Unit 5: The Magic Computer

Click or select any word to translate.

Word List

  • adv. If you do something awhile, you do it for a short time.
    Wait here awhile, and I'll bring some tea.
  • n. Cyberspace is the imaginary place on the Internet where activities occur.
    I didn't receive your email. It probably got lost in cyberspace.
  • v. To edit means to correct a piece of writing so that it is suitable to be published.
    She asked her brother to edit her paper before she submitted it to her teacher.
  • n. An essay is a short piece of writing on a certain subject.
    She had to write a two-page essay for her English class.
  • v. To evaluate something means to study it, so a decision can be made.
    Jo and Ken evaluated the plan and agreed that it would work.
  • v. To faint means to go unconscious and fall down.
    Carol fainted because she hadn't eaten in over a day.
  • adj. If something is global, it happens all around the world.
    Pollution is a global problem.
  • n. A gymnasium is a building with equipment that you can use to get exercise.
    When I go to the gymnasium, I use the treadmill for twenty minutes.
  • v. To highlight something means to mark it with a color so that it is easy to see.
    I read my vocabulary list and highlighted the most difficult words.
  • adj. If someone is ignorant about something, they have no knowledge about it.
    I'm a bit ignorant about his theories. Can you explain them to me?
  • n. An index is a list of words at the end of a book that gives information.
    If you look in the index, you'll find the right page number.
  • n. A lecture is a long, educational speech.
    His lecture on world hunger was very informative.
  • n. A moral is a message at the end of a story that teaches you something.
    At the end of the story, the mother explained the moral to her children.
  • v. To operate means to work or function.
    I'm sorry, but the trains are not operating today.
  • adj. If something is private, it is only used by one person or group.
    Don't look at my diary! It's private!
  • adj. When something is recent, it happened a short time ago.
    I did not know what had caused his recent behavior.
  • n. A resolution is a personal decision.
    At New Year, I made a list of resolutions to help me have a better year.
  • n. A semester is a portion of a school year.
    Jack is in his second semester of college.
  • adj. If something is typewritten, it is written on a computer or typewriter.
    This is an important, formal project and must be typewritten.
  • adj. When something is weird, it is very strange.
    My best friend's dad is a bit weird.

 

Exercise

A ‣ Write the word that best fits each blank.

  1. cyberspace / operate
    If you know how to _____ a computer, you can get access to _____.
  2. recent / global
    A _____ study shows that _____ hunger is a very big problem.
  3. weird / ignorant
    My mom is completely _____ about computers. She thinks that email and chat rooms are _____ ways to spend one's time.
  4. essays / edit
    Joe has the ability to write great _____. His writing is so good that he never has to _____ his work.
  5. semester / index
    The report is due at the end of the _____. You should look in the _____ to see if this book will help you with the report.
  6. fainted / lecture
    Our teacher _____ while she was giving us a _____ about health!
  7. highlighted / typewritten
    Jennifer's notes are very neat! They are _____, and she has _____ the most important parts with a green pen.
  8. gymnasium / resolution
    I made a _____ to go to the _____ more often to improve my health.
  9. moral / awhile
    The _____ of the story is that you should think _____ before saying anything that might hurt someone.
  10. evaluated / private
    We _____ the company, and our suggestions are written in this _____ document.

 

B ‣ Match the phrases to make complete sentences.

  1. The team evaluated _____.
    • a. are getting worse
    • b. aren't as important as real friends
    • c. about birds
    • d. is halfway through the school year
    • e. to be nicer to people
    • f. to eat less chocolate
    • g. the success of the project
    • h. with a yellow pen
    • i. this large machine
    • j. ate soup with a knife
  2. The moral of the story is _____.
    • a. are getting worse
    • b. aren't as important as real friends
    • c. about birds
    • d. is halfway through the school year
    • e. to be nicer to people
    • f. to eat less chocolate
    • g. the success of the project
    • h. with a yellow pen
    • i. this large machine
    • j. ate soup with a knife
  3. The global economic problems _____.
    • a. are getting worse
    • b. aren't as important as real friends
    • c. about birds
    • d. is halfway through the school year
    • e. to be nicer to people
    • f. to eat less chocolate
    • g. the success of the project
    • h. with a yellow pen
    • i. this large machine
    • j. ate soup with a knife
  4. Joe operates _____.
    • a. are getting worse
    • b. aren't as important as real friends
    • c. about birds
    • d. is halfway through the school year
    • e. to be nicer to people
    • f. to eat less chocolate
    • g. the success of the project
    • h. with a yellow pen
    • i. this large machine
    • j. ate soup with a knife
  5. We went to a lecture _____.
    • a. are getting worse
    • b. aren't as important as real friends
    • c. about birds
    • d. is halfway through the school year
    • e. to be nicer to people
    • f. to eat less chocolate
    • g. the success of the project
    • h. with a yellow pen
    • i. this large machine
    • j. ate soup with a knife
  6. The friends you meet in cyberspace _____.
    • a. are getting worse
    • b. aren't as important as real friends
    • c. about birds
    • d. is halfway through the school year
    • e. to be nicer to people
    • f. to eat less chocolate
    • g. the success of the project
    • h. with a yellow pen
    • i. this large machine
    • j. ate soup with a knife
  7. The weird kid at school _____.
    • a. are getting worse
    • b. aren't as important as real friends
    • c. about birds
    • d. is halfway through the school year
    • e. to be nicer to people
    • f. to eat less chocolate
    • g. the success of the project
    • h. with a yellow pen
    • i. this large machine
    • j. ate soup with a knife
  8. You should highlight these words _____.
    • a. are getting worse
    • b. aren't as important as real friends
    • c. about birds
    • d. is halfway through the school year
    • e. to be nicer to people
    • f. to eat less chocolate
    • g. the success of the project
    • h. with a yellow pen
    • i. this large machine
    • j. ate soup with a knife
  9. I made a resolution _____.
    • a. are getting worse
    • b. aren't as important as real friends
    • c. about birds
    • d. is halfway through the school year
    • e. to be nicer to people
    • f. to eat less chocolate
    • g. the success of the project
    • h. with a yellow pen
    • i. this large machine
    • j. ate soup with a knife
  10. The end of the first semester _____.
    • a. are getting worse
    • b. aren't as important as real friends
    • c. about birds
    • d. is halfway through the school year
    • e. to be nicer to people
    • f. to eat less chocolate
    • g. the success of the project
    • h. with a yellow pen
    • i. this large machine
    • j. ate soup with a knife

 

C ‣ Match the clauses to make complete sentences.

  1. I wanted to get fit _____.
    • a. it's private
    • b. so I looked under "V" in the index
    • c. but he helped me edit it
    • d. you wait here awhile
    • e. so I went to the gymnasium
    • f. so you should find a more recent one
    • g. so I wrote an essay about rocks
    • h. because my essay has to be typewritten
    • i. if someone faints
    • j. because he's ignorant about math
  2. Geology is my favorite subject, _____.
    • a. it's private
    • b. so I looked under "V" in the index
    • c. but he helped me edit it
    • d. you wait here awhile
    • e. so I went to the gymnasium
    • f. so you should find a more recent one
    • g. so I wrote an essay about rocks
    • h. because my essay has to be typewritten
    • i. if someone faints
    • j. because he's ignorant about math
  3. My paper was full of mistakes, _____.
    • a. it's private
    • b. so I looked under "V" in the index
    • c. but he helped me edit it
    • d. you wait here awhile
    • e. so I went to the gymnasium
    • f. so you should find a more recent one
    • g. so I wrote an essay about rocks
    • h. because my essay has to be typewritten
    • i. if someone faints
    • j. because he's ignorant about math
  4. My brother couldn't help me with my math homework _____.
    • a. it's private
    • b. so I looked under "V" in the index
    • c. but he helped me edit it
    • d. you wait here awhile
    • e. so I went to the gymnasium
    • f. so you should find a more recent one
    • g. so I wrote an essay about rocks
    • h. because my essay has to be typewritten
    • i. if someone faints
    • j. because he's ignorant about math
  5. In the first-aid class, we learned what to do _____.
    • a. it's private
    • b. so I looked under "V" in the index
    • c. but he helped me edit it
    • d. you wait here awhile
    • e. so I went to the gymnasium
    • f. so you should find a more recent one
    • g. so I wrote an essay about rocks
    • h. because my essay has to be typewritten
    • i. if someone faints
    • j. because he's ignorant about math
  6. I wanted to find some information about volcanoes, _____.
    • a. it's private
    • b. so I looked under "V" in the index
    • c. but he helped me edit it
    • d. you wait here awhile
    • e. so I went to the gymnasium
    • f. so you should find a more recent one
    • g. so I wrote an essay about rocks
    • h. because my essay has to be typewritten
    • i. if someone faints
    • j. because he's ignorant about math
  7. That copy of the text book is too old, _____.
    • a. it's private
    • b. so I looked under "V" in the index
    • c. but he helped me edit it
    • d. you wait here awhile
    • e. so I went to the gymnasium
    • f. so you should find a more recent one
    • g. so I wrote an essay about rocks
    • h. because my essay has to be typewritten
    • i. if someone faints
    • j. because he's ignorant about math
  8. I need a computer _____.
    • a. it's private
    • b. so I looked under "V" in the index
    • c. but he helped me edit it
    • d. you wait here awhile
    • e. so I went to the gymnasium
    • f. so you should find a more recent one
    • g. so I wrote an essay about rocks
    • h. because my essay has to be typewritten
    • i. if someone faints
    • j. because he's ignorant about math
  9. I'll get some tea if _____.
    • a. it's private
    • b. so I looked under "V" in the index
    • c. but he helped me edit it
    • d. you wait here awhile
    • e. so I went to the gymnasium
    • f. so you should find a more recent one
    • g. so I wrote an essay about rocks
    • h. because my essay has to be typewritten
    • i. if someone faints
    • j. because he's ignorant about math
  10. You mustn't tell anyone this information; _____.
    • a. it's private
    • b. so I looked under "V" in the index
    • c. but he helped me edit it
    • d. you wait here awhile
    • e. so I went to the gymnasium
    • f. so you should find a more recent one
    • g. so I wrote an essay about rocks
    • h. because my essay has to be typewritten
    • i. if someone faints
    • j. because he's ignorant about math

 

The Magic Computer

I had a difficult geography project to finish by the end of the semester. My teacher wanted it to be typewritten, so I went to the school computer room. But when I got there, all the computers were turned off. Apparently, there was a recent problem, and technicians were fixing it.

I knew of some private study rooms downstairs. They were small and dark, and the computers were very old, but I had no choice. At least the computers were operating correctly. I typed and highlighted the assignment's title: "Evaluate the Government's Response to Global Warming." But I didn't know what to write in my essay. Finally, I decided to find a book to help me. I went to the library, checked the book indexes, and eventually found a useful book. Then, I returned to the computer.

When I looked at the screen, I saw something so weird that I nearly fainted! The essay was complete! Had somebody in cyberspace written it? I didn't know, but I was very happy. I printed it out and handed it in. I got an "A."

After that, I used the computer for all my assignments. I'd type the title, wait awhile, and the computer would do it. Every assignment was perfect; I never had to edit anything. I stopped paying attention to my teacher's lectures and spent my extra time in the gymnasium. And my grades got better and better.

A month later, I was walking into class when my friend said, "Are you prepared for the test?"

"What test?" I asked.

"The geography test!” he replied. "I hope you studied. It's worth 70 percent of our final grade!"

I failed the test, of course. I was completely ignorant about the subject. After that, I made a resolution never to use the magic computer again. The moral of this story is that if you cheat at school, you won't learn anything.

 

Reading Comprehension

Part A: Mark each statement T for true or F for false. Rewrite the false statements to make them true.

  1. _____ The computers were turned off because there was a recent problem.
    __________
  2. _____ The private study rooms were upstairs.
    __________
  3. _____ The computers in the private study rooms weren't operating correctly.
    __________
  4. _____ In his project, the student had to evaluate the government's response to global warming.
    __________
  5. _____ The geography test was worth 50 percent of the final grade.
    __________
  6. _____ The student failed the test because he was completely ignorant about the subject.
    __________

 

Part B: Answer the questions.

  1. What is the passage about?
    • a. School facilities
    • b. Old vs. new computers
    • c. Cheating on an assignment
    • d. Research topics
  2. What was the project about?
    _____
  3. Where did the student spend his free time?
    _____

 

Answer Key

Leave a comment

Name
Comments
Comments

Load more