Компьютерная техника. Еремина Н.В. - 24 стр.

  4.2.2 Read the passage and find answers to the following questions:
      1. Do you think that the 21st century would be impossible without computers?
2. Why do you think so? 3. Why is the 21st century impossible without space
programs? 4. What does the author mean by incredible technology beyond the
unaided mind? 5. What does the author mean by aided or unaided muscle? 6. What
docs the computer promise in future? 7. Why can the threat of computers be so
awful? 8. Can you give any examples of a computer hazard? 9. What walks of life
has the computer founds applications in? 10. What control operations does the
computer provide in aircraft and space flights? 11. What possibilities does the com-
puter provide in simulating the mechanics. of space flights? 12. Why is the computer
an essential tool in social sciences? 13. What problems can the computer simulate
and solve in city planning?


      4.2.3 Write a short summary on text I


      4.3 Text II

      Read the passage as fast as you can (5 minutes are preferable) and say about the
computer applications mentioned in the text.
       Some new words: microfiche ['maikroufi (:) J] n информ. микрофиша
(карточка с несколькими кадрами микрофильма); descendant п потомок; thief
[6i:f] n вор
Computers concern you
       When Charles Babbage, a professor of mathematics at Cambridge University,
invented the first calculating machine in 1812 he could hardly have imagined the
situation we find ourselves in today. Nearly everything we do in the modern world is
helped, or even controlled, by computers, the complicated descendants of his simple
machine. Computers are being used more and more extensively in the world today,
for the simple reason that they are far more efficient than human beings. They have
much better memories and can store huge amounts of information, and they can do
calculations in a fraction of the time taken by a human mathematician. No man alive
can do 500,000 sums in one second, but an advanced computer can. In fact,
computers can do many of the things we do, but faster and better. They can pay
wages, reserve seats on planes, control machines in factories, work out tomorrow's
weather, and even play chess, write poetry, or compose music. Let's look now at
some of their ways in which computers concern people in their daily lives and work.
       Chief inspector Harston talks about ways in which computers can help the
police fight crime. Members of the public often think of detective work as fast and
exciting when most of it is slow and boring. '"For example, a detective on a stolen
car case may have to check through long lists of information, and in the time it takes
him to do this the thief may well escape. With the new National Police Computer we