Notice: Did you know you can get an instant definition of any word on this page, just by double-clicking on it?

Try it now! Double-click any word on page to see the definition!

Views #471 | Low Intermediate 4

Computers

Simon gives his thoughts about computers.

Script
Vocab
Quiz

Simon

Computers are an amazing thing, you know they have really improved people's lives over the past 15 or 20 years. You know you can do word processing. You can access libraries of information. You can communicate with your friends 24 hours a day across the globe. You can do art. You can watch movies. You can play music. All sorts of interesting and cool stuff, that makes life more pleasurable, or makes life easier, you know, it's really an amenity that's been a big part of most people's lives for a long time now, and they always seem to be improving and getting bigger and better.

Well, actually, they're getting smaller and better, but why is it that over this time, that computers never seem to run smoothly all the time. There's always little glitches and problems. You know, computers are getting better but so are viruses. Programs are getting easier and better, but they're also getting more expensive and you always have to upgrade because what you want to get doesn't work necessarily with what you have on your computer, you know.

Internet connections are always speeding up, but there's always a slow internet connection, at least 20 or 25 percent of the time. You know, if you want to run something you always need to download this or download this. This program is incompatible with this program. When you are on the internet, there is always strange pop-up ads and things like that. E-mail! Ah, your e-mail box is full, too much memory, yeah, printers, printers are the worst of all. You know after all this time, why is it that printers always break down when you need to print something on time. Hey, there's my little ramble about computers, but all in all, they're good, cause without computers there wouldn't be such a wonderful site lke ELLLO.

Learn vocabulary from the lesson!

across the globe

With computers, you can communicate with your friends 24 hours a day across the globe.

'Across the globe' is another way to say the 'other side of the world.' Notice the following:

It's crazy that I'm talking to you across the globe, and it sounds like you're in the next room.
Weren't you scared to travel across the globe?

amenity

Computers are really an amenity that's been a big part of most people's lives.

An 'amenity' is something that provides comfort or convenience. Notice the following:

Wireless internet and a business center are a couple of the amenities we offer here.
We are looking for an apartment with a few more amenities than this one.

glitches

Computers never seem to run smoothly all the time, and there's always little glitches.

A 'glitch' is a small problem that prevents things from happening or functioning exactly how they should. Notice the following:

The party was fantastic, and there were only a few small glitches.
When you own a computer for a long time, you will figure out all its little glitches.

upgrade

Programs are getting easier and better, and you always have to upgrade.

When you 'upgrade' a program or an item, you get a newer or better version. Notice the following: