UNIT 2 - The Building Blocks

As we saw in the last section, the development of computers involved many people
over a long period of time. We now need to look at what makes a computer a
computer. As mentioned, Alan Turing proposed the theory behind computers and
John von Neumann took those ideas and developed the first computer architecture
in 1946 that we still use today.

Basically, a computer consists of the central processing unit (CPU) and everything
else that makes the computer useful to us. If you look at the picture below, you will
see the motherboard that holds the CPU and all the components that make up the
real computer.

It looks overwhelming, but don’t worry we’re not interested in ALL the parts at this
time.

First, find the CPU slot. The microprocessor, supplied by such companies as Intel,
AMD, and Motorola, goes here. The microprocessor, or CPU, basically consists of
three parts: control unit (CU), arithmetic logic unit (ALU), and internal storage
(IS, AKA the scratchpad). Everything the computer does goes through the CPU.
The Control Unit (CU) contains the microprogram permanently put on the chip by
Intel and the others. The microassembly (the language used to program the CU)
might look something like the following:

0: mar := pc; rd;

1: pc := pc + 1; rd;
2: a := mbr; if n then 35;

You NEVER get to change the microcode.

Next find the ROM (Read Only Memory). The ROM is non-volatile memory
programmed by the computer manufacturer who uses a particular microprocessor in

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UNIT 2 - The Building Blocks

their computers – Sony, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Apple. The ROM contains the
BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). It makes a Sony computer a Sony computer,
not an HP computer.

You NEVER get to change the BIOS on the ROM (although you may get updates
that the BIOS uses).

What do you get to use? Everything else, with the help of the CPU and ROM. Find
the DRAM memory slots. This is where the Random Access Memory (RAM),
volatile memory cards, are inserted. The computer programs, and by extension you,
get to use RAM.

Notice the “connectors for peripherals”? EVERYTHING outside the motherboard is

considered a peripheral device (yes, in reality everything outside the CPU is a
peripheral, but we have come to call the motherboard and everything on it the CPU).

But how does the CPU communicate with everything on the motherboard? By the
use of three types of buses: the data bus (which carries the actual data between the
CPU and other chips, the address bus (which carries the location of the data in
RAM or ROM), and the control bus/lines (which carries the instruction of what to do
with the data). If you notice the lines on the illustration below, those are the various
buses.

When we speak of the CPU, buses, devices, and memory, we use certain terms –
bits, bytes, and hertz.

A BIT is a Binary digit. It is used because the computer sees everything as high
and low voltages, and we use 0 and 1 to represent those two states. It is important
to note that the computer does NOT have 0’s and 1’s inside of it, they are for us to
understand the values.

A BYTE is, by agreement, 8 bits (thus BY eighT). The computer uses bytes to
represent various symbols, such as alphanumerics and special characters. The
most widely-used character set is ASCII (American Standard Code for
Information Interchange).

We use the term BYTE to normally indicate how much RAM a machine has or how
big a hard drive is, how many characters it can hold. We use the following prefixes
to indicate that amount:

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UNIT 2 - The Building Blocks

kilo (K) – 210 or 1024 (usually 1,000) - thousand

mega (M) – 220 or 1,048,576 (usually 1,000,000) - million
giga – (G) 230 (usually 1,000,000,000) – billion
tera – (T) 240 (usually 1,000,000,000,000) – trillion
peta – (P) 250 (usually 1,000,000,000,000,000) – quadrillion

Be aware of the abbreviation of BYTE (B) and BIT (b). 1 Mb = 1 megabit, 1 MB = 1

megabyte, 8X as big as a megabit.

We also use those prefixes to represent the speed of the CPU, cache, and the
buses. Thus a 1 gigahertz CPU runs at 1 billion hertz, or cycle per second. The
CPU can do one instruction per cycle. Thus, a 1 GHz machine (Hz is the
abbreviation for HERTZ), can do 1,000,000,000 instructions per second.

Later units will discuss this more detail because you will need to understand the
terms and how they affect operations of the computer.

FACTOID: The slowest component of a computer system is the human using it.
Because of that, unless you use the computer to generate graphics or do
intensive calculations, the CPU spends most of its time waiting for input from
the human. Luckily it doesn’t get bored waiting.

SOURCES:

Hall et al. “CS1300: Introduction to Computing”. Textbook, St. Mary’s University

Computer Science Press (2010), San Antonio, Texas.

Hall, Douglas L. “CS6350 Computer Architecture”. Textbook, St. Mary’s University

Computer Science Press (2014), San Antonio, Texas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_computing_hardware

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UNIT 2 - The Building Blocks

VOCABULARY
TECHNICAL NON-TECHNICAL
alphanumeric буквено- abbreviation – скорочення
цифровий/алфавитно-цифровой /сокращение
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) - communicate – спілкуватися/
Арифметичний логічний блок (ALU)/ общаться
Арифметический логический блок (ALU)
ASCII (American Standard Code for component – компонент/компонент
Information Interchange) -
Американський стандартний код для
обміну інформацією/ Американский
стандартный код для обмена
информацией
BIOS (Basic Input Output System) - generate – генерувати/ генерировать
базовая система введення виведення/
базовая система ввода вывода
bit/binary digit (b) – біт; двозначна intensive - інтенсивний
цифра/ бит ;двоичная цифра
bus – шина/шина overwhelming – переважний/
подавляющий
byte (B) – байт/ байт
cache - кеш-пам'ять/ кэш
Central Processing Unit (CPU) -
центральний процесор/ центральное
процессорное устройство
chip – чіп/чип
Control Unit (CU) - пристрій управління/
устройство управления
desktop – комп’ютер (стаціонарний)
device – пристрій/ устройство
giga (G) – гіга/ гига
hard drive - жорсткий диск/ жесткий
диск
hertz (Hz)/cycle per second - Герц (Гц) /
цикл в секунду/ Герц (Гц) / цикл в
секунду
kilo (K) - кіло; кілограмм; кілометр; має
значення 1000 (скороченно
K)/кило; килограмм; километр; имеет
значение 1000 (сокращенно K)
laptop – комп’ютер (портативний
персональний комп’ютер)

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UNIT 2 - The Building Blocks

mega (M) - мега- (мільйон одиниць

основної міри, позначення: М) /
мега- (миллион единиц основной меры,
обозначение: М)
microassembly language (MAL) –
мікро-функціональна мова програми
асемблера
microcode – мікрокод / микрокод

microprocessor – мікропроцесор/
микропроцессор
motherboard - материнська плата/
материнская плата
non-volatile – енергонезалежний/
энергонезависимый
peripheral – периферичний/
периферический
peta (P) - пета (приставка, що позначає
одну квадріліонну долю одиниці
виміру)/ пета (приставка,
обозначающая одну квадриллионную
долю единицы измерения)
RAM (Random Access Memory) - ОЗП;
оперативний запам'ятовуючий пристрій
/ОЗУ; оперативное запоминающее
устройство
ROM (Read Only Memory) - постійна
пам'ять; пам'ять доступна тільки для
читання /постоянная память; память
доступная только для чтения
scratchpad – буфер зберігання;
тимчасова пам’ять; сверхоперативна
пам’ять /буфер хранения; временная
память; сверхоперативная память
slot - слот; рознім/ слот; разъем
state – стан/ состояние
tera (T) - тера- (десяткова кратна
приставка, 10 в 12-го ступеня)/ тера-
(десятичная кратная приставка, 10 в
12-й степени)
volatile - змінюємий;не зберігає
інформацію при виключенні живлення
/изменяемый; не сохраняющий
информацию при выключении питания
voltage – напруга/ напряжение

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 UNIT 2 - The Building Blocks

ACTIVITIES:
1) Write a description of the computer you wish you had, describing size of
RAM, hard drive, speed of CPU, peripherals, and what you would use it
for.

2) Find a computer ad and present to the class what it tells you, what it doesn’t
tell you, and is that important?

3) What would you need to build a computer and why?

4) What is the difference between a desktop, a laptop, and an iPhone/Android?

VOCABULARY EXERCISES
Exercise 1. Match the word / phrase with its definition
1) binary a) a piece of equipment, such as a printer, that can
be connected to a computer
2) desktop b) the method or way of approaching a place or person, or
the right to use or look at something
3) laptop c) likely to change suddenly and unexpectedly, especially by
getting worse
4) language d) to give messages or information to others through speech,
writing, body movements, or signals
5) e) involving a lot of effort or activity in a short period of time
microprocessor
6) motherboard f) very great or strong
7) non-volatile g) to cause to exist; produce
8) peripheral h) unlikely to change suddenly and unexpectedly
9) access i) the main printed circuit board that contains the CPU of
a computer and makes it possible for the other parts of
a computer to communicate with each other
10) volatile j) a part of a computer that controls its main operations
11) communicate k) a system of communication by speaking, writing, or
making signs in a way that can be understood, or any of the
different systems of communication used in particular regions
12) intensive l) a computer that is small enough to be carried around easily and
is flat when closed
13) overwhelming m) a type of computer that is small enough to fit on the top of
a desk
14) generate n) consisting of two parts,
also describes a numbering system using only two numbers, zero
and one

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UNIT 2 - The Building Blocks

Exercise 2. Fill in the blanks with the words / phrases from the Unit.

abbreviation alphanumeric bit byte digit cache chip device

hertz

1) ________ is a unit for measuring frequency of sound waves.

2) Testing yourself with information on cards is a useful ____________ for studying.
3) The invention of the silicon ___________ was a landmark in the history of
the computer.
4) Set your browser so that the ____________
is automatically cleared out frequently.
5) The number 345 contains three __________s.
6) Today's computers mostly work on the basis of dealing with one "_______" at a
time.
7) A 32-______ computer is a computer that processes 32 ______s of information at
a time.
8) The scheme replaces _______________ password strings, with a picture drawn
on a grid.
9) What does the __________________ ONAT stand for?

Exercise 3. What does the abbreviation/acronym stand for

1) ALU
2) ASCII
3) BIOS
4) CPU
5) MAL

Exercise 4. Use these prompts while preparing your presentation for the
class.
1. It goes without saying that …
2. These days …
3. Firstly, …
4. Secondly, …
5. Thirdly, …
6. Lastly, …
7. On the whole, …
8. … any questions?

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UNIT 2 - The Building Blocks

SUPPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES

GRAMMAR

Exercise 5. Focus on the Future Forms.

Future Simple Be going to Future Future Perfect

(will) Continuous
is used for:
1. On-the-spot 1. Actions 1. For actions 1. An action which
decisions: intended to be which will be in will be finished
performed in the progress at a before a stated
It’s cold in here. I’ll near future: stated future future time:
turn on the time:
heating. We’re going to buy They will have
some new books I’ll be skiing in the finished building their
next week. Alps this time next house by May.
week.
2. Hopes, fears, 2. Planned 2. For actions 2. NOTE: by or not
threats, offers, actions or which will until/till are used with
promises, intentions: definitely happen Future Perfect.
warnings, in the future as a
predictions, Now that she’s result of a routine Until/till are
requests, rich, she’s going to or arrangement normally only used
comments, etc. travel round the (instead of with Future Perfect
Esp. with: world. Present in negative
expect, hope, Continuous): sentences.
believe, I’m sure,
I’m afraid, I’ll be playing golf She will have written
probably, etc.: on Friday. (I play it by next week. (Not:
golf every Friday – till/until).
I hope he’ll like his it’s part of my
birthday present. routine) She won’t have
3. Actions or 3. Predictions 3. When we ask graduated until May.
predictions based on what politely about (NOT: by May)
which we think we can see or people’s
may (not) what we know, arrangements to
happen in the especially when see if they can do
future: there is evidence: smth for us or
because we want
She’ll probably Look at the clouds! to offer to do
win. It’s going to rain. smth for them:
Will you be driving
into town this
4. Actions which 4. Things we are afternoon? Can Future Perfect
we cannot sure about or we you give me a lift? Continuous
control but have already is used to :

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UNIT 2 - The Building Blocks

which will decided to do in Emphasize the

definitely the near future: duration of an
happen: action up to a
We are going to certain time in the
The baby will be offer the job to future:
born in the new Ann. (It has been
year. decided.) By this time next
5. Things we are month, he will have
not yet sure been studying piano
about or we for two years.
haven’t decided
to do yet:

Maybe I’ll buy a

car.
NOTE: Shall is used with Present Simple with Present Continuous with
I / we in questions, future meaning: future meaning:
suggestions, offers or
when asking for asking Timetable/programs Fixed arrangements in the
for advice: The boat leaves at 8 near future.
o’clock in the morning. I’m having dinner with
Shall we play tennis? Jane this evening. (It’s a
date.)
NOTE: In American
Standard English (ASE),
shall has be replaced with
will in most situations
except for legal
documents

Exercise 6. Look at the table above and identify the underlined

sentences (in the text of the lesson) with the grammar tense/form
they are in. If you do not find a proper sentence, think of your own
one.

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