readings

Computer Terms

mouse
- a small device that you move around on a flat surface in front of a computer
- pointer, cursor, computer screen
- a carved block of wood with two metal wheels
- had a tail at the end which was the wire that connected it to the computer
hacker
- who writes software programs in a special computer language
- who tries to steal information from computer systems
Google
- search engine
  - find information about almost any subject on the Internet
- googol is an extremely large number(100 zeroes behind 1)
blog
- the shortened name for a Web log
- a personal web page
- people who have blogs are called bloggers
spam
- unwanted sales messages sent to your electronic mailbox
SPAM
- a eating place that only serves a processed meat product from the USA.
- just as unwanted sales messages interfere with communication over the Internet

lead a dog’s life
- to describe a person who has an unhappy existence
a dog-eat-dog world
- means many people are competing for something
work like a doy
- means sb. has to work very, very hard
- such hard work can make perple dog-tired
every dog has its day
- every person enjoys a successful period during his or her life.
you can never teach an old dog new tricks
- older people do not like to learn new things and will not change the way they do things
meaner than a junkyard dog(mean dogs)
his bark is worse than his bite
be in the doghouse
- husbands and wives use this doghouse term when they are angry at each other
let sleeping dogs lie
dogs day of summer
- the hottest days of the year
A rainstorm may cool the weather. But we do not want it to rain too hard. We do not want it to rain cats and dogs.

in hot water
- to be in trouble, serious or not so serious
- a man who breaks a low can be in hot water with the police
in deep water
- be in difficult position
- be facing a problem that you do not have the ability to solve
to keep your head above water
- to stay out of debt
water over the dam
- to forget sth. bad that had happened
to hold water
- It comes from a way of testing the condition of a container
- is about the strength or weakness of an idea or opinion that you may be arguing about
throw cold water
- It means to not like an idea.

sth. sounds fishy
- sth. may not be true
a fish out of water
- feel uncomfortable about the surroundings
I’m fishing for a compliment
- want to gain sth.
to fish or cut bait
- to make a quick decision
go on a fishing expedition
- ask sb. many questions to discover sth.
red herring
- to draw attention away from the real facts
holy mackerel
- to express a feeling of surprise
sb. looks green around the gills
- sb. is frightened by sth.
live in a fishbowl
- sb. don’t have any secrets, everyone knows all about him or her
the train is so crowded that we’re packed in like sardines
- sardines are tiny fish that lie close to each other in cans
cold fish
- to describe sb. is unfriendly and does not like to play with others
a fine kettle of fish
- sth. that makes you feel unhappy
- things go terriblely or a messy situation
a big fish in small pond
plenty of other fish in the sea