Scan passage 2 and speak of the way how scientists utilize the existing knowledge in new scientific investigations. Give examples from the text and your own experience
Skim passage 3. In pairs discuss the situation how important scientific advances can be made by proving some current ideas to be wrong. Give examples.
While discussing use the following words and word combinations:
important advances; current ideas; theory; discovery; scientific knowledge; a detailed insight.
Look through passage 4. Using the information of the passage and your own experience develop the idea that science today has a profound effect on the way we live. Give as many examples as possible. Discuss them in small groups or in pairs.
Scan passage 5 and say whether you agree with the author that scientific discoveries can also have a negative effect in human affairs. Discuss the examples of the author and add those which are not mentioned.
In your discussion use the following words and word combinations:
a negative impact; to have unwanted and unexpected long-term effects; to pollute the global environment; to contaminate; toxic gases; a rising tide of waste; carbon dioxide; global warming; climate change; ethical questions; genetic engineering; destructive weapons.
13. Now compare the positive sides of the development of science and its negative impacts. Discuss the situation in small groups. Comment on the statement: ‘Science can be neither good nor evil.’
Learn and set out the dialogue. Make your own dialogue on the same subject.
| John: | Well, Peter, at the moment you are having your practical training in the Laboratory of Solid State Devices. Is that right? |
| Peter: | Yes, that’s it. |
| John: | Just tell me one thing: Are you quite satisfied with the results of your practical training? Was it first class? |
| Peter: | Yes. My impressions are very favourable. That’s where they do some of the best work on electronics. There are excellent research facilities and a very interesting research programme to fulfill. Surely it can suit any individual needs. |
| John: | Great. What about the staff? |
| Peter: | In fact, it’s staffed at all levels with very competent and enthusiastic people. They try to give you every possible help. |
| John: | That sounds fine. What are the main research fields of the lab personnel? |
| Peter: | Dozens of promising ideas are under investigation, especially in the field of solid state materials and devices. |
| John: | Could I ask you to be more specific about the problems studied in the Laboratory of Solid State Devices? |
| Peter: | All right. The team under professor Borisenko is doing device reliability research. Their research findings are very interesting indeed. A very large group of researchers are engaged in studying several problems in the field of nano- and optoelectronics. |
| John: | I see. And what are your interests? |
| Peter: | I am interested in all sorts of problems concerned with miniaturization and microminiaturization of electronic devices. I want to make electronic devices smaller, cheaper and more powerful. I’m interested in microelectronics. |
| John: | Well, Peter, I think I’ve got the picture. Thanks a lot for having explained everything so concisely. |
| Peter: | It’s been a pleasure. Bye, John. |
15. Use the following situation to start a short talk:
You are visiting an exhibition on robotics. You are going to write an article for you university newspaper. Try to get as much information as possible about the history of robotics.
Think of a situation where the following proverbs can be used. Discuss them with your partner. Give their Russian equivalents.
| a | Time and tide wait for no man. |
| b | Where there's a will there's a way. |
| c | Necessity is the mother of invention. |
| d | Be slow to promise and quick to perform. |
SECTION III
Reading
Starter activity. Read the text “Achievements of World Science”. Try to understand it and then do the tasks that follow.