English Listening Article: Detailed Explanation of How Computers and Operating Systems Work

noun

1. a small cosmetics case with a mirror
to be carried in a woman's purse

Synonym: powder compact

2. a small and economical car

Synonym: compact car

3. a signed written agreement between two or more parties (nations) to perform some action

Synonym: covenantconcordat

adj

1. clearly or sharply defined to the mind

e.g. clear-cut evidence of tampering
Claudius was the first to invade Britain with distinct...intentions of conquest
trenchant distinctions between right and wrong

Synonym: clear-cuttrenchant

2. recognizable
marked

e.g. noticed a distinct improvement
at a distinct (or decided) disadvantage

Synonym: decided

3. easy to perceive
especially clearly outlined

e.g. a distinct flavor
a distinct odor of turpentine
a distinct outline
the ship appeared as a distinct silhouette
distinct fingerprints

4. (often followed by `from') not alike
different in nature or quality

e.g. plants of several distinct types
the word `nationalism' is used in at least two distinct senses
gold is distinct from iron
a tree related to but quite distinct from the European beech
management had interests quite distinct from those of their employees

Synonym: distinguishable

5. constituting a separate entity or part

e.g. a government with three discrete divisions
on two distinct occasions

Synonym: discrete

verb

1. make into a whole or make part of a whole

e.g. She incorporated his suggestions into her proposal

Synonym: incorporate

2. become one
become integrated

e.g. The students at this school integrate immediately, despite their different backgrounds

3. calculate the integral of
calculate by integration

4. open (a place) to members of all races and ethnic groups

e.g. This school is completely desegregated

Synonym: desegregatemix

verb

1. treat manually, as with massage, for therapeutic purposed

2. hold something in one's hands and move it

3. control (others or oneself) or influence skillfully, usually to one's advantage

e.g. She manipulates her boss
She is a very controlling mother and doesn't let her children grow up
The teacher knew how to keep the class in line
she keeps in line

Synonym: keep in linecontrol

4. manipulate in a fraudulent manner

e.g. rig prices

Synonym: rig

5. influence or control shrewdly or deviously

e.g. He manipulated public opinion in his favor

Synonym: pull stringspull wires

6. tamper, with the purpose of deception

e.g. Fudge the figures
cook the books
falsify the data

Synonym: fudgefakefalsifycookwanglemisrepresent

noun

1. the action of putting something into operation

e.g. the application of maximum thrust
massage has far-reaching medical applications
the application of indexes to tables of data

2. a diligent effort

e.g. it is a job requiring serious application

Synonym: diligence

3. the work of applying something

e.g. the doctor prescribed a topical application of iodine
a complete bleach requires several applications
the surface was ready for a coating of paint

Synonym: coatingcovering

4. the act of bringing something to bear
using it for a particular purpose

e.g. he advocated the application of statistics to the problem
a novel application of electronics to medical diagnosis

Synonym: practical application

5. liquid preparation having a soothing or antiseptic or medicinal action when applied to the skin

e.g. a lotion for dry skin

Synonym: lotion

6. a verbal or written request for assistance or employment or admission to a school

e.g. December 31 is the deadline for applications

7. a program that gives a computer instructions that provide the user with tools to accomplish a task

e.g. he has tried several different word processing applications

Synonym: application programapplications programme

noun

1. the act of gathering something together

Synonym: collectingassemblingaggregation

2. request for a sum of money

e.g. an appeal to raise money for starving children

Synonym: solicitationappealingathering

3. a publication containing a variety of works

Synonym: compendium

4. several things grouped together or considered as a whole

Synonym: aggregationaccumulationassemblage

noun

1. (computer science) the mechanical, magnetic, electronic, and electrical components making up a computer system

Synonym: computer hardware

2. major items of military weaponry (as tanks or missile)

3. instrumentalities (tools or implements) made of metal

Synonym: ironware

noun

1. (chemistry) a surface forming a common boundary between two things (two objects or liquids or chemical phases)

2. (computer science) computer circuit consisting of the hardware and associated circuitry that links one device with another (especially a computer and a hard disk drive or other peripherals)

Synonym: port

3. the overlap where two theories or phenomena affect each other or have links with each other

e.g. the interface between chemistry and biology

4. (computer science) a program that controls a display for the user (usually on a computer monitor) and that allows the user to interact with the system

Synonym: user interface

noun

1. reasoned and reasonable judgment

e.g. it made a certain kind of logic

2. a system of reasoning

Synonym: logical systemsystem of logic

3. the principles that guide reasoning within a given field or situation

e.g. economic logic requires it
by the logic of war

4. the system of operations performed by a computer that underlies the machine's representation of logical operations

5. the branch of philosophy that analyzes inference

noun

1. finding a solution to a problem

Synonym: solving

2. a decision to do something or to behave in a certain manner

e.g. he always wrote down his New Year's resolutions

3. the trait of being resolute

e.g. his resoluteness carried him through the battle
it was his unshakeable resolution to finish the work

Synonym: resolutenessfirmnessfirmness of purposeresolve

4. analysis into clear-cut components

Synonym: resolving

5. something settled or resolved
the outcome of decision making

e.g. they finally reached a settlement with the union
they never did achieve a final resolution of their differences
he needed to grieve before he could achieve a sense of closure

Synonym: settlementclosure

6. a formal expression by a meeting
agreed to by a vote

Synonym: declarationresolve

7. a statement that solves a problem or explains how to solve the problem

e.g. they were trying to find a peaceful solution
the answers were in the back of the book
he computed the result to four decimal places

Synonym: solutionanswerresultsolvent

8. (music) a dissonant chord is followed by a consonant chord

9. the subsidence of swelling or other signs of inflammation (especially in a lung)

10. the ability of a microscope or telescope to measure the angular separation of images that are close together

Synonym: resolving power

11. (computer science) the number of pixels per square inch on a computer-generated display
the greater the resolution, the better the picture

noun

1. (computer science) the part of a computer (a microprocessor chip) that does most of the data processing

e.g. the CPU and the memory form the central part of a computer to which the peripherals are attached

Synonym: central processing unitCPUC.P.U.central processormainframe

2. a business engaged in processing agricultural products and preparing them for market

3. someone who processes things (foods or photographs or applicants etc.)

noun

1. someone new to a field or activity

Synonym: beginnertyrotiroinitiate

2. someone who has entered a religious order but has not taken final vows

Synonym: novitiate

adv

1. at the same instant

e.g. they spoke simultaneously

Synonym: at the same time