Text 1. APPLICATION OF COMPUTERS
Needless to say that informed citizens of our information-dependent
society shoud be computer-literate, which mcans that they should be
to use computers as everyday problem-solving devices. They should
aware of the potential of computers to influence the quality of life.
There is little doubt that computers and their many applications are
among the most significant technical achievements of the last century.
At present a great deal of the work force of most countries is engaged
in creating. processing, storing, communicating and just working with
information. Computers have become commonplace in homes, offices,
stores, schools, research institutes, plants.
The of computers in business, industry and communication serv-
ices is widespread today. Computer-controlled robots are able to improve
the quality of manufactured products and to increase the productivity Of
industry. Computers can control the work of power stations, plants and
docks. They help in making different decisions and in management of
economy.
The work of banks depends upon computer terminals for millions
of daily operations. Wthout these terminals, records of deposits and
withdrawals would be difficult to maintain, and it would be impossible to
make inquiries about the current status of customer accounts.
Computers form a pan of many military systems including com-
munication and fire control. They are applied for automatic piloting
and automatic navigation. Space exploration depends on computers for
guidance and research of on-board environment.
Computers find application in astronomy and upper atmosphere
research. Ykather forecasting, library information services can benefit
from computers too.
It is interesting to note that computers are widely used in medicine.
They became valuable medical diagnostic tools. Computers are used for
optical scanning and image processing. Technicians can operate compu-
ter tomography scanners which combine x-rays with computer technol-
to give sectional views of patients. The views then can be combined
oto a single image shown on the screen.

Text 2. WHAT IS A COMPUTER
A computer is a machine with an intricate network of electronic cir-
cuits that operate switches or magnetize tiny metal cores. The switches,
like the cores, are capable of being in one or two possible states, that is,
on or off; magnetized or demagnetized, The machine is capable of stor-
ing and manipulating numbers, letters, and characters (symbols). The
basic job of computers is processing of information, which is a series of
operations that convert data into useful information. Thus, a computer
is a device which accepts information in the form of instructions (a
program) and characters (data), performs mathematical and / or logical
operations on the information and then supplies results of these opera-
tions.
Five basic operations are characteristic of all data processing systems:
inputting, storing, processing, outputting, and controlling. They are de-
fined as follows.
Inputting is the process of entering data, which are collected facts,
into a data processing system. Storing is saving data or information so
that they are available for initial or for additional processing. Processing
represents performing arithmetic or logical operations on data in order
ю сопьеП them into useful informarion. ()utputting is the process 0f рто-
ducing «ful information, such as а printed герол от visuaI dispIay.
is directing thc таппсг and sequence in which all 0f thc
ађо•ее operations аге performed. Computer data proccssing systcms сап
tr designcd to take advantage 0f four capabilitics of computers-

Асситсу. Опсе data have Ьееп entered into the computer
component of а data processing system, thc nced for furthcr manipula-
:ion Ву humans is eliminated, and the possibility 0f еггот is reduced.
Computers. whcn propedy programmed, are also unlikety to таке сот-
putational errors.
2 Ease ofcommunications. As soon as data is inscred. it сап be trans-
wherever needed Ьу comrnunicatjons networks. These тау be
earth от satcllitc-based systerns.
Сарасо ofstorage„ Computers аге able to store vast amounts 0f
infoanation, to orgamze it, and to rctrie•.c it in ways that аге far bcyond
thc capabi]ities от hurnans. The amount 0f data that сап be stored оп
deytces such as magnetic discs is constantly incrcasing.
Speed. The speed, at which computer data processing systems сап
n:spond, adds to their value. The response required might be а fraction
а second.
Thus, ап important in the design 0f computer data process-
»•stems is to aIIow computers to do what they do best and [0 free
iumans from routine, епог-ргопс task.s. Ву using computers in а cost-
cTecti%-e manner, we will be bettcr abIe to rcspond to the challenges and
0Pportunjties ofoar post-industria1, information-dependent socicty.


12. Найдите английские эквиваленты в тексте 1 и 2
Информированные граждане: грамотный в компьютерном
плане, осознавать; нет нужды говорить о том, что; значительно(
техническое достижение; в настояшее время; рабочая сила; соз-
дание•. обработка и хранение информации; исследовательские
институты; службы связи: совершенствовать качество; повышать
производительность; принимать решения; вести учет; вклады и
изъятия; наводить справки; текущее положение счетов клиен-
тов; исследование космоса; наведение; бортовое окружение; ис-
следование верхних слоев атмосферы; прогноз погоды; ценные
диагностические приборы; оптическое сканирование (развертка);
уирашкние воздушным транспортом.
Сложная сеть электронных цепей; приводить в действие пере-
ключатели; намагничивать крошечные сердечники; находиться
в состоянии; включено или выключено; запоминать и работать с
числами и символами; (Брабатывать информацию; преобразовы-
вать данные в полезную информацию; системы обработки дан-
ных; введение информации; запоминание (хранение); выведение;
управление; последовательность операций; воспользоваться; точ-
ность: ограничивать работу; сокращать возможность ошибки•, как
только ввели информацию; объем памяти; выводить информацию;
сверх возможностей человека; необходимая реакция; важная цеЛЫ
освободить человека от выполнения рутинного, подверженного
ошибкам задания; реагировать на проблемы (трудности).
13. Составьте пары или группы слов
А. близких по значению из
Например: device —