UNIT 1
I. Look up in the dictionary how to pronounce the following words. Write them down in the dictionary.
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to calculate an abacus a bead frame to devise a slide rule to reduce |
ten-toothed gear wheels to aim guns responsible to figure out a generation a predecessor |
a chip rectangular a layer attached to encapsulate dependable |
II. Read the text and do the exercises that follow it.
History of Computers
Let us take a look at the history of the computers that we know today. The very first calculating device used was the ten fingers of a man’s hands. This, in fact, is why today we count in tens and multiply of tens. Then the abacus was invented, a bead frame in which the beads are moved from left to right. People went on using some form of abacus well into the 16th century, it is being used in some parts of the world because it can be understood without knowing how to read.
During the 17th and 18th centuries many people tried to find easy ways of calculating. J.Napier, a Scotsman, devised a mechanical way of multiplying and dividing, which is how the modern slide rule works. Henry Briggs used Napier’s ideas to produce logarithm which all mathematicians used today.
Calculus, another branch of mathematics, was independently invented by both Sir Isaac Newton, an Englishman, and Leibnitz, a German mathematician. The first real calculating machine appeared in 1820 as the result of several people’s experiments. This type of machine, which saves a great deal of time and reduces the possibility of making mistakes, depends on a ten-toothed gear wheels.
In 1830 Charles Babbage, an Englishman, designed a machine that was called ‘The Analytical Engine’. This machine, which Babbage showed at the Paris Exhibition in 1855, was an attempt to cut out the human being altogether, expert for providing the machine with the necessary facts the problem to be sowed. He never finished this work, but many of his ideas were the basis for building today’s computers.
In 1930, the first analog computer was built by American named Vannevar Bush. The device was used in World War II to help aim guns. Mark I, the name given to the first digital computer, was completed in 1944. The men responsible for this invention were Professor Howard Aiken and some people from IBM. This was the first machine that could figure out long of mathematical problems all at a very fast speed.
In 1946 two engineers at the University of Pennsylvania, J.Eckert and J.Mayshly, built the first digital computer using parts called vacuum tubes. They named their new invention UNIAC. The first generation of computers, which used vacuum tubes, came out in 1950. UNIAC I was an example of these computers which could perform thousand of calculations per second.
In 1960, the second generation of computers was developed and could perform work ten times faster than their predecessors. The reason for this extra speed was the use of transistors instead of vacuum tubes. Secondgeneration computers were smaller, faster and more dependable than firstgeneration computers.
The third-generation computers appeared on the market in 1965. These computers could do a million calculations a second, which is 1000 times faster than the first generation computers. Unlike second-generation computers, these are controlled by tiny integrated circuits and are consequently smaller and more dependable.
Fourth-generation computers have now arrived, and the integrated circuits that are being developed have been greatly reduced in size. This is due to microminiturization, which means that the circuits are much smaller than before; as many as 1000 tiny circuits now fit onto a single chip. A chip is a square or rectangular piece of silicon, usually from 1/10 to 1/4 inch, upon which several layers of an integrated circuit are attached or imprinted, after which the circuit is encapsulated in plastic metal. Fourthgeneration computers are 50 times faster than third-generation computers and can complete approximately 1.000.000 instructions per second.
III. Translate from English into Russian:
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1. the very first calculating device 2. to count in tens 3. to multiply of tens 4. without knowing 5. to be independently invented 6. to save a great deal of time |
7. first digital computer 8. to figure out 9. ten times faster 10. extra speed 11. tiny integrated circuits 12. keeping instruction |
IV. Translate from Russian into English:
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1. знать сегодня 2. 10 пальцев руки человека 3. кости на счетах двигают слева на право 4. продолжать использовать 5. счеты 6. настоящая счетно-вычислительная машина |
7. попытка 8. аналоговый компьютер 9. скорость 10. вакуумные лампы (трубки) 11. транзистор 12. интегрированные схемы |
V. Fill in each blank with a word chosen from the list below to complete the meaning of the sentence:
1. The very first ..... device used was 10 fingers of a man’s hand.
2. Then, the ..... was invented.
3. J.Napier ..... a mechanical way of multiplying and dividing.
4. Henry Briggs used J.Napier’s ideas to produce ..... .
5. The first real calculating ..... appeared in 1820.
6. This type of machine ..... the possibility of making mistakes.
7. In 1930 the first ..... computer was built.
8. This was the first machine that could ..... ..... mathematical problems at a very fast speed.
9. In 1946 was built the first digital computer using parts called .... .
10. The reason for this extra ..... was the use of transistors instead of vacuum tubes.
11. The second generation computers were smaller, faster and more ..... than first-generation computers.
12. The third-generation computers are controlled by ..... integrated circuits.
13. This is due to ....., which means that the circuits are much smaller than before.
14. A ..... is a square or rectangular piece of silicon, usually from 1/10 to 1/4 inch.
VI. Fill in the preposition:
1. Let us take a look ..... the history of computers.
2. That is why we count ..... tens and multiply ..... tens.
3. The beads are moved ..... left ..... right.
4. Abacus is still being used ..... some parts ..... the world.
5. Calculus was independently invented ..... both Sir Isaac Newton and Leibnitz.
6. This type of machine depends ..... a ten-toothed gear wheels.
7. «The Analytical Engine» was shown ..... the Paris Exhibition ..... 1855.
8. The men responsible ..... this invention were Professor Howard Aiken and some people ..... IBM.
9. The first generation of computers came ..... in 1950.
10. Due to microminiturization 1000 tiny circuits fit ..... a single chip.
VII. Finish the following sentences:
1. The first generation of computers came out in ..... .
2. The second generation of computers could perform work ten times faster than their .... .
3. The third-generation computers appeared on the market in ..... .
4. The fourth-generation computers have been greatly ..... .
5. The fourth-generation computers are 50 times faster and can ..... .
VIII. Find the synonyms to the following words in the text:
IX. Find the antonyms to the following words in the text:
X. Arrange the items of the plan in a logical order according to the text:
1. J.Napier devised a mechanical way of multiplying and dividing.
2. The very first calculating device was the ten fingers of a man’s hands.
3. Babbage showed his analytical engine at Paris Exhibition.
4. The first real calculating machine appeared in 1820.
5. The first analog computer was used in World War II.
XI. Answer the questions on the text:
1. What was the very first calculating device?
2. What is abacus? When did people begin to use them?
3. When did a lot of people try to find easy ways of calculating?
4. Who used Napier’s ideas to produce logarithm?
5. What was invented by Sir Isaac Newton and Leibnitz?
6. What did Charles Babbage design?
7. When was the first analog computer built? How did people use it?
8. Who built the first digital computer?
9. How did the first generation of computers work?
10. What are the differences between the first and the second computer generations?
11. When did the third-generation computers appear?
12. What is the fourth-generation computer?
XI. Retell the text.