ACTIVITY ONE: Pre-reading (PÁGINA 6)

Do you have a PC (Personal Computer) at home? Would you like to get one? If you had a PC,
what would you use it for? List three things you would do with it.

1. Play games.
2. Listen to music, create music or music CDs.
3. Connect to the Internet.

ACTIVITY TWO: What do you already know? (PÁGINA 6)

Work in groups: compare your lists and write as many uses as possible for your PC below.

1. Use the word processor.

2. Use the spreadsheet.
3. Broaden your knowledge.
4. Look at pictures, scan pictures, import pictures, and create pictures.
5. Watch videos, create movies, or watch TV.
6. Read technical blogs.
7. Reconnect with friends and family.
8. Read Wikipedia.
9. Organize photos online 
10. Create online book catalog for all your books. 

ACTIVITY THREE: Common Phrases (PÁGINA 7)

PART A: Find the names of some things you can do with a PC. Match the verbs in list A with the words
in list B to make the names of computer activities .

LIST A LIST B
1. Keep accounts. a. games
2. Build an electronic reference library. b. clubs or societies
3. Edit pictures. c. an electronic reference library
4. Surf the Internet.
d. the Internet
5. Work from home.
6. Play games. e. pictures
7. Help kids with their homework. f. faxes
8. Run clubs or societies. g. from home
9. Create music. h. music
10. Send and receive faxes. i. kids with their homework

PART B: Now read the test quickly and match these activities with the ten sections of the reading text.
Write the name of each activity above the section.

1. SURF THE INTERNET. More and more people are getting onto the internet. You’ll need
a modem to plug your computer into the phone system, and you’ll have to pay around ₤12 a
month to a service provider for a connection. Once online you can retrieve information, get

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 free software, join special interest groups from all over the world, and send and receive e-
mail.
Navegar por Internet: Cada vez más personas se están conectado al Internet. Necesitarás
un módem para conectar tu computadora al sistema telefónico, y tendrás que pagar alrededor
de ₤12 al mes a un proveedor de servicios por una conexión. Una vez en línea, puedes
recuperar información, obtener software gratuito, unirte a grupos de intereses especiales de
todo el mundo y enviar y recibir correos electrónicos.

2. SEND AND RECEIVE FAXES. Any document you create on your computer, whether it
contains words or pictures and regardless of what sort of software you used to create it, can
be faxed directly from your PC without existing on paper at all. You can also receive faxes
from other computers or from ordinary fax machines. You’ll need a modem to send and
receive faxes.
Enviar y recibir faxes: Cualquier documento que crees en tu computadora, ya sea que
contenga palabras o imágenes y sin considerar qué tipo de software utilizaste para crearlo,
puede ser enviado por fax directamente desde tu computadora sin existir en papel para nada.
También puedes recibir faxes de otras computadoras o de máquinas de fax comunes.
Necesitarás un módem para enviar y recibir faxes.

3. WORK FROM HOME. You can bring work home from the office on a floppy disk and
take it back the same way, or you can go the whole hog and work entirely from home using a
PC with printer, scanner and modem as your combined fax, answering machine, copier and
electronic mail system. You won’t have to go to the office at all.
Trabajar desde casa: Puedes traer trabajo a casa desde la oficina en un disquete y llevarlo
de vuelta de la misma manera, o puedes irte hasta el final y trabajar completamente desde
casa usando una computadora con impresora, escáner y módem como tu sistema combinado
de fax, contestadora automática, copiadora y correo electrónico. No tendrás que ir a la
oficina en absoluto.

4. CREATE MUSIC. Plug any digital instrument with a MIDI interface (most electronic
keyboards have one) into your sound card and you can edit and experiment with the music,
play it back and, with the right software, even print it out in musical notation.
Crear música: Conecta cualquier instrumento digital con una interfaz MIDI (la mayoría de
los teclados electrónicos tienen una) en tu tarjeta de sonido y puedes editar y experimentar
con la música, reproducirla de nuevo y, con el software adecuado, incluso imprimirla en
notación musical.

5. EDIT PICTURES. If you have a scanner, you can copy any of your own pictures into the
computer and electronically enhance them, then view them as an on-screen slideshow or
include them in the letters and documents you create. Even if you haven’t got a scanner,
many photo developers will transfer your films onto a Photo-CD at a reasonable cost.
Editar imágenes: Si tienes un escáner, puedes copiar cualquiera de tus propias imágenes en
la computadora y mejorarlas electrónicamente, luego verlas como una presentación de
diapositivas en pantalla o incluirlas en las cartas y documentos que crees. Incluso si no tienes
un escáner, muchos reveladores de fotografías transferirán tus películas a un CD de Fotos a
un costo razonable.

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6. PLAY GAMES. There’s hardly a PC anywhere that isn’t used as a games machine at some
time in its life. Serious game players plug joysticks (and even steering wheels) into their
computers instead of using the keyboard and mouse.
Jugar juegos: Apenas hay una computadora en cualquier lugar que no sea usada como
máquina de juegos en algún momento de su vida. Serios jugadores conectan palancas de
juego (e incluso volantes) en sus computadoras en lugar de usar el teclado y el mouse.

7. BUILD AN ELECTRONIC REFERENCE LIBRARY. You can assemble a world-class

library for a fraction of the cost of real books. Encyclopaedias, atlases, massive reference
works and even fiction are all available, many with sound and moving pictures too.
Crear una Biblioteca de Consulta Electrónica: Puedes formar una biblioteca de clase
mundial por una fracción del costo de los libros reales. Enciclopedias, atlas, obras de
consulta masivas e incluso ficción están todos disponibles, muchos de ellos con sonido e
imágenes en animadas también.

8. HELP KIDS WITH THEIR HOMEWORK. At one level, just giving young minds access
to a word processor with a spell-checker is enough to stimulate a new enthusiasm for
studying, but there’s a wealth of special programs covering most school subjects and some
really excellent reference titles aimed specifically at children.
Ayudar a los niños con sus tareas: En un nivel, solo dando a las mentes jóvenes acceso a
un procesador de textos con un corrector ortográfico es suficiente para estimular un nuevo
entusiasmo por estudiar, pero hay una gran cantidad de programas especiales cubriendo la
mayoría de las asignaturas escolares y algunos libros de consulta realmente excelentes
destinados específicamente a los niños.

9. KEEP ACCOUNTS. For many small businesses, keeping accounts is the justification for
buying a PC in the first place. Computerising your accounts won’t necessarily save you
money, but you’ll always know exactly where you stand.
Llevar la contabilidad: Para muchas pequeñas empresas, llevar la contabilidad es la
justificación para comprar una computadora en primer lugar. Informatizar tus cuentas no
necesariamente te ahorrará dinero, pero siempre sabrás exactamente dónde te encuentras.

10. RUN CLUBS OR SOCIETIES. With a simple set of software or an integrated package
you can keep membership lists and addresses, track subscriptions and publish your club’s
newsletter.
Administrar clubes o sociedades: Con un conjunto simple de software o un paquete
integrado, puedes llevar listas y direcciones de membresía, dar seguimiento a suscripciones y
publicar el boletín informativo de tu club.

ACTIVITY FIVE: Cognates

Read the text again to find cognates (words that have a similar writing and meaning in both
languages) and write them down:

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 Cognates

English Spanish English Spanish

Ec. Modern Moderno/a System Sistema
1. digital DIGITAL 6. instrument INSTRUMENTO
2. experiment EXPERIMENTAR 7. fiction FICCIÓN
3. stimulate ESTIMULAR 8. musical MUSICAL
4. photo FOTO 9. service SERVICIO
5. cost COSTO 10. fraction FRACCIÓN

ACTIVITY SIX: Comprehension questions

Read these sentences and decide if they are true or false.

1. You need a modem and a telephone line to connect your home computer T F
to the Internet.
2. A computer can make studying more enjoyable. T F
3. Electronic books are more expensive than books printed on paper. T F
4. To play games you need a special type of PC. T F
5. If you have a computer and a modem, you don’t need a fax machine to T F
receive faxes.
6. Joysticks and computer steering wheels allow you to work at home. T F
7. The sound of a song can be changed with the right software package. T F

ACTIVITY SEVEN: Extra activity

If you are finished you can rewrite all the false sentences to make them true.

Electronic books are more expensive than books printed on paper.

Electronic books aren’t more expensive than books printed on paper.
Electronic books are cheaper than books printed on paper.
Electronic books are less expensive than books printed on paper.
Books printed on paper are less expensive than electronic books.

To play games you need a special type of PC.

To play games you don´t need a special type of PC.

Joysticks and computer steering wheels allow you to work at home.

Joysticks and computer steering wheels don´t allow you to work at home.
Joysticks and computer steering wheels allow you to play games at home.

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ACTIVITY EIGHT: Dictionary skills
The following words from the text have more than one definition according to the dictionary and
their function in the sentence. Choose their correct translation in this context.

1. plug (section 1) a. (n) tapón

b. (v) enchufar
c. (v) tapar
d. (n) enchufe
2. work (section 3) a. (n) trabajo
b. (n) libro, obra
c. (v) surtir efecto
d. (n) trabajar (del título)
3. back (section 4) a. (n) espalda
b. (n) parte de atrás
c. (adj) atrasado
d. (adv) de vuelta, otra vez
4. level (section 8) a. (adj) plano
b. (n) nivel
c. (v) nivelar
d. (v) arrasar
5. run (section 10) a. (v) administrar, dirigir, organizar
b. (v) correr
c. (n) recorrido
d. (n) paseo
6. keep (section 10) a. (v) quedarse
b. (v) entretener
c. (v) guardar
d. (v) llevar

ACTIVITY NINE: Post-reading

PART A: The article lists these 10 uses of a PC. What other uses do you think of? Add 5 more.
1. Surf the Internet 8. Play games
2. Create music 9. Help kids with homework
3. Build an electronic library 10. Keep your accounts
4. Run a club or society 11. E-learning
5. Send & receive faxes 12. Store important data
6. Work from home 13. Browse web sites.
7. Edit your pictures 14. Receive training

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PART B: Some of these things are for work. Some are for study. Some are for pleasure. (Some
are for all three). Make three lists. Justify your opinion.

USES OF A PC
WORK STUDY PLEASURE

Surf the Internet Build an electronic library Create music

Run a club or society Help kids with homework Edit your pictures
Send & receive faxes E-learning Play games
Work from home Store important data Browse web sites.
Keep your accounts Receive training

PART C: What about other people in your family? Your father? Your mother? Brothers and
sisters? What would they use the computer for?

MOST IMPORTANT LEAST IMPORTANT

Surf the Internet Create music

ACTIVITY TEN: Software and Hardware (PÁGINA 12)

Choose things from the list below that belong to software and things that belong to hardware.
Integrated package spell-checker encyclopaedia joystick atlas printer
reference book accounts package spreadsheet database mouse modem
CD-ROM drive word-processor sound card keyboard scanner games

SOFTWARE HARDWARE
Data base Pinter………….impresora
Games Modem………modem
Account package Scanner…….escaners

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Spreadsheet Keyboard…… teclado
Spell-checker Sound card ………
tarjeta de sonido

ACTIVITY ELEVEN: Language Focus (PÁGINA 12)

Look at these sentences:
 You need a printer to print out any letters you write.
 You need a printer in order to print out your pictures
 If you have a printer, you can print out your work
 If you don’t have a printer, you can’t print out your letters.

Use some items of software and hardware from the table above and write 6 sentences about
things you can do or can’t do with your computer.

1. If you have a modem you can send faxes

2. You need a scanner to edit pictures.
3. You need An accounts package in order to keep your account
4. If you don’t have A keyboard you can’t email your friends
5. You need An encyclopaedia to look up information
6. If you have CD-ROM drive you can play a CD

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 VOCABULARY UNIT 1 (PÁGINAS 14 -15)

Look for the meaning of the following words:

1 Aim (verb) DIRIGIR, DESTINAR A
2 All over the world POR TODO EL MUNDO
3 At all EN ABSOLUTO, PARA NADA, DEL TODO
4 Available DISPONIBLE
5 Build an electronic library FORMAR UNA BIBLIOTECA ELECTRÓNICA
6 CD-ROM drive UNIDAD DE CD-ROM
7 Computerize INFORMATIZAR
8 Database BASE DE DATOS
9 Drive UNIDAD, UNIDAD DE DISCO
10 Email (message) (MENSAJE) DE CORREO ELECTRÓNICO
11 Enhance MEJORAR
12 Enjoyable AGRADABLE, DIVERTIDO
13 Fax (Verb) ENVIAR FAX
14 Floppy disk DISQUETE
15 Free software SOFTWARE GRATIS
16 Get onto ENTRAR, CONECTARSE
17 Go the whole hog IR HASTA EL FINAL
18 Hardware HARDWARE, PARTE FÍSICA DE LA COMPUTADORA
19 Interface INTERFAZ
20 Integrated package PAQUETE INTEGRADO
21 Internet INTERNET
22 Join UNIRSE, SUBSCRIBIRSE
23 Joystick PALANCA DE JUEGO, MANDO DE JUEGO
24 Keep accounts LLEVAR LA CONTABILIDAD
25 Keep lists LLEVAR LISTAS
26 Mind MENTE
27 Moving pictures IMÁGENES ANIMADAS
28 Newsletter BOLETÍN INFORMATIVO
29 On-line / Online EN LÍNEA, CONECTADO
30 Once UNA VEZ
31 On-screen EN PANTALLA
32 Ordinary COMÚN
33 Own PROPIO
34 Photo developer REVELADOR DE FOTOS
35 Photo-CD CD DE FOTOS
36 Play it back REPRODUCIR DE NUEVO
37 Plug CONECTAR, ENCHUFAR
38 Print out IMPRIMIR, SACAR IMPRESIÓN
39 Printer IMPRESORA
40 Purpose PROPÓSITO
41 Reader LECTOR
42 Reasonable RAZONABLE
43 Receive RECIBIR
44 Reference books LIBROS DE CONSULTA
45 Retrieve RECUPERAR
46 Run (a program) EJECUTAR (UN PROGRAMA)
47 Run (clubs or societies) ADMINISTRAR (CLUBES O SOCIEDADES)
48 Scanner ESCÁNER
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