2 Connectives introducing cause:
due to
as the/a result of
since
because
in response to
as
E
xamples:
Early computers developed quickly as a result of their use in military applications, (effect ■*— cause)
Teachers must rethink their roles as computer'technology is creating a revolution in the classroom, (effect -«— cause)
Because off-the-shelf programs do not always fit a company's needs, software often has to be specially developed, (effect ■*— cause)
3 Connectives introducing result:
with the result that
so that
thus
therefore
consequently
hence
for this reason
thereby
4
Examples:
Computers can remove many of the routine and boring tasks, thereby leaving us with more time for interesting, creative work, (cause -> effect)
Carpel tunnel syndrome is a serious medical condition. For this reason, computer users should be careful of their posture and take frequent breaks. (cause-► effect)
When using an online database service, you must pay for the time you use. Consequently, you should have a good idea of what you want before you log on. (cause -► effect)
Another way of showing causal relationship is by introducing the cause with if. Both the cause clause and the effect clause verbs are in the present tense.
Examples:
If your company has a LAN, you can share the use of a printer with your colleagues, (cause -► effect)
It is easy to transport your data to another location if it is stored on a disk. (effect •«— cause)
Xercise 1
Read the following sentences and underline the part which expresses the cause.
1 Because a modem can be used for inter-computer communication, many
people can now do their office work on their computer at home and transfer the files to a computer at the office.
153
Many people do not explore new software because they are comfortable with what they already have.
When robots malfunction, it is usually due to mistakes in the programming or the design.
Laser printers can be quite expensive and are therefore often shared through networks.
Voice-recognition systems are becoming more sophisticated. Thus, keyboards may be unnecessary in the future.
Exercise
2
E xercise 3
]
2
3 4
5
1
2 3
4
5 6
7 8 9
Read the following sentences and underline that part which expresses the effect /result.
Computers can remove many of the routine and boring tasks from our lives,
thereby leaving us with more time for interesting and creative work.
Because there are many different types of printers, you must analyse your
needs before making a purchase.
Since anyone can consult your files on a computer, it is a good idea to protect
sensitive files with a password.
Fax boards are available to plug into your computer, so you do not have to buy
a fax machine.
Computers have been reduced in both size and cost as a result of advances in
design and technology.
The sentences below have appeared in previous units. Read them again and circle the marker showing a cause-effect relationship and underline the part of the sentence that expresses the cause. The first one has been done for you.
By 1980, IBM decided there was a market for 250,000 PCs, iso) they set up a
special team to develop the first IBM PC. (Unit 1)
Because of these and so many other different judgements, there can be no
absolute. (Unit 3)
Global communication and computer networks will become more and more a
part of professional and personal lives as the price of microcomputers and
network access drops. (Unit 6)
One of the features of a computer virus that separates it from other kinds of
computer program is that it replicates itself, so that it can spread to other
computers. (Unit 7)
...Lehigh is waiting to infect other unsuspecting computers if you boot from one
of those four infected floppies. (Unit 7)
As they became more proficient on the computer, some showed gains in their
overall self-confidence, as well. (Unit 10)
Robots are better at this task, not because they are faster or cheaper than
humans, but because they work in a place where humans cannot. (Unit 11)
This automatic accuracy is particularly valuable in this kind of industry
because locating and fixing mistakes is costly. (Unit 11)
Artificial worlds are being built up in a computer memory so that people can
walk through at will, look around, and even touch objects. (Unit 12)
154
Faski
Discuss these questions.
Can you think of any actual or potential applications of multimedia in industry?
Do you think multimedia systems will ever become as popular as conventional audio-visual systems?
Listening
Task
2
(Hi You are going to hear Nathan Ward, a multimedia applications developer,
answering questions on various aspects of multimedia. Before you listen, try to predict the answers to these questions:
Why is multimedia similar to graphics?
How does Nathan Ward define multimedia?
Which types of data are involved?
Is it easy to adapt most PCs for multimedia applications?
What does the term 'full-motion video' refer to?
Are there industry standards for multimedia?
What is the best platform for multimedia, according to Ward?
What is the most popular application of multimedia?
Now listen to the recording and check your guesses.
155
Task
3
El Listen again to the conversation and complete the table below. Hardware requirements for multimedia
1
2 :
3 _
4
5 ,
6
Task
4
(SI
3 Read this extract from the tapescript and try to fill in the gaps. The first letter of each missing word is given.
nathan ward: 'Full-motion video' refers to the impression the v
has that he or she is watching f - television. The
idea is to c ! full-motion video in r !t_ __ !
and digitize and c the information so that the system can treat
it like any other digital data s Some systems do it better than
others. interviewer: I see. Getting back to h ! requirements, apart from
the e cards that you mentioned, is there anything else that is
needed? nathan ward: Yes. The machine must have i for a variety of
input and output d
interviewer: Such as?
nathan ward: Such as a CD-ROM d ", VCR, d _ _
a 'tape...
interviewer: Isn't there a problem of c !!?
nathan ward: There is, but that situation is changing. Microsoft's
b -1 MPC specification has some support, but it's
19
only a start. The lack of s is the main reason that multimedia is
not bigger than it is. Once these are in place, users will have easy
p 2"-and-p "compatibility, and developers will be
able to develop a that can run on a variety of p
Now listen again to the cassette and check your answers.
156
Reading
Read these sentences and decide which one best summarizes the text which follows.
Computers cannot yet match the technological achievements of conventional audio-visual systems.
Although multimedia computer systems are improving very fast, they do not yet reflect the multimedia world we already live in.
Multimedia computer technology will soon be widely used in business, in industry, and in the home.
A jet aircraft technician peers into the bowels of a malfunctioning engine searching for the source of the problem. 5 Finally, he spots it. Buried deep within the engine is the troublesome part. He will have to replace it. A complicated procedure, to say the least.
10 The technician goes to his high-powered workstation attached to a network and calls up the information on the part and the replacement procedure. An image
15 of the part seated in the engine appears. In another window, an instructor demonstrates the repair procedure in full-motion video while the technician listens through
20 the audio channel as the instructor explains the process. Diagrams pop up to further clarify key points. In a text window, he reviews lists of necessary parts and tools he will
2 5 need to complete the repair.
Still confused about an irregularity in this situation, the technician presses the help key and a real-time image of a live
30 supervisor pops up in another window. Using the attached microphone, the technician discusses the particular problem with the supervisor, who directs
35 more information onto the
technician's screen. The technician points a video camera at the part in question to show the supervisor the specific situation.
40 Welcome to the world of high-end multimedia. The situation described above is not quite here yet, but most of the pieces already
exist to make this scenario
45 become a reality using a networked RS/6000 or other high-powered workstation. Or take this example of a scenario that is more likely
50 today. A manager creates a detailed business presentation involving text, graphics, digitized photographic still images, and tables of spreadsheet data all
55 combined in a single compound document. Before sending the document across the network to a colleague, the manager picks up the microphone and attaches
60 an audio note to one of the tables, reminding the colleague about something unusual or potentially confusing in the accompanying figures.
65 Using a networked RS/6000 equipped with the necessary audio boards and Bolt Baranek & Newman's (Cambridge, Mass.) BBN/Slate, a compound
70 document/office automation application, this scenario is possible today. High-end multimedia is only in its infancy, but it is here. And over the next
75 few years, industry observers expect multimedia development to accelerate as current barriers are overcome. Multimedia is not a new
80 phenomenon, although it is new to business computing. We live in a multimedia world. At home, we experience a variety of media through our television: full-
85 motion video, still images,
graphics, sound, and animation.
157
At school, we learn through systematic exposure to different media: the instructor's words, text,
90 audio tapes, graphics, and a variety of visuals and video.
Computers, however, have tended to be uni-medium. Traditionally, computers were text-
95 based, and this continues to be the
primary format for business information. A few systems have provided sound or graphics, but until recently, the efforts were 100 rudimentary compared to the seamlessly integrated, high-quality visuals, video and audio we experience every evening at home. ■
► Vocabulary
peers into the bowels of (1.1) - looks down into
Task 6
Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F) in relation to the information in the text. If you think a statement is false, change it to make it true.
1 LJ The jet aircraft technician first locates the faulty part and makes a mark
on it.
2 LJ The technician calls up his supervisor from his workstation to get
information about the faulty part and the replacement procedure.
3 LJ The technician can display a computer-generated graphical
4 5 6
7 8
representation of a supervisor on his screen.
LJ This kind of repair procedure could well be possible before long.
LJ You can already buy multimedia business presentation applications.
D Industrial experts expect multimedia development to get faster and faster.
LJ Multimedia existed long before the inventibnof the computer.
LJ In terms of quality, multimedia computer systems have only recently become comparable with the media we already use.
Task 7
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
v. -■ ^
Using the line references given, find the wbrds.ih the text whiojl#iean:
catches sight of (lines 1-5) -" * '
order of doing things (lines 5-10)
instruments (lines 20-25)
appears (lines 30-35)
top quality (lines 40-45)
made up of two or more parts (lines 5 5-60)
early stages of development (lines 70-75)
obstacles (lines 75-80)
undeveloped (lines 95-100)
158
10 smoothly (lines 100-104)
Speaking
Work in pairs using the information in the advertisement below.
Student A: You are interested in upgrading your PC to use multimedia. Describe your machine to the salesperson and ask about the various options available, prices, etc.
PC specifications 386 25MHz 4 MB RAM 105MB hard disk VGA colour monitor 3 expansion slots
Student B: You work for a company that sells hardware and software. Find out what your customer wants and check that his/her PC can be upgraded, by referring back to the list you made in Task 3. Explain the options that are available and try to persuade the customer to buy one of the products advertised.