Computers. Computer use continues to grow and develop in all spheres of our life

Computer use continues to grow and develop in all spheres of our life. Its applications have had a great impact on the business world. Computers have helped society by increasing productivity and simplifying many services, such as checking accounts, credit cards, and telephone service.

A computer is an electronic machine that can store, retrieve, and process data with great speed and accuracy.

A PC is a personal computer which is the standard computer for most individual users. There are various sizes of personal computer, including a desktop, and portable types such as a laptop, a notebook or a palmtop.

Hardware is the actual machinery of a computer, the circuits, wires, and drives.

Software contains the instructions that tell a computer what to do at every step along the way. Software is entered into a computer in the form of a program. Some programs (called viruses) are deliberately designed to cause problems in a computer system. They are hidden in programs, and are not obvious to users.

A virus is an error that is introduced into a program with the intention of causing a malfunction. A computer may crash and stop working altogether. This may be caused by a bug (an error in the software).

A hacker is a person who gains unauthorized access to computer systems.

Exercises in Word Study

Ex.1. Form verbs from the following nouns:

growth, application, simplicity, storage, user, intention, retrieval.