Английский язык для студентов магистратуры = English for master's degree students. В 2 частях. Ч. 1. Учебное пособие

QUOTATIONS

•“Knowledge of languages is the doorway to wisdom”. (Roger

Bacon)

•“A man who is ignorant of foreign languages is also ignorant of his own language”. (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)

•“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart”. (Nelson Mandela)

•“Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things”. (Flora Lewis)

•“Learning another language is like becoming another person”.

(Haruki Murakami)

•“Communication — the human connection — is the key to personal and career success”. (Paul J. Meyer)

•“Oh, God, I don't know what's more difficult, life or the English language”. (Johnathan Ames)

•“They had nothing in common but the English language”.

(E.M. Forster)

•“With hard work, learning English, and getting involved, there is no limit on what you can achieve”. (Arnold Schwarzenegger)

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WRITING SKILLS

Task 3.6. Learn how to write a summary of the text.

A summary1, also known as an abstract2 (this word is more often used in scientific articles), precis3, or synopsis4, is a shortened version of a text that highlights its key points. Summarizing, or writing a summary, means giving a concise overview5 of a text’s main points in your own words. A summary is always much shorter than the original text. There are five key steps that can help you to write a summary:

1.Read the text.

2.Break it down into sections.

3.Identify the key points (key words) in each section.

4.Write the summary.

5.Check the summary against the article.

Writing a summary does not involve criticizing or evaluating the source6. You should simply provide an accurate account of the most important information and ideas (without copying any text from the original). If you are not writing an abstract for a scientific text, you can express your attitude to what you have read.

A summary is a secondary text, it is a text within a text, therefore, in order to identify the positions of the author who created a new text in relation to the original source, special standard expressions (clichés7) are used according to the structure of the text (table 2).

1summary — краткое изложение.

2abstract — аннотация (к научной статье).

3precis [ˈpreɪsiː] — краткое изложение, конспект.

4synopsis [sɪˈnɒpsɪs] — резюме, краткое изложение.

5a concise overview — краткий (сжатый) обзор.

6source [sɔːs] — источник.

7cliché [ˈkliː.ʃeɪ] — клише.

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Table 2

Structure of the Summary

1last name — (преим. амер.) фамилия.

2first name — имя (в отличие от фамилии).

3patronymic [ˌpætrəˈnɪmɪk] — отчество, патроним, родовое имя, указывающий на происхождение.

4academic degree — научная степень.

5academic title — ученое звание.

6issue [ˈɪʃuː], [ˈɪsjuː] — вопрос, проблема.

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Task 3.7. Read and choose the correct answer.

An abstract is an extremely brief interpretation of the original text by means of compression. Few text lines give an idea about the text subject. Before writing the abstract read the original text and specify the purposes

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of its writing and the main ideas of the text. Choose the clichés for abstract. Revise, edit and publish the abstract.

1. Abstract is an …

a)extended interpretation of the original text

b)extremely brief interpretation of the original text by means of compression

2. Before writing the text specify …

a)all the text details

b)the main ideas of writing

3. While writing the abstract …

a)use the clichés, revise, edit and publish the extract

b)use the style of free writing

READING AND WRITING SKILLS

Task 3.8. Read and summarize the following texts.

Text A. Science and English1

by Mike Brotherton

The issue of contention2 is that English has become the de facto language of science. In most fields, almost every paper is published in

English, and all conferences use English. This didn’t use to be the case

(and most graduate programs in the sciences had a foreign language requirement), but every year English becomes more and more dominant.

The advantages of a single language are self-evident. In the past papers published in other languages often went unnoticed and uncited, resulting in people reinventing the wheel. Furthermore, at most people must learn a second language, not 3 or 4 or 5 or whatever to read journals in multiple languages.

1From M. Brotherton “Science and English”. — URL: //www.mikebrotherton.com/2008/02/ 19/science-and-english.

2issue of contention — проблема разногласий.

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The disadvantages are perhaps clearer to non-English speakers, who cannot easily get access to original peer-reviewed journals1, or understand them easily when they can. Those with the best potential to be scientists are perhaps not the ones with the best language capability, and working in English may limit their effectiveness.

A continuing problem is mentioned in the article, how a foreignspeaking scientist even with some English knowledge must often continue to struggle to write clear, polished papers without getting dismissed out of hand2. For entire careers I’ve seen this first-hand refereeing papers3. I try to focus on the science and only comment in passing about the English (e.g., “The authors need to work on the language as it is not yet ready for publication, and would benefit from a native-speaker providing feedback on a revised draft prior to resubmission4” or words to that effect). I’ve worked closely with foreign collaborators, and I’m often the “native speaker” providing the feedback.

(To tell the truth though, there are a lot of scientists who struggle to write good English in their papers whether or not it is their first language. This is something that I understand better being involved with students a professor. And while this is a related issue, it’s a digression5.)

And it isn’t just foreign scientists with the problem: journalists, politicians, and teachers must also deal with a slow process and inaccurate process of translating. This has to significantly affect the dissemination6 of knowledge. Even though science journalism is far from what it should be in this country, in theory everyone’s speaking the same language.

Superstition7 and misunderstanding persist because scientific knowledge is

1 original peer-reviewed [ˈpɪər-rɪˈvjuːd] journals — оригинальные рецензируемые журналы, peer-reviewed — направляемый на экспертную оценку; рецензируемый специалистами в данной области.

2without getting dismissed out of hand — чтобы не уволили сразу.

3refereeing papers [refəˈriːɪŋ] — рецензированные статьи.

4would benefit from a native-speaker providing feedback on a revised draft prior to resubmission — было бы полезно, если бы носитель языка предоставил отзыв о пересмотренном проекте перед повторной подачей (статьи).

5digression [daɪˈgreʃn] — отступление (от темы).

6dissemination — распространение.

7superstition — суеверие, предрассудок.

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more difficult to spread, and few enough people are well informed that there’s no local consensus about such matters. It’s much easier for antiscience groups to get a foothold1, and it seems too easy in the U.S. sometimes from my perspective.

<...> From the practical standpoint, the best and most PhD-granting institutions2 in science are in English-speaking countries. That’s a major reason English has emerged as the dominant language.

I think the best thing we can do to level the playing field, if you will, without compromising science and helping it and ourselves in the long run, is to increase funding for science translation. Across the board, from peerreviewed journals to pop science books to financial assistance for language lessons for would-be scientists and those in related fields. And science might just help solve this problem itself, with voice recognition, scanning, and translation technology making on-the-fly translating much more viable3. See Ray Kurzweil4 on this. The technology is coming, and given time should be cheap and ubiquitous5, associated with cell phones.

It’s not like there are laws that science must be done in English, and I don’t see how any rules or laws about changing the language to Esperanto could really work. This is cultural evolution and while minor regulation is often needed to prevent problems and keep things running smoothly, wholesale imposition6 of major changes is almost always a terrible idea that destroys the institution it’s meant to improve. We’re going to have to live with English as the language of science, and find ways to let everyone operate within that standard.

1to get a foothold — найти точку опоры.

2a PhD-granting institution — учреждение, присуждающее докторскую степень в области науки.

3viable — жизнеспособный, жизнедеятельный, целесообразный.

4Ray Kurzweil — Рэймонд Курцвейл (род. 1948 г.) известный американский изобретатель и футуролог. В качестве изобретателя он создал многочисленные системы для распознавания речи. Как футуролог он известен научными технологическими прогнозами, учитывающими появление искусственного интеллекта и средств радикального продления жизни людей.

5ubiquitous [juːˈbɪkwɪtə] — повсеместный, вездесущий, встречающийся повсюду.

6wholesale imposition — массовое навязывание.

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Is it entirely fair? No. But that’s not the point of science. Can we do better and eliminate or reduce some inequities1? Surely. There are some bright young kids out there who would likely make great scientists if they had the chance, and we should make every effort to find them and make it as easy as possible. We’d all be the better off for it. And that goes for any international endeavor2 where one language or culture dominates (e.g., the world has probably lost some great African basketball players that never had the opportunity to play for an NBA scout, but that’s another post).

Science is one of the few truly international human endeavors and it benefits from open and regular communication. Let’s think about improving that capability.

Text B. The importance of learning English3

In today’s world, multilingualism is becoming more and more important. In addition to opening up employment opportunities, being able to speak a foreign language helps to make a real connection with people and to know more about diverse cultures, places and lifestyles. The more proficient you are, the better you can express yourself.

Out of the 6 500 spoken languages in the world today, why choose to learn English? As the third most widely spoken language in the world, English is widely spoken and taught in over 118 countries and is commonly used around the world as a trade language or diplomatic language. It is the language of science, aviation, computers, diplomacy and tourism. Last but not least, it is the language of international communication, the media and the internet.

Whether it is for professional or personal reasons, understanding the importance of English will help you reach your goals. Here are a few reasons why you should keep learning and practising your English language skills.

1inequity [ɪnˈekwɪtɪ] — несправедливость, пристрастность; неравноправность.

2endeavor [enˈdevə] — попытка, старание; стремление; усилие.

3From “The importance of learning English”. — URL: https://www.etsglobal.org/pl/en/ blog/news/importance-of-learning-english.

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1. English is the Language of International Communication. Although English is not the most spoken language in the world, it is

the official language in 53 countries and is spoken as a first language by around 400 million people worldwide. But that’s not all, it is also the most common second language in the world. According to the British Council, by 2020 about two billion people in the world will be studying English.

Therefore, it is highly likely that if you meet someone from another country, you will both be able to speak English. It gives you an open door to the world and helps you communicate with global citizens.

2.English gives access to more entertainment and more access to the Internet.

Nowadays, many films, TV shows, books and music are published and produced in English. By understanding English, you won’t need to rely on translations and subtitles anymore. By accessing these media, you will also continuously improve your English listening and reading skills.

English is currently the language of the internet. An estimated of 565 million people use the internet every day and about 52 % of the world’s most visited websites are displayed in English. Therefore, learning this language gives access to over half the content of the internet, which might not be available otherwise. Whether it is for fun or for work, if you understand English, you will be able to exchange information with more people online and use many more materials.

3.English makes it easier to travel.

As highlighted before, since English is spoken as a first language in 53 countries and as a second language in over 118 countries, learning the language makes it much easier to travel anywhere. Indeed, airport announcements, train timetables, emergency information and street signs are often available in English, including in countries where the native language uses a different type of alphabet. It goes without saying that, when travelling to a country where you don’t speak the language, you are practically guaranteed to find someone who understands at least some English.

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4. English can make you “smarter”.

Learning a foreign language enhances your cognitive and analytical abilities. Learning a new language can be difficult and it involves a lot of mental exercises. Recent research shows that learning a new language changes the brain structures, impacting the parts of the brain responsible for memory, conscious thought and it can make you more creative. In the long term, bilingualism can keep the brain strong and healthy into old age and supports concentration and memory skills. On an individual level, it improves personality and increases sense of self-worth. In simple words, learning a foreign language makes the brain stronger and more versatile.

Learning English is not only useful, but it also gives a lot of satisfaction and making progress will make you feel great.

Text C. The importance of learning English1

By Pallab Duta

English is the fourth most widely spoken native language in the world, and in terms of sheer number of speakers, it is the most spoken official language in the world. It is the primary language used in international affairs. The English language has official status even in nations where it is not the primary spoken language. English is indisputably the primary language of global trade and commerce. In many countries, most tourism authorities and other officials in contact with the public speak English to interact and engage with tourists and immigrants.

While progress has been made in language-translation software2 and allied technologies, the primary language of the ubiquitous and allinfluential World Wide Web (WWW) is English. English is typically the language of latest-version applications and programs and new freeware, shareware, peer-to-peer, social media networks and websites3. Software

1From P. Duta “The importance of learning English”. — URL: http://www.ehow.com/about _5249789_importance-learning-english.html.

2software — программное обеспечение.

3the language of latest-version applications and programs and new freeware, shareware, peer-to-peer, social media networks and websites — язык последних версий приложений и программ, а также новых бесплатных, условно-бесплатных, одноранговых сетей, социальных сетей и веб-сайтов.

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