计算机专业英语（第3版）-练习及情境对话 课件 4 Reading Material（阅读材料）

阅读材料ReadingMaterial计算机专业英语chapterfour

SoftwareMissLi:AsalesgirlinComputerTownMr.Zhang:AcomputerconsumerwhoknowslittleaboutcomputerLi:CanIhelpyou,Sir?Zhang:Yes.I’dliketobuyacomputer,butIknowlittleaboutit.Li:Doyoulikeabrandmachineoracompatiblemachine?TheFutureofComputerGraphics计算机专业英语Thecomputerrevolutionhasbeenthefastestrevolutioninthehistoryofhumankind.Injustadecade,thecomputerhasbecomeapartofourlives,athome,atwork,atrecreationalcenters:infact,wejustcannotseemtoavoidthemnomatterwhatwedo.Overthelastfewyears,computergraphicshasemergedinitsownrightasanareaofresearchandproduction.Ithasevolvedfromcrudelinedrawingstobeautifullyrealisticimagesrivalingsceneswecanseeinnature.Today,thescienceofcomputergraphicsisconcernedwithmorethanprettypictures.Whileresearchcontinuestoadvancethestateofartinfieldssuchasimageprocessing,3Dmodeling,animation,andrendering,thereisalsoanactivethrusttobringcomputergraphicsintoourdailylives.Weareindeedlivinginthecomputergraphicsrevolutionage.MissLi:AsalesgirlinComputerTownMr.Zhang:AcomputerconsumerwhoknowslittleaboutcomputerLi:CanIhelpyou,Sir?TheforemostareawhereCGisbeingusedtoitsmaximumisinentertainment.Intheearly1980s,LucasfilmsstartedthetrendwiththeirtrilogyStarWars,forwhichcomputerscientistsandartistsskilledin3Danimationwereusedtogeneratemuchofthespectaculareffectsseeninthesefilms.Morerecentlyin1995,PixarbecamethefirstproductionhousetogenerateanentiremovieusingonlycomputergraphicswithToyStory.ComputergraphicsisnowusedinalmosteveryHollywoodmovie,suchasthedinosaursofJurassicPark,ormoresubtlecompositeeffectsasseeninForestGump.Theeffectsseeninfilmsaregoingtobecomemorewidespreadandmorerealisticasresearchintheareacontinues.Zhang:Yes.I’dliketobuyacomputer,butIknowlittleaboutit.Li:Doyoulikeabrandmachineoracompatiblemachine?TheFutureofComputerGraphics计算机专业英语Whereiscomputergraphicsnowandwhereisitheaded?LetuslookatsomeofthekeyareaswhereCGisbeingusedandtheareaswhereitisslowlygainingastrongerfoothold.TheforemostareawhereCGisbeingusedtoitsmaximumisinentertainment.Intheearly1980s,LucasfilmsstartedthetrendwiththeirtrilogyStarWars,forwhichcomputerscientistsandartistsskilledin3Danimationwereusedtogeneratemuchofthespectaculareffectsseeninthesefilms.Morerecentlyin1995,PixarbecamethefirstproductionhousetogenerateanentiremovieusingonlycomputergraphicswithToyStory.MissLi:AsalesgirlinComputerTownMr.Zhang:AcomputerconsumerwhoknowslittleaboutcomputerLi:CanIhelpyou,Sir?TheforemostareawhereCGisbeingusedtoitsmaximumisinentertainment.Intheearly1980s,LucasfilmsstartedthetrendwiththeirtrilogyStarWars,forwhichcomputerscientistsandartistsskilledin3Danimationwereusedtogeneratemuchofthespectaculareffectsseeninthesefilms.Morerecentlyin1995,PixarbecamethefirstproductionhousetogenerateanentiremovieusingonlycomputergraphicswithToyStory.ComputergraphicsisnowusedinalmosteveryHollywoodmovie,suchasthedinosaursofJurassicPark,ormoresubtlecompositeeffectsasseeninForestGump.Theeffectsseeninfilmsaregoingtobecomemorewidespreadandmorerealisticasresearchintheareacontinues.Zhang:Yes.I’dliketobuyacomputer,butIknowlittleaboutit.Li:Doyoulikeabrandmachineoracompatiblemachine?TheFutureofComputerGraphics计算机专业英语ComputergraphicsisnowusedinalmosteveryHollywoodmovie,suchasthedinosaursofJurassicPark,ormoresubtlecompositeeffectsasseeninForestGump.Theeffectsseeninfilmsaregoingtobecomemorewidespreadandmorerealisticasresearchintheareacontinues.Virtualreality(orVRforshort)iskindofabuzzwordthesedaysincomputergraphics.VRisartificialrealitycreatedbyacomputerthatissoenvelopingthatitisperceivedbythemindasbeingtrulyreal.VRexistsinmanyforms.Atraditionalviewofvirtualrealityusesheadsetsanddatagloves.Theheadsetservesastheeyesandearstoyourvirtualworld,projectingsightsandsoundsgeneratedbythecomputer.MissLi:AsalesgirlinComputerTownMr.Zhang:AcomputerconsumerwhoknowslittleaboutcomputerLi:CanIhelpyou,Sir?TheforemostareawhereCGisbeingusedtoitsmaximumisinentertainment.Intheearly1980s,LucasfilmsstartedthetrendwiththeirtrilogyStarWars,forwhichcomputerscientistsandartistsskilledin3Danimationwereusedtogeneratemuchofthespectaculareffectsseeninthesefilms.Morerecentlyin1995,PixarbecamethefirstproductionhousetogenerateanentiremovieusingonlycomputergraphicswithToyStory.ComputergraphicsisnowusedinalmosteveryHollywoodmovie,suchasthedinosaursofJurassicPark,ormoresubtlecompositeeffectsasseeninForestGump.Theeffectsseeninfilmsaregoingtobecomemorewidespreadandmorerealisticasresearchintheareacontinues.Zhang:Yes.I’dliketobuyacomputer,butIknowlittleaboutit.Li:Doyoulikeabrandmachineoracompatiblemachine?TheFutureofComputerGraphics计算机专业英语Thedataglovebecomesyourhand,enablingyoutointeractwiththissimulatedworld.Asyoumoveyourheadaround,thecomputerwilltrackyourmotionanddisplaytherightimage.VRisthemostdemandingapplicationforcomputergraphics,requiringhardwareandsoftwarecapableofsupportingrealtime3Dgraphics.AtthemomentthemostVRisbeingusedtogenerateengulfingvideogamesandinterestingenvironments.TherealinterestofVRstemsfromthepotentialbenefittohumanity.VRisbeingusedtotrainpilotswiththeaidofflightsimulators.VRwillsomedayallowdoctorstotrainonvirtualhumanbodies,allowstudentstoexperimentwithnewideasandconcepts,andalsoletusexplorestrangenewplanets.Peoplewhocannotenjoytherealworldduetophysicalhandicapscangainpleasurefromenjoyingsimplepleasureslikeplayingagolfgameinavirtualworld.MissLi:AsalesgirlinComputerTownMr.Zhang:AcomputerconsumerwhoknowslittleaboutcomputerLi:CanIhelpyou,Sir?TheforemostareawhereCGisbeingusedtoitsmaximumisinentertainment.Intheearly1980s,LucasfilmsstartedthetrendwiththeirtrilogyStarWars,forwhichcomputerscientistsandartistsskilledin3Danimationwereusedtogeneratemuchofthespectaculareffectsseeninthesefilms.Morerecentlyin1995,PixarbecamethefirstproductionhousetogenerateanentiremovieusingonlycomputergraphicswithToyStory.ComputergraphicsisnowusedinalmosteveryHollywoodmovie,suchasthedinosaursofJurassicPark,ormoresubtlecompositeeffectsasseeninForestGump.Theeffectsseeninfilmsaregoingtobecomemorewidespreadandmorerealisticasresearchintheareacontinues.Zhang:Yes.I’dliketobuyacomputer,butIknowlittleaboutit.Li:Doyoulikeabrandmachineoracompatiblemachine?TheFutureofComputerGraphics计算机专业英语HospitalsandmedicalresearchlabsarerelyingmoreandmoreonCGtodisplayimagesofinternalorgansandtissues.Astechnologyprogresses,itwillsoonbepossiblefordoctorstoviewtheseorgansasholographicimages,asoftherealthingweresittinginfrontofthem.MedicalimagingsystemsareallbasedonCGfortheirfunctioning.ResearchlabsuseCGtosimulatemolecularstructuresofDNAandotherbodybuildinggenestoexploretheworkingsofourbodiesandtoexperimentwiththem.Inthiscomputer-simulatedworld,youaretheartistwithcompletecontroloveralltheelements:thelights,models,andthecamera.Basedonyourchoice,thecomputerwillgeneratethedesiredimageforyou.MissLi:AsalesgirlinComputerTownMr.Zhang:AcomputerconsumerwhoknowslittleaboutcomputerLi:CanIhelpyou,Sir?TheforemostareawhereCGisbeingusedtoitsmaximumisinentertainment.Intheearly1980s,LucasfilmsstartedthetrendwiththeirtrilogyStarWars,forwhichcomputerscientistsandartistsskilledin3Danimationwereusedtogeneratemuchofthespectaculareffectsseeninthesefilms.Morerecentlyin1995,PixarbecamethefirstproductionhousetogenerateanentiremovieusingonlycomputergraphicswithToyStory.ComputergraphicsisnowusedinalmosteveryHollywoodmovie,suchasthedinosaursofJurassicPark,ormoresubtlecompositeeffectsasseeninForestGump.Theeffectsseeninfilmsaregoingtobecomemorewidespreadandmorerealisticasresearchintheareacontinues.Zhang:Yes.I’dliketobuyacomputer,butIknowlittleaboutit.Li:Doyoulikeabrandmachineoracompatiblemachine?GeneralFeaturesofOperatingSystems计算机专业英语Anoperatingsystemisamastercontrolprogramwhichcontrolsthefunctionsofthecomputersystemasawholeandtherunningofapplicationprograms.Allcomputersdonotusethesameoperatingsystems.Itisthereforeimportanttoassesstheoperatingsystemsusedonaparticularmodelbeforeinitialcommitmentbecausesomesoftwareisonlydesignedtorununderthecontrolofspecificoperatingsystems.Someoperatingsystemsareadoptedas“industrystandards”andthesearetheoneswhichshouldbeevaluatedbecausetheynormallyhaveagoodsoftwarebase.Thereasonforthisisthatsoftwarehousesarewillingtoexpandresourcesonthedevelopmentofapplicationpackagesformachinesfunctioningunderthecontrolofanoperatingsystemwhichiswidelyused.thecostofsoftwareislikelytobelowerinsuchcircumstancesasthedevelopmentcostsarespreadoveragreaternumberofusers,bothactualandpotential.

MissLi:AsalesgirlinComputerTownMr.Zhang:AcomputerconsumerwhoknowslittleaboutcomputerLi:CanIhelpyou,Sir?TheforemostareawhereCGisbeingusedtoitsmaximumisinentertainment.Intheearly1980s,LucasfilmsstartedthetrendwiththeirtrilogyStarWars,forwhichcomputerscientistsandartistsskilledin3Danimationwereusedtogeneratemuchofthespectaculareffectsseeninthesefilms.Morerecentlyin1995,PixarbecamethefirstproductionhousetogenerateanentiremovieusingonlycomputergraphicswithToyStory.ComputergraphicsisnowusedinalmosteveryHollywoodmovie,suchasthedinosaursofJurassicPark,ormoresubtlecompositeeffectsasseeninForestGump.Theeffectsseeninfilmsaregoingtobecomemorewidespreadandmorerealisticasresearchintheareacontinues.Zhang:Yes.I’dliketobuyacomputer,butIknowlittleaboutit.Li:Doyoulikeabrandmachineoracompatiblemachine?GeneralFeaturesofOperatingSystems计算机专业英语Mainframecomputersusuallyprocessseveralapplicationprogramsconcurrently,switchingfromonetotheother,forthepurposeofincreasingprocessingproductivity.Thisisknownasmultiprogramming(multi-taskinginthecontextofmicrocomputers),whichrequiresapowerfuloperatingsystemincorporationworkschedulingfacilitiestocontroltheswitchingbetweenprograms.Thisentailsreadingindataforoneprogramwhiletheprocessorisperformingcomputationsonanotherandprintingourresultsonnetanother.

Inmulti-userenvironmentanoperatingsystemisrequiredtocontrolterminaloperationsonasharedaccessbasisasonlyoneusercanaccessthesystematanymomentoftime.Suchsystemsalsorequireasystemforrecordlockingandunlocking,topreventoneuserattemptingtoreadarecordwhileanotheruserisupdatingit,forinstance.Thefirstuserisallocatedcontroltowritetoarecord(orfileinsomeinstances)andotherusersaredeniedaccessuntiltherecordisupdatedandunlocked.

MissLi:AsalesgirlinComputerTownMr.Zhang:AcomputerconsumerwhoknowslittleaboutcomputerLi:CanIhelpyou,Sir?TheforemostareawhereCGisbeingusedtoitsmaximumisinentertainment.Intheearly1980s,LucasfilmsstartedthetrendwiththeirtrilogyStarWars,forwhichcomputerscientistsandartistsskilledin3Danimationwereusedtogeneratemuchofthespectaculareffectsseeninthesefilms.Morerecentlyin1995,PixarbecamethefirstproductionhousetogenerateanentiremovieusingonlycomputergraphicswithToyStory.ComputergraphicsisnowusedinalmosteveryHollywoodmovie,suchasthedinosaursofJurassicPark,ormoresubtlecompositeeffectsasseeninForestGump.Theeffectsseeninfilmsaregoingtobecomemorewidespreadandmorerealisticasresearchintheareacontinues.Zhang:Yes.I’dliketobuyacomputer,butIknowlittleaboutit.Li:Doyoulikeabrandmachineoracompatiblemachine?GeneralFeaturesofOperatingSystems计算机专业英语Thefirstuserisallocatedcontroltowritetoarecord(orfileinsomeinstances)andotherusersaredeniedaccessuntiltherecordisupdatedandunlocked.

Someenvironmentsoperateinconcurrentbatchandreal-timemode.Thismeansthata“background”jobdealswithroutinebatchprocessingwhilstthe‘foreground’jobdealswithreal-timeoperationssuchasairlineseatreservations,on-linelookingofhotelaccommodation,orcontrolofwarehousestacks,etc..thereal-timeoperationhaspriority,andtheoperationsysteminterruptsbatchprocessingoperationtodealwithreal-timeenquiriesorfileupdates.Thestageofbatchprocessingattainedatthetimeoftheinterruptistemporarilytransferredtobackingstorage.Afterthereal-timeoperationhasbeendealtwith,theinterruptedprogramistransferredbacktointernalmemoryfrombackingstorage,andprocessingrecommencesfroma“restart”point.Theoperatingsystemalsocopiestodiskbackingstoragethestateofthereal-timesystemeveryfewminutestoprovideameansof“recovering”thesystemintheeventofamalfunction.MissLi:AsalesgirlinComputerTownMr.Zhang:AcomputerconsumerwhoknowslittleaboutcomputerLi:CanIhelpyou,Sir