Faculty of Engineering

Technical and Engineering English

Level B 1

UNIT 3

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

Prof. Rodgers
Computer Science Prof. Rodgers

This video talk on computer science and the job prospects for graduates in computer science
was given by Professor Hamzeh Roumani, a distinguished professor at York University in
the United Kingdom.

Cloze

Complete the gaps in paragraphs 1, 2, 4 and 5.

00.00– 00.49

1.Well, what’s special about computer science? I see it as 1………… unique. I 2…………..
every professor says this about his or her discipline, but computer science is definitely not
boring, a science that 3………… literally every minute, a science that infiltrates every
4…………. science. It changes the way business works; it changes the way 5……………
works. So, I used to think, “physics, is that science?” but quickly this is changing. I dare
say it is the 6………….. of the 21st century; it’s really unique. I guess the 7……….. way to
sum it up is to say you will never be 8………… if you are in this field.

mathematics know society really bored other changes best

00.50 – 01.20
2.I guess the most important thing is 1……….. expose some fallacies about this field. Many
people 2………….. computer science is about programming. It is not 3……….
programming. Indeed 80 to 85% of my 4………….. leave and don’t work with 5………….
They work with people. They’re business 6…………: they discuss problems, they try to
7………… problems and they dedicate the issue of writing code to somebody else. It’s not
about 8…………..

students solve analysts to programming programs about believe

01.21 – 02.28
3.Also another misconception is that you have be excellent in math to do computer science.
Well, it’s not the math that is taught in high schools. We use logical math, known as discreet
math; it has nothing to do with calculus, and mathematics in its continuous form does not
really apply to computer science. It’s the notion of logical thinking that is crucial. So, if
you’re in high school and if you like to capture things precisely, articulate them precisely,
and be logical in the way you connect the dots, you are an excellent candidate. So, my advice
is come in with the love of that. If you don’t like this this thing, this analytical way of
thinking and logical way, then this is not your field. But if it is, then definitely come in. And
all what we look for is somebody who can see the big picture and is fascinated by the
landscape, by how much this field is affecting everything around us. If you are like that, I
don’t see a problem.
Computer Science Prof. Rodgers

02.29 – 03.10
4.General advice for students in 1…………, whether it’s in computer science or
2…………… else is really to 3………….. how to interact with each other, to make
4…………... Whether it’s with a professor, whether it’s with a friend, but really the way you
interact, and you 5…………. what is it that you do and the other person does. This is what
it’s really all about, it is the ability to actively engage in the 6…………. process. Do not
expect to sit back and say, “ok teach me”, It’s really highly 7………………. And, yes, the
professor plays a role, but the student plays a 8……….. role.

universities learn learning bigger anything interactive communicate connections

03.11- 03.52
5.Once you have your 1………… in computer science, the sky is the limit in what you can
do. As you all know computer science is 2…………. each and every field around us. So,
3…………. a job is easy unlike other professions and fields and a case in point is the
4…………. recession we are in, our graduates face little 5……………. finding jobs.
Graduates from York University in particular go typically, either to the IBM lab here or to the
financial 6……….., or in Waterloo, to RIM, to research and motion.

global permeating degree difficulty industry finding

03.54-04.34
6.And, the kind of jobs they get have to do with liasing between the technical people who
write code and the business and the user of the technology, network infrastructure, actual
development, web development, mobile development. Really, it’s quite easy to find a job.
The hottest thing these days perhaps is data mining, mobile computation , where you can
program your blackberry, or iphone, or what have you, and have computing everywhere .

04.35-
7.Some of our students like the field and like to continue into a master or a phd program,
doing work in things like vision research, as I said data bases, data mining, and things like
that.
 *

Computer Science Prof. Rodgers

Listening

Listen to the talk(without looking at the transcript, if possible). We will pause after each of
the 7 parts of the talk. From the headings below, choose a title for each part of the professor’s
talk.

Part

Employment prospects for computer science students

Students suitable for computer science studies

A mistaken idea about computer science

Class participation

Postgraduate studies in computer science

What makes computer science computer science?

Type of work computer science graduates do

Reference

1.Well, what’s special about computer science? I see it …

but computer science is definitely not boring, a science ……..

-In the examples above the words it and a science refer to computer science. In paragraph
one, identify all references to computer science. How many are there in all?

2. Decide what the underlined words refer to in paragraphs 2 and 3.

GENERAL COMPREHENSION (1


Indicate if the following statements are true (T), false (F) or if there is not enough
information in the text to decide (N), based only on the information in the text.


Example: Most computer science students don’t work with programs( T )

Everybody can study computer science( )

Lectures in Computer Science are not like traditional university lectures( )

Prof. Roumani encourages students to do further study ( )

Computer science graduates had difficulty finding jobs during the recession( )

Prof. Roumani did his doctorate at York University( )

IBM rates York University students above other students( )

Prof.Roumani likes self-reliant students( )

Computer Science Prof. Rodgers

Grammar

Do not expect to sit back and say, “ok teach me”,(para 4).
These are examples of the imperative mood. Find other examples in the text. What are the
rules for the formation of the imperative.

Question and Answer

Write questions which give precisely the answers below. The paragraph which contains the
information necessary to form the question is indicated. An example has been done for you.

Q. How does Prof. Roumani see computer science

A.As really unique(para 1)

Q.

A. It changes the way business works; it changes the way society works(para 1)

Q.

A. Many people believe computer science is about programming(para 2)

Q.

A. you have be excellent in math to do computer science(para 3)

Q.

A. somebody who can see the big picture and is fascinated by the landscape,….(para 3)
Q.

A. Learn how to interact with each other(para 4)

Q.

A. either to the IBM lab here or to the financial industry in Waterloo(para 5)

Q.

A. data mining, mobile computation(para 6)

Q.
A. things like vision research, data bases, data mining.

Computer Science Prof. Rodgers

Commentary

YouTube allows users to comment on videos they have watched. Below are 6 comments on
Prof. Roumani’s video.

Which commentator:

Is anti-social?

Is worried about the public image of Computer Scientists?

Knows Prof. Roumani?

Believes that if you are good in one branch of mathematics, you will be good in another.

Clarifies something Prof.Roumani said.

Disagrees with Prof. Roumani

A.I’m pretty sure comp science is indeed about programming...sure, some people can be
business analysts and delegate other people to program, but the person who is interacting
with the computer and giving it instructions is the programmer

B.! hope that people wont get turned away from computer science by the negative
connotation of the words logical, analytical and precise; those words seem to suggest that it is
robotic or boring or hard, but think of playing any game, or making a painting, or structuring
a song or putting together a story - being logical and analytical here is also very important. i
chose to major in computer science because it was the most creative realm i could find, its
not robotic. its fun.

C.I don't think he means that employers will automatically offer you jobs. He means that
finding work is definitely easier than for a lot of other subjects

D.…. he says all you need is to be good at discrete math, but if your good at discrete math
you will for sure be good at continuous math. Both are interrelated I've never seen anyone
who fail at calculus and get an A in discrete math. There is a high correlation in the two
abilities.

E.This video turned me off. With a computer degree do I have to work with people? I hate
people.

F:. I've taken classes with Prof. Roumani. He's pretty

awesome.