Учебное пособие Английский для бакалавров. Часть 2

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12. нàстоящее время многое можно осуществлять через Èнтернет, в том числе проведение сделок.

IX. Think over the plan of the text ‘The Internet’. Write it down. Retell the text according to your plan.

Text B. THE LANGUAGE OF COMPUTERS

Fifty years ago, people hadn’t even heard of computers, and today we cannot imagine life without them.

Computer technology is the fastest-growing industry in the world. The first computer was the size of a minibus and weighed a ton. Today, a chip the size of a pinhead can

do its job. And the revolution is still going on. Very soon we’ll have computers that we’ll

wear on our wrists or even in our glasses and

earrings. Such wearable computers are being

developed in the USA.

Japan’s biggest mobile-phone company has

just released its cleverest product so far, the I-mode, a mobile phone that allows you to surf the Internet as well as make calls. People are already using the phone to check the news

headlines, follow the stock market and download the latest jokes. Soon they will be able to buy cinema tickets and manage their bank accounts.

The next generation of computers will be able to talk and even think for themselves. They will contain electronic “neural networks”. Of course, they’ll be still a lot simpler than human brains, but it will be a great step forward. Such computers will help to diagnose illnesses, find minerals, understand and control the world’s money markets, identify criminals and control space travel.

Computer revolution is changing our life and our language, too. We are constantly making up new words or giving new meanings to old ones. Most of computer terms are born in Silicon Valley, the world’s top computer-science centre.

I. Read the text ‘The Language of Computers’ without a dictionary. Try to understand it.

II. ARE YOU PART OF COMPUTER REVOLUTION?

Do the following tasks and find out.

A. Choose an answer – a) or b).

1.A mouse is

a)a small furry animal with a long tail;

b)a small box used to operate a computer.

2.To surf is

a)to ride on a board on the waves of the sea;

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b)to move around the Internet.

3.A bug is

a)a small insect;

b)an error in a computer programme.

4.A flame is

a)a red or yellow burning gas seen when something is on fire;

b)an unfriendly or rude e-mail.

5.To boot is

a)to kick;

b)to start a computer.

6.A geek [gi:k] is

a)someone who bites off the heads of alive chickens as part of a show;

b)a person who knows everything about computers.

B. Choose an answer – a), b) or c).

1.What do you use a modem for?

a)to print a document;

b)to play music on your computer;

c)to send messages along a telephone line.

2.What do you use when you want to look for sites on the world wide web?

a)a browser;

b)a CD ROM;

c)a printer.

3.What can you use the Internet for?

a)to delete a file from your computer;

b)to help you find information and communicate with people;

c)to make your computer work faster.

4.What do you use a scanner for?

a)to transfer photos and texts to your computer;

b)to find certain files on the Internet;

c)to clean your computer.

5.How much is a gigabyte?

a)1,000 megabytes;

b)100 megabytes;

c)1000 bytes.

C. Match the words (or phrases) with the definitions.

1.chat room

2.e-commerce

3.joystick

4.cyberspace

5.desktop

6.multitasking

a)the ability of a computer to run several programmes at once;

b)the screen you see after you’ve switched your computer;

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c)an area on the Internet where people can communicate with each other in “real time”;

d)the business of buying and selling goods and services on the Internet;

e)a stick which helps you move in computer games;

f)the imaginary place where electronic messages, information pictures, etc. exist when they are sent from one computer to another.

D. True or False?

1.When you use the Internet, you need a computer, a radio and a phone line.

2.You can use the Internet to read newspapers and magazines.

3.You cannot use the Internet to play videogames.

4.The Internet can help you to do shopping.

5.You can use the Internet to “chat” with people and make new friends.

6.You need a CD to send e-mail.

7.Multimedia pages with pictures, music and video make downloading slow.

E. Do this puzzle and you’ll read the name of one of the most successful computer companies.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1.This small box is used to operate a computer.

2.A document on your computer.

3.A device, which is used to transfer photos and texts to your computer.

4.To make a computer better or able to do more things.

5.This looks like a typewriter and has the keys you need to press.

6.It can be hard or floppy.

7.A device, which allows your computer to send messages along a telephone line.

8.An unfriendly or rude e-mail.

9.To start a computer.

F. Complete the sentences by using the following words:

web, information, interactive, e-mail, on-screen, chat, PC, generation, video.

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INTERNET TV

Is it possible to have a TV set, a (1)_____ and the Internet all in one? With the advent of Internet TV it has become a reality. Imagine watching a film on TV and getting (2) _____ on the actors in the film at the same time! To enter (3) _____

addresses and write (4) _____ you use a remote control and an (5) _____ keyboard or an optional wireless keyboard. By clicking a button, you can also read adverts, (6) “_____” with a friend, plan your holiday and play your favourite (7) _____ games. In the future you’ll be able to change the plot of the film you’re watching and meddle in the private lives of the characters. The next (8) _____ of Internet TVs will also have a smart card for shopping, banking and other (9) _____ activities.

III. Retell the text ‘The language of computers’ in English.

Text C. SOCIALIZING ON THE INTERNET

Over the past two decades, as the price of the computing has plunged, the personal computer enabled people to be more productive and gain better access to information. Now, as the price of communications falls, the PC makes it easier for people to reach each other, too.

Electronic inboxes are flooded with e-mail. Electronic “chat” and community participation are on the rise. Chat is a fascinating phenomenon. It takes place in imaginary “rooms”, where like-minded people congregate.

Typically, people type messages back and forth; usually to correspondents they’ve never met in person. Numerous people can communicate with each other simultaneously, and there are no long-distance charges the way there would be with a telephone. Compared to a telephone conversation, the technical quality of chat seems low. But it’s a raging success despite its limitations because the human drive to connect with other people is so strong.

Actually, the fact that people must type their messages – and can edit what they say before firing back a reply – is an attraction of chat. A version that allowed voice communication was a flop. Perhaps, people were intimidated when they had to speak in a nice, intelligible fashion.

Chat rooms are filled with all kinds of people who appreciate or need the convenience of socializing from home – easily, safely, and without getting dressed up.

“We’ve had a breakdown of neighborhoods in many societies, with everything becoming generic,” one student of chat rooms told. “People are looking in cyberspace for

new avenues of self-expression.”

Although I don’t get to spend much time in chat rooms, I know people who do. One is a friend who is passionate about Beanie Babies – the craze for miniature

stuffed animals. She spends an amazing amount of time chatting about them and trading them online.

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A Microsoft manager who designs tools for online socializing told she had started researching chat rooms and soon found herself engrossed for two or three hours a day – to her utter surprise. “You end up having very real relationships,” she said.

Anonymity is allowed in most chat rooms. Some allow people to make up a new name for themselves every time they visit, a practice which can lead to rude or irresponsible behavior because there are few repercussions for antisocial activity. When people must use a consistent name, even a fictitious one like “Sissy” or “Metal X”, they build a reputation they protect with responsible behavior.

Chat and other forms of socialization on the Internet are bound to evolve. The specialists are intrigued by efforts to create “virtual worlds”, imaginary spaces in which participants choose a visual image to represent themselves. These “avatars”, as they are called, sometimes resemble the person but frequently don’t. People can approach each other and make conversation, or retreat to a corner to be alone or eavesdrop.

(After Bill Gates)

=====================VOCABULARY====================

chat, v, n	беседовàть, беседà
decade, n	десятилетие
drive, n	стремление
edit, v	редàктировàть
engross, v	быть поглощенным
fire back, v	отпрàвить
flood, v	нàводнять
flop, n	неудàчà
inbox, n	почтовый ящик
online, adj	в режиме реàльного времени
socialize, v	общàться

======================================================

I. Read the text ‘Socializing on the Internet’ and find the English equivalents to the following words and word combinations.

Ïолучить доступ, облегчить, испытàть подъем, единомышленники, встречàться лично, отпрàвить ответ, быть сильно увлеченным, удивительное явление, по срàвнению с чем-либо, стремление человекà, быть нàполненным чем-либо, способы сàмовырàжения.

II. Find in the text the information about chat rooms. Why do many people appreciate them?

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III. Think over the questions you would like to ask Bill Gates. Write them down. You may send your questions to Bill Gates by e-mail. The address is: [e-mail].

IV. Make up the plan of the text. Retell the text according to your plan. V. Read the following text and say what your opinion of the problem is.

Text D. THE PROS AND CONS OF THE INTERNET

The Internet is without doubt one of the most important inventions in history. It was started in 1968 by the US government, but at first mainly scientists used it. Since 1990, when the World Wide Web was created, it has changed the world and its uses are growing every day.

The main use of the Internet is to find information – for your study or job, or just to find out more about your hobbies, sports or current events.

All of the latest information is available to you, in your home, at any hour of the day and night. It’s much faster and easier to surf the net in search of information from all over the world than to travel to libraries in dozens of countries.

You can also use the Internet to read newspapers and magazines, play games, plan your holiday or buy from your favourite shop.

E-mail makes it possible to send electronic messages anywhere in the world in seconds, and you can use the Internet to “chat” with people and make new friends.

However, the real world of the Internet may not be as perfect as it seems.

With so much information available, finding what you want can take you hours. Multimedia web pages with photographs, music and video are attractive, but they make downloading slow and boring. Besides, there is too much advertising instead of real information.

As for Internet friendships, sitting at home in front of a computer making “chat friends” is not the same as actually meeting people.

CONVERSATION

MOSCOW

=====================VOCABULARY=======================

arrival, n	приезд
to arrive at	приезжàть нà вокзàл, в àэропорт и т.д.
to arrive in	прибывàть, приезжàть в стрàну, город
to attract one’s attention	привлекàть внимàние
to be situated on	быть рàсположенным нà
crowd, n	толпà
immense, adj	огромный

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magnificent, adj	величественный, великолепный
to make an impression on	производить впечàтление нà
places of interest	достопримечàтельности
sights, n, pl	достопримечàтельности
sightseeing, n	осмотр достопримечàтельностей
to go sightseeing	осмàтривàть достопримечàтельности
surprise, n	удивление, удивлять
tour, n	путешествие, экскурсия
to make a tour of (some	объехàть, осмотреть
place)

======================================================

A VISIT TO MOSCOW

Last summer Mr. Wilson, his wife and their daughter Mary – tourists from England – arrived in Moscow. It was their first visit to Russia and they wanted to see as much as possible.

Their guide showed them a lot of places of interest so that they could get a good idea of the Russian capital. Moscow is one of the largest cities in Europe, its total area is about nine hundred square kilometers, and the population of the city is over eight million.

The heart of Moscow is Red Square. It has more historical associations than any other place in Moscow. The Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral are masterpieces of ancient Russian architecture. The main Kremlin tower,

the Spasskaya Tower, has become the symbol of the country. On the territory of the Kremlin the Wilsons saw old cathedrals, the Bell Tower of Ivan the Great, the Palace of Congresses, the Tzar-Cannon and the Tzar-Bell, the biggest cannon and the bell in the world. St. Basil’s Cathedral was built in the mid-16th century in memory of the victory over Kazan. Ther’s a legend that Ivan the Terrible blinded the architects Barma and Postnik, because he didn’t want them to create another masterpiece.

The Wilsons saw a lot of beautiful palaces, old mansions, cathedrals, churches and monuments. They had a chance to visit any of more than 80 museums: the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts and the Tretyakov Gallery, the All-Russia Museum of Folk Arts and the Andrei Rublev Museum of Early Russian Art, Alexei Bakhrushin Theatre Museum and Mikhail Glinka Museum of Musical Culture among them.

In the evening the Wilsons decided to go to the Bolshoi Opera House, though it was very difficult to choose between a large number of popular theaters.

The Wilsons liked Moscow’s straight and broad streets and avenues. They admired the centre of the city with its theatres, cinemas, museums, monuments, and wonderful many-storied buildings. They were greatly impressed by the Kremlin, Red Square, Novy Arbat, which is one of the busiest streets in Moscow.

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One day the Wilsons decided to see Moscow State University and the guide suggested their going there by metro. They liked the idea and joined a stream of people going downstairs into the metro. It seemed to them that nearly everyone in Moscow was in a hurry. Very few were satisfied to stand still and let the magic staircase carry them down to the platforms below. Most people went hurrying down on the left side. On and on ran the train through the tunnel and at every station people came in and out. The trip gave the Wilsons a good impression of Moscow’s immense size.

When they came up into the daylight, they saw the magnificent building of the University that is situated on the Vorobyovy Hills and from there they enjoyed a most beautiful view of the whole city.

They went for a ride in the city. The size and the beauty of the capital made a great impression on the family. They saw endless streams of busses, trolley busses and cars in the streets, crowds of people walking along the pavements. They crossed the city in different directions but to their great surprise they saw the same thing everywhere: well-planned streets lined with trees, many-storied houses, big stores, hotels and beautiful squares. They saw no contrasts between the central part of the city and the suburbs.

The Wilsons went sightseeing every day of their stay in Moscow. And before their tour came to an end they had seen and learned a lot of interesting things about the capital and the country. They liked Moscow and Muscovites who are so hospitable and friendly.

I. Read the text ‘A visit to Moscow’. Give synonyms to the following word combinations:

1.journey out and home again during which several places are visited;

2.town or city where the government of the country is carried on;

3.wide street with buildings on one or both sides;

4.a building in which objects illustrating art, history, science, etc. are displayed;

5.building, column, statue, etc. serving to keep alive the memory of a person or event;

6.effect produced on the mind or feelings;

7.a person employed to point out interesting sights on a journey or visit;

8.large number of people together, but without order or organization;

9.a way at the side of a street for people on foot.

II. Give English equivalents to the following Russian word combinations:

приехàть в Ðоссию, приехàть в àэропорт, осмàтривàть достопримечàтельности, получить предстàвление о чем-либо, величественные многоэтàжные здàния, оживленные улицы, поток людей, огромный рàзмер, прекрàсный вид, производить впечàтление нà кого-либо, идти по тротуàру, в рàзных нàпрàвлениях, гостеприимные и дружелюбные люди.

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III.Match the parts of the sentences.

1.Last summer the Wilsons

2.They visited many places of interest and

3.The tourists admired

4.It seemed to the Wilsons that

5.Travelling by metro the Wilsons were

a)the centre of the city.

b)nearly everyone in Moscow was in a hurry.

c)visited Moscow for the first time.

d)are situated on the Vorobyovy Hills.

e)every day of their stay in Moscow.

6.The magnificent buildings of f) got a good idea of the Russian

Moscow State University	capital.
7. The Wilsons went sightseeing	g) impressed by Moscow’s immense
	size.

IV. Agree or disagree. Give your reasons.

1.It was the second time the Wilsons had visited Moscow.

2.They wanted to get a good idea of the Russian capital, so they visited as many places of interest as possible.

3.There’s nothing surprising in the centre of Moscow.

4.In metro everybody was standing still while the magical staircase was carrying them down.

5.The trip by tram demonstrated the Wilsons the immense size of Moscow.

6.The Wilsons were fond of Moscow and Muscovites. V. Retell the text on the name of

a)Mr. Wilson;

b)Mrs. Wilson;

c)Mary Wilson;

d)the guide.

VI. Make sure you can translate the following text both ways: from Russian into English and vice versa.

Ìосквà – огромный город. Â				Moscow is a great city with the
нем	живет	более	восьми	population of more than eight million
миллионов жителей.			Äеловàя,	people. Moscow is a centre of scientific,
нàучнàя, техническàя, культурнàя				business and cultural activities with
деятельность			городà	hundreds of plants, organizations and
универсàльнà.		Ñотни	зàводов,	research	centres. Compact	automobiles,
фàбрик,	учреждений,		нàучно-	heavy	trucks, electronic	equipment,
исследовàтельских оргàнизàций.				refrigerators, textiles and many other
Çдесь	производятся		изящные	things are produced here. Moscow can

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легковые		àвтомобили,				тяжелые		honourably represent the technological
грузовики,				электронное				progress of this century.
оборудовàние,				холодильники,
текстильные			изделия		и	многое
другое. Ñловом, Ìосквà достойно
предстàвляет			технические				и
производственные					достижения			Moscow is considered to take the
нàшего времени.
Ñчитàется, что Ìосквà –								first place among the world’s capitals in
сàмый читàющий город мирà: онà								the number of public libraries and
зàнимàет первое место по								readers. Its libraries possess hundreds of
количеству библиотек и числу								millions of volumes.
читàтелей. Ôонд московских								Let us open one of them. In ancient
библиотек состàвляет сотни
миллионов томов.								times our capital was known as Moskov
Çàглянем в один из этих								(“Muscovy” according to the European
томов.		Â	древности			город		spelling). In old Slavic “mosk” means
нàзывàлся			«Ìосков».				Ïо-	“flint”, while “kov” (khov) means
стàрослàвянски «моск»						ознàчàет		“fortress”, “enclosure”. Most probably
кремень, кàмень, à «ков» -								the founders of the city named it Mockov
крепость,			укрытие.			Âполне		to denote a strong, reliable fortress.
вероятно,			что	для		людей,		Moscow was first mentioned in the
основàвших			город,		«Ìосков»
ознàчàло		прочное		кàк		кремень		Chronicles for 1147. At that time it was a
укрытие.								small settlement enclosed by paling. By
Ïервое упоминàние о Ìоскве								the end of the 15th century Moscow had
относится к 1147 году. Ýто было								become the capital of the Russian
небольшое поселение, обнесенное								centralized state, surrounded by high
деревянным чàстоколом. Ê концу								stonewalls. Market squares, streets and
XV	векà		Ìосквà		стàновится			trading stalls were located nearby, outside
столицей						русского		the walls. The fortifications of Kitai-
центрàлизовàнного				госудàрствà.				gorod, and Byely gorod rose beyond. The
Òогдà онà уже былà окруженà								young state flourished, its capital
кàменными крепостными стенàми.								expended. Such was the dawning of
Ðядом	примостились				торговые			Moscow.
ряды,		улицы		и	рыночные
площàди. Çà ними поднялись вàлы
Êитàй-городà, Áелого городà.
Êрепло		молодое		госудàрство,

рослà его столицà. Òàк выглядело утро истории Ìосквы.

VII. Find any proverb or saying concerning travelling, give its Russian equivalent. Illustrate it.

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