Regular and Irregular Verbs (Правильные и неправильные глаголы)

По способу образования прошедшего времени все глаголы в английском языке можно разделить на две группы: правильные и неправильные. У правильных глаголов вторая и третья формы (Past Indefinite Tense и Past Participle) совпадают между собой и образуются путем прибавления к основе глагола окончания -ed (-d):

to ask — asked, to change — changed, to receive — received, to work — worked

Орфографические изменения:

а) если глагол оканчивается на -у с предшествующей согласной, то буква у меняется на i и добавляется окончание –ed (to supply — supplied, to apply — applied); если глагол оканчивается на -у с предшествующей гласной, то буква у не меняется и добавляется окончание –ed (to stay — stayed; to play — played);

б) если глагол оканчивается на согласную с предшествующим кратким гласным звуком, то согласная на конце удваивается (to stop — stopped).

Неправильные глаголы образуют вторую и третью формы различными способами, без четких правил. Это наиболее часто употребляемые глаголы.

Irregular Verbs

Read these landmarks in the history of the Internet and prepare at least five questions in the past simple.

Example: What happened in 1969? What did Ray Tomlinson do in 1971?

1. The US Defense Department establishes ARPANET, a network connecting research centres.

2. Ray Tomlinson of BBN invents an email program to send messages across a network. The @ sign is chosen for its at meaning.

IBM sells the first IBM PC. BITNET provides e-mail and file transfers to universities.

3. TCP/IP is adopted as the standard language of the Internet.

4. Jarkko Oikarinen develops the system known as Internet Relay Chat (IRC).

5. The Internet 2 network is born. It can handle data and video at high speed but is not a public network.

6. Online banking, e-commerce and MP3 music become popular.

7. Network Solutions begins offering 100-year domain registration.

8. Americans spend over SI00 billion shopping online.

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

1 Various terminals __________ (connect) to this workstation.

2 Microcomputers _________ (know) as 'PCs'.

3 Magazines _________ (typeset) by computers.

4 When a particular program is run, the data ________ (process) ______ by the computer very rapidly.

5 The Web _______ (use) to search for information and buy products online.

6 The drug-detecting test in the Tour de France ________ (support) by computers.

7 All the activities of the computer system ________ (coordinate) by the central processing unit.

Underline all predicates in the text, translate them and name the auxiliaries necessary to ask questions and say them negative.

What Is a Computer?

Computers are electronic machines which can accept data in a certain form, process the data and give the results of the processing in a specified format as information.

Three basic steps are involved in the process. First, data is fed into the computer's memory. Then, when the program is run, the computer performs a set of instructions and processes the data. Finally, we can see the results (the output) on the screen or in printed form. Information in the form of data and programs is known as software, and the electronic and mechanical parts that make up a computer system are called hardware. A standard computer system consists of three main processing unit (CPU), the main memory and the peripherals.

Perhaps the most influential component is the central processing unit. Its function is to 20 execute program instructions and coordinate the activities of all the other units. In a way, it is the 'brain' of the computer. The main memory holds the instructions and data which are currently being processed by the 25 CPU. The peripherals are the physical units attached to the computer. They include storage devices and input/output devices.

Storage devices (floppy, hard or optical disks) provide a permanent storage of both data and 30 programs. Disk drives are used to handle one or more floppy disks. Input devices enable data to go into the computer's memory. The most common input devices are the mouse 35 and the keyboard. Output devices enable us to extract the finished product from the system. For example, the computer shows the output on the monitor or prints the results onto paper by means of a printer.

On the rear panel of the computer there are several ports into which we can plug a wide range of peripherals - modems, fax machines, optical drives and scanners.

These are the main physical units of a computer system, generally known as the configuration.

Unit 7. Inventions

Text 7. Cool Inventions

1. Transcribe and learn the new words and word combinations:

- exception–исключение

- wearable – пригодный для носки

- to be hooked on – быть привязанным к, не представлять себе жизни без

- to tear away – оторваться, отвлечься

- wrist – запястье

- earring – серьга

- bulgy – зд. громоздкий

- beady eyes – глаза-бусинки

- on one’s own – один, в одиночестве

- to run out – садиться (о батарейках)

- to recharge – перезаряжать

- bowwow – гав-гав

- gadget – приспособление, устройство

- to growl – рычать

- I can’t stand it. – Я этого не выношу

- boring – скучный

- latest craze – последний писк моды

- gadget earring – колесо

- molar – коренной зуб

- skull – череп

- inner ear – среднее ухо

- to return calls – отвечать на звонки

- judge – судья, эксперт

- to predict – предсказывать

- to compare – сравнивать

- bits and pieces – фрагменты

- similar – сходный, похожий

- quality – качество

- Belgium – Бельгия

- to keep a check (on) – контролировать, следить (за)

- commercial production – промышленное производство

- way off – далеко, нескоро

- to develop – разрабатывать, изобретать

- wallet – бумажник

- to warn – предупреждать

- engine – двигатель

- petrol – бензин

- steering wheel – руль

- to pollute – загрязнять

- harmful – вредный

- oxygen – кислород

- to release – выпускать

- vapour – nap

Can you imagine a world without computers, mobile phones and DVD-players? Throughout history inventors’ ideas have changed the way we live. And 21st-century scientists are no exception. They are dreaming up new ideas to make our life easier — or at least a lot more fun. Here are only a few of the recent cool inventions.

Wearable Computers

If you are hooked on the computer and can't tear away from it, don't worry. Soon you'll be able to wear it — on your wrist, in your glasses and even in your earrings. The first wearable computers are already on sale though they are probably a bit bulgy right now.

Don't be surprised if in a few years you'll be putting on your socks and your computer each morning before you go to work. Of course, you might not even have to leave the house. Scientists predict that in the future most of us will work from home!

At Your Service

If you are sick and tired of helping your parents about the house, then a new robot could be the answer. Wakamaru, made by Mitsubishi, has been designed to make people's life easier. This bright yellow robot with beady eyes can do different jobs for you and help you remember things you have to do.

Here are some things Wakamaru can say: "Let me search the Internet!", "Welcome back!", "You are home late!", "What time will you be back?"

If Wakamaru is on its own and something seems wrong, it can e-mail its owner to let them know there is a problem.

It's so clever that when its batteries run out Wakamaru knows that it needs to recharge itself, so it does!

Bowwow!

Have you ever wondered what your dog is really thinking? Takara, a Japanese toymaker, has invented a gadget which translates dog barks into human words!

Depending on how your dog barks and growls, this gadget — called the Bowlingual – “translates” them into phrases like “I can’t stand it”, "How boring," and “I’m lonely. Play with me, please."

Latest Craze

A new British invention — the underwater bike — could soon become the latest water-sports craze.

Just like an ordinary bicycle, it has pedals, but instead of turning wheels, they turn a propeller. The inventor of the underwater bike, Douglas Buchanan, hopes that his invention will make swimming long distances much easier — and much more fun of course.

Call Me on My Tooth

Two British researchers have developed a “phone tooth.” Seriously. It can be hidden in a molar to receive mobile-phone calls. The signals travel from the tooth through the skull to the inner ear, where only the receiver can hear them. Unfortunately, you can’t buy a phone tooth yet — there’s only one. Besides, how would you return your calls?

And the Winner Is...

Forget about strict judges! A computer programme is now going to decide what sort of songs are going to be big hits.

The programme, called Hit Song Science, has already proved it works, predicting the success of jazz star Norah Jones long before she appeared at the Grammys in 2003.

It compares the bits and pieces that make up the tracks and decides if they are hits or not. It even thinks U2 and Beethoven have similar star qualities!

Thinking Clothes

Scientists in Belgium are working on the clothes of the future — "I-Wear" (Intelligent Wear).

The clothes will perform many functions — from taking your phone calls to keeping a check on your health. Commercial production of such clothes is some way off, but a shirt with a simple memory function has already been developed.

So if you forget to put your key or wallet in its pocket, the thinking shirt will warn you.

Car of the Future

What will the car of the future look like? This one has no engine. It doesn't need petrol. There isn't even a steering wheel. Best of all, it doesn't pollute the air!

Unlike today's cars, the Hy-wire, designed by General Motors, doesn't give off any harmful gases into the air. It is powered by chemical reactions between oxygen and water. The only thing this car releases is water vapour.

General Motors says the Hy-wire could be on the road by 2010 — just in time for you to drive!

3. Answer the questions:

ü Which of these inventions is the most useful?

ü Which is the funniest?

ü Which is the most interesting?

ü Which of these inventions do you like best of all?

ü If you were an inventor, what gadget would you invent?

ü How do these inventions help people?

ü Do you know totally absurd inventions?

4. Match the words from the text with their meanings:

5. Discuss these questions:

· What do you think “a trend” is?