WARM UP

1. What does digital age mean? Choose the correct answer.

a. A time period
encompassing the activities
related to the Space Race, space
exploration, space technology,
and the cultural developments
influenced by these events. It
is generally considered to have
begun with Sputnik 1 in 1957
and to continue on ever since.
b. Also known as the
information age, this is a
period in human history
characterised by a shift from industrial production to information and
computerisation, changing significantly how people interact with
businesses and each other.
c. A period in the history of aviation defined by the advent of
aircraft powered by turbine engines, and by the social change this brought
about. One view is that this age began with the invention of the jet engine
in the 1930s and 1940s.
2. What does it mean for you to live in a digital age? Name 3
advantages and 3 disadvantages of the digital age.
3. In your opinion, how important is it to get people
connected in the digital age?

Info Box
Atomic Age - the period in history initiated by the first use of the atomic
bomb and characterized by atomic energy as a military, political, and
industrial factor. The phrase ‘Atomic Age’ gained popularity as a feeling of
nuclear optimism emerged in the 1950s in which it was believed that all
power generators in the future would be atomic in nature. There was a
general feeling that everything would use a nuclear power source of some
sort, in a positive and productive way, from irradiating food to preserve it, to
the development of nuclear medicine. There would be an age of peace and

4
plenty in which atomic energy would "provide the power needed to
desalinate water for the thirsty, irrigate the deserts for the hungry, and fuel
interstellar travel deep into outer space". This use would render the Atomic
Age as a significant step in technological progress as the first smelting
of Bronze, of Iron, or the commencement of the Industrial Revolution.
While atomic power was promoted for a time as the epitome of progress
and modernity, entering into the nuclear power era also entailed frightful
implications of nuclear warfare, the Cold War, mutual assured
destruction, nuclear proliferation, the risk of nuclear disaster (potentially as
extreme as anthropogenic global nuclear winter), as well as beneficial civilian
applications in nuclear medicine. It is no easy matter to fully segregate
peaceful uses of nuclear technology from military or terrorist uses (such as
the fabrication of dirty bombs from radioactive waste), which complicated
the development of a global nuclear-power export industry right from the
outset.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_Age

GROUP WORK
If we compare the Digital Age with the Atomic Age, what is the
common thread that binds them? Use the Venn Diagram below to
compare the ages and clearly see what they have in common as well
as what might distinguish them.

Atomic Age Digital Age

5
VOCABULARY BUILDING
a. Match the following terms to the given definitions:
1. Digital Age a. An enhanced version of reality created by the use
of technology to overlay digital information on an
2. Interactive
image of something being viewed through a device
whiteboard (such as a smartphone camera)
b. A person who uses a product or service on a
3. Wireless
computer.
network c. The largest known public network in the world,
connecting millions of computers around the world.
4. Screen
d. To enter information related to an account name
reader and its password in order to access a computer
resource.
5. Assistive
e. An artificial environment which is experienced
technology through sensory stimuli (such as sights and sounds)
provided by a computer and in which one's actions
6. End user
partially determine what happens in the environment.
7. Log on f. To terminate a connection to a computer or
network.
8. Log off
g. Technology used for people with disabilities, blind
9. Internet people for example use screen readers.
h. Any type of network that uses electromagnetic
10. Virtual
waves, such as radio waves, to transmit data.
Reality (VR) i. A navigation system formed by various satellites
orbiting the earth and their corresponding receivers
11. Augmented
on the earth, thus allowing this system to determine
Reality (AR) somebody’s or something’s location, speed and
direction.
12. Global
j. The time-period starting in the 1970s in which
Positioning personal computers and other subsequent
technologies were introduced to provide users the
System
ability to easily and rapidly transfer information.
(GPS) k. A large touch-sensitive board connected to a
computer and a digital projector used for teaching
in the classroom.
l. A piece of software that interfaces with your PC
and allows, you via keyboard commands, to get any
text information read to you in synthetic speech.

6
b. Complete the sentences with the missing words.
Choose the words from the exercise above. Choose
carefully as there is a one-to-one correspondence.
1. Niantic is the same company that developed the popular
Pokemon Go …………………. game several years ago.
2. I have a …………. fitted in my car. With it I never get lost.
3. Some people refer to the …………………. as an
information superhighway.
4. We used an ….……….., like a large touchscreen monitor, at
school to have more interactive classes. It was also very useful.
5. The computer user could not ………… because he forgot
his username and password.
6. These new glasses., allow me to watch films and enjoy
…………., the artificial environment of the latest video games.
7. Developers must maintain a close relationship with
……………. if they want to have a successful career.
8. The ………….……… has helped me a lot. I can hardly see,
so I use a ………………, a program that reads aloud onscreen
text, menus and icons.
9. The server was set to automatically ………………. users
after 10 minutes of inactivity.
10. The upgraded …………………… at my university is great:
we can connect our laptops and smartphones to the network
anywhere in the campus.
11. The time period in which we live now where Internet and
email are available is an example of the ………………….

READING COMPREHENSION
Read the following text and do the post-text activities.
The Digital Age
We are now living in what some people call the digital age,
meaning that computers have become an essential part of our
lives. Young people who have grown up with PCs and mobile

7
phones are often called the digital generation. Computers help
students to perform mathematical operations and improve their
math skills. They are used to access the Internet, to do basic
research and to communicate with other students around the
world. Teachers use projectors and interactive whiteboards to
give presentations and teach sciences, history of language
courses. PCs are also used for administrative purposes –
schools use word processors to write letters, and databases to
keep records of students and teachers. A school website allows
teachers to publish exercises for students to complete online.
Students can also enroll for courses via the website and parents
can download official reports.
Mobiles let you make voice calls, send texts, email people and
download logos, ringtones or games. With a built-in camera you
can send pictures and make video calls in face-to-face mode. New
smartphones combine a telephone with web access, video, a
games console, an MP3 player, a personal digital assistant
(PDA) and a GPS navigation system, all in one.
In banks, computers store information about the money held
by each customer and enable staff to access large databases and
to carry out financial transactions at high speed. They also
control the cashpoints, or ATM (automatic teller machines),
which dispense money to customers by the use of a PIN-
protected card. People use a Chip and PIN card to pay for
goods and services. Instead of using a signature to verify
payments, customers are asked to enter a four-digit personal
identification number (PIN), the same number used at
cashpoints; this system makes transactions more secure. With
online banking, clients can easily pay bills and transfer money
from the comfort of their homes.
Airlines pilots use computers to help them control the plane.
For example, monitors display data about the fuel consumption
and weather conditions. In airport control towers, computers
are used to manage radar systems and regulate air traffic. On

8
the ground, airlines are connected to travel agencies by
computer. Travel agents use computers to find out about the
availability of flights, prices, times, stopovers and many other
details.
1. Answer the following questions based on the given text.
a. What are computers mainly used for in banks?
b. How / In what ways are computers used by airlines?
2. Find in the text definitions for the following expressions
a. The digital b. ATM
generation c. PIN
3. Find in the text words having the same meaning.
a. keep, save (verb)
b. execute, do (verb)
c. monetary (adjective)
d. screen (noun)
e. integrated (adjective)
f. connected to the Internet (adjective)
g. collection of facts and figures (noun)
h. describes the information that is recorded or broadcast
using computers (adjective)
i. program used for text manipulation (noun)
j. copy files from a server to your PC or mobile (verb)
4. Pair work: Turn to your desk-fellow and retell this text
to him/her.

Share your opinions and thoughts on the following

statement.
It has been commonly acknowledged that using technology to stay in
touch can have a major impact on reducing social
isolation and loneliness as well as the fact that it
can enrich and enhance people’s lives.
Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Use
specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

9
 COMPUTER LITERACY

WARM UP
1. What does it mean to you to
be computer-literate?
2. Is it equally important for
everyone to be computer-
literate?
3. What do you think are the
benefits from computer
literacy?
4. Can you consider yourself a
computer-literate person?
Below there is a quiz, take it to find out how literate you are.

COMPUTER LITERACY QUIZ

1. All computers understand the 4. In the early days of computers,
language BASIC because, as its all programming was done:
name implies, it is the most a. in FORTRAN
fundamental of computer b. in BASIC
languages. T/F c. in machine language
d. in UNIVAC
2. Example of random access
storage devices include: 5. The science of control and
a. core and disk feedback theory is called
b. magnetic tape and cybernetics, and Norbert Weiner
punch cards contributed a lot to this area.
c. disk and magnetic tape T/F
d. paper tape and punch
cards 6. One threat to privacy comes
e. all of the above from the willingness of most
people to provide information
3. The concept and use of about themselves voluntarily.
punched cards was developed: T/F
a. before 1900
b. about 1920 7. When one is buying a
c. about 1940 computer system, he might
d. about 1960 purchase hardware and software
from two different companies.
T/F

10
8. The Turing "Imitation Game":
a. has a computer imitate a
business environment
to train executives in
decision-making.
b. has a person imitate a
computer to find
program errors.
c. has a computer simulate
a complex situation
providing a detailed
study of alternative
effects.
d. has a computer pretend
to be human,
e. demonstrating artificial
intelligence.
9. Which of the following is a
characteristic of a problem which
is well-suited to solution by the
computer?
a. Problem solution
involves value
judgments
b. All necessary decisions
are quantifiable
c. The problem is ill-
defined
d. The solution to the
problem is needed only
one time
10. Very large computer
programs are apt to contain
undetected errors even after the
programs have been used for
several years. T/F
11. By 1950 about 1000
electronic digital computers had
been manufactured and placed
into service. T/F
12. Using an 8-bit code, how
many different characters can be
represented?
a. 8
b. 16
c. 32
d. 256
e. 512
Results:
1-6 correct answers – Good;
7-9 correct answers – Excellent;
10-12 correct answers - Exceptional

VOCABULARY BUILDING
a. Match the following terms to the given definitions:
1. Data a. An organized, electronic collection of
information optimized for fast access and
2. Component typically consisting of rows, columns, indexes,
and keys.
3. Network b. A group of connected computers which share
resources.
4. Peripheral c. An external computer add-on, such as a printer
or a scanner; also known as an 'accessory'.

11
5. Hardware d. A software program which allows a user to
perform specific tasks such as word processing,
6. Program email, accounting, database management.
e. Physical things that make up a computer, such
7. Database as a component or a peripheral.
f. Repairing and replacing broken and failing
8. Application computer hardware.
g. Any device internal to the computer, such as a
9. Software primary hard disk drive or motherboard.
h. An electronic, digital device that stores and
10. Computer processes information.
i. An input device having a number of keys
11. Keyboard relating to a Natural Language, such as English,
or Greek.
12. Hardware j. Any program designed to run on a computer.
maintenance k. Raw information of any kind.
l. A set of instructions telling the computer what
to do.
b. Complete the sentences with the missing words.
Choose the words from the exercise above. Choose
carefully as there is a one-to-one correspondence. 4
1. Examples of popular …………… include Microsoft Word,
Adobe Photoshop, and Mozilla Firefox.
2. A hardware geek is constantly upgrading …………... in his
computer to achieve more performance.
3. A ….....….. needs to be replaced or upgraded regularly or it
will become obsolete.
4. ……………………... involves taking care of the computer's
physical components, such as its keyboard, hard drive and other
internal parts.
5. The network administrator was fired when he lost all the
company ……………. by accidentally formatting the wrong
hard disk drive array.
6. The international company stored their customer
information in a central …………………. in Brussels.

12
7. ………………. today has become such a commodity that
it's often more expensive to repair it than to replace it.
8. Almost every country has a unique ………………. layout,
which can make using foreign computers very awkward.
9. The company ………………….. consisted of 3 servers, 95
workstations, and 10 printers.
10. Sara hated the look of all the tangled wires behind her desk,
which were caused by so many ………….
11. The geek purchased new ……………………. for his
computer almost every weekend.
12. We’ve got a new 3D graphics …………………………. to
encourage children to tell stories.

Can you differentiate a program from an

application or an application from software
using both, but, while?

USING BOTH, BUT, WHILE

FOR COMPARING AND CONTRASTING
Both focuses on identifying the common traits two
things/items have in common. But, on the other side, focuses
on identifying the conspicuous difference between the
compared things. While goes on with shaping the contrast of
the compared items even more as it has the meaning "at the same
time", which differs from but which mainly means "however."
Let’s illustrate an example and then get down to some practice.
Component versus Peripheral
Both a component and a peripheral are hardware parts, but a
component is an internal part of a computer such as a
motherboard for instance, while a peripheral is an external
computer add-on, such as a mouse, printer or a scanner.
Hardware / Component Program / Application
Peripheral /Hardware Application / Software

13
 READING COMPREHENSION
A. You are going to read an article about the importance of
computer literacy. Three paragraphs have been removed from the
extract. Choose from the paragraphs A-C from below the text the
one which fits each gap (1-3).
The Importance of Computer Literacy

1. imagine living without them

Today, computers are no
longer specialized tools used
only by scientists or engineers.
They do not hum behind
sealed, glass walls in climate-
controlled environments.
Computer systems are
everywhere – in places you
cannot see or would not expect
to find them. They are a fact of
life, a common thread that ties
together our education, work,
and home life.
2.
Technically, to be "literate" in a
subject means to have
knowledge of that subject. You
understand its basic terms and
concepts. As an example,
consider driving a car. If you
have a driver’s license, then you
are literate in driving-related
terms and you understand the
rules of the road. You were not
born with such knowledge or
abilities, but it may be hard to
today.
3.
How will you benefit from
computer literacy?
________________________
If you have basic computer
knowledge along with specific
job skills, employers will
consider you more trainable in
and adaptable to the
computerized work
environment.
________________________
As you increase your computer
skills, you become a more
valuable worker, especially if
you focus on high-tech skills
such as programming, network
administration, or hardware
maintenance. However, you do
not have to become a
computer expert to increase
your earnings. Skills that
involve application of the
computer to specific tasks
(such as desktop publishing or technologies enable you to
database management) are monitor your entire household
highly valued. via a PC-to set your air
conditioner or alarm clock,
________________________
start your coffee maker or
Computers are incredible
sprinklers, and activate your
learning tools, especially when
alarm system.
you have access to data on
storage devices or the Internet. Because of the growth of
You can use a PC to access computer technologies, we
vast knowledge bases on now live in an information
almost any topic, search society – where information is
archives of information dating considered to be an extremely
back decades, and even take valuable commodity. Those
online courses for credit. who control important
information, or who simply
________________________
know how to access and use it,
Using the power of the
are key players in the
Internet and only a little
information-based economy.
knowledge of computers, you
Computer literacy and the skills
can manage your personal
you can build with that literacy
finances and indulge your
are essential to success in this
interests in ways that were not
society, not just in our working
possible just a few years ago.
lives, but in the way we learn,
Online banking and investing
manage our finances, and
give you control of the money
improve our standard of living.
you earn. Online shopping
makes it easier than ever to
spend your money, too. New

Removed paragraphs
A B C
Someday, perhaps Computers are With computers
sooner than you think, becoming increasingly touching nearly every
you may not be able to important tools in all facet of our lives, the
imagine living without types of workplaces, issue of computer
computer skills. from offices to literacy becomes
Consider the fact that factories. important. But what is

15
computers are an computer literacy, and
essential part of why is it so crucial?
business today, Why should you spend
whether you are an your time and energy
auto mechanic or a studying and becoming
surgeon, a journalist or "computer literate"?
an airline pilot. Like the
cars that take us to
work each day, we rely
on computers more
with each passing year.

B. The following 4 headings were taken from the text. Scan

read the text and place them above the corresponding
paragraph.
- Greater Access to Resources - Greater Control of Assets
- Increased Employability - Greater Earnings Potential

C. Answer the following questions according to the text.

1. What example does the author use to explain what
means to be "literate" in a subject? Did the author
succeed in explaining the meaning? What would you
add if you had to complete this explanation?
2. Who are the key players in the information-based
economy nowadays? Do you agree with the answer? In
what way?
3. Based on the reading passage, how far do you agree or
disagree with the importance of developing computer
literacy?
D. Find in the text words matching the given definitions.
1. to make a low, continuous, droning sound (verb)
2. closed by any form of fastening that must be broken before
access can be gained (adjective)
3. a similar idea or pattern to a series of events (noun phrase)
4. aspect; phase (noun)

16
5. involving an extremely important decision or result; decisive;
critical (adjective)
6. capable of being trained (adjective)
7. able to adjust oneself readily to different conditions (adjective)
8. the design and production of publications by means of speci
alized software enabling a microcomputer to generate
typeset quality text and graphics (noun phrase)
9. something of use, advantage, or value (noun)
10. ability to use computers and related technology efficiently,
with a range of skills covering levels from elementary use
such as data entry, word processing, spreadsheets,
and electronic communications to programming and
advanced problem solving (noun phrase)

Share your opinions and thoughts in the

form of a 200-word essay on the following
topic:
Computers are a fact of life, a common
thread that ties together our education,
work, and home life.

SOCIAL NETWORKING

WARM UP
1. What social networking
sites do you use on a
regular basis?
2. How often do you
access them?
3. Is visiting social media
part of your daily routine?

17
VOCABULARY BUILDING
a. Match the following terms to the given definitions:
1. social a. A hypertext document connected to the World
Wide Web.
networking
b. To publish a commentary, a message or an
2. content article on an Internet newsgroup, forum, or
other bulletin board area.
3. blog
c. Providing of advice, help and training pertaining
4. program to the installation, operation, and maintenance
of equipment.
ming
d. Any hardware or software used to host an
language application or service.
e. An online platform which people use to
5. technical
build social networks or social relations with
assistance other people who share similar personal or
career interests, activities, backgrounds or real-
6. platform
life connections.
7. webpage f. To move from a link to a link in order to view
the contents of Web pages.
8. to browse
g. The information, material, etc. presented on a
9. to post website or other digital medium.
h. To write the source code for a program in a
10. to code
binary form.
i. A website that allows the users to reflect, share
opinions, comment on current events, and
discuss various topics in the form of an online
journal, sometimes letting readers comment on
their posts.
j. A set of commands, instructions, and other
syntax use to create a software program.
Share your opinions and thoughts on the following
statement. You are given 5 min to prepare to speak for 2 min on the given topic.
Social Networking is the way the 21st
century communicates today. Do you agree or
disagree with this statement? Use specific reasons and
examples to support your answer.

18
 READING COMPREHENSION
Social Networking Sites
Social Networks
Do the names Twitter, Facebook, Kakao Talk, etc. ring a bell?
They probably do because they are some of the most popular
sites on the Internet today. These sites are all called 'social
networking' sites because they help people meet and discuss
things online. Each of these social networking sites has its own
strengths: Facebook is especially popular among teenagers and
college age people, Renren is especially loved in China and very
popular among college students, while Kakao Talk is the site to
visit in South Korea. The common thread between all of these
social networks is that they provide a place for people to
interact, rather than a place to go to read or listen to 'content'.
Web 2.0
Social networks are considered to be web 2.0. What does this
mean? To understand this, it's important to understand what
the original web did (often called web 1.0). Back in the nineties,
the Internet - or web - was a place to go to read articles, listen
to music, get information, etc. Most people didn't contribute to
the sites. They just 'browsed' the sites and took advantage of
the information or resources provided. Of course, some people
did create their own sites. However, creating a site was difficult.
You needed to know basic HTML coding (the original language the
internet uses to 'code' pages). It certainly wasn't something most
people wanted to do as it could take hours to get a basic page
just right. Things began to get easier when blogs (from web log)
were introduced. With blogs, many more people began writing
'posts', as well as commenting on other people's blogs.
History
MySpace Surprised Everybody
In 2003 a site named MySpace took the Internet by storm. It
was trying to mimic the most popular features of Friendster, the

19
first social networking site. It quickly became popular among
young users and the rest was history. Soon everyone was trying
to develop a social networking site. The sites didn't provide
'content' to people, they helped people create, communicate
and share what they loved including music, images and videos.
The key to the success of these sites was and it still is that they
provide a platform on which users create the content. This is
very different from the beginning of the Internet which focused
on providing 'content' for people to enjoy.
The Key to Success
Relying on users to create content is the key to the success of
web 2.0 companies. Besides the social networking sites
discussed here, other huge success stories include: Wikipedia,
Digg.com and the latest success - Twitter. All of these
companies rely on the desire of users to communicate with
each other, thereby creating the 'content' that others want to
consume.

A. Choose the correct answer.

Q-1: Which social networking Q-4: Which phrase best
site was not mentioned in the describes what people do at
reading? social networking sites?
A. Twitter A. They interact with other
B. LinkedIn people.
C. Facebook B. They browse articles and
other content.
Q-2: What is Facebook? C. They code pages in
A. A blog HTML.
B. A content site
C. A social networking site Q-5: Social networks are
considered:
Q-3: Where is Kakao Talk A. Web 1.0 sites
especially popular? B. Web 2.0 sites
A. In Japan C. Web blogs
B. In South Korea
C. In Brazil

20
Q-6: What was the original B. They are platforms for
web mainly used for? interaction.
A. Interacting with other C. They are like blogs, but
people better.
B. Browsing content
C. Creating pages in HTML Q-9: What do web 2.0 sites
rely on?
Q-7: Why didn't many people A. Articles written by
create web pages in the professional journalists
beginning? B. Users creating content
A. They didn't like C. Fast internet
communicating with connections
others.
B. They didn't feel Q-10: What is most important
comfortable coding for these new sites?
HTML pages. A. Users' desire to
C. They didn't know they communicate with each
could create web pages. other
B. Users' desire to read
Q-8: Which is the best interesting content
description of web 2.0 sites? written by professionals
A. They are content driven C. Users' desire to learn
sites. coding
B. Answer the following questions:
1. What does web 1.0 mean? 8. In what way/s do
2. What does web 2.0 mean? social networking sites
3. How is web 2.0 different differ from the
from web 1.0? beginning of the
4. Why was it difficult to Internet?
create a site back in the 9. What is the key to
nineties? success of the modern
5. What are blogs? social media?
6. What changed with the 10. Do social networking
introduction of blogs? sites have future or will
7. What is social networking be overtaken by some
according to the text? other technologies?

21
 Browse the Internet and find the Top
10 Most Popular Social Networking
Sites in September 2019. Compare them
with Top 10 Most Popular Social
Networking Sites in September 2018. Find out which of them have
improved their positions and which have moved to a lower position.
Try to identify the causes of theses fluctuations, if there are any.
Position 2019 2018
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X

Grammar Revision
QUESTIONS

A. Context listening
What do you see in this
picture? Describe it.
You are going to hear a telephone
conversation between Peter and his
girlfriend Molly.

Why do you think Peter is

unhappy?

22
a. Listen again and answer these questions.
1. Who went out?
2. How many times did Peter phone Molly and get no answer?
3. Who had a change of plan?
4. Who is sorry?
5. Where are they meeting tomorrow?

b. Listen again for these replies. Write down the question

when you hear each reply.
1. Are you at home at last? Yes, I am.
2. …………………………………………No, I haven’t.
3. ……………………………………………...Yes, I did.
4. …………………………….…....….…. Of course I do.
5. …………………………….………… You know I do.
6. ……………………………….……… Of course I will.
7. …………………………………………...… Yes, let’s.

B. Grammar practice
1. In some of these sentences there is a mistake. Underline
each mistake and write the correction.
E. g. Who did make the cake for the wedding? made
1. We haven’t got to do the washing-up, do we?
2. Does your sister lives with your parents or has she got a flat
of her own?
3. Why you can’t walk faster?
4. You weren’t planning to leave early, were you?
5. Which sort of music prefer you to listen to?
6. You went to school in Paris, haven’t you?
7. Were both your brothers playing in the match?
8. What is Julie’s brother look like?
9. Do you know where is the nearest bar?
10. You had a really exciting dream, hadn't you?

23
11. Nothing can happen, can it?
12. You live in London, haven't you?
13. Nobody came, didn't they?
14. Sit down, don't you?
15. I was early, weren't I?
16. There is no sugar, isn't there?
17. I'm a pupil, am I not?
18. It means you are brave, doesn't it?
2. Write suitable questions for these answers, using the
words in brackets and your own ideas.
1. Where would you like to go on holiday? …………….… (go)
The Caribbean.
2. ………………………………………………………………… (finish)
No, I didn’t. There’s some in the fridge.
3. ……………………………….………………………………… (spend)
About an hour, usually.
4. …………………………………………………………..…...…… (try)
No, I haven’t. But I’d love to.
5. ……………………………………………………………………… (do)
Sometimes I watch a film and other times I read.
6. ……………………………………………………………………… (see)
About once a week. It depends how busy I am.
7. ……………………………………………………………..…... (enjoy)
Not really. The music wasn’t good, and the people weren’t
interesting.
8. …………………………………………………………………..……(be)
Because I overslept.

3. Rearrange the words to make questions.

1. are/film/see/going/What/you/to
2. go/me/alone /Why/out/you/and/don't/leave
3. main/look/does/What/ actress/like/the

24
4. I/to/if/Why/music/to/listen/I/want/shouldn't
5. of/daily/television/routine/part/Is/your
6.think/right/to/all/Do/it/of/throw/things/you/was/Jim/
away/her
7. name/the/ever/play/is/of/you/best/What/have/the/seen
8. washing/do/How/times/week/you/many/the/up/ a/do
9. where/you/the/is/nearest/Do/post office/know
10. you/speaking/is/Can/guess/who

4. Write questions to which the underlined words are the

answers.
1. The car is $5.000.
2. They invited Lucy and Jake.
3. Derek takes the bus three times a week.
4. Someone opened the door.
5. He will go to the USA the next year.
6. New York is very far from London.
7. It took Lucy two hours to write a composition.
8. Something happened last night.
9. Alice went shopping yesterday.
10. His daughter is ten years old.

5. Add the correct question tags to these questions.

1. He always forgets his homework, doesn’t he?
2. The teachers didn’t see me, ………….…....…?
3. You would like to come with us, …….……....?
4. I’ve got plenty of time, ……………….……...?
5. Let’s have another coffee, …………….……..?

25
6. Those men played really well, ………….……?
7. Molly will have to tell the truth, ……….…….?
8. We can’t stop here, ……………….……....…?
9. You promise you’ll never tell anyone, ………?
10. She wants an ice cream, ………………..... ?
11. There's nothing wrong with your bike, ….. ?
12. You are never happy, ………………..….. ?
13. I'm right, ………………………………... ?
14. Everybody is here, …………………..…... ?
15. They hadn't locked the door, ………….... ?
6. Match the statements and short answers.
1. I started learning English when I was a. So am I.
ten. …d..
b. Neither will I.
2. I didn’t find it very easy. …..
3. I was always trying to sing English c. Neither did I.
songs. …..
d. So did I.
4. But I couldn’t understand the words at
first. ….. e. So must I.
5. I’m quite good at English now. …..
f. So have I.
6. I’ve read a couple of novels in English...
7. I won’t have many problems in g. Neither could I.
England, I guess. …..
h. So was I
8. And I must do my homework now. …..
7. Match the statements and short answers.
1. You never wrote, ... a. … has she?
2. Shut up, ... b … would you?
3. I am ready, .... c … can't you?
4. She hasn’t invited you, .... d … did she?
5. Give me a hand, .... e … did you?
6. She hardly breathed, ... f … aren't I?
7. Nobody likes them, ... g … do they?
8. You wouldn't like cats, .... h … aren't I?
9. Nothing matters, .... i. … does it?
10. I'm cooking tonight,…. j … will you?

26
You and Computers
1. Think about how you use computer
in your free time and in your study.
Complete the table below.

In my free time In my study

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

2. Do you think your computer is your friend or your foe?

READING AND VOCABULARY

Our society has developed technological dependence. When

computers are down, our way of life breaks down: planes stop
flying, telephones don’t work, banks have to close. Computers
also produce electronic waste i.e. plastic cases and microchips
that are not biodegradable and have to be recycled or just
thrown away. They are the ones responsible for health

27
problems, e.g. computer addiction which can be simply defined
as an inappropriate and excessive use of computers.
Cybercrime, crime committed with the help of computers, is
creating serious problems. As a conclusion it can be said that
citizens feel a loss of privacy because of unauthorized use of
personal data or receiving unwanted electronic messages.

a. How would you entitle the reading passage?

_________________________________________________

b. Find in the paragraph above definitions for the

following collocations which represent serious problems
nowadays:
1. technological 3. computer addiction
dependence 4. cybercrime
2. electronic waste 5. loss of privacy
c. Read the following sentences. Match them with the
problems mentioned above (in b).
1. We are sorry to announce that most flights are delayed
or cancelled.
2. He should go to psychologist. He spends hours surfing
the Web.
3. Technology changes do quickly that we have to scrap
computers when they become obsolete.
4. I’ve been getting emails about offers for lots of
different products.
5. My computer system has been broken into and some
useful information has been destroyed.

DEVELOPING LISTENING SKILLS

1. Listen to four people talking about how they use
computers at work and fill in the gaps with the missing
words.

28
Speaker 1. I write music mainly for (1) ……… and plays. I
work on a (2) ……...……...... connected to a (3) ………...…. I
use the computer in two ways, (4) ………. First of all, to record
or (5) …………… what I play on the keyboard. Secondly, the
computer (6) ……………the sounds I can make with the
different (7) ………...……...… I have (8) ………. I can use it
to get different kinds of sound from the synthesizers. The
computer is the (9) ………… between the keyboard which I
play, and the synthesizers which produce the (10) ………….
Speaker 2. I use my computer to do the usual (1) …………
things, like writing (2) ……………, letters, faxes and so on, but
the thing I find most useful is (3) …………. We’re an
international company and we have offices all over the world.
We’re (4) …………… up to all of them by email. With email, I
can communicate with the offices around the world very (5)
…………. It’s really changed my life.
Speaker 3. (1) ……, I use computers for (2) …… every aspect
of my job. I use them to design electrical (3) ………… and (4)
………… systems. For example, a program will tell you how
much lightening you need for a (5) ……...…… room or how
much (6) ……... you need and it’ll show where the cable should
go. I also use the computer to make (7) ………… and to keep
(8) ……… We have to (9) ……… our installations every five
years and that information is (10) …… on computer, too.
Speaker 4. I use computers to (1) ………… and classify all the
materials received in the library and record all the books,
newspapers, DVDs, etc. that users (2) ………. I also (3) ……
customers and visitors in the (4) …… of IT hardware and
software, including (5) ………… databases and (6) ………….
I help people with their (7) …………, for example, if children
or (8) ………… people need to find specific information, (9)
………… in our online library catalogue or on the Internet.
I’m also in (10) ………… of other library services, such as
printing and fax machines.

29
2. Can you say what the speaker’s jobs are?
a. c.
b. d.

3. Extract from the text above relevant information to

complete the table using the infinitive of purpose.
Job Use
- to record what she plays on the keyboards;
Composer - to get different sounds from synthesizers.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

VOCABULARY BUILDING
a. Match the following terms to the given definitions:
1. Email (electronic mail) a. Without any delay (while the users are
logged on).
b. An Internet service used for
2. Email attachment
transferring data or program files
between the powerful server
3. Clipart computers that provide the network
services and the client computers that
use these services e.g. downloading
4. Computer output
music files.
c. A form of communication over a
5. Edutainment network that uses video cameras so
that the people taking part can see and
hear each other.

30
6. Real time d. To use one’s computer to stay in
touch with the office while working
from / at home.
7. File Transfer
e. The processed data or signals that
come out of a computer system on
Protocol (FTP) paper.
f. A combination of educational and
entertainment content.
8. Videoconferencing
g. Other types of files such as video
or audio files attached to simple email
9. To upload text messages.
h. To copy data from a client
computer to the server computer.
10. To telecommute
i. A communication service used for
sending and receiving text messages.
j. Ready -drawn graphic images that
can be inserted into documents.
READING COMPREHENSION AND VOCABULARY
1. Fill in the gaps with the terms from the box to complete
the specialized text below.
search engines, viruses, hardware, expert systems,
program, wordprocessors, webpages, computer,
website, information superhighway, software,
spreadsheets, operating system, anti-virus
A …………. is a device that processes data according
to a set of instructions known as a …………. . The equipment
is known as the …………. and the programs and data are the
………….. A special set of programs, called an ………….,
provides an interface for the user and allows applications
programs to communicate with the hardware. Common
applications programs include …………., for creating and
editing texts, …………., for calculating mathematical formulae
and databases, for storing data in a way that allows the data to

31
be easily sorted and searched and …………. programs for
detecting and removing …………., harmful programs that can
reproduce themselves and attach themselves to other programs.
Unlike most machines, computers do not have a fixed
purpose. They are multi-purpose tools. They can be used in a
very wide variety of situations and are found in a wide range of
systems including security systems, cars and phones. Advanced
systems, known as …………., enable computers to ‘think’ like
experts. Medical expert systems, for example, can help doctors
diagnose an illness and decide on the best treatment.
The most popular service available on the Internet is
the World Wide Web (WWW) which is often simply referred to
as the Web (note the use of the capital W). The Web contains
interlinked documents called ………. A set of related webpages
stored together on a server computer is called a ………..
Websites give the user access to special programs called
…………. that are designed to allow the user to find relevant
webpages on the Web. An Internet system designed to provide
free, interactive access to vast resources for people all over the
world is sometimes referred to as an …………………....
2. Pick up the definitions corresponding to the following
terms and terminological collocations from the text and
write them down into your glossaries:
1. Webpage 5. Virus
2. Expert system 6. Search engine
3. Information 7. Spreadsheet
superhighway 8. Website
4. Multi-purpose 9. Anti-virus program
Example:
1. Operating system - A special set of programs which
provides an interface for the user and allows applications
programs to communicate with the hardware.

32
LISTENING AND SPEAKING
You are going to hear two people talk about how they use
computers.
First listening: Listen to the audio file and note the actual uses
described.
User Actual use
A. -

B. -
-
-
Second listening: Now listen to the audio file again and answer
these questions:
1. What have they got?
2. What do they have it for?
3. How often do they use it?
Speaker A

4. What is there in front of the monitor? What does it

look like?
5. How does the story-telling program encourage
children to work together?
6. In what way is the children’s reaction to this program
different from other uses they make of computers?

1. What is the OU student studying?

2. When and where does she study? Why?
Speaker B

3. What can she attend some Saturdays in town?

4. What opportunity does she have to meet other
students?
5. What does she use computer for?
6. What is a ‘help group’?
PAIR WORK: Retell your colleague what the Speaker A/B
is talking about.

33
 Which statement do you agree with?
Computers Make the World Smaller.
Computers Make the World Smarter.
Computers Make the World Smaller and
Smarter.
Choose one statement and comment on it. Use specific reasons and
examples to support your answer.

Grammar Revision

2. Listen again and give full answers.

1. What’s Millie doing this morning?
2. What does she do nearly every Saturday?
3. What’s she looking for?
4. What’s Lisa wearing?
5. What’s she doing this morning?
6. What does she do whenever she goes to town?
7. What’s Millie looking at right now?
8. What does Lisa want Millie to do now?

34
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
1. Choose the right tense.
1. Water boils/is boiling at 100·C.
2. When do you get/are you getting up?
3. We have/are having English classes every day.
4. - Do you wear/are you wearing a new hat? - Yes, do you like/are
you liking it?
5. Look! She comes /is coming.
6. - Where is Paul? - He plays/is playing football with Derek.
7. - Where is mum? - She does/is doing the laundry in the
bathroom.
8. - I go/am going to visit Laura tonight. She leaves/is leaving to
New York in the morning. - When does she come /is she coming
back? - I don't know.
9. We spend/are spending holidays in Spain.
10. Laura usually goes/is going to school by bus, but today her
mum drives/is driving her to school.
2. State or action? Choose the right variant.
1. I see/am seeing Becky on Monday.
2. She weighs/is weighing 100 kilos. She eats too much.
3. Don't disturb me. I listen/am listening to music.
4. You look/are looking great.
5. I think/am thinking he can drive a car.
6. Laura has/is having two cars.
7. I come /am coming from Spain.
8. She tastes/is tasting vanilla ice cream. It's delicious.
9. He is/is being a very polite person.
10. Why do you smell/are you smelling these cakes?

3. Use the correct tense-form of the verbs in brackets.

There is a traffic jam in the street. Most of the people 1
(try)..................... to get to work. They all 2 (work) ..................... in
the city but few of them 3 (live) ............................... there. They 4
(feel) .................................. very angry and frustrated at the

35
moment because the traffic 5 (hardly move) .....................................
Traffic jams like this 6 (happen) ........................ every day. The
problem 7 (get) ................................ worse all the time.
4. Identify the mistakes in the following sentences and
correct them.
1. I'm busy at the moment. I talk over the phone. - am talking
2. I'm not knowing where he is.
3. I look at the pictures at the moment.
4. What do you read, Freddy? I don't read. I write.
5. They are picking the apples in September.
6. My brother lives with us until he can find a flat of his own.
7. They have dinner now.
8. The train is arriving at 7.30.
9. He is drinking coffee in the morning.
10. Our English friends come to our place on Monday.
11. Tom is looking well.
13. I’m not having enough money for a long holiday this year.
15. I’m liking a good cup of coffee after lunch.
16. I must lose weight – I’m weighing over 80 kilos.
17. Maria is going to the shops every Saturday morning.

5. Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verb in

brackets.
1. My father …………… (know) all about mending cars, but
nothing about bicycle.
2. – Why ……………………… (you wear) my coat?
– Oh, I’m sorry. It…………… (look) like mine in this light.
3. This pie …………………… (smell) a bit odd. What’s in it?
4. I ………… (like) the jacket of this suit, but unfortunately
the trousers ……………… (not fit) me anymore.

36
 5. You’re very quiet this evening. What ………………… (you
think) about?
6. – I ……… (have) no idea what this sentence ……… (mean).
Can you translate it?
– No, sorry. I …………………… (not understand) it either.
7. – ………………… (you see) those men near the door?
They …………… (look) at us very strangely.
– Yes. You’re right. …………….………… (you recognize)
them from anywhere?
– No, but they certainly …… (seem) to know us. They
…………… (come) across to speak to us.
8. – What …………………………… (you do) in the kitchen?
– I ……………………… (just make) some coffee.
– Well, go away. I ………………… (not want) your help.
Our guests ………………… (wait) for their dessert, and you
………………….…… (get) in my way!
9. I played football at school, but now I …………… (prefer)
swimming or tennis.
6. Decide whether to use Present Simple or Present
Continuous.
1. Sometimes Susan (to watch) ………….… science fiction
films, but she normally (to prefer) …………….… love stories.
2. Look! Mr. Cooper (to work) …………………. He usually (to
start) ……….…… work at about 8 o’clock.
3. We (to go) ………….…… to a football match next Saturday.
4. Can you (to answer) …………… the phone, please, I (to have)
……………… a bath right now.
5. I never (to eat) …………… spinach, but we (to have) ………..
………… some this evening.
6. When I (to see) ……… him, we always (to go) …… to a pub.
7. We usually (to meet) ……... when we (to go) ……… to work.
8. Listen! Mrs. Jones (to play) …………...…… the piano. You
can (to hear) …………… her very clearly.
9. When John (to sleep) ………, he sometimes (to talk) …….…

37
10. Sorry, Mr. Smith, I cannot (to speak) ………… to you right
now, because I (to be) ………… very busy.
11. Paul and Tim (to go) …….… to London three times a year,
but next summer they (to stay) ………….… at home.
12. Occasionally he (to go) …………… to the cinema, but he (to
go) ……… to the theatre at least once a week.
13. John (not/to be) ……… here, he (to work) …………… late
this evening.
14. At the moment I (not/to like) ……………………… fish.
15. Peter always (to sing) ….… while he (to have) …….… a bath.
16. Look! It (to rain) …………… outside, so we can’t (to go)
……… to the beach.
17. Susan (to hate) ………… potatoes, because she (to think)
………… they (to be) …… bad for her.
18. I must (to go) …………… home now, because my parents
(to wait) ………………… for me.
19. Sam can’t (to go) ………… to Mexico next summer, so he
(to visit) ………………… his grandmother.
20. Mary (to love) ………………… chocolate, and she (to eat)
…………….……… some every day.
7. Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verbs in the
box
behave, come, cost, eat, enjoy, feel, go, have, have, have,
like, love, realize, say, serve, show, smile, stay, take, visit

Dear Stephanie,
How are you? We’re fine. Our trip round the States (1)
…………………. well and we (2) ……………………. ourselves
very much. One good surprise is that things (3)
……………………. less here than back home. For example,
this weekend we (4) ……………………. in a motel beside a
lake. We (5) ……………………. a room with a beautiful
view for only $35 per night.

38
 The only thing we (6) (not)……………………. much is
the food. Restaurants (7) ……………………. dinner rather
early. We (8) (never)……………………. at six o’clock at
home so we (9) (not)……………………. hungry then and
Americans (10) ……………………. very big meals. Apart
from that, we (11) ……………………. a wonderful time. We
(12) ……………………. lots of interesting little towns and
we (13) ……………………. the scenery.
People here (14) …………………. in a very friendly
manner towards strangers, all the shop assistants (15)
…………………. at us, and everyone (16) ………………….
‘Have a nice day!’ At home, the TV (17)
(always)……………………. us bad news stories about the
States, but in fact, when you (18) ……………………. here,
you (19) ……………………. it’s a really great place.
We (20) ……………………. Lots of photos to show you.
Much love,
Mick and Mary
PRESENT SIMPLE AND PRESENT
CONTINUOUS IN PASSIVE VOICE
Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is
not important or not known who or what is performing
the action.
Example: The book is open.
In the example above, the focus is on the fact that the
book is open. We do not know, who opened it.
Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than
active voice, as the following example shows:
Example: A mistake is made.
In this case, the focus is on the fact that a mistake is
made, but we do not blame anyone

39
Form of Passive
Subject + finite form of to be + Past Participle (3rd
column of irregular verbs)
Example: A letter is written.
When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the
following:
 the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of
the passive sentence
 the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past
participle)
 the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of
the passive sentence (or is dropped)

Tense Subject Verb Object

Simple Active: Rita writes a letter.
Present Passive: A letter is written by Rita.
Present Active: Rita is writing a letter.
Progressive/ Passive: A letter is being by Rita.
Continuous written
Active: Rita can write a letter.
Modal verbs Passive: A letter can be by Rita.
written
Personal and Impersonal Passive
Personal Passive simply means that the object of the active
sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. So every
verb that needs an object (transitive verb) can form a personal
passive. Example: They build houses. – Houses are built.
Verbs without an object (intransitive verb) normally cannot form a
personal passive sentence (as there is no object that can become the
subject of the passive sentence). If you want to use an intransitive
verb in passive voice, you need an impersonal
construction – therefore this passive is called Impersonal
Passive. Example: He says – It is said

40
Impersonal Passive is not as common in English as in some
other languages (e.g. German, Russian, Romanian, Latin).
In English, Impersonal Passive is only possible with verbs of
perception (e. g. say, think, know, believe, suppose, etc.). Example:
They say that women live longer than men. – It is said that
women live longer than men.
Although Impersonal Passive is possible here, Personal
Passive is more common. Example: They say that women
live longer than men. – Women are said to live longer than
men.
The subject of the subordinate clause (women) goes to the
beginning of the sentence; the verb of perception is put into
passive voice. The rest of the sentence is added using an
infinitive construction with 'to' (certain auxiliary verbs and that are
dropped). Sometimes the term Personal Passive is used in English
lessons if the indirect object of an active sentence is to become
the subject of the passive sentence.

1. Turn the following sentences into passive voice paying

particular attention to the tenses.
1. He opens the door silently.
2. They are building a new town hall in our town.
3. We set the table when father is at home.
4. The family is waiting for you now.
5. Sheila is now drinking a cup of tea.
6. She pays a lot of money for bills.
7. I draw a picture when I am in good mood.
8. They always wear blue shoes.
9. I am writing a poem at the moment.
10. She is taking a picture of him.
11. They can't help you.
12. They are just doing their homework.
13. You do not write long letters.

41
14. Does your mum pick you up?
15. Is she preparing the party?
16. Are they sending for you?
17. What books are people reading this year?
18. Is she watering the flowers?
19. Does the police officer catch the thief?
20. Are they talking about the meeting?

2. Turn the following active constructions into passive

paying attention to the modal verbs.
1. I can easily answer this question.
2. She would carry the box for us.
3. You should open the window.
4. We might play cards.
5. You ought to wash the car.
6. He must fill in the form.
7. They need not buy bread.
8. He could not read the sentence.
9. Will the teacher test our English?

3. Turn the following active constructions into

impersonal passive.
1. People know that she is a good swimmer.
2. They say that Francis is in hospital.
3. They suppose that the new product will come out soon.
4. His colleagues think that he is on holiday.
5. People believe that nuclear power stations are dangerous.
6. People believe that the robber has worked in the bank.
7. They think that the children are in bed.
8. People know that cars pollute the environment.
9. They find that the mission is impossible.
10. They believe that she will win a gold medal.

42
 THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMPUTERS
WARM UP

1. How many types of computers can you name?

2. How are computers usually classified? On which principles?

SPECIALIST READING

Computers can be generally classified by size and power, though

there is considerable overlap:
1. The term supercomputer refers the fastest computer
currently available. Supercomputers are very expensive and are
employed for specialized applications that require immense
amounts of mathematical calculations (number crunching). One
use of these computers is weather forecast because of the large
amount of calculations involved. Other uses of supercomputers
are scientific simulations, (animated) graphics, fluid dynamic
calculations, nuclear energy research, electronic design, and
analysis of geological data (e.g. in petrochemical prospecting). Perhaps
the best known supercomputer manufacturer is Cray Research.
2. Mainframe was a term originally referring to the cabinet
containing the central processor unit or "main frame" of a room-
filling Stone Age batch machine. After the emergence of smaller
"minicomputer" designs in the early 1970s, the traditional big
iron machines were described as "mainframe computers" and
eventually just as mainframes. Nowadays a Mainframe is a very
large and expensive computer capable of supporting hundreds, or
even thousands, of users simultaneously. They are used by
government companies, airline companies for bookings,
insurance companies and banks. The chief difference between a

47
supercomputer and a mainframe is that a supercomputer
channels all its power into executing a few programs as fast as
possible, whereas a mainframe uses its power to execute many
programs concurrently. In some ways, mainframes are more
powerful than supercomputers because they support more
simultaneous programs, but supercomputers can execute a single
program faster than a mainframe. The distinction between small
mainframes and minicomputers is vague, depending really on
how the manufacturer wants to market its machines.
3. A minicomputer is a midsize computer. In the past decade,
the distinction between large minicomputers and small
mainframes blurred, as did the distinction between small
minicomputers and workstations. But in general, a minicomputer
is a multiprocessing system capable of supporting from up to 200
users simultaneously.
4. A workstation is a type of computer used for engineering
applications (CAD/CAM), desktop publishing, software
development, and other types of applications that require a
moderate amount of computing power and relatively high quality
graphics capabilities. Workstations generally come with a large,
high-resolution graphics screen, at large amount of RAM, built-in
network support, and a graphical user interface. Most
workstations also have a mass storage device such as a disk drive,
but a special type of workstation, called a diskless workstation,
comes without a disk drive. The most common operating
systems for workstations are UNIX and Windows NT. Like
personal computers, most workstations are single-user
computers. However, workstations are typically linked together
to form a local-area network, although they can also be used as
stand-alone systems.
N.B.: In networking, workstation refers to any computer
connected to a local-area network. It could be a workstation or a
personal computer.

48
5. The term Personal computers (PC) defines a computer
designed for general use by a single person. While a Mac is a PC,
most people relate the term with systems that run the
Windows operating system. PCs were first known
as microcomputers because they were a complete computer,
but built on a smaller scale than the huge systems in use by most
businesses. Today, the world of personal computers is basically
divided between Apple Macintoshes and PCs. The principal
characteristics of personal computers are that they are single-user
systems and are based on microprocessors. However, although
personal computers are designed as single-user systems, it is
common to link them together to form a network. In terms of
power, there is great variety. At the high end, the distinction
between personal computers and workstations has faded. High-
end models of the Macintosh and PC offer the same computing
power and graphics capability as low-end workstations by Sun
Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard, and DEC.
There are also different types of personal computers and
among them the most popular are the following:
A computer system that is used at home, at work, in
schools, universities... It consists of a monitor and a casing
inside which the power supply, the CPU, the motherboard
and many other devices are located. These computers may
be used for creating, editing, printing and sending
Desktop

documents. They are also used to communicate using the

internet, to play music, videos, games, learn new languages,
mathematics and many other scientific subjects.
A laptop has similar computing power as the desktop, but
has a set of electrical batteries that allows it to be used in
cars, parks, airplanes, etc. They have a smaller weight and
are therefore portable. Besides being used to surf the net
and send e-mails, they can also be used to create, edit, send
Laptop

documents, and excel sheets. The portability and the

computing power of laptops make them suitable for
presentations in conferences and forums.

49
 A netbook specializes in browsing the Web. They have the
looks of laptops, but lack the full capabilities of a
Netbook

computer. They weigh less than a laptop and are smaller in

size which are big advantages for travelers. Almost all
netbooks do not have CD / DVD drives.
A tablet PC has the capabilities of a laptop, but is smaller in
size and does not have a keyboard. It has a touch-screen
that allows using fingers or stylus to input instructions and
interact with the machine. The keyboard or mouse are not
needed. It is light and small in size and is therefore easy to
carry. Modern Tablet PCs allow you to use the internet to
look for information and news, watch online videos, read e-
books, communicate with your friends, shop online.
Tablets are fitted with batteries that may last up to 10
Tablet PC

hours. Major advances in technologies such as battery life,

smaller size yet larger memories, touch-screen recognition,
and wireless internet access have all contributed to make
the use of tablets PC more efficient and practical.
Apart from the types of computers mentioned above, smart
phones should also be included in this classification as they are
now being used nearly in the same way as any portable computer.
Besides making telephone calls, a smartphone runs on an
operating system and has the ability to let the user send and
receive e-mails, browse websites on the net and read documents.
The latest trend in computing is wearable computers.
Essentially, common computer applications (e-mail, database,
multimedia, calendar/scheduler) are integrated into watches, cell
phones, visors and even clothing.
1. Answer the following questions.
1. Based on the reading passage, what is the difference between a
supercomputer and a mainframe?
2. Is there any difference between a minicomputer and a
microcomputer?
3. What about a workstation and a personal computer?

50
2. BROWSE THE INTERNET
a. Give three examples for each type of computers.
Microcomputers Minicomputers Mainframe Supercomputers
computers

b. Microcomputers, also known as personal

computers, can be classified into desktop
computers, portable computers, handheld or
palm-sized computers, pen-based computers and wearable
computers. Give examples for each category.
Desktop Portable Handheld/ Pen-based Wearable
computers computers palm-sized computers computers

3. It’s Power Point Presentation time!!!

Have you ever heard of Nettops, Palmtops, Digitizers,
Netbooks, Chromebooks or MacBooks?
Choose a topic for presentation from the list given below:
1. Supercomputers versus Mainframe computers
2. Minicomputers versus Microcomputers
3. Desktop computers versus Workstations
4. Laptops versus Notebooks
5. Netbooks versus Nettops
6. Digitizers or Graphics tablets?
7. Tablet PC versus Mobile telephones
8. Types of Wearable computers
9. Servers versus Terminals
10. Advantages of a Laptop over a Desktop Computer
11. Advantages of a Laptop over a Tablet PC
12. Chromebooks versus Macbooks

51
 COMPUTER HARDWARE

WARM UP
a. Write the names of this computer components. What else
would you add?

Vocabulary Study
1. What do these abbreviations stand for? Decipher them.
1. DVD 8. RAID 15. ROM
2. SSD 9. MB 16. CD-ROM
3. Hz 10. GHz 17. SDRAM
4. NIC 11. FSB 18. XGA
5. CPU 12. LCD 19. GB
6. TFT 13. IBM 20. kbps
7. PC 14. UPS 21. PDF

52
 2. Match the following terms to the given definitions:
1. Supercomputer a. The electronic circuit expansion board
in a computer that is used to process
2. Mainframe audio signals and connect to and
control a microphone loudspeaker or
computer headphones.
b. A piece of equipment used for reading
3. Memory from and writing to a storage medium.
c. The most powerful type of computer
4. Hard disk drive or mainframe computer used for
processing work on nuclear research.
d. The main electronic circuit board inside
(HDD)
a computer that holds and connects
together all the main electronic
5. Uninterruptible components.
e. A type of LCD commonly used in
Power Supply portable computers which uses a
separate transistor to control each pixel
(UPS) on the display.
f. The electronic part of a computer
6. Sound card system that is used for temporarily
storing the programs and data that are
7. Motherboard being used by the processor.
g. A magnetic storage device that reads or
8. FSB writes data on metal disks inside a
sealed case.
9. TFT Display h. A battery backup system that
automatically provides power to a
10. Storage device computer system when the normal
electricity source fails.
i. The largest and most powerful type of
computer used for processing payroll
data.
j. The set of connectors on a
motherboard that carry data signals
between the processor and the
memory.

53
VERBS RELATED TO HARDWARE
a. Take a look at all these verbs. They are related to
hardware and can be used with different hardware
components and pieces. Read the explanations and
translate them into your native language in your copybooks.
ADD You may add memory to your computer if the
memory in your computer is very limited.
ASSEMBLE You may assemble or disassemble a
DISASSEMBLE computer or a device.
ATTACH You may attach a cable to a connector.
CONNECT You may connect or disconnect any cable or
DISCONNECT device to or from your computer.
FIT If you want the processor to fit a processor
socket or the expansion card to fit an expansion
slot you must be certain they are the appropriate
size and shape.
HANDLE You may handle a machine such as a
computer or a vehicle. Handle is a synonym of
manipulate.
INSERT You may insert or remove a memory module,
REMOVE e.g. a DDR3 memory module, into a memory
slot. You say insert to and remove from.
INSTALL You may install or uninstall a peripheral, an
UNISTALL expansion card, or any hardware component.
MOUNT You may mount a motherboard or a DVD
drive by fixing it to the tower case of a
computer.
OVERHEAT A processor may overheat if you the fan
doesn’t work properly.
PLACE You may place a component in a particular
position. For example, you may place a
processor on the processor socket in order to
insert it.
PLUG You may plug a power cord or a cable into a
UNPLUG socket or a connector. Or you may unplug a
power cord or a cable from a socket or
connector.

54
PRESS You may press a key on your keyboard, or you
may press a button, e.g. the power button of
your computer.
PUSH You may push a memory module until it fits
PULL into a memory slot. Or you may pull a memory
module or an expansion card in order to
remove it.
REPLACE You may replace an old or broken hardware
component by a new one.
SCREW You may screw or unscrew screws using a
UNSCREW screwdriver.
SUPPORT A motherboard may support a specific type of
processor, or expansion card.
TURN ON You may turn on or turn off your PC to make
TURN OFF it start or stop working. It means the same as
switch on/ switch off.
UPGRADE You may upgrade an old computer, hardware
component, or application to a new one.
Upgrade is also a noun, i.e. a new version of
something.
VERIFY You may verify that a cable is connected, or
you may just verify that everything is right.

b. Match the verbs (1-10) with the nouns (a-j) to make

collocations.
1. assemble a. screw
2. attach b. RAM module
3. upgrade c. cable
4. fit d. hard-disk
5. screw e. printer
6. insert f. power cord
7. mount g. computer
8. uninstall h. motherboard
9. plug i. CPU
10. overheat j. HW components

55
SPECIALIST READING
COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
The processor, for instance Pentium/Intel, is the
most important part of the computer. It processes the data and
controls the computer. Powerful computers used as servers
often have more than one processor.
There are two main types of memory: RAM which
holds the program instructions and the data that is being used
by the processor, and ROM which holds the program
instructions and settings required to start up the computer.
The combination of the processor and memory is
sometimes referred to as the CPU, although sometimes the
processor itself is referred to as the CPU. The other parts
connected to the CPU are known as peripherals. These can
include input devices, output devices, storage devices and
communication devices. Input devices include: keyboards,
scanners, barcode readers, digital cameras, microphones and video cameras.
Output devices include: monitors, printers, plotters, loudspeakers,
headphones. Storage devices include: magnetic tape, floppy disks
(diskettes), hard disks, SSDs, CD-ROMs, CD-R disks, CD-RW
disks, DVDs and MO disks. A common communications
device is a modem.
A set of connectors used for carrying signals between
the different parts of a computer is known as a bus. Data is
transferred constantly between the processor and memory
along the system bus. Each part of memory has its own
memory address and the processor determines where
processed data is stored by sending an address signal along an
address bus and data along a data bus. This is synchronized
by an electronic clock in the CPU that determines the
operating speed of the processor. Transferring data between the
processor and RAM can slow up the computer; therefore, some
extremely fast memory is usually used as a cache to hold the
most frequently used data.

56
 In a desktop computer, the CPU and storage devices
are normally built inside a system unit which consists of a
metal chassis enclosed in a flat desktop or a tower shaped case.
Other peripherals are attached to the system unit by cables.
Each peripheral uses its own driver card or controller (an
expansion card that is plugged into special expansion slots in the system
unit). Expansion cards contain the electronics required to
communicate with and control the device e.g. video or
graphics cards are used for monitors, soundcards are used
for audio input/output and NICs are used for connecting to
other computers in a network. Extra memory can also be added
to the computer using special memory expansion slots inside
the computer. A portable computer that does not have enough
space inside to fit expansion cards may use an external device
called a port replicator to provide connections for peripherals.
Storage devices are used to store data and programs
that are not being used by the processor. They usually consist
of:
a. storage media in the form of a circular disk or a
tape where the data is stored.
b. a disk or tape drive that moves the media past a
read/write head that reads the data from and writes
data to the storage media.
Storage devices in the form of a disk are used to store the
programs and data that are not being used. Note that the
American spelling of disk is commonly used, although the
British spelling, disc, is sometimes used. Before a program or
data can be used, it must be transferred from the storage device
to the main RAM memory. Hard disks consist of a set of
magnetic coated metal disks that are vacuum-sealed inside a
case to keep out the dust. The magnetic surfaces of the disks
are formatted using a read/write head to provide magnetic
storage areas. These storage areas form concentric circles called
tracks and each track is subdivided into sections called sectors.
The disks are rotated at high speed and read from or written to

57
by the read/write head that moves across the surface of the
disks. In server computers, hard disks can be connected
together and made to operate as one unit using RAID. This can
speed up the system and provide a way of recovering data if the
system crashes (fails suddenly and completely, usually referring to the
failure of the hard disk). Storage devices include magnetic
devices, optical devices and magneto-optical devices.
Magnetic devices are devices that use magnetism. Floppy
disks (diskettes), magnetic tape (made of a magnetic coated flexible
plastic) and hard disks are examples of magnetic devices. There
is also a variety of optical storage devices that use laser light
to read or write to a disk, including: CD-ROMs (compact disk
read only memory), CD-R (recordable compact disk), CD-RW
(rewritable compact disk), DVD (digital versatile disk – previously
known as digital video disk). Magneto optical devices, like CD-
MO (magneto-optical compact disk) are devices that use a
combination of magnetism and laser light.
Units of measurement used in data storage include:
bit a binary digit i.e. a 1 or a 0
byte 8 bits = 1 character i.e. a letter, numerical digit
or a punctuation mark
megabyte 1,048,576 bytes (approximately one million
(MB) bytes)
gigabyte 1,073,741,824 bytes (approximately one
(GB) thousand million bytes)
terabit 1,099,511,627,776 bits (approximately one
thousand gigabits)
micron one millionth of a metre
angstrom the approximate radius of an atom
When comparing computers, the power of the computer is
important. This is mainly determined by the speed and
capacity (size) of each part of the computer. Speed is measured
in hertz (Hz) i.e. cycles per second. Capacity is measured in bytes
(B) where 1 byte = 8 bits (binary digits) = 1 character.

58
When specifying a computer, the following are normally
quoted:
1. the speed of the processor (MHz - megahertz, GHz -
gigahertz)
2. the capacity (size) of the memory (GB - gigabytes)
3. the capacity of the magnetic storage devices e.g. HDD, SSD
(GB – gigabytes, TB – terabytes)
4. the speed of the optical storage devices e.g. CD – ROM,
DVD
5. the display monitor size (measured in inches diagonally across the
screen surface) ″
6. the monitor image quality (resolution) given by the number
of pixels (picture elements) that are used across and down the
screen e.g. 1366 x 768, or by the graphics standard used e.g.
XGA (extended graphics array).
7. the graphics card memory size (GB - gigabytes)
8. the speed of the modem (measured in kbps – kilobits per second)
Two different number systems are used in computer
specifications:
a. The decimal system, which consists of ten digits from 0 to
9, is used for measuring speed.
b. The binary system, which only has two digits (1 and 0), is
used for measuring capacity.
The following prefixes are also used in measurements:
Decimal system Binary system
kilo 103=1 thousand 210=1 thousand
mega 106 = 1 million 220=1,048, 576
giga 109=1 thousand million 230=1,073,741, 824

Communication is provided between applications

programs and the computer hardware by set of programs
collectively known as the operating system e.g. Microsoft
Windows, MacOS, Linux, Ubuntu, etc.

59
Answer the following questions.
1. What is the difference between RAM and ROM?
2. Based on the reading passage, complete the table with the
appropriate classification of peripherals. Give examples for
each group.

3. Name some examples of expansion cards.

4. Complete the table with the appropriate classification of
storage devices. Give examples for each group.

5. What units do we use to measure the following:

a. speed of the processor? c. the display monitor size?
b. the capacity of the magnetic d. the monitor image quality?
storage? e. the speed of the modem?

How to Install a Serial ATA (SATA)

hard-disk drive (HDD)
Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX-iid_L4j8
and watch the tutorial or
go to https://www.seagate.com/gb/en/support/kb/how-to-
install-and-troubleshoot-serial-ata-sata-hard-drives-196169en/
and read the instructions SEAGATE SUPPORT provides
to do the exercises below.
a. Write True or False next to the following sentences.
Correct the false ones.
1. Serial ATA hard drives are easy to install.
2. The Serial ATA interface cable must be 1-meter long.
3. In order to install a Serial ATA hard drive you need a
motherboard with a Serial ATA connector.

60
4. If there isn’t a Serial ATA connection on your motherboard
you need a Serial ATA host adapter.
5. Anti-static containers are used to protect new hardware
components (i.e. a new hard drive).
6. When you install a hard drive you don’t need to wear an anti-
static wrist strap.
7. Before installing the new hard drive, you must turn off your
computer.
8. If you disassemble your hard drive, the warranty is void.
9. When you install a new hard drive your computer always
detects it automatically.
10. You must always change the BIOS setup after installing a
new hard drive.
b. Answer these questions.
1. How many cables do you need to install a SATA hard drive?
2. How can you know if there is a Serial ATA connection on
your motherboard?
3. If there isn’t a Serial ATA connection on your motherboard,
what do you need to install a Serial ATA hard drive?
4. Why do you need to wear an anti-static wrist strap when you
install a hard drive?
5. What can you do if your computer doesn’t detect your new
hard drive automatically?

c. Match the words in the first column with the

explanations in the second column.
1. A Serial ATA hard a. is used to secure a device using
drive... screws.
2. A screwdriver... b. is used to discharge yourself from
electricity.
3. A Serial ATA host c. is a hard drive with a Serial ATA
adaptor... connection.
4. An anti-static wrist d. is used to feed electricity to a device.
strap... e. is used to connect a Serial ATA device
5. A power cable... to a connection that is not Serial ATA
(for example, a PCI connection).

61
 COMPONENTS AND PERIPHERALS
WARM UP
Have you done any of the following actions during this year?
Be careful to use correctly the Present Perfect forms. If the
answer is affirmative, then ask for a concrete day using the
Past Simple.
1. Add memory to your computer. Yes / No
2. Install a new peripheral. Yes / No
3. Unplug your computer from the wall socket. Yes / No
4. Change your screen. Yes / No
5. Disassemble your tower case. Yes / No
6. Mount a new motherboard to the case. Yes / No
7. Replace or upgrade an expansion card. Yes / No

GRAMMAR REVISION
We use the present perfect to talk about the repetition of an action in a
time period that started in the past and includes the present. There is a
probability that this action will occur again. E.g. I have read 20 books this
year. (I may read more books.)
We use the simple past with a time period that is finished or closed:
1998, last week, etc. E.g. Google had 10,000 searches a day in 1998.
E.g. How many hits has your Web site had today? / Last month my
Web site had 5,000 hits.

PRESENT PERFECT VERSUS PAST SIMPLE

1. Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below
with the appropriate tense.
Since computers were first introduced to the public in
the early 1980's, technology …………….... (change) a great deal.
The first computers ………….... (be) simple machines designed
for basic tasks. They …………….... (have, not) much memory
and they ………….... (be, not) very powerful. Early computers

62
were often quite expensive and customers often …………....
(pay) thousands of dollars for machines which actually
……….... (do) very little. Most computers ………....
(be) separate, individual machines used mostly as expensive
typewriters or for playing games.
Times ……….... (change). Computers ……....
(become) powerful machines with very practical applications.
Programmers …………….... (create) a large selection of useful
programs which do everything from teaching foreign languages
to bookkeeping. We are still playing video games, but today's
games …………….... (become) faster, more exciting interactive
adventures. Many computer users …………….... (get, also) on
the Internet and…………….... (begin) communicating with
other computer users around the world. We ……………....
(start) to create international communities online. In short, the
simple, individual machines of the past ……………....
(evolve) into an international World Wide Web of knowledge.

2. Fill in the blanks with the simple past or the present

perfect of the verb in parentheses.
A: Do you like to surf the Internet?
B: Of course, I do. I ’ve had my Internet connection since
1999, and I love it. A couple of months ago, I ……………....
(buy) a new computer with lots of memory and speed. And last
month I …………….... (change) to a better service provider.
Now I can surf much faster.
A: What kind of things do you search for?
B: Lots of things. I ………………...... (always, want) to learn
about the stock market, and with the Web, I can start to learn.
Last week I …………….... (make) my first investment in the
stock market.

63
A: Do you ever buy products online?
B: Sometimes I do. Last month, I …………….... (find) a great
Web site where I can download music for 99¢. So far I
…………….... (download) about a hundred songs, and I
…………….... (make) several CDs. My old computer
…………….... (not /have) a CD burner, so I’m very happy with
my new one.
A: …………….... (you /sell) your old computer?
B: No. It was about eight years old. I just……………....
(remove) the hard drive and …………….... (leave) the computer
on top of the garbage dumpster. When I ………….... (pass) by
a few hours later, it was gone. Someone …………….... (take) it.
A: Was your new computer expensive?
B: Yes, but I …………….... (get) a great deal online.
A: I …………….... (have) my computer for three years, and it
seems so old by comparison to today’s computers. But it’s too
expensive to buy a new one every year.
B: There’s a joke about computers: When is a computer old?
A: I don’t know. When?
B: As soon as you get it out of the box!

READING FOR DETAILS

Now study the computer ad below to answer the questions
1. What is the memory size of this PC?
2. What storage devices are supplied?
3. Which input devices are supplied?
4 What size is the display screen?
5. How fast is the processor?
6. What is the capacity of the hard drive?
7. Which operating system does it use?
8. What multimedia features does the computer have?

64
 HOW TO READ A COMPUTER AD
1. Intel Pentium 4 processor
(3GHz, 800MHz FSB)
2. Mini Tower Chassis
3. 1GB dual channel DDR2
SDRAM
4. 200GB Serial ATA hard drive
(7200 rpm)
5 128 MB PCI-Express video card
6. Integrated audio
7. 48X CD-RW drive
8. 19’’ TFT flat panel XGA
(1024x768) monitor
9. Microsoft Windows XP Professional
10 Microsoft Intellimouse
11. 105-key keyboard

SPEAKING ACTIVITY
Role play. Work in pairs, A and B. Find out as much as you
can about your partner's computer and complete this table.
The teacher will give each of you computer details. Read them carefully and get ready to
answer your partner’s questions. You also have to ask your partner questions as to be able
to complete the table below.
Feature A B
1. processor type
2. processor speed
3. bus speed
4. memory capacity
5. memory speed
6. memory type
7. hard disk capacity
8. screen size

65
 9. screen resolution
10. optical drive speed

LANGUAGE WORK
FUNCTION OF AN ITEM
We can describe the function of an item in a number of ways.
Study these examples.
1. Using the Present simple: E.g. ROM holds instructions which
are needed to start up the computer.
2. Used to + infinitive: E.g. ROM is used to hold instructions
which are needed to start up the computer.
3. Used for + -ing form: E.g. ROM is used for holding
instructions which are needed to start up the computer.
4. Emphasising the function: E.g. The function of ROM is to
hold instructions which are needed to start up the computer.
GRAMMAR PRACTICE
a. Match each item in Column A with its function in B.
A Item B Function
1. RAM a. controls the cursor
2. processor b. inputs data through keys like a typewriter
3. mouse c. displays the output from a computer on a
4. clock screen
5. flash d. reads DVD-ROMs
memory e. reads and writes to electronic chips on a card
key f. give items a unique ID number
6. monitor g. holds data read or written to it by the
7. keyboard processor
8. DVD- h. provides extremely fast access for sections of a
ROM drive program and its data
9. cache i. controls the timing of signals in the computer
10. barcodes j. controls all the operations in a computer
b. In written form, describe the function of each item in
four ways, as in the explanation above.

66
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SOFTWARE
WARM UP

1. Have you ever

written any software?
If so, what were the
challenges you faced?
If not, why not?
2. What software
programs do you use
on a daily basis? Are
they buggy? Do they
crash? Why do you
think they crash?
3. Pretend you were the world's best programmer and could write
computer code as fast as you could think and dream. What kind
of software would you write?

VOCABULARY BUILDING
a. Match the following terms to the given definitions:
1. abort a. An incorrect action attributable to poor
judgment, ignorance, or inattention.
2. proprietary b. A program in which the code is distributed
allowing programmers to alter and change
the original software as much as they like.
3. programmer c. Capable of being used without
modification.
4. open source d. To end a program or a process before its
completion.
5. feature e. A software program which mimics the
performance of one or more hardware
devices in order to run software
independently of the actual hardware.

67
 6. execute f. Something a computer program is
"supposed" to do; these are often reasons
7. error to use a particular program or upgrade to a
more recent version.
g. A person who writes or modifies computer
8. VM programs or applications.
h. An error in a computer program.
9. crash i. Software in which the license stipulates
that the user cannot see, edit, or
10. compatible manipulate the source code of a software
program.
j. A computer failure due to faulty hardware
11. closed source or a serious software bug.
k. Privately developed and owned technology.
12. bug l. To start a program on a computer.

b. Complete the sentences with the missing words. Choose

the words from the exercise above. Choose carefully as
there is a one-to-one correspondence.
1. When the program crashed the user had to ………… and lose
all the unsaved changes.
2. The average developer will create one ……… for every 10
lines of code written.
3. The government computing department had a strict policy not
to use any …………………… software for security reasons.
4. The IBM 360 was the first commercially successful computer
with a wide array of ……...… parts which could be interchanged.
5. The user was advised to reboot the computer after a serious
…………… in which the computer no longer responded.
6. In order to run Java programs in Windows one needs to
download an appropriate …………………….
7. The computer reported a "division by zeros" …………… and
automatically exited the program.
8. The program was set to …………… every night at midnight.
9. The man upgraded to Word 2007 because of a new …………
that allowed him to spell-check documents in Spanish.

68
10. The article stated that many programmers prefer
……………solutions because they can modify features and fix
bugs without waiting for an upgrade or patch from the
manufacturer.
11. The business needed to hire three new …………… to help
debug their flagship application.
12. You cannot modify the source code of Windows XP because
it is ……………… software.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

You are going to listen to an expert talking

about the difference between open source and
proprietary software, how software is made
and what steps can be made to improve it.

Listen to the text ‘SOFTWARE’ and answer the questions

below according to the text:
1. What is ‘software’?
2. How are ‘programmers’ also known as?
3. What happens if one line from the software program doesn’t
work?
4. What is the technical term for the process of starting
software?
5. Which other verbs are used for starting a software program?
6. When is the term ‘boot’ applicable?
7. What happens when software has a bug?
8. What are you forced to do when the software stops
responding?
9. Why is it important that the software be compatible with all
components of the computer?
10. Can you run software written for a Windows computer on a
Macintosh or a Linux computer?
11. What kind of software is open source software?

69
12. What kind of software is closed source software?
13. Which examples of open source software were mentioned in
the text?
14. Which examples of closed source software were mentioned
in the text?
15. Why do programmers generally prefer open source software
to closed source alternatives?

GRAMMAR INPUT
NOUN PHRASES
A noun phrase is a group of words that functions in a sentences
as a subject, object, or prepositional object. It is a phrase that has
a noun as its head word, and preforms the same grammatical
function as a phrase. In fact, it is a noun with modifiers.
Noun phrases act as adjectives, or as participle, infinitive,
prepositional, or absolute phrases.
A noun phrase includes a noun and the modifiers which
distinguish it. The modifier can come before or after the noun. If
it comes before the noun it's likely to be an article, possessive
noun, possessive pronoun, adjective, or participle. Modifiers that
come after the noun include prepositional phrases, adjective
clauses, participle phrases, and infinitives.
The best way to clear all that up is to explore some examples of
noun phrases in action:
Nr. Function Examples
1. as a subject - The spotted puppy is up for adoption.
- The bohemian house was brightly
decorated for the holidays.
2. as an object to the - At the zoo, I saw a striped zebra.
verb - I want a cute puppy for Christmas.
3. as a prepositional - Mary lives in an eclectic household.
object - Jose drives to an awful job every
morning.

70
4. Nouns acting as - The car wash was out of order. – car
adjectives for the acting as an adjective for the noun "wash"
main noun - The Delta Airlines flight to New York
is ready to board.- Delta Airlines acting as an
adjective for the noun "flight"
5. as a participle - She kindly offered water to the
gardener working in the hot sun.
- Having been a police officer, he knew
how to defend himself.
6. as a "to- - The ability to give to others is an
infinitive" important character trait.
- Our decision to get married was
celebrated by all our friends.
7. as a prepositional - She crawled through the dark and
phrase musty attic. - preposition = "through"
- He had to sit beside the horribly angry
girl. - preposition = "beside"
8. as an absolute - Her face red with embarrassment,
phrase to the she took her seat beside the man she had
subject tripped. - to the subject "she"
- They walked into the sunset, their
laughter carrying on the breeze. - to the
subject "they"
https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/parts-of-speech/nouns/noun-phrases.html

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

1.What is a noun phrase?
a. A noun phrase is a group of words that work together to name and
describe a person, place, thing, or idea.
b. A noun phrase is an action.
c. A noun phrase connects nouns.
2. Select the noun phrase in the following sentence:
Summer days in July can be dangerously warm.
a. Summer days in July
b. dangerously warm
c. July can be dangerously warm

71
3. Which of the following is a type of noun phrase?
a. Noun phrase as a Subject
b. Noun phrase as a Complement
c. Noun phrase as a Direct Object
d. a and b
e. a, b and c
4. A noun phrase has two parts: _______.
a. a noun and any modifiers connected to that noun
b. a noun and verb
c. a subject and an adjective
For more information, visit https://englishsentences.com/noun-phrase/

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

1. Make two sentences about these items.
The screen is The cable is
seventeen ....................... .
inches.
It’s a .............
It’s a
Cable: 3m cable.
Screen: 17’’ seventeen-
inch screen.

Screw: 2cm Connection:

3Mgbit

Hard disk: Processor:

320GB 2GHz

Laptop: Camera:
800EUR 800 pixels

72
 2. Complete the sentences. Write -s or nothing
Example:
This cable is six metres
Do you have a five-metre_ cable?
1. Do you have a ten-year__ old TV?
2. This bulb is 80 watt__.
3. Is this an eighty-gigabyte__ hard drive?
4. I need a twenty-dollar__ bill.
5. The user’s guide is four hundred page__.

3. Change the following sentences, keeping the original

meaning.
1. I have a TV which is worth $500.
2. Mary has a vase which is 200 years old.
3. Titanic lasts three hours.
4. The meeting took 45 minutes.
5. I went on holiday for two weeks.
6. Bob went on vacation for four days.
7. It takes five hours to climb that mountain.
8. I have a brother who is 25 years old.

LEARNING ABOUT OPERATING SYSTEMS

WARM UP
1. Which operating system
do you use? Why?
2. What other operating
systems would you like to
use? Why?
2. Which operating system
do you think will be the most
popular in the next 10 years?
How do you explain it?

73
VOCABULARY BUILDING
1. Match the following terms to the given definitions:
1. CLI (command a. A GUI or CLI software link between the
computer and operator. It also provides a
line interface) framework for productivity software such
2. compression as an office suite, web browser, or
programming languages.
3. device driver b. A file which does not appear by default in
4. file permissions a directory listing, normally for security
reasons or to spare confusion in end users.
5. format c. An icon-based link between a computer
and its operator.
6. GUI (graphical
d. Concurrent execution of two or more
user interface) tasks by a processor.
e. Software which converts the data from a
7. hidden file component or peripheral into data that an
8. kernel operating system can use.
f. A text-only link between a computer and
9. Linux its operator.
10. multitasking g. To prepare a device to store data, erasing
any existing data.
11. OS (operating h. The fundamental part of an operating
system) system responsible for providing access to
the machine's hardware.
12. X (X Window i. A software toolkit for UNIX systems
underlying numerous GUI window
System) managers including KDE and Gnome.
j. A method of packing data in order to save
disk storage space or download time.
k. A set of strict rules for controlling read,
write, and execute access to a file or
directory.
l. An open source version of Unix
developed by a volunteer team of
programmers around the world.

74
2. Complete the sentences with the missing words.
Choose the words from the exercise above. Choose
carefully as there is a one-to-one correspondence.
1. The expert technician enjoyed administering the Unix server
more than the Windows machine because of the speed and
efficiency of the ……………………………………….
2. Zip files and tarballs are two common file …….… techniques.
3. The tech support technician asked the troubled user if he had
updated any …………………… recently.
4. The company switched from FAT32 to NTFS file system
because the former did not support …………………………….
5. A flash key or hard disk drive must be ……………………
before it can be used to store data.
6. Some computing professionals have never made the transition
from command line to …………………… interfaces because
they find it slows them down.
7. The administrator was upset when the end user found a way to
display and then delete several …………………………..
8. The system administrator needed to upgrade the ……………
in order to provide native support for Serial ATA drives.
9. ………… was originally developed by Linus Torvalds, who
wanted a free Unix-like operating system that ran on standard PC
hardware.
10. The man was impressed at how similar in functionality
……… was to Microsoft Windows.
11. The programmer tested his Java code on many
…………….……… including: Windows, Linux, and Macintosh.
12. UNIX is the original ……… environment and was designed
from the beginning to share resources securely over the network.

LISTENING COMPREHENSION
You are going to listen to an expert talking
about the different kinds of operating systems,
why they are important and what is generally
included.

75
a. Listen to the text ‘Learning about Operating Systems’
and answer the questions below according to the text:
1. What is it meant by low-level tasks? Enumerate.
2. What is the kernel responsible for?
3. Which is the most popular OS today?
4. Name some types of Windows OS mentioned in the text.
5. Name some types of non-Windows OS mentioned in the
text. Have you ever heard of them? Which ones?
6. How many kinds of user interfaces are there in use today?
Which are these?
7. Give examples of popular operating systems with GUI
interfaces mentioned in the text.
8. How is the CLI called in Windows? / in MacOS X?
9. Which is the most popular CLI for Unix and Linux
operating systems?
10. What is Ubuntu?
b. Decide whether the following sentences are True or
False. Correct the false ones.
1. Today all computers come without any pre-installed OS.
2. BIOS is a part of the operating system.
3. GUIs are intended for use by computer engineers
and administrators and CLIs are intended for general use.
4. KDE and Gnome are GUIs of Unix system.
5. Ubuntu's OS market share is growing but very slowly around
the world.

c. Provide definitions to the following words and word

combinations.
1. default level 6. diehard 12. to ship
2. misbehaving 7. geek 13. power user
applications 8. definitely 14. notepad
3. market share 9. to master 15. convergence
4. brand new 10. by default
5. dual booting 11. up and coming

76
d. Writing activity
Research one of the following operating system: MS-DOS,
Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows
8.1, Windows 10, Mac OS X, Free
BSD, Linux, Ubuntu, Fedora,
Debian, CentOS, Android and iOS
and then on a separate sheet of paper
write a short review (200 words or less) of it. Do not forget to
indicate the references (sources of inspiration ).

OPERATING SYSTEMS OVERVIEW

WARM UP
1. Which OS have you used? Which do you like best? Why?
2. Do you know any types of operating systems? If yes, which
of them?
SPECIALIST READING
Scan read the passages bellow and
answer these questions:
1. What is an operating system?
2. What are the main categories the
operating systems are grouped into?
3. What is the difference between a
multiprocessing OS and a multitasking OS?

Operating Systems Overview

An operating system or OS is software that enables the
computer hardware to communicate and operate with the
computer software. Without an operating system, a computer
and software programs would be useless. The picture to the
right is an example of Microsoft Windows 10, the latest
operating system and what the box may look like if you were to
purchase it from a local retail store.

77
 Within the broad family of operating systems, there are
generally four types, categorized based on the types of
computers they control and the sort of applications they
support. The categories are:

Real-time operating systems are used to control

machinery, scientific instruments and industrial systems.
An RTOS typically has very little user-interface
capability, and no end-user utilities, since the system will
be a "sealed box" when delivered for use. A very
Real-time operating

important part of an RTOS is managing the resources of

system (RTOS)

the computer so that a particular operation executes in

precisely the same amount of time, every time it occurs.
In a complex machine, having a part move more quickly
just because system resources are available may be just as
catastrophic as having it not move at all because the
system is busy.
As the name implies, this operating system is designed to
Single-user,

manage the computer so that one user can effectively do

single task

one thing at a time. The Palm OS for Palm handheld

computers is a good example of a modern single-user,
single-task OS.
This is the type of operating system most people use on
their desktop and laptop computers today. Microsoft's
Windows and Apple's MacOS platforms are both
examples of operating systems that will let a single user
multi-tasking

have several programs in operation at the same time. For

Single-user,

example, it's entirely possible for a Windows user to be

writing a note in a word processor while downloading a
file from the Internet while printing the text of an e-mail
message.

78
 A multi-user operating system allows many different
users to take advantage of the computer's resources
simultaneously. The operating system must make sure
that the requirements of the various users are balanced,
and that each of the programs they are using has
Multi-user

sufficient and separate resources so that a problem with

one user doesn't affect the entire community of users.
Unix, VMS and mainframe operating systems, such
as MVS, are examples of multi-user operating systems.
It's important to differentiate between multi-user operating
systems and single-user operating systems that support
networking. Windows 2000 and Novell Netware can each
support hundreds or thousands of networked users, but the
operating systems themselves aren't true multi-user operating
systems. The system administrator is the only ‘user’ for
Windows 2000 or Netware. The network support and all of the
remote user logins the network enables are, in the overall plan
of the operating system, a program being run by the
administrative user.
Source: https://computer.howstuffworks.com/operating-system3.htm

As computers have progressed and developed, so have the

operating systems. Below is a basic list of the types of operating
systems and a few examples of operating systems that fall into
each of the types. Many computer operating systems will fall
into more than one of the below types.
GUI
Short for Graphical User Interface, a GUI Operating System
contains graphics and icons and is commonly navigated by
using a computer mouse. Examples of GUI OSs are: System
7.x, Windows 98, Windows CE, etc.
Multi-user
A multi-user operating system allows for multiple users to use
the same computer at the same time and different times.

79
Examples of operating systems that would fall into this category
are: Linux, Unix, Windows 2000, etc.
Multiprocessing
An operating system capable of supporting and utilizing more
than one computer processor. Examples of operating systems
that would fall into this category are: Linux, Unix, Windows
XP, etc.
Multitasking
An operating system that is capable of allowing multiple
software processes to run at the same time. Examples of
operating systems that would fall into this category are: Linux,
Unix, Windows 8, etc.
Multithreading
Operating systems that allow different parts of software
program to run concurrently. Examples of operating systems
that would fall into this category are: Linux, Unix, Windows
XP, etc.

Operating System listing

Linux and Variants Windows 3.x Windows 2000
Mac OS Windows 95 Windows XP
MS-DOS Windows 98 Windows Vista
IBM OS/2 Warp Windows 98 SE Windows 7
Unix and Variants Windows ME Windows 8 and 8.1
Windows CE Windows NT Windows 10.

Source: http://www.computerhope.com/os.htm

INFO EXCHANGE
Work in pairs, A and B. Each of you has information about some
popular operating systems. Find out from the information you have and
by asking each other, the answers to these questions:

80
 1. Which operating system is used on Apple Macintosh
microcomputers?
2. What is Penpoint designed for?
3. Name one system used on IBM mainframes.
4. Which operating system is Linux related to?
5. Name an IBM operating system similar to MS-DOS.
6. Which operating system replaced MS-DOS?
7. Which systems are in fact graphically orientated shells
for MSDOS?
8. How many versions of Windows 9X were developed?
9. Which operating systems are designed for networks?
10. Which operating system is used by DEC VAX
minicomputers?

LANGUAGE WORK
-ing form as a noun and after prepositions
1. We can use the -ing form
of the verb as a noun. It can
be the subject, object, or
complement of a sentence.
a. Managing the computer's
resources is an important
function of the operating
system.
b. The operating system starts
running the user interface
as soon as the PC is
switched on.
c. Another function of the
operating system is
executing and providing
services for applications
software.
2. The -ing form is also used
after prepositions. This
includes to when it is a
preposition and not part of
the infinitive.
a. Without the user being
aware of the details, the
operating system manages
the computer's resources.
b. We begin by focusing on
the interaction between a
user and a PC operating
system.
c. We look forward to
having cheaper and faster
computers.

81
Now, rewrite each of these sentences below using -ing
form of the verb as a noun according to the model:
Model:
An important function of the operating system is to manage the
computer's resources. - Managing the computer's resources
is an important function of the operating system.
1. One task of the supervisor program is to load into
memory nonresident programs as required.
2. The role of the operating system is to communicate
directly with the hardware.
3. One of the key functions of the operating system is to
establish a user interface.
4. An additional role is to provide services for applications
software.
5. Part of the work of mainframe operating systems is to
support multiple programs and users.
6. The task in most cases is to facilitate interaction
between a single user and a PC.
7. One of the most important functions of a computer is
to process large amounts of data quickly.
8. The main reason for installing more memory is to
allow the computer to process data faster.

SPECIALIST READING
OPERATING SYSTEMS: HIDDEN SOFTWARE
a. Scan read the text below to find the answers to these
questions:
1. What difference is there between applications software and
operating systems?
2. Why is the supervisor program the most important operating
system program?
3. What is the difference between resident and non-resident
programs?
4. What are the main functions of an operating system?

82
 When a brand new computer comes off the factory
assembly line, it can do nothing. The hardware needs software
to make it work. Are we talking about applications software
such as wordprocessing or spreadsheet software? Partly. But an
applications software package does not communicate directly
with the hardware. Between the applications software and the
hardware is a software interface - an operating system. An
operating system is a set of programs that lies between
applications software and the computer hardware.
The most important program in the operating system, the
program that manages the operating system, is the supervisor
program, most of which remains in memory and is thus
referred to as resident. The supervisor controls the entire
operating system and loads into memory other operating
system programs (called nonresident) from disk storage only as
needed.
An operating system has three main functions: (1) manage
the computer's resources, such as the central processing unit,
memory, disk drives, and printers, (2) establish a user interface,
and (3) execute and provide services for applications software.
Keep in mind, however, that much of the work of an operating
system is hidden from the user. In particular, the first listed
function, managing the computer's resources, is taken care of
without the user being aware of the details.
Furthermore, all input and output operations, although
invoked by an applications program, are actually carried out by
the operating system.
b. Complete the gaps in this summary of the text using
the given linking words and phrases:
although but such as
because in addition therefore

The user is aware of the effects of different applications

programs .................................... operating systems are invisible

83
to most users. They lie between applications programs,
................................wordprocessing, and the hardware. The
supervisor program is the most important. It remains in
memory, .................................. it is referred to as resident. Others
are called non-resident .............................. they are loaded into
memory only when needed. Operating systems manage the
computer's resources, ............................... the central processing
unit. ............................., they establish a user interface, and
execute and provide services for applications software.
................................. input and output operations are invoked by
applications programs, they are carried out by the operating
system.
LANGUAGE WORK
THE USE OF -ING FORM

We use the -ing form in three ways:

1. Rendering includes lighting and shading
2. We are designing a new car on computer.
3. They use special applets to create amazing fractals.
In 1, rendering is a gerund (see below), acting as the subject. Lighting and
shading are also gerunds, acting as the objects. A gerund refers to
an activity or process.
In 2, designing is a present participle. This is used in continuous tenses
(in the above example, the present continuous) and reduced relative clauses:
e.g.. a representation showing the outlines of all edges = which shows the
outlines ...
In 3, amazing is an adjective.

We use gerunds in the following ways:

As the subject of a verb: e.g. Compositing is combining parts of different
images to create a single image.
As the complement of the subject: e.g. Compositing is combining parts of
different images...
As the object of a verb: e.g. I enjoy editing pictures.
After a preposition: e.g. Designers start a project by making a wireframe.
As the complement of a verb: e.g. This course involves painting and
drawing in various media.
After these verbs, gerund must be used, not the infinitive (e.g. avoid,
fancy, finish, give up, hate, imagine, involve, keep, look forward to,
mind, suggest, enjoy)

84
A. Now decide if the -ing forms in the sentences below are
gerunds, present participles or adjectives. Write g, pp or a.
1. PCs generate graphics by performing mathematical
calculations on data.
2. Businesspeople use graphics to make information more
interesting visually.
3. Graphs and diagrams can be more effective ways of
communicating with clients than lists of figures.
4. She is designing a logo for the company.
5. If you need to make a presentation, I suggest using
PowerPoint.
6. The Internet is a network linking other networks.
7. We begin by focusing on the interaction between a user and
a PC operating system.
8. The operating system starts running the user interface as
soon as the PC is switched on.
9. Testing the programs regularly will contribute to their better
performance.
10. Windows 10 is updating regularly.
B. Correct the mistakes in these sentences. There are ten
mistakes in total.
1. Computer animation is the process of create objects which
move across the screen.
2. Texturing involves add paint, colour and filters to drawings
and designs.
3. You can open the colour palette by click on the
corresponding icon.
4. CAD programs are very fast at to perform drawing functions.
5. A lot of time and money is saved by test a car design before
to make the product.
6. To render refers to the techniques used to make realistic
images.
7. Install more memory allows the computer to work faster.
8. I am looking forward to buy the new upgrade.
9. People enjoy to communicate over social networking sites.

85
READING COMPREHENSION
LINUX
Linux has its roots in a student project.
In 1992, an undergraduate called Linus
Torvalds was studying computer
science in Helsinki, Finland. Like most computer science
courses, a big component of it was taught on (and about) Unix.
Unix was the wonder operating system of the 1970s and 1980s:
both a textbook example of the principles of operating system
design, and sufficiently robust to be the standard OS in
engineering and scientific computing. But Unix was a
commercial product (licensed by ATEtT to a number of
resellers), and cost more than a student could pay.
Annoyed by the shortcomings of Minix (a compact Unix clone
written as a teaching aid by Professor Andy Tannenbaum) Linus set out
to write his own 'kernel' — the core of an operating system that
handles memory allocation, talks to hardware devices, and
makes sure everything keeps running. He used the GNU
programming tools developed by Richard Stallman's Free
Software Foundation, an organisation of volunteers dedicated
to fulfilling Stallman's ideal of making good software that
anyone could use without paying. When he'd written a basic
kernel, he released the source code to the Linux kernel on the
Internet.
Source code is important. It's the original from which compiled
programs are generated. If you don't have the source code to a
program, you can't modify it to fix bugs or add new features.
Most software companies won't sell you their source code, or
will only do so for an eye watering price, because they believe
that if they make it available it will destroy their revenue stream.
What happened next was astounding, from the conventional,
commercial software industry point of view - and utterly
predictable to anyone who knew about the Free Software

86
Foundation. Programmers (mostly academics and students)
began using Linux. They found that it didn't do things they
wanted it to do - so they fixed it. And where they improved it,
they sent the improvements to Linus, who rolled them into the
kernel. And Linux began to grow.
There's a term for this model of software development; it's
called Open Source (see www. opensource. org/ for more
information). Anyone can have the source code - it's free (in the
sense of free speech, not free beer). Anyone can contribute to
it. If you use it heavily you may want to extend or develop or
fix bugs in it - and it is so easy to give your fixes back to the
community that most people do so.
An operating system kernel on its own isn't a lot of use; but
Linux was purposefully designed as a near-clone of Unix, and
there is a lot of software out there that is free and was designed
to compile on Linux. By about 1992, the first 'distributions'
appeared.
A distribution is the Linux-user term for a complete operating
system kit, complete with the utilities and applications you need
to make it do useful things — command interpreters,
programming tools, text editors, typesetting tools, and graphical
user interfaces based on the X windowing system. X is a
standard in academic and scientific computing, but not hitherto
common on PCs; it's a complex distributed windowing system
on which people implement graphical interfaces like KDE and
Gnome.
As more and more people got to know about Linux, some of
them began to port the Linux kernel to run on non-standard
computers. Because it's free, Linux is now the most widely
ported operating system there is.
Comprehension check
a. Find the answers to these questions in the text:
1. What did Linus Torvalds use to write the Linux kernel?

87
 2. How was the Linux kernel first made available to the
general public?
3. What is a programmer likely to do with source code?
4. Why will most software companies not sell you their
source code?
5. What type of utilities and applications are provided in a
Linux distribution?
6. What is X?
7. What graphical user interfaces are mentioned in the
text?
b. Match the terms in Table A with the definitions in Table B.
A B
1. Kernel a. A type of software development where any
2. Free programmer can develop or fix bugs in the software.
b.The original systems program from which compiled
Software programs are generated.
Foundation c. A complete operating system kit with the utilities
and applications you need to make it do useful things.
3. Source d.A standard distributed windowing system on
code which people implement graphical interfaces.
e. An organisation of volunteers dedicated to
4. Open making good software that anyone could use without
Source paying.
f. The core of an operating system that handles
5. distribution
memory allocation, talks to hardware devices, and
6. X makes sure everything keeps running.

c. Mark the following sentences as True or False. Correct

the false ones.
a. Linux was created in the 1980s.
b. Minix was created by a university student.
c. Linux is based on Unix.
d. Minix is based on Unix.
e. Linux runs on more types of computer than any other
operating system.

88
 DEVELOPING WRITING SKILLS
a. Study the following table.
Mac OS X
type Unix-based
computer Apple Mac
features memory-protection, pre-emptive
multitasking, symmetric
multiprocessing support
graphics engine Quartz
standard support advanced-PDF, OpenGL, Quicktime
user interface type GUI
user interface Aqua
source code availability not available

b. Now complete the Mac OS X description drawing the

information from the table above.
Mac OS X is a …………. operating system designed for use
on …….……. computers. It includes …….…………..,
…….……………………. and …….……………………...
Graphics are provided by a graphics engine known as
…….………….. It has …….…………………. standards
support, …….…………. and …….…………….. integrated
into the OS. The operating system features are accessed
through a graphical user interface called …….…………..

c. Study the next table and then in your copybooks write a

similar description of Linux.
Linux
type Unix-based
computer wide variety
features variety of distribution kits available
graphics engine XFree86
standard support
user interface type command line, GUI
user interface KDE, Gnome
source code availability freely available

89
LANGUAGE WORK
THE USE OF INFINITIVE CONSTRUCTIONS

Infinitive Constructions
The infinitive with to is used in the following ways:
To express purpose:
E.g. We use symbolic languages to communicate instructions to the computer. (= in
order to communicate ...) Not: ...for to communicate
After adjectives:
E.g. BASIC was widely used in the past because it was easy to learn.
Machine code is too difficult to write. (= not easy enough to write)
After certain verbs (e.g. afford, demand, plan, agree, expect, promise, appear, hope, refuse,
arrange, learn, try, decide, manage)
E.g. A lot of companies are now trying to develop voice applications for web access.
After the object of certain verbs (e.g. advise, encourage, allow, expect, tell, ask, invite,
want, enable, order, warn)
E.g. HTML allows us to describe how information will be displayed on web pages.
The bare infinitive (without to) is used in the following ways:
After modal verbs (e.g. can, could, may, might, will, would, must, should)
E.g. Unfortunately, computers can't understand spoken English.
High-level languages must be translated into machine code.
After the object with the verbs make and let
E.g. Programs make computers perform specific tasks.

a. Make sentences using the prompts from the box above.

1. instructions / COBOL / not easy / write / in.
It's not easy to write instructions in COBOL.
2. data-processing / expensive / a / set up / area
3. conditions / the /programs under/advisable / test /different
4. the /correctly /a /unusual /time /program / tested / that
/write /works /first / it's
5. good / debugger / to / important / use / errors/ a/ fix
6. Visual BASIC /easy / learn
7. C++/ instructions /rather / write / difficult / in
8. OOP / create/ interact/ to / recommended / that /
objects/ use / other/ with / to / each
9. create / web/ to/ HTML/ advisable/to /pages/use
10. to / Java/ applets/ to /important/use / write

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b. Use the correct form of the infinitive:
1 It appears ………………(be) difficult ……………… (install)
a Serial ATA hard-disk.
2 The undo command lets the user ………… (undo) the
previous actions.
3 They managed …………….… (implement) the project in a
very short period of time.
4 At the beginning, it was difficult ………....... (code).
5 Programming makes programmers …………... (think) like
computers.
6 You can ………...…... (upgrade) your computer if you want it
……………………(perform) faster.
7 If you plan ………………. (work) in an international
company, you must learn …………. (listen) to other colleagues’
opinions.

GERUND OR INFINITIVE?
A. Complete these sentences with the correct form of the
verb: infinitive or -ing form.
1. Don't switch off without ..................................... (close down)
your PC.
2. I want ........................................ (upgrade) my computer.
3. He can't get used to .............................. (log on) with a
password.
4. You can find information on the Internet by ...........................
(use) a search engine.
5. He objected to ................................ (pay) expensive telephone
calls for Internet access.
6. He tried ................................ (hack into) the system without
.................................. (know) the password.
7. You needn't learn how to .......................... (program) in
HTML before ................................ (design) webpages.
8. I look forward to ............................... (input) data by voice
instead of .............................. (use) a keyboard.

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B. Choose the correct words (a-c) to complete these
sentences.
1 We use high-level languages because machine code is too
difficult …. , understand and debug.
a read b reading c to read
2 I went on the course …. how to be a better programmer.
a learn b to learn c for to learn
3 I'm not interested in …. that computer language.
a learn b learning c to learn
4 He refuses …. the project with me.
a do b doing c to do
5 The engineers warned the employees not …. the cables.
a touch b touching c to touch
6 They may not …. to the conference.
a come b coming c to come
7 Spyware can make your PC …. more slowly.
a perform b performing c to perform
8 This program is too slow …. the simulation.
a do b to do c for doing

C. Look at the following pairs of examples and decide

where there is an ‘important’ change in meaning. Explain
the differences.
a. I remember shutting
down the computer
before I left the room.
b. Please remember to
buy the new program.
a. They stopped to look
at the flowchart.
b. They stopped looking
at the flowchart.
a. It has started to rain.
b. It has started raining.
a. He is used to working long
hours to keep everything
under strict control.
b. He used to stay in front of
the computer for hours.
a. It has started to rain.
b. It has started raining.
in the evenings.
a. He needs to work harder.
b. This hard disk needs
repairing.

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Graphical User Interface vs Command Line Interface

WARM UP
1. What do you think is the difference between GUI and CLI?
2. What users typically prefer CLI operating systems? Why?
3. What users typically prefer GUI operating systems? Why?
4. Why do you
think experts
like sys admins
and developers
still use CLI
interfaces over
GUI interfaces?

SPECIALIST READING
A GUI is a program interface that takes advantage of
the computer's graphics capabilities to make the program easier
to use. A well-designed graphical user interfaces can free the
user from learning complex command languages. On the other
hand, many users find that they work more effectively with
a command-driven interface, especially if they already know the
command language.
GUI (Graphical User Interface)
Short for Graphical User Interface, a GUI allows the use
of icons or other visual indicators to interact with electronic
devices, rather than using only text via the command line. The
GUI was first developed at Xerox PARC by Alan Kay, Douglas
Engelbart, and a group of other researchers in 1981. In 1984,
Apple produced the Macintosh, the first computer with a
mouse and a GUI. Macs were designed with one clear aim: to
facilitate interaction with the computer. A few years later,
Microsoft launched Windows, another operating system based
on graphics and intuitive tools. Nowadays, computers are used

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by nearly everyone, and as a result there is a growing emphasis
on accessibility and user-friendly systems.
How does it work?
A GUI uses windows, icons, and menus to carry out
commands, such as opening, deleting, and moving files.
Although many GUI operating systems are through the use of
a mouse, the keyboard can also be utilized by using keyboard
shortcuts or keys.
What are the benefits of GUI?
Unlike a command line operating system, like Unix or MS-
DOS, GUI operating systems are much easier to learn and use
because commands do not need be memorized. Additionally,
users do not need to know any programming languages.
Because of their ease of use, GUI operating systems have
become the dominant operating system of today's end-users.
A few examples of a GUI A few examples of a GUI
operating system interface
Microsoft Windows GNOME
Apple System 7 and Mac OS KDE
Chrome OS Any Microsoft program
Linux (i.e. Word, Excel, Outlook)
Internet browser (i.e. Internet
Explorer, Chrome, Firefox)
Basic Components of a GUI:
Graphical user interfaces, such as Microsoft Windows and the
one used by the Apple Macintosh, feature the following basic
components:
pointer: A symbol that appears on the display screen and
that you move to select objects and commands. Usually, the
pointer appears as a small angled arrow. Text -
processing applications, however, use an I-beam
pointer that is shaped like a capital I.

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 pointing device: A device, such as a mouse or trackball,
that enables you to select objects on the display screen.
icons: Small pictures that represent commands, files,
or windows. By moving the pointer to the icon and pressing
a mouse button, you can execute a command or convert the
icon into a window. You can also move the icons around
the display screen as if they were real objects on your desk.
desktop: The area on the display screen where icons are
grouped is often referred to as the desktop because the
icons are intended to represent real objects on a real
desktop.
windows: You can divide the screen into different areas. In
each window, you can run a different program or display a
different file. You can move windows around the display
screen, and change their shape and size at will.
menus: Most graphical user interfaces let you execute
commands by selecting a choice from a menu.
In addition to their visual components, graphical user interfaces
also make it easier to move data from one application to
another. A true GUI includes standard formats for representing
text and graphics. Because the formats are well-defined,
different programs that run under a common GUI can share
data. This makes it possible, for example, to copy.
CLI (Command Line Interface)
Short for command line interface, it is a user interface common
to MS-DOS computers. The user sees the command line on the
monitor and a prompt that is waiting for instructions. The user
types in the command, the computer acts on that command
and then issues a new prompt for the next instruction from the
user.
CLI operating systems are becoming less used as
GUI operating systems gain in popularity. In a GUI operating
system, such as Windows, the user responds to graphic images

95
 on the screen instead of typing in commands in response to a
prompt.
Knowing the pros and cons of using each interface will help you
determine which one will best suit your own needs thus, focusing
on file commands and manipulation, the following table illustrates
which interface has the advantage in certain categories and why.
CLI GUI
Due to a higher degree of Because a GUI is much more
memorization and familiarity needed visually intuitive, new users
EASE

for operation and navigation, users typically pick up on how to use a

find operating a command line GUI faster than a command line
interface more difficult than a GUI. interface.
Users have more control over both A GUI offers a lot of access to
the file and operating systems in a files, software features, and the
command line interface. For operating system as a whole. Being
example, users can copy a specific more user friendly than a
CONTROL

file from one location to another command line, especially for new
with a one-line command. or novice users, a GUI is utilized
by more users. However, advanced
tasks may still need to utilize the
command line.
Although many command line GUI users have windows that
MULTI-

environments are capable of enable a user to view, control,

TASKI

multitasking, they do not offer the manipulate, and toggle through

NG

same ease and ability to view multiple multiple programs and folders at
things at once on one screen. same time.
Command line users only need to While newer technology is making
utilize their keyboards to navigate the a GUI faster and more efficient
interface. Additionally, they only than ever before, using both
SPEED

need to execute a few lines to a mouse and keyboard to navigate

perform a task, often resulting in and control the GUI is still a bit
faster performance. slower than a command line
interface.
A computer that is only using the A GUI requires more system
command line takes a lot less of the resources because of the elements
SOURCES

computer’s system than a GUI. that require loading, such as icons,

fonts and other drivers.
RE-

Consequently, they take up

additional system resources.

96
 A command line interface mostly Creating scripts using a GUI has
requires users to already know become much easier with the help
scripting commands and syntax, of programming software, which
making it difficult for new or novice allows users to write the scripts
users to create scripts. without having to know all the
SCRIPTING

commands and syntax.

Programming software provides
guides and tips for how to code
specific functions, as well as
preview options to see if and how
the script will work.
When accessing another computer or Remotely access another computer
device over a network, a user can or server is possible in a GUI and
REMOTE

only manipulate the device or its files easy to navigate with little
ACCESS

with a command line interface. experience. IT professionals

However, you must know the typically use a GUI for remote
commands to do so and it is not as access, including the management
easy for new or novice users. of servers and user computers.
After you've learned how to navigate Each GUI has a different design
DIVERSITY

and use a command line, it's not and structure when it comes to
going to change as much as a new performing different tasks. Even
GUI. Although new commands may different iterations of the same
be introduced, the original GUI, such as Windows, can have
commands always remain the same. hundreds of different changes
between each version.
A command line interface is often The use of shortcut keys and more
very basic and can be more of a frequent movement of hand
strain on a user's vision. Carpal positions, due to switching
Tunnel Syndrome can also be a bit of between a keyboard and a mouse,
a risk when using a command line strain may be reduced. Visual
STRAIN

interface because users are only using strain can still be a risk, but a GUI
a keyboard. There is little need to has more colors and is more
change hand positions and strain to visually appealing, leading to a
the wrists or even fingers can occur. potential reduction in visual strain.

Note: Overall, a GUI is used by more users today than a CLI. Dedicated
and hard core programmers may lean towards using a CLI for efficiency and
speed, but the GUI is more user friendly and preferred by most users.
Source: http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000619.htm

97
Based on the specialist reading, answer the following
questions:
1. What does GUI stand for?
2. What is GUI?
3. ‘Many users find that they work more effectively with a command-
driven interface, especially if they already know the command language’
Do you agree or disagree with this statement? State your
point.
4. What does GUI allow us to do?
5. When was GUI first developed?
6. What is the contribution of Macintosh computers to the
development of graphic environments?
7. How does GUI work?
8. How do you run a program on a computer with a graphical
interface?
9. What made GUI operating systems become the dominant
operating system of today's end-users?
10. What are the basic components of a GUI?
11. What does CLI stand for?
12. What is CLI?
13. How does CLI work?
14. Which interface is easier to use: CLI or GUI? Why?
15. Which interface gives more control: CLI or GUI? Why?
16. Which interface can perform more tasks: CLI or GUI? Why?
17. Which is faster? Why?
18. Which interface takes more resources: GUI or CLI? Why?
19. Which interface is more diverse? Why?
20. Which interface can cause more strain?

DEVELOPING WRITING SKILLS

Comparing and Contrasting
Based on the information provided, write a review of
about 150-200 words comparing and contrasting the two
interfaces. Use specific words and expressions to show
the comparison and contrast.

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