What is implied in the following assertion?

There is no national prejudice in maths.

6. Discuss the statements given below. Use the following phrases:

Mathematicians reject…

The statement does not imply…

Scientists do not claim…

That’s right...

Exactly. Certainly…

I fully agree to it…

I don’t think so. This is not the case…

It’s wrong, I am afraid. Quite the reverse…

The definition is inappropriate…

1. Most mathematicians object to the separation of pure and applied aspects of maths. Why? Do pure and applied maths have common language, methods, applications?

 

2. Mathematicians – what are they? When (why) does a person make up his mind to become a mathematician? What motivates and directs the activities of mathematicians? What mathematician(s) to your mind, is (are) the most distinguished and why?

3. Wherein is the beauty of maths? Beautiful maths is the greatest contribution of the man’s mind to all the civilization. Prove it.

 

Give a short summary of the text.

Text B. Programming. Multiprogramming

1. Read and translate the text:

Programming. Multiprogramming

The following items are included in the programming: a) Consideration of the problem. Is the problem completely defined? Can we find a method of solution? Will the method fit the computer we use? Will we have enough time, both to prepare the solution on the computer and to run out the answers? b) Analysis of the problem. Does the algorithm that we can use exist? Are there "canned" routines that we can apply? That is, are there parts of this problem for which we may already have the computer solution? How much accuracy do we want? How well we assure ourselves that the solutions are correct? Can we construct test data to check the computer solution? Thus, programming covers all activities from the start of the job up to the end and including flowcharting.

Even in scientific computations, the most difficult part of programming is not the coding, or actual writing of the instructions for the computer, but the technical analysis of exactly what to be computed and how it is to be computed. To illustrate it, consider the case where a large problem involves, at some state, the solution of a quadratic equation. There are several methods of solving such an equation with the pencil and paper, but what method is preferable on the computer? Preferable in what sense – in the sense of fastest execution time for the calculation, inthe sense of fitting into the least possible amount of core storage; or perhaps in the sense of being easiest to code. The programmer must take these decisions. The programmer does not make all his decisions at once. He usually begins with an overall view of the entire system and the computer is considered as just another unit in the system. As he plans the system, he draws a system flowchart, a graphic and easily understood picture of what happens in the system. He then breaks each part of the system flowchart down into as much detail as needed, producing detailed flowcharts. For the computer processing he draws a special program flowchart, outlining, in general, the essential steps in the computer program. This is refined to produce detailed program flowcharts from which the coding begins. The coder, who may or may not be the same person who did the system analysis, translates each block of the flowchart into one or more instructions for the computer.

One reason for using an operating system is to increase throughout the amount of useful work the computer performs in a given time period. In many jobs, the computer spends most of its time waiting for the completion of input-output operations, particularly printing. If the computer has enough core storage and sufficient input-output devices, it allows for multiprogramming. Multiprogramming means that two or three different and unrelated programs are placed in storage, with each program having its own set of input-output files. The supervisor gives control to the highest priority program and it continues to be executed until it reaches a point where it can go no further until some pending input-output is completed. At this point, the supervisor saves the status of the program and transfers control to the next highest priority program. When input-output operation is completed, the supervisor halts program which was running and returns control to the first program. Processing continues inthis way with the computer entering to wait state only when all programs are waiting. Although the amount of time taken for the computer to complete any one program is increased, the total time for all programs will usually be reduced substantially.

Active Vocabulary

instruction	storage
consider	overall
involve	view
solution	entire
solve	pending
equation	flowchart
preferable	system flowchart
execution	detailed flowchart
amount	program flowchart
core	essential
increase	completion
particularly	halt

2. Answer the following questions:

1. What items are included in the programming?

2. What decisions must the programmer take choosing a preferable method of solving a large problem on the computer?

3. Does the programmer make all his decisions at once?

4. What does the programmer begin with?

5. What does the term “a system flowchart” mean?

6. What are the essential steps in the computer program?

7. Who translates each block of the flowchart into one or more instructions for the computer?

8. What is the reason for using an operating system?

9. What characteristics of core-storage and input-output devices allow for multiprogramming?

10. What does “multiprogramming” mean?

11. What are the procedures of multiprogramming the supervisor provides?

12. What is the most difficult part of programming?

 

3. Reconstruct the text into a dialogue. The main rules governing a conversation in English:

The person who asks questions in a conversation usually controls it. Personal questions should be expressed tactfully.

Add new phrases to the previous ones:

Let’s be realistic about this plan/suggestion, etc.

I / we / you have got to think of other sides of this problem as well.

I think it would be reasonable/well-grounded/good etc. if we discussed your suggestion in detail.

That’s completely irrelevant/off the point. We’re talking about another problem.

Perhaps we could go back to the main point.

Could you stick to the subject/point, please?

That’s very interesting, but I don’t think it’s really to the point.

4. Annotate the text in English. Use the phrases:

I.

a) The title of the article is...
It is written by prof... and published in London in the
journal..., No.3, vol.4, 2011	on pp.3-10
magazine..., No.3, vol.4, 2011
collection of articles... by... editorial house in 2011
book... by... editorial house in 2011
b) The article... by prof... is published in the journal..., in N.Y., pp.5-10.

II.

a) The article	deals with	the problem of...
	discusses
	touches
	discloses
	is devoted to
The text tells us about...
b) Disclosing the problem the author dwells on (upon) such matters as...
The major	points
	matters	of the text are the following:...
	problems
	issues
c) The author	pays special attention to …
	draws readers’ attention to …
Much	attention is paid to...
Great
Special
The author	concentrates on, focuses on
	stresses, underlines, emphasises
	points out
	dwells on (upon)
	distinguishes between
	speaks in details
	gives the classification

III.

a) As far as I am an expert in... I
consider	the article to be of some (great) interest for …
believe
suppose
think
guess
b)	In my opinion	the article is of	great some	interest for
	From my point of view
	To my mind
	the students in applied science
	the specialists in...
	a wide range of readers

 

5. Read the statements and develop the idea further. Use the given phrases:

There is one more point to be noted…

Moreover…

I might as well add that…

More than that…

Bearing in mind…

In this connection one more aspect is interesting to mention…

– A single error in one instruction invalidates the entire code.

– Programming is an exacting technique, requiring attention to details without loosing sight of the overall plan.

– Programming covers all activities from the start of the job up to the end and including flowcharting.

Writing