34 Computers

A Hardware [computer equipment or machinery]

personal computer / PC / desktop computer: a computer that fits on a desk, used by individuals at
work or at home
laptop (computer): a lightweight portable computer that usually fits in a briefcase
tablet: a portable personal computer operated by a touch screen
hard disk: a device [piece of equipment] inside a computer that stores large amounts of information
disk drive: a device that allows information to be read from a disk
scanner: device for transferring pictures and texts into a computer
memory stick: a small device that lets you carry computer data anywhere conveniently; you can
then plug the stick into any machine
RAM (random access memory / memory): the memory available on a computer to store and use
information temporarily; can be measured in gigabytes
(micro) chip: a very small piece of semiconductor, especially in a computer, that contains extremely
small electronic circuits and devices, and can perform particular operations
network: when a number of computers, for example in one office, are connected together
(or networked) so that they can share information

B Software [computer programs that you install]

An application is a piece of software designed for a specific purpose. This is often shortened to app.
You can get mobile phone apps for all sorts of things these days.
word-processing: writing and storing printed text on a computer
spreadsheet (program): a program, or the grid you create with it, to perform mathematical
operations
database: a large amount of information stored in a computer system in such a way that it can be
easily looked at or changed
(computer) graphics: pictures, images and symbols that you can form on a computer
virus: hidden instructions in a program designed to destroy information
display: what you see on the screen of an electronic device
A computer shows a range of icons on its display. You put the cursor on the one you want to use and
click on it to open it.

C Some computing verbs

You probably store a lot of important information on

your computer. So, it’s sensible to back up all your
files on a regular basis. Then it’ll be less of a problem
if you delete something accidentally or if your
computer crashes.
A particularly useful feature of most applications is
the one that allows you to undo what you have just
done – just click on Undo and it’s quick and easy to
correct anything that you have keyed in by mistake.
After a few years you may want to upgrade your
computer as they are always developing machines
which are faster and more powerful. If you don’t
do this you may not be able to run all the software
you need. You can usually just download upgrades
to your computer’s operating system or to your
applications from company websites.

74 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate

 Exercises
34.1 Match the words in the box to the pictures below.
laptop desktop computer tablet icon scanner memory stick microchip
cursor spreadsheet

1 scanner 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9

34.2 Fill in the blanks with appropriate words from the opposite page.
1 It’s so easy to use a scanner when you want to send a handwritten document to someone
by email. It’s just like using a photocopier.
2 I’ve lost a lot of data. I wonder if my computer has a .
3 A lot of people carry their on aeroplanes and work on them during the flight.
4 I’ve got such a lot of photos, music and videos stored on my computer that my
is almost full.
5 That computer game you gave me has got amazing - the people just look
so realistic!
6 One of my most important tasks at work is to keep the up to date so that
customers’ contact details are always accurate.
7 If you put the in the middle of a paragraph of text and double click, you
select the whole paragraph.
8 I downloaded a fantastic the other day - it tells me where the nearest
cash machine is to wherever I am in the world.
9 programs make it very easy to write text and to format it.
10 It’s miraculous how much data can be stored on that tiny little computer
inside your mobile phone.

34.3 Answer the questions using a verb from C opposite.

1 What do you do when you want to add new information to, for example, a database? You key it in.
2 If you don’t want to lose computer data, what must you do?
3 If you notice you’ve repeated a paragraph in an essay, what can you do?
4 You want to open your spreadsheet program, so what should you do?
5 If your computer is old and working very slowly, what might you consider doing?
6 If you accidentally delete some text you’ve just been working on, what can you do?
7 What can you do to immediately get hold of music or a film from an internet store?
8 If you buy new software when you have an old operating system, what may you find?
34.4 Over to you
Answer these questions.
1 Do you use a desktop, a laptop or a tablet? 4 How often do you back up your data?
2 How much RAM do you have? 5 Has your computer ever crashed?
3 Which apps do you use most frequently? 6 Have you ever accidentally deleted anything?

English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 75

35 Communications and the Internet
A The Internet
The Internet / the net is a network connecting millions
of computer users worldwide. The World Wide Web / the
Web is a huge portion of the Internet containing linked
documents, called pages.
If you have a broadband connection then your access to
the Internet should be fast. Many cafés and other public
places now offer people a wi-fi /waɪfaɪ/ connection to
the Internet - this means that you can access the Internet
through a wireless network, i.e. without needing a cable
of any kind.
When you browse, you look for information on the Internet. The software that helps you do this can
be called a browser (e.g. Internet Explorer® or Firefox®). You use a search engine to help you locate
what you want. Google® is one of the best known search engines and people now talk about googling
someone or something. You can easily spend a lot of time surfing the net / the Web. [navigating
around the Internet, sometimes aimlessly]
A website is a document on the Web giving information about a particular subject, person or
institution. The introductory page is called the home page. From this there are links to other pages.
Good websites are easy to navigate or find your way around. One option on many websites is an FAQ
page. This stands for ‘frequently asked questions’, a list of common questions and helpful answers.
You can bookmark websites that you log on1 to frequently.
If a website gets a lot of hits, that means that it has been visited by a lot of people.
Sometimes you need to subscribe to a site, which means you become a member of it.
This may involve having a special username and choosing a password. You will only
be able to log in2 to the site if you enter this information correctly.
You can store your data on your computer or phone, or you can store it in the cloud3. .
1 opp= log off 2 opp = log out 3 a network of servers on the Internet where data can be stored and viewed
from any device

B Online communication

You can communicate with others by email. With an email you can include an
attachment. You can attach a photo, for example. You can also send someone
an e-card. A server is a powerful central computer from which other computers
get information. If your (ISP) internet service provider’s server is down [not
functioning], you may not be able to send emails.
You can use your computer to Skype friends and family - the software allows
you to make phone calls using your computer and the Internet, and you can see
which people on your contact list are online at the same time. If you each have
a webcam, you can see each other as you talk.
Many modern online programs can be called interactive, i.e. they allow users
to become involved in the exchange of information. For example, social
networking sites like Facebook are a popular way for people to keep in touch
with their friends.
A wiki is a website which allows users to add, delete and edit its contents.
Wikipedia is perhaps the world’s largest wiki. Blogs are also interactive as they
are a kind of online diary that readers can add comments to. Many people are
involved in online gaming, playing with people who they have never met. Often
these games make use of virtual reality. [a set of images and sounds produced by a
computer, which represent a place or a situation that the gamer can take part in]

76 English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate

 Exercises
35.1 Which word from the box matches each definition?

attachment bookmark browser contact list navigate internet service provider

password search engine server cloud
1 email addresses, phone numbers, etc. for the people you know contact list
2 something that you send with an email
3 an individual combination of letters and digits that you use to log in to a
website
4 a way of accessing a favourite website quickly
5 software that allows you to surf the web
6 a company that enables you to use the web
7 software that helps you to locate the websites that you need
8 a large computer that holds information that can be accessed by smaller
computers
9 to find your way around a website or between websites
10 a network of servers where you can store your data on the Internet

35.2 Choose a word from the opposite page to complete each sentence.
1 WWW stands for World Wide Web .
2 I read that journalist’s every day - he’s always got something interesting to
say and often readers add some very interesting comments.
3 I couldn’t the Internet last night. The server must have been .
4 It’s wonderful being able to my cousins who live in Australia - I love seeing them
as well as talking to them.
5 I’ve decided to to my favourite newspaper’s website. It doesn’t cost much and it
has lots of interesting stuff there.
6 I like this website because it has lots of very useful to all sorts of other sites
that interest me.
7 My brother loves online gaming, particularly reality games.
8 An website is one which allows users to add comments to it or edit its
content in some way.

35.3 Are these statements true or false? If they are not true, correct them.
1 Google® is the name of a browser. False - Google is the name of a search engine.
2 FAQ stands for Fast Answers to Questions.
3 If a café says that it has wi-fi access, you can get online with your laptop there.
4 A wiki is a kind of computer device.
5 When you want to use some websites you may be asked to enter a password.
6 If you send someone an e-card they will receive it in the post.
7 When you want to stop using the net, you log on.
8 A website’s home page is the one where you will find key information about the site
and links to its other pages.

35.4 Over to you

Answer these questions about yourself.
1 What do you mainly use the Internet for? 4 How often do you use social networking sites?
2 What is your search engine of choice? 5 Do you write a blog or read anyone else’s blog?
3 Which websites have you bookmarked? 6 Do you enjoy online gaming?

English Vocabulary in Use Upper-intermediate 77