Unit 1 The Fundamentals of Computers 1
Part 1 Reading and Translating 1
Section A The Varieties of Computers 1
Section B The History of Computers 7
Part 2 Simulated Writing:Memo 11
Part 3 Listening and Speaking 14
Dialogue:Buying a New Desktop Computer 14
Listening Comprehension:Roadrunner 17
Dictation:John von Neumann 17
Unit 2 Computer Hardware 19
Part 1 Reading and Translating 19
Section A Computer Motherboard 19
Section B Multi-core Processors 27
Part 2 Simulated Writing:Notices 33
Part 3 Listening and Speaking 35
Dialogue:Referring to Websites or Online Forum for Microsoft Developer 35
Listening Comprehension:Intel 37
Dictation:Father of the Mouse—Doug Engelbart 38
Unit 3 Computer Software 41
Part 1 Reading and Translating 41
Section A Microsoft Visual Studio 41
Section B Google Earth 46
Part 2 Simulated Writing:Report 50
Part 3 Listening and Speaking 55
Dialogue:Making an Electronic Album Using Multimedia Editing Software 55
Listening Comprehension:The Software Giant—Microsoft 57
Dictation:Embedded Systems 58
Unit 4 Operating System 61
Part 1 Reading and Translating 61
Section A Windows Vista 61
Section B Linux 67
Part 2 Simulated Writing:Meeting Minutes 73
Part 3 Listening and Speaking 77
Dialogue:Choosing a Linux Distribution and Free Trials for Free Software 77
Listening Comprehension:Open Source Software 79
Dictation:Apple Mac OS 80
Unit 5 Computer Programming 83
Part 1 Reading and Translating 83
Section A Object-Oriented Programming 83
Section B Introduction to the C# Language and the.NET Framework 90
Part 2 Simulated Writing:Outline 95
Part 3 Listening and Speaking 97
Dialogue:Getting to Know Java Runtime Environment(JRE)and Java Virtual Machine(JVM) 97
Listening Comprehension:IDE 100
Dictation:Ada Lovelace,the First Programmer 101
Unit 6 Databases 103
Part 1 Reading and Translating 103
Section A Distributed Database 103
Section B Microsoft SQL Server 107
Part 2 Simulated Writing:Summary 112
Part 3 Listening and Speaking 115
Dialogue:Installing Oracle Database Software 115
Listening Comprehension:Data Mining 117
Dictation:Data Warehouse 118
Unit 7 Computer Network 121
Part 1 Reading and Translating 121
Section A Ethernet 121
Section B Wi-Fi 125
Part 2 Simulated Writing:Instructions 131
Part 3 Listening and Speaking 137
Dialogue:Setting up Wireless Network 137
Listening Comprehension:IPv6—the Next Generation Internet Protocol 140
Dictation:Router 141
Unit 8 The Internet 143
Part 1 Reading and Translating 143
Section A Grid Computing 143
Section B Web 2.0 149
Part 2 Simulated Writing:Proposal 155
Part 3 Listening and Speaking 161
Dialogue:Enhancing Your Computer Security 161
Listening Comprehension:History of Google 163
Dictation:How Web Search Engines Work 164
Unit 9 E-Commerce 167
Part 1 Reading and Translating 167
Section A Electronic Commerce 167
Section B How PayPal Works 173
Part 2 Simulated Writing:Email 178
Part 3 Listening and Speaking 181
Dialogue:Protecting Buyers' Privacy with Online Payment Services 181
Listening Comprehension:Online Shopping 184
Dictation:eBay—Global Buying Hub 185
Unit 10 Computer Security 187
Part 1 Reading and Translating 187
Section A Computer Security 187
Section B Computer Virus 193
Part 2 Simulated Writing:Business Letter 199
Part 3 Listening and Speaking 202
Dialogue:Using Anti-virus Software 202
Listening Comprehension:Hacker and Cracker 205
Dictation:Trojan Horses 206
Unit 11 Software Engineering 209
Part 1 Reading and Translating 209
Section A Software Engineering 209
Section B Software Development Process 213
Part 2 Simulated Writing:Resume 220
Part 3 Listening and Speaking 224
Dialogue:Using Object-Oriented Analysis and Design Method 224
Listening Comprehension:Extreme Programming 227
Dictation:Unified Modeling Language(UML) 227
Unit 12 The Future of Computer 229
Part 1 Reading and Translating 229
Section A The Future of Computing(1) 229
Section B The Future of Computing(2) 236
Part 2 Simulated Writing:Cover Letter 243
Part 3 Listening and Speaking 245
Dialogue:Interview 245
Listening Comprehension:Quantum Computer 247
Dictation:Native XML Database 248
Glossary 250
Abbreviations 264