English for Informatics 1: Sixth Edition

UNIT 5
Websites

Picture 5.1

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the lesson, the students are expected to be able to use appropriate English
to:
▪ discuss types of websites and its purposes.
▪ interview the classmates to find out the most visited websites based on its purposes
and their reasons.
▪ make a chart based on the interview and presenting it.
▪ describe the criteria of a good website.
▪ write a review of a website

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5.1. Discussing types of websites and its purposes.

Exercise 1: Read the following text about Website below and do the exercise.

The World Wide Web

The World Wide Web, Web, or WWW is a network of document that works in a hypertext
environment, i.e. using text that contains links, hyperlinks to other documents.
The files, web pages, are stored in computers which act as servers. Your computer, the client,
uses a web browser, a special program to access and download them. The web pages are
organized in websites, groups of pages located on the Web, maintained by a webmaster, the
manager of a website.
The Web enables you to post and access all sorts of interactive multimedia information and has
become a real information highway.
To surf or navigate the Web, access and retrieve web pages or websites, you need a computer
with an internet connection and a web browser. After you have launched it, you must type the
website address or URL (Uniform Resource Locator), which may look like this:

http://www.cup.org/education/sample.htm

http:// → indicates the type of protocol that the server and browser will use to communicate.
www → shows that is a resource on the World Wide Web
cup.org → is the domain name of the web server that hosts the website
education → is the path, the place where a web page is located
sample.htm → is the filename or name of a single web page

The different parts are separated by full stops [.] and forward slashes [/]. When we say a URL,
we say dot [.] and slash [/].

To find interesting sites, you can use search engines, where the websites information is
compiled by spiders, computer robot programs that collect information from sites by using
keywords, or through web indexes, subject directories that are selected by people and
organized into hierarchical subject categories. Some web portals – websites that offer all types
of services, e.g. email, forums, search engines, etc. – are also good starting points.
The most relevant website addresses can be stored in your computer using the bookmarks or
favorites in your browser.
Website usually have a beginning page or home page. From this starting point you can navigate
by clicking your mouse or hyperlinks in texts or images.

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 English for Informatics 1: Sixth Edition

Complete these instructions about how to navigate with the words in the box.

client web page surf web browser

web server website URL search engine

1. Start up your computer and connect to the internet.

2. Open your _________.
3. Type the ________ to access a website.
4. Your web browser sends the request to the correct _______.
5. The server looks for the document and sends it to the ________ computer.
6. Your web browser displays the selected _______ on the screen.
7. From the homepage of the ______ you can _____ to other pages by clicking on
hyperlinks.
8. If you want to find more websites, use a ________.

Exercise 2: Read the text about different types of website. Then answer the following
questions.

Types of Website – A Guide for Website Designers

The purpose of an organizational website is to inform about an idea or event. Companies

develop commercial websites to sell products or services. Entertainment websites are
designed to entertain or provide fun activities. People visit websites to obtain
information. The purpose of a personal website is to provide information about an
individual. Social networking websites help people to exchange personal information.
Educational websites aim to share knowledge and enable online learning.

English for Information Technology (2011:20)

1. How many types of websites are explained? Mention them.

2. What are the purposes of each type of websites?
3. Refer to the exercise 1 above. What are the types and purposes of websites that
you often visit?

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Exercise 3: Identify these following websites and their purposes.

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Exercise 4: Complete these following sentences using the words in the box.

offer practice promote read sell share

1. People visit CNN.com to _______ international news.

2. Some websites want to ________ a service.
3. Companies use Amazon.com to ________ their products.
4. Thegreenshoppingguide.co.uk wants to ________ enviromentally friendly
shopping.
5. Student visit Math.com to _______ their maths.
6. English teachers join eltforum.com to _______ teaching resources.

Exercise 5: Decide which of the sites (a-j) to visit in order to find information on the
following topics (1-10)
1. The latest scientific development a. www.admarket.com
2. Caring for your cat b. www.bubble.com/webstars/
3. Calculating your tax c. www.buildacard.com
4. New cars d. www.carlounge.com
5. Advertising on the web e. www.encenter.com/ski
6. Books on sports f. www.petcat.co.uk
7. Sending a virtual greetings card g. www.moneyworld.co.uk
8. Economic data on Bulgaria h. www.newscientist.com
9. Your horoscope i. www.thebookplace.com
10. Ski conditions in Europe j. www.worldbank.com

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5.2. Interviewing the classmates to find out the most visited websites based on its
purposes and their reasons.

Exercise 6: Go around the class and ask at least 10 of your classmates the following
questions:
1. The name of websites they often visit and use at home or campus.
2. The reasons of using those websites, for example to entertain, to get news, to
study, or to shop.

No. Name of your Name of websites Reasons

classmates
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

5.3. Making a chart based on the interview and presenting it.

Exercise 7: Using your background knowledge, discuss with your classmate to name the
types of charts that you know and describe their functions.

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Exercise 8: Identify these following charts by matching each picture with its name. Did
you find any of the charts you discussed? What are they?

Pie chart line chart bar chart scatter plot chart

1. ________________ 2. ___________________

3. ________________ 4. __________________

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Exercise 9: Read the text carefully. Then check your answer for previous exercise
(exercise 8).

Chart
By Ted French

Charts [or graphs, in Math] are visual representations of worksheet data. Charts often
makes it easier to understand the data in a worksheet because users can easily pick
out patterns and trends illustrated in the chart that are otherwise difficult to see.
Different types of charts serve different purposes.

Pie Charts -- are used to show percentages. For example, a pie chart could be used to
show what percentage of your total daily calorie intake is represented by one
quadruple cheese and bacon hamburger.

Column Charts -- are used to show comparisons between items of data. Each column
in the chart represents the value of one item of data. An example of this would be to
compare the calories in a quadruple cheese and bacon hamburger with the calories in
a glass of water and a bowl of beet greens.

Line Charts -- are used to show trends over time. Each line in the graph shows the
changes in the value of one item of data. For example you could show changes in your
weight over a period of months as a result of eating a quadruple cheese and bacon
hamburger every day for lunch.

Scatter plot graphs -- are used to show trends in data. They are especially useful
when you have a large number of data points. Like line graphs, they can be used to
plot data recorded from scientific experiments, such as how a chemical reacts to
changing temperature or atmospheric pressure.

Source:
http://spreadsheets.about.com/od/spreadsheetlessons/ss/excel_graph_use_4.htm

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Exercise 10: There are many ways to express visuals in terms of charts. Study the
following expressions.

A. Introducing Visuals
In introducing the visuals, you can use the following expressions.

Starting Presentation Type Verb Description

The given / The diagram / table / shows / represents / the comparison of ….

supplied / The figure / illustration / depicts / illustrates / the differences ….
presented / The graph / figure / chart presents/ gives / the number of ….
shown / The / flow chart / picture/ provides / describes / information on ….
provided presentation/ pie compares/ shows / data on ….
chart / bar graph/ figures / gives data on / the proportion of….
line graph / table gives information on/ the amount of ….
data/ data / presents information information on....
information about/ shows data about

B. Expressing the amount of change

In expressing the amount of change in a chart or a graph you can use the following
formula.
“There” Article Adjective Noun to describe In “what’
change
There is / was / a slight / slow Increase/ rise / in sales.
has been / will / moderate / growth / fall /
be gradual / drop / decrease /
dramatic decline

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C. Comparing and Contrasting

You can also use comparison when describing data in a chart/ a graph

Example Comparative Superlative

Word
Words with one syllable high higher the highest

Words with three syllables productive more productive the most productive
or more less productive the least productive
Words ending in –y wealthy wealthier the wealthiest

Short words ending with a hot hotter the hottest

consonant/vowel/consonant
Irregular good better the best

When you compare and contrast, you also need to learn phrases so you can refer
to data that is not exact. For example:

Numbers Comparison/Contrast

7.1 “just over 7 million tonnes”

“approximately 7 million tonnes”
65.6 “nearly 70 million tonnes”
“almost 70 million tonnes”

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Exercise 11: Study the chart below. It shows the number of overseas students enrolled in
a second year Graphic Design course at a college in the south of England. Complete the
following sentences based on the data in the chart.

1. More students are enrolled from _____ than any other country.
2. The least number of students is enrolled from _____
3. The profiles of students from France and _____ are similar.
4. More female than _____ students are enrolled in the Design College.
5. Every country except _____ has more female students enrolled in the College.
6. The country with the most females students enrolled is _____
7. More _____ than _____ students are enrolled in the Photography core option from
every country except _____
8. Overall, more male students are enrolled in the core _____ option.
9. Overall, more _____ students are enrolled in the Photography core option.
10. No Syrian _____ students are taking the Photography core option.

Exercise 12: Read the information about how to make a chart at

http://spreadsheets.about.com/od/c/g/chart_def.htm and make one based the data you get
from the interview you conduct on exercise 6.

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5.4. Describing the criteria of a good website.

Exercise 13: With your group discuss what are the criteria of a good website? Browse to
the internet or use any information you get from ”Website Basic Subject” or any relevant
subjects you have got so far.
Use the following expressions:
A good website should ... A good website must...
A good website is supposed to... A good website has to...

5.5. Writing a review of a website.

Exercise 14: What are your favorite websites? Why? Use the words in the box to describe
them.
For example: The most exciting website is ________ because __________.

beautiful well-designed easy-to-use/ navigate clear

useful reliable informative fun

funny exciting interesting

Exercise 15: Find a website then analyze whether the website is considered good (refer to
the criteria you have listed on exercise 10 above). You can use the below cues to start
your review:
a. What is the address of website?
b. Do you like the website? Why or why not?
c. What makes the website good or bad?
d. What are your suggestions to make the website better?

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