Lesson 4. 1. Oral test on the homework (15 min)

The lesson plan

1. Oral test on the homework (15 min)

2. Lexical exercises (40 min)

3. Speaking practice (30 min)

4. Homework (3 min)

Oral test on the homework

Students’ hometask was to compose a story about the problems they’ve faced buying a new computer. Ask some students to tell their stories to the class.

LEXICAL EXERCISES

I. Ask students to give definitions to words and word combinations which they have learnt at the previous lesson and to spell them:

to replace – to substitute a person or thing for; put in place of

a writable drive – a drive that you can make a disc on, such as a CD or in this case a DVD

to burn something, a DVD or CD – to record something

specs – specifications

a microprocessor – a single integrated circuit performing the basic functions of the central processing unit in a small computer

to be a whiz at something – to be very good at, to be an expert

PC – personal computer

processor – another name for central processing unit

to give someone your two cents worth – to give your opinion

memory – a part of a computer in which information is stored for immediate use by the central processing unit

to act up – to cause you problems

heart of hearts – deep down, what you really, surely believe or what you really and surely like

DVD – digital video disk: an optical disk used to store audio, video, or computer data, esp feature films for home viewing

word processing – typing documents, letters

a monitor – the unit in a desk computer that contains the screen

to throw out something – to give someone information

a central processing unit – the part of a computer that performs logical and arithmetical operations on the data as specified in the instructions. Abbreviation: CPU

to be over your head – to be too difficult

RAM – random access memory: semiconductor memory in which all storage locations can be rapidly accessed in the same amount of time. It forms the main memory of a computer, used by applications to perform tasks while the device is operating

data (sing. datum) – the information operated on by a computer program

a mouse – a hand-held device used to control the cursor movement and select computing functions without keying

a blank CD or a blank DVD – an empty DVD

II. Learning new vocabulary for the theme “COMPUTER”. Ask students to match computer terms written in bold with definitions given below. Then ask them to read matched pairs aloud and put between the term and its definition the verb “is”. For example,

Hit is a visit to a Web site.

cursor	B: movable indicator on computer screen
network	C: system of electronically joined computers
to download	A: to copy a file or program onto a personal computer
virus	D: digital infection or poison
browser	A: software that allows you to explore, or browse the Internet
to boot	D: to start up a computer
server	A: central computer sharing resources and data with other computers on a network
modem	D: connecting device between computers over a phone line
glitch	C: error; malfunction
pixel	A: picture element; basic unit of an on-screen image
link	C: related site on Internet
scanner	A: machine that reproduces images onto a computer
shareware	D: free trial software often requiring later payment
gigabyte	B: unit of storage, roughly a billion bytes

III. Compose sentences using terms from the previous exercise using as many terms as they can.

Sample sentences:

1. He put the cursor after the last typed word.

2. A network offers many opportunities for sharing information.

3. She downloaded the transcript of the trial.

4. The virus wreaked havoc with the bank’s accounting.

5. The journalist submitted her article by modem.

6. A gigabyte of work was saved on her home computer.

IV. Ask students to listen to the audio text “Computer terms: Good Hackers, Bad Hackers and Busy Bloggers” and to write down terms pronounced in the text and their definitions.

Computer Terms: Good Hackers, Bad Hackers and Busy Bloggers

Now, the VOA Special English program Words and Their Stories.

Computer technology has become a major part of people’s lives. This technology has its own special words. One example is the word mouse. A computer mouse is not a small animal that lives in buildings and open fields. It is a small device that you move around on a flat surface in front of a computer. The mouse moves the pointer, or cursor, on the computer screen.

Computer expert Douglas Engelbart developed the idea for the mouse in the early nineteen sixties. The first computer mouse was a carved block of wood with two metal wheels. It was called a mouse because it had a tail at one end. The tail was the wire that connected it to the computer.

Using a computer takes some training. People who are experts are sometimes called hackers. A hacker is usually a person who writes software programs in a special computer language. But the word hacker is also used to describe a person who tries to steal information from computer systems.

Another well known computer word is Google, spelled g-o-o-g-l-e. It is the name of a popular search engine for the Internet. People use the search engine to find information about almost any subject on the Internet. The people who started the company named it Google because in mathematics, googol, spelled g-o-o-g-o-l, is an extremely large number. It is the number one followed by one hundred zeros.

When you Google a subject, you can get a large amount of information about it. Some people like to Google their friends or themselves to see how many times their name appears on the Internet.

If you google someone, you might find that person’s name on a blog. A blog is the shortened name for a Web log. A blog is a personal Web page. It may contain stories, comments, pictures and links to other Web sites. Some people add information to their blogs every day. People who have blogs are called bloggers.

Blogs are not the same as spam. Spam is unwanted sales messages sent to your electronic mailbox. The name is based on a funny joke many years ago on a British television show, “Monty Python’s Flying Circus.”

Some friends are at an eating place that only serves a processed meat product from the United States called Spam. Every time the friends try to speak, another group of people starts singing the word Spam very loudly.

This interferes with the friends’ discussion – just as unwanted sales messages interfere with communication over the Internet.

(MUSIC)

This VOA Special English program, WORDS AND THEIR STORIES, was written by Jill Moss. I’m Faith Lapidus.

VOANews.com

http://www.voanews.com

Ask students to listen to the text once more to check their answers and then ask them to read their answers loudly.

Ask students to try to tell a connected story about just written terms.

SPEAKING PRACTICE

Explain students the difference between the Present Perfect Tense and the Past Simple Tense. You may use it as a self-study activity. Additional information students can find in “Essential Grammar In Use. Raymond Murphy”.

I. Ask students to work in pairs and act the following dialog in parts and then perform it to the class. Give them 5 minutes for preparation.

Henry: Hello Sheila. I didn't expect to see you here.

Sheila: Oh, I've been here for quite a while.

Henry: When did you arrive?

Sheila: Just after lunch.

Henry: Did Patrick pick you up from the station?

Sheila: No, it was a nice day so I walked.

Henry: Have you eaten anything since you've been here?

Sheila: Yes, I had afternoon tea with the girls.

Henry: What did you think of Penny?

Sheila: She's grown up a lot since I last saw her.

Henry: And how did you find Rebecca?

Sheila: She didn't join us. I haven't seen her yet.

Essential Grammar in Use. Raymond Murphy

II. Mini-conference. Answering questions.

One student answers the questions of his/her groupmates on the following points:

– What type of computers does he/she use?

– What does he/she use a computer for?

– What components does it contain of? And what does he/she want to add?

– What is more preferable a computer or a laptop?

III. Divide students into groups (2 or 3 students) and ask them to make a short summary on topics under consideration (main computer parts, computer usage purposes, advantages and disadvantages of using a computer).

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