The mouse

A mouse is a hand-held device that lets you move a pointer (or cursor) and select items on the screen. It has one or more buttons to communicate with the PC. A scroll wheel lets you move through your documents or web pages. The pointer looks like an I-bar, an arrow or a pointing hand.

An optical mouse has anoptical sensor instead of a ball underneath.

A cordless (wireless) mouse has no cable; it sends data via infrared signals or radio waves.

Mouse actions:

■ to click, press and release the left button.

■ to double-click, press and release the left button twice.

■ to drag, hold down the button, move the pointer to a new place and then release the button.

■ to right-click, press and release the right button; this action displays alist of commands.

Voice input

Today you can also interact with your computer by voice with a voice-recognition system that converts voice into text, so you can dictate text directly onto your word processor or email program. You can also control your PC with voice commands; this means you can launch programs, open, save or print files. Some systems let you search the Web or chat using your voice instead of the keyboard.

II. Which input device would you use for these tasks?

1 to play computer games

2 to copy images from paper into a computer

3 to read price labels in a shop

4 to select text and click on links on web pages

5 to enter drawings and sketches into a computer

6 to input voice commands and dictate text

7 to draw pictures or select menu options directly on the screen

8 to take and store pictures and then download them to a computer

III. Complete each sentence by choosing from the following devices: touch screen, trackball, touchpad, webcam.

1. A................................is a stationary device that works like a mouse turned upside down.

You roll the ball with your hand to move the pointer on the screen.

2. Interactive................................are used in museums, information centres and Internet kiosks.

You use your finger to point directly to objects on the screen.

3. A................................is used to send live video images via the Internet.

4. A................................is found on notebook PCs. You use it by pressing the sensitive pad

with a finger.

IV. Identify the keys described below (use the paragraph ”The Keyboard” to help you).

1. It produces upper-case letters, but it does not affect numbers and symbols.

2. It removes the character to the left of the cursor or any selected text.

3. It works in combination with other keys, e.g. you press this key and С to copy the selected text.

4. It is used to confirm commands; in a word processor, it creates a new paragraph.

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