Speaking. 1. Answer the following questions:

1. Answer the following questions:

 

(a) Do you think that a mouse is very comfortable in working with a computer?

(b) How do you imagine first computers?

(c) How do you imagine the computer of the future?

(d) Do you think that in the future we can substitute a computer with other new modern fast device?

(e) What role does a computer play in your life?

 

2. Ask your partner questions about:

 

(a) Switch Mouse; (b) typical mouse; (c) wrist injuries; (d) users; (e) vulnerable wrist muscles; (f) mouse buttons; (g) V-shaped bracket; (h) mouse habits; (i) left- or right-handed users.

 

3. Retell the text.

 

4. How do you understand the joke? Discuss it with your partner.

 

An exasperated caller to Computer Tech Support couldn't get her new Computer to turn on. After ensuring the computer was plugged in, the technician asked her what happened when she pushed the power button. Her response, "I pushed and pushed on this foot pedal and nothing happened." The "foot pedal" turned out to be the mouse!

 

 

Grammar gerund/infinitive

 

Gerunds and infinitives are forms of verbs that act like nouns. They can follow adjectives and other verbs. Gerunds can also follow prepositions.

 

Gerund (often known as an -ing word) is a noun formed from a verb by adding -ing.

Note!

Not all words formed with -ing are gerunds.

 

Infinitive is to + the verb.

When a verb follows a verb it either takes the gerund or infinitive form.

Some verbs can take either the gerund or the infinitive with no loss of meaning.

For example:

With the verb start – "It started to rain." Or "It started raining." Both sentences have the same meaning.

 

Sometimes the use of the gerund or infinitive changes the meaning of the sentence.

For example:

With the verb remember – "I remembered to do my homework". Or "I remembered doing my homework."

In the first sentence (I remembered to do my homework), the person speaking remembered they had some homework first and then carried out the action and did it. In the second sentence (I remembered doing my homework.), the person speaking carried out the action (their homework) first and then remembered doing it.