Unit 5. Computer languages
Vocabulary. Language- язык Software- программное обеспечение Assembler- программа сборки, компонующая программа Complex-сложный Application – применение, приложение To develop – развить, разработать To provide- обеспечить To follow – следовать To link – соединять, связывать To define – определять, обозначать You know that computers can’t understand spoken languages. The only language they can understand is machine code which consists of 1s and 0s that’s binary code. We use symbolic languages for example, assembly languages which use abbreviations program translated into machine code by a piece of software called an assembler. Machine code and assembly languages are called low-level languages which are complex. To make it easier and overcome the problem of communication software developers designed high-level languages which are closer to English. For example, FORTRAN was developed in 1954 and used for scientific and engineering applications. COBOL means common business oriented language was developed in 1959 and used for business. BASIC was developed in the 1960s and used in programming. Now VISUAL BASIC is used to build graphical elements. PASCAL was created in 1971 and used for teaching of programming. C was created in 1980s and used to write system software, graphics and commercial applications. C++ is a version of C which helps the programmer to concentrate on particular things f.e. a piece of text, a graphic of table. JAVA was designed in 1995 to run on the Web, to provide animation and interactive features on web pages. Programs must be translated into machine code by a complier or an interpreter. It’s important not to confuse programming languages with markup languages used to create web documents. They follow instructions known as markup tags to format and link text files. For example, HTML allows us to describe information on web pages. XML allows to define our own tags. VOICE XML was created in 2000 to access web content via the telephone. In future people are going to invent new and new languages for different purposes. Answer the questions according to the text: 1. What computer languages do you know? 2. What purposes were these languages made up for? 3. Can you explain the term “binary code” and give examples. 4. What’s the difference between low-level and high-level languages? 5. What other languages do you know and work in? Exercises: 1) Match the Russian and English equivalents. Make up the sentences with these words and word combinations:
2) Read the definitions and write the suitable word: a)a notation system in which numbers are represented by the two digits: 0 and 1. Thus the binary number 10 represents 2 in the decimal system, while 100 represents 4. b)a special program that converts a source program (written in high-level language) into object code. c)a low-level language that uses abbreviations, such as ADD, SUB, MPY to represent instructions. d) a computer language that uses instructions called markup tags to format and link web documents. e) a special program that translates the source code line by line as the program is running. 3) Use “will + infinitive” or “to be going to + infinitive” to express future actions: I (to join) your club with great pleasure. You (to take)part in competition next week. I (to try) to concentrate on this topic. They (to divorce) next month. I hope you (to write) me as many letters as possible. I think you (to cope) with this situation and (to find) the right decision. It (to rain), there are many clouds and the wind is blowing. I believe we (to overcome) all obstacles together. 4) Do you know the following abbreviations and acronyms? Decipher and translate them into Russian: XML FORTAIN COBOL HTML BASIC ATM BIOS CPU IT OS PC Ppm RAM ROM SIM VAT VoiceXML WWW Wi-Fi
References: Adapted from Infotech “English for computer users” by Santiago Remacha Esteras., p.120.
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