Главная страница Случайная страница
Разделы сайта
АвтомобилиАстрономияБиологияГеографияДом и садДругие языкиДругоеИнформатикаИсторияКультураЛитератураЛогикаМатематикаМедицинаМеталлургияМеханикаОбразованиеОхрана трудаПедагогикаПолитикаПравоПсихологияРелигияРиторикаСоциологияСпортСтроительствоТехнологияТуризмФизикаФилософияФинансыХимияЧерчениеЭкологияЭкономикаЭлектроника
Viruses and vaccines
|
|
The terms viruses and vaccines have entered the jargon of the computer industry to describe some of the bad things that can happen to computer systems and programs. Unpleasant occurrences like the March 6, 1991, attack of the Michelangelo virus will be with us for years to come. In fact, you need to check your IBM or IBM-compatible personal computer for the presence of Michelangelo before March 6 every year – or risk losing all the data on your hard disk when you turn on your machine that day. And Macintosh users need to do the same for another intruder, the Jerusalem virus, before each Friday the 13th, or risk a similar fate for their data.
A virus as its name suggests, is contagious. It is a set of illicit instructions that infects other programs and may spread rapidly. The Michelangelo virus went worldwide within a year. Some types of viruses include the worm, a program that spreads by replicating itself; the bomb, the program intended to sabotage a computer; and the Trojan horse, a program that covertly places illegal, destructive instructions in the middle of a legitimate program.
Although viruses can be destructive, some are quite benign; one simply displays a peace message on the screen on a given data. Others may merely be a nuisance, like the Ping-pong virus that bounces a “Ping-pong ball” around your screen while you are working. But a few could result in disaster for your disk, as in the case of Michelangelo.
There have been occasions when commercial software was released with a virus, but these situations are rare. Viruses tend to show up most often on free software acquired from friends. So before any diskette can be used with a computer system, it should be scanned for infection.
A virus may be dealt with by means of a vaccine, or antivirus, program that stops the spread of the virus and often eradicates it. The drawback of the antivirus program is that once you buy this type of software, you must continuously pay the price for upgrades as new viruses are discovered.
Ex.24. True or false? Correct the false statements.
1) The terms viruses and vaccines are used only in the language of medical officers. 2) These terms are used to describe some unpleasant occurrences that can happen to programmers. 3) The Michelangelo virus attacked the computer systems in March 1991 and went worldwide within a month. 4) You need to check your PC for the presence of the Michelangelo before March 6 every year. 5) The Jerusalem virus is known to appear on Monday the 13th. 6) A virus is a set of instructions that infects other programs. 7) The worm, the bomb, the Trojan horse are the names of computer games for children. 8) The Ping-pong virus is said to be the most dangerous and destructive one. 9) Commercial software is always released with various viruses. 10) Any diskette should be scanned for infection. 11) A virus may be dealt with by means of another virus. 12) The antivirus programs must be often updated because new viruses are discovered.
TEXT D
Read the text given below and guess the idea. Think about the title of the text.
***
The first computers appeared right after World War II in the USA, and since that time they have changed not only the lives of Americans. They have been changing the lives of people all over the world. At present wherever the man turns, he finds a computer working.
Computers in banks can transfer money from one account to another. Computers are used to launch, guide and track spacecrafts and satellites; they help predict weather and earthquakes. They help people make long-distance and local telephone calls. Computers are also used when one reserves space on an airplane or a train. In medical labs computers have reduced the errors in testing, and they have saved doctors’ countless hours of work.
Many stores use computers to keep track of sales and orders. Also, many stores use optical scanners to record purchases and total prices. A tiny computer chip controls your washing machine. Computers linked to TV, telephone and satellite networks spread information throughout the world.
Without special training it is impossible to understand exactly how a computer works. Nevertheless, many people use computers in their daily lives. Computers are everywhere. They are so much a part of our lives that we usually don’t even know they are here.
Computers have become the foundation of the modern working world. Today, virtually all types of jobs use them to some degree and all the countries are affected by the “computer revolution”.
In the future computers will be a million times faster than they are today. They will become easier to use, but anyone who has not learnt how to use the new technology will be seriously disadvantaged, particularly in the field of employment.
Ex.25. Answer the questions to the text you have read.
1) When did the first computers appear? 2) Was it in England that the first computers began to be used? 3) Computers are used everywhere, aren’t they? 4) Is it hardly possible for people to use computers in their everyday life? 5) What can computers do in banks? 6) What are the other spheres where computers may be used? 7) It is impossible to understand exactly how a computer works without special training, is it? 8) Do many people use computers in their daily lives? 9) Have computers become the foundation of the modern working world? 10) What countries are affected by the “computer revolution”? 11) Will computers be a million times slower in the future than they are today? 12) The problem is that in the near future computers will become more and more complicated to use, isn’t it?
☻ TEXT E
Read and Smile. Translate the text using a dictionary if necessary.
MOTHER SHOULD HAVE WARNED YOU!
If you can count on one person in this life, it is your mother. Particularly, you can rely on any mom anywhere to find the perils inherent in any situation. Indeed, no self-respecting mom ever missed an opportunity to caution her children about the dangers of everything from comics to swimming pools. What would mom say about PCs?
We have tried to find an answer to this question, and after months of exhaustive polling of computer savvy moms around the country (there are more than you think), we’ve assembled the following list of ten PC perils your mom should have warned you about. Take them seriously. Mom knows what she is talking about.
1) Playing too much computer games will make you go blind. Go outside, get some fresh air. Do you want to look like a ghost all your life?
2) Never dial into strange bulletin board systems. Who knows what kind of riff-raff you will find there? Just last week, I saw a show about the kind of trash that hangs out on these systems.
3) If you are so interested in information, why don’t you go to the library?
4) You don’t have to rush out and buy every trendy new product. So what if all your friends are buying it. You wouldn’t jump off a bridge just because everyone else did, would you?
5) Be sure to write your name and phone number on all your floppy disk sleeves. That way, if they ever get mixed up with someone else’s, you can tell which one is yours.
6) Never put a disk into your drive if you don’t know where it has been. Your computer might catch a disease or something. Don’t laugh, it is not funny. That’s what happened to the Kelly boy, and his PC hasn’t been the same since.
7) Sit up straight, and for heaven’s sake, not so close to that monitor screen. What do you want to do, go blind and look like a pretzel? Exercise at your desk occasionally rotating your wrist, rolling your shoulders, and stretching. Better yet, get up and walk around.
8) Always keep your icons and windows neatly arranged. A cluttered desktop is the sign of a cluttered mind.
9) Mind your language. It is very rude, and frankly speaking, I don’t like your language when the computer doesn’t work the way you think it should.
10) Always eat your vegetables. Okay, so it doesn’t have anything to do with computers, it’s good advice anyway. And who said mothers had to be consistent?
Ex.26. Go back to the text and find the English equivalents to the following Russian phrases:
присущий; упустить возможность; действительно; “кумекающие” в компьютерах (жарг.); ослепнуть; мусор; электронная доска объявлений; модный; наклейка на дискете; рабочий стол; честно говоря; хороший совет; в любом случае; последовательный.
Ex.27. Answer the questions.
1) What do all moms usually warn their children about? 2) What were you warned about when a child? 3) What advice did you take seriously? 4) What are the top three PC perils in your opinion? 5) What of them would you warn your children about?
TEXT F
The students of different Moscow technical higher schools were asked to write the compositions in English on the following topics: 1) Hackers of today. 2) Pluses and minuses of computers. 3) Internet. Read them and choose the best composition in your opinion. Explain your choice.
|
|