Text 2. The Internet

Text 1

The communication of data over telephone lines and by radio is one of the most important and influential uses of computers. Using modems, people can send text and graphics files, exchange messages, and search databases over worldwide computer networks.

As more of the world’s information is digitized, more people seek access to the global ‘digital library’. The combination of computers, modems, databases, and communications lines has become known as the information superhighway.

A network in computing is two or more computers connected for the purpose of routing, managing, and storing rapidly changing data. A local area network (LAN), which is restricted by distances of up to one mile, and a metropolitan area network (MAN), which is restricted to distances of up to 60 miles, connect personal computers and workstations (each called a node) over dedicated, private communications links. A wide area network (WAN) connects large numbers of nodes over long-distance communications links, such as common carrier telephone lines, over distances ranging from that between major metropolitan centers to that between continents. An internet is a connection between networks. The Internet is a WAN that connects thousands of disparate networks in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, and elsewhere, providing global communication between nodes on government, educational, and industrial networks. Networks allow for resource sharing (e.g., multiple computers sharing one printer), data sharing and communication or data exchange (e.g., electronic mail).

Local area network is a computer network dedicated to sharing data among several single-user workstations or personal computers, each of which is called a node. A LAN can have from two to several hundred such nodes, each separated by distances of several feet to as much as a mile, and should be distinguished from connections among computers over public carriers, such as telephone circuits, that are used for other purposes. Because of the relatively small areas involved, the nodes in a LAN can be connected by special high-data-rate cables. A metropolitan area network is defined as being restricted to a larger area (maximum distances of 50-60 miles) than a LAN but one still small enough so that dedicated links (such as microwave links) can be used. A computer network that spans a relatively large geographical area is called WAN.

Businesses establish much smaller networks for their own use. One type, a local area network, connects a company’s workstations within the same building or in neighboring buildings. A wide area network links workstations over large areas. Both LAN’s and WAN’s enable co-workers to exchange information rapidly. They also enable computers to share printers and storage devices.

Exercise 13. Answer the following questions.

1. What is one of the most important uses of computers. 2. What is known as the information superhighway? 3. How can people exchange messages and search databases? 4. What is a network in computing? 5. What is a personal computer or workstation in a network called? 6. What do a local area network and a wide area network differ in? 7. What is a metropolitan area network defined as? 8. What is the Internet? 9. What do networks allow the user to do?

Exercise 14. Fill in the blanks with prepositions and adverbs given below. Translate the sentences.

(Over, by, of, as, within, on, to)

1. The communication of data … telephone lines and … radio is one … the most important uses … computers. 2. People can search databases … computer networks. 3. People seek access … the global ‘digital library’. 4. The combination … computers, modems, databases, and communications lines has become known … the information superhighway. 5. A local area network is restricted … distances of up to one mile. 6. A local area network connects company’s workstations … the same building. 7. File servers enable each computer … the network to have access … a common set … files.

Exercise 15. Memorize the following:

ARPAnet (Advanced Research Project Agency Network)	мережа ARPAnet	сеть ARPAnet
bulletin board	електронна дошка оголошень	электронная доска объявлений
newsgroup	тематична (теле)конференція в мережі Інтернет	тематическая (теле)конференция в сети Интернет
host	головний, основний; безліч	главный, основной; множество

Exercise 16. Read and translate text 2.

By the mid-1990’s, experts estimated that more than 50 million computers were linked to the information superhighway by way of a network called the Internet. This network began in the late 1960’s as ARPAnet, a connection of military and other government computers in the United States. The U.S. Department of Defense created ARPAnet to keep these computers secure in the event of war or natural disaster. Soon after ARPAnet was began, universities and other institutions created their own networks. These networks eventually merged with ARPAnet to form the Internet.

During the 1970’s and 1980’s, large numbers of businesses connected their computers to the Internet. The explosive growth of PC’s in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s enabled many home computer users to gain access to the Internet.

On the Internet are databases containing information on virtually every branch of human knowledge and enterprise – from the most serious scientific topics to catalogs of jokes. Due to advances in the worldwide telecommunications system, the Internet has become a global network. Universities, businesses, and individual users in virtually every nation are ‘on the Net’.

Not all the information on the Internet is organized in formal databases. Computerized bulletin boards let people post their own messages, bringing a flood of opinion, commentary, and debate to almost every subject. There are also newsgroups on a host of topics. Participants in these groups can share information quickly, despite geographical separation. Computer games in which people assume different, often fantastic, personas (identities) are also popular on the Internet.

An increasingly important function of the Internet is the distribution of software. Programs can be downloaded (received) over the Internet, then run on the computers that receive them.

Exercise 17. Give Ukrainian / Russian equivalents for the following word combinations:

a) by the mid-1990’s, in the late 1960’s, a large number of businesses, the explosive growth of PC’s, information on virtually every branch of human knowledge, due to advances in the worldwide telecommunications system, individual uses in virtually every nation, computerized bulletin boards, on a host of topics, despite geographical separation, an increasingly important function of the Internet, the distribution of software;

b) to keep these computers secure, to create their own networks, to eventually merge with ARPAnet, to gain access to the Internet, to be organized in formal databases, to let people post their own messages, to assume different personas, to be downloaded over the Internet, to run programs on the computers;

Exercise 18. Fill in the blanks with prepositions and adverbs given below. Translate the sentences.

(Over, on, with, to, despite)

1. University networks merged … ARPAnet to form the Internet. 2. Large numbers of businesses connected their computers … the Internet. 3. Databases … the Internet contain information … every branch of human knowledge. 4. Not all the information … the Internet is organized in formal databases. 5. Computer games are also popular … the Internet. 6. Due to the Internet people can share information quickly, … geographical separation. 7. Programs can be received … the Internet.

Exercise 19. Ask:

1. When and how the Internet began. 2. What networks eventually merged with ARPAnet to form the Internet. 3. If the explosive growth of PC’s in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s enabled many home computer users to gain access to the Internet. 4. Whether the Internet has become a global network or it remains a connection of military and government computers in the United States. 5. What the Internet lets people do.

Exercise 20. Memorize the following:

a) terms:
location	місценаходження, місце, позиція, «мікрорайон» мережі	местонахождение, место, позиция, «микрорайон» сети
uniform resource locator (URL)	постійний показник місцезнаходження	постоянный показатель местонахождения
navigation / brow-ser software	навігатор / браузер, програма веб-перегляду	навигатор / браузер, программа веб-просмотра
indexing	індексація, індексування	индексация, индексирование
service	служба; услуга, послуга, обслуговування; функція; лінія зв’язку	служба; услуга, обслуживание; функция; линия связи
b) verbs:
select	вибирати, відмічати	выбирать, отмечать
examine	розглядати; перевіряти, досліджувати, вивчати	рассматривать, проверять, исследовать, изучать
contact	увійти в контакт, зв’язуватися, установлювати зв’язок	войти в контакт, связаться, устанавливать связь
search for	шукати	искать
enter	вводити, вносити	вводить, вносить
c) adjectives:
available	доступний, який є в наявності	доступный, имеющийся в распоряжении

Exercise 21. Read and translate text 3.

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