【Chapter 1】【1.1.1】History of the Computer

        The first generation of Computers

    The first generation of computers began in the 1940s and extended into the 1950s.During this period,computers used vacuum tubes to conduct electricity.

    The vacuum tube resembled a light bulb in appearance.It acted like a gate,passing or blocking an electric current in a digital circuit.As current was passed or blocked,it was translated into a binary code of 1s and 0s.

    During the first generation,pioneering work was done in the area of magnetic storage.Data was recorded on magnetic tapes and magnetic drums,which were used for auxiliary memory.In magnetic tape storage,the data were recorded on tapes similar to the audiocassette tapes used today.Data were held on the tapes in serial manner,which meant the user could not access the information directly,resulting in slower access time.Similar to megnetic tapes were magnetic drums.These two means of storage were important until magnetic disks appeared in the third generation.

vacuum
[5vAkjuEm]
n.
真空, 空间, 真空吸尘器
adj.
真空的, 产生真空的, 利用真空的
vt.
用真空吸尘器打扫

tube
[5tju:b]
n.
管, 管子, [英] 地铁, <美> 电子管, 显象管

conduct
[5kCndQkt, -dEkt]
n.
行为, 操行
v.
引导, 管理, 为人, 传导

conduct
con.duct
AHD:[k…n-d¾kt“]
D.J.[k*n6dJkt]
K.K.[k*n6dJkt]
v.（动词）
con.duct.ed,con.duct.ing,con.ducts
v.tr.（及物动词）
To direct the course of; manage or control.
指挥：指引…的路线；管理或控制
To lead or guide.
领导或引导
Music To lead (an orchestra, for example).
【音乐】 指挥（例如交响乐队）
To serve as a medium for conveying; transmit:
传导：作为传送的载体；传输：
Some metals conduct heat.
某些金属导热
To comport (oneself) in a specified way:
行为，举止：使自己以某种特定方式行为：
She conducted herself stoically in her time of grief.
她悲伤时，表现出奇的冷静
v.intr.（不及物动词）
To act as a conductor.
充当导体
To lead.
领导
n.（名词）
AHD:[k¼n“d¾kt”]
The way a person acts, especially from the standpoint of morality and ethics.
操行，行为：一个人行为的方式，尤指从道德和伦理的角度来看
The act of directing or controlling; management.
指导，管理：指挥或控制的动作；管理
Obsolete A guide; an escort.
【废语】 向导；陪同者

resemble
[ri5zembl]
vt.
象, 类似

resemble
re.sem.ble
AHD:[r¹-zµm“b…l]
D.J.[r!6zemb*l]
K.K.[r!6zWmb*l]
v.tr.（及物动词）
re.sem.bled,re.sem.bling,re.sem.bles
To exhibit similarity or likeness to.
类似：显出与…类似或相似

bulb
[bQlb]
n.
鳞茎, 球形物

bulb
bulb
AHD:[b¾lb]
D.J.[bJlb]
K.K.[bJlb]
n.（名词）
Botany
【植物学】
A short, modified, underground stem surrounded by usually fleshy modified leaves that contain stored food for the shoot within:
鳞茎，球根：一个短的，可修剪的，地下茎，常被肉层的可修剪的叶子包裹着，内部含有根部所需的养分：
an onion bulb; a tulip bulb.
洋葱球；郁金香球根
A similar underground stem or root, such as a corm, rhizome, or tuber.
球茎：一个类似的位于地下的茎或根，如球茎、块茎或球根
A plant that grows from a bulb.
块茎植物：由球根生长成的植物
A rounded projection or part:
球物：圆形的突出物或部分：
the bulb of a syringe.
注射器的圆形部分
An incandescent lamp or its glass housing.
灯泡：白炽灯或其玻璃外罩
Anatomy A rounded dilation or expansion of a canal, vessel, or organ.
【解剖学】 肿块：管、血管或器官的圆形扩张或膨胀

current
[5kQrEnt]
adj.
当前的, 通用的, 流通的, 现在的, 草写的, 最近的
n.
涌流, 趋势, 电流, 水流, 气流

circuit
[5sE:kit]
n.
电路, 一圈, 周游, 巡回

pioneer
[7paiE5niE]
n.
先驱, 倡导者, 先遣兵, 先锋

pioneer
pi.o.neer
AHD:[pº”…-nîr“]
D.J.[7pa!*6n!*]
K.K.[7pa!*6n!r]
n.（名词）
One who ventures into unknown or unclaimed territory to settle.
拓荒者，开辟者：冒险进入不可知或无人占有的地方定居的人
One who opens up new areas of thought, research, or development:
开拓者，先锋，创始人：发展新思想、研究或开发领域的人：
a pioneer in aviation.
航空业的先驱者
A soldier who performs construction and demolition work in the field to facilitate troop movements.
轻工兵：战场上，完成建造和破坏工作以便大部队行动的士兵
Ecology An animal or plant species that establishes itself in a previously barren environment.
【生态学】 先驱生物：能在不毛之地生存的某种动物或植物种类
adj.（形容词）

magnetic
[mA^5netik]
adj.
磁的, 有磁性的, 有吸引力的

auxiliary
[C:^5ziljEri]
adj.
辅助的, 补助的

audiocassette
[9R:dIEJkE`set]
n.
盒式录音磁带