Your ideal computer system

C. Listen to a teacher explaining the diagram to her class and check your answers.

B. In pairs, compare your answers.

A. Complete this diagram of a PC system. Look at Units 1, 2 and 3 to help you.

A PC system

B. Complete these descriptions with the correct unit of memory.

A. Read the text and then answer the questions.

Look at the Help box and then complete the sentences below with suitable relative pronouns. Give alternative options if possible. Put brackets round the relative pronouns you can leave out.

B. In pairs, answer these questions. If necessary, look at the Glossary.

A. Read the advertisement and translate the technical specifications into your own language

1. What is the main function of a computer’s processor?

2. What unit of frequency is used to measure processor speed?

3. What does RAM stand for?

2 What is inside the PC system?

C. Read the text on page 9 and then answer these questions.

1. What are the main parts of the CPU?

2. What does ALU stand for? What does it do?

3. What is the function of the system clock?

4. How much is one gigahertz?

5. What type of memory is temporary?

6. What type of memory is permanent and includes instructions needed by the CPU?

7. How can RAM be increased?

8. What term is used to refer to the main printed circuit board?

9. What is a bus?

10. What is the benefit of having expansion slots?

D. Look at these extracts from the text. What do the words in bold refer to?

1. This is built into a single chip. (line 2)

2. … which executes program instructions and coordinates…(line 3)

3. … that is being executed. (line 22)

4. … performance of a computer is partly determined by the speed of its processor. (line 25)

5. … the CPU looks for it on the hard disk…(line 35)

6. … inside the computer to communicate with each other. (line 52)

3 Language work: defining relative clauses

1. That’s the computer ____ I’d like to buy.

2. Core 2 Duo is a new Intel processor ____ contains about 291 million transistors.

3. A webmaster is a person ____ designs, develops and maintains a website.

4. A bus is an electronic pathway ____carries signals between computer devices.

5. Here’s the DVD ____ lent me!

6. Last night I met someone ____ works for GM as a software engineer.

 

 

 

4 How memory is measured?

1. How many digits does a binary system use?

2. What is a bit?

3. What is a collection of eight bits called?

4. What does ASC II stand for?

5. What is the purpose of ASC II?

 

1. A ____ is about one trillion bytes – about as much text as the books and magazines in a huge library.

2. A ____ is about one million bytes – about as much text as a 300-page novel.

3. A ____ is about one thousand bytes – equivalent to one sheet of A4.

4. A ____ is about one billion bytes – about as much text as 1,000 books.

5. A ____ can store a single character, such as the letter h or number 7.