Comparing Computer Types

a) Match these names to the different types of computer:

a

b) Study these details of different types of computer. Find the answers to these questions:

Which type of computer is:

1 the most common?

2 small enough for a pocket?

3 the most common portable?

4 used by many people at the same time?

5 used like mainframes?

6 also called a handheld computer?

7 the most powerful?

8 not suitable for a lot of typing?

c) Grammar Revision: Comparison

Study this comparison of three types of computer.

1 We can compare one type of computer with another:

Minicomputers are bigger than microcomputers.

Mainframes are more expensive than microcomputers.

For negative comparisons, we can say:

Microcomputers are not as big as minicomputers.

Microcomputers are not as powerful as mainframes.

2 We can compare mainframes to all other types of computer:

Mainframes are the biggest computers.

Mainframes are the most powerful computers.

Mainframes are the most expensive computers.

With short adjectives (big, small, fast), we add -er and -est (faster, fastest).

With longer adjectives (powerful, expensive), we use more/less and the most/the least before the adjective (more powerful, the most powerful).

Remember these two exceptions:

good - better - the best bad - worse - the worst

d) Choose the correct adjective. Then fill in the gaps with the correct form of the adjective:

1 light/heavy

Laptops are 1___ than desktop computers, but 2___ than notebooks.

2 large/small

The mainframe is the 3___type of computer. A minicomputer is 4___ than a microcomputer.

3 common/good

Personal computers are 5___ than mainframes but mainframes are 6___ than personal computers at processing very large amounts of data.

4 powerful/expensive

Minicomputers are 7___than mainframes but they are also 8___.

5 fast/cheap

New computers are 9___ and sometimes 10___than older machines.

6 powerful/expensive

Laptops are often 11___ than PCs but they are not as 12___.

e) In pairs, decide what sort of computer is best for each of these users:

1 John Wilmott is a salesperson and he spends a lot of time visiting customers. He wants a computer to carry with him so he can access data about his customers and record his sales.

2 Pat Nye is a personnel officer. She needs a computer to keep staff records and to keep a diary of appointments. She also needs a computer for writing letters.

3 The University of the North needs a computer to look after its accounts, its network, the records of all students and staff, and to help with scientific research.

4 The James family want a computer for entertainment, writing letters, the Internet, and for calculating tax.

f) Put the words in brackets into the correct form to make an accurate description of sizes of computers:

There are different types of computer. The (large)1___ and (powerful) 2___ are mainframe computers. Minicomputers are (small) 3__ _ than mainframes but are still very powerful. Microcomputers are small enough to sit on a desk. They are the (common) 4__ _ type of computer. They are usually (powerful) 5 ___ than minicomputers.

Portable computers are (small) 6__ _ than desktops. The (large) 7___ portable is a laptop. (Small) 8___ portables, about the size of a piece of writing paper, are called notebook computers. Subnotebooks are (small) 9___ than notebooks. You can hold the (small)10___ computers in one hand. They are called handheld computers or palmtop computers.