some companies that specialize in VoIP service, some traditional telephone and cable
companies, as well as some Internet Service Providers. Most services using VoIP allow you to call anyone with a
telephone number — including local, long distance, cellular, and international numbers. Others may allow you to call
only people with the same service. In addition, most VoIP services allow you to use a traditional telephone through an
adaptor, but others work only over your computer or a special VoIP phone.
If you get VoIP service that allows you to make a call using a phone with an adaptor, you dial the same way you
always have. If you get a VoIP service that works directly from your computer, you need to use special software, a
microphone, speakers, and a sound card. If your service assigns you a regular phone number, anyone can call you
from a regular phone — analog or digital — without any special equipment.
VoIP Services
Many VoIP services include unlimited local and long distance calling plans for a fixed price. The ability to have more
than one phone number, including phone numbers with different area codes. With special software and hardware, the
ability to take your VoIP system with you if you travel with your computer. That means personal or business calls can
be routed to you no matter where you are.
Among the issues to think about are:
Terms and Conditions. Many VoIP providers offer monthly calling plans: make sure you know the number and type of
calls included in the amount you'll be billed. VoIP plans generally look inexpensive compared to regular telephone
plans, but don't forget the cost of broadband internet access. For most people, that will mean paying separately for
cable modem service or digital subscriber line (DSL) service.
62
911 Services. The Federal Communications Commission requires most VoIP companies to provide 911 call services
as a mandatory feature. That means they must transmit all 911 calls, callback numbers, and your registered physical
location to your local emergency authorities or a statewide emergency operator.
Security. VoIP calls are transmitted over the internet, which raises security risks that are not an issue with regular
telephone service. For example, VoIP services can be attacked by computer viruses or worms; you can be subject to
SPIT (Spam over Internet Telephony), a new kind of spam, and left with mass voice mail messages in your inbox; and
you can be caught in a denial of service attack.
Taken from www.bbb.org
B/ Answer the questions.
1 What equipment do we need for VoIP phone calls?

2 Who can we call if we are using a VoIP service?
3 Are there any advantages in using VoIP phone service?
4 Will I be able to dial 911 emergency services?
5 What is SPIT?
C/ Find the words with the opposite meaning:
1) undetermined (line 2) ________________

2) separate (line 3) _________________
3) excluding (line 8) _________________
4) gain (line 10) _________________
5) deny (line 35) _________________
6) optional (line 56) _________________
D/ Language work: Prefixes come before the root word and they usually change its meaning.
Prefixes and their meanings. Think of one word for each prefix.
Negative Size Location Number
Un, anti semi Inter - between Uni-one
in mini Trans-across Mono-one
im micro Tele-over a distance Bi-two
Dis, de macro Co- with Kilo-thousand
Non, mis, mal super Mega-million
ir hyper Giga-1000mill
il ultra Multi-many
E/ Underline the prefixes in these examples from the text and classify them according to the meaning.
1 inexpensive 2 unlimited 3 telephone 4 internet 5 international 6 transmission 7 microphone
F/ Write the correct negative prefix:
___complete ___function ___expected ___connect ___direct ___legal ___agree ___glare ___possible

___code ___bug ___ compress ___do
Making new words
New words are often created by adding prefixes to existing words. The new prefix e- meaning
‘electronic’, has given us e-mail, e-commerce, e-learning, e-voting, e-book, e-pal and more.
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Unit 4 Privacy in the Digital Age
Do you feel you are losing your privacy in today's digital age? How privacy and data protection relate to
online behaviour? Do you think some companies gain too much personal data about people through
analyzing the data of clients that visit a certain website?
The Privacy Paradox

“Privacy is like oxygen. We appreciate it only when it is gone.” – Charles Sykes, The End of Privacy
“Why do people tell pollsters they are alarmed about the loss of privacy, but then gladly give out their credit-card
numbers over the Internet? Or sign consent forms that allow sensitive medical information to be seen by dozens of
eyes?” – Charles Sykes, The End of Privacy
Imagine walking through a mall where every store, unbeknownst to you, placed a sign on your back. The
signs tell every other store you visit exactly where you have been, what you looked at, and what you purchased.
Something very close to this is possible on the Internet.
When individuals surf the World Wide Web, they have a general expectation of anonymity, more so than in the
physical world where an individual may be observed by others. If an individual has not actively disclosed information
about herself, she believes that no one knows who she is or what she is doing. But the Internet generates an
elaborate trail of data detailing every stop a person makes on the Web. This data trail may be captured by the
individual's employer if she logged on at work, and is captured by the Web sites the individual visits. Transactional
data, clickstream data, or "mouse-droppings," can provide a "profile" of an individual's online life.
Technologies such as "cookies", written directly onto your hard drive, enable Web sites to surreptitiously collect
information about your online activities and store it for future use. Designed for the benign purpose of enabling Web
sites to recognize a repeat visitor and respond accordingly, cookies were quickly adopted by Web sites to facilitate the
tracking of specific individual's activities at Web sites for the purpose of customizing content and advertising. The
surreptitious collection of information about individual's activities, across multiple Web sites enabled through some
"cookie" implementations, gained the attention of Internet users, technicians, and policy makers. Companies, such as
Doubleclick, use this detailed transactional information to provide targeted online advertising. Others, such as Adfinity,
combine these "mouse-droppings" or "click-stream data" with personal information collected from other sources into
fully identifiable profiles of the individual's online and offline behaviour.
Taken fromscholarship.law.berkeley.edu
B/ Match the expressions with the correct meanings
1 unbeknownst A harmless
2 purchase B making (something) according to a customer's individual requirements
3 trail C the recording of what a computer user clicks on while Web browsing
4 clickstream D done, acquired, etc., in secret or by improper means
5 surreptitious E a mark, trace or a print made by a person, animal or object
6 benign F information like username and the current date and time, stored on the local computer of a
person using the World Wide Web, used by websites to identify users who have registered or visited the site.
7 customizing G to obtain in exchange for money or its equivalent; buy.
8 cookie H without someone's knowledge
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A compound noun is a noun that is made up of two or more words
Compound nouns can be formed using the following combinations of words:
Noun + Noun = toothpaste

Adjective + Noun = monthly ticket
Verb + Noun = swimming pool
Preposition + Noun = underground
Noun + Verb = haircut
Noun + Preposition = hanger on
Adjective + Verb = dry-cleaning
Preposition + Verb = output
The two parts may be written in a number of ways:
1. Sometimes the words are joined together. Example: webmaster
2. Sometimes they are joined using a hyphen. Example: check-in
3. Sometimes they are written as separate words. Example: silicon chip
It is important to be able to recognize how such compounds are formed in order to understand what they mean.
The exact relationship between the words depends on the particular expression, but all these expressions have
one thing in common: the last word in the chain says what the thing is, while the preceding word or group of words
describes the thing.
C/ Match the words on the left with the words on the right to form compound nouns.
1 read-only a) memory 8 software h) manager
2 ink-jet b) access 9 desktop i) device

memory document
3 down c) engine 10 graph j) printer
4 random d) window 11 pop-up k) menu
5 web e) programmer 12 pull-down l) plotter
6 search f) load
7 input g) log
D/ Explain the following compounds as in the examples.

silicon chip = a chip which is made of silicon
webmaster = a person who maintains a website
1 software programmer........................................................................................................................................
2 disk drive .........................................................................................................................................................
3 file server..........................................................................................................................................................
4 systems analyst................................................................................................................................................
5 input device......................................................................................................................................................
6 laser printer......................................................................................................................................................
7 bookshop.........................................................................................................................................................
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Unit 5 How Cloud Computing Works
A/ Answer the questions about cloud computing and then read the text.
What is cloud computing? What are the advantages of managing data in the cloud? What other companies are major
cloud hosts? What are the downsides to moving to cloud hosting? How is it different than "regular" hosting, where a
customer pays for a fixed amount of storage and bandwidth for a fixed monthly fee?
by Jonathan Strickland
Let's say you're an executive at a large corporation. Your particular responsibilities include making sure that all of your
employees have the right hardware and software they need to do their jobs. Buying computers for everyone isn't
enough -- you also have to purchase software or software licenses to give employees the tools they require.
Whenever you have a new hire, you have to buy more software or make sure your current software license allows
another user. It's so stressful that you find it difficult to go to sleep on your huge pile of money every night.
Soon, there may be an alternative for executives like you. Instead of installing a suite of software for each computer,
you'd only have to load one application. That application would allow workers to log into a Web-based service which
hosts all the programs the user would need for his or her job. Remote machines owned by another company would
run everything from e-mail to word processing to complex data analysis programs. It's called cloud computing, and it
could change the entire computer industry.
In a cloud computing system, there's a significant workload shift. Local computers no longer have to do all the heavy
lifting when it comes to running applications. The network of computers that make up the cloud handles them instead.
Hardware and software demands on the user's side decrease. The only thing the user's computer needs to be able to
run is the cloud computing system's interface software, which can be as simple as a Web browser, and the cloud's
network takes care of the rest.
There's a good chance you've already used some form of cloud computing. If you have an e-mail account with a Web-
based e-mail service like Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail or Gmail, then you've had some experience with cloud computing.
Instead of running an e-mail program on your computer, you log in to a Web e-mail account remotely. The software
and storage for your account doesn't exist on your computer -- it's on the service's computer cloud.
When talking about a cloud computing system, it's helpful to divide it into two sections: the front end and the back end.
They connect to each other through a network, usually the Internet. The front end is the side the computer user, or
client, sees. The back end is the "cloud" section of the system.
The front end includes the client's computer (or computer network) and the application required to access the cloud
computing system. Not all cloud computing systems have the same user interface. Services like Web-based e-mail
programs leverage existing Web browsers like Internet Explorer or Firefox. Other systems have unique applications
that provide network access to clients.
On the back end of the system are the various computers, servers and data storage systems that create the "cloud" of
computing services. In theory, a cloud computing system could include practically any computer program you can
imagine, from data processing to video games.
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WEBQUEST
Webquests are inquiry-oriented activities in which some or all of the information that learners work
with come from resources on the Internet.
B/ Do a webquest on cloud computing to find out how it is different from Saas (software-as-a-
service) and outsourcing.
C/ Language work: Phrasal verbs

A phrasal verb is a verb plus a preposition or adverb which creates a meaning different from the original verb.
- Intransitive (with no object):

You're driving too fast - you ought to slow down.
- Transitive verbs whose object can come in two positions - after the verb or after the particle:
I think I'll put my jacket on OR I think I'll put on my jacket.
If the object is a pronoun, however, it must come between the verb and the particle:
I think I'll put it on (NOT I think I'll put on it).
D/ Complete the sentences with suitable verbs:

1) I have to wait for my computer to_______ up. It usually takes a couple of minutes to get it started.
2) The picture on the screen is too big! Can you ______ out a bit?
3) To connect to the network________ in your USB wireless adapter.
4) ________down to the end of the document so I can see the end of the list.
5) If you can’t _______into your account, your password could be expired.
6) I need a router to _______ to an Internet connection.
7) I didn’t _______up my data so I ended up losing all of it.
8) What you have to do is to ______ in your name and address.
9) Remember to_______ this off when you are not using it to save power.
10) Hackers might _______into your PC if you don't protect it.
E/ Try to think of five “new” phrasal verbs (related to computers) and use them in sentences of your
own:
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
F/ Use compounding (add words to make compounds) and affixation (add suffixes and prefixes) to
make as many words as you can from:
Web, program, chip, mail.
G/ Read these phrases and try to explain in English what they mean. Can you think of some more?
plug and play

drag and drop
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Unit 6 Green Networking in a Nutshell
A/ Read the text.
Green networking is a buzzword that is tossed around forums and industry gatherings, but few people really
know what it means - or perhaps, more specifically, what it entails. The term "green" is certainly broad, but it does
encompass a certain set of core values that are driving tech companies in their quest to lower their carbon footprint.
Substituting equipment, switching to the cloud and employing virtualization are all techniques that companies can use
when they take their first (green) steps. What this means is that while green networking can pay off in a big way, it
won't give IT warm and fuzzy feeling right off the bat. Here we'll look at the basics of how it works and how to put it in
place, as well as the challenges it poses for IT.
What Is Green Networking?
Green networking is a broad term used to cover a number of different techniques for reducing power consumption in
networking hardware and appliances. That can be good news for a company's bottom line. Reducing power
consumption also reduces the carbon pollution generated by that power, preventing the buildup of greenhouse gases
in the atmosphere. That's a bonus for companies that are looking to become better corporate citizens - or just appear
as such in their public relations campaigns
How Can It Be Implemented?
Once a decision has been made to "go green," there are three major ways that a company can implement green
technologies and begin harvesting benefits. These green strategies include device efficiency, virtual computing and
cloud services. Using one, two or all three technique can result in substantial energy (and cost) savings.
Device Efficiency
The strategy behind device efficiency is simple: It involves replacing aging hardware with newer models designed to
consume less power. Aging network equipment, such as bridges and routers, can suck up a significant amount of
power. Also, some of these network devices can potentially be combined, or, through the use of network address
translation, dropped entirely.
Another energy hog to tackle is the cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor. Newer LCD monitors use 50 to 70 percent less
energy. They also produce much less heat. Multiply that by an office full of monitors and you can begin to picture the
savings, both in terms of energy use and cooling costs in the summer.
Virtual Computing
With virtual networking, one server can take the place of multiple test servers, cutting down on energy consumption
(not to mention office space). Virtual computing platforms are available for PC, Mac and Linux servers. Virtual device
software installs on top of standard operating system software. A number of "virtual" machines can then be set up
inside the virtual software. The software isolates each machine inside the memory space of the computer,
automatically preventing conflicts and keeping things running smoothly. That's a scenario that makes both IT and
upper management happy. For example, a Linux server set up with virtual software could host a Windows XP
Workstation, Windows 2003 Server and Linux Ubuntu server all at the same time. Fewer machines mean less energy,
less space and far less hassle.
Cloud Services
As with green networking, "cloud" is another buzzword making the rounds these days. It seems like everyone wants to
move to the cloud, and for good reason. Cloud computing gives users the benefit of being able to access their
applications, files and data from anywhere in the world. All they need is an Internet connection. Plus, cloud computing
means that companies can access huge amounts of computing power without requiring so much on-site equipment.
Companies can take advantage of cloud computing by moving physical machines, such as backup and applications
servers, off the premises, thus cutting energy costs. (To learn more, read Cloud Computing: Why the Buzz?)
The Benefits of Green Networking
Green networking can cut costs and reduce a company's carbon footprint. Those are the most obvious benefits - but
not the only ones. Businesses looking to self-label as "green" can promote the low energy consumption of their
equipment and use this as marketing copy. Green is a word with a lot of power these days, so that in itself is worth
more than you might imagine. And of course, businesses that keep a close eye on the bottom line will reap the
benefits of lower power consumption in the form of lower utility bills.
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The Challenges of Going Green
The biggest challenge in green networking is cost. Implementing device efficiency by replacing aging equipment with
newer models can take a sizable bite out of a company's budget. Similarly, buying specialized virtual computing
hardware and software licenses can come with hefty up-front price tags. Another factor is company inertia. Despite the
benefits, many companies are happy to keep things business-as-usual, even when there are better ways to get the
same job done. In the long run, however, the benefits of green networking tend to be ongoing, which means they
generally outweigh the initial costs over time. And when it comes to corporate cachet, there's nothing like being green.
Taken from www.techopedia.com
B/ Language work - Idioms

Idioms are an important part of every language. They are words, phrases, or expressions that cannot be taken
literally. In other words, when used in everyday language, they have a meaning other than the basic one you would
find in the dictionary
C/ Match the idiom with the explanation:

silver surfer garbage in, garbage out all-singing, all-dancing game plan
have your work cut out cutting edge bells and whistles movers and shakers
1) If something's_________________, it is very modern and technically advanced, "full-featured".
2) If you_________________, you have something very difficult to do and you are very busy indeed.
3) A ________________is a strategy.
4) Something that is ________________is at the highest level of development, as of a device, technique, or scientific
field.
5) _______________are attractive features that things like computer programs have, though often a bit unnecessary
the things that something, especially a device or machine, has or does that are not necessary but that make it more
exciting or interesting.
6) ________________ are dynamic people who get things done; organizers and managers.
7) _________________means that if a computer system or database is built badly, then the results will be bad.
8) A ________________ is an elderly person who uses the internet features.
D/ Use the idioms from C/ to complete the sentences:

1) Fred's invention put him on the ___________________ of the computer chip business.
2) If you give nonsensical instructions to people or computers, those instructions will produce nonsensical results. Jill:
Why is my computer generating all this gibberish? Jane: You must have made a mistake in the
program._________________.
3) "After just a few lessons my grandmother was ready to join the______________."
4) She showed us the new _______________________graphics software she'd bought for her computer.
5) Your computer software may have all the latest________________, but is it good value for money?
6) We're training a completely new team, so we've ________________for us.
7) It's important to hang out with the _________________ in this company if you want to get ahead. Who are the
______________around here?
8) I do not know if my boss has a ______________ for the meeting.
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Unit 7 Cyber Crime Hall of Fame

What types of cybercrime can you name? Can you name some of the most famous cyber criminals? Why do you think
cyber criminals do what they do?
Rules are made to be broken the same way networks are made to be hacked into. There are all sorts of crimes, but
the ones that probably happen most often and hurt the most are crimes of opportunity—breaking into a house with an
open window, nabbing the wallet from a purse left unattended, stealing an unlocked car, etc. Now, for the average
Joe, breaking into NASA's infrastructure and bringing online giants like Amazon to a halt would not fall into that
category; for someone with in-depth networking and computer know-how, though, it's a different story altogether.
Often the greatest tech crimes in history have little more reason behind them than "because it was there." More often
than not, a hacker sees an open window—a hole in system's security, a backdoor, etc.—and climbs on through. And
they don't do it for any real worldly gain, but merely to prove that they can. That's not to say that there isn't malicious
intent underlying some attacks (take Vladimir Levin's $10.7 million hoax on CitiBank, for example). And we're not
saying that all hackers are bad guys, but a few fall prey to the dark side and use their talents for evil—not good.
What does it take for a cyber crime to catch our eye? In compiling our list, we looked for a few things: ingenuity (had it
been done before?), scope (how many computers, agencies, companies, sites, etc. did it affect?), cost (how much in
monetary damages did it cause?), and historical significance (did it start a new trend?). Only one of the three crimes
we highlight ranks on all four counts. Taken from www.pcmag.com
B/ Match the words and phrases in bold with the definitions below.
1 We nabbed seats in the front row of the theatre.

2 This program may contain malicious code"
3 The members of the expedition tried to keep busy and not fall prey to morbid thoughts.
4 Of the damage in Haiti, the president said "the depth and scope is unimaginable”.
5 A classic Internet hoax is the Christmas Lights Hoax, which hit the Web in December of 2004.
6 My moniker is composed of the initials for my name and last name.
a) the area covered by a given activity or subject

b) to be affected by a bad situation
c) carefully worked out, detailed and thorough
d) an act intended to deceive or trick
e) person's name or nickname
f) grabbing; snatching
g) deliberately harmful
C/ There are several widely acknowledged subgroups of computer hackers. Try to match the name
of the group with the explanation:
Hactivists Black Hats Grey Hats Script Kiddies White Hats
__________ hack onto computers for noble reasons, and often act as security specialist for corporations. They often
work as certified "Ethical Hackers," hired by companies to test the integrity of their systems. Others, operate without
company permission by bending but not breaking laws.
_________are what we most commonly think of when they think of criminal computer hacking. They have malicious
intent to defraud, vandalize, or steal.
As the name suggests, the legality of ___________ is uncertain. While they aren’t normally thought to hack for
personal gain or have malicious intentions, the tight rope they walk is what puts them in grey territory.
___________ is a derogatory term for a novice who breaks into computer systems by using pre-packaged automated
tools written by someone else. They usually have little to no understanding of what they are doing. They are the
outcasts of the hacker community, and often referred to as “skiddiots.”
_________ use their hacking skills for political activism. Some of the acts include web site defacements, redirects,
denial-of-service, information theft, and web site parodies.
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Some of the most famous black hat crackers are:
John Draper
Possibly best known by the moniker Cap'n Crunch (yes, like the cereal), John Draper is one of the first people to
which the term "hacker" can be applied. In the 1970s, Draper used a toy whistle found in Cap'n Crunch cereal to hack
phone lines and make calls "Phreaking," or the hacking of telecom systems, as it's now called, can be directly
Ranks For: Ingenuity, Historical Significance
Kevin Mitnick
Though Kevin Mitnick landed on the hacking radar in 1981 (at age 17), he didn't hit the really big time until 1983.
While a student at USC, Mitnick gained access to ARPANet, an Internet predecessor used by large corporations,
universities, and the U.S. Army. Getting into ARPANet provided him with access to the Pentagon and all the
Department of Defense's files, but he didn't actually steal any data. It's a glory thing. After the system administration
got wise, Mitnick was arrested stint in a youth detention center—the first sentence for illegally accessing a computer
system. Ranks For: Ingenuity, Scope
Vladimir Levin
He was the first to succeeded in illegally transferring a large sum of money from a major bank was 1994. Gaining
access to several major corporate account user names and passwords through CitiBank's analog wire transfer
network, Vladimir Levin transferred a sum of $10.7 million to accounts in the U.S., Finland, the Netherlands, Israel,
and Germany. Three of Levin's accomplices were apprehended when attempting to make withdrawals from accounts.
In 1997, he was sentenced to three years in jail.
Ranks For: Ingenuity, Historical Significance, Cost
D/ Complete the text with the following words:

gateways / sniff out / forwarded / a quote / companies / releasing / worm / Outlook
Everyone wants to be the first at something and claim their spot in history; though being the first hacker tried for
_________a virus isn't exactly the sort of "first" Mom's going to brag about. In 1999, David Smith released the Melissa
_________from a computer in New Jersey through a stolen AOL account. The worm automatically _________itself to
the first 50 people in a user's __________address book, and also was apt to insert _________from The Simpsons
into documents. All told, the worm hit over 300 __________worldwide, including Microsoft, Intel, and Lucent
Technologies, forcing them to shut down their e-mail __________due to mass overcrowding and causing estimated
damages nearing $80 million. After pleading guilty, Smith's prison sentence was reduced to 20 months when he
began working undercover for the FBI to help _________new viruses and their authors.
Yes-no questions
Usually, we form questions by changing the word order of a sentence. We put an auxiliary verb before the subject. For example:
"It had been done before." becomes "Had it been done before?"
If the statement doesn't have an auxiliary verb, we use do/does (present simple) or did (past simple): "It started a new trend."
becomes "Did it start a new trend?"
Wh- questions
We use the following question words: Who/What/Which/When/How often /How long/Where/Why/How.
E/ These are the answers to questions about the text. Write the questions:
1) To prove that they can.

2) John Draper was one of the first people to which the term "hacker" can be applied.
3) He used a toy whistle found in Cap'n Crunch cereal.
4) The hacking of telecom systems.
5) It's called Phreaking.
6) He was 17.
7) In 1994.
8) NASA was forced to shut down its computer network.
71
Unit 8 Phishing
A/ Answer the questions and then read the text. What is an email phishing scam? What should you
do if you receive an email phishing scam? How can you tell that an e-mail is fraudulent? Can an
email message that contains a company's official logo be a phishing scam?
English vocabulary you should know:
legitimate-in accordance with law
dire-terrible
inadvertently-without knowledge or intention
divulge-make known to the public information
lure-to tempt or attract by the promise of some type of reward
How Not To Get Hooked by a "Phishing" Scam
"We suspect an unauthorized transaction on your account. To ensure that your account is not compromised, please
click the link below and confirm your identity."
"During our regular verification of accounts, we couldn't verify your information. Please click here to update and verify
your information."
Have you received email with a similar message? It's a scam called "phishing" — and it involves internet fraudsters
who send spam or pop-up messages to lure personal information (credit card numbers, bank account information,
Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information) from unsuspecting victims.
According to OnGuard Online, phishers send an email or pop-up message that claims to be from a business or
organization that you may deal with — for example, an Internet Service Provider (ISP), bank, online payment service,
or even a government agency. The message may ask you to "update," "validate," or "confirm" your account
information. Some phishing emails threaten a dire consequence if you don't respond. The messages direct you to a
website that looks just like a legitimate organization's site. But it isn't. It's a bogus site whose sole purpose is to trick
you into divulging your personal information so the operators can steal your identity and run up bills or commit crimes
in your name.
OnGuard Online suggests these tips to help you avoid getting hooked by a phishing scam:
If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply. And don't click on
the link in the message, either. Legitimate companies don't ask for this information via email. If you are concerned
about your account, contact the organization mentioned in the email using a telephone number you know to be
genuine, or open a new internet browser session and type in the company's correct Web address yourself. In any
case, don't cut and paste the link from the message into your internet browser — phishers can make links look like
they go to one place, but that actually send you to a different site.
Area codes can mislead. Some scammers send emails that appear to be from a legitimate business and ask you to
call a phone number to update your account or access a "refund." Because they use Voice over Internet Protocol
technology, the area code you call does not reflect where the scammers really are. If you need to reach an
organization you do business with, call the number on your financial statements or on the back of your credit card.
And delete any emails that ask you to confirm or divulge your financial information.
Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software, as well as a firewall, and update them all regularly. Some phishing emails
contain software that can harm your computer or track your activities on the internet without your knowledge.
Anti-virus software and a firewall can protect you from inadvertently accepting such unwanted files. Anti-virus software
scans incoming communications for troublesome files. Look for anti-virus software that recognizes current viruses as
well as older ones; that can effectively reverse the damage; and that updates automatically.
A firewall helps make you invisible on the internet and blocks all communications from unauthorized sources. It's
especially important to run a firewall if you have a broadband connection. Operating systems (like Windows or Linux)
72
or browsers (like Internet Explorer or Netscape) also may offer free software "patches" to close holes in the system
that hackers or phishers could exploit.
Don't email personal or financial information. Email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information. If you
initiate a transaction and want to provide your personal or financial information through an organization's website, look
for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser's status bar or a URL for a website that begins
"https:" (the "s" stands for "secure"). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some phishers have forged security icons.
Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to check for unauthorized charges. If
your statement is late by more than a couple of days, call your credit card company or bank to confirm your billing
address and account balances.
Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who sent
them. These files can contain viruses or other software that can weaken your computer's security.
Taken from www.sfsu.edu
B/ Can you guess the meaning of the following words from context? Try to explain the meaning of
the words by paraphrasing.
1 compromise_____________________________________________________________
2 verify__________________________________________________________________
3 fraudsters______________________________________________________________
4 confirm________________________________________________________________
5 bogus _________________________________________________________________
6 genuine________________________________________________________________
7 cammers_______________________________________________________________
8 inadvertently____________________________________________________________
9 foolproof_______________________________________________________________
C/ Language work: Collocations

A collocation is an expression consisting of two or more words that usually go together.
For example, we say make a mistake, NOT do a mistake
commit a crime, NOT make a crime.
Types of collocations:
 Adj. + N: hot link, cold link, warm boot, blind copy;
 N + N: Web crawler, Web browser, Web page, Web host, home page, site address;
 V + N: surf the Web, run a program, click search, return to home page;
 N + Adv.: user-friendly
 Adv + Adj: highly recommended
73
D/ Match the words on the left with the words on the right to make collocations. Read the text again
and check.
1 click a) crimes
2 run up b) business
3 commit c) files
4 Web d) firewall
5 do e) the link
6 run f) bills
7 download g) address
E/ Supply the appropriate verb to form a collocation

________ rules _________data _______operations _______noise
________a decision ________a program ______the Web _______your account
F/ Make sentences using the collocations from above.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
74
Unit 9 Nanotechnology: It's a Small, Small, Small, Small World
A/ Do the quiz and then read the text.
1. Nanoscience is the study of ... A. Fishing lure
A. Phenomena on the scale of 1-100 nm B. Golf ball
B. Phenomena on the scale of single atoms C. Sunscreen lotion
C. Phenomena on the scale of electrons D. All of the above
2. The prefix "nano" comes from a ... 5. Nanorobots (nanobots)...

A. French word meaning billion
B. Greek word meaning dwarf A. Do not exist yet
C. Spanish word meaning particle B. Exist in experimental form in laboratories
D. Latin word meaning invisible C. Are already used in nanomedicine to remove plaque from
the walls of arteries
3. Who first used the term nanotechnology and when? D. Will be used by NASA in the next unmanned mission to
Mars
A. Richard Feynman, 1959
B. Norio Taniguchi, 1974 6. Optimally, atomic storage would store a bit of data in a
C. Eric Drexler, 1986 single atom. How many atoms might a single grain of sand
D. Sumio Iijima, 1991 hold?
4. Which of these consumer products is already being made A. ten million

using nanotechnology methods? B. ten billion
C. ten million billion
Nanotechnology One nanometre (nm) is one billionth, or 10−9, of a meter

Manufactured products are made from atoms. The properties of those products depend on how those atoms are
arranged. If we rearrange the atoms in coal, we get diamonds. If we rearrange the atoms in sand (and add a pinch of
impurities) we get computer chips.
Since we first made stone tools and flint knives we have been arranging atoms in great thundering statistical herds by
casting, milling, grinding, chipping and the like. We’ve gotten better at it: we can make more things at lower cost and
greater precision than ever before. But at the molecular scale we’re still making great ungainly heaps and untidy piles
of atoms.
Nanotechnology is about rearranging atoms whichever way we want. That’s changing. In special cases we can
already arrange atoms and molecules exactly as we want. Theoretical analyses make it clear we can do a lot more.
Eventually, we should be able to arrange and rearrange atoms and molecules much as we might arrange LEGO
blocks. In not too many decades we should have a manufacturing technology able to:
• Build products with almost every atom in the right place.

• Do so inexpensively.
• Make most arrangements of atoms consistent with physical law.
Often called nanotechnology, molecular nanotechnology or molecular manufacturing, it will let us make most products
lighter, stronger, smarter, cheaper, cleaner and more precise.
Atom computers
Computers of the future will use atoms instead of chips for memory.
• Today, computer chips are made using lithography — literally, “stone writing.” If the computer hardware
revolution is to continue at its current pace, in a decade or so we’ll have to move beyond lithography to some new post
lithographic manufacturing technology. Ultimately, each logic element will be made from just a few atoms.
• Designs for computer gates with less than 1,000 atoms have already been proposed — but each atom in such
a small device has to be in exactly the right place. To economically build and interconnect trillions upon trillions of
such small and precise devices in a complex three dimensional pattern we’ll need a manufacturing technology well
beyond today’s lithography: we’ll need nanotechnology.
• With it, we should be able to build mass storage devices that can store more than a hundred billion billion
bytes in a volume the size of a sugar cube; RAM that can store a mere billion billion bytes in such a volume; and
massively parallel computers of the same size that can deliver a billion billion instructions per second.
Taken from www.actionbioscience.org

75
B/ Find the words in the text with the following meaning:
1) slight but appreciable amount (line 2) ........................................
2) tiny wafer of semiconductor material, processed to form a type of integrated circuit (line 3) ..................................
3) clumsy (line 6) ..........................................
4) group (line 6) ............................................
5) science and technology of building devices, such as electronic circuits, from single atoms and molecules (line 8)
.......................................................
6) printing process in which the image to be printed is rendered on a flat surface (line 25)
...........................................................
C/ Find words in the text with the D/ Fill in the missing words in the table below:
following suffixes. Where do they belong?
Noun Verb Adjective

NOUN VERB Adjective Adverb
-acy -ate -able, -ible -ly

expansion
-al -en -al -wise magnetic
-ance, - -ify, -fy -esque -ward(s) convert

ence
electrical
-dom -ize, - -ful
ise reduce
-er, -or -ic, -ical computed
-ism -ious, -ous interact

-ist, -ian, -ish activate
-ing
programmable
-ity, -ty -ive
-ment -less
security
-ness -y, -ly develop
-ship -ing attach
-ion, -tion,
-ation
E/ Write the IT professions that relate to these expressions (use suffixes):

- software developing___________________________________
- database administration________________________________
- web design__________________________________________
- hardware design______________________________________
- analysing systems____________________________________
- administrating systems_________________________________
76
Unit 10 Computing Careers
A/ What jobs do these definitions describe? Read the text to check.
A ___________________researches problems, plans solutions, recommends software and systems, and coordinates
development to meet business or other requirements.
A ___________________designs, develops, tests, and evaluates software and systems that make computers or
anything containing software.
A ___________________is a person employed to maintain and operate a computer system and/or network.
A___________________ is a person responsible for the design, implementation, maintenance and repair of an
organization's database.
B/ Computing careers
The IT industry offers a wide range of positions that vary in their requirements and expectations. To start an IT career,
you should have a reasonable idea of the requirements of the area you’re interested in.
What you should do first is to learn about the various career options. What does the job entail? What is your
background? What are the skill needs? What are the personality requirements? Answers to these questions should
indicate the area that suits you. It is unwise to invest in training or certification, unless you know it's the right program
and career path for you.
A System Analyst helps a company determine what hardware and software would be most beneficial to their
business needs. When the Analyst is presenting a recommendation of this type the analyst would present the steps
involved with implementing the installation and use of the program or hardware, the budget outline, and the time-frame
involved. The System Analyst also gathers user information from company employees to determine if the company
has the need to create a training program to address new and unknown software or hardware functions. Today's
salary for a System Analyst averages $70,000 - $90,000 a year.
A Software Engineer is an individual who uses research and design to create and develop new application or system
software within a team of developers. The Software Engineer's primary job is to test, debug, and maintain any new
software that the Engineer has developed. A Software Engineer's duties include designing and constantly researching
development of new technologies; additionally, coding instructions into a computer for manipulation of a program, and
testing new software programs; and consulting with various clients and writing reports and technical documents. The
main contact, in the event that a program fails to function properly, would be the Software Engineer.
A System Administrator is in charge of managing a company's computer system. System Administrators have
several duties of responsibility. One of the main responsibilities of a System Administrator is to troubleshoot the
company's system when problems arise. Several minor responsibilities include installation of hardware and software,
performing data backups, maintaining system security, managing the company's network system and training staff
members.
System Administrators perform analysis of the company's database in hopes of finding ways to either automate
certain processes, or allow system users to perform functions easier and more rapidly. While System Administrators
are capable of handling most day-to-day problems, there should always be a qualified individual and trained staff to
handle various jobs of the System Administrator in the event of illness or emergency.
A Database Administrator (DBA) analyzes employees at work and takes the information collected to use in finding
new and better ways to organize, manage, and store company data. The DBAs job is to implement software to meet
the needs of the employees effectively.
DBAs install and perform tests on database management systems (DBMs) to ensure proper performance. Database
security is a major responsibility of a DBA. The integrity of the database system is important to any company;
therefore, in order to sustain integrity, the DBA ensures that storage, archiving, backup, and recovery processes
function properly.
With increasing levels of events involving the act of "hacking" into systems and the recent rise in "natural disasters",
being able to recover sensitive company data, and insuring and monitoring system security have become a vital part
of the System Administrator and Database Administrator's job function. Taken from EzineArticles.com/3571324
77
C/ Here are some more IT professions. Complete the definitions by adding extra information.
1) A webmaster is a person who..............................................................................................................

2) A help desk technician is a person .....................................................................................................
3) A computer security specialist… ………………………………………………………….. .……………..
D/ Applying for a job
When you find a job position you want to apply for, whether online, through the newspaper or submit internally you
need to provide a cover letter along with your CV. The cover letter is your introduction to an employer and a good way
to show your communication skills, motivation and enthusiasm which is important to make a good impression. You
should explain your purpose for writing and provide information about your most relevant skills, experiences and
qualifications for the job. Here is an example of a cover letter:
Mr. Richard Smith,

Hiring Manager
Samebrook Manufacturing, Inc.
15 Russell Street
Any Town, USA 73956
Dear Mr. Simpson:
Your posting on JobBankUSA.com for a computer systems administrator motivated me to write this cover letter and
apply for the job. I have had three years of experience installing, configuring, and supporting local and wide network
and the Internet system for Shoemaker Technologies in Chicago. I believe that my experience will be valuable to your
company.
My qualifications and work experience in networking, system engineering and security appear to be well suited to your
company's specific requirements. I am confident I can make a significant contribution to your company, specifically by
providing excellent technical services and support to your company and clients.
Please refer to the accompanying resume to provide you with further details of my qualifications, in consideration for
this position.
If you would you like to meet in person to talk over the job requirements and see if I'd be a good fit for your company
you can reach me at 786-789-0456 to set up an appointment. I look forward to hearing from you and appreciate that
you have read this cover letter and will at least consider me as one of the computer systems administrators you will be
hiring for your three facilities.
Sincerely,
Name O. Name
Enc: resume and cover letter
Taken from www.jobbankusa.com.
E/ Practice writing your own letter of application and a CV.
78
Bibliography
1. Broughton, G., Brumfit, C., Flavell, R., Hill, P. & Pincas, A. (2003): Teaching English as a Foreign Language
[online] available: http://api.ning.com/
2. Čeličković, V.(ed) (2005): Poslovni rječnik: Školska knjiga

.
3. Edge, J. (1993): The Essentials of English Language Teaching: Longman.
4. Hedge, P. (2000). Teaching and Learning in the Language Classroom. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
5. Lightbown, P. & Spada, N. (2006): How Languages are Learned: Oxford University Press.
6. McIntosh, C & Francis, B.(eds) (2009): Oxford Collocations Dictionary: Oxford University Press.
7. Noble, J. (2006): Oxford Business English Dictionary: Oxford University Press.
8. Parkinson, D. & Francis, B (eds). (2006): Oxford Idioms Dictionary: Oxford University Press.
9. Parrot, M. (2010): Grammar for English Language Teachers: Cambridge University Press.
10. Richards, J. & Rodgers, T. (2001). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
11. Swan, M. (2005): Practical English Usage: Oxford University Press.
12. Thornbury, S. (2000): How to teach grammar: Pearson Education.
13. Thornbury, S. (2002): How to teach vocabulary: Longman.
14. Wlodkowski, R. J. (2008). Enhancing adult motivation to learn: A comprehensive guide for teaching all adults.
San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
79

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University of Applied Sciences Velika Gorica

Ivana Rubić, prof.

Copyright © 2014., University of Applied Sciences Velika Gorica

Chapter 1: The Computer Age

Unit 1: The Computer Age…………………………………………………………………………… 4

Chapter 2: Software and Information Technology

Unit 1: The Software Development Cycle…………………………………………………………. 31

Unit 1: How to Recycle Your Used Electronics........................................................................ 57

Ivana Rubić, prof.

Unit 1 The Computer Age

The following structures will help you express your

B/ Read the text:

The Importance of Computers

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeffrey_Frasco

 We use adverbs to give information about an action. Adverbs of

NOUN VERB ADJECTIVE ADVERB

A/ Read the text.

10 Countries With Best Internet Speed In The World

Internet Speed: 27.9 Mbps (Peak) Global rank: 8

Year-to-year change: 17 per cent #7 Belgium #5 Latvia

Year-to-year change: 15 per cent Global rank: 7 #4Romania

Global rank: 3 Year-to-year change: 21 per cent

Year-to-year change: 31 per cent Global rank: 11

Global rank: 2 Internet Speed: 27.1 Mbps (Peak)

#1 Hong Kong Year-to-year change: 24 per cent

C/ Numbers and figures

Thousands: 15,560 – fifteen thousand five hundred (AND) sixty

786,450 – seven hundred eighty-six thousand four hundred (AND) fifty

Millions: 2,450,000 – two million four hundred (AND) fifty thousands

Decimals: 2.34 – two point three four

Percentages: 27% – twenty-seven percent

Temperature: 28° C (Celsius) OR 72° F (Fahrenheit)

Speed: 100 km/mph (kilometres /miles per hour)

nought British English British: Day-Month-Year American: Month-Day-

D/ Write these numbers as they would be spoken:

A/ Read the text.

- laptop, desktop computer, PDA or personal digital assistant, workstation

- file servers, print servers, web servers

Taken from www.english4it.com.

legacy system / tablet PC / convergence / server / embedded system / supercomputer / router /

a) ___________the evolution of devices towards common functionality.

d)__________a computer designed for use by one person at a time.

g) __________a specialized computer which connects two networks.

 In most cases, we form the plural in

file…………. There are several irregular plural forms:

graphics stylus…………… man/woman – men/women

Nearly all modern computers implement some form of the stored-program

Taken from Wikipedia

To describe a process or how something works use:

4) identify the parts

E/ Describe how a computer is built

Positive comparative superlative

BUT! easy – easier – the easiest

Equality is expressed by using as...as.

D/ What types of storage and memory do the following sentences describe?

B/ Reading: Computer memory

•Cell phones, PDAs, Game consoles, Car radios, VCRs, TVs

A kilobyte, abbreviated K or KB, equals 1,024 bytes, but is commonly rounded to

4) you _ (have) a printer at home?

6) How often _ you ___ (use) computers at work?

Networking _ Equipment __

Technology Query _

Icon _ Information __

Hardware _ E-commerce _