Lesson 3. Motherboard

I. Read and memorize the following words:

to attach – присоединять

to reside – постоянно находиться

to enable – позволять, делать возможным

to mediate – посредничать

chipset – набор микросхем

to handle – обрабатывать

firmware – встроенное программное обеспечение

boot – самозагрузка; выполнять начальную загрузку

heat sink – радиатор

fan – вентилятор

controller – контроллер, устройство управления, диспетчер

additional core features – дополнительные основные особенности

bus – шина, магистральная шина

internal bus – внутренняя шина

external bus controller – контроллер внешней шины

 

II. Read and translate the text.

A motherboard is the central printed circuit board (PCB) in some complex electronic systems, such as modern personal computers. The motherboard is sometimes alternatively known as the main board, system board, or, on Apple computers, the logic board. It is also sometimes casually shortened to “mobo”.

The motherboard is the “body” of the computer. Components directly attached to the motherboard include CPU, chips, RAM, BIOS, buses and bus controllers.

The central processing unitperforms most of the calculations which enable a computer to function, and is sometimes referred to as the “brain’ of the computer. It is usually cooled by a heat sink and fan.

All the chips that reside on the motherboard are known as the chipset. The chipsetmediates communication between the CPU and the other components of the system, including main memory.

RAM stores all running processes (applications) and the current running OS. RAM Stands for Random Access Memory.

The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)includes boot firmware and power management. Operating system drivers handle the B asic I nput O utput S ystem tasks.

Internal Buses connect the CPU to various internal components and to expansion cards for graphics and sound.

External Bus Controllers support ports for external peripherals. These ports may be controlled directly by the Southbridge I/O controller or are based on expansion cards attached to the motherboard through the PCI bus (see the scheme of a typical chipset layout).

On most PCs, it is possible to add memory chips directly to the motherboard. You may also be able to upgrade to a faster PC by replacing the CPU chip. To add additional core features, you may need to replace the motherboard entirely.

Notes

Southbridge controller – Южный мост, контроллер-концентратор ввода-вывода (в отличие от Northbridge controller – северный мост, контроллер-концентратор памяти). Названия можно объяснить представлением архитектуры чипсета в виде карты. Процессор располагается на вершине карты, на севере. Соединен с остальной частью материнской платы через согласующий интерфейс и южный мост.

 

III. Give the English equivalents.

Circuit board, complex, electronic systems, motherboard, logic board, calculations, chipset, controller, to mediate, bus, external peripherals, Southbridge controller, external bus controller, printed circuit board.

 

IV. Think of ways in which you can explain the following abbreviations. Translate them into Russian.

a) PCB; b) CPU; c) OS; d) RAM; e) PCI bus; f) BIOS

 

V. Review the text, find the key words or phrases in each passage and use them to summarise the text.

VI. Find some additional information and write short reports about:

a) Bus controllers; b) Basic Input /Output Systems