9 Form
WHAT IS THE INTERNET?
What is more impressive than the pyramids, more beautiful than Michelangelo’s David and more important to mankind than the wondrous inventions of the Industrial Revolution? There can be only one answer: the Internet. The roots of the Internet lie in a collection of computer networks that were developed in the 1970s. They started with a network called the Arpanet that was sponsored by the United States Department of Defense. The original Arpanet has long since been expanded and replaced, and today its descendants form the global backbone of what we call the Internet.
The first experimental network using Internet – like technology was built in 1969. This was 56 years after the invention of the zipper, 37 years after the Introduction of the first parking meter, and 13 years prior to the development of the first IBM personal computer.
It would be a mistake, though, to think of the Internet as a computer network, or even a
group of computer networks connected to one another: the computer networks are simply the medium that carries the information. The beauty and utility of the Internet lie in the information itself. So, think of the Internet not as a computer network, but as a huge source of practical and enjoyable information. The Internet resources will become as important to you as your telephone and your post office. But, overall, what is the most important for the people is that the Internet is the first global forum and the first global library. Anyone can participate at any time: the Internet never closes. Moreover, no matter who are you, you are always welcome. You will never be excluded for wearing the wrong clothes, having the wrong colored skin, being the wrong religion, or not having enough money.
The Internet has no laws, no police, and no army. There are no real ways to hurt another person, but there are many ways to be kind.
NOTES
1. The original ARPA net has long since been expanded and replaced – изначально Ар-
панет давно расширилась и была заменена
2. Its descendants from the global backbone – ее потомки образуют глобальную основу
3. The first IBM personal computer – 1 персональный компьютер фирмы IBM
4. Moreover, no matter who you are, you are always welcome – более того, неважно,
кто вы, вы всегда желанны
VOCABULARY
Impressive – впечатляющий
Mankind – человечество
Wondrous inventions – чудесные изобретения
Routes – корни, источники.
To be sponsored by the United States Department of Defense – финансироваться Министерством Обороны США
The invention of the zipper – изобретение застежки-молнии
The introduction of the first parking meter – введение первого счетчика оплачиваемого
времени стоянки автомобиля
13 years prior – 13 годами раньше
Development – развитие, разработка
(International Business Machines)
Medium- среда
The beauty and utility – красота и польза
A huge source of practical and enjoyable information – огромный источник полезной и
приятной информации
Overall – повсюду, полностью
To participate at any time – участвовать в любое время
To be excluded – быть исключенным
To hurt another person – причинять боль другому человеку
ASSIGNMENTS
I. Translate into English the following words and phrases from the text.
Впечатляющий, человечество, чудесные изобретения, субсидировать, расширяться и
заменяться, потомки, глобальная основа, экспериментальная сеть, изобретение застежки молнии, разработка первого персонального компьютера IBM, ошибка, среда, красота и польза, огромный источник, ресурсы Интернета, телефон и почта, первый глобальный форум, более того, неважно, кто вы, вы всегда желанны, в любое время, исключать, причинять боль другому человеку.
II. Translate into Russian.
Collection of computer networks, the United States Department of Defense, its descendants, to form global backbone, Internet – like technology, the invention of the zipper, 13 years prior, the beauty and utility of the Internet, practical and enjoyable information, Internet resources, overall, the first global library, anyone can participate at any time, moreover, no matter who you are, to be excluded, to have the wrong colored skin, enough money, law, to hurt another person.
III. Answer the following questions.
1. Where do the roots of the Internet lie?
2. Was the first experimental network using Internet – like technology
3. built in 1970 or in 1969?
4. What is the computer network?
5. The Internet is the first global forum and the first global library, isn’t?
6. Has the Internet any laws?
IV. Decide whether the following statements are true or false, referring to the infor-
mation in the text (T/F).
1. The Internet resources are not so important to you as your telephone and your post of-
fice. _________________________________________________________________________
2. The Internet is the first global forum. _______________________________________
3. The first experimental network involved five computers. _______________________
4. The Internet has laws and policy. __________________________________________
5. The Internet has no army. ________________________________________________
6. The beauty and utility of the Internet do not lie in the information itself. ___________
V. Translate the text into English using the words given below.
Около 30 лет назад Министерство обороны США создало сеть. Она называлась Ar-
panet. Сеть создавалась для поддержки (1) научных исследований в военно-промышленной сфере, в частности (2) для исследования методов построения сетей, устойчивых к частичным повреждениям, получаемым (3), например, при бомбардировке авиацией (4) и способных в таких условиях продолжать нормальное функционирование. Это требование (5) дает ключ к пониманию принципов построения (6) Internet. В модели Arpanet всегда была связь (7) между компьютером-источником (8) и компьютером-приемником (станцией назначения) (9). Сеть a priori предполагалась ненадежной (10), любая часть могла исчезнуть (11) в любой момент. Основной принцип состоял в том, что любой компьютер мог связаться, как равный (12) с равным, с любым другим компьютером.
1. To develop for supporting
2. In particular
3. Resulting from
4. Aviation bombarding
5. To give a key
6. Construction principles
7. Connection
8. Source – computer
9. Destination point
10. Unreliable
11. To disappear
12. Equal
9
VI. Put the questions to the following sentences.
1. Today its descendants form the global backbone of what we call the Internet. (Who…?)
2. The beauty and utility of the Internet lie in the information itself. (Where…?)
3. The Internet resources will become as important to you as your telephone and your post
office. (Will…?)
4. Anyone can participate at any time: the Internet never closes. (When…?)
5. There are no real ways to hurt another person, but there are many ways to be kind. (Are
there…?)
VII. Think and say:
A) Discuss where the roots of the Internet lie and why? B) Speak about the Internet re-
sources.
— Hi! I’m Pavel. And you are…? Привет! Меня зовут Павел. А вы…?
— I’m Nina. Я Нина.
— How are you, Nina? Как ваши дела, Нина?
— Good, thanks. Спасибо, хорошо.
— Where are you from? Откуда вы?
— I’m from Britain. How about you? Where are you from? Из Великобритании. А вы? Откуда вы?
— And I’m from Australia. Nice to meet you, Nina. А я из Австралии. Приятно с вами познакомиться, Нина.
— Nice to meet you. Взаимно.
— Is this your first time here? Вы здесь в первый раз?
— No, it’s my second time. Нет, второй.
— Where are you staying here? Где вы остановились?
— I’m staying at a hotel. В отеле.
