ENGLISH FOR COMPUTING

The Mouse, keyboard, printer in a computer system are the output devices.. Input devices enable data to go into computer’s memory whereas output devices enable us to get results from the

QUANG BINH UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

TABLE OF CONTENTs

UNIT 1: THE COMPUTER 4

UNIT 2: Personal computing 8

UNIT 3: TYPES OF COMPUTERs 14

UNIT 4: COMPUTER’S ARCHITECTURE 20

UNIT 5: INPUT DEVICES 27

UNIT 6: OUTPUT DEVICES 33

UNIT 7: STORAGE DEVICES 40

UNIT 8: GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACES 46

UNIT 9: GRAPHICS AND DESIGN 51

Unit 10: Computers in education 57

PREFACE

English for Computing is composed for students who are

majored in computing There are 10 units covering a wide range

of current Informatics Technology topics, using authentic texts

and visual materials taken from a variety of textbooks,

newspapers, popular computing magazines, internet, web pages,

manuals and advertisements

The main aim of this textbook is to provide students with

specific computing vocabulary and grammar It also focuses on

helping students practice the 4 skills fluently

It is hoped that the textbook will become a useful guideline

for all of the students and the others who are concerned with

computing.

Dong Hoi, January 2015

UNIT 1: THE COMPUTER

There are three basic steps in the process: first, you feed data into the computer’s memory Then, the

computer performs a set of instructions and processes

the data Finally, you can see the results (the output) on

the screen or in the printed form

We know information in the form of data and programs as software, and the electronic and mechanical

parts that make up a computer system as 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 CPU 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 currently 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 or hard disks) provide a permanent storage of both data and programs Disk drives handle one or more floppy disks Input devices enable 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 the 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 units of a computer system, generally known

as the configuration

I Decide whether the following statements are True (T) or False (F) If the

statement is false, change it to make it true

1 Computers are electrical machines which can receive data and instructions as input, and after processing the information, they output the results

2 There are two steps in the process of a computer

3 The second step of the process is to process a set of instructions

4 Information in the form of data and programs is known as hardware

5 Hardware is the electronic and mechanical parts that make up a computer system

6 CPU executes program instructions and organizes activities of the other units so that a computer can work well

7 Storage devices and input/output devices are the peripherals which are the physical units built in the computer

8 A hard disk is a storage device that provides a permanent storage of both data and programs

9 Data can be put in computer’s memory by means of output devices

10 The Mouse, keyboard, printer in a computer system are the output devices

II Match the main idea with each paragraph with the number of its

a Computers can accept, process the data, and give the results

b Input devices enable data to go into computer’s memory whereas output devices enable us to get results from the system

c Two components of a computer are hardware and software

d There are three steps in computer processing

e The most important component of a computer system is the central processing unit

III Look back into the text and find words that have a similar meaning to

1 defined (lines 1-3) ….…………

2 carries out (lines 6-8) ………

3 components (lines 10-12) ………

4 contemporarily (lines 17-18) ………

5 completed (lines 22-24) ………

IV Use the information in the text and the diagram to help you match the terms in the box with the appropriate explanation or definition below

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 The electronic and mechanical 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 computer

5 Results produced by a computer

6 Hardware equipment attached to the computer

7 A visual display unit

8 A small device used to store information- same as a diskette

9 Any sockets or channels in a computer system into which an input/output device may be connected

UNIT 2: Personal computing

2 Match each word with the correct definition

1 mainframe: a) the set of software that controls a computer system

2 mouse: b) a very small piece of silicon carrying a complex

electrical circuit

3 icon: c) a big computer system used for large scale operations

4 operating system: d) the physical portion of a computer system

5 software: e) a device moved by hand to indicate position on the

screen

6 hardware: f) a visual symbol used in a menu instead of natural

language

7 microchip: g) data, program, etc not forming part of a computer, but

used when operating it

stylus gaming console mouse magnetic card reader

 READING COMPREHENSION

Now read the text and answer the questions

In 1952, a major computing company took a decision to get out of the business

of making mainframe computers They believed that there was only a market for four mainframes in the whole world That company was IBM The following year they reversed their decision

In 1980, IBM decided that there was a market for 250.000 PCs, so they set up a special team to develop the first IBM PC It went on the sale in 1981 and set a world-wide standard for IBM - compatibility which, over the next ten years, was only seriously challenged by one other company, Apple Computers Since then, over seventy million PCs made by IBM and other manufacturers have been sold Over this period, PCs have become commodity items Since IBM made the design non-proprietary, anyone can make them

The history of the multi-billion dollar PC industry has been one of mistakes Xerox Corporation funded the initial research on so personal computers in their Palo Alto laboratory in California However, the company failed to capitalize on this work, and the ideals that they put together went into the operating system developed for Apple's computers This was a graphical interface: using a mouse the user clicks on icons, which represent the function to be performed

The first IBM PC was developed using existing available electrical components With IBM's badge on the box it became the standard machine for large corporations to purchase When IBM was looking for an operating system, they went initially to Digital Research, who was market leaders in command-based operating systems (these are operating systems in which the users type in commands to perform a function) When the collaboration between IBM and Digital Research failed, IBM turns to Bill Gates, then 25 years old, to write their operating system

Bill Gates founded Microsoft on the basis of the development of MS/DOS, the initial operating system for the IBM PC Digital Research has continued to develop their operating system, DR/DOS, and it is considered by many people to be a better product than Microsoft's However, without an endorsement from IBM, it has become a minor player in the market Novell, the leaders in PC networking, now own Digital Research, so things may change

The original IBM PC had a minimum of 16K

of memory, but this could be upgraded to 512K if

necessary, and ran with a processor speed of

4,77MHz Ten years later, in 1991, IBM were so

making PCs with 16 Mb of memory, expandable to 64

Mb, running with a processor speed of 33 MHz The

cost of buying the hardware has come down

considerably as the machines have become commodity

items Large companies are considering running major

applications on PCs, something which, ten years ago,

no one would have believed possible of a PC In contrast, many computers in people's homes are just used to play computer games

The widespread availability of computers has in all probability changed the world forever The microchip technology which made the PC possible has put chips not only into computers, but also into washing machines and cars Some books may never

be published in paper form, but may only be made available as part of public databases Networks of computers are already being used to make information available on a world-wide scale

Vocabulary:

commodity items: items which can be produced and traded freely

non- proprietary: not belong to any single company

capitalize on: profit from, turn to one’s advantage

1 Questions:

1 How many mainframes did IBM think it was possible to sell in 1952?

2 How many PCs have now been sold?

3 Who paid for the initial research into PCs?

4 Which company later used the results of this research to develop their operating system?

5 What are command - based operating systems?

6 DR/DOS is an acronym What does it stand for?

7 Since the invention of the IBM PC, many of its features have been improved Which

of the following features does the text not mention in this respect?

Translation

4 Translate the sixth paragraph starting “The original IBM PC ” into your own language Look carefully at the tense before you start

LANGUAGE FOCUS: WORD FORMING

The table gives some prefixes commonly used in computer science Knowing the meaning of these prefixes will help you understand new words

3 the decimal system

4 the hexadecimal system

Bi- Two Bidirectional, binary

Exercise 2: Choose the appropriate form of the words to complete the sentences Then check the difference of meaning in your dictionary

1 repetition, repeat, repetitive, repeatedly, repeating

a They are some people who…… arrive late to class whenever they are working on

a program because they forget the time

b A computer can do……….operations without getting tired or bored

c ………, which can be a boring and unproductive task as been eliminated with the use of computers

d A computer can…….the same operation over again accurately without becoming bored and tired

2 comparison, compare, comparable, comparatively, comparative

a Renting a computer isn’t………to owning one

3 repairs, repaired, repairable, repair

a When the computer is broken down it needs to be………

b An electronic equipment often takes a long time to………… …

c ……… …to a computer system are often done by the same company who manufactured the system

4 accuracy, accurate, accurately

a A computer is always……… ….in its results if well prepared

b ………….…… is one of the advantages of using computers in research or in statistical analysis

c Computers can produce results quickly and……… …

 FURTHER PRACTICE

1 Writing: A friend has written to you asking you to recommend a computer that suits

his/her needs Write a letter in reply, describing its technical features and saying why you recommend it

2 Vocabulary tree: Designing vocabulary trees or networks can help you build up

your own mental maps of vocabulary areas Look at the list of terms in the box and put each one in an appropriate place on the vocabulary tree below The first one has been done or you

Processor kilobyte expandable memory Megahertz SIMMs hard disk

RAM computer brain byte DVD clock speed keyboard Mouse gigahertz CD-ROM

Megabyte floppy disk registers

UNIT 3: TYPES OF COMPUTERs

Mainframe

A powerful multi-user computer, capable of supporting many hundreds or thousands of users simultaneously

Used for processing very large amounts of data

Mainframes are more powerful than supercomputers because they support more simultaneous programs They’re large, powerful,

Used like mainframes Not as big, powerful, or expensive as mainframes They’re less common now because microcomputers have improved

They first appeared in the late 1970s One of the first and most popular personal computers was the Apple II, introduced in 1977 by Apple Computer

Workstation

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

They 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

Laptop

A small, portable computer - small enough that it can sit on your lap, about the size of a small typewriter

They’re less common now because smaller and lighter portables are available

Notebook

An extremely lightweight personal computer Notebook computers typically weigh less than 6 pounds and are small enough to fit easily in a briefcase

Notebook computers come with battery packs that enable you to run them without plugging them in However, the batteries need to be recharged every few hours

They aren’t easy to type with because of their size Often used as personal organizers

 COMPREHENSION EXERCISES

I Match different types of computers with their correct definitions

1 Supercomputer a A small, single-user computer based on a

microprocessor

2 Mainframe b A powerful, single-user computer designed for

technical or scientific applications

3 Notebook computer c A multi-user computer capable of supporting up

to two hundreds of users simultaneously

4 Workstation d A powerful multi-user computer capable of

supporting many hundreds or thousands of users simultaneously

5 Microcomputer e An extremely fast computer that can perform

hundreds of millions of instructions per second

6 Minicomputer

7 Laptop

8 Handheld

f A PC fits in the palm of your hand

g A battery - or AC - powered personal computer that is generally smaller than a briefcase and weighs less than 6 pounds

h A portable personal computer that can be easily placed on your lap and suitable for mobile use

II Study carefully these above details of different types of computers Find the answers to these questions Which type of computer is

1 the most common?

2 small enough for a pocket?

3 the most common portable?

4 used by many people at the same time?

5 used as mainframes?

6 also referred to a handheld computer?

7 the most powerful?

8 not suitable for a lot of typing?

9 recognized with a large, high-resolution graphics screen

10 extremely fast in performing hundreds of millions of instructions per second

III Read the text carefully and decide whether these statements are True (T) or False (F)

1 Mainframes are capable of supporting many billions of users in turns

2 A great amounts of data can be processed by mainframes

3 Supercomputers are less powerful than mainframes computers because they can support more simultaneous programs

4 A single program can be executed faster by supercomputers than a mainframe

5 The size of minicomputers is medium

6 Minicomputers aren’t popular nowadays

7 Personal computers are always big, expensive and powerful

8 It was Apple Computer that introduced the Apple II twenty years ago

9 The most common operating systems for workstations are UNIX and Windows NT

10 Most of the workstations are multi-user computers

 LANGUAGE FOCUS: COMPARISON

1 Compare these types of computers

Mainframes Minicomputers Microcomputers Laptop

Laptops are often 11 _ than PCs but they are not as _12 _

3 Put the words in brackets into the correct form to make an accurate description

of sizes of computers

There are different types of computer The (large) 1 _ and (powerful) 2 _ are mainframe computers Minicomputers are (small) _3 _ than mainframes but are still very powerful Microcomputers are small enough to sit on a desk They are the (common) _4 _ type of computer They are usually (powerful) _5 _ than minicomputers

Portable computers are (small) _6 _ than desktops The (large) _7 _ portable

is a laptop (Small) _8 _ portables, about the size of a piece of writing paper are called notebook computers The (convenient) _9 _ computer is a palmtop You can hold them in one hand, but it is the (hard) to type They are also called handhelds

In pairs, decide what sort of computer is best for each of these users

1 John Wilmott is a salesperson and he spends a lot of time visiting customers He wants a computer to carry with him so he can access data about his customers and record his sales

2 Pat Nye is a personal officer She needs a computer to keep staff records and to keep a diary of appointments She also needs a computer for writing letters

3 The University of the North needs a computer to look after its accounts, its network, the records of all students and staff, and to help with scientific research

4 The James family wants a computer for entertainment, writing letters, the internet, and for calculating tax

UNIT 4: COMPUTER ’S ARCHITECTURE

2 Try to answer these questions

a What is the main function of a microprocessor?

b What unit of frequency is used to measure processor speed?

c What does “RAM” stand for?

READING COMPREHENSION

What is inside a PC?

The nerve centre of a PC is the central processing unit or CPU This unit

is built into a single microprocessor chip

– an integrated circuit – which executes program instructions and supervises the

computer’s overall operation The unit

consists of three main parts:

i the control unit, which examines

the instructions in the user’s program,

interprets each instruction and causes the

circuits and the rest of the components –

disk drive, monitor, etc – to be activated

to execute the functions specified

ii the arithmetic logic unit (ALU)

which performs mathematical

calculations and logical operations

iii the registers, which are

high-speed units of memory used to store and

control information One of these

registers is the program counter which

keeps track of the next instruction to be

performed in the main memory Another

is the instruction register (IR) which

holds the instruction that is currently

being executed (see Fig.1)

One area where microprocessors

differ is the amount of data – the number

of bits – they can work with at a time

There are 16,32 and 64 bit processors

The computer’s internal architecture is

evolving so quickly that the new 64-bit

processors are able to address 4 billion

times more information than a 32-bit

system

The programs and data which pass through the central processor must be loaded into the main memory (also called the internal memory) in order to

be processed Thus, when the user runs

an application, the microprocessor looks for it on secondary storage devices and transfers a copy of the application into the RAM area RAM is temporary, its information is lost when the computer is turned off However, the ROM section is permanent and contains instruction needed by the processor

Most of today’s computers have internal expansion slots that allow users

to install adapters or expansion boards Popular adapters include high-resolution graphics boards, memory expansion boards, and internal modems

The power and performance of a computer is partly determined by the speed of its microprocessor A clock provides pulses at fixed intervals to measure and synchronize circuits and units The clock speed is measured in MHz and GHz and refers to the frequency at which pulses are emitted For example, a CPU is running at 1600 MHz and will enable the computer to

handle the most demanding applications

 COMPREHENSION EXERCISES

I Decide whether the following statements are True (T) or False (F) If the

statement is false, change it to make it true

1 The CPU directs and coordinates the activities taking place within the computer system

2 The arithmetic logic unit performs calculations on the data

3 32-bit processors can handle more information than 64-bit processors

4 A chip is an electronic device composed of silicon elements containing a set of integrated circuits

5 RAM, ROM and secondary storage are the components of the main memory

6 Information cannot be processed by the microprocessor if it is not loaded into the main memory

7 Permanent storage of information is provided by RAM

8 The speed of the microprocessor is measured in gigahertz or megahertz

II Contextual reference: What do the words in bold print refer to?

1………which executes program instructions and supervises…(in lines 4 - 6)

2………that is currently being executed (in lines 27 - 28)

3………they can work with at a time (in lines 32 - 33)

4.…… the microprocessor looks for it on…(in lines 45)

5.…… its information is lost when the computer is turned off (in lines 49 - 50)

6 …… that allow users to install adapters or expansion boards (in lines 56 - 57)

III What do these abbreviations mean?

a controls the cursor

b inputs data through keys like a typewriter displays the output from a computer on a screen

c reads DVD-ROMs

d reads and writes to removable magnetic disks

e holds instructions which are needed to start up the computer

f holds data read or written to it by the processor

g provides extremely fast access for sections of a

8 DVD-ROM Drive

9 Cache

10 ROM

program and its data

h controls the timing of signals in the computer

l controls all the operations in a computer

 LANGUAGE FOCUS: Making instructions

1 We can make simple instructions using the infinitive:

Ex: Click on the Tab

Enter the search criteria

2 We can add an explanation using the to-infinitive or by + V-ing

Ex: To find patient, click on the appropriate tab

Click on the Find button to start the search

Start the search by clicking on the Find button

3 We can show the order of instructions by numbering them (1, 2, 3, etc.) or by using sequence words like these:

Ex: First click the tab

Then enter the selection

Finally click on the Find button

Exercise 1: Study these instructions for replacing the motherboard in a PC Match the instructions to each picture The pictures are in the correct order

a Add the processor

b Fit the new motherboard

c Remove the old motherboard

d Put it back together

e Add the memory Don’t touch the contacts

Exercise2: Read this passage about a computer mouse Fill in the gaps with verbs from the list

Click double-click drag grab select move control

A mouse allows you to 1 the cursor and move around the screen very quickly Making the same movements with the arrow keys on the keyboard would take much longer As you _2 _ the mouse on your desk, the pointer on the screen moves

in the same direction The pointer usually looks like an I-bar, an arrow or a pointing has, depending on what you are doing

A mouse has one or more buttons to communicate with the computer For example, if you want to place the insertion point or choose a menu option, you just 3 _ on the mouse button, and the option is chosen

The mouse is used to 4 texts and items on the screen You can highlight the text to be deleted, or you can select an item from a check-box or questionnaire

The mouse is widely used in graphics and design When you want to move an image, you position the pointer on the object you want to move, press the mouse button, and _5 _ the image to a new location on the screen Similarly, the mouse is used to change the shape of a graphic object For example, if you want to convert a square into a rectangle, you _6 _ one corner of the square and stretch it into a rectangle

The mouse is also used to start a program or open a document: you put the pointer on the file name and _7 _ on the name – that is, you rapidly press and release the mouse button twice

Exercise 3: Study these instructions for virus-checking in a disk Fill in gaps with verbs from this list Use “Don’t” where appropriate

click exit put select start

1 _the disk into the drive

2 _ the virus checking program

3 _ the drive to be checked

4 _ the “Find” button

5 _ the program until the check is complete

6 _ ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ for checking another disk

Write instructions for opening a computer Using First, then, next…

UNIT 5: INPUT DEVICES

1 Match these pictures of input devices with their names in the list

joystick barcode reader graphics tablet digital camera trackerball scanner touchscreen microphone

2 Each text describes one of these devices: tracker ball, joystick, light pen, scanner Identify the devices each text describes

1 A _ is another input device you can connect to a computer system The is able to move in eight directions s are mostly used in computer games to control the way a pictures on the screen moves Sometimes two s are connected

to a computer so two people can play the game at the same time

2 A works in exactly the same way as a mouse, except that the ball is on top The user rolls the ball around with her hand to operate it If you use a , you don’t

need any extra space on your desk to move it around (like you do with a mouse)

s are often used on small portable computers and on some video game machines

3 A _ can be used to draw pictures directly on to a computer screen or to read the pattern on a barcode A that can read barcodes detects the difference between the light reflected barcode line and its lighter background

4 Using a , you can input printed drawings, photographs, or text directly into

a computer A _ works like a photocopier – a light is shone on the material and the detects the reflected light You can use a with optical character recognition software to input the scanned text into a word processing package

A scanner is an external device used to record data on to the computer The data

can include photographs, book pages, and other images already on a piece of paper The scanner is like a copy machine, but instead of printing the item on a piece of a paper, the digital image gets places on the computer screen

Items are scanned, transmitted from the scanner to the computer, by different

types of scanners, a drum scanner, a flatbed scanner, a

hand scanner, a photo scanner, a sheet-fed scanner

and a single-sheet scanner

Drum scanner- A drum scanner provides

high-quality scans They are also very large They are the

most expensive and most advanced This scanner

works with a rotating drum that scans the object with

an intricate array of sensors Drum scanner

Flatbed scanner – This is smaller scanner that will

fit on top of a desk The document to be scanned is

placed on top of a sheet of glass inside the scanner and

then the lid is shut A small scanning sensor, like a

digital camera, moves back and forth inside the scanner,

taking pictures of the document and compiling them into

a large picture of the entire document that appears on the

computer screen Flatbed scanners produce medium quality images

Hand scanner – The hand scanner is for manual scanning Hand scanners look

similar to mice You must move them back and forth across the document to scan a

document that is more than a couple inches in length Hand scanners aren’t used much,

except for scanning barcodes at stores

Photo scanner – Although you can scan photos on other types of scanners, the

Photo scanner is made for just photographs Most photo scanners can scan images up to

4x6 inches in size Photo scanners are great for converting film photographs into digital

pictures Some photo scanners are like small flatbed scanners Others come built into

computers like a disk drive Both types of photo scanners work the same way the

flatbed scanner does, producing medium quality

images

Sheet-fed scanner – this scanner is designed to

scan several documents at once A stack of papers can

be placed in the scanner and the scanner will scan

them all one at a time in order Some sheet-fed

scanners can scan both sides of a document at once

Sheet-fed scanner work the same way single sheet

scanners do, but sheet-fed scanners usually produce

slightly better quality images Sheet-fed scanner

Single sheet scanner – this type of scanner only works for single sheets of paper

This scanner looks just like a printer Like paper feeding into a printer, the document is

fed into the scanner, and a little digital camera inside the scanner moves back and forth,

taking pictures of parts of the document, one line at a time, and then compiling them

into a large picture of the entire document that appears on the computer screen Single

sheet scanners produce low quality images

I Read the text carefully and answer these questions:

1 What is a scanner?

2 How many types of scanner? What are they?

3 What is a scanner used for?

4 Which things can be scanned?

5 How does a drum scanner work?

6 How does a photo scanner work?

7 How does a hand scanner work?

8 How does a flatbed scanner work?

9 How does a single sheet scanner work?

10 How does a sheet-fed scanner work?

II Match the correct types of scanner with their characteristics

1 Drum scanner a produces low quality images

2 Flatbed scanner b is great for converting film photographs into digital

pictures

3 Photo scanner c is the most expensive and most advanced scanner

4 Hand scanner d scans some documents all at a time in orders

5 Single-fed scanner e looks like a mouse, is used to scan barcodes at stores

6 Single sheet scanner f has a small scanning sensor, like a digital camera, moves

back and forth inside the scanner

III Match the parts of scanner with correct names

 LANGUAGE FOCUS: Function of an item

We can describe the function of an item in a number of ways:

S + USE + S.T + TO_INF/ BE USED + TO-INF

BE USED + FOR + V-ING Examples:

- You can use a scanner to input texts

- A scanner is used to input texts

- A scanner is used for inputting texts

 PRACTICE

Exercise 1: Match each device with its function Then describe its function in

different ways

1 joystick a draw pictures on to a computer screen

2 light pen b copy documents

3 scanner c input sound

4 digital camera d input text

5 mouse e control video games

6 keyboard f move the cursor rapidly

7 microphone g produce photos without film

Exercise 2: With the help of dictionary, describe the functions of these items in

different ways

1 scanner 5 supercomputer

2 printer 6 mainframe computer

3 ATM 7 barcodes

4 hard disk drive 8 main memory

Exercise 3: Some words have been left out of this persuasive advertisement Read it and complete it with words from the box

vivid easy-to-use faster fashionable wide shots capture