- •Topic: computer hardware
- •4. Match these words from the text (1-9) with the correct meanings (a-I).
- •5. Using the diagram in Ex. 3 speak about computer hardware.
- •6. In pairs, answer these questions and then report to the class.
- •7.Read the text below and then answer these questions.
- •What is inside a pc system?
- •8. Make notes about the features of the computer that you would most like to have. Think about the features in the box.
- •2. Label the pictures of input devices (a-l) with their names (1-12).
- •3. Each text describes one of these devices: trackball, joystick, light pen, scanner. Identify the device each text describes. Write your answers in the gaps.
- •4. Listen to a computer technician describing three input devices. Write which input devices he is talking about.
- •5. A) Study how to describe functions and features of devices.
- •6. In pairs, choose one of these input devices and describe its functions and features. Try to guess which device your partner is describing.
- •7. The keyboard: Label the picture of a standard keyboard with the groups of keys (1-5).
- •8. Match the descriptions (1-8) with the names of the keys (a-h).Then find them on the keyboard.
- •9. Read this passage about a computer mouse. Fill in the gaps with the verbs from the list.
- •Mouse actions
- •10. Ask your partner 5 questions about a computer mouse.
- •11. A) Listen to an interview with Anne Simpson, an expert in voice input technologies and tick (✓) the features she mentions.
- •12. In groups, discuss these questions.
- •Theme: output devices
- •1. In pairs discuss these questions.
- •2. A) Complete these definitions with words from the box. Then read the text below and check your answers.
- •How screen displays work
- •Display technologies
- •3. Choosing the right display device:
- •4. In pairs, discuss which of the display devices you would most like to own. Give reasons for your choice.
- •5. Choosing a printer. Answer the question:
- •1) How many types of printers can you think of? Make a list.
- •6. Read the text and complete the table below.
- •8. Read and translate the article below. Fill in the table below:
- •9. Find words in the article with the following meanings:
- •11. Choosing the right printer
- •Grammar
- •§1. Предлоги места и направления (Prepositions of place and movement)
- •§2. Страдательный залог (Passive Voice)
- •Vw cars are made in Germany.
2. A) Complete these definitions with words from the box. Then read the text below and check your answers.
resolution pixel aspect ratio colour depth video adapter plasma screen
- the smallest unit on a display screen or bitmapped image (usually a coloured dot)
- an expansion card that generates the video signal sent to a computer display
- the width of the screen in proportion to its height
- also called gas discharge display
- the number of pixels contained In a display, horizontally and vertically
- the number of bits used to hold a colour pixel; this determines the maximum number of colours that can be displayed
b) Read the text again and answer these questions.
What do CRT and LCD stand for?
How is the screen size measured?
What technology is used by active-matrix LCDs?
Which unit of frequency is used to measure the brightness of a display?
What substance produces light and colour when hit by electrons in a CRT monitor?
What are the three advantages of OLED displays?
How screen displays work
Displays,often called monitorsor screens,are the most-used output device on a computer. They provide instant feedback by showing you text and graphic images as you work or play.
Most desktop displays use Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)or Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)technology, while nearly all portable computing devices, such as laptops, incorporate LCDs. Because of their slimmer design and lower energy consumption, LCD monitors (also calledflat panelor flat screendisplays) are replacing CRTs.
Basic features
Resolutionrefers to the number of dots of colour, known as pixels(picture elements), contained in a display. It is expressed by identifying the number of pixels on the horizontal and vertical axes. A typical resolution is 1024x768.
Two measurements describe the size of your display: the aspect ratioand the screen size.Historically, computer displays, like most televisions, have had an aspect ratio of 4:3 - the width of the screen to the height is four to three. For widescreen LCD displays, the aspect ratio is 16:9, very useful for viewing DVD movies, playing games and displaying multiple windows side by side. High- definition TV also uses this format. The viewable screen size is measured diagonally, so a 19" screen measures 19" from the top left to the bottom right.
Inside the computer there is a video adapter,or graphics card, which processes images and sends signals to the monitor. CRT monitors use a VGA (video graphics adapter)cable, which converts digital signals into analogue signals. LCD monitors use a DVI (digital video interface)connection.
Colour depthrefers to the number of colours a monitor can display. This depends on the number of bits used to describe the colour of a single pixel. For example, an old VGA monitor with an 8-bit depth can generate 256 colours and a SuperVGA with a 24-bit depth can generate 16.7 million colours. Monitors with a 32-bit depth are used in digital video, animation and video games to get certain effects.
The cathode ray tubeof the monitor is very similar to that of a TV set. Inside the tube there is an electron beam which scans the screen and turns on or off the pixels that make up the image. The beam begins in the top left corner, and scans the screen from left to right in a continuous sequence, similar to the movement of our eyes when we read, but much faster. This sequence is repeated 50, 70 or 85 times per second, depending on the system. If the rate of this repetition is low, we can perceive a flickering , unsteady screen, which can cause eye fatigue. However, a fast-moving 75 Hz ‘refresh rate’ eliminates this annoying flicker.