Xml Documents

XML is a markup language that allows field tags, data, and tables to be incorporated into a Web document. It was developed in response to several deficiencies that became apparent as HTML gained widespread use. For example, suppose you are interested in speeches given by Martin Luther King, Jr. Entering his name in a search engine produces thousands of entries, including MLK biographies, streets and schools named after the famous civil rights leader, historic locations relating to the civil rights movement and so on. XML provides tags that can be embedded in an XML document to put data in context.

As you can see, many techniques exist for storing, accessing, and displaying the data from the databases. Sometimes more than one tool has the potential to work for a specific application. Now that you’ve had an introduction to the options, you should be able to evaluate when and how to use them.

Comprehension check. Mark the following statements as True or False.

1. Many techniques exist for storing, accessing, and displaying the data from the databases.

2. The Web provides an opportunity for a limited number of people to gain access to data from multiple locations.

3. Simple file management tools are popular for individuals who want to maintain files that contain thousands of records.

4. The term DBMS (Database Management System) refers to software that is designed to manage data stored in a database.

5. Microsoft Excel doesn’t allow you to sort records, validate data, search for records, perform simple statistical functions, and generate graphs based on the data.

6. XML is a markup language that allows field tags, data, and tables to be incorporated into a Web document.

Vocabulary practice

1. In the text find the opposites to the given words.

civil sometimes simple purchase allow unknown

2. Fill in the blanks choosing from the variants given.

1. Most spreadsheet and word processing software (sets, packages, collections) feature simple tool that allow you to specify fields, enter data and manipulate it.

2. As you can see, many techniques (are existing, exist, have been existed) for storing, accessing, and displaying the data from the databases.

3. For example, Microsoft Excel (to allow, is allowing, allows) you to sort records, validate data, search for records.

4. XML (were, is, have been) a markup language that allows field tags, data, and tables to be incorporated into a Web document.

5. Now that you (have had, had, has had) an introduction to the options, you should be able to evaluate when and how to use them.

6. Many (methods, ways, techniques) exist for storing, accessing and displaying the data from the databases.

3. Make three-word combinations using the words in the columns and then fill in the gaps in the following sentences.

A: a) address B: client C: software

b) system management task

c) database book database

d) data management system

e) database management information

f) data server software

1. The simplest tools for managing data are soft packages dedicated to a specific … .

2. The term DBMS … refers to software that is designed to manage data stored in a database.

3. Simple tools that easily store … might not be suited for managing a worldwide airline reservation system.

4. To create your own … it is possible to simply enter data as an ASCII text file.

5. … is designed to manage billions of records and lots of transactions every second.

6. … allows any remote computer or network workstation to access data in a database.

4. Fill in the gaps in the text.

The data in a database can be _1_ over the Web. A simple process called _2_ Web publishing converts a database report into an HTML document, which can be displayed by a browser. More sophisticated _3_ Web publishing produces data from a database on demand. HTML forms and XForms not only provide search capabilities, but can also be used to add or modify data in a _4_ with a Web browser. _5_ documents provide a Web-based data management tool that uses special _6_ as field names within a document.

Speaking. Discuss the following questions.

1. Are simple data management tools available?

2. Can you create your own data management software?

3. What kinds of tools are specially designed for creating and manipulating databases?

4. Is it possible to access a database over the Web?

Text C

Pre-reading task. Match the meaning of the following English words with the Russian equivalents.

1. conversionroutineа) избыточность данных

2. dataredundancyb) порядок сортировки

3. BLOBc) индекс базы данных

4. variable-lengthfieldd)конверсионная подпрограмма

5. primarykeye) первичный ключ

6. sortorderf) целочисленный тип данных

7. validationruleg) большой двоичный объект

8. fixed-lengthfieldh) поле неподвижной длины

9. integerdatatypei) правило ратификации

10. databaseindexj) поле переменной длины

Reading. Read the text and try to guess the meaning of the words in bold. Check your variants in the dictionary.