Lesson 2. Science in our life

I. Read and memorize the following words and word combinations:

to increase – увеличивать

device – устройство, прибор

electric engineering – электротехника

radio engineering – радиотехника

to design – разрабатывать

artificial intellect – искусственный интеллект

branch – отрасль

to equip – оборудовать

launching – запуск

 

II. Practise reading the following words. Consult the dictionary if necessary.

Social, industrial, aspect, thermonuclear, radar, experiment, supercomputer, submarine, intellect, interplanetary.

 

III. Read and translate the text.

Today we see that science has great influence on social, industrial and political aspects of our life. The development of science has increased man’s knowledge of nature. Modern experimental science began about 400 year ago. The man learned to use the energy of fire and water. Later, the man made steam serve him. Nowadays, the man uses thermonuclear energy. Not a day passes without the appearance of a new electronic device. The first great progress in electronics came with the invention of the vacuum tube or valve in 1904. It made broadcasting possible. The development of electronics during World War II gave us radars and electronic computers. The first general purpose computer for scientific use was invented in 1949. Today computers have become common. Computers can conduct experiments in places which are too dangerous for people. Some computers are used in caves and mines to replace workers. Besides they can be designed for special purposes. They can solve mathematical problems, make bank operations, and play chess. New supercomputers solve problems in many branches of industry, science and culture. They are widely used in submarine navigation and in modern medicine. Now much is being done to create artificial intellect. Science has brought into being new atomic technologies. Electric engineering and radio engineering have been created in the same way.

Science and technology have achieved great progress in space research. There have been space flights, the launching of interplanetary stations in the direction of Mars, radar contacts with the planets Mercury and Venus.

Science enters our homes. Many people have already forgotten what the world was like before television. Several generations of children have grown up with TV as a baby-sitter, a teacher and a companion. A lot of kitchens in our apartments are so well equipped that they look like a control room. We are so used to all these things that we can’t imagine our life without science.

Notes

Thermonuclear energy – термоядерная энергия; not a day passes without… – ни дня не проходит без…; a vacuum tube – электронная лампа; a general purpose computer – универсальный компьютер, компьютер общего назначения; to bring into being – привести к появлению.

 

IV. Give the Russian equivalents.

Development, thermonuclear, appearance, invention, to conduct experiments, general purpose, artificial intellect, technology, launching, to equip, control room.

 

V. Give the English equivalents.

Проводить эксперименты, электронное устройство, телевещание, хорошо оборудованный, в направлении, решать задачи, отрасль промышленности, радиотехника, управление, исследование, электротехника, искусственный интеллект, развитие.

 

VI. Answer the following questions.

1. Why is science so important? 2. What kinds of energy can the man use? 3. When did the first computer appear? What was it like? 4. What kinds of computers are described in this text? What do you know about them? 5. How do computers help scientists? 6. What are the spheres of applications of computers in modern life? 7. How are computers used in space research? 8. Do children use computers nowadays? How?

VII. Prove that computers are widely used in modern life.

VIII. What is a general purpose computer? A special purpose computer? A supercomputer?  What do you know about an analog computer? A digital computer? A hybrid computer?