Computers today

Essentials

Talk about computers in everyday life Understand the components and basic

functions of a computer system Identify different types of computers Understand the functions of the CPU and

the main memory Understand the units of memory (bits,

bytes, KB, MB, GB) Use synonyms, acronyms and

abbreviations2

Help students perform mathematical operations, access the Internet, language learning …

Race organizers and journalists rely on computers to provide them with the current positions of riders and teams

Computers store information about the amount of money held by each client

Airline pilots use computers to help them control the plane

On the ground airlines are connected to travel agencies by computer

In airport control towers, computers are used to manage radar systems and air traffic

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Design shops and offices Produce magazines Prepare bills Make a flight reservation or bank

transaction Calculators, the car‘s electronic ignition,

the timer in the microwave, programmer inside the TV set

It is a calculating machine, an electronic filing cabinet, a magical typewriter, personal communicator

You can use your PC to relax with computer games

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•Formula 1 cars

•Factories and industrial processes

•Entertainment

•Hospitals and medical research

Task: Choose one of the areas and discuss what computers can do in this area.

Formula 1: racing car, car body, design, mechanical parts, electronic components, engine speed

Entertainment: game music, animated image, multimedia, encyclopedia

Factories: machinery, robot, production line, computer-aided manufacturing software

Hospitals: patients, medical personnel, database program, records, scanner, diagnose, disease, robot, surgery

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Computers are used to…A PC can also be used forComputers can help … make ..

control … store … keep … provide … manage … give … perform … measure … test … provide access to …

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Write a short paragraph summarizing your discussion. Then ask one person from your group to give a summary of the group‘s ideas to the rest of the class.

Example: In the office computers are used to

write letters and e-mails, and keep records of clients, suppliers and employees

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