SIO1 2022/23 – ACOBAS.net

Thursday, May 11th

Below are several suggestions of how to use OpenAI chatGPT to work on your English, the prompts are in bold letters.

Make a list of 50 different verbs useful to talk about IT during an English oral exam destined to non native speakers, then make a second list where these verbs are used in context in a short sentence.

List of 50 verbs related to IT:

Code
Program
Debug
Compile
Install
Update
Design
Develop
Implement
Test
Maintain
Backup
Restore
Encrypt
Decrypt
Hack
Monitor
Analyze
Optimize
Customize
Configure
Troubleshoot
Upgrade
Downgrade
Upload
Download
Sync
Access
Authenticate
Authorize
Block
Clean
Clone
Connect
Convert
Create
Delete
Edit
Extract
Filter
Format
Import
Export
Navigate
Merge
Share
Scan
Search
Stream
Upload

List of 50 sentences using verbs related to IT:

I need to code a new software application for my company.
We hired a team of developers to program our website.
The IT specialist is working to debug the software code.
The compiler is used to translate source code into executable code.
Can you install the latest version of the software on my computer?
I need to update my computer’s operating system to the latest version.
The designer is working on a new website layout.
The development team is tasked with creating a new mobile application.
We will implement a new IT system next month.
We need to test the software before it is released to the public.
The IT department is responsible for maintaining our company’s network.
We regularly backup our important data to prevent data loss.
In case of a system failure, we can restore our data from a backup.
We use encryption to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access.
We use decryption to convert encrypted data back to its original form.
We need to hire a professional hacker to test our system’s security.
We monitor our website’s traffic to improve user experience.
We analyze data to better understand customer behavior.
We optimize our website’s loading speed to improve user experience.
We customize our software to meet the unique needs of our clients.
We configure our servers to optimize performance.
We troubleshoot technical issues to prevent downtime.
We need to upgrade our computer hardware to improve performance.
We might need to downgrade the software to fix compatibility issues.
I need to upload a file to our company’s server.
I will download the latest version of the software from the website.
We need to sync our data across multiple devices.
We need to authenticate users to ensure security.
We need to authorize access to certain files to prevent data breaches.
We need to block malicious traffic to prevent cyber attacks.
We clean our computer’s cache to free up space.
We clone our hard drive to create a backup of our system.
We connect to the internet to access online services.
We convert files to different formats to make them compatible.
We create new files to store data.
We delete old files to free up space.
We edit images to improve quality.
We extract data from different sources to analyze it.
We filter spam emails to prevent phishing attacks.
We format our hard drive to erase all data.
We import data from external sources to our database.

We export our data to share it with other departments.
We navigate through different menus to find the desired function.
We merge data from different sources to create a comprehensive report.
We share files with our team using cloud storage services.
We scan our computer for viruses to prevent malware attacks.
We search for information online using search engines.
We stream video content online using various platforms.
We use antivirus software to scan for malicious software.
We upload files to our website to share them with our audience.

Write a story in about 400 words about a day in the life of a network technician focusing on the tech aspects.

Sam had been working as a network technician for several years, and every day presented new challenges and opportunities to learn. He started each day by checking his email and reviewing any alerts or tickets that had come in overnight. This allowed him to prioritize his tasks for the day ahead.

One of the first things Sam did every morning was to run network health checks to ensure that all the devices were functioning correctly. This involved using specialized software to ping each device on the network and check its response time. If a device failed to respond, Sam would investigate the issue further to determine the cause.

Sam’s next task was to conduct regular maintenance on the network infrastructure. This involved applying firmware updates to switches, routers, and other devices, and checking for any hardware failures. He used diagnostic tools like PuTTY and SolarWinds to remotely access the devices and perform these tasks.

As the day progressed, Sam received a call from one of the company’s departments reporting slow internet speeds. He quickly went to the department to investigate the issue. Sam used Wireshark to capture and analyze network traffic, and found that a few users were streaming videos during work hours, consuming a lot of bandwidth. He created a network access control policy to limit video streaming during working hours, and the network performance improved.

Later in the day, Sam received an alert that a switch was down in a remote office. He used remote access tools like TeamViewer to connect to the device and troubleshoot the issue. He found that the switch had failed and needed to be replaced. Sam quickly contacted the vendor and arranged for a replacement to be shipped to the remote office.

Towards the end of the day, Sam attended a meeting with the network architecture team to discuss a new project. The project involved implementing a new network security protocol to protect the company’s data from cyber-attacks. Sam suggested using a firewall to inspect and filter incoming traffic, and he was responsible for configuring the firewall rules to ensure the new protocol would work effectively.

As the workday ended, Sam felt satisfied with what he had accomplished. He had solved several technical issues and worked on a new project that would further enhance the company’s network security. He knew that the world of network technology was constantly evolving, and he looked forward to the challenges that tomorrow would bring.

Generate a story of about 400 words using the vocabulary of IT in working life.

Once upon a time, there was a software engineer named Alex. He worked for a company that created custom software for clients in various industries. Alex loved his job, and he was always excited to start new projects.

One day, his boss approached him with a new assignment. A client needed a new app that would help their sales team manage their customer relationships more efficiently. The app needed to be user-friendly, scalable, and secure.

Alex got right to work, starting with the design phase. He used wireframing software to create a prototype of the app’s interface, carefully considering the user experience and making sure that the design was intuitive and easy to use.

Once the design was approved, Alex moved on to the development phase. He used agile development methodologies to work collaboratively with his team, breaking the project down into sprints and delivering features incrementally. He used Git version control to manage the codebase, ensuring that changes were tracked and that the team could roll back changes if necessary.

As the project progressed, Alex encountered some challenges. The client’s data was spread across multiple databases, and integrating them into the app was proving to be difficult. Alex had to use his database skills to create a robust data model that could handle the complexity of the client’s data.

He also had to consider the app’s security. The client’s data was sensitive, and they needed to be sure that it was protected. Alex used encryption algorithms to secure the data both in transit and at rest.

Finally, after several months of hard work, the app was ready for deployment. Alex worked with the client’s IT team to ensure that the app was deployed to their servers smoothly. He also helped set up monitoring tools to ensure that the app was performing well and that any issues were caught and resolved quickly.

The client was thrilled with the app, and Alex’s boss praised him for his excellent work. Alex was proud of what he had accomplished and looked forward to his next project. He knew that, in the world of IT, there was always a new challenge waiting around the corner.

Thursday, May 4th

This is a subject from the 2022 oral exams:

Cloud computing (PDF) + (Video)

possible answer:

As the IT technician for this accounting firm, I understand that data storage and security is a top priority for our company. I’m here today to address the manager’s concerns regarding data breaches and reassure him that we have implemented the necessary measures to protect our data.

Firstly, let’s talk about the possibilities for data storage. There are various options available such as cloud storage, external hard drives, and on-site servers. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, but based on our needs, we have opted for cloud storage as it offers the safest and easiest solution.

Cloud storage provides secure and convenient access to data from anywhere, anytime. Data is encrypted and protected by multiple layers of security, including firewalls and multi-factor authentication. Additionally, cloud providers such as Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services employ security experts who continuously monitor and improve the security protocols.

In terms of ease of use, cloud storage eliminates the need for physical storage devices, reducing the risk of theft, loss, or damage. It also allows for automatic backups, which means that we can easily retrieve lost or corrupted data in the event of an incident.

However, data security is not only the responsibility of the IT department, but also of every employee in the company. Therefore, it’s essential that everyone understands the steps they should take to keep data safe. Here are some important steps that employees should follow:

Use strong passwords and change them frequently. Passwords should be a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks, which are often not secure, and can be used by hackers to steal data.
Enable two-factor authentication whenever possible. This provides an extra layer of security by requiring a code or token in addition to the password.
Be cautious when opening emails from unknown senders or clicking on suspicious links. This can lead to phishing attacks or malware infections.
Regularly update software and operating systems. This ensures that vulnerabilities are patched, reducing the risk of exploitation by hackers.

In conclusion, as an IT technician, I understand the importance of data storage and security. By using cloud storage and following best practices for data security, we can ensure that our company’s data is protected against potential breaches.

Thursday, April 27th

Use DuckDuckGo (set REGION on either US our UK) to search the web for some information which interest you and which is related to computing, be able to explain briefly what and why.

Monday, April 24th

themuse.com-Companies-Cant-Demand-Silence-for-Severance-So-Do-This-Before-Signing Download

Thursday, March 30th

Using OpenAI ChatGPT, feed it the following prompt (copy and paste) and enjoy the conversation:

Hello I am a French IT student and I would like you to have a professional conversation with me in English. Keep the conversation simple, bearing in mind you converse with a non-native speaker and a 20 year old student to boot. When you ask questions, ask them one at a time. The topic of the conversation is : “what is a good internship?”. You ask the questions one by one and give me time to answer between each and then, in a separate paragraph, correct my answers as well as suggest ways to improve them.

Monday, March 27th

11-tips-chat-gpt Download

Monday, March 6th

a short-story, The Gun by Philip K. Dick

read online
read on your phone/tablet/e-reader
listen to the audiobook (file here or below)

Charles-Darwin-The-Origin-Of-Species Download

Thursday, March 2nd

vocabulaire BTS tertiaire

Business Magazine // British Council Learning English => Choose ONE topic, read carefully and do the TASKS

Monday, February 27th

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

Thursday, February 23rd

“Flexible working” an activity in the Business section of British Council / Learning English

Monday, February 20th

video featured in: https://www.stylefactoryproductions.com/blog/chromebook-review

video featured in: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-10-tech-trends-2023-everyone-must-ready-bernard-marr

Monday, January 30th

2 articles from Wired.com

2023-01-01WIREDUK article selection Download

2023-01-01WIREDUK Download

Thursday, January 26th

A matching exercise based on a glossary of computer-related terms.

Monday, January 23rd

wired.com-Welcome-to-the-Era-of-Internet-Blackouts Download

Thursday, January 12th

Finish exercise 4 about Reported Speech with correction

Watch this video about a champion of GeoGuessr

Monday, January 9th

with my best wishes for 2023

Reported Speech

Thursday, January 5th

“Flexible working” an activity in the Business section of British Council / Learning English

then you may choose and do as many as you can from the Business Magazine section

Thursday, December 15th

Almost a dictation, about airpods, the first commercial when they got released/launched.

The voice is that of Jony Ive, long-time Apple designer and one of the most celebrated designer today.

Monday, December 12th

“ON” and The Passive

Thursday, December 8th

Irregular Verbs, a different perspective!

Monday, December 5th

H&M, fast fashion and the environment, an example of a theme which could figure at the written exam.

+ test (written comprehension and short expression)

Thursday, December 1st

English for emails: skip some of the first items or tasks if you find them too easy and/or too repetitive but do as many units as you can!

GR1: Maxime C / Maxime A / Dylan

GR2:

Thursday, November 24th

Browse WIRED.com and read a couple of articles you find interesting.

GR1: Thomas / Enzo /

GR2: Brahim / Sacha / Quentin

Thursday, November 17th

Oral presentations GR1: Yolas / Mohamed / Samuel

GR2: Matteo / Clara / Mohamed-Ali

Monday, November 14th

appleinsider.com-Apple-is-just-getting-started-with-Apple-Silicon Download

Oral presentations GR1 :

Thursday, November 17th: Yolas / Mohamed / Andy / Samuel

Thursday, November 24th: Thomas / Enzo / Morgann / Maxime C / Maxime A / Dylan

Oral presentations GR2 :

Thursday, November 17th: Joachim / Matteo / Clara

Thursday, November 24th: Brahim / Sacha / Quentin

Thursday, December 1st: Loan / Maxence / Clément

Thursday, November 10th

The modals, online exercises:

The modals (the simple chart needs to be completed with elements from the exercises and the complete chart below)

Monday, November 7th

The modals (simple chart to be completed with elements from the complete chart below).

The modals (complete chart)

1. Certainly, Tina knows that smoking is forbidden

Tina MUST KNOW that smoking is forbidden.

2. Certainly, Tina knew that smoking was forbidden.

Tina MUST HAVE KNOWN that smoking was forbidden.

3. It is possible that Tina didn’t know that smoking was forbidden.

Tina MAY HAVE KNOWN that smoking was forbidden.

4. The Masked Avengers were probably the best group at

the concert.

The Masked Avengers MUST HAVE BEEN the best group at

the concert.

5. Brian forgot his own address. That’s incredible.

Brian CAN’T HAVE FORGOTTEN his own address.

6. Perhaps she is right after all.

She MAY BE right after all.

7. It is probable that the fire started in the kitchen.

The fire MUST HAVE STARTED in the kitchen.Il se peut qu’il soit trop tard. => It MAY BE too late.Elle peut courir longtemps sans se fatiguer. => She CAN run for a long time without getting tired.Il a pu oublier. => He MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN.Elle n’a pas pu oublier ! => She CAN’T HAVE FORGOTTEN.Il peut préférer rester chez lui après tout. => He MAY PREFER to stay home after all.Ils n’ont pas pu faire une telle erreur ! => They CAN’T HAVE MADE such a mistake! Elle a dû recevoir ma lettre. => She MUST HAVE RECEIVED my letter.Il faut qu’il parte avant la fin de la réunion. => He MUST // HAS TO // GO before the end of the meeting.Ce n’est pas la peine que tu restes. => You don’t need to stay.Il ne faut pas conduire si vite. =>You SHOULDN’T drive so fast.

Thursday, October 20th

Oral presentations

Monday, October 17th (afternoon)

The Secret Rules of Modern Living: Algorithms. In this BBC documentary, mathematics professor Marcus Du Sautoy reveals the hidden world of algorithms and how these 2,000-year-old problem solvers work.

Monday, October 17th (morning)

Re-write the story using Morag’s point of view, and write it in the first person (350 words +/-10%)

put yourself in her shoes an visualize the landscape (see photos below) and the scene (the Vikings coming ashore)
collect vocabulary and information in the short-story which you are going to recycle in your own version.
use this form to copy and paste your short-story and send it by Friday, November 11th.

Reading Tartan, a short-story by George Mackay Brown.

Thursday, October 13th

The oral presentation will take place as a one to one session with the teacher and will start after the autumn holidays.

something you like
something you know about
something which can be talked about in English

=> search the web IN ENGLISH for information and vocabulary,
Google is mainly going to give you results in French, try another search engine called Duckduckgo which can be easily switched to another language and location => https://duckduckgo.com/settings
=> compile a long list of elements (nouns, adjectives, VERBS, phrases, sentences etc. Store this list ONLINE.
=> prepare your presentation using the collected material
=> you may bring some pictures or a very short video clip on your phone (but no slides, there are no slides during the exam)
=> you need about 300 words to talk for a few minutes.

Monday, October 10th

Reading Tartan, a short-story by George Mackay Brown.

Thursday, October 6th

The oral presentation will take place as a one to one session with the teacher and will start after the autumn holidays.

something you like
something you know about
something which can be talked about in English

=> search the web IN ENGLISH for information and vocabulary,
Google is mainly going to give you results in French, try another search engine called Duckduckgo which can be easily switched to another language and location => https://duckduckgo.com/settings
=> compile a long list of elements (nouns, adjectives, VERBS, phrases, sentences etc. Store this list ONLINE.
=> prepare your presentation using the collected material
=> you may bring some pictures or a very short video clip on your phone (but no slides, there are no slides during the exam)
=> you need about 300 words to talk for a few minutes.

Monday, October 3rd

Reading Tartan, a short-story by George Mackay Brown.

Visualizing the scene by drawing elements. The scene takes place in the north of Scotland, near Durness and it looks like this when the weather is good!

Tuesday, September 29th

you need to work with 2 windows side-by-side (one for the sound, the other for the exercise, or you may listen to the sound file on your smartphone)

The Bear and The Dragon by Tom Clancy – American accent + extract from a spy novel – you may download the mp3 file or listen to it directly below.

and/or

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling – British accent – extract from the first chapter of the first volume – you may download the mp3 file or listen to it directly below.

Monday, September 26th

Build sentences using the proper tense

1. holidays / on / be / Durrells / the

2. on / be / Corfu / they

3. they /a / large / live / villa/ in

4. receive / they / a / letter

5. a / it / long / be / letter

6. great / be / from / Aunt / Hermione / it

7. and / she / come /want / to / with / stay / them

8. not / she / in / good / be / health

9. advise / a / doctors/ her / climate / warm

1.The Durrells were on holidays. 2.They were on Corfu. 3.They were living in a large villa. 4.They received a letter. 5.It was a long letter. 6.It was from great Aunt Hermione. 7.She wanted to come and stay with them. 8.She was not in good health. 9.Her doctors (had) advised a warm climate.

Make one long sentence out of all these short ones, using :

Possible solution: While the Durrells were on holidays on Corfu, living in a large villa, they received a letter from great Aunt Hermione who wanted to come and stay with them because her doctors had advised a warm climate as she was not in good health.

Vocab from video 3 from Sept. 22nd