34. Reading Skills Comprehension: About Computers

ABOUT COMPUTERS

There is a myth that there is something magical about computers and those who run them. The legend has got about that computers are ‘electronic brains’ and that programmers are some sort of supermen. The facts are that computers are very stupid and the people who programme them are normal human beings. Anyone who can count from 0 to 7 on his or her fingers and make eight can learn to be a 5 programmer. The business is not difficult, just tricky. It is very misleading to imagine that computers can ‘think’ like people. They cannot. They have no more a mind of their own than a lawnmower. However, they make it possible for people to ‘bottle’ thought. You work out how to do a particular job or solve a problem, write a programme and the computer will apply your thinking to that job or problem as long and as often as you like. In this sense, Computers are half alive because they perpetuate the thinking of their creators.

1. Based on your reading of the passage above complete the notes are given below:

 Fact and Fiction about Computers

(a)What Computers cannot do?

(b) What Computers can do?

Programmers are not (c) ——————–They are (d) ——————- who (e) ————————-logically or clearly.                                                                                                 

2.Complete the following: (3 marks)

Computers are like lawnmowers because (a) ———————-

The ‘business in line 5 refers to (b) ———————-

To bottle in line 7 means (c) ———————-                                                        

 Answers

1. (a) Computers cannot think.

(b) programming a computer. 

(c) supermen                                                                    

(d) normal human beings.                                                                                            

 (e)can think                                                                                                                                                                  

2(a) they also don’t have a mind of their own

(b) They can perpetuate the thinking of their creators.

(c) store      

Download the above Passage in PDF 

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