English for system administrators - стр. 4

Hard drive/hard disk drive – physical storage device for permanent and temporary data.

SSD (solid-state drive) – a modern non-volatile solid-state drive that replaced HDD. Its goal is to store data safely even when the computer IS TURNED OFF.

Optic drive – drive that locates in an on-device drive bay. It enables the computer to interact with compact discs.

Heat sink – used for regulation of the temperature inside the computer to avoid overheating of its components.

Graphics processing unit/video card – chip-based device. It processes graphical data. It usually extends functions of the CPU to let the computer work with more complicated tasks.

NIC (network interface card) /network adapter/local are network adapter – circuit board used to connect to an Ethernet network.

USB port – interface that connects the computer with personal electronic devices.

Power supply – component that supplies power to the computer.

Chip – tiny wafer with an embedded electronic circuit. It contains a lot of microscopic electronic components (transistors) which transmit data signals.

3. Discuss the questions:

– How does clock speed affect computer’s performance?

– Why is it important to clean cache memory from time to time?

– What are some popular ways to store data on a PC?

– How do different hardware components work together? Provide some examples.

4. Study the following sentences from the text and choose if the structures in bold are active (объект выполняет действие) or passive (кто-то выполняет действие над объектом):

1) The processor CAN BE CALLED the brain of the computer. (active/passive)

2) The user CAN FIND them inside the computer case. (active/passive)

3) Computers NEED internal components. (active/passive)

4) Its productivity CAN BE DETERMINED BY the quantity of cores. (active/passive)

5) RAM data IS CLEARED after switching off the computer. (active/passive)

6) It CONTAINS a lot of microscopic electronic components. (active/passive)

7) Its goal is to store data safely even when the computer IS TURNED OFF. (active/passive)

5. Study the rules:

Passive Voice

Active Voice: They turn off the computer.

Они выключают компьютер.

Passive Voice: The computer is turned off by them.

Компьютер выключается ими.

Structure: ___+to be (in the correct form) +Ved/3 + by someone

Remember: we need to change subject and object. Plus, we need to change only the verb TO BE in grammar tenses. The main verb will always be in 3 form or with -ed ending.

We use Passive Voice:

– If a subject is a recipient of a verb’s action;

– If we don’t know who does an action or it doesn’t matter for us.