Welcome to the computer world. Practice materials for 1st year students. Еранина Т.И - 12 стр.

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        processing. These early electromechanical data processors were called
        unit record machines because each punched card contained a unit of
        data.
                    In the mid—1940s electronic computers were developed to
        perform calculations for military and scientific purposes. By the end of
        the 1960s commercial models of these computers were widely used for
        both scientific computation and business data processing. Initially these
        computers accepted their input data from punched cards. By the late
        1970s punched cards had been almost universally replaced by keyboard
        terminals. Since that time advances in science have led to the
        proliferation of computers throughout our society, and the past is but
        the prologue that gives us a glimpse of the future.

        Vocabulary:

        calculating device— вычислительное устройство
        multiple— кратный
        abacus— счеты
        slide rule— логарифмическая линейка
        logarithm table— логарифмическая таблица
        calculus — исчисление; математический анализ
        general-purpose— общего назначения, универсальный
        to cut out the human being altogether — полностью исключить
        человека
        to manipulate — обрабатывать, преобразовывать; управлять
        data processing— обработка данных (информации)
        tabulate the census — занести данные по переписи (населения) в
        таблицу
        means of coding— средства кодирования (шифровки)
        to punch the holes— пробивать отверстия
        punched card — перфокарта
        to perform— выполнять, производить (действие); осуществлять;
        unit of data— единица информации
        Keyboard terminals — терминал (вывод) с клавишным
        управлением
        proliferation— размножение, быстрое увеличение
Task 2. Look back in the text and answer the following question:

        1. What was the very first calculating device? 2. What is the abacus? 3.
        What is the modern slide rule? 4. Who gave the ideas for producing
        logarithm tables? 5. How did Newton and Leibniz contribute to the
        problem of calculation? 6. When did the first calculating machine