Question 1

The ____ hides from the user the messy details of underlying hardware.
A) interface
B) operating system
C) system software
D) machine code

Accepted Answer

An interface is a software or hardware component that provides a simplified way for users to interact with and control more complex systems. In this case, the interface hides the messy details of the underlying hardware from the user, allowing them to interact with the system in a more intuitive and user-friendly way. The operating system and system software are also involved in hiding hardware details, but a specific reference to an interface is the most appropriate in this context. Machine code is low-level code that represents the actual instructions executed by a computer's processor, and is not related to hiding details of hardware from users.

Question 2

After all the fields of an assembly language instruction have been translated into binary, the newly built machine language instruction and the address of where it is to be loaded are written out to a file called the ____ file.
A) table
B) source
C) data
D) object

Accepted Answer

The object file contains the machine language instruction and the address of where it is to be loaded. This file is used by the linker to create the final executable or shared library.

Question 3

Translators for ____ are called compilers.
A) assembly language
B) machine language
C) low-level languages
D) high-level languages

Accepted Answer

Translators for high-level languages are called compilers. Assembly language and machine language are considered low-level languages, which typically use assemblers and interpreters to translate code.

Question 4

In ____ language, if we insert or delete an instruction, all memory addresses following that instruction will change.
A) assembly
B) machine
C) low-level programming
D) high-level programming

Accepted Answer

The answer of In ____ language, if we insert or...

Question 5

A(n) ____ operation involves the comparison of values and the subsequent use of the outcome to decide what to do next.
A) iterative
B) conditional
C) sequential
D) transformer

Accepted Answer

A conditional operation involves the comparison of values and the use of the outcome (true/false) to decide which path of execution to take next. Iterative operations involve repeating a set of instructions until a certain condition is met, sequential operations involve executing steps in a specific order, and transformer operations involve transforming data from one format to another.

Question 6

System software acts as a(n) ____ between the users and the hardware.
A) translator
B) intermediary
C) tester
D) security agent

Accepted Answer

System software acts as an intermediary between the users and the hardware, allowing the user to interact with the hardware through the software. It translates user commands and programs into machine language, managing resources, and providing a platform for application software to run. While it may include elements of translation, testing, and security, its primary role is as an intermediary.

Question 7

A(n) ____ invokes a service of the assembler.
A) compiler
B) pseudo-op
C) loader
D) operation

Accepted Answer

Pseudo-ops are instructions to the assembler to perform a specific task during the assembly process, such as defining constants or reserving memory. They are not actual machine instructions, but rather directives to the assembler. Therefore, a pseudo-op does not execute as part of the program; it invokes a service of the assembler.

Question 8

The set of services and resources created by the system software and seen by the user is called a(n) ____ machine.
A) naked
B) virtual
C) assembler
D) Von Neumann

Accepted Answer

A virtual machine is a software-defined environment that emulates the experience of a physical computer system. It abstracts the hardware of the computer from the user, creating a virtualized set of services and resources that are presented to the user. This allows users to run multiple operating systems and applications on a single physical system. A naked machine is a term used to describe a computer system without any software installed, assembler refers to a type of programming language, and Von Neumann is a computer architecture model. None of these options accurately describe the concept of a virtual machine.

Question 9

____, such as text editors, are sometimes organized into collections called program libraries.
A) Programming tools
B) Office tools
C) Packages
D) Utilities

Accepted Answer

The answer of ____, such as text editors, are sometimes...

Question 10

A Von Neumann computer without any helpful user-oriented features is called a(n) ____ machine.
A) distributed
B) virtual
C) assembler
D) naked

Accepted Answer

A Von Neumann computer without any helpful user-oriented features is commonly referred to as a "naked" machine.

Question 11

Icons displayed on the screen are selected with a mouse and a button using a technique called ____.
A) windows interface
B) point-and-click
C) panel interface
D) command line

Accepted Answer

Point-and-click is the technique that allows users to select icons or buttons on the screen using a mouse. The other options (windows interface, panel interface, and command line) might refer to different types of user interfaces, but they do not specifically describe the action of selecting icons with a mouse.

Question 12

The ____ problem-solving cycle involves inputting code to an assembler, translating it to machine language, loading it into a Von Neumann computer, and executing to produce answers to the problem.
A) Von Neumann
B) modern
C) algorithmic
D) conditional

Accepted Answer

The answer of The ____ problem-solving cycle involves inputting code...

Question 13

A machine language program is called the ____ program.
A) source
B) object
C) data
D) virtual

Accepted Answer

A machine language program is compiled into an object program that can be directly executed by the computer's central processing unit (CPU). The object program is a binary file that contains the machine language instructions and data that the computer can understand and execute.

Question 14

A ____-generation operating system will typically be a parallel processing operating system that can efficiently manage computer systems containing tens, hundreds, or even thousands of processors.
A) second
B) third
C) fourth
D) fifth

Accepted Answer

Fifth-generation operating systems are designed to efficiently manage parallel processing and the complexities of computer systems with a large number of processors, aligning with the advancements in computing technology and the need for handling extensive computational tasks simultaneously.

Question 15

The conversion of symbolic op codes such as LOAD, ADD, and SUBTRACT to binary makes use of a structure called the ____.
A) op code table
B) assembler
C) loader
D) library

Accepted Answer

The conversion of symbolic op codes to binary is typically done by looking up the op code in a table that maps each op code to its corresponding binary code. This table is commonly referred to as the op code table. Assemblers use this table to translate the symbolic op codes in an assembly language program into binary instructions that can be executed by the computer's CPU.

Question 16

C++ and Java are examples of ____ languages.
A) low-level programming
B) high-level programming
C) machine
D) assembly

Accepted Answer

C++ and Java are both high-level programming languages, which means they are designed to be more user-friendly and easier to read and write than low-level programming languages like machine language or assembly language. They also offer more advanced features like object-oriented programming and memory management.

Question 17

If the op code table is sorted alphabetically, the ____ search algorithm is used to find an op code.
A) sequential
B) binary
C) op code
D) table

Accepted Answer

Binary search algorithm is the best choice as it has a time complexity of O(log n) which is much more efficient than sequential search algorithm with a time complexity of O(n).

Question 18

____ operation codes are restricted to be used in the operating system or other system software.
A) Privileged
B) User
C) Specialized
D) System

Accepted Answer

Privileged operation codes can only be executed by the operating system or other system software that has higher privileges. Ordinary user programs do not have access to these codes, which are used for low-level operations such as memory management and I/O control.

Question 19

In assembly language, a(n) ____ is a name, followed by a colon, placed at the beginning of an instruction.
A) op code mnemonic
B) comment
C) address field
D) label

Accepted Answer

A label is a name that is followed by a colon and is used to mark a specific location in a program. It is used to refer to the memory address where an instruction or data is stored.

Question 20

A program written in assembly language is called the ____ program.
A) virtual
B) object
C) data
D) source

Accepted Answer

A program written in assembly language is referred to as the source program. This is because it is the original code written by the programmer, which will later be translated into machine code by an assembler.

Quiz 6: An Introduction to System Software and Virtual Machines

The ____ hides from the user the messy details of underlying hardware.

After all the fields of an assembly language instruction have been translated into binary, the newly built machine language instruction and the address of where it is to be loaded are written out to a file called the ____ file.

Translators for ____ are called compilers.

In ____ language, if we insert or delete an instruction, all memory addresses following that instruction will change.

A(n) ____ operation involves the comparison of values and the subsequent use of the outcome to decide what to do next.

System software acts as a(n) ____ between the users and the hardware.

A(n) ____ invokes a service of the assembler.

The set of services and resources created by the system software and seen by the user is called a(n) ____ machine.

____, such as text editors, are sometimes organized into collections called program libraries.

A Von Neumann computer without any helpful user-oriented features is called a(n) ____ machine.

Icons displayed on the screen are selected with a mouse and a button using a technique called ____.

The ____ problem-solving cycle involves inputting code to an assembler, translating it to machine language, loading it into a Von Neumann computer, and executing to produce answers to the problem.

A machine language program is called the ____ program.

A ____-generation operating system will typically be a parallel processing operating system that can efficiently manage computer systems containing tens, hundreds, or even thousands of processors.

The conversion of symbolic op codes such as LOAD, ADD, and SUBTRACT to binary makes use of a structure called the ____.

C++ and Java are examples of ____ languages.

If the op code table is sorted alphabetically, the ____ search algorithm is used to find an op code.

____ operation codes are restricted to be used in the operating system or other system software.

In assembly language, a(n) ____ is a name, followed by a colon, placed at the beginning of an instruction.

A program written in assembly language is called the ____ program.