Vocabulary Exercises

Ex. 1. Choose the appropriate word.

1. I can’t undo this nut. I need a larger screwdriver/spanner.

2. You won’t be able to open the wine without a bottle-opener/cork-screw.

3. For extra security I’ve fitted a bolt/padlock on the front-door.

4. Could you hand me that hammer so I can bang in this nail/screw?

5. You can’t make a hole in the wall without a drill/file.

6. I buy coffee beans and put them in a grinder/mixer.

7. We had to hire a crane/lift to put our piano in our top-floor flat.

8. The electrician twisted the wires together using a pair of chisels/pliers.

9. The hair-drier is fitted with a three point cable/plug/socket.

10. Don’t touch that wire! It’s live/lively/living.

11. This small vacuum cleaner is powered/run by batteries.

12. The set wouldn’t work because there was a faulty connection/joint/link.

13. I can’t use my drill here. The lead/plug/wire isn’t long enough.

14. Turn off the mains first in case you get a/an impact/jolt/shock.

15. Oh dear, the lights have gone off! The cable/fuse/safety must have gone.

16. The appliance is powered by a small electric engine/machine/motor.

17. Jim has just started to work as an electric/electrical/ electricity engineer.

18. Technology deals with the appliance/ application/ practicability of science.

Ex. 2. Complete each sentence with one of the following words.

A

install automation hands modifications genetic generate

gadget scaffolding hinges productivity manual defective scrap congestion long-term overtake develop live

1. The door squeaks. You should oil the … .

2. The builders put up … so they could clean the outside of the tower.

3. The … on the town-hall clock showed it was nearly midnight.

4. My car is so old that I could only sell it for … .

5. We’ll come and … your new central heating system on Monday.

6. I can’t make the computer work. Let’s read the … again.

7. When … is introduced, the number of workers will be reduced.

8. Do you like this new … I bought for peeling potatoes?

9. It is easy in some regions to … electricity in hydro-electric power stations.

10. The benefits of the microchip include the possibility of higher living standards through increased … .

11. It’s predicted by some people that in the future computers may … the intellectual capabilities of the human brain.

12. Part of any scientific effort to … new products includes an effort to prevent and control any hazards.

13. Some people are wary of the kind of genetic … being made to food nowadays.

14. The traffic … in town has been caused by people’s unwillingness to use buses.

15. Watch out – that wire might be … – don’t touch it.

16. Using chemical sprays on plants can lead to … problems.

17. If … genes are inherited, these may cause problems either in childhood or later on.

18. I believe that one day … engineering will be taken for granted by everyone.

B

software computers screen keyboard printer hardware word processor calculator

So you only have a pocket … to do additions, multiplications and so on, and you want to know about real … ? Right. Well, the machines themselves are called the … and the programs that you feed into them are called the … . If you want to see the results of what you are doing, you’ll need a … or you’ll have to plug in to a television set. You’ll operate your machine like a typewriter by pressing keys on the … . If you want a record on paper of what you are doing, you’ll need a … and if you want a machine which will enable you to see, arrange, rearrange and then print a page of material, then the machine you want is a … .

Ex. 3. Fill in the appropriate form of the word in brackets.

A. Is there any (science) evidence that the world will end? Some (religion) groups have made definite (predict) about the year in which the (destroy) of the Earth will take place. Scientists tend to be more (caution) and say that, apart from the possibility of a (catastrophe) accident, the earth’s (nature) life span will depend largely on the (behave) of the sun. Some claim that, in about 3,5 billion years, the increased (strong) of the sun’s rays will (avoidable) boil away the earth’s surface water. But such a (tragic) is still a long way off!

B. When we think of the future we think of a (digit) world opening out in front of us, where vast amounts of data are transmitted at the speed of light for the general good or bad of (human). We try to (image) a new type of existence, where limits are broken and things happen that we can’t even dream about. Not (need) so, cry many social (comment) who say that our society is in fact becoming more medieval.

Their argument goes like this: the greatest gulf between medieval and 21^st century thought is the (assume) today that no matter what things may look like on the surface, the world is fundamentally (cohere) and there is no order. In the Middle Ages the exact opposite was the case – but there is now a hankering to return to this happier order. People nowadays think that progress only causes anxiety and (stable). They see it as creating divisions between its (benefit) and those who are left behind, remaining as confused (stand) living on the (skirt) of society.

C. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate forms of the words given in the list.

significant evident prevail abundant

The (1) … of the computer as an invention cannot be overestimated. It has changed the way millions of people around the world live every day. For example, in the United States, the credit card has become the most (2) … way to purchase many goods and services, from meals in restaurants to clothing and automatic dishwashers. This reliance on credit would be impossible without the computers used to keep track of the customers’ accounts. The growing use of computers for international business and government communications also provides (3) … of the importance of the computer in today’s world. Finally, the seeming (4) … of computers in the schools and in many homes as more and more people rush to obtain access to this “wonder machine” attests to the fact that the computer will continue to be an important part of life in the future as well.

Ex. 4. Complete each sentence 1 to 10 with one of the phrases a to j. Do not use a phrase more than once.

1. This chair wobbles a lot. a. Only the battery needs replacing.

2. I’m not surprised your television picture is so b. It’s broken down.

bad.

3. There is nothing wrong with the TV remote c. It needs charging.

control.

4. Don’t use that old screw. d. It won’t fit.

5. The car won’t start because the battery is flat. e. The leg needs fixing.

6. I’ve got to ring the garage about the car. f. It’s rusty.

7. This pipe is going to leak a lot. g. It needs regular servicing.

8. Take the car to the garage every six months. h. The aerial needs adjusting.

9. I’d like to change the calculator I bought here i. It’s faulty.

yesterday.

10. This bolt is too small for this nut. j. It’s coming loose.

Ex. 5. Think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space.

A. A large (1) … of science fiction novels are published every year and (2) … have been innumerable films set in the future. Those that take (3) … on imaginary planets are pure fantasy and have (4) … to do with what (5) … likely to happen on the Earth, but some deserve to be taken seriously. The curious thing about these (6) … serious books or films, is that (7) … any of them are optimistic. In (8) … cases, they suggest that a hundred years from now the Earth (9) … have been destroyed by war or the machines people (10) … invented will have proved (11) … dangerous for them to control; in others, the earth will be invaded (12) … beings from outer space, which, with a (13) … exceptions, are superhuman monsters. One of the (14) … was Stephen Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, in (15) … a benevolent species from another planet communicated with human beings to promote peace.

Of course writers and film directors (16) … really believe that our future will be depressing but there is a simpler reason (17) … their pessimism. It is (18) … easier to interest people (19) … an adventure story if there is conflict and people must overcome difficulties. If the future were one of universal harmony and good will, there (20) … be nothing exciting to write about.

B. Around the world, governments and their citizens are becoming increasingly worried (1) … the motor car and what it does to the air we breathe. In many European cities pollution levels already exceed recommended limits. It is difficult to calculate the number of people (2) … suffer health problems as a (3) … of diesel fumes. However, recent studies suggest that health risks may be (4) … serious than previously thought. Numerous proposals have been put (5) … to help solve this problem. One of these is the electric car. Many environmentalists argue that the car industry should (6) … made to produce (7) … cars. However, there are some disadvantages. For (8) … , you have to recharge the car’s battery (9) … 100 miles. In (10) … , the car is only truly environmentally friendly if the power (11) … used to charge the battery is “clean”. For example, if the power was originally generated (12) … a power station using coal, oil or gas it has already polluted the atmosphere.

Ex. 6. Give the English equivalents of the following words and phrases.

Генная инженерия; генетически модифицированные пищевые продукты; повысить сопротивляемость к болезням; запустить спутник; долголетие; зарядить батареи; автоответчик; извлечь пользу из достижений технологии; освободить от тяжелого труда; водонепроницаемая краска; кофемолка; штепсель и розетка; гаечный ключ; бракованные товары; положиться на волю случая; улицы, перегруженные транспортом; искусственный интеллект; находиться на земной орбите; более высокая производительность труда; идти в ногу с технологическим прогрессом.

Ex. 7. Translate into English.

1. В будущем компьютеры могут превзойти человека по многим параметрам. 2. Крупные достижения в области генетики оказали большое влияние на отно­шение людей к коренным проблемам человеческого существования. 3. По мне­нию многих, технологические достижения нанесли человечеству огромный урон. 4. Некоторые люди считают реальной угрозу технологического саморазрушения, экологического дисбаланса и гегемонии силиконового чипа. 5. Если увеличение мощности компьютеров будет происходить с нынешней скоростью, к 2025 году искусственный интеллект сможет соперничать с человеческим интеллектом. 6. Технологические открытия – только орудия в руках человека, а их неправиль­ное использование является следствием человеческой слабости. 7. Темпы науч­ного и технологического развития постоянно ускоряются. 8. Внедрение автома­тизации производственных процессов позволило освободить людей от тяже­лого, однооб­разного и опасного труда. 9. Практическая выгода, полученная от использования спутниковых технологий, оправдывает огромные сред­ства, затраченные на космические исследования. 10. Почему бы не взять под контроль то, что в прошлом оставлялось на волю случая? 11. Генная инжене­рия позволит уберечь ребенка от унаследования генов, способствующих раз­витию тяжелых заболеваний. 12. Результатом повышения жизненного уровня стало увеличение средней продолжительности жизни людей в развитых ин­дустриальных странах. 13. Существует опасность, что некоторые из техноло­гических открытий могут обернуться против нас. 14. Если меня не окажется дома, оставь сообщение на автоответчике. 15. Для многих людей Интернет привлекателен тем, что с его помощью можно работать и развлекаться дома, не вступая в близкие отношения с другими людьми.

SECTION II