1. Match the following words and their definitions. Use them in the sentences of your own

1. modem

2. software

3. e-mail

4. confident

5. hard disk

6. information

a) a system that allows messages to be sent from one computer to another

b) feeling certain

c) a piece of electronic equipment that allows information to be sent from one computer to another

d) a piece of news

e) a part inside a computer that can store technology, information

f) the programmes that you put into computers to make them do the job you want

6. Compare the differences between the Internet and Intranet. Discuss their advantages

7. Discuss the present day technologies with your friends

DIALOGUES

Dialogue 1.

Read and dramatize the following dialogues.

RICHARD Anna, I wonder if you could help me in explaining what these different things are? First of all, a CD-ROM. What's that?

ANNA A CD-ROM. Okay. It's a way of keeping information on a disk, which can then be read by a computer.

RICHARD So you put it into the computer ...

ANNA Yes… .

RICHARD ... And then the computer reads it. I see. Right. Now, a fax. I know that that's a way that you send or receive printed material down the phone line in an electronic form. But how does that differ from e-mail?

ANNA Well, e-mail is actually a system which is used by computer users so messages can be sent from computer to computer, but a fax actually uses the telephone.

RICHARD Right

ANNA And a fax machine.

RICHARD Right. I see. Right, so it's like two computers talking to one another.

ANNA That's right.

RICHARD I see.

ANNA And a fax isn't computer operated. It's using a fax machine and a phone line.

RICHARD Down the phone talking to the fax machine?

ANNA Yes.

RICHARD Right. And what exactly is the Internet?

ANNA Right. Well I suppose, you know, like with the e-mail you've got computer to computer. It's a bit like that. It's a network which allows computer users from anywhere in the world to actually communicate with each other.

RICHARD Right.

ANNA People usually pay a subscription to a company.

RICHARD Yeah ... .

ANNA And they go on-line.

RICHARD Right.

ANNA That's the term.

RICHARD So there's ... like ... loads of computers all talking to each other.

ANNA That's right, yes.

RICHARD Oh right,

ANNA It's fascinating, actually.

RICHARD And what exactly is satellite TV?

ANNA Well, it's a way of broadcasting television using a satellite that's up in space.

RICHARD Right.

ANNA Rather than using, you know, a transmitter. .

RICHARD Like a transmitter on the ground?

ANNA Transmitters and aerials here on the ground, it's actually using a satellite up in space to pick up all the airwaves.

RICHARD So the signal's sent up to the satellite … .

ANNA ... and then sent back down.

RICHARD I see. So what is Cable TV, then?

ANNA Well, that kind of works, I suppose, in the opposite way. It's a system, again of broadcasting television, but instead of having a .satellite up in the air, you've got cables that run under the ground along maybe phone lines, that kind of thing. It gives viewers ... sort of ... more access to more channels.

RICHARD It's a physical connection ... .

ANNA That's right, yeah.

RICHARD … from wherever they're sending the programme to your television, so it's actually one long cable.

ANNA Yes.

RICHARD Oh, right.