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Computer applications on Railways
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Computers and other electronic devices play an increasingly important part in railroad operations.
Computerized systems facilitate the management of rail yards1 where freight trains are sorted and assembled. The signaling and switching2 functions of classification yards are controlled by computers. Electronic scanners read color-coded identification labels2 on all freight cars entering a yard and relay the information to computers that assign the cars to the proper track.
Automation is also adopted by many passenger rail lines. In a number of systems, automatic equipment is used so extensively that the function of the train driver is limited to simple on and off operations during station stops. Since commands from automatic controls are continuously fed to other automatic mechanisms in response to information collected by sensors strategically positioned on the engine and track, human control of the engine is only required in an emergency.
An impressive example of automated rail transportation is the Bay Area Rapid Transit4 (BART) system serving the San Francisco-Oakland area of California. BART consists of more than 75 miles of track and about 100 trains operating between 33 stations at peak hours. Both the operation of trains and ticketing of passengers are fully automated. As a train enters a station, it automatically transmits its identification and destination to the control center and to a display board for passengers to see. The control center, in turn, sends signals to the train that regulate its time in the station and its running time to the next destination. An ideal schedule is established every morning and, as the day progresses, the performance of each train is compared with that schedule. The performances of individual trains are then adjusted as required. The entire BART system is controlled by essentially one computer. There is an identical backup computer that can assume control if necessary.
Notes: 1(classification) yard – сортировочная станция;
2switching – маневровая работа;
3color-coded identification label – опознавательная бирка с цветовым кодированием;
4BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) – БАРТ ("Скоростная система Зоны залива") Система метрополитена в городах Сан-Франциско и Окленд.
Ex. 49. Write a summary of the text. Make use of the following phrases:
• The title of the text under review is …
• The text gives us (a sort of, detailed, interesting, etc.) information about …
• The subject matter of the text is that …
• At the beginning, the author describes (explains, touches upon, analyses, comments, characterizes, underlines) …
• As far as I can understand, …
• Then (after that; further on; next) the author passes on to (gives a detailed description; goes on to say that) …
• The text pays special attention to …
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• According to the author,...
• To finish with, the author describes …
• I find the text rather interesting (important, disputable, informative, etc.) because …
• I agree (disagree) with the author that …
• I might as well add that …
• The text will be useful for those who take interest in …
• In conclusion, I'd like to …
UNIT THREE TYPES OF COMPUTERS
Ex. 1. Practice the reading of the following words and phrases:
automatically, component, result, microchip, microscopic, fundamentally, specialized, hydrodynamics, aerodynamics, mechanical, chemical, rotation, abbreviation, transform, synonymous, function, technique, evolution, resource, to code, to decode;
analog computer, hybrid computer, mathematical operation, logical operation, automobile speedometer, musical note, electronic calculator, university computing center, temperature of absolute zero, global climate.
Ex. 2. Revise the following words and phrases from your school active vocabulary:
to differ, to connect, to limit, to tune, to describe, to decide; decision, job, letter, brain, mind, plant, size, shape; different, each, nowadays, generally, even, however, simply, unfortunately, still, both, although, without.
Ex. 3. Memorize the following words.
| 1. series – ряд, последовательность Syn:sequence 2. to accept – принимать 3. reason – причина 4. to convert – преобразовывать, конвертировать conversion – преобразование, превращение 5. pressure – давление 6. voltage – (электрическое) напряжение 7. to manipulate – 1) управлять, манипулировать; 2) обрабатывать Syn: to handle 8. field – 1) поле; 2) область, сфера (деятельности) 9. to measure – измерять, мерить measure – мера to take measures – принимать меры measurement – 1) измерение; 2) pl. размеры 10. to monitor – контролировать, управлять, проверять 11. capacity – 1) объём, ёмкость; 2) возможность, способность 12. to transfer – передавать, переносить Syn: to transmit 13. frequency – частота 14. to represent– изображать, представлять representation – представление, изображение 15. to power– приводить в действие power – 1) мощность, энергия; 2) способность, возможность 16. to equip – оборудовать (with – чем-л.) equipment– оборудование 17. to exchange – обменивать(ся) 18. character– символ, знак 19. to entertain – занимать, развлекать entertainment – развлечение; развлекательное мероприятие 20. to require – требовать required– необходимый, обязательный, требуемый requirement – требование, необходимое условие to meet requirements – отвечать требованиям 21. to move –двигать(ся), перемещать(ся) movement – движение, перемещение 22. to share – разделять, совместно (коллективно) использовать, sharing –совместное использование, коллективный доступ 23. to improve – улучшать, усовершенствовать improvement– улучшение, усовершенствование 24. to achieve – достигать achievement –достижение |
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