Bill Gates – the founder of microsoft

1 William Henry Gates was born in Seattle» Washington in 1955.

He is an American business executive, chairman and chief executive officer of the Microsoft Corporation. Gates was the founder of Microsoft in 1975 together with Paul Allen, his partner in computer language development. While attending Harvard in 1975, Gates together with Allen developed a version of the BASIC computer programming language for the first personal computer.

2 In the early 1980s, Gates led Microsoft's evolution from the developer of computer programming languages to a large computer software company. This transition began with the introduction of MS-DOS, the operating system for the new IBM Personal Computer in 1981. Gates also led Microsoft towards the introduction of application software such as the Microsoft Word processor.

3 Much of Gates' success is based on his ability to translate technical visions into market strategy. Although Gates has accumulated great wealth from his holdings of Microsoft stock, he has been known as a tough competitor who seems to value winning in a competitive environment over money. Gates still continues to work personally in product development at Microsoft.

4 Windows 98 is an operational system with an easy interface based on the expanding windows principle which uses icons to graphically represent files and their types. Windows 98 is the enhanced version of Windows 95.

5 Windows 98 makes the way you and your computer interact easy. Most everyday tasks are now easier to accomplish than ever before. For example, the second mouse button has become a powerful weapon. The old Windows 3.0 Programme Manager and File Manager have been replaced. The desktop tools that replace them are very like those found on a Macintosh. For example, there is a Recycle Bin that makes it easier to recover accidentally deleted files.

Задание 2. Ответьте на вопросы к тексту.

1 Who was Bill Gate’s partner in computer language development?

2 What is the interface of Windows based on?

Задание 3. Раскройте скобки, употребляя глаголы в указанном времени. Переведите предложения на русский язык.

1 Windows 98 (to make) your work at the computer easy – Present Simple.

2 Recycle Bin (to recover) deleted files – Past Simple.

3 This system (to decide) many problems – Present Perfect.

4 You (to run) DOS programs – Future Simple.

5 Users (to spend) most of their time in Windows – Present Simple.

6 Our institute (to buy) portable computers by the end of May. – Past Perfect.

7 We (to think) about our future – Past Simple.

8 The engineers (to create) new programs – Present Continuous.

9 I (to pass) this test – Future Perfect.

10 They (to carry) electric waves over a distance – Future Continuous.

Задание 4. Подчеркните модальные глаголы и их эквиваленты в предложениях, переведите предложения на русский язык.

1 He will be able to graduate from the institute.

2 Can we help him?

3 Students will be allowed to go home.

4 You must help your parents.

5 My friend had to take examinations on Wednesday.

6 May I go to the exhibition with you?

Вариант 2

Задание 1. Прочитайте и переведите текст.

Software

1 A computer to complete a job requires more than just the actual equipment or hardware we see and touch. It requires Software - programs for directing the operation of a computer or electronic data.

2 Software is the final computer system component. These computer programs instruct the hardware how to conduct processing. The computer is merely a general-purpose machine which requires specific software to perform a given task. Computers can input, calculate, compare, and output data as information. Software determines the order in which these operations are performed.

3 Programs usually fall in one of two categories: system software and applications software.

System software controls standard internal computer activities. An operating system, for example, is a collection of system programs that aid in the operation of a computer regardless of the application software being used. When a computer is first turned on, one of the system programmes is booted or loaded into the computers memory. This software contains information about memory capacity, the model of the processor, the disk drives to be used, and more. Once the system software is loaded, the applications software can be brought in.

4 System programmes are designed for the specific pieces of hardware. These programmes are called drivers and coordinate peripheral hardware and computer activities. User needs to install a specific driver in order to activate a peripheral device. For example, if you intend to buy a printer or a scanner you need to worry in advance about the driver programme which, though, commonly goes along with your device. By installing the driver you «teach» your mamboard to «understand» the newly attached part. However, in modern computer systems the drivers are usually installed in the operating system.

5 Applications software satisfies your specific need. The developers of application software rely mostly on marketing research strategies trying to do their best to attract more users (buyers) to their software. As the productivity of the hardware has increased greatly in recent years, the programmers nowadays tend to include as much as possible in one programme to make software interface look more attractive to the user. These class of programmes is the most numerous and perspective from the marketing point of view.

Задание 2. Ответьте на вопросы к тексту.

1 What does it mean “software”?

2 What are drivers used for?

Задание 3. Раскройте скобки, употребляя глаголы в указанном времени. Переведите предложения на русский язык.

1 The firm Microsoft (create) the system Windows 98 - Present Perfect.

2 Recycle Bin (to recover) deleted files – Present Simple.

3 These businessmen (to decide) many problems – Future Perfect.

4 You (to work) in DOS – Future Simple.

5 Users (to spend) most of their time in Windows – Present Simple.

6 Our institute (to buy) new equipment by the end of June – Past Perfect.

7 We (to play) football in the yard – Past Simple.

8 The engineers (to create) new machines – Present Continuous.

9 I (to finish) this difficult test – Future Perfect.

10 Electric waves (to carry) signals over long distances – Future Continuous.

1 Our students will be able to graduate from the institute.

2 Can your friend help us?

3 The boy will be allowed to eat ice-cream.

4 You must phone your parents.

5 My brother had to go to London on Wednesday.

6 May I go to the exhibition with you?

Вариант 3

Задание 1. Прочитайте и переведите текст.

What is hardware?

1 What is hardware? Webster's dictionary gives us the following definition of the hardware — the mechanical, magnetic, electronic, and electrical devices composing a computer system.

Computer hardware can be divided into four categories:

input hardware

processing hardware

storage hardware

output hardware.

2 The purpose of the input hardware is to collect data and convert it into a form suitable for computer processing. The most common input device is a keyboard. It looks very much like a typewriter. The mouse is a hand held device connected to the computer by small cable. As the mouse is rolled across the mouse pad, the cursor moves across the screen. When the cursor reaches the desired location, the user usually pushes a button on the mouse once or twice to signal a menu selection or a command to the computer.

The light pen uses a light sensitive photoelectric cell to signal screen position to the computer. Another type of input hardware is optic-electronic scanner that is used to input graphics as well as typeset characters. Microphone and digital camera can be also used to input data into the computer.

3 The purpose of processing hardware is retrieve, interpret and direct the execution of software instructions provided to the computer. The most common components of processing hardware are the Central Processing Unit and main memory.

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the brain of the computer. It reads and interprets software instructions and coordinates the processing activities that must take place. The design of the CPU affects the processing power and the speed of the computer, as well as the amount of main memory it can use effectively. With a weli-de-signed CPU in your computer, you can perform highly sophisticated tasks in a very short time.

Memory is the system of component of the computer in which information is stored. There are two types of computer memory: RAM and ROM.

4 RAM (random access memory) is the volatile computer memory, used for creating1 loading, and running programs and for manipulating and temporarily storing data;

ROM (read only memory) is nonvolatile, nonmodifiable computer memory, used to hold programmed instructions to the system.

The more memory you have in your computer, the more operations you can perform that is the faster it works.

Задание 2. Ответьте на вопросы к тексту.

1 What are four categories of computer hardware?

2 What are two types of computer memory?

Задание 3. Раскройте скобки, употребляя глаголы в указанном времени. Переведите предложения на русский язык.

1 Windows 95 and 98 (to have) very convenient interface - Present Simple.

2 He (to delete) files into the Recycle Bin – Past Simple.

3 This businessman (to open) many shops – Future Perfect.

4 She (to work) at our institute – Future Simple.

5 Users (to spend) most of their time in Windows – Present Simple.

6 Our firm (to buy) new equipment by the end of June – Past Perfect.