THE BINARY NUMBERING SYSTEM

Computers use binary code. This is based on the binary numbering system that uses the digits 0 and 1 to represent any character or number. The value of these digits depends on their position in the group. In the binary code the value is determined by a base-2 system.

To convert a binary number into a decimal number:

1. Find the successive powers of 2, starting with 2^0, followed by 2^1, 2^2, etc.
2. Multiply by either the 1 or 0  the relation to that position.

To convert a decimal number into a binary number:

1. Divide the decimal number by 2 successively until the quotient is 1.
2. Put the remainders of the quotient in order from right to left.

PENCILS

how are pencils made?

Pencils are made of a mixture of powdered natural graphite and clay baked in specific temperatures.

Varieties of pencils

Lead pencils are made of graphite refill encapsulated inside a wooden wrapper of cedar.

Mechanical pencils have thicker graphite cartridges

Hardness

The amount of clay will determine the hardness of the lead. The pencil can be classified in two groups according to their hardness:

Hard pencils: With dry, tenacious , grayish and somewhat narrower refills.
Soft pencils: with oily, fragile, dark and thicker refills.

Within these two classifications there is a wide range of options to meet various needs, ranging from the superhard pencil to the supersoft one . To be able to differentiate them, besides testing them on paper and seeing the marks they make, we can look at the numbers and letters on the outside of the pencil..

Hard pencils have the letter H (hard, hard in English) or high numbers: 3,4,5,6...
Soft pencils, on the contrary, are identified by the letter B (bold, marked in English) or low numbers 0,1...

We can also find those that mix numbers and letters to differentiate the diverse hardness:

Hard pencils are defined by the letter H continued by a number (when higher, harder): 2H, 3H, 4H, 5H...
Soft pencils are defined by the letter B continued by a number (when higher, softer):2B, 3B, 4B, 5B...

EXERCISES

1. Write these grades of pencil in order from softest to hardest: H, 3B, 5H, HB, 6B, 3H

2. Copy and complete:

a. Drawing pencils can be classified into two types:........................ and ........................
b. In technical drawing, we use pencils  which are harder than ........................... grade.
c. The hardest pencil is ...................... and the softest.............................
d. Hard pencils are identified by the letter ........................ They enable you to draw........................... and are used for..............................
e. Soft pencils are identified by the letter .............. The lines that they draw are.................. and they are used for........................

3. Choose the correct option:

a. A3 format paper is bigger/smaller than A5.
b. The format number of the paper size is higher/lower, if the paper is smaller.

4. Say true or false and correct.

a. A1 format is the biggest format of the DIN A series.
b. A5 format is bigger than the A4 format.
c. A3 format is half size of the A4 format.
d. A1 format is twice as big as the A2 format.

WARNING SIGNS

MANDATORY SIGNS

PROHIBITION SIGNS

CYBERBULLYING

Here´s a possible video that we could show about CYBERBULLYING

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2610179/cyberbullying/

Cyberbullying is the use of cell phones, instant messaging, e-mail, chat rooms or social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to harass, threaten or intimidate someone. Cyberbullying is often done by children, who have increasingly early access to these technologies.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. What percentage of American kids experience cyberbullying?

2. What do the following words mean?

- Torment

- Harassment

- Embarrasment

- Threats

- Humiliation

3. Define cyberbullying

4. What forms of electronic media are often used for cyberbullying?

5. What is anonymity?

6. What is cybersuicide?

7. Name and describe several types of cyberbullying.

I hope that you have a good day!

ABBREVIATIONS

http://www.acronymfinder.com/ (use tab: Information Technology)

HTML: HyperText Markup Language

BIOS: Basic Input Output System

FTP: File Transfer Protocol

LAN: Local Area Network

BMP: Bitmap

GIF: Graphic Interface Format

URL: Universal Resource Locator

JPEG: Joint Photographic Experts Group

KBPS: Kilobytes per second

HTTP: Hypertext Transfer Protocol

HDMI: High Definition Multimedia Interface

CD-ROM: Compact Disk Read Only Memory

EXE: Executable

MIDI: Music Instrument Digital Interface

PC: Personal Computer

CAD: Computer Aid Design

RAM: Random Access Memory

PDA: Personal Digital Assistant

ROM: Read Only Memory

CPU: Central Processing Unit

ALU: Arithmetic Logic Unit

WWW: World Wide Web

DLL: Dynamic Link Library

RGB: Red Green Blue

ISP: Internet Service Provider

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

RPM: Revolutions per minute

ASCII: American Standard Code for Information Interchange

TCP/IP: Transmission Control protocol/Internet Protocol

INPUT, OUTPUT AND INPUT-OUTPUT DEVICES

INPUT DEVICES

1. You type your documents on me; I am different in Europe than in USA. Who am I?

2. You use me to manipulate your players when you play Fifa World Cup. Who am I?

3. You use me to record your voice, whether you are singing Karaoke or practicing your English pronuntiation. Who am I?

4. If you use Skype, you need me to take your picture. Say cheese! Who am I?

5. When you go to the store, the cashier uses me to determinate the price of the products you are buying. Who am I?

6. If you have a hard copy of a document, you can use me to create a soft copy (an e-copy). Who am I?

7. You use me to manipulate the cursor, but I don´t squeak. Who am I?

OUTPUT AND INPUT-OUTPUT DEVICES

1.The computer must be hooked up to a _____________ in order for you to see your work.

a. Screen b. Monitor c. Touch screen

2. I can hardly hear Melendi´s music because the ____________on my computer are very weak.

a. Speakers. b. Microphones c. Radios.

3. In the 1970´s big ________ were very popular, and now they´re back in style again.

a. Computers. b. Boots. c. Headphones

4. When you go to the ATM (automatic teller machine) to withdraw cash, you can select English on the ___________ so that you can practice.

a. Menu. b. Touch screen c. Keyboard.

5. We have various kinds of ______________: inkjet, laser and color.

a. Printers. b. Monitors. c. Modems.

6. Now that I have a __________ at home, I can use wireless to work on my laptop anywhere in the house.

a. Modem. b. Mouse. c. Router.

7. The technician from Orange installed a _________ so that we have Internet.

a. Modem b. Phone. c. Webcam.

8. Through a ____________, one can fax, scan or print.

a. Multifunction printer. b. Scanner. c. Phone.

Exercise: Look up the words in italic.

WHAT ARE COMPUTERS?

UNIT 2. HARDWARE AND OPERATING SYSTEM

What are computers?

Computers are machines that perform tasks or calculations according to a set of instructions, or programs.

Computers work through an interaction of hardware and software. Hardware refers to the parts of a computer that you can see and touch, including the case and everything inside it. The most important piece of hardware is a tiny rectangular chip inside your computer called the central processing unit (CPU), or microprocessor. It's the "brain" of your computer. Hardware items such as your monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, and other components are often called hardware devices, or devices.

Software refers to the instructions, or programs, that tell the hardware what to do. A word processing program that you can use to write letters on your computer is a type of software. The operating system (OS) is software that manages your computer and the devices connected to it. Two well-known operating systems are Windows and Macintosh operating system.

Types of computers

Computers can be generally classified by size and power as follows, though there is considerable overlap:

• Personal computer: A small, single-user computer based on a microprocessor.
• Workstation
• Minicomputer
• Mainframe.
• Supercomputer.

The personal computer, or PC, is designed to be used by one person at a time. This section describes the various kinds of personal computers: desktops, laptops, handheld computers, and Tablet PCs.

Desktop computers

Desktop computers are designed for use at a desk or table. They are typically larger and more powerful than other types of personal computers. Desktop computers are made up of separate components. The main component, called the system unit, is usually a rectangular case that sits on or underneath a desk. Other components, such as the monitor, mouse, and keyboard, connect to the system unit.

Laptop computers

Laptop computers are lightweight mobile PCs with a thin screen. They are often called notebook computers because of their small size. Laptops can operate on batteries, so you can take them anywhere. Unlike desktops, laptops combine the CPU, screen, and keyboard in a single case. The screen folds down onto the keyboard when not in use.

Handheld computers

Handheld computers, also called personal digital assistants (PDAs), are battery-powered computers small enough to carry almost anywhere. Although not as powerful as desktops or laptops, handhelds are useful for scheduling appointments, storing addresses and phone numbers, and playing games. Some have more advanced capabilities, such as making telephone calls or accessing the Internet. Instead of keyboards, handhelds have touch screens that you use with your finger or a stylus (a pen-shaped pointing tool).

Tablet PCs

Tablet PCs are mobile PCs that combine features of laptops and handhelds. Like laptops, they're powerful and have a built-in screen. Like handhelds, they allow you to write notes or draw pictures on the screen, usually with a tablet pen instead of a stylus. They can also convert your handwriting into typed text.

EXERCISE.

1. WHAT ARE COMPUTERS?

2. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE? GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF EACH.

3. CLASSIFY THE 5 TYPES OF COMPUTERS, FROM SMALLEST TO LARGEST.

4. NAME 3 TYPES OF PERSONAL COMPUTERS.

5. WHAT ARE THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF A DESKTOP COMPUTER?

6. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LAPTOP AND A NOTEBOOK?

7. WHAT ARE HANDHELD COMPUTERS USED FOR?

8.HOW ARE HANDHELD COMPUTERS DIFFERENT FROM LAPTOPS?

DEVICES´ DEFINITIONS

Keyboard

A computer keyboard is an input device that enables the user to enter characters (letters, numbers and symbols) into a computer. The keyboard consists of rows of keys with each key representing a different character. There are different types of keyboards available, for example, QWERTY keyboards, ergonomic keyboards, braille keyboards.

Monitor

A monitor is an output device similar to a television screen. It receives signals from the computer and displays that information for the user to view. Types: CRT, TFT, LCD, etc

Mouse

A mouse usually has between 1 to 3 buttons which users 'click' in order to point and select objects on the screen. The data from the mouse is transmitted to the computer.

A mouse is a hand held pointing device that is classed as a manual input device.

Scanner

Scanners, or computer scanners are used to transfer images or text from paper into a digital format that the computer can use. Once the information has been transferred, it can then be edited, printed, or uploaded to the Internet.There are two main types of scanner:

1. Flat-bed scanner
2. Hand-held scanner

Printer

A printer is an output device. Users can print text and pictures on to paper. A printer can also work with digital cameras to print directly without the use of a computer. There are different types of printers.

• Laser printers
• Ink-jet printers
• Impact or Dot-Matrix printers

Headphones

These are an example of an 'output device'. Headphones may be connected to the computer's sound card so you can listen to a sound file.Some headphones also have a microphone attached so you can listen and speak.

Modem

A Modem is a device used to convert digital data to analogue data in order to transmit it over the telephone network (MODulation). It will also convert the analogue data back into digital data when the computer is receiving data from the telephone network (DEModulation).

Compact Disk

A compact disc or "CD" is a flat round disc used to store data. They are used to store music and other sounds (and sometimes called an "audio CD"). A standard CD-ROM can store up to 700 Mbytes of data. As a comparison a DVD can store about 4700 Mbytes of data.

CDs come in different formats:

• CD-ROM - Read Only Memory
• CD-RW - Read Write
• CD-R - Recordable

Barcode Reader

A barcode reader, also called a price or Point of Sale (POS) scanner is a hand held input device used to capture and read information contained in a bar code. They are used in almost all modern retailers, most commonly in supermarkets.

Touch Screen

A touch screen is the only device which can be classed as both an input and an output device. It consists of a display monitor that is able to sense the location of a finger touching the screen.

Hard Disk

A hard disk is a magnetic storage device for digital data. Most personal computers contain an internal hard disk that can store large amounts of data, often hundreds of Gigabytes.

Floppy Disk

Floppy Disk This is a storage medium that can hold about 1.44Mb of data. The floppy disk has been around since the 1980's but only recently has it been largely replaced by 'memory stick technology' which can store vastly more data (1000 times more!)

Graphics Tablet

This is an input device which is often used by graphics designers and illustrators to work with images or hand drawn designs. A graphics tablet has two parts. The first part is a slender slab that lies flat on the table. The second part is a special pen. The tablet can sense how the pen is moving around on its flat surface. By moving the pen around you are able to draw lines and pictures.

Plotter

An output device. Plotters are often used by engineers, designers and architects to produce large technical drawings (often a metre wide and any length).

Tracker Ball

A point and click device similar to a mouse. A palm-sized ball is nested in a cradle and as you roll it around, the mouse pointer moves around on the screen. Popular with CAD applications.

PDA

Short for Personal Digital Assistant. A PDA is a handheld machine that lets you manage a diary, contact list, address book, 'To-Do' lists and other functions. Modern PDAs may also double up as mobile phones, email reader and (limited) internet browsing. A PDA typically consists of an LCD screen, either colour or monochrome, and some input device, such as a touch sensitve pen although some do have tiny keyboards.

Joystick

A joystick is an input device which is mostly used for playing computer games such as flight simulators.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

A CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the core of every Personal Computer. Without it, no PC can function.

The CPU is a microchip that is installed on a motherboard and acts as the computer’s brain - performing calculations and coordinating the hardware components.

DVD

DVD is an acronym. It is a short way of saying "digital video disc" or "digital versatile disc".

DVDs can store 4.7 Gigabytes of information, while a Compact Disk can only hold 700 Megabytes.