Doretta Ardu

Maria Grazia Bellino

Giusy Di Giorgio

Bit by Bit è un testo di inglese rivolto in particolare agli studenti dei corsi a indirizzo Informatico e, in generale, a coloro che hanno l’esigenza di utilizzare la lingua inglese come strumento di studio e/o di lavoro in questo settore.
 Materiali integrativi <ul><li>Teacher’s Book. - Soluzioni, testi degli esercizi di ascolto, test di fine unità e di fine modulo, proposte di domande orali e di griglie valutative, real-life tasks, mappe per ogni unità, programmazione didattica, guida didattica di supporto per studenti BES.
</li><li>ONLINE RESOURCES. - Ulteriori esercitazioni, approfondimenti letterari, esempi di reading comprehension per le certificazioni EUCIP Core e FIRST/IELTS, test adattati per studenti BES.</li></ul>

Module 1 - The birth and role of computers

Unit 1- Computer science and ict

Unit 2 - ICT and society

Unit 3 - Computers

Vocabulary

Grammar • Prefixes, suffixes and compound nouns

Listening • Digital libraries

Speaking • New technological trends in teaching and studying

Writing • Learning with technology

Mapping your mind

Film • Bicentennial man

Module 2 - The body of computers

Unit 4 - The electronics of computers

Unit 5 - The structure of computers

Unit 6 - The peripherals of computers

Grammar • Relative clauses

Listening • At the computer shop

Speaking • Discussing computers

Writing • Describing computers and computer problems

Film • Strange Days

Module 3 - The mind of computers

Unit 7 - Computer languages

Unit 8 - Computer programming

Unit 9 - Operating systems

Grammar • Conditionals

Listening • Working in a software house

Speaking • Writing computer code

Writing • Programming languages

Film • Desk Set

Module 4 - The uses of computers

Unit 10 - Main software

Unit 11 - Graphics software

Unit 12 - Other software programs

Grammar • The passive voice

Listening • Learning and playing with computers

Speaking • Interviewing

Writing • Improving sound, music, pictures and texts

Film • AI - Artificial intelligence

Module 5 - Linking computers

Unit 13 - Communication networks

Unit 14 - The internet

Unit 15 - Sharing online

Grammar • Main verb tenses

Listening • Slideshare and other online activities

Speaking • Past and future

Writing • Social media

Film • Lucy

Module 6 - Protecting computers

Unit 16 - Computer threats

Unit 17 - Computer protection

Grammar • Comparatives and superlatives

Listening • Internet privacy

Speaking • Security problems

Writing • Data encryption

Film • The Imitation game

Appendices

1 Biz bits

2 Careers

3 How to…

Technical glossary

Acronyms

3 HOW TO  HOW TO CHOOSE A COMPUTER Desktop or laptop? CRITERIA DESKTOP COMPUTERS LAPTOP COMPUTERS Cost Large range of prices starting from relatively cheap ones. Higher prices for good quality ones. Portability Large in size and with a separate monitor. They are designed to be used in a single location. Highly portable because of their size. They can be taken from place to place. Processor Processors are a little bit larger in size, but more powerful. Processors are still limited in performance if compared with desktop ones. Ease of assembly It is not difficult to connect everything together, but still more complicated than with a laptop. Laptops are easy to use and take little time to get running. Keyboards There are no limitations, as desktops can make use of full size keyboards including a number pad. Smaller laptops have smaller keyboards and sometimes do not have a number pad. Screen Size Desktop monitors are bigger and a desktop can also be connected to a large TV screen. Smaller screen sizes are necessary for portability. However, a laptop can be connected to an external display. Upgrading Most components are easily removable, making it easier to upgrade. Memory and the hard drive are the only components that can be upgraded in a laptop. The other components are built in or not removable. Gaming Desktop computers are capable of using high-powered video cards or even more video cards at the same time. Physical space is limited and therefore also graphics capabilities. The heat reduction/ dissipation and power are limited by the small space in the laptop case. Repair Repairing a desktop computer is much easier since most of the hardware can be easily purchased off the shelf in local computer shops. Having to open a laptop to repair a component can be difficult. Also finding a replacement is not easy as it is often necessary to contact the manufacturer. 312 APPENDICES 

Desktop or workstation? CRITERIA DESKTOP COMPUTERS WORKSTATIONS Cost Desktop computers are relatively cheap. Prices of workstations are higher. Image They provide a good quality image both for businesses and individuals. Workstations provide high quality image. Security It is highly improbable that malware can destroy hardware components. Workstations can be more vulnerable because they are more sophisticated. Performance They offer a good performance. They offer a high performance because they have high end components. These components include the CPU, graphics and input and output devices. Application Desktop computers are suitable for standard applications. Workstations can run special applications such as engineering programs. HIGH PERFORMANCE WORKSTATIONS Rendering graphics Workstations can handle multiple professional graphic cards and offer a better rendering than a normal desktop computer. More memory workstations offer extra memory. Engineers and artists can create on larger canvases. As for business, there is no weak link in the work flow and projects can be completed quicker. More powerful processors workstations can be configured with more powerful processors. This enables the user to do demanding tasks, but also to have multiple applications open at the same time with fast response times. Laptop or netbook? CRITERIA LAPTOP COMPUTERS NETBOOKS Size and weight Their size can range from 10 to 20 inches. They are usually very small and ultraportable. They usually weigh between 1.4 and 5.4 kilos. They usually weigh between 0.9 and 1.4 kilos. Constraints the battery life is limited and deteriorates with age. The battery has a longer lifespan, but they have a hard drive with a smaller capacity, a slower CPU and lower RAM capacity. Dvd drives and other accessories they can be present in an integrated fashion. They do not usually have integrated DVD drives. Usage they replicate the use of a desktop computer with extra durability and mobility. They are primarily used for work and gaming. The primary focus is on Internet access, web browsing, emailing and online activities. Cooling system they have fans and other systems similar to desktop computers. They are more subject to overheating because of their small size. Processing capacity they usually have higher processing than netbooks. They can be powerful enough to handle difficult tasks. They usually have a lower speed processor. This can lead to a degraded experience when watching movies or playing games. Operating system almost every laptop can support any operating system. Almost every netbook can support any operating system. APPENDICES 313 

Preparazione inglese per studenti di informatica: materiali integrativi, esercizi, soluzioni e risorse online per il miglior apprendimento.

Bit by bit

English for Information and Communications Technology

Flowbooks è una piattaforma di distribuzione dedicata al mondo della scuola e dell'università.  Con questa piattaforma di distribuzione, il team di sviluppo Flowbooks  si impegna a soddisfare le esigenze degli utenti digitali, rendendo l'utilizzo accessibile e piacevole.  Entra nella tua area di interesse!

Edisco è una Casa editrice indipendente che opera prevalentemente nel settore educativo.

Edisco

Flowbooks è innovazione didattica a portata di click