Научная электронная библиотека

Монографии, изданные в издательстве Российской Академии Естествознания

АДАПТИРОВАННЫЙ ПРАКТИКО-ОРИЕНТИРОВАННЫЙ КУРС АНГЛИЙСКОГО ЯЗЫКА ДЛЯ СТУДЕНТОВ 1 КУРСА ВЫСШИХ УЧЕБНЫХ ЗАВЕДЕНИЙ ИНФОРМАЦИОННО-ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКОГО ПРОФИЛЯ, ОБУЧАЮЩИХСЯ ПО ЗАОЧНОЙ ФОРМЕ

Жаравина И А,

Unit 1. Advantages and disadvantages of compute

Computer is a modern electronic machine, which accepts data, processes them and gives information. We cannot imagine our life without it. We can do research and find a lot of information with the help of it. It’s a device that performs arithmetic operations, such as addition, subtraction, division, multiplication and exponentiation.

Other advantages include typing out a document, a letter or a simple birthday card. We can communicate with our friends online and send them e-mails, pay bills, reserve tickets. With the Internet, we can access any information. Thanks to Wi-Fi we can do it from cafes, hotels, parks and many other public places.

Computers may help you solve problems faster than an ordinary human being can do. With the help of them large amounts of data can be processed quickly. This would help the efficiency of work and its quality. Moreover, it may help your work to be a lot easier. The monotonous and repeated work can be done using computerized methods. At school or university computers help lecturers to give presentations with projectors and whiteboards in order to make their lessons more visually attractive. Teachers publish exercises to complete students online. In banks, computers store information about the money held by the customers and enable staff to carry out financial transactions at high speed. Computers also control cashpoints, which dispense money to customers by the use of a PIN protected card1 which is comfortable in order to pay for goods and services.

Some scientists state that computer makes positive effect on children. By using it, children develop self-confidence2 and self-esteem3. As they master computers, children build positive attitude towards4 technology too that will pay dividends for the rest of their life.

Computers are very beneficial for people with certain verbal communication, audio and motor limitations. People can interact with each other using computer and carry out things that they usually could not achieve without it. They can get any information by sitting5 in our house only with the help of computer.

Moreover a technology called Skype enables users to make calls for free.

It is a patient tutor that allows you to work at your own pace6.

Anyway, a coin has both sides. That means: some disadvantages are also here.

Recurrent and prolonged7 computer use might cause physical health problems like: visual strain, dangerous effects of radiation and posture / skeletal problems.

It destroys your social life and interactions with humans if you do not maintain the balance. Being on a computer too much can lead to anti-social behavior and depression.

In addition, our creativity can decrease when we are too dependent8 on computer. People become lazy and do not use their own mind. They get used to not reading a book, or researching something at the library... Just a few keystrokes and they have their answer.

Children with access to software that is not age appropriate may be exposed to such harmful control as aggression, strong language and
overstimulation from graphics (porno). Besides inappropriate information being accessed9 computer is also used for crimes like hacking, stealing personal information.

For those who spend a lot of hours in front of computer there is a risk of addiction. Many people don’t care about anything except for the computer. Parents keen on computer spend less10 time with their children. The most important learning step for children is interaction with others. If they are sitting in front of the screen all day, they do not learn to share, wait their turn or even they don’t know something as simple as manners. Children need to be in contact with other children, adults and animals.

People are losing their jobs left and right due to computerizing. There are a few people who don’t have computer skills or competency level to do as effectively as someone else in jobs – and they are potentially out of work.

Computer can store information. One computer disk, for example, holds the same amount of information as several books. However, computer sometimes can damage your studies.

Computers replace people in dull, routine tasks. It can solve a series of problems and make hundreds, even thousands of logical decisions without becoming tired. But it has no originality, it works according to the given instructions. Computer cannot do anything unless a person tells it what to do and gives it the appropriate information.

Notes to the text:

1. a PIN protected card – (PIN – personal identification number) – банковская карточка;

2. self-confidence – самоуверенность;

3. self-esteem – самоуважение;

4. build positive attitude towards – создавать положительную установку по отношению к чему-либо;

5. by sitting – сидя (Герундий в функции обстоятельства в данном контексте отвечает на вопрос «Что делая?»);

6. at one’s own pace – в своём собственном темпе;

7. recurrent and prolonged – постоянная и длительная;

8. to be too dependent – быть слишком зависимым (Наречие too перед прилагательным употребляется в значении «слишком»);

9. information being accessed – информация, которую добывают (Participle Passive относится к существительному “information”и указывает на то, что над информацией производится действие).

10. less – меньше (Сравнительная степень от much, many).

Tasks for the text:

1. Put the necessary word into the sentence:

1) We can find a lot of….. with the help of it.

2) It makes positive… on children.

3) Computers are very …. for children with certain limitations.

4) … computer use might cause physical health problems.

5) It may help you solve problems faster than … can do.

6) When we are too …to computer our creativity can decrease.

7) Computer is also used for … like hacking, stealing personal information.

8) Interaction with others is the most important learning … for children.

2. Continue sentences using words from the text:

1) For these who spend a lot of hours in front of computer…

2) Children need to be in contact with…

3) Our creativity can decrease when…

4) Children develop self-confidence and self-esteem by using…

5) Large amounts of data…

6) Computer is also used for crimes like…

7) There is a risk of addiction for these who…

8) Computer may damage …

3. Match the questions with their replies:

4. Complete the table with the words or word expressions from the text:

Advantages and disadvantages of computer

5. Think about other advantages and disadvantages of computer and put them into the table:

6. Complete this crossword using words from the text and giving their definitions:

Across:

1) a modern electronic machine;

2)

3)

4)

Down:

1)

2)

3)

4)

5) difficult tasks, issues.

7. Write an e-mail to your colleague; tell him (her) how your work has been changed after having installed computer for your own use. There is an example:

Hi, Lisa,

Thank you very much for sending me photos. I feel very comfortable using my own computer. It does my work faster and more accurate.

Cheers, Igor.