SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN BRITAIN

 

Since the first artificial splitting of the atom at Cambridge, in 1932, by Sir John Cockroft and Dr. E.T.S.Walton, Britain’s nuclear scientists have made continuous progress in harnessing atomic energy. Today eight commercial nuclear power stations are supplying electricity for factories and homes and others are being built. Some of Britain’s top scientists are engaged in space research on projects such as upper atmosphere probes with British-built rockets at Woomera, Australia, and in work on satellite communications. Others are making vital discoveries in the laboratory into the very nature of life itself.

Britain is pre-eminent in radio astronomy and in many fields of electronics including miniaturization, one of the most important factors in the electronics revolution, and in radar for marine and aviation purposes. Much basic work was done in Britain on electronic computers. British advances in medicine include penicillin and other antibiotics, heart-lung machines, a new anti-viral agent, Interferon, of great potential value and many other important developments in the treatment of disease.

British contributions to science include many great discoveries linked with famous names – Sir Isaac Newton (theory of gravitation), Robert Boyle (“the father of modern chemistry”), Michael Faraday (whose discoveries gave rise to the electrical industry), and Henry Cavendish (properties of hydrogen). In the present century – J.J.Thompson, Lord Rutherford and Sir James Chadwick (basic work on nuclear science), Gowland Hopkins (the existance of bitamins), Sir William Bragg (X-ray analysis), and many others. Medicine owes much to such pioneers as William Harvey (circulation of blood), Edward Jenner (vaccination), Joseph Lister (antiseptics), Sir Ronald Ross (who proved the relation between malaria and mosquitoes).

Since 1945 there have been 27 British scientists who have received international recognition for their work by gaining Nobel Awards. There are over 200 scientific societies in Britain.

 

Exercise 1. Answer the questions:

 

1. Who made the first artificial splitting of the atom?

2. Have the results of this splitting been used only with the research aims?

3. What branches of science and technology is Britain pre-eminent in?

4. What can you say about Britain’s advance in different fields of electronics? medicine?

5. What great discoveries did Britain contribute to science? Would you give any famous names?

 

TEXT 4

Read the text once and say what new information you have learned from it:

 

ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL

 

Alexander Graham Bell never planned to be an inventor, he wanted to be a musician or a teacher of deaf people(глухих). The subjects that studied at school included music, art, literature, Latin and Greek. They not include German which all scientists used in their books. Alexander's mother was a painter and a musician. His father was a well-known tea of deaf people, When Alexander was only sixteen, he became a teacher in boy's school in Scotland. He liked teaching there, but he still wanted to become a teacher of deaf people as his father.

He read all the books about sound that he could find and started to work
on some of his own experiments.

At twenty five Alexander became interested in finding a way to send human voice through an electric wire. The parents of his pupils contributed money for the equipment. He found an assistant, Tom Watson, who worked in an electrical shop. For two years Tom and Alexander were working together to build a machine that people could use to talk to one another over long distances. After two years, the two young men were becoming discouraged (опустить руки). Then, one day, when they were working on a new transmitter Alexander spilled some acid (пролить кислоту) himself. Tom Watson, who was alone in another room, heard a voice. I voice was coming through a wire to a receiver on the table! The voice Alexander Bell's! It was saying: "Come here, Mr. Watson. 1 need you!"

The first telephone line was built in Germany in 1877. By 1915 a telephone line was opened in the United States - 5,440 kilometers from New York to San Francisco.

Now design bureaus all over the world are conducting experiments to develop video-phone or picture phone. A young man in Moscow wants to speak to his friend in Vladivostok. He lifts his telephone receiver, dials a number. After a very short time his friend answers. As he picks up his receiver his picture appears on the screen. They can speak to each other face to face because they are using a new kind of telephone which may be called "a video-phone". In addition to the usual telephone, the equipment includes a small television screen (14cm by 13cm) and, combined with the screen, a television camera. 'The camera tube will allow the user to switch from a wide view of the room to the face of the person speaking. The focus can be changed to give clear pictures of objects 0.3, 0.9 and 6.0 meters away from the camera. There is also a mirror attachment, which allows the camera to scan documents which may be lying on the table. The camera adjusts itself automatically to different lighting conditions.

 

 

TASK 20

 

Read the text, learn the words in black and discuss with your partner the importance and advantages of this invention:

 

TEXT 1

 

The world of communication

TELEPHONE

 

It is difficult to imagine our life without telephone. It is the most convenient means of communication between people. Whenever we want to speak to somebody, we only need to lift the receiver, dial the number, and if the line is not engaged, we get through and can speak to the person we need.

We are so used to telephone that consider letters and postcards as something outdated and taking too much of our time. Telephone is particularly convenient for disabled people who are confined to their homes. For them this small device is sometimes the only way to talk to their relatives or friends or call ambulance.

You cannot do businesses either without telephone these days. Business people are often seen in the streets and in public places with mobile phones which can be carried around. These mobile phones, which are quite expensive, are a sort of status symbol for some people. They show how busy these people are or at least want to appear.

If you need to call somebody from the street, there are public pay phones at many places. There are different types of public phones. Some of them are coin-operated where you insert coins or tokens to make a call. In others, special payphone cards are used instead of coins and tokens. It is important that from street payphones you can make not only local calls but also long distant and international calls. Long distant calls are made within your country. To make one, you have to know the area code. If you don’t know it by heart, you can call the Directory Inquiries and ask for operator’s assistance. International calls are made to other countries. To make an international call you have to know country code and area code as well. These can be also obtained from the operator.

Of course, it’s easier and cheaper to call from your home phone. By the way, there are different types of phones now. There are rotary phones with a rotary disk, touch tone phones, with buttons instead of a disk, cordless phones, with no cord connecting the base and the receiver, answer phones which record incoming messages while you are out, and you can play back these messages when you are back at home.

Some people adore talking by telephone. They can talk for hours. If they call locally, it costs nothing because you only have to pay subscriber’s fee. But in some cities even local calls are metered automatically by computers. In these cities people are very thrifty about making calls, otherwise their telephone bills will be too high. Of course, there are discounts on phone calls or cheap rates for calls made, for instance, late in the day or at weekends. But in an emergency you don’t have to worry about the cost: whether it is a private or a public phone, you can call toll-free.

 

Exercise 1. Answer the questions:

 

1. What types of telephones are used widely nowadays?

2. What are usual rates for calls?

3. Why is telephone very important for disabled people?

1. Must we pay for emergent calls?
2. What type of phone is really necessary for busy people?
3. How can you make a call from the public phone?
4. What kinds of calls are usually made?

 

 

TEXT 2

Read and the text, speak about applications of electricity:

ELECTRICITY

 

It is impossible to imagine our civilization without electricity: economic and social progress will be turned to the past and our daily lives completely transformed.

Electrical power has become universal. Thousands of applications of electricity such as lighting, electrochemistry and electro metallurgy are longstanding and unquestionable.

With the appearance of the electrical motor, power cables replaced transmission shafts, gear wheels, belts and pulleys¹ in the 19-th century workshop. And in the home a whole range of various time and labour saving appliances have become a part of our everyday lives.

Other devices are based on specific properties of electricity: electrostatics in the case of photocopying machine and electromagnetism in the case of radar and television. These applications have made electricity most widely used.

The first industrial application was in the silver workshops in Paris.

The generator – a new compact source of electricity – was also developed there. The generator replaced the batteries and other devices that had been used before.

Electric lighting came into wide use at the end of the last century with the development of the electric lamp by Thomas Edison. Then the transformer was invented, the first electric lines and networks were set up, dynamos and induction motors were designed.

Since the beginning of the 20-th century the successful development of electricity has begun throughout the industrial world. The consumption of electricity has doubled every ten years.

Today consumption of electricity per capita4 is an indicator of the state of development and economic health of a nation. Electricity has replaced other sources of energy as it has been realized that it offers improved service and reduced cost. One of the greatest advantages of electricity is that it is clean, easily regulated and generates no by-products. Applications of electricity now cover all fields of human activity from house washing machines to the latest laser devices. Electricity is the efficient source of same of the most recent technological advanced such as the laser and electron beams. Truly, electricity provides mankind with the energy of the future.

 

 

Notes to the text

1. transmission shafts, gear wheels, belts and pulleys – транмиссионные валы зубчатые колеса, ремни и блоки
2. time and labour saving appliances-электроприборы экономящие время и труд.
3. induction motors-индукционные моторы
4. per capita –на человека; на душу населения
5. by-products – побочные продукты
6. truly-поистине

 

 

TEXT 3

Read the text and prove that computers are really very important nowadays (use the information found in the text):

 

COMPUTERS

 

Computers are now essential in many areas of life – modern banking, information technology and many others. However, this is not true for education.

There are some subjects which may be better taught using computers. Elementary mathematics, elementary language learning, any subject that requires a student to memorize basic facts through repetition ( повторение) is good to computer learning. The computer can be programmed to provide an endless number of simple questions, and as the student answers these questions the facts are learned.

However, in the learning and practice of more complex ideas, the computer is not adequate. A computer can evaluate (оценить) an answer as right or wrong, but it cannot determine why. It cannot find out why a student is making mistakes, and then explain important concepts in a different way so the student will understand. Task connected with explanation cannot be taught by computers as there are too many variables for a computer to deal with successfully.

Thus, while computers may be useful for practising simple skills, they are not an essential feature of modern education. Until further developments in computers are made the human teacher will remain indispensable.

 

 

Exercise 1.Match the words from the lists A and В

А В

1. essential a. thing that can vary

2. area of life b. idea, opinion

3. memorize c. absolutely necessary

4. adequate d. most important

5. concept e. sphere of activity

6. variable f. learn by heart

7. indispensable g. satisfactory, sufficient

 

 

Exercise 2. Give all possible synonyms and antonyms:

 

Right .......... ........... up-to date

.......... complex most important ...........

adequate ........ ........... absolutely necessary

 

 

TASK 21

 

Act out the dialogues:

COMPUTERS

DIALOGUE 1

 

Mary: Have you seen an interesting advertisement (реклама) in the last issue of

“ The Economist”?

John: I have not read it yet.

M.: The School of Engineering offers a new programme in information

System. Applications are invited for jobs in this field.

J.: Professor Smith has told me about it. This programme is interesting .

It is designed to meet the needs of persons with a computing background

for their work in management and industry.

M.: Don’t you think that our son can lecture on this new programme?

J.: Why not? He graduated from the Department of Computer Science and

for some years was taking part in the research project connected with the

problems of supercomputers and their manufacturing.

M.: As far as I remember his research interests cover software (программное

обеспечение) and application.

J.: And what do they say about the contract?

M.: It is a three years contract and it may be extended for futher two years.

I’ll write Mike a letter.

J.: It’s too long. You’d better call him.

 

DIALOGUE 2

 

A.: How do you like these new electronic games?

B.: I am crazy (mad) about them. And you?

A.: Really, I don’t know what you see in them.

B.: Well, I think a real computer game resembles real life as closely as

possible, doesn’t?

A.: May be you are right, but I am not sure.

B.: Oh, but I find them rather relaxing for a change and try to spend every

spare (свободное) minute playing.

 

TASK 22

Find the Russian equivalents in the words given below:

 

1. the physics discoveries, discoveries that led to, the scientific advantage, advantage could well come to nation, to bring the mankind to, mercury wire, unexpected phenomenon, to return to normal slate, by passing electric current, by applying magnetic field, to make a great contribution, they introduced a model, a model proved to be useful, a theory won for them the Nobel Prize, research in superconductivity, research became especially active, the achieved record of 23 K.

2. исследования особенно активизировались; исследования в области сверхпроводимости; теория, за которую они получили Нобелевскую премию; привести человечество к ...; преимущество в науке; открытия в области физики; достигнутая рекордная отметка в 23 К; открытия, которые привели к...; преимущество могла бы получить нация(страна); ртутная проволока; вернуться в обычное состояние; пропуская электрический ток; внести большой вклад; неожиданное явление; они предложили (ввели) модель; прикладывая магнитное поле; модель оказалась эффективной.

 

TASK 23

Exercise 1. Comment on the following statement:

The teaching routine procedures (заведенный порядок, общеизвестная и установившаяся практика) ought to be the main aim of education.

One point of view: Routine makes life and experiments easier, it saves energy; experience of past generations lakes on the form of routine; routine helps us to avoid risks; thanks to routine we don't have to rediscover things; routine ensures efficiency while experimenting, it enables us to achieve a high level of predictability.

A contrary point of view: Routine kills invention and discovery, it is opposite to creativity; it is necessary to avoid routine so that the world can be changed for the better; young people ought to develop their imagination, but not learn routine; routine is the exact opposite of youthfulness; routine is boring; the best idea would be to combine routine with improvisation.

 

 

TASK 24

 

Exercise 1. Translate the sentences from Russian into English:

1.По-настоящему одаренный человек, как прави­ло, проявляет свои способности сразу в нескольких областях. Серьезные занятия химией не помешали профессору Бородину войти в историю русской музы­кальной культуры в качестве одного из крупнейших композиторов второй; половины, ХIX века. Сфера интересов Леонардо даВинчи поразительна. Он был поэтоми композитором, великим инжене­ром, естествоиспытателем, но для нас он, все же преж­де всего замечательный живописец, перед полотнами которого мы готовы стоять часами.

2. Больше всего в Ломоносове поражает целе­устремленность. Ради заветной цели он был готов нести любые тяготы и лишения. Его вклад в россий­скую культуру трудно переоценить. Служа науке и ис­кусству, Ломоносов, прежде всего, заботился о благе родной страны.

3. Когда в Петербурге на пересечении Менделеевской линии и Университетской набережной открыли памятник Ломоносову, многие с радостью признали, что это наиболее подходящее место для памятника основателю университета и ученому, чья жизнь была тесно связана с Академией наук.

4.Мне кажется, что Санкт-Петербургский универ­ситет следовало бы назвать именем Ломоносова, не­ смотря на то, что Московский государственный университет также носит его имя. Многие места в Санкт-Петербурге названы в честь Ломоносова: есть станция метро, улица и пло­щадь, носящие его имя. Долгие годы один из луч­ших в нашей стране фарфоровых заводов также на­зывался Ломоносовским.

5.Ломоносов—человек, доказавший, что настоя­щий талант всегда пробьет себе дорогу. Начав учить­ся в неблагоприятных для себя условиях, он преодо­лел недоверие учителей и насмешки одноклассников, в скором времени став гордостью и надеждой русской науки.

6.Хорошо, если талант человека замечают еще в детстве и создают все возможности для его разви­тия. Однако в жизни все не так гладко. Например, когда великий певец Федор Шаляпин и Максим Горь­кий, который совсем не умел петь, попытались по­ступить в церковный хор, первому отказали, а вто­рого принял.

 

 

Exercise 2. Translate the sentences from Russian into English:

 

1.Оказывается, то, что мы пользуемся изобретением Александра Белла,-чистая случайность. Когда Америка праздновала столетие образования США, в Филадельфии открылась юбилейная выставка, на которой одним из экспонатов стал аппарат Белла. Никто не замечал его до тех пор, пока телефоном не заинтересовался бразильский император Педро II , бывший почетным гостем выставки. - Да, я тоже где-то читал, что практически одновременно более совершенный телефонный аппарат был изобретен Томасом Эдисоном.

2.Чтобы позвонить по телефону, нужно снять трубку (take off the receiver) и набрать (to dial) нужный номер. Если линия свободна(is not engaged), вы услышите длинные гудки. Если тот, кому вы звоните, дома, он ответит на ваш звонок. По окончании разговора не забудьте повесить трубку, поскольку в противном случае никто не сможет дозвониться до вас.

3.Мобильные телефоны очень удобны- вы можете в любой момент позвонить в нужное место, равно как и до вас могут дозвониться в любое время независимо от того, находитесь ли вы дома, на работе, едете на машине или гуляете в парке. Однако странно, что некоторые люди приходят с ними в театры и концертные залы. Наверное, им в голову не приходит, что звонки и разговоры, пусть даже шепотом, мешают зрителям следить за происходящим на сцене.

4.В последнее время я никак не могу дозвониться до родственников в Москве, так как их телефон все время занят. Боюсь, племянник тратит слишком много времени на разговоры со знакомыми и незнакомыми людьми через Интернет. - А вы не пробовали заказать разговор(to make an operator assisted call)?-Прекрасная идея! Я обязательно последую вашему совету сегодня же вечером.

5.При пожаре звоните 01. Вызовы пожарной команды(fire station) , милиции и «скорой помощи» -бесплатные для граждан, пользование этими телефонами оплачивает государство.

6.Моя сестра без конца болтает по телефону. Я прихожу из института, обедаю, делаю домашние задания, а она все говорит и говорит. Конечно, это хорошо, что у нее столько друзей, но почему от этого должны страдать все остальные? Я, например, не всегда могу позвонить своим соученикам, если мне надо посоветоваться с ними, как решить какую-нибудь задачу.

7.Телефон - великое достижение цивилизации. Подумать только, он позволяет практически моментально связаться с любой точкой земного шара!

8.Телефонный справочник(Directory)-гигантская база данных (Database) об учреждениях, жителях города и услугах, которыми они могут воспользоваться. Во многих зарубежных странах телефонные справочники лежат прямо в телефонных будках.

9.Телефон избавляет нас от множества неудобств. Предположим, в выходной день вы собираетесь поехать с друзьями за город. Если вы едете не на машине, а на электричке, вам нужно знать расписание поездов. Однако благодаря телефону вам вовсе не обязательно ехать для этого на вокзал: существует специальная телефонная справочная служба. Хотя за эту услугу надо платить, это стоит дешевле, чем дорога туда и обратно, не говоря о том, что она экономит массу времени.

10.В праздничные дни городские телефонные сети(networks) обычно перегружены, так как люди поздравляют друг друга с праздниками, а заодно и обмениваются новостями.

 

СПИСОК ИСПОЛЬЗОВАННОЙ ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ

1. Орловская И.В., Учебник английского языка для технических университетов и вузов. – М., Издательство имени Н.Э.Баумана, 2001

2. Новицкая Т.М., Учебник английского языка для технических вузов – М., Высшая школa, 1976

3. Сатинова В.Ф., Read and speak about Britain and the British – Минск, Вышэйшая школа, 1998

4. Longman Essential Activator – Addison Wesley Longman Limited, 1997

5. Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English – Longman Group Ltd., 1995

6. WASP Newsletter, Volume 29 no.4, February-March 2001