children using tablets

Read about computers then do the exercises to help you practise your reading in English.

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Do the preparation exercise first. Then read the text and do the other exercises.

Reading text

Boy playing game on tablet

Computers can do lots of jobs. They can do maths, store information, or play music. You can use a computer to write or to play games. What do you know about the history of computers?

The first computers were very big. They were the size of a room! They were so big that people didn't have them at home. Early computers could also only do simple maths, like a calculator. In the 1930s Alan Turing had the idea for a computer you could program to do different things.

In 1958 Jack Kilby invented the microchip. Microchips are tiny but can store lots of information. They helped make computers smaller. In the 1970s computers were smaller and cheaper so people started to use them at home. In the 1980s computer games were very popular. Lots of people bought computers just to play games.

In 1989 Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, which is a way to organise information on the internet. Now people all over the world can look for and share information on websites.

Today people can use smartphones to play games, email and go on the internet. In the past a simple computer was the size of a room. Now it can go in your pocket!

Fun facts

  • More than 5 billion people use the internet!
  • More than 300 billion emails are sent every day!
  • The first computer mouse was made of wood!

Discussion

What do you use computers for? Tell us about it!

Average: 3.4 (18 votes)

Submitted by LadyFarmTelephone on Mon, 12/02/2024 - 23:51

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I use my computer for study and play roblox

Submitted by ProfessorPhara… on Sat, 25/03/2023 - 11:09

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I use my computer for making videos, playing games and zoom meetings. 😎

Submitted by AgentRadio70 on Fri, 02/09/2022 - 11:34

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I use my computer to watch videos on youtube and record videos, to attend online classes, make music and to programme new games.

Submitted by NeverFridayStarfish on Tue, 14/12/2021 - 13:01

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I use my computer for zoom meeting, playing games, and communication

Submitted by BlueJewel7 on Fri, 02/07/2021 - 13:50

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I use computer to attend my online class, do homework and watch Youtube videos, etc.

Submitted by DivingPop2 on Wed, 05/05/2021 - 18:41

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I play computer games, do homework and watch Youtube videos.

Submitted by RubyCushionGarden on Mon, 31/08/2020 - 08:22

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I use my computer to study English and math, I love both of them.

Submitted by GreenRose300 on Fri, 26/06/2020 - 19:25

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I use computer to learn English, do my home works, and to send messages(or emails)to my friends and teachers :) I sometime use this one to play online, but no often!

Submitted by LadyRavenAngel on Tue, 31/03/2020 - 12:34

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I use the computer to study and play games.

Submitted by PrincessTwilight2 on Mon, 30/03/2020 - 13:25

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I use computers for whaching movies and videos,for studing and playng games.

Submitted by CaptainAstrona… on Fri, 27/03/2020 - 06:29

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I use them for gaming, most Roblox, watch YouTube videos, learn, and making website

Submitted by DJGrasshopperH… on Tue, 04/02/2020 - 08:07

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I use them for gaming, most Minecraft or Roblox, and I also create and watch YouTube videos

Submitted by TiredOpal8 on Tue, 24/12/2019 - 12:57

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I use my computer for studying and for watching youtube videos. I also use my computer to play games.

Submitted by BlueSong80 on Sat, 28/09/2019 - 23:39

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I use my computer to watch videos, play games and learn English

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