Computers

Vocabulary Building

Keywords	Main Word	Example Sentence
portable computer, battery, folds, carry in a bag	laptop	I take my laptop to the library to study every afternoon.
big computer, stays on a desk, home or office	desktop	My brother plays video games on a fast desktop in his room.
flat display, shows pictures and text, like a TV	screen	Don't sit too close to the screen because it hurts your eyes.
buttons with letters and numbers, used for typing	keyboard	She can type very fast without looking at the keyboard.
small device, move with your hand, click on things	mouse	Use the mouse to click on the green button on the page.
machine, puts text and pictures on paper	printer	Our office printer ran out of black ink this morning.
audio device, plays music and sound out loud	speaker	We connected a small speaker to the computer to listen to music.
worn on the head, listen to sound privately	headphones	He wears headphones at work so he doesn't disturb other people.
small camera, video calls, on top of the monitor	webcam	Please turn on your webcam so we can see you during the meeting.
global network, connects computers, online	internet	Most young people use the internet every day to watch videos.
a page on the internet, www, information	website	You can buy cheap train tickets on this travel website.
electronic letter, send messages online	email	My boss sends me ten emails every morning before nine o'clock.
secret word, letters and numbers, for safety	password	You should choose a strong password to keep your account safe.
computer programs, apps, not physical parts	software	We need to install new software to edit these family photos.
a document, picture, or music saved on a computer	file	Please save the file in a folder so you don't lose it.
get data from the internet onto your computer	download	It takes five minutes to download a movie with a fast connection.
small portable memory stick, USB, saves data	flash drive	I put my school presentation on a small flash drive in my pocket.
wireless internet, no cables, home or café	wi-fi	This coffee shop has free wi-fi for all its customers.
flat computer, touchscreen, bigger than a phone	tablet	My grandmother uses a tablet to read books and look at photos.
harmful program, breaks the computer, security risk	virus	His computer is very slow because it caught a bad virus yesterday.

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DIGITAL LIFE: USING COMPUTERS

Audio Player

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Computers are a very important part of our modern lives at home, school, and work. Many people prefer a laptop because it has a battery and is easy to carry in a bag. In offices, workers often use a desktop computer, which stays on a desk all day.

Every computer has a screen that shows pictures, videos, and text like a small television. To write messages or documents, you press the buttons on a keyboard. You also use your hand to move a mouse and click on different things on the display.

If you need your document on paper, you can use a printer. To listen to music or watch movies, you need a speaker for loud sound. When you are on a bus or in a quiet room, you can wear headphones on your head to listen privately. A webcam is a small camera that lets people see your face during video calls.

Most people connect their computers to the internet to find information and talk to friends. You can visit a favorite website to read the news or shop online. At work, people write and send an email instead of a paper letter. To protect your personal information, you always need a secret password.

Inside the computer, software programs help you work, draw, or play games. When you write a story or save a photo, you keep it as a file on your computer. You can also download music and movies from the internet to watch later.

If you want to carry your documents to another computer, a small USB flash drive is very useful. In cafés and airports, people connect to wireless wi-fi without using any cables. Some people prefer a flat tablet with a touchscreen because it is light and easy to hold. Finally, you must be careful online so your computer does not get a dangerous virus.

Questions:

Why do many people prefer a laptop?

What do you use a keyboard for?

When is it a good idea to wear headphones?

What does a webcam do during video calls?

Why do you need a secret password?

How can you carry your documents to another computer?

What can happen if you are not careful online?

True/False Statements:

A desktop computer is easy to carry in a small bag.

You use a printer to put text and pictures on paper.

People only use emails to play video games.

Software is the physical screen of the computer.

You can download music and movies from the internet.

Wi-fi lets you connect to the internet without cables.

A tablet has a touchscreen and is bigger than a phone.

Example (laptop): I use my laptop every day for work and entertainment. In the morning, I check my emails and read the news on it. In the evening, I watch movies in bed on my laptop. It is three years old, but it works very well. I always take it with me when I travel.

Example (laptops): I think laptops are better than desktops. You can take a laptop to school, work, or a coffee shop. It does not take up much space on your desk. It has a battery, so it works without a power cable for hours. However, laptops are easier to drop and break than desktops.

Example (send an email): Yes, I know how to send an email very well. I learned how to do it when I was in primary school. I write emails to my teachers and colleagues almost every day. Sometimes I attach photos or PDF documents to my messages. It is much faster and easier than sending a normal letter.

Example (the internet): I usually use the internet at home in my living room. I also use it at my office from Monday to Friday. When I travel on the train, I use mobile internet on my phone. Sometimes I use free internet in cafés or hotels. Today, it is very hard to live without it.

Example (website): My favorite website is YouTube because it has millions of interesting videos. I visit this website every evening after dinner. I like watching cooking videos and English lessons on it. It is free to use, which is great. Sometimes I spend too much time watching short videos there.

Example (laptop): Yes, I broke my old laptop two years ago. I was drinking coffee at my desk and spilled it on the keyboard. The screen went black immediately and it never turned on again. I was very sad because it was an expensive machine. Now I never put drinks near my computer.

[hr]

One-Minute Talking Points

Laptop

What is a laptop? (portable computer, battery)

Brands you know?

Do you have one?

Why do people like laptops?

Advantages over desktops?

Problems with laptops?

Where do you use it?

Your ideal laptop?

Internet

What is the internet? (global network, online)

How often do you use it?

What do people do online?

Best websites you know?

Benefits of the internet?

Dangers of the internet?

Life without the internet?

Internet in the future?

Email

What is an email? (electronic letter, online message)

How often do you send emails?

Who do you email?

Email versus phone calls?

Good things about email?

Problems with spam emails?

Email vs. paper letters?

Do young people use email?

Tablet

What is a tablet? (flat computer, touchscreen)

Types you know?

Do you own one?

Who uses tablets the most?

Advantages of tablets?

Tablet versus laptop?

Problems with tablets?

Would you buy one?

Headphones

What are headphones? (audio device, worn on head)

Types you know?

When do you wear them?

Why do people use them?

Benefits of wireless headphones?

Dangers of loud music?

Headphones on the street?

Your favorite pair of headphones?

Password

What is a password? (secret word, security)

Where do we need passwords?

What makes a strong password?

Do you forget passwords?

Why are passwords important?

Problems with too many passwords?

How to remember them?

Fingerprints instead of passwords?

Webcam

What is a webcam? (small camera, video calls)

Do you have one?

When do people use webcams?

Online meetings and school?

Advantages of video calls?

Privacy problems with webcams?

Do you like being on camera?

Webcams in the future?

Printer

What is a printer? (machine, text on paper)

Do you have one at home?

What do people print?

Color versus black and white?

Why is ink so expensive?

Problems with printers?

Paper vs. digital files?

Do we still need printers?

Wi-fi

What is wi-fi? (wireless internet, no cables)

Do you have wi-fi at home?

Public wi-fi in cafés?

Why is wi-fi useful?

Problems with slow wi-fi?

Is public wi-fi safe?

Wi-fi versus mobile data?

Places that need free wi-fi?

Computer Virus

What is a virus? (harmful program, breaks computer)

How do computers get viruses?

Have you ever had one?

What can a virus do?

How to protect your computer?

Antivirus software?

Safe websites versus dangerous ones?

Why do people make viruses?

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Computers make our lives better

Linkers: It's true, but..., I agree because..., I don't agree..., On the other hand..., For example…

For

Computers help us work and study much faster — keywords: fast, work, study
We can talk to friends and family anywhere in the world — keywords: video call, family, world
It is easy to find information and learn new skills online — keywords: search, learn, information
People can work from home using a laptop and internet — keywords: home office, comfort, save time
Computers give us great entertainment like movies, music, and games — keywords: fun, movies, games

Against

Looking at a screen all day is bad for our eyes and back — keywords: eyes, health, back pain
People spend less time talking face-to-face with family — keywords: lonely, no talking, family
Many children play too many computer games and don't exercise — keywords: addiction, games, no sport
Hackers and viruses can steal our personal information and money — keywords: danger, virus, steal
When the computer or internet breaks, we cannot do our work — keywords: broken, no internet, stress