I. Read and translate the text.

Для студентов 2 курса (4 семестр) по уч. Смирновой Т.В.

I. Read and translate the text.

The Evolution of Computers

Until 1970s, computers were very massive machines. They were used in big business and in government. Common people couldn’t use them, as they were too cumbersome and expensive. As the technology advanced and the designs of computers were improved, computers were made attractive to most people.

The first computer-related company was founded in 1955 in the Silicon Valley (northern California) and made this area the technological capital of the world. In 1980s more than 1000 new computer-related firms were set up there. The Silicon Valley attracted many risk-takers. One of such risk-takers was Robert Noyce.

Robert Noyce was both an engineer and an entrepreneur. He graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and in 1955 he started working in the field of computer-related business. Robert Noyce co-invented the integrated circuit, which was the basis for the later computer design. The integrated circuit was of very small size but it had a very great power. On the basis of integrated circuits the microprocessor was created. It became the heart of the computer. The microprocessor made it possible for a large computer system to be contained on a small chip. As a businessman Robert Noyce co-founded Intel, the first company to introduce the microprocessor, which enabled the invention of the personal computer and led to the birth of thousands of new businesses.

Two more persons, Steven Jobs and Stephen Wozniak, made a great contribution to the development of personal computers and their introduction to the marketplace and business. They collaborated on the project of the first personal computer in a local computer club. Their first personal computer utilized the technology of the integrated circuit and was typewriter-sized. It was very powerful and inexpensive. They called their model of the personal computer – Apple Computer. It had great market opportunities and was widely used for home life and in small businesses. Apple Computers were successfully used in California schools for the purpose of education.

The man who extended the potentialities of the personal computer was Martin Alpert, the founder of Tecmar, Inc. Martin Alpert was working at designing different technical products which could be attached to the personal computers. So, he created the personal computer peripherals. For example, he designed memory extenders for the computer to store more information and insertable boards to use different keyboards while sharing the same printer. Being a professional doctor and a man who was interested in electronics Martin Alpert designed and built a number of medical instruments that were successfully put into practice.

Computer technology has opened a variety of opportunities for electronics engineers and creative risk-takers. Both engineers and risk-takers contributed to the development of modern computer science and its successful application in all aspects of our life.

II. Find in the text the derivatives of the following words and translate them:

1. mass, 2. busy, 3. technology, 4. to integrate, 5. to process, 6. to invent, 7. person,
8. to contribute, 9. to develop, 10. to introduce, 11. power, 12. success, 13. potential,
14. to found, 15. technique, 16. to extend, 17. to insert, 18. to print, 19. profession, 20. electron, 21. to apply.

III. Translate into Russian:

1. risk-taker, 2. to co-invent, 3. to co-found, 4. marketplace, 5. typewriter-sized, 6. home life,
7. potentiality, 8. peripherals, 9. keyboard.

IV. Give the English equivalents:

1. громоздкая машина, 2. «сердце» компьютера, 3. вносить вклад, 4. совместно работать над проектом, 5. рыночные возможности, 6. малый бизнес, 7. расширять возможности, 8. пользоваться одним принтером, 9. применять на практике, 10. способствовать развитию, 11. вычислительная техника.

V. Match the synonyms and translate them:

A. 1. to use, 2.to advance, 3. to set up, 4. risk-taker, 5. field, 6. basis, 7. to collaborate, 8. project, 9. to call, 10. opportunity, 11. purpose, 12. to extend, 13. to store, 14. information, 15. to build, 16. instrument, 17. company, 18. massive.

B. 1. possibility, 2. to keep, 3. cumbersome, 4. to apply, 5. entrepreneur, 6. design, 7. device, 8. aim, 9. to progress, 10. foundation, 11. to found, 12. to name, 13. firm, 14. to construct, 15. to widen, 16. to co-operate, 17. aspect, 18. data.

VI. Compile as many word-combinations as possible and translate them:

A B

computer-related integrated personal technical memory insertable medical electronics computer

extender business science computer product company board instrument engineer 10. circuit

VII. Answer the questions:

1. What kind of machines were computers until 1970s?

2. Where were they used?

3. Why couldn’t they be used by common people?

4. Where and when was the first computer-related company founded?

5. Why did the Silicon Valley become the technological capital of the world?

6. Who worked at the Silicon Valley company?

7. What kind of person was Robert Noyce?

8. What did he co-invent?

9. How great was the significance of the integrated circuit for the computer-related business? Why?

10. What is the function of the microprocessor in a computer system?

11. What company was the first to introduce the microprocessor into a computer system?

12. What new type of computers was invented on the basis of the microprocessor?

13. Who made a great contribution to the development of personal computers?

14. What technology did their first personal computer utilize?

15. What are the characteristics of their first personal computer?

16. How was the model of their personal computer called?

17. In what spheres was their Apple Computer used?

18. Who extended the potentialities of the personal computer?

19. What company did Martin Alpert set up?

20. In what field did he work?

21. What did he design?

22. What were the advantages of his peripherals?

23. What was Martin Alpert’s profession?

24. What did he create in his special field?

25. How great is the role of computer technology in our life?

26. Who contributed to the development of modern computer science?

VIII. Speak on the topics:

1. Computers until 1970s.

2. The Silicon Valley – the technological capital of the world.

3. Robert Noyce and his contribution to the computer-related business.

4. Steven Jobs and Stephen Wozniak and the development of personal computers.

5. Martin Alpert and his role in working out computer technology.

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