Unit 7. SEARCH ENGINES

I. Warming up

1. What sites do you visit most often?

2. What search engine do you prefer and why?

3. What characteristics of websites do search engine take into consideration?


II. Reading

Read the text and consider the questions below.

Is Google Being Human?

By Dr. Maisie M

They never wished to play God, they simply said, “Don’t be evil”. And rest of the things just happened ...

Imagine a world without Google! Hard to imagine... isn’t it? That shows how dependent we are on the Internet that’s almost synonymous with Google. The search giant has become a resourceful mining ground that can extract “valuable results” for every user. Although the best user experience cannot be guaranteed at all times, it nevertheless satisfies the optimum requirement for most netizens, so to speak.

So, it’s possible to say that Google in a way has been able to channelize the potential resources on the Internet to the end user. Also, without the concept of a common platform where a user could generate queries about a certain subject, the available information would be of no use. So, there we have Google to our rescue. We ask questions and Google has answers.

Without Google, we would be like dry, deserted pebbles strewn near a giant waterfall, helplessly waiting to get soaked in the water... get the drift...

Not only that, Google goes a step ahead and suggests, it even does the thinking for us. It suggests, it reads our minds... to save us from all the wrong keyword queries that may NOT lead us to correct results. It saves our time, it teaches us to search better. Oh there comes the glitch! So, we stop thinking, the only thing we think is keywords... if you miss the right keywords you MAY never get what you want.

And then a day comes when...

Panda strikes...

It asks “What’s this keyword for?”

“Where’s the quality?”

It says “We can now guess what you people really want”.

“We know what to deliver!”

“Start thinking folks...”

“Cos if you have just learned to read us carefully to the minutest detail, wait you are not reading, you are gaming us! Yes, that’s what we call it – gaming Google”.

But for us Googlers, it’s time to rejoice...

Because Google is not playing God anymore. Google bots are trying to be human, and so we need not be technologically-addicted netizens anymore. How much and how far Google manages to bridge the gap between us & its bots, only time will tell.

After all... it’s extremely difficult being human!

It’d still be a dream to see Google feel the pulse of our searches and render “mind-blowing” results. Easier said than done! Rest assured, we’ve a lot of good things happening around... We need NOT be net-savvy, technologically evolved, Google-friendly, SEO-compatible, and compulsively obsessed about the latest updates from Matt Cutts.

We simply need to be natural, we need to be our own selves... rest of the things would simply happen as they always do...

Here’s wishing Google good luck in its endeavor to be prompt, quick, just and human, all at the same time. Till then, cheers to the “Search Chaos” the world (wide web) over!!

http://www.buzzle.com

1. Google is more than just a search engine? Explain why.

2. What are the functions of Google Panda?

3. Can Google ever become “human”?


III. Focus on the language

Prove that modern search engines have evolved and expanded their functionality. Make use of the following expressions.

A search giant, to be dependent on the Internet, a resourceful mining ground, to extract valuable results, to satisfy the optimum requirement, to channelize the potential resources to the end user, to generate queries, to go a step ahead, to save our time, to bridge the gap.


IV. Problem solving

1. Agree or disagree: Most people are dependent on the Internet.

2. Role play an argument between adherents of two different search engines.

3. Deliver a mini speech on the following topic: These days Internet is almost synonymous with Google.


V. Useful tips for your presentations

To make an effective PowerPoint presentation, read the following tips.

Tips for creating an effective presentation

Tip

Details

Minimize the number of slides.

To maintain a clear message and to keep your audience attentive and interested, keep the number of slides in your presentation to a minimum.

Choose a font style that your audience can read from a distance.

Choosing the right font style, such as Helvetica or Arial, helps to get your message across. Avoid narrow fonts, such as Arial Narrow, and avoid fonts that include fancy edges, such as Times.

Choose a font size that your audience can read from a distance.

Choosing the right font size helps to get your message across.

The following measurements indicate the size of a font on your computer screen, not projected on a screen for your audience in full screen mode. To enable full screen mode, on the View tab, in the Presentation Views group, click Slide Show.

A one-inch letter is readable from 10 feet.

A two-inch letter is readable from 20 feet.

A three-inch letter is readable from 30 feet.

Keep your text simple by using bullet points or short sentences.

Use bullets or short sentences, and try to keep each to one line; that is, without text wrapping.

You want your audience to listen to you present your information, rather than read the screen.

Some projectors crop slides at the edges, so long sentences may be cropped.

You can remove articles such as “a” and “the” to help reduce the word count on a line.

Use art to help convey your message.

Use graphics to help tell your story. Don’t overwhelm your audience by adding too many graphics to a slide, however.

Make labels for charts and graphs understandable.

Use only enough text to make label elements in a chart or graph comprehensible.

Make slide backgrounds subtle and keep them consistent.

Choose an appealing, consistent template or theme that is not too eye-catching. You don’t want the background or design to detract from your message.

Use high contrast between background color and text color.

Themes automatically set the contrast between a light background with dark colored text or dark background with light colored text.

Check the spelling and grammar.

To earn and maintain the respect of your audience, always check the spelling and grammar in your presentation.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint-help/tips-for-creating-and-delivering-an-effective-presentation-HA010207864.aspx


VI. Working on the project

What do most netizens require? Make “a netizen’s wish list” and comment on it, accompanying your report by a PowerPoint presentation. Follow the useful tips above.