Computers in Our Life

Today’s world is often called the computer world. We cannot imagine our life without computers. Computer is one of the most fascinating technologies that humans have ever invented. The first computers were developed during the Second World War. They were used to break the codes, used to send secret information.

After that, they were used for doing calculations for the first atom bomb tests. Basically, computers can do calculations very quickly, no man is capable of doing such calculations so quickly. The first computers were very big. They needed large and air-condition rooms. Modern computers are small enough and we keep them in our flats. They turn numbers into pictures, words and sounds.

The computer revolution has brought changes into many professions and spheres of knowledge. A modern office is unimaginable without computers. We can send messages by e-mail with the help of computers. Besides, computers may be connected with Internet. We can download a lot of important information, music, films, and a large amount of videos. We listen to music on computer and watch films. We can use computers in our studying: we search for new information, reports and we can find out something really necessary, we can surf the net. Also, we can communicate with our friends who are in a long distance from us.

Still, computers have some dangers and disadvantages. Information from computers can be stolen by hackers. Sometimes computers are broken at the most important moment. In order to work on the computer you should have many skills. Even when you make a small mistake you often have to start your work from the very beginning. One must, be very patient working on the computer. Computer spoils our health, because we can sit before the screen all day long: our eyes are tired and we get radiation. Some parents worry about computer games because they think their children won't be able to communicate with real people in the real world. Children can become computer addicts and spend all their time before the computer screen. Nowadays many people play a lot of computer games, which have a harmful effect on our psychological state of mind.

When my parents bought me a computer 1 was in the 7th heaven of delight. Of course I first played some games and watched cartoons but soon I got tired of it and started to do more serious things. I made calculations for my classes in Maths, typed topics for my English classes. I dream of having some translation programs and good dictionaries on CD when I become a translator. Now, computer is an important part of my life.

Exercise 5. Complete the sentences according to the text:

1. Computers store …...

2. They can …quickly.

3. Computers help to work in …..

4. Libraries look for … on a computer.

5. Computers are used....

6. A tiny computer chip....

7. Microwaves use computers....

8. Computers help … to learn and practice at ….

9. They are real ….

10. Internet addiction has....

Exercise 6. Answer the following questions:

1. Why cannot we imagine our lives without computers?

2. What were the first computers like?

3. Why was the first computer used? What was its first function?

4. How can we use computers nowadays?

5. What are the advantages of computers?

6. What are the disadvantages of computers?

7. Why are more boys than girls interested in computers?

8. Who are computer addicts?

9. What are computer addicts like?

10. Is computer addiction harmful? Why?

*Exercise 7. Translate the below-given words and use them to make sentences on topic computer technologies:

Group A: •monitor • screen • window • keyboard- • mouse • mouse pad • floppy disk • CD-ROM • modem • printer

Group В: •software • hardware • online • memory • website • e-mail • Internet • to log on • word processing • to start up • to connect • to crash • to surf • to print

*Exercise 8. Insert the words from Group В in the text below:

As soon as I get home from school, I... my computer. It's a couple of years old now so I've had to expand the... First of all I... to the... and go to Sporting Life, which is sports news..., to find out the latest football results. Then I check my... to see if anyone has sent me any messages. If I have a homework project, I'll... the Internet to see if there is any useful information. If I find a good text that's quite long, I'll...

It as it's often easier to read on paper. When my parents bought the computer, we got lots of free..., including an encyclopedia and a... package, which is very useful for writing my projects. I sometimes get bad days when the computer seems to... all the time. And some days the Internet is busy, so when you dial it doesn't.... People say it's because millions of users in the USA go... at that time. My mother is a bit worried that I'm going to run up huge bills on the Internet and that I'm going to become an Internet addict but I don't think I will.

*Exercise 9. Answer the questions and make up a dialogue in pairs:

Can you remember when you first heard of Facebook?

What do you think of the name ‘Facebook’?

What do you think Facebook will be like a decade from now?

What would you like Facebook to do differently?

Is Facebook a good place to meet new people?

Facebook or Twitter?

What are the best things about Facebook?

Do you think it’s dangerous to put information on Facebook?

What are your favourite Facebook applications or games?

How would you sell someone to Facebook who didn’t want to open an account?

What is the purpose of Facebook?

Have you ever put anything on Facebook that you regretted?

*Exercise 10. Guess the words and put the letters in correct order: