Question 1

The addresses of the routines that handle interrupts and exceptions are stored in a special region of memory called the stack.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

The difference between preemptive and non- preemptive multitasking is _________.

Accepted Answer

A)  non- preemptive multitasking can suspend a running process to allow another process to run 
B)  non- preemptive multitasking must wait for a running process to voluntarily relinquish the CPU before running another process 
C)  preemptive multitasking works for single- and multi- processor systems. 
D)  single- processor systems must use non- preemptive multitasking

Question 3

Wait states are used to ensure that processor signals meet the setup and hold times of system devices.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

During a read operation _________.

Accepted Answer

A)  the processor deactivates the read control line once it has latched the data on the data bus into an internal register 
B)  the processor waits for the selected device to activate the read control line before transferring data from the data bus into an internal register 
C)  the processor places the transferred data on the data bus so that the selected device can store it back in memory 
D)  the selected device no longer contains data once the processor transfers it from the data bus

Question 5

A device typically used to allow the processor to select specific devices in the system is _________.

Accepted Answer

A)  a decoder 
B)  a shift register 
C)  a demultiplexer 
D)  none of the above

Question 6

Microcontrollers use data registers to contain information about conditions associated with peripheral operation.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

The main disadvantage of using buffers is _________.

Accepted Answer

A)  it increases power dissipation 
B)  it inverts the buffered signal 
C)  it increases signal propagation delay 
D)  it increases part costs

Question 8

System software is called the operating system.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

All of the following are processor instruction types except_________.

Accepted Answer

A)  arithmetic 
B)  data transfer 
C)  loops and jumps 
D)  encryption

Question 10

Cache memory is used to overcome the relatively high costs of main memory.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Bus master use interrupts to gain control of the system bus from the CPU.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Computer systems use buffers to decrease the propagation delay of system buses.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

System software _________.

Accepted Answer

A)  accomplishes a specific job or task 
B)  is also called application software 
C)  is stored in main memory 
D)  manages all the hardware and software in a system

Question 14

In some computer systems only the CPU is a bus master.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Which of the following is not normally a part of a microcomputer?

Accepted Answer

A)  control unit 
B)  multiplexer 
C)  ALU 
D)  memory unit

Question 16

An assembler is used to _________.

Accepted Answer

A)  write and edit assembly language programs 
B)  convert assembly language to machine code 
C)  convert the assembly language for one processor to the assembly language for another processor 
D)  convert a high- level language to assembly language

Question 17

Encoders can be used to generate wait state signals.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Processors have supervisor and user states to ensure that only certain processes in multiuser or multitasking systems have access to restricted system resources.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

The address bus, along with the data and control busses, is bidirectional.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

What is interrupt- driven I/O and what is its major advantage?

Accepted Answer

A)  Each individual I/O device is serviced sequentially on a regular basis by the PIC. This speeds up the I/O process. 
B)  An I/O device needing service sends a request to the PIC (programmable interrupt controller), which in turn notifies the CPU of the request based on the assigned priority level of the specific I/O device. If there are no pending I/O requests the CPU does not have to spend time checking the I/O ports. 
C)  Each individual I/O device is checked sequentially on a regular basis to see if it needs to be serviced. This slows down the CPU operation. 
D)  Individual I/O devices regularly send inquiries to the CPU to see if it is available for a specific I/O operation; if the CPU is available, the I/O device then proceeds to carry out its operation.

Exam 14: Data Processing and Control

The addresses of the routines that handle interrupts and exceptions are stored in a special region of memory called the stack.

The difference between preemptive and non- preemptive multitasking is _________.

Wait states are used to ensure that processor signals meet the setup and hold times of system devices.

During a read operation _________.

A device typically used to allow the processor to select specific devices in the system is _________.

Microcontrollers use data registers to contain information about conditions associated with peripheral operation.

The main disadvantage of using buffers is _________.

System software is called the operating system.

All of the following are processor instruction types except_________.

Cache memory is used to overcome the relatively high costs of main memory.

Bus master use interrupts to gain control of the system bus from the CPU.

Computer systems use buffers to decrease the propagation delay of system buses.

System software _________.

In some computer systems only the CPU is a bus master.

Which of the following is not normally a part of a microcomputer?

An assembler is used to _________.

Encoders can be used to generate wait state signals.

Processors have supervisor and user states to ensure that only certain processes in multiuser or multitasking systems have access to restricted system resources.

The address bus, along with the data and control busses, is bidirectional.

What is interrupt- driven I/O and what is its major advantage?