Никоненко Тамара Петрівна

   It’s hard to believe that the first personal computer, the prototype of the computer now found in homes and offices around the world, was developed less than thirty years ago. The original PC, as it’s known, came in a form of an electronic kit, a piece of hardware strictly for the hobbyist. The software for that machine – the language that allows us to tell the computer what we want it to do – was developed by William Gates.
   Bill Gates was born in 1955 in Seattle. He became interested in computers when he was 13 years old. Bill attended Harvard University. There he began to develop the computer language called Basic. Later William returned to Seattle where he established the Microsoft Company in 1975. It employed only three workers at first. Microsoft developed software for established American companies like General Electric, City Bank and International Business Machines company, known as IBM. In 1981 IBM began selling a personal computer that used Microsoft products as part of its operating System. By then Microsoft had already 129 workers.
   Today four of five of the world’s personal computers run on Microsoft software, on what is called Microsoft DOS or on its latest incarnation – Windows. Windows system makes it much easier to use a computer. It’s through the Windows system that we may gain access to the Internet, the global computer network.
   Microsoft does thousands of millions of dollars in business each year. It now has more than 16 thousand workers in 48 countries. Microsoft produces computer programmes in  30 languages and sells them in more than 100 countries.
   Thanks to the success of his company, William Gates has earned about seven billion dollars. He is one of the richest men in the world.
Vocabulary
an electronic kit – електронний конструктор
hardware – апаратне забезпечення
software – програмне забезпечення
an incarnation – втілення
an access – доступ

Mark the right statements “True” and the wrong ones “False”. I Variant

1. The first personal computer was developed less than forty years ago.
2. William Gates was born in 1955 in California.
3. He became interested in computers at the age of 13.
4. He studied at Harvard University.
5. He established the Microsoft Company in 1985.
6. It employed only ten workers at first.
7. In 1981 IBM began selling a personal computer that used Microsoft products as part of its operating system.
8. By then Microsoft had already 229 workers.
9. Windows system makes it much more difficult to use a computer.
10. It’s through the Windows system that we may gain access to the Internet.
11. Microsoft produces computer programmes in 30 languages and sells them in more than 100 countries.

Mark the right statements “True” and the wrong ones “False”. II Variant

1. The original PC came in a form of an electronic kit.
2. The software for that machine was developed by Louis Pasteur.
3. At Cambridge University he began to develop the computer language called Basic.
4. He established the Microsoft Company in 1975.
5. It employed only three workers at first.
6. In 1881 IBM began selling a personal computer that used Microsoft products as part of its operating system.
7. By then Microsoft had already 129 workers.
8. Windows system makes it much easier to use a computer.
9. It’s through the Windows system that we may gain access to the Internet.
10. Microsoft produces computer programmes in 40 languages and sells them in more than 100 countries.
11. William Gates has earned about seventeen billion dollars.

English texts for listening and reproduction (Photocopiable) = Збірник текстів для аудіювання в 5-11 класах загальноосвітніх шкіл зі сторінками для копіювання / Упоряд. Л. Б. Крамаренко. – Харків: Веста: Видавництво “Ранок”, 2003. – С. 79-80