4. Translate into English:

1. Сьогодні комп'ютери широко використовуються в різних сферах господарської та фінансової діяльності.

2. Завдяки комп'ютерним системам клієнти банків можуть легко зняти у будь-якому банкоматі світу гроші з свого рахунку.

3. Важко уявити кількість інформації, що зберігається сьогодні в базах даних комп'ютерних мереж.

4. Сучасні умови життя зобов'язують кожного: від школяра до IT спеціаліста володіти знаннями про застосування комп'ютера.

Text 2

1. Read the text and find answers to the questions:

1. Are there any applications that were not mentioned in your list? What are they?

2. Are computers a part of our everyday life?

3. How does a computer help people in their work?

4. Does a computer allow you to print and type anything you want?

5. Does it enable you to interact with people around the world?

6. Is it just a calculating machine today?

7. What do you personally use computer for the most?

Computers and microchips are a part of our everyday lives: we visit shops and offices which have been designed with the help of computers, we read magazines which have been produced on computer, and we pay bills prepared by computers. Just picking up a telephone and dialing a number involves the use of a sophisticated computer system, as does making a flight reservation or bank transaction.

We encounter daily many computers that spring to life the instant they are switched on (e.g. calculators, the car's electronic ignition, the timer in the microwave, or the programmer inside the TV set), all of which use chip technology.

What makes your computer such a miraculous device? Each time you turn it on, it is a tabula rasa that, with appropriate hardware and software, is capable of doing anything you ask. It is a calculating machine that speeds up financial calculations. It is an electronic filing cabinet which manages large collections of data such as customers' lists, accounts, or inventories. It is a magical typewriter that allows you to type and print any kind of document — letters, memos or legal documents. It is a personal communicator that enables you to interact with other computers and with people around the world. If you like gadgets and electronic entertainment, you can use your PC even to relax with computer games.

2. What does a computer consist of?

Inside the system

Computers are electronic machines which can accept data in a certain form, process the data and give the results of the processing in a specified format as information. Three basic steps are involved in the process. First, data is fed into the computer's memory. Then, when the program is run, the computer performs a set of instructions and processes the data. Finally, we can see the results (the output) on the screen or in printed form.

Information in the form of data and programs is known as software, and the electronic and mechanical parts that make up a computer system are called hardware. A standard computer system consists of three main sections: the central processing unit (CPU), the main memory and the peripherals.

Perhaps the most influential component is the central processing unit. Its function is to execute program instructions and coordinate the activities of all the other units. In a way, it is the ‘brain’ of the computer. The main memory holds the instructions and data which are being processed by the CPU.

The peripherals are the physical units attached to the computer. They include storage devices and input/output devices. Storage devices (floppy, hard or optical disks) provide a permanent storage of both data and programs. Disk drives are used to handle one or more floppy disks.

Input devices are data to go into the computer's memory. The most common input devices are the mouse and the keyboard. Output devices enable us to extract die finished product from the system. For example, the computer shows the output on the monitor or prints the results onto paper by means of a printer. On the rear panel of the computer there are several ports into which we can plug a wide range of peripherals - modems, fax machines, optical drives and scanners. These are the main physical unit of a computer system, generally known as the configuration.

3. Use the information in the text to help you match the terms with the appropriate explanation or definition below. Translate the terms.

a software b peripheral devices c monitor d floppy disk

e hardware f input g port h output i central processing unit

1. The brain of the computer.

2. Physical parts that make up a computer system.

3. Programs which can be used on a particular computer system.

4. The information which is presented to the computer.

5. Results produced by a computer.

6. Hardware equipment attached to the CPU.

7. Visual display unit.

8. Small device used to store information. Same as 'diskette'.

9. Any socket or channel in a computer system into which an input/output device may be connected.