ESL Podcast 449 - Using an Instruction Manual
instruction manual - a small book that gives step-by-step instructions about how to do something, usually to use a new product for the first time
The instruction manual for this software program is more than 500 pages long!
section - a part of a long document or book, usually separated from the rest of the text with a special heading (title)
Your proposal needs to have a section that talks about the community impact of your project.
installation - a piece of electronics or another object that needs to be placed in a home or office and connected to other things so that one can begin using it
If you buy the equipment here, we'll provide free installation.
function - something that a machine or program does or is able to do
This camera has a special function for taking pictures in cloudy weather.
specifications - detailed information about the features or characteristics of a product, including how big or heavy it is, how quickly it works, how much memory it has, and more
Her brother-in-law is a computer scientist, so she asked him for a list of the specifications that she should look for when buying a new computer.
to hook up - to connect something with cables or wires
Which cable should I use to hook up the printer?
to program - to provide instructions for a piece of electronics to work correctly
They programmed their heater to turn on automatically at 6:45 each day.
to plug in - to place the end of a power cord or cable into a special small hole in the wall or another machine so that it has electrical power and/or can exchange information with another piece of electronics
I was mad that the toaster wasn't working, but then I realized that I had forgotten to plug it in.
power supply - the source of electricity for a piece of electronics
The hospital needs an alternative power supply in case the city loses electricity in a storm.
port - the small hole in a piece of electronics that a cord, cable, or wire connects to
If we want to download the photos from our digital camera, we need to use this port on the back of our computer.
cord - cable; a long wire that is wrapped in plastic and used to move electricity or information between pieces of electronics
The phone cord isn't long enough, so she can't sit at her desk while she takes calls.
troubleshooting - related to helping people solve problems or answer questions when they are trying to do something
Before contacting customer support, the website instructions say to try using the troubleshooting section of the website to see if I can find the answer to my question.
diagram - a drawing showing the location and names of things and how they work together, especially for a product or system
We bought a chair that we had to put together, and the diagram showed that we would need six screws, but there were only four in the box.
illustration - a drawing that explains something, helps one understand something, or shows one how to do something
Some people understand things more easily if they can look at an illustration instead of reading instructions.
mode - one way for a machine or a piece of electronics to work
She prefers to take pictures with her camera in black-and-white mode.
to work alone - to work independently and by oneself, without help from other people
The artist likes to work alone because he is less creative when he is around other people.