CONTENTS Acknowledgements..................................................................................... 11 Instead of Foreword ................................................................................... 13 Unit 1: Informatics 1.1. Zooming in on Facts: An Introduction to Informatics .......................... 15 1.2. Focusing on Language: The Imperative................................................ 21 1.3. Zooming in on Facts: Informatics – An In-Depth Analysis.................. 24 1.4. Building Communication Skills: Writing an Argumentative Essay ..... 30 Unit 2: The Age of (R)evolution in a Computer-Oriented World 2.1. Zooming in on Facts: IT Related Issues and Curiosities ...................... 34 2.2. Focusing on Language: The Indicative – The Present Tense, The Past Tense, The Present Perfect, and The Past Perfect Tense ....................... 36 2.3. Zooming in on Facts: Virtual Reality v.s. Augmented Reality ............. 58 2.4. Focusing on Language: The Indicative – The Future Tense ................. 63 2.5. Building Communication Skills: Presentations I .................................. 69 Unit 3: Computers and Computer Systems – The Machine, Its Parts and Its Programmes 3.1.Zooming in on Facts: Computers .......................................................... 82 3.2. Focusing on Language: Nouns .............................................................. 83 3.3. Zooming in on Facts: Software and Hardware Quality ...................... 104 3.4. Focusing on Language: Articles ......................................................... 107 3.5. Building Communication Skills: Presentations II ............................... 118 Unit 4: The Internet 4.1. Zooming in on Facts: The Idea of the Internet.................................... 120 4.2. Focusing on Language: Quantifiers and Demonstratives ................... 121 4.3. Zooming in on Facts: Being Online .................................................... 127 4.4. Focusing on Language: Pronouns and Numerals ................................ 129 4.5. Building Communication Skills: Agendas and Teleconferences ........ 141 8 Unit 5: Networking 5.1. Zooming in on Facts: Computer Networks ......................................... 147 5.2. Zooming in on Facts: Data Mining ..................................................... 149 5.3. Focusing on Language: Adjectives ..................................................... 154 5.4. Zooming in on Facts: Cloud Computing and Services ....................... 165 5.5. Zooming in on Facts: Social Networks ............................................... 170 5.6. Focusing on Language: Adverbs......................................................... 176 5.7. Building Communication Skills: E-mails I ......................................... 185 Unit 6: Multimedia 6.1. Zooming in on Facts: Defining Multimedia ....................................... 188 6.2. Focusing on Language: Modal Verbs – Part I .................................... 192 6.3. Zooming in on Facts: Today’s Multimedia......................................... 211 6.4. Focusing on Language: Modal Verbs – Part II ................................... 214 6.5. Building Communication Skills: E-mails II........................................ 239 Unit 7: Playing It Safe or Taking Risks? 7.1. Zooming in on Facts: Is Risk a Step Forward? ................................... 245 7.2. Focusing on Language: Questions ...................................................... 248 7.3. Zooming in on Facts: Understanding the Importance of Security and Health .................................................................................................. 263 7.4. Focusing on Language: Negatives ...................................................... 281 7.5. Building Communication Skills: Small Talk and Other Conversations .. 286 Unit 8: ICT 8.1. Zooming in on Facts: Using the Computer and the Internet ............... 290 8.2. Focusing on Language: Direct and Reported Speech ......................... 305 8.3. Building Communication Skills: Writing the Minutes of a Meeting .. 316 Unit 9: Students in Informatics 9.1. Zooming in on Facts: IT Students and Professors .............................. 319 9.2. Focusing on Language: The Subjunctive Mood ................................. 321 9.3. Zooming in on Facts: Things Every IT Student Should Know .......... 332 9.4. Focusing on Language: The Conditional Mood ................................. 342 9.5. Building Communication Skills: Writing a Dissertation .................... 359 Unit 10: The IT Business World 10.1. Zooming in on Facts: Software Services Companies v.s. Software Products Companies............................................................................ 365 10.2. Focusing on Language: The Infinitive .............................................. 369 10.3. Zooming in on Facts: Hardware Companies..................................... 375 9 10.4. Focusing on Language: The ING Verb Forms .................................. 378 10.5. Building Communication Skills: Writing Documents ...................... 392 Unit 11: Careers 11.1. Zooming in on Facts: Typical Jobs in IT .......................................... 401 11.2. Focusing on Language: The Passive Voice – Part I .......................... 406 11.3. Zooming in on Facts: The Newest Jobs in IT ................................... 417 11.4. Focusing on Language: The Passive Voice – Part II ........................ 423 11.5. Building Communication Skills: The CV and The Cover Letter...... 431 Unit 12: Philosophical and Sociological Perspectives on the Computer World 12.1. Zooming in on Facts: Thinking Patterns ........................................... 437 12.2. Focusing on Language: Relative Clauses ......................................... 446 12.3. Zooming in on Facts: Culture (Corporate Behaviour, Work Mentality, Social Aspects, and Sharing Concept) .............................................. 453 12.4. Focusing on Language: Conjunctions and Linking Phrases ............ 455 12.5. Building Communication Skills: Emotional and Social Intelligence, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, and Creative Approaches ........ 466 Bibliography ............................................................................................. 471