Text 2. SUPERMARKET CHECKOUT
1. Discuss the following questions in pairs:
1. How do you use computers in your free time?
2. What other areas of study would benefit from the introduction of computers?
3. Make a list of as many users of the computer as you can think of.
4.How do you think these professions might use computers? (musicians, sales people, teachers, artists)
2. A) Match the verbs with the prepositions to make collocations:
1. used a) out
2. go b) from
3. move c) out
4. consist d) over
5. find e) to
6. come f) of
7. work g) in
B) Use the collocations from A) to complete the sentences:
1. Computers are widely ___________ the supermarket checkout system.
2. An assistant __________ the product ________a window.
3. A barcode reader _____________ a light source, a lens and a light sensor.
4. The computer can ___________ stock levels.
5. He ____________ that the president of a local food chain wanted to find an automatically read product information system.
6. The idea __________ Morse code.
7. The numbers _________ the computer.
3. Read the text and give the main idea of each paragraph:
Nowadays computer power is widely used in the supermarket checkout system which is a sophisticated input unit to the store's computer. Each product has a bar code that contains an identification number. The assistant moves the product over a window and an invisible infra-red laser beam scans the bar code, reading it at any angle. The number goes to the computer, which instantly shows the price of the product on the checkout display. The computer also adds up the check.
A barcode is a series of parallel bars or lines of varying width that is used for entering data into a computer system. The bars are typically black on a white background, and their width and quantity vary according to application. The bars are used to represent the binary digits 0 and 1, a wide bar or space signifies 1 and a thin bar or space signifies 0. Sequences of these binary digits can represent numbers from 0 to 9 and be processed by a digital computer. There areseveral different kinds of bar codes but in each one, anumber, letter or other character is formed by a certain number of bars and spaces. Barcodes can be read by optical scanners called barcode readers, or scanned from an image by special software.
A barcode reader consists of a light source, a lens and a light sensor translating optical impulses into electrical ones. Additionally, nearly all barcode readers contain decoder circuits which analyze the barcode's image data and send the barcode's content to the scanner's output port. There are six basic kinds of barcode readers: a handheld scanner, a pen scanner (or a wand scanner), a stationary scanner (commonly found at the checkout counters of supermarkets), a fixed position scanner (often used to identify products during manufacture or logistics), a PDA scanner and an automatic reader (used in offices to read barcoded documents at high speed).
The idea of a barcode appeared early in the 20th century when Bernard Silver, a graduate student at Drexel Institute of Technology in Philadelphia, USA found out that the president of a local food chain wanted to find a system which would automatically read product information during checkout. Silver together with his friend Norman Woodland started working on a variety of systems. The inspiration came from Morse code, and the researches patented their invention in 1949. At first, barcodes were used to label railroad cars, but they were not commercially successful. Then they began to be used to automate supermarket checkout systems, a task in which they have become almost universal.
Checkout computers give the customer rapid accurate service, and they also benefit the store. The computer keeps a complete record of purchases and can work out stock levels. When the stock of a particular product falls, the computer can automatically order a new supply. The computer can also tell the store which products are selling well and which are less popular.
4. Find sentences with the following phrases in the text. Arrange them as they appear in the text:
1. безошибочное обслуживание
2. система контроля
3. невидимый инфракрасный лазерный луч
4. считыватель штрих кода
5. двоичный код
6. коммерчески успешный
5. Answer the questions using the information in the text:
1. What is a barcode?
2. What does a barcode reader consist of?
3. When did the idea of a barcode appear?
4. Where were barcodes used at first?
5.What can checkout computers do?
6. Decide if the following statements are true or false. Correct the false ones:
1. A barcode is a series of parallel bars or lines of the same width that is used for entering data into a computer system.
2. A barcode reader consists of a light source, a lens and a light sensor translating optical impulses into electrical ones.
3. Silver and Woodland patented their invention in 1947.
4. Barcodes became commercially successful when they were used to label railroad cars.
5. There are four kinds of barcode readers: a handheld scanner, a pen scanner, a PDA scanner and an automatic reader.
6. The computer keeps a complete record of purchases but can’t work out stock levels.
7. Find words in the text with the following meaning:
1. an idea or action resulting from such a state
2. either of the two digits 0 or 1, used in binary notation
3. without error, precise
4. specific, special
5. the parts of a picture that appear most distant
6. the linear measurement of something from side to side
7. a group of similar or related things, usually arranged in order
8. Arrange the steps in the operation of a supermarket checkout system (a till) in the right order. Prepare a description of its operation in the Present Passive:
a) the scanner converts the barcode into electrical pulses
b) the branch computer sends the price and description of the product to the till
c) the scanner reads the barcode
d) the branch computer records the sale of the product
e) the till shows the item and price
f) the assistant scans the item
g) the scanner sends the pulses to the branch computer
h) the till prints the item and price on the paper receipt
i)the branch computer searches the stock file for a product matching the barcode
Text 3. NETBOOKS
1. Discuss the following questions in pairs:
1. What do you know about Intel Corp.?
2. What does the term “netbook” mean?
3. Would you like to have a netbook? Why?
4. Do you know how much they cost?
2. Match the following words and word combinations with their definitions and translate them into Russian:
| 1. wireless networking | 1. the standard typewriter keyboard |
| 2. RAM (random access memory) | 2. text editing and storage functions using computer software |
| 3. QWERTY keyboard | 3. a screen-oriented interactive program enabling a user to lay out financial data on the screen |
| 4. word processing | 4. the most common computer memory which can be used by programs to perform necessary tasks while the computer is on |
| 5. energy hog | 5. an option that is selected automatically unless an alternative is specified |
| 6. operating system | 6. something that wastes energy |
| 7. spreadsheet | 7. remote information transmission system |
| 8. default option | 8. software that controls the execution of computer programs and may provide various services |
3. Using the synonyms, try to guess the meaning of the following words and word combinations:
proprietary – patented; run into – meet; vendor – salesperson; shell out – spend; beefy – fat; foolhardy – foolish; trim off – discount; puny – little; unimposing -unimpressive; initial – primary.
4. Read the text:
The term netbook, introduced by Intel, conveys little useful information about this category of machines. Sure, they all have wireless networking, but so does every other laptop. What the term originally helped to identify was a class of small, ultralightweight, cheap-as-dirt mobile PCs. Netbooks are tiny--usually between half and two-thirds the size of a garden-variety laptop--and they typically weigh around 2.5 pounds. With their cool, slim designs, they outclass some fancy ultraportables. And best of all, these diminutive laptops start at around $200.
But that doesn't mean a netbook is for everyone. These are basic computing devices that will meet only basic computing needs. If you're looking to do a little bit of word processing, maybe edit a few simple spreadsheets, and want to surf the Web, a netbook will suffice. But if you're looking to edit high-resolution photos or work with video, a netbook isn't for you: These systems have seriously limited processing power. You can listen to some tunes, but don't expect first-rate sound. And you might be able to watch a few online videos, but you'll be looking at a relatively tiny screen.
In determining what makes a netbook a netbook, and not an ultraportable laptop, we take several factors into consideration. Chief among them: price, size, and the CPU under its hood. But netbooks are constantly evolving, and we're now on the cusp of next-generation models. Soon, we'll see Atom processors outfitted with a discrete nVidia GPU (the Ion platform). And Intel isn't the only chip maker in the netbook space: AMD is half-stepping into the territory with the Athlon Neo CPU.
With that in mind, here are the key features you need to know when buying a netbook.
Processor: The Intel Atom processor powering these machines can't do anything much fancier than editing basic documents, sending e-mail, and browsing the Web. The standard configuration for the machines you'll find on store shelves includes a 1.6GHz CPU with 1GB of RAM using Intel's 945 chip set and running Windows XP--not exactly a performance powerhouse, but it works. Making the most of your netbook is all about managing expectations. Don't plan on playing modern PC games, editing huge pictures, or creating videos on these machines--at least not yet. Later this year, nVidia will release its Ion graphics platform, and AMD has already launched its Neo processor. These two mobile chips promise to boost netbook performance significantly, and may very well change the way we think about small, cheap computers.
Display: Even the smallest machines these days offer about 9 inches of viewable display area, with at least 800 pixels across. That is adequate for Web browsing, though the 10-inch screen available on most netbooks these days makes a real difference in the experience. And in the coming year, you'll start to see more and more devices that straddle the netbook-ultraportable divide by offering 11- and 12-inch screens. Another characteristic to weigh is native resolution. The default option for most netbooks is 1024 by 600 pixels. Though this slightly odd aspect ratio will work with most software, some programs require a different resolution to run properly. If you intend to run proprietary business applications that demand a specific resolution, make sure that the netbook you buy can support it. (The upcoming 11- and 12-inch models won't run into this problem.)
Battery life: Though the Intel Atom CPU is by no means an energy hog, netbooks aren't known for long battery life. That is partly because vendors typically try to keep costs down by providing a modest three-cell battery. If you're lucky, a battery of that size will last 2.5 hours on one charge, judging from PC World Test Center results. So if you want to stay productive on your netbook while traveling, you'll probably need to buy an oversize, extended-life battery to power your machine.The best-selling Acer Aspire One is a case in point. As configured, this neat little machine sells for roughly $300; but if you want it to run longer, prepare to shell out another $100 for an optional six-cell battery that effectively doubles its duration. The bigger battery adds a little more weight to the system, too.
Keyboard: Many netbooks come with serviceable, comfortable keyboards, despite their smaller size. A netbook's keyboard is usually about 88 or 92 percent of a full-size QWERTY keyboard, but the layout and arrangement of those keys counts almost as much as their size. To see whether the layout and shape of a given keyboard will work for your fingers, you need to do some hands-on testing at a store. Of course, bigger keys are better for beefy fingers--and netbooks that have 10-inch screens tend to offer the larger keyboards.
Software: Windows XP is largely the operating system of choice. Some foolhardy manufacturers have loaded netbooks with Windows Vista Basic while others offer up Linux flavors in their netbooks. Why Linux? For starters, it runs a little easier than XP, which makes it perfect for a netbook's CPU. Second, it trims a few more dollars off the price of these already-inexpensive portables.Expecting Windows Vista to work with a netbook's puny processor is like expecting a baby with one hand tied behind its back to push a Buick up a hill. Nevertheless, HP originally packaged its 2133 netbook with Vista Business Edition--and no one was terribly surprised when its unimposing Via C7-M processor ran like an out-of-shape sprinter in a swimming pool full of jelly. The initial tests show that Microsoft's upcoming Windows 7 is a very plausible netbook OS. There are also rumors that Google's Android OS will find its way into netbooks.