IV. Comprehension Check

1. Find the English equivalents to the following words and phrases in the text: Искусственный Интеллект, компилирующая программа, язык спецификаций, язык высокого уровня, aссемблер, язык низкого уровня, средства коммуникации.

2. Make word partnership:

means of, a low-level, to be converted, machine, to be run, software, Artificial;

into, development tools, communications, language, Intelligence, oriented, on.

3. Complete the following sentences with the following words: c ompiler, programmed, program, assembler, language, programmers, portable, low-level.

1. A computer... is a set of instructions that tells the computer what to do.

2. Most computer... make a plan of the programme before writing it.

3. Coding is the translation of the logical steps into a programming....

4. In the next century computers will be... in natural languages like English or French.

5. A... is a special program that converts a programme written in a high-level language into a programme written in a lower level language.

6. A special programme called... converts a program written in a lowlevel language into machine code.

7. If the same programme can be used for different computers, it is called....

8. In a... language each instruction has a corresponding machine code equivalent.

Answer the questions.

1. How is the language that computers understand called?

2. Why is it necessary to use symbolic languages?

3. What is a low-level language?

4. Why aren’t they suitable for all computers?

5. How is the programme that converts instructions into machine code called?

6. What are high-level languages called?

7. What is the difference between a low-level and a high-level language?

8. What are the advantages of a high-level language?

9. What is a high-level language converted into machine code with?

10. Why is C, a high-level programming language, most popular nowadays?

11. What is the tendency today?

12. What are scientists working at at present?

V. Discuss the following with your groupmates.

How could Artificial Intelligence affect our life?

Практическое занятие №11

Тема: Виды программного обеспечения.

Types of Software

I. First thoughts. What do you think is more expensive — hardware or software? Has anyone in your group ever purchased software? Do you use shareware?

II. Study the words. Make sure you know them. Practice the pronunciation.

To complete, to require, to direct, general-purpose, specific, control, internal, aid, regardless, to boot, memory capacity, to install, mainboard, to attach, to handle, to transfer, to provide with, network, to check, to develop, Web-browser.

III. Read the text and do the tasks following it.

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.

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.

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 systems programs is booted or loaded into the computer’s 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.

System programs are designed for the specific pieces of hardware. These programs 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 program which, though, commonly goes along with your device. By installing the driver you «teach» your mainboard to «understand» the newly attached part.

Application 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 program to make software interface look more attractive to the user. These class of programs is the most numerous and perspective from the marketing point of view.

Data communication within and between computers systems is handled by system software. Communication software transfers data from one computer system to another. These programs usually provide users with data security and error checking along with physically transferring data between the two computer's memories. During the past five years the developing electronic network communication has stimulated more and more companies to produce various communication software, such as Web-Browsers for Internet.

IV. Comprehension Check.

1. Give the English equivalents: материнская плата, устанавливать, сеть, требовать, общего назначения, управлять, объем памяти, системное программное обеспечение, прикладное программное обеспечение, разрабатывать, загружать (2), передавать, интернет-проводник.