Гвоздева Тхе Цосмос 2011

Light always travels at the same constant velocity. How then can gravity affect light?

According to general relativity, space and time together can be regarded as forming a four-dimensional space called space-time. This space is not flat; it is distorted or curved by the matter and energy in it. We observe this curvature in the bending of the light or radio waves that travel near the sun on their way to us. In the case of light passing near the sun, the bending is very small. However, if the sun shrinks until it is only a few miles across, the bending would be so great that light leaving the sun would not get away but would be dragged back by the sun’s gravitational field. According to the theory of relativity, nothing can travel faster than light, so there would be a region from which it would be impossible to escape. The region is called a black hole. Its boundary is called the event horizon. It is formed by the light that fails to get away from the black hole but stays hovering on the edge.

Stephen Hawking

Vocabulary Notes

1.to reason – to come to a particular conclusion by thinking caefully

2.sufficiently – adequately – enough

3.to regard – to consider

4.to distort – to curve – to deform

5.to shrink – to become smaller – to contract

6.to bend – when something bends it changes its shape to form a

curve

7.to hover – to stay in the same position

8.an edge – the physical limit of an object or place

POST-READING TASK (to be done in writing)

I. In your own words write about:

1.John Mitchell

2.the paper Mitchell wrote in 1783

3.the escape velocity

4.the conclusion we can make

5.a massive star, small in size

6.space

7.how gravity affects light

41

8.the definition of a black hole

9.the formation of the event horizon

II. Add up some more information about black holes. Write a paragraph.

III. Make up your own conclusion. IV. Give words close in meaning.

CLASS EXERCISES

Exercise 1 (in pairs)

Follow the passage. Read the sentences with the following expressions:

1.As far as I know

2.Suppose

3.Eventually

4.the escape velocity

5.to have much effect on

6.to be dragged back by

7.to detect the presence of the star

8.to affect light

9.According to general relativity

10.to be distorted

11.According to the theory of relativity

Exercise 2 (do it yourself)

Study grammar point II and put the verbs into the passive.

1.The first person to discuss black holes (call) John Mitchell.

2.The first paper about black hole (write) in 1783.

3.A cannon ball (slow down) by the effect of gravity.

4.This critical speed (call) the escape velocity.

5.Light from the star’s surface (drag back) by the star’s gravitational

field.

6.The presence of the star may (detect) by the effect that its gravitational field would have on nearby matter.

42

7.Light (not affect) by gravity.

8.Space and time can (regard) as forming a four-dimensional space.

9.A four-dimensional space (call) space-time.

10.This space (to distort) by the matter and energy in it.

11.The curvature in the bending of the light or radio waves can (ob-

serve).

12.Light leaving the sun would (drag back) by the sun’s gravitational field.

13.The region from which it is impossible to escape (call) a black

hole.

14.Its boundary (call) the event horizon.

15.The event horizon (to form) by the light that fails to get away from the black hole.

UNIT 8

THE BBC DESERT ISLAND DISCS

The BBC’s Desert Island Discs is a radio program, which began broadcasting in 1942. The program is broadcast weekly. The guests are asked to choose which eight records they would take with them if they were alone on a desert island. The records are played during the interview. Over the years the range of its guests has been enormous. The program has interviewed writers, actors, musicians, dancers, gardeners, sports figures, teachers, politicians, royalty – and scientists. The interviewer is Sue Lawley.

Note

1 a desert island is a small tropical island, where nobody lives.

2 a record − a disc − CD

3 royalty − the people who belong to a royal family

PRE - READING TASK

Study some grammar points.

I. Russian то, что = N + preposition + Ving

Study the sentence.

43

1.The mere fact of having to organize my thoughts so that I can explain them to others often shows me a way forward.

2.I’m very fortunate in receiving a great deal of love and affection. II. We use must and have to (do) to say that it is necessary to do

something. Often it doesn’t matter which you use.

Study the sentence.

1.I have to say that the pleasure I have had when everything works out in physics is more intense than I have ever had with music.

2.The record I would take to the desert island would have to be the Mozart Requiem.

III. A modal verb shows the attitude of the speaker to the idea he expresses.

S + may (might) + V = perhaps

S + may (might) + have V3 - the action was possible in the past Might is more unsure than may.

Study the sentences.

1.There may be other kinds of dark matter that we haven’t detected

yet.

2.The initial configuration of the universe may have been chosen by God, or it might have been determined by the laws of science.

3.We may break through to a complete theory of the universe.

4.They may not have finished the book or have understood everything they read.

IV. In unreal and imaginary situations we use were with all persons.

Could = would be able to

1.I don’t feel a disabled person rather as if I were colour-blind.

2.I couldn’t carry on with my life if I only had physics.

V. We use one(s) to refer to a thing(s) which has been mentioned before.

Study the sentence.

If you could take only one record to the desert island, which one would it be?

VI. Many verbs can be followed by two objects, which usually refer to a person or a thing.

44

Study the sentence.

For my fiftieth birthday my friend gave me Mozart’s complete works.

When these verbs are used in the passive there are two possibilities.

1.Mozart’s complete works were given to me for my fiftieth birth-

day.

2.I was given Mozart’s complete works for my fiftieth birthday.

Give Russian correspondence.

Rather (we use rather to suggest that the second variant is a truer one), as if, hardly (certainly not), like, a great deal of (very much), even if, so that (in order to), whereas (but, while), before, specific (particular), despite (in spite of), While (though), in excess of (over), obviously (clearly), at least (as a minimum)

INTERVIEW WITH STEPHEN HAWKING

Study the interview.

Sue: Stephen you are familiar with the isolation of a desert island when you are cut off from normal physical life. How lonely is it for you?

Stephen: I don’t regard myself as cut off from normal life. I don’t feel a disabled person – just like someone with certain malfunctions of my motor neurons, rather as if I were colour-blind. I suppose my life can hardly be described as usual, but I feel it is normal in spirit.

Sue: You have already proved to yourself that you are mentally and intellectually self-sufficient, that you have got enough theories and inspiration to keep yourself occupied.

Stephen: I suppose I’m naturally a bit introverted, and my difficulties in communication have forced me to rely on myself. But I was a great talker as a boy. I need discussion with other people to stimulate me. I find it a great help in my work to describe my ideas to others. Even if they don’t offer any suggestions, the mere fact of having to or-

45

ganize my thoughts so that I can explain them to others often shows me a new way forward.

Sue: But what about emotional fulfillment, Stephen? Even a brilliant physicist needs other people to find that.

Stephen: Physics is all very well, but it is completely cold. I couldn’t carry on with my life if I only had physics. Like anyone else I need warmth, love and affection. Again, I’m very fortunate, much more fortunate than other people with my disabilities, in receiving a great deal of love and affection. Music is also very important for me.

Sue: Tell me, which gives you greater pleasure, physics or music?

Stephen: I have to say that the pleasure I have had when everything works out in physics is more intense than I have ever had with music. But things work out like that only a few times in one’s career, whereas one can put on a disc whenever one wants. For me and many others the Beatles came as a welcome breath of fresh air to a rather stale and sickly pop scene.

Sue: Stephen, if you could take only one record to the desert island, which one would it be?

Stephen: It would have to be the Mozart Requiem. I could listen to that until the batteries in my disc Walkman ran out. That just about sums up my life. Mozart has always been one of my favourites. He wrote an incredible amount of music. For my fiftieth birthday I was given his complete works on CD, over two hundred hours of it. I’m still working my way through it. One of the greatest is the Requiem. Mozart died before the Requiem was finished, and it was completed by one of his students from fragments Mozart had left.

Sue: Despite all the honours,– and I should specifically mention that you’re Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, Isaac Newton’s chair – you decided to write a popular book about your work, for, I think, a very simple reason. You needed the money.

46

Stephen: While I thought I might make a modest amount from a popular book, the main reason I wrote A Brief History of Time was because I enjoyed it. I was excited about the discoveries that have been made in the last twenty-five years, and I wanted to tell people about them.

Sue: Indeed, it has broken all the records and got into the Guinness Book of Records for the length of time it’s been on the best-seller lists and it’s still there. Nobody seems to know how many copies have been sold worldwide, but it’s certainly in excess of ten million. People buy it, obviously, but do they read it?

Stephen: I know Bernard Levin got stuck on page twenty-nine, but I know plenty of people have got further. All over the world, people come up to me and tell me how much they have enjoyed it. They may not have finished it or have understood everything they read. But they have at least got the idea that we live in a universe governed by rational laws that we can discover and understand.

Vocabulary Notes

1.to be familiar with – to know

2.to regard – to consider

3.to malfunction – if a system malfunctions, it fails to work properly (can be used as a noun)

4.colour-blind − someone who is colour-blind has something wrong with his eyes, he finds it difficult to distinguish between colours, especially red and green

5.self-sufficient – someone who is self-sufficient is able to live happily without anyone else

6.an inspiration − to have inspiration is to have new ideas which make you enthusiastic and encourage you to do something

7.to occupy – if something occupies you it requires your efforts, attention and time

8.to rely on – to depend on

9.fulfillment – a feeling of satisfaction

10.to carry on with – to continue

11.affection – attention – caring − love

12.incredible − unbelievable

47

13.to be excited about − to be happy and nervous

14.to get the idea − to understand

POST-READING TASK (to be done in writing)

I. On the basis of the dialogue formulate sentences characterizing Hawking as

1.a personality

2.a scientist

II. Formulate the reasons Hawking wrote “A Brief History of Time”.

III. Join these sentences using the suggestions in brackets (whereas, and, because, but, despite, before, While)

1.My life can hardly be described as usual, …. I feel it is normal in

spirit.

2.I’m naturally a bit introverted, … . my difficulties in communication have forced me to rely on myself.

3.Physics is all very well, …. it is completely cold.

4.Things work out like this only a few times in one’s career, … one can put on a disk whenever one wants.

5.Mozart died, …. the Requiem was finished, … it was completed by one of his students from fragments Mozart had left.

6.You decided to write a popular book about your work, …. all the honours.

7.……. I thought I might make a modest amount from a popular book, the main reason I wrote A Brief History of Time was ……. I enjoyed it.

8.I was excited about the discoveries that have been made in the last twenty-five years …. I wanted to tell people about them.

5.People buy it, obviously, … do they read it?

IV. Put in the prepositions.

1.Are you are familiar …. the isolation of a desert island?

2.Is Stephen Hawking cut off … normal physical life?

3.His life can hardly be described as usual, but it is normal … spirit.

4.His difficulties … communication have forced him to rely … him-

self.

5.He is much more fortunate than other people …. his disabilities.

V. Study grammar point VII and translate the sentences using the second possibility.

48

1.Мне предоставили аппаратуру для исследования (to provide somebody with something).

2.Мне предложили работу в Оксфордском Университете (to offer a job)

3.Ему показали лаборатории.

4.Меня попросили помочь провести исследование.

5.Со мной провели собеседование (to interview).

6.Её встретили в аэропорту.

7.Мне сообщили о времени встречи (to inform, an appointment).

8.Вам заказали билет на самолет (to book a flight).

9.Его встретили на машине в аэропорту и отвезли в гостиницу

(to pick up, to take to).

CLASS EXERCISES

Exercise 1 (in groups)

Checking up understanding

1.What kind of program is the BBC’s Desert Island Discs?

2.What kind of people does the program invite?

3.Does Stephen Hawking regard himself as cut off from normal life? Why not?

4.Does he feel a disabled person?

5.What kind of person does he feel?

6.What kind of person is he?

7.What does any person need?

8.Why couldn’t he carry on with his life if he had only physics?

9.Which gives him greater pleasure: physics or music? Why?

10.What record would Stephen Hawking take to the desert island and why?

11.What is his position at Cambridge?

12.What do you know now about Mozart? What can you add to what Stephen said about him?

13.What is the main reason Hawking wrote ‘A Brief History of

Time’?

14.For what did his book ‘A Brief History of Time’ get into the Guinness Book of Records?

15.Is ‘A Brief History of Time’ still on the best-seller list? Why do you think it is still there?

49

16.How many copies of the book have been sold worldwide?

17.What is the message of the book?

Exercise 2 (in groups) What about you?

Formulate general questions and give short answers:

Yes, I …; No, I …; Yes, I think so; No, I don’t think so; Yes, I think I ..; No, I don’t think I …; I hope I ..; I try to; Certainly; Rather; Not yet; I used to; Sure; No, I’m afraid I ..; Who doesn’t?; I’m sorry to say I …

1.I am familiar with the isolation of a desert island.

2.I am colour-blind.

3.I am mentally and intellectually self-sufficient.

4.I am introverted.

5.I rely on myself.

6.I was a great talker as a boy.

7.I need warmth, love and affection.

8.Music is very important for me.

9.I would take the Mozart Requiem to the desert island.

10.Mozart is my favourite composer.

11.I need the money.

12.I am excited about the discoveries that have been made in physics in the last twenty-five years.

13.I have enjoyed A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking.

Exercise 3

Exchange opinions about Stephen Hawking using the information provided by him and Sue.

Model: He doesn’t feel a disabled person.

1.I don’t regard myself as cut off from normal life.

2.I don’t feel a disabled person.

3.My life can hardly be described as usual.

4.I feel my life is normal in spirit.

5.You are mentally and intellectually self-sufficient.

6.I need discussion with other people to stimulate me.

7.Like anyone else I need warmth, love and affection.

8.Music is very important for me.

9.The main reason I wrote A Brief History of Time was because I enjoyed it.

50