Metric system microscope thermometer telescope

2. These words are used to describe the inventions above. Check if you know their meaning. How are they related to these inventions?

 

to contain	to determine	image
concave	magnification	to observe
direction	liquid	to multiply
to measure	constellations	volume
angle	decimal	unit
component	to expand
mercury	to focus

 

3. Work with a partner. Take turns to describe the purpose of each invention.

Example: Metric system (decimal, system, to measure, meters, hours, kilograms,

etc.)

 

 

a) Microscope (device, to magnify, small objects, to examine, lenses, scientifically)

b) Compass (tool/device, to find, magnetic north, suspended needle, to point to direction)

c) Thermometer (device, to measure, to rise, to fall, graduated glass cylinder, line, water, temperature, air, mercury, people’s body, to move up or down, coloured alcohol, to contain)

d) Telescope (instrument, cylindrical, to enlarge, to observe, stars, planets, lenses, mirrors)

 

Focus on language

1. Translate these sentences into your native language. Do you need a dictionary to translate them correctly?

§ I’m sure she will make a good physician.

§ The climate model developed by the climatologists forecasts dramatic changes in Europe as well as US.

International words vs “False friends” The words mostly of Greek and Latin origin that are used in many other languages especially in different areas of science and technology are called international words, e.g. geometry, atom, mathematics, radio, integral, theorem, structure, etc. Knowledge of such words helps a lot in reading and translation. However, there are so called ‘false friends”. These are words that look like international but have different meanings in English and in Russian, e.g. to reclaim (to take back something that was yours), actual(real, existing in fact, etc), spectacles(a pair of eyeglasses), etc.

 

2. In the texts above find examples of international and ‘false friends’ words and translate them into your native language.

3. Sort out the words below into categories. Use the dictionary if necessary.

International words	“False Friends”
lecture	control

 

 

4. Can you name the English words we use in our daily life? What words in your native language have become international?

 

 

Writing

 

Study help It is important when reading or writing to recognize and understand the relationship in which sentences and groups of sentences combine to present information. Here are the signal words that can be used to show the order in which things are to be said. firstly in the first place secondly also thirdly in addition to what is more above all etc.

Work in groups. Choose one f the most important inventions you have discussed in this unit. Write a paragraph about it. Give at least three reasons to prove its significance. Make use of these expressions.

It made it possible to …

It became easy to …

It was a breakthrough in…

It made an important contribution to…

It laid the foundation for…

It gave rise to…/ It helped to…

It gave birth to…

It made a revolution in…

It enabled people to do…

It found widespread application in…

 

Get real

 

Search websites or popular science magazines to find information about two significant discoveries or inventions in your field of science made before the 20^th

century. Make notes on what you have found. Be sure to include

§ description

§ inventor / discoverer

§ scientific significance

Make a poster presentation. Use the guidelines in the box.

 

Study help: Making a Poster Presentation Step One - Brainstorm the ideas on what points to highlight in your poster. Step Two - Go online to find the information to include in your poster. Develop the information you have found into separate paragraphs. Write each paragraph on a separate piece of paper. Step Three - Structure your text. Think of the order and place of each paragraph on your poster. Step Four - Proofread the material checking the spelling, punctuation, grammar and vocabulary. Step Five - Add necessary photos, diagrammes, timelines, etc. to make your poster more comprehensible and attractive. Step Six - Pin the poster on the wall of the classroom and make your presentation.

 

 

Reading

1. You are going to read about famous scientists M. Lomonosov, T. Edison and

B. Pascal and their research work. With a partner check if you know:

· What fields did they work in?

· What did they discover or invent?

 

2. As you read complete the chart.

Name	Country	Field of science	Accomplishments
Lomonosov
Pascal
Edison

 

Mikhail Lomonosov (1711-1765) Lomonosov was the first Russian scientist of worldwide importance. His achievements in physics, chemistry, astronomy, geology and geography as well as his construction of instruments made a significant contribution to the development of Natural Sciences. Lomonosov considered chemistry his main ‘profession’. His major scientific accomplishments were in theoretical and experimental chemistry. It was Lomonosov who founded a new science, namely, physical chemistry by explaining chemical phenomena through the laws of physics. His law of concentration of matter and development of atomic-molecular theory of matter and molecular-kinetic theory were a revolution in Natural Science of the time. Besides, he made some notable discoveries in astronomy, geology and mineralogy. In particular, he developed the principle that nature undergoes continuous evolution and demonstrated the organic origin of soil, coal, gas, peat and amber. Lomonosov was also the first to separate geological processes into external (exogenic - wind, rain, rivers, glaciers,etc) and internal (endogenic - tectonic movements, volcanoes, etc). His geographical investigation led to the discovery of the northern passage to India.

 

Blaise Pascal (1623 -1662) At 14, Blaise Pascal,a French mathematician and philosopher, began attending weekly lectures on mathematics. When he was only 16years old, Blaise wrote a paper on conic sections, which was acclaimed by his fellow mathematicians as ‘the most powerful and valuable contribution that had been made to mathematical science since the days of Archimedes’. This paper laid the foundations for the modern study and application of conic sections. Pascal always tried to make his work in science and mathematics of practical use to mankind. While still a teenager, he invented the first machine to do calculations - an arithmetic machine that could add and subtract. Pascal also worked with another mathematician, Fermat, on the Theory of Probability. He, in particular, invented a simple method known as Pascal’s Triangle to determine the probability of certain outcomes.

 

Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) Perhaps the man who did most to make everyday life what it is today was Thomas Alva Edison. He was curious about the world around him and always tried to teach himself through reading and experiments. Many of Edison’s most important inventions were made in his laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey. In 1877 Thomas Edison made a recording on a little machine which he had invented and played it back to himself. The first phonograph was not at all like a record player of our time. Anyway, it was a great step forward, a step that was to lead to the modern science of sound recording. In October 1879 after long experiments he succeeded in making an incandescent lamp in which a loop of carbonized cotton thread glowed in vacuum for more than 40 hours. In addition to the phonograph, incandescent light bulb and the electric train, he also conducted early experiments in wireless technology. In 1885 he patented a method of transmitting telegraphic signals from moving trains. His life and achievements symbolize the ideal of applied research.

(Adapted from the Internet sites)

Focus on language

1. Look back in the text to find as many noun phrases as possible to do with research. Write them down under the appropriate model. Translate them

into
your native language.

Example: a method of transmitting telegraphic signals

метод передачи сигналов по телеграфу

Example: probability theory Example: modern science

теория вероятности современная наука

 

2. Read the sentence from the text. What other adjectives can go with the noun contribution?

§ Lomonosov made a significant contribution to the development of natural sciences.

Collocation Collocation is the way words combine in a language to produce natural-sounding speech and writing. E.g., in English you say strong wind and heavy rain. It would be not normal to say * heavy wind or * strong rain. Collocation runs through the whole of the English language. No piece of natural spoken or written English is totally free of collocation. For the student, choosing the right collocation will make his speech and writing more natural, more native-speaker-like.

3. Look at the diagram with the words invention and discovery. See how many

collocations you can make with these words.

Scientific Archaeological Medical

 

 

Latest New Recent Accidental Chance

Great Brilliant Amazing World-shaking Significant Unexpected

 

 

 

 

INVENTION /DISCOVERY

 

 

4. Work with a partner. Match the verbs in A with the nouns in B.

Some verbs may go with more than one noun.

A	B
to lead to	a method
to make(3)	a paper
to lay	the foundations
to conduct	principles
to patent(2)	a discovery
to develop	an experiment
to write	a contribution
to determine	an invention
	the probability of something

 

5. Use an English-English dictionary and write out the collocations with

the words: investigation, contribution and observation. Compare your results as a class.

 

Speaking

 

Work in teams. Hold a “balloon debate”. Each team chooses the name of the inventor or discoverer they have learnt about. Explain why his/her invention / discovery is so important that the inventor/discoverer should be the last one left in the falling balloon, while the others jump out to save him / her.

 

Functional language: Agreeing and disagreeing
Opinions	I think (that)… In my opinion… As for me…
Agreeing	Absolutely; Right / That right; I agree/ You’re right
Disagreeing	I know, but… I take/see your point, but… I’m not sure… That’s not true…

 

In the Realm of Science

1. Words like volt and watt have become part of our language, e.g. a volt is the unit of electrical potential, or difference in electrical pressure, expressing the difference between two electrical charges.

A watt is a unit of electrical power. However, we sometimes forget that these are the names of famous scientists. A volt is named after Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), the Italian physicist. A watt is named after James Watt (1736-1819), the English inventor of a steam engine.

Do you know what these terms mean and who they are named after?

ampere ['æmpɛə]	kelvin ['kelvin]	Fahrenheit ['fær(ə)nhait]
bel [bel]	curie ['kju(ə)ri]	pascal [pæ'skæl]
coulomb ['ku:lɔm]	Celsius ['selsiəs]	hertz [hə:ts]
roentgen ['rʌntjən; 'rʌntgən]	farad ['færəd]	ohm [əum]
weber ['webər; 'veibər]	newton ['nju:t(ə)n]

 

2. Remember how to say the names of some well-known scientists:

Babbage ['bæbiʤ]	Avogadro [,ævə'ga:drəu]	Isaac Newton ['aizək 'nju:t(ə)n]
Curie ['kju(ə)ri]	Descartes [dei'ka:t]	Pythagoras [pə'θægərəs; pai-]
Bohr [bɔ:r]	Aristotle ['æri,stɔt(ə)l]	Hippocrates [hi'pa:krə,ti:z]
Plato ['pleitəu]	Archimedes [,a:kə'mi:diz]	Aristarchus [,æri'sta:rkəs]
Euclid ['ju:klid]	Einstein ['ainstain]	Roentgen ['rʌntjən; 'rʌntgən]

 

3. Arithmetic operation is a mathematical expression involving numbers.

Division	(:)	21: 3=7	twenty one divided by three is/equals seven
Multiplication or times	(×)	4×3=12	- the multiplication of four by three gives twelve - four times three equals twelve
Subtraction or minus	(–)	4–3=1	- the subtraction of three from four leaves one - four minus three equals one
Summation,addition/plus	(+)	4+3=7	- the summation of four and three gives even - four plus three equals seven
Equality	(=)	25:5=5	twenty five divided by five is/equals five

 

4. Read and remember some mathematical symbols.

	is not equal to		ray AB
<	is less than	AB	the length of
>	is greater than		triangle
	is less than or equal to		is approximately equal to
	is greater than or equal to		is similar to
()	Parentheses (grouping symbol)		is parallel to
[ ]	Brackets (grouping symbol)		infinity
{ }	Braces (grouping symbol)		pi, 3.14159
| |	Absolute Value Bars		is congruent to
	is an element of		therefore
	is not an element of		square root
or	is a subset of		right angle
or	is not a subset	!	factorial
	the set of		the sum of
	the intersection of	e	numeric constant 2.71828
	angle		perpendicular
	line AB		degree(s)
	segment AB

 

Unit 1 Progress Monitoring In this unit you have worked on the following vocabulary related to the topic: “ Evolution of Natural Sciences” to make a discovery   to develop an idea/theory/principle   to measure time/distance/mass   scientific accomplishments   to examine/study/investigate sth   theoretical/experimental science   to determine/observe sth.   to explain a physical phenomenon   to count/calculate/compute sth.   to lead to a discovery of sth.   addition/summation/plus   accidental/joint/shared/independent discovery invention/   subtraction/minus   to be a great step forward to sth.   multiplication/ division   to conduct/make experiments   to do research   to patent an invention/method   to equal sth./to be equal to sth   to make a contribution to science     Tick (V) the points you are confident about and cross (X) the ones you need to revise.

 

 

Unit 2 A Giant Leap

 

Lead In

1. The most revolutionary and important

discoveries in science are often called

breakthroughs. Work with a partner.

Make a list of breakthroughs and inventions

made in the 20^th century.

2. Discuss your lists as a class and agree on five

breakthroughs and inventions that you think

have changed the world we live in.

 

Reading

 

1. Read the text about the breakthroughs of the 20^th century. Find out what changes they have brought about. Complete the chart.

Breakthrough	Implication

 

Breakthroughs of the 20^th century

An unprecedented explosion of creativity, insight, and breakthrough occurred in every field of science in the last century. It started without airplanes, television, computers and ended with spacecraft on Mars and a walk on the Moon along the way, the structure of DNA and a model of the atom, advances in particle physics and cosmology as well as wireless Internet. These discoveries profoundly changed the way we understand the world and our place in it.

However, choosing the most important breakthroughs and inventions of the last 100 years is like choosing the most beautiful flower in a garden of roses. Picking the most important of anything is quite tricky. When one invention leads to the next, which is more important, the chicken or the egg? Some breakthroughs, like Einstein’s theory of relativity, redefined our understanding of the universe, while others had more impact on everyday life.

Since the 1940s, computers have provided a way to solve complex problems and penetrated nearly every aspect of our lives. The rise in the 1990s of the Internet, the World Wilde Web and e-mail are changing the way we gather information, communicate and shop. Programmable electronic devices of all sorts have come to spread to modern society to such a degree that future generations may well characterize the 20th century as the Computer Age.

Francis Crick and James Watson won a Nobel Prize after solving mystery of the human genetic coding called DNA in 1953. They discovered how the genes for recreating life were arranged in a double helix (spiral). Existing in every cell, DNA controls what we look like and our susceptibility and resistance to disease and tells our cells how to act to keep our bodies functioning.The first entirely synthetic plastic, Bakelite, was invented – by accident, as it happened – by American chemist Leo Baekeland in 1909. Early uses included radios, light sockets, jewelry, telephones, washing machines, fishing reels and guns. Later synthetics, like cellophane, nylon and Teflon, brought revolution of their own.

From the launching of the first satellite in 1957 – Sputnik – to man’s walk on the moon 12 years later to today’s sophisticated telescopes, shuttles and trips to Mars, space exploration has opened a new frontier. Lessons learned in space also have had implications for some very earthbound problems.

Technology that allowed images to be transmitted over wires was being developed in the 1920s. In 1932 the heart of the TV, the electron scanning tube was patented under the name of an iconoscope. Since that time TV has transformed how much and how quickly we see the world, and – more than radio or motion pictures – how we spend our leisure time.

Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity was another great 20th century breakthrough. It provides deep insights into the nature of gravity as well as the world’s understanding of itself. For the first time, his work proved that space can be curved and that time could differ from point to point. His theory also led to the conclusion that all the galaxies, and the whole Universe had originated in a Big Bang, thousands of millions of years in the past. And so the modern science of cosmology was born. By describing how light moves, Einstein created principles that led us to lasers and transistors. And his suggestions, via his special theory of relativity, that a little mass of matter could create tremendous energy led to the atomic bomb and the Nuclear Age. It is often claimed that no breakthrough has shown more negative and positive potential.

American astronomer Edwin Hubble showed that the universe is expanding. Hubble made his great discoveries on the best telescope in the world at that time - the 100-inch telescope on Mount Wilson in southern California. Today his name carried by the best telescope we have, not on Earth, but a satellite observatory orbiting our planet. The Hubble Space Telescope is continuing the work begun by Hubble himself to map our Universe, and producing the most remarkable images of distant galaxies ever seen.

Three American physicists received the 1956 Physics Nobel Prize for their joint invention of a transistor. Transistors played a key role in the advancement of electronics. Today’s computer microchips are tens or even hundreds of millions of transistors and derivative devices on a single wafer* of silicon. Without transistors, we wouldn’t have personal computers, cell phones, fax machines, modems or most other modern electronic devices.

(Adapted from the Internet sites)

------------------------------

*a wafer of silicon - здесь: тех. кремневая плата, подложка

2. Explain what the highlighted words and expressions mean. Use a dictionary or consult your teacher if necessary.

Discuss

Ø Do you agree with the author’s choice of the most significant discoveries and inventions? Why?/Why not?

Ø Compare the lists of the breakthroughs you have made with that of the author’s.

Ø Do you think that scientific and technological achievements have really made the world a better place to live? Give reasons for your opinion.

 

Focus on language

1. Read the sentences and study the dictionary entry for the word like. What part of speech is this word in the following sentences?

§ …choosing the most important breakthroughs and inventions of the last 100 years is like choosing the most beautiful flower in a garden of roses.

§ Some breakthroughs, like Einstein’s theory of relativity, redefined our understanding of the universe …

§ … DNA controls what we look like and our susceptibility and resistance to disease …

Like v [T] 1. to enjoy or approve of (sth/smb) I like it when a book is so good that you can’t put it down. 2. to want (sth) I’d like to go to Greece for my holidays.3. prep, conjunction similar to, in the same way or manner as He looks like his brother. 4. adj [not gradable] people who are described as like-minded share the same opinions, ideas or interests. 5. pl. n Your likes are the things that you enjoy.

 

2. Read and translate the sentences into your native language. What is the function of the word like?

a) They look like they have failed the exam.

b) He likes helping in the lab.

c) We have a lot in common with my sister, the same likes and dislikes.

d) Which of the books do you like best?

e) Like I said, I don’t mind helping you with this task.

f) Have you met your new tutor? What’s he like?

g) I would like to take up a text and speech processing course next year.

h) There’s nothing like a nice cup of coffee in the morning to wake you up.

i) My friend has always been interested in natural disasters such as tsunami, tornadoes, volcanoes and the like.

j) My friends are cheerful and energetic like me.

 

3. Make up the sentences of your own with different functions of the word like.

 

4. Read the sentence from the text and decide what parts of speech the words in bold are.

§ The first entirely synthetic plastic, Bakelite, was invented by American chemist Leo Baekeland in 1909.

ü Noun Suffixes

-ity	means condition or quality of sth; e.g. capability
-sion, -tion	means act of sth; state of sth; e.g. position
-er, -or	means one who; that/which; e.g. programmer
-ist	means one who; that/which; e.g. biologist
-ance, -ence	means act of sth; state of sth; quality of sth; e.g. assistance
-ness	means state of sth; e.g. toughness
-ment	means act of sth; state of sth; result of sth; e.g. placement
-dom	means: - state or condition; domain, position, rank; a group with position, rank; e.g. wisdom

 

ü Adjective Suffixes

-ic	means characteristic of sth; like sth e.g. heroic
-al	means relating to sth; e.g. manual
-able	means able; or giving; e.g. portable
-ous	means full of; having. e.g. gaseous
-ful	means full of; having. e.g. careful
-less	means without; e.g. useless
-en	means made of; e.g. wooden

 

ü Adverb Suffixes

-ly	at the end of a word almost always makes an adverb; occasionally it will make an adjective. e.g. quickly

 

ü Verb Suffixes

-en	means to make; e.g. soften
-ize	means to make; e.g. categorize
-ate	means to have or be characterized by; e.g. activate
-ify or -fy	means to cause to become or to make; e.g. simplify

5. Look back in the text and find the words with the suffixes given above. What part of speech are these words?

 

6. Using the suffixes from the box make different parts of speech with the words below. Make up the sentences of your own with the derived words.

 

 

7. Prefix, stem and suffix are three parts of the word. It is possible to guess the meaning of the word if you know the meaning of the prefix or suffix. Refer the prefixes below to the categories:

Size

Location

Time and order

Number

Other

 

trans-	multy-	peri-	mega-	semi-
bi-	dec-	micro-	auto	pre-
mini-	mono-	super-	post	inter-
tri-	oct-	tele-	sub-	extra-.
hydro-	photo-	aero-	co-	fore-

 

8. Match each word that has a prefix in column A with the right meaning of the prefix in column B. Translate the words into your native language. Use a dictionary if necessary.

 

A	B
1) semiconductor	a) under
2) extraordinary	c) two
3) monologue	d) first
4) transmission	e) very small
5) submarine	f) half, partly
6) bilingual	g) beyond
7) microchip	h) across
8) primitive	i) one

 

 

Speaking

Every discovery or invention has its downside. Work in teams. Choose one of the discoveries/inventions and write down two or more negative effects you can think of. Back up your opinion with real life examples. Share your ideas with the class.

 

Writing

‘For’ and ‘Against’

1. Work in pairs. Think of the arguments in favor of or against the statement:

“Scientific and technological achievements have made the world a better place to live.” Make brief notes under ‘for’ and ‘against’ headings.

 

Example:

For	Against
…has made our life more comfortable	…is used to kill people
…improves communication, etc…	…spoils nature, etc…

 

 

2. Write a composition of 200-250 words discussing the statement above. Make use of the Study Help and the Functional languageboxes.

Study help: Outline Introduction Paragraph 1 - Introduce the subject of the composition. State why it is an important issue at the present time.   Main body Paragraph 2 - Give the argument in favor of the statement.   Paragraph 3 - Give the argument against the statement   Conclusion Paragraph 4 - Conclude by giving a well-balanced opinion

 

 

Functional language
It is often said that…	Firstly / Another point is that…
However, in my opinion, …	Also/ besides/ what is more, …
While it is true that…, on the other hand, …	As a result…
At the same time…	Finally, it is important to remember that…
For example, for instance, …	To sum up / All in all, …

 

 

Reading

1. Work with your partner. Give definitions to the words.

 

 

 

2. Match the names of the scientists and researchers with their achievements.

Discuss as a class.

1)Alfred Nobel	a) structure of DNA
2) Alexander Kolmogorov	b) digital compact disk
3) Norbert Wiener	c) dynamite
4) Watson & Crick	d) MS disk operating system
5) Edwin Hubble	e) 1^st personal computer
6) Tim Berners-Lee	f) underwater exploration
7) Bill Gates	g) proof of expanding universe
8) Albert Einstein	h) Linux operating system
9) Ed Roberts	i) theory of relativity
10) Alfred Wagener	j) cybernetics
11) Reynold Johnson	k) algorithmic complexity theory
12) Linus Torvalds	l) magnetic disk drive
13) James Russell	m) continental drift
14) Jacques-Yves Cousteau	n) the World Wide Web

 

3. Read the text to learn more about Alfred Nobel’s life and work.

Double-edged sword

The double-edged sword of discovery is exemplified by the life of Swedish chemist and inventor Alfred Nobel, who left instructions in his will to recognize people whose work was of the greatest benefit to mankind.

Nobel made a fortune by inventing dynamite, which greatly improved the safety of explosives. He initially hoped that his invention would put an end to war, by making it so horrible that no one would want to engage in it. He was wrong – fundamentally wrong -- but the wealth generated from his invention did create the Nobel Peace Prize.

Nobel was born in Stockholm on October 21, 1833. His father Immanuel Nobel, an engineer and inventor, had designed steam engines and underwater mines that protected St. Petersburg, Russia, during the Crimean War. He also was a pioneer in arms manufacturing, and had experimented with different techniques of blasting rock.

When Alfred was young, the family moved to Russia so his farther could start a new career after going into bankruptcy. There, Alfred and his brothers received a first-class education, and by the age of 17, Alfred was fluent in five languages, with interests ranging from chemistry to English poetry. Soon after, young Nobel was sent to Paris for more training in chemical engineering. This gave him the foundation for the work that would place him in history books.

Probably no Swede is as well-known throughout the world as Alfred Nobel.

A meeting with Italian chemist Ascanio Sobrero, inventor of nitroglycerine, led to

Nobel's invention of dynamite. Because nitroglycerine and its production were difficult to control - an explosion killed Nobel's brother Emil in 1864 - Nobel tried adding different substances to make it safer.

He eventually mixed it with silica, making a paste that could be shaped into rods and inserted into drilling holes. In 1867, he patented this material, calling it dynamite.

His invention was a boon during the era of rapidly growing industries and cities, because dynamite reduced the cost of blasting rock and drilling tunnels. It was a profitable one, too, and Nobel became a very wealthy man. In fact, Nobel held the patent for some 600 inventions, including dynamite.

He died in Italy on December 10, 1896. In his will, he directed that his estate -- about $4 million, the equivalent to about $173 million today -- be used for prizes in chemistry, physics, physiology or medicine, literature and peacekeeping.

With the exception of the Peace Prize, all Nobel Prizes are awarded at the Stockholm Concert Hall in Stockholm, Sweden.

Nobel specified that prizes in science and literature were to be awarded by a Swedish committee, while the peace prize was to be given out by a Norwegian

panel. So it has been more than a century since Nobel issued his orders.

Each year, thousands of international experts and research institutes are invited to nominate candidates, and previous Nobel Prize winners also may submit nominations. The nominations are carefully investigated. Then, the committees present a selection of possible candidates to the prize-awarding institutions, and a vote is taken. The year's laureates are announced immediately after the vote, which is held in October.

The Nobel Prizes have tremendous prestige and offer significant financial rewards. The annual Nobel Prize ceremonies last for a week in December in Stockholm and Oslo, culminating on December 10 - the anniversary of Nobel's death.

(Adapted form http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/nobel.100/overview.html)

Comprehension check

1. Answer the questions.

a) What was Alfred Nobel’s father famous for?

b) How many inventions did Nobel register?

c) Who inspired Nobel to invent dynamite?

d) How did the world benefit from Nobel’s invention of dynamite?

e) What problems did this invention bring about?

f) Who awards Nobel Prizes in science and literature?

g) What time of year does the ceremony take place? Why?

 

Discuss

Ø Why is the text entitled “Double-edged sword”? What idea did the author try to emphasize with such a title?

Ø Name the most outstanding discoveries/inventions in your subject area. What are their strong and weak points?

Ø Name the most outstanding scientists of the 20^th century in your subject area. What was their contribution?

Ø What Nobel Prize winners from Russia do you know? In what fields of science did they get their awards?