of information about the satellite's orbital path, the amount of radiation it
detects, and the presence of meteorites. Information of all kinds races back to
the earth.No human being could possibly copy down all these facts, much less remember and organize them. But an electronic computer can.
The marvel of the machine age, the electronic computer has been in use only
since 1946. It can do simple computations—add,subtract, multiply and divide—with
lighting speed and perfect accuracy. Some computers can work 500,000 times faster
than any person can.
Once it is given a “program” — that is, a carefully workedout set of in
structions devised by a technician trained in computer language — a computer ca
gather a wide range of information for many purposes. For the scientist it can
get information from outer space or from the depth of the ocean. In business and industry the computer prepares factory inventories, keeps track of sales trends and production needs, mails dividend checks, and makes out company payrolls. It can keep bank accounts up to date and make out electric bills. If you are planning a trip by plane, the computer will find out what to take and what space is available.
Not only can the computer gather facts, it can also store them as fast as they are gathered and can pour them out whenever they are needed. The computer is really a highpowered“memory” machine that “has all the answers”—or almost all.Bes
ides gathering and storing information, the computer can also solve complicated problems that once took months for people to do.
At times computers seem almost human. They can “read” handprinted letters,
play chess, compose music, write plays and even design other computers. Is it any
wonder that they are sometimes called “thinking” machines?
Even though they are taking over some of the tasks that were once accomplished by our own brains, computers are not replacing us at least not yet. Our brain
has more than 10 million cells. A computer has only a few hundred thousand parts.
For some time to come, then, we can safely say that our brains are at least 10,
000 times more complex than a computer.How we use them is for us, not the computer, to decide.
26.In the first paragraph, the author thinks an electronic computer can ____.
A) copy down all the facts
B) remember all the facts
C) organize the facts and everything
D) copy down, remember and organize all the facts
27.“Program” means ____.
A) a plan of what is to be done
B) a complete show on a TV station at a fixed time table
C) a scheduled performance
D) series of coded instructions to control the operations of a computer
28.The computer is a high powered “memory” machine, which ____.
A) has all the ready answers — or almost all to any questions
B) can remember everything
C) can store everything and work for you
D) has all the answers — or almost to all the information that has been
