focus_on_informatics

МИНИСТЕРСТВО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ И НАУКИ РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ

ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЕ ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНОЕ УЧРЕЖДЕНИЕ ВЫСШЕГО ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ «САНКТ-ПЕТЕРБУРГСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ ЭКОНОМИКИ И ФИНАНСОВ»

КАФЕДРА АНГЛИЙСКОГО ЯЗЫКА № 3

FOCUS ON INFORMATICS

Учебное пособие для студентов экономических специальностей

с углубленным изучением информатики

Под редакцией М.Ф. Николаевой

ИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО САНКТ-ПЕТЕРБУРГСКОГО ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОГО УНИВЕРСИТЕТА

ЭКОНОМИКИ И ФИНАНСОВ

2010

Рекомендовано научно-методическим советом университета

ББК 81.2 Англ-923 Ф 75

Focus on Informatics: Учебное пособие для студентов экономических специальностей с углубленным изучением информатики / Под редакцией М.Ф. Николаевой. – СПб.: Изд-во СПбГУЭФ, 2010. – 128 с.

Данное учебное пособие предлагается к использованию в обучении профессионально ориентированному английскому языку. Пособие предназначено в первую очередь для студентов, обучающихся по специальности «Прикладная информатика в экономике», а также для студентов других смежных экономических и технических специальностей вузов.

Составлено в соответствии с программой курсов: «Информатика и программирование», «Информационные системы», «Информационные технологии». Состоит из восьми разделов, объединенных по тематическому принципу. Каждый раздел включает оригинальные англоязычные тексты и широкий спектр лексических и коммуникативных упражнений, которые направлены на совершенствование речевых навыков и умений в профессиональной сфере. Упражнения снабжены ключами для последующего самоконтроля. Глоссарий, представляющий собой списки активной лексики по каждому тексту с переводом на русский язык, помогает расширить профессиональный тезаурус.

Коллектив авторов: Софья Владимировна Анфалова Марина Юрьевна Миронова Марина Филипповна Николаева Надежда Геннадьевна Пирогова

Рецензенты: канд. филол. наук, доцент А.В. Набирухина канд. филол. наук, ст. преп. В.Н. Пилатова

ISBN 978-5-7310-2600-0

© Издательство СПбГУЭФ, 2010

Table of Contents

Section I(What IsComputerScience?)	4
Text 1. Short Introduction to Computer Science	4
Text 2. Relationship of Computer Science with Other Disciplines	6
Text 3. History of Computing. Part 1	9
Text 4. History of Computing. Part 2	12
Section II(HowDoesa ComputerOperate)	15
Text 5. Data Storage Device	15
Text 6. Computer Data Storage	18
Text 7. Computer Architecture	21
Text 8. Operating System	24
Section III(ComputerSoftware)	27
Text 9. Computer Software. Part 1	27
Text 10. Computer Software. Part 2	32
Text 11. Computer Software. Part 3	36
Text 12. Document Management Software. Part 1	40
Text 13. Document Management Software. Part 2	43
Section IV (The Internet)	46
Text 14. Modern Uses of the Internet	46
Text 15. The Web	51
Text 16. Communication	54
Text 17. Data Transfer	55
Text 18. Accessibility	58
Text 19. Social Impact of the Internet	61
Section V(Website)	65
Text 20. Website. Part 1	65
Text 21. Website. Part 2	69

Section VI(Security)	74
Text 22. Data Security Technologies. Part 1	74
Text 23. Data Security Technologies. Part 2	77
Text 24. Malware	80
Section VII(Information and CommunicationsTechnologies)	83
Text 25. Information Technologies	83
Text 26. Communications System	87
Section VIII(IT in Businessand Society)	90
Text 27. Extending IСT Benefits to All. Part 1	90
Text 28. Extending IСT Benefits to All. Part 2	93
Text 29. ‘Never Start IT Initiatives for the Sake of IT’	96
Text 30. Adding Intelligence to the IT Service Arrangement	102
Text 31. The First IT-literate President. Part 1	105
Text 32. The First IT-literate President. Part 2	109
Keys	114

Section I (What is ComputerScience?)

Text 1. Short Introduction to Computer Science

Computer science (or computing science) is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation, and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems. It is frequently described as the systematic study of algorithmic processes that create, describe and transform information. According to Peter J. Denning, the fundamental question underlying computer science is, "What can be (efficiently) automated?" Computer science has many sub-fields. Some, such as computer graphics, emphasize the computation of specific results, while others, such as computational complexity theory, study the properties of computational problems. Still others focus on the challenges in implementing computations. For example, programming language theory studies approaches to describing computations, while computer programming applies specific programming languages to solve specific computational problems, and human-computer interaction focuses on the challenges in making computers and computations useful, usable, and universally accessible to people.

The general public sometimes confuses computer science with vocational areas that deal with computers (such as information technology), or think that it relates to their own experience of computers, which typically involves activities such as gaming, web-browsing, and word-processing. However, the focus of computer science is more on understanding the properties of the programs used to implement software such as games and web-browsers, and using that understanding to create newprograms or improve existing ones.

History of computer science

The early foundations of what would become computer science predate the invention of the modern digital computer. Machines for calculating fixed numerical tasks, such as the abacus, have existed since antiquity. Wilhelm Schickard built the first mechanical calculator in 1623. Charles Babbage designed a difference engine in Victorian times helped by Ada Lovelace. Around 1900, punch-card machines were introduced. However, all of these machines were constrained to perform a single task, or at best some subset of all possible tasks.

During the 1940s, as newer and more powerful computing machines were developed, the term “computer” came to refer to the machines rather

than their human predecessors. As it became clear that computers could be used for more than just mathematical calculations, the field of computer science broadened to study computation in general. Computer science began to be established as a distinct academic discipline in the 1950s and early 1960s, with the creation of the first computer sciencedepartments and degree programs. Since practical computers became available, many applications of computing have become distinct areas of study in their own right.

Although many initially believed it impossible that computers themselves could actually be a scientific field of study, in the late fifties it gradually became accepted among the greater academic population. It is the now wellknown IBM brand that formed part of the computer science revolution during this time. IBM (short for International Business Machines) released the IBM 704 and later the IBM 709 computers, which were widely used during the exploration period of such devices. Still, working with the IBM [computer] was frustrating: if you had misplaced as much as one letter in one instruction, the program would crash, and you would have to start the whole process over again. During the late 1950s, the computer science discipline was very much in its developmental stages, and such issues were commonplace.

Time has seen significant improvements in the usability and effectiveness of computer science technology. Modern society has seen a significant shift from computers being used solely by experts or professionals to a more widespread user base.

Glossary

abacas – абак, счеты

computation – вычисление, подсчет

confuse – смешивать, путать

constrain – сдерживать, ограничивать

difference engine – разностная машина

human-computer interaction– человеко-машинное взаимодействие

implementation – реализация, использование property – зд. свойство, качество

punch-card machine – счетно-перфорационная машина solely – исключительно, только

subset – подмножество

to implement software – внедрять / вводить в эксплуатацию программное обеспечение

to predate – предшествовать to underlie – лежать в основе

usability – удобство работы, простота использования vocational– зд. профессиональный

Exercises:

1.Match the following words from the first two paragraphs of the text toformwordpartnerships.Refertothetextonlyifyouneedto:

1)	practical	processes
2)	computational	languages
3)	algorithmic	foundations
4)	programming	graphics
5)	theoretical	techniques
6)	computer	areas
7)	vocational	problems

2.Match the following words from paragraphs 3-6 of the article to make complete expressions. You will generally find it easier if you match columns 2 and 3 first:

1) powerful

numerical

computer

2)	modern	computing	discipline
3)	widespread	academic	base
4)	fixed	user	machine
5)	distinct	digital	task

3.Find inthe article 3 nounsthat collocate with computerscience.

4.Whichof the following topics does the article discuss?

1)datalogy

2)branches of computer science

3)early history of computing

4)computerscience departments

5)popular computer brand

5.Answer the following questions:

1)How cancomputerscience be defined?

2)What is the fundamental question underlying computerscience?

3)What are the main sub-fields of computer science?

4)What is the major focus ofcomputerscience?

5)Who invented the first calculating machine?

6)What is the main drawback of the first calculating machines?

7)When did computer science establish as a distinct academic discipline?

8)Why were the first IBM computers difficult to operate?

9)What is the most significant change of computer science in modern world?

Text 2. Relationship of Computer Science with Other Disciplines

Despite its name, a significant amount of computer science does not involve the study of computers themselves. Because of this, several alternative names have been proposed. Certain departments of major universities prefer the term computing science, to emphasize precisely that difference. Danish scientist Peter Naur suggested the term datalogy, to reflect the fact that the scientific discipline revolves around data and data treatment, while not neces-

sarily involving computers. The first scientific institution to use the term was the Department of Datalogy at the University of Copenhagen, founded in 1969, with Peter Naur being the first professor in datalogy. The term is used mainly in the Scandinavian countries. Also, in the early days of computing, a number of terms for the practitioners of the field of computing were suggested in the Communications of the ACM – turingineer, turologist, flow- charts-man, applied meta-mathematician, and applied epistemologist. Three months later in the same journal, comptologist was suggested, followed next year by hypologist. The term computics has also been suggested. Informatik was a term used in Europe with more frequency.

The renowned computer scientist Edsger Dijkstra stated, "Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes." The design and deployment of computers and computer systems is generally considered the province of disciplines other than computer science. For example, the study of computer hardware is usually considered part of computer engineering, while the study of commercial computer systems and their deployment is often called information technology or information systems. However, there has been much cross-fertilization of ideas between the various comput- er-related disciplines. Computer science research has also often crossed into other disciplines, such as philosophy, cognitive science, economics, mathematics, physics, and linguistics.

Computer science is considered by some to have a much closer relationship with mathematics than many scientific disciplines, with some observers saying that computing is a mathematical science. Early computer science was strongly influenced by the work of mathematicians such as Kurt Gцdel and Alan Turing, and there continues to be a useful interchange of ideas between the two fields in areas such as mathematical logic, category theory, domain theory, and algebra.

The relationship between computer science and software engineering is a contentious issue, which is further muddied by disputes over what the term "software engineering" means, and how computer science is defined. David Parnas, taking a cue from the relationship between other engineering and science disciplines, has claimed that the principal focus of computer science is studying the properties of computation in general, while the principal focus of software engineering is the design of specific computations to achieve practical goals, making the twoseparate butcomplementary disciplines.

The academic, political, and funding aspects of computer science tend to depend on whether a department formed with a mathematical emphasis or

with an engineering emphasis. Computer science departments with a mathematics emphasis and with a numerical orientation consider alignment computational science. Both types of departments tend to make efforts to bridge the field educationally if not across all research.

Glossary

ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) – Ассоциация по вычис-

лительной технике

alignment – зд. cовмещение

cognitive science – когнитология / наука о мышлении

complementary – добавочный, (взаимо) дополнительный

computer hardware – аппаратные средства компьютера

contentious – дискуссионный, спорный

cross-fertilization – биол. перекрестное оплодотворение

cue – реплика, намек, аллюзия

data treatment – обработка данных /информации

deployment – развертывание

domain – мат. область определения

flow-chart – блок-схема

muddy – запутывать, делатьмутным, неясным

numerical – цифровой / числовой

precisely – точно, именно

revolve – вертеться вокруг

software engineering– разработка программного обеспечения

Turingineer – зд. инженер, работающий с вычислительными машинами Тьюринга (Turing – гипотетический вычислитель, предложенный английским математиком Аланом Тьюрингом в 1936 г. как инструмент для изучения сложности алгоритмов. Кроме наличия бесконечной памяти, современные процессоры очень похожи на машинуТьюринга)