Lesson 4. Buses and cards

I. The following word combinations will help you to translate this text:

expansion slot – расширительное гнездо, разъем

expansion card – плата расширения

edge connector – торцевой разъем

compatibility card – плата совместимости

front side bus – фронтальная шина

 

The main circuit board inside the computer system is the motherboard. It contains the processor, the memory chips, expansion slots, and controllers for peripherals, connected by buses — electrical channels that allow devices inside the computer to communicate with each other. For example, the front side bus carries all data that passes from the CPU to other devices.

The size of a bus, called bus width, determines how much data can be transmitted. It can be compared to the number of lanes on a motorway — the larger the width, the more data can travel along the bus. For example, a 64-bit bus can transmit 64 bits of data.

Expansion slots allow users to install expansion cards, adding features like sound, memory and network capabilities.

An expansion card (also an expansion board, adapter card or accessory card) in computing is a printed circuit board that can be inserted into an expansion slot of a computer motherboard to add additional functionality to a computer system. One edge of the expansion card holds the contacts (the edge connector) that fit exactly into the slot. They establish the electrical contact between the electronics (mostly integrated circuits) on the card and on the motherboard. The primary purpose of an expansion card is to provide or expand on features not offered by the motherboard.

Expansion card types

•Video cards

· Sound cards

· Network cards

· TV tuner cards

· Video processing expansion cards

· Modems

· Host adapters such as SCSI and RAID controllers

· POST cards

· BIOS Expansion ROM cards

· Compatibility card

· Physics cards (commercially available at present)

· Disk controller cards (for fixed – or removable –media drives)

· Interface adapter cards, including parallel port cards, serial port cards, multi-I/O cards, USB port cards, and proprietary interface cards

· RAM disks, e.g. I-RAM

· Memory expansion cards

· Hard disk cards

· Clock/calendar cards

· Security device cards

· Radio tuner cards

 

II. Answer the questions.

1. What term is used to refer to the main printed circuit board? 2. What is a bus? 3. What is the benefit of having expansion slots?

 

III. Translate the words of the same root. Define speech parts.

To expand – an expanse – expansible – an expansion – expansive; to compute – a computer – computation; to connect – a connector – connection; to establish – an establishment – established; to provide – providence – a provider – provident.

III. State the character of this text (scientific, popular science, newspaper article, encyclopaedia). Explain your choice.

IV. Find some additional information about one of the expansion card types. Write a short report.

Lesson 5. Power Supply

I. Read and translate the text.

The component that supplies power to a computer is also called a power supply unit or PSU. Most personal computers can be plugged into standard electrical outlets. The power supply then pulls the required amount of electricity and converts the AC to DC. It also regulates the voltage to eliminate spikes and surges common in most electrical systems. Not all power supplies, however, do an adequate voltage-regulation job, so a computer is always susceptible to large voltage fluctuations.

Power supplies are rated in terms of the number of watts they generate. The more powerful the computer, the more watts it can provide to components.

 

II. Transcribe, practice the pronunciation and remember the translation of the following words:

power supply – блок питания

to plug – подключать

electrical outlet – электрическая розетка

spike – выброс, скачок

surge – помеха

susceptible – восприимчивый, чувствительный

fluctuations – колебания

 

III. Find the key words that can help you to retell the text. Retell the text.

IV. Make a report on:

a) The problem of computer system’s stability.

b) The problem of surge protection of the internal buses and the components.

 

Lesson 6. Hard disk

 

I. Read and translate the text.

Hard disk is a magnetic disk on which you can store computer data. The term “hard” is used to distinguish it from a soft, or floppy, disk. Hard disks hold more data and are faster than floppy disks. A hard disk, for example, can store anywhere from 10 to more than 100 gigabytes, whereas most floppies have a maximum storage capacity of 1.4 megabytes.

A single hard disk usually consists of several platters. Each platter requires two read/write heads, one for each side. All the read/write heads are attached to a single access arm so that they cannot move independently. Each platter has the same number of tracks, and a track location that cuts across all platters is called a cylinder. For example, a typical 84-megabyte hard disk for a PC might have two platters (four sides) and 1,053 cylinders.

In general, hard disks are less portable than floppies, although it is possible to buy removable hard disks.

 

II. Consult the dictionary and find the definitions of the following terms. Write them down.

a) Floppy disk; b) hard disk; c) storage capacity; d) single access arm; e) platter; f) cylinder

 

III. Choose the suitable word to complete the sentence.

1. ______is the track location that cuts across all platters. 2. ______ is an item of factual information derived from measurement or research. 3. _______is a rigid magnetic disk mounted permanently in a drive unit. 4. _______is a unit of information equal to 1000 megabytes. 5. _______is one of the circular magnetic paths on a magnetic disk that serve as a guide for writing and reading data. 6. _______is a data storage medium that is composed of a disk of thin, flexible magnetic storage medium.

 

IV. Ask your group-mates questions on the text.

 

UNIT 3. STORAGE DEVICES