Text 1 what is an electronic computer?

An electronic computer is a device that can accept information, store it, process it, and present the results of the processing in some acceptable form. A most important adjunct to this definition is that a computer is told how to process the information by instructions, which are stored in a coded form inside the computer. The coded instructions are called a program (modern usage prefers the word routine). We therefore speak of a computer as an internally-stored-program device.

Any computer contains devices for five main functions: input, storage, arithmetic, control and output. Input refers to the process by which information is put into the machine. Output is the process by which the results are moved out of the machine. Storage refers to the mechanism that can retain information during calculation and furnish it as needed to other parts of the machine. The arithmetic unit is that part of the machine, which can carry out one or more of the basic arithmetic operations on the information held in storage. Finally, the control refers to those parts of the machine that dictate the functions to be performed by all the other parts.

Originally input to the computer was provided by such things as punched cards or punched paper tapes. Storage was provided by a device such as a rotating magnetic drum or by magnetic cores. Arithmetic was carried out by various electronic circuits. Output was provided by such devices as punched cards, punched paper tapes, a typewriter, or a printer, which can print a complete line of information at a time.

TASKS

1. Give Russian equivalents of the words and word combinations. Transcribe them:

1. process (n.), (v.)

2. processing (n.)

3. present (v.)

4. usage (n.)

5. prefer (v.)

6. routine (n.)

7. arithmetic unit

8. control (n.)

9. refer to (v.)

10. mechanism (n.)

11. furnish (v.)

12. circuit (n.)

2. Give English equivalents of:

1. принимать информацию

2. представлять результаты обработки

3. в некоторой доступной (приемлемой) форме

4. весьма важное дополнение к этому определению

5. в закодированной форме

6. современное использование

7. устройство с внутренне хранимой программой

8. сохранять информацию в течение вычисления

9. если необходимо

10. выполнять основные арифметические действия

11. наконец

12. перфокарта

13. перфорированная бумажная лента

14. вращающийся магнитный барабан

15. магнитный сердечник

16. электронные схемы

3. Write out sentences which are in the Passive Voice.

4. Match the terms with the definitions

1. A computer

2. A special-purpose computer

3. A general-purpose computer

4. A program

5. An arithmetic unit

6. A storage (a core store, a memory)

7. A control unit

8. An input

9. An output

10. A printer

11. Peripherals

1. ______is a device that can accept information, store it, process it, and present the results of the processing in some acceptable form.

2. _______can be defined as coded instructions.

3. _______is a process by which information is put into the machine.

4. _____ is a computer that can do only one job over and over again.

5. _____is a place where data can be held.

6. ____is that part of the computer which can carry out arithmetic operations (is a device for performing calculations).

7. ______is an output device for spelling out computer results as numbers, symbols and words.

8. _______is a computer that can do many different jobs.

9. _______is a process by which the results are moved out the machine.

10. ______refers to those parts of the computer that dictate the functions to be performed by all other parts (is a device for causing the machine to perform the desired operations in the correct order).

11. _______ are the input and output devices.

5. Read and translate the text.

6. Learn the text.