Computers in our life. Today's world is often called the computer world

Today's world is often called the computer world. Computer is an electronic machine that stores information and uses programmes to help you find, organize, or change the information. Computers store the information.

We cannot imagine our life without computers. Computer is one of the 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. Modem 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 study: 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 programmes and good dictionaries on CD when I become a translator. Now, computer is an important part of my life.

Remember!

People who work with computers are: user, programmer, web designer, IT person, software engineer, (systems) analyst, administrator, webmaster.

Someone who tries to break into a computer system is: a hacker, a cracker.

Things you do with your computer: start up/power up your computer;

open a file or document; enter information; click on an icon; cut and paste pieces of the text; copy files or programmes; scroll up and down the page; delete things you do not want; download files or pictures from the Internet; burn CDs or DVDs; close a file or document; save your work; shut down your computer.

Computer problems: bug, virus, error, corrupted file/data, crash, wormcompute.

Exercise 4. Answer the questions:

10. Why can not we imagine our lives without computers?

11. What were the first computers like?

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

13. How can we use computers nowadays?

14. What are advantages of computer?

15. What are disadvantages of computer?

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

17. Who are computer addicts?

18. What are computer addicts like?

19. Is computer addiction harmful? Why?