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computers to be even smaller and faster than ever before. The 4004
was only capable of 60,000 instructions per second, but later
processors such as the 8086 that all of Intel’s processors for the IBM
PC and compatibles are based brought ever increasing speed and
power to the computers. Supercomputers of the era were immensely
powerful, like the Cray-1 which could calculate 150 million floating
point operations per second. The microprocessor allowed the
development of microcomputers, personal computers that were small
and cheap enough to be available to ordinary people. The first such
personal computer was the MITS Altair 8800, released at the end of
1974, but it was followed by computers such as the Apple I & II,
Commodore PET and eventually the original IBM PC in 1981.
Although processing power and storage capacities have
increased beyond all recognition since the 1970s the underlying
technology of LSI large scale integration or VLSI very large scale
integration microchips has remained basically the same, so it is
widely regarded that most of today’s computers still belong to the
fourth generation.

Task 3. Do you remember the English equivalents of the
following words with word combinations?
Прослідкувати, зламати систему кодування, шифрувальна
машина Лоренца, дротова схема, електронна лампа, який не
руйнується при відключенні живлення, разючий, який належить
до, незважаючи на, громіздкий, абсолютно, інтегральна
мікросхема, в подальшому, реактивний винищувач, випускати,
сумісні пристрої, величезною мірою, скалярні операції над
числами з плавучою комою, до невпізнання, розцінювати.

Task 4. Discuss the following ideas:
st
1. Give the examples of the 1 generation computers.
st
2. Describe the 1 general computer.
st
3. When was the 1 transistor invented?
4. Speak on Jack St. Claire Kirby’s invention.

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