Test your computer knowledge

Take this fun test and find out how much you know about the basics of computing. Don't take it too seriously. The purpose of this test is to give you a chance to revise what you have learnt in the previous sections.

The correct answers are on the bottom of the page. Don't cheat. First try to answer the question yourself, then compare your answer with the correct answer.

1. Both PC and Mac uses the same Operating System. True or False?

2. Drivers are software needed to run a hardware such as the printer. True or False?

3. .exe extension after the file name indicates what?

4. What is a zip file?

5. Approximately how many kilobytes makes a gigabyte? (Rounding off is OK).

6. What is wrong in the file name "Year:2006.doc"?

7. In order to cut a sentence from your document and paste it on a different place, you must do what first?

8. Before installing a software in your computer, what is the most important precaution you must take so that your computer does not malfunction later?

9. Name one important hazard or risk associated with downloading files from unknown or dubious sources.

10. What is the easiest way of highlighting a large chunk of text, say from the middle of the second paragraph to the middle of the fifth paragraph?

11. What is the first thing you should do after downloading any file from the Internet?

12. What are the three things you must decide on when saving a file for the first time?

13. There are several windows open on your desktop. You can barely see a window in the background that you want to bring on top (make active). What is the quickest way of doing it?

14. Lots of open windows have completely covered up your desktop. You want to see the desktop so you can open another file by double-clicking on its shortcut icon. What is the quickest way of exposing the desktop?

15. Is it possible to create a folder within a folder?

16. You are 100% sure that you had saved some picture files (.jpg extension) in a particular folder. You want to attach one of those pictures to an e-mail. You are on the Attach Files dialog box but cannot locate any of the pictures in that folder. All files in that folder are text documents (.txt extension). What is wrong?

17. You are surfing the Net. You clicked on something and suddenly a message appears on the screen saying, "This program has performed an illegal operation and will close". This has never happened to you before. What should you do?

18. Which answer is correct? A computer virus is: (A) A little program clandestinely introduced in your computer that can harm your computer. (B) Another name of computer cookies. (C) The result of keeping the computer in a cold and damp room for a long time.

19. How can you tell which version of Windows is running in your computer?

20. Why might it sometime be necessary to start Windows in Safe Mode?

1. False. Only PC uses Windows.

2. True.

3. It is a program file.

4. It is a compressed file.

5. 1000 X 1000=1,000,000 kilobytes.

6. Windows does not allow colon (:) in a file name.

7. Highlight the sentence first.

8. Close all open applications, particularly the anti-virus program that always runs in the background.

9. Your computer may get infected by virus or spyware.

10. Bring the cursor to the left of the place where you want the highlighting to begin and click once. Then hold down the Shift key and bring the cursor to the right of the place where you want the highlighting to end and click once. The entire area between these two clicking points will get highlighted immediately.

11. Scan the file for virus BEFORE opening it.

12. (a) Specify the folder in which to save the file, (b) give the file a short but descriptive name so that it can be found easily later, and (c) decide on the file type (file extension). If not sure about the third factor, one can just accept the default chosen by the computer.

13. If you can see the dimmed titlebar of that window, click on that titlebar. The window will jump up to the top (and will be the active window - the titlebar will brighten). If you cannot see the titlebar of the window, look for its button on the taskbar and click on its button. The window will jump up to the top and will become active.

14. Right-click on an empty spot on the taskbar. A small menu will open up. On that menu click on "Minimize All Windows". All open windows will be immediately minimized (all at the same time), and the desktop will be exposed.

15. Absolutely.

16. In that dialog box look at Files of Type on the bottom. Most likely "Text Documents" is chosen there. Click on the little downward pointing arrow on the right side of Files of Type box and choose All Files from the dropdown menu. Your photo files (.jpg extension) will now show up as contents of that folder along with all other files.

17. Close your browser, close any other open program, then re-start the computer. After the computer starts again, open your browser and continue surfing. You will notice that the problem has been resolved.

18. (A) A little program clandestinely introduced in your computer that can harm your computer.

19. Right-click on My Computer on the desktop and then click on Properties on the resulting menu. System Properties dialog box will open up. Look under the General tab. There, under System, you will find the Windows version your computer is running.

20. If you start getting error messages when you try to do something with your computer, it might be necessary to start Windows in Safe Mode to troubleshoot and resolve the problem.