Styluses

Jennifer

Reading — Advanced Level
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Activity

Read the text and answer the questions

Styluses were first used by the ancient Mesopotamians in order to write in cuneiform. They were mostly made of reeds and had a slightly curved trapezoidal section. The Egyptians and the Minoans of Crete made styluses in various materials: reeds that grew on the sides of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and in marshes and down to Egypt where the Egyptians used styluses from sliced reeds with sharp points, bone and metal styluses were also used. Cuneiform was entirely based on the wedge-shaped mark that the end of a cut reed made when pushed into a clay tablet.

Modern day devices, such as phones, can often be used with a stylus to accurately navigate through menus, send messages etc. Today, the term stylus often refers to an input tool usually used with touchscreen-enabled devices, such as Tablet PCs, to accurately navigate interface elements, send messages, etc. This also prevents smearing the screen with oils from one's fingers. Styluses may also be used for handwriting; or for drawing using graphics tablets. Many new phones have a built-in stylus which tucks in behind the back cover. Some styluses may extend and contract into small, pen-like cylinders, which are easy to put away.

Styluses come in both passive and active versions. A passive or capacitive stylus is a stylus that acts just like a finger when touching a device screen. There is no electronic communication between a passive stylus and a device. The device cannot tell the difference between a finger and a passive stylus.

An active stylus includes electronic components that communicate with the touchscreen controller on a device. Active pens are typically used for note taking, on-screen drawing/painting, and electronic document annotation. They help prevent the problem of one's fingers or hands accidentally contacting the screen. As before, the stylus is pointed or rounded at one end and is made to fit in the grip of a hand comfortably. These styluses can be found in many different styles.
Source: Wikipedia
  1. Since Mesopotamia is an ancient place, what can be concluded in the first sentence?
  2. What was basically the use of a stylus?
  3. When does a modern stylus effectively function?
  4. Which statement signifies falsehood?
  5. How does a passive stylus differ from the active one?
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Discussion

Practice your writing skills by discussing the questions below

  1. Do you use a stylus? if yes, when do you make use of it?
  2. What makes a stylus functional?
  3. Who usually use/s a stylus? Why?
    Jennifer

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