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

Gama, James Cook, and other explorers who discovered whole new worlds.

In our own age of space exploration, the biographies and memoirs of those involved in that endeavor1 are worth reading.

If you are interested in art and music, read the biographies of Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelsohn, Elgar, Leonardo da Vinci, John Sargent, and others.

What do we learn from these biographies? The priceless lessons of experience. Human beings, male and female, have been capable of extraordinary feats in all areas of endeavor. We live in a world built by their genius and inventiveness. The secrets of success are to be found in all of these remarkable lives. If you wish to excel in your own life, there is no better place to find inspiration than in the lives of those who have changed our world and changed our lives for the better.

SPEAKING

Task 1.2. Ask your partner the following questions:

1.Are you interested in the lives of well-known people?

2.What kind of well-known people are you most interested in? (e.g., performers, writers, historical figures, athletes, scientists)

3.Have you ever read a biography or autobiography? If so, who was it about?

Why did you choose to read it? What new and interesting facts did you discover about the person? If not, whose biography or autobiography would you like to read?

Task 1.3. Discuss these questions in groups.

1.Do you agree that reading biographies is beneficial?

2.There’s no doubt that life itself is the best teacher. Do biographies teach us valuable life lessons?

1 Ou consider endeavor [ɪnˈdevə] — стремление, усилие, старание.

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3. Knowing history helps us to understand the present and everything that currently surrounds us. Do you think that reading biographies brings us closer to a historical perspective, that is to understanding the social, cultural, intellectual, and emotional settings that shaped people's lives and actions in the past?

INTRODUCTION TO TEXT 2:

VOCABULARY WORK

Task 2.1. Read and try to memorize the words and word combinations:

means [miːnz] — средство, средства

to relate to smth / smb [tə] [rɪˈleɪt] — иметь отношение к чему-

либо / кому-либо

mood [muːd] — настроение, расположение духа behavior [bɪˈheɪvjə] — поведение

to arise [tu] [ əˈraɪz] (arose, arisen) — возникать, происходить freedom of choice [ˈfriːdəm əv ʧɔɪs] — свобода выбора inevitability [ɪnevɪtəˈbɪlɪtɪ] — неизбежность

to reproduce [tə] [riːprəˈdjuːs] — воспроизводить

emergence [ɪˈmɜːʤəns] — появление, возникновение, зарождение achievement [əˈʧiːvmənt] — достижение, успех

assessment [əˈsesmənt] — оценка, анализ

consciousness [ˈkɒnʃəsnɪs] — сознание (от conscious [ˈkɒnʃəs] —

сознательный)

to maintain [tə] [meɪnˈteɪn] — поддерживать destiny [ˈdestɪni] — судьба

on the verge [ɒn ðə vɜːʤ] — на грани

to reveal [tə] [rɪˈviːl] — раскрывать, выявлять fate [feɪt] — судьба

hermeneutical [hɜːˈmentɪkl] — герменевтический (от hermeneutics

[hɜːməˈnjuːtɪks] — герменевтика — теория и методология

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интерпретации, особенно толкования библейских текстов, литературы о мудрости и философских текстов)

intention [ɪnˈtenʃn] — намерение, стремление, цель attitude [ˈætɪtjuːd] — отношение, подход

to be brought to the fore [tə] [biː] [brɔːt] [tə] [ðə] [fɔː] — быть выдвинутым на первый план

to make a discovery [tə] [meɪk] [ə] [dɪsˈkʌvərɪ] — сделать открытие to manifest [tə] [ˈmænɪfest] — проявлять

evidence [ˈevɪdəns] — доказательства, подтверждение, свидетельство

feature [ˈfiːʧə] — свойство, черта

peculiarity [pɪkjuːlɪˈærɪtɪ] — особенность, своеобразие elusive [ɪˈluːsɪv] — неуловимый, расплывчатый, призрачный

appearance [əˈpɪərəns] — внешность; появление, возникновение

Task 2.2. Translate the words and word combinations without the dictionary:

the social atmosphere of the era; mass stereotypes; external factors and internal impulses of a person; the motivation for creative selfrealization; the methodological strategy; the biographical method; the social and psychological context; a typology of historical biographies; sociological, historical and anthropological research; hermeneutical; the spiritual world of the individual.

TEXT 2. BIOGRAPHY AS A SOCIO-CULTURAL DIMENSION

OF HISTORY

By S.N. Ikonnikova

READING

Task 2.3. Skim the text and find out:

1.What problem is discussed in the text?

2.What types of biographies are mentioned in the text?

3.Where can we find scientific literature related to the genre of biographical research? What do these journals publish?

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1The problem of using biography as a source and means of historical knowledge is very complex and debatable. How are the private life of a person and the social atmosphere of the era connected? It is equally interesting to find out how mass stereotypes and real actions of a person relate to each other, how strong and stable external factors and internal impulses of a person are, how a situation of disagreement between general and individual moods and behavior arises. It is important to understand, based on individual experience, the motivation for creative self-realization, freedom of choice of innovations that form new directions in politics, education, science, art, technology and determine the inevitability of change. These questions are important for determining the methodological strategy for using the biographical method in cultural and historical research. The reconstruction of a person's life path allows us to reproduce the social and psychological context of the emergence and dissemination of cultural achievements.

<...> The specificity of historical personology, in contrast to civil or global history, lies in the fact that the researcher focuses on a specific personality crystallizing around itself the social, economic, political, ethnic, artistic features of real life. A person's biography contains a certain “reality effect”, unlike general, although also very specific information about the epoch and its documents (statistical, sociological, ethnographic, political and others).

<...> The Italian historian Giovanni Levi proposed a typology of historical biographies. The first type is called “modal biography”. It is based on numerous biographical studies of typical representatives of various social groups, the most common forms of behavior and assessment of events are identified. In this case, biographical data is used for statistical purposes, and the resulting version is an anonymous story devoid of personal specificity.

The second type is called “contextual biography”. Of primary importance there is the atmosphere and historical events of a particular

1 From S.N. Ikonnikova “Biography as a socio-cultural dimension of history”. — URL: https://sciup.org/biografija-kak-sociokulturnoe-izmerenie-istorii-170173464.

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social epoch in which a person realizes himself. Human life is a kind of illustration of the cultural and historical context. Social conditions determine the life path of an individual. Therefore, the task of the biographer is to reconstruct the social context and fit into it the features of consciousness, behavior, and creative achievements of the individual. The other task is to maintain a balance between the specifics of private destiny and the totality of social conditions. This type of research is used in sociological, historical and anthropological research.

The third type characterizes the life of a person on the verge of normality and even violations of common forms of behavior. The biographical method reveals the hidden causes of deviant behavior of people who have violated the law or are disposed to offenses. The description of the life story allows you to find the starting point, the

“moment of fate” that changed the ordinary course of life. “Borderline situations” in biographies provide material for understanding the hidden causes of deviant behavior. This type of biographical research is used in criminology, sociology of crime, and social anthropology.

The fourth type of biographical genre is called “hermeneutical”, which orients the researcher to understand the life of a person, the characteristics of character traits, motives of behavior, intentions and the degree of their realization. This type of research is typical for cultural studies, social psychology, philosophical and cultural anthropology. The spiritual world of the individual, the attitude towards other people is brought to the fore, the role of dialogue and communication between people and cultures is emphasized. Special attention is paid to freedom of choice, independence of decision-making, identification of individual strategies and practices that are the internal cause of the changes taking place in society. If in the previous versions of biographical descriptions the personality passively reflecting the social conditions was a kind of a mirror, now the roles are changing. A person has the ability to make changes, change the course of history, create unprecedented, previously unknown works, and make discoveries. This is where the role of personality in the history of culture manifests itself.

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Proposed by J. Levy's typology is not the only one. The models of biographies were developed by A.L. Valevsky. They present chronological, professional, intellectual, psychological, and socio-cultural models of biographical research.

Personal history uses autobiographies, letters, diaries, memoirs, photographs, electronic recordings, interviews and other direct and indirect evidence of life history as sources. On this basis a visual image, psychological and artistic portrait of the personality are created. The

“individual past” acquires specific features of biography and becomes a historical source of knowledge.

… In modern Russian socio-humanitarian thought, a huge layer of scientific literature directly related to the genre of biographical research has been formed, Many leading publications, such as “The Journal of Sociology and Social Anthropology”, “Personality. Culture. Society”, “Sociological Research”, “Telescope”, etc., constantly publish detailed interviews with scientists, highlighting their path to the profession, attitude to the state of science, the range of current problems and possible solutions. This makes it possible to feel the peculiarities of an individual’s life position, the elusive features of an individual’s appearance and language of communication. The analysis of such publications is still waiting for its researchers.

READING AND VOCABULARY WORK

Task 2.4. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following Russian words and phrases:

биография как источник и средство исторического познания; личная жизнь человека; реальные действия человека; основываясь на индивидуальном опыте; свобода выбора инноваций, формирующих новые направления в политике, образовании, науке, искусстве, технологиях; реконструкция жизненного пути человека; появление и распространение культурных достижений; исследователь фокусируется на конкретной личности; биография человека содержит в себе определенный “эффект реальности”; типология исторических биографий; типичные представители различных социальных групп;

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наиболее распространенные формы поведения и оценки событий; особенности сознания, поведения и творческих достижений индивида; специфика личной судьбы; “судьбоносный момент”, изменивший обычный ход жизни; ориентирует исследователя на понимание жизни человека; отношение к другим людям выдвигается на первый план; свобода выбора, независимость в принятии решений; роль личности в истории культуры; прямые и косвенные свидетельства истории жизни; многие ведущие издания; освещая их путь к профессии; почувствовать особенности жизненной позиции человека.

Task 2.5. Find in the text sentences with the following expressions and read them aloud. Translate these sentences into Russian:

to be very complex and debatable to relate to each other

to understand the motivation for creative self-realization to reproduce the social and psychological context

to be used for statistical purposes

to determine the life path of an individual to reconstruct the social context

to find the starting point

to understand the life of a person to be brought to the fore

to make changes to be created

to publish detailed interviews with scientists

to feel the peculiarities of an individual's life position

READING AND SPEAKING

Task 2.6. Read the text again for detail and answer the questions:

1.Does the author consider the problem of using biography to be very complex and debatable? What questions should the researcher answer to solve this problem? What do these questions determine?

2.Why do you think the author says that a person's biography contains a certain “reality effect”?

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3.Whose typology of historical biographies is analyzed in the text? What types of biographies does this typology include? Give a description of each type according to the following plan:

a) the name of biography; b) its typical features;

c) where this type of biographical research is used.

4.What models of biographies were developed by A.L. Valevsky? Describe them according to the given plan.

5.What sources does personal history use? What can be created on the basis of these sources?

6.What information can be obtained by reading interviews with famous scientists? Do you consider it is beneficial for you?

TRANSLATION

Task 2.7. Translate the sentences into English using the vocabulary of the text:

1.Oдин из caмых эффeктивных cпocoбoв изyчeния aнглийcкoгo языкa — чтeниe нeoбхoдимoй литepaтypы. Поэтому читая биoгpaфию извecтнoгo чeлoвeкa на английском языке, вы сможете pacшиpить cвoи знaния.

2.Личная жизнь человека и общественная атмосфера эпохи тесно связаны.

3.Биографический метод используется в культурноисторических исследованиях. Он позволяет понять мотивацию личности к творческой самореализации, а также свободу выбора инноваций, что в свою очередь впоследствии формирует новые направления в политике, образовании, науке, искусстве, технологиях.

4.Так называемая “контекстуальная биография”, согласно типологии исторических биографий итальянского историка Джованни Леви, соотносится с атмосферой и историческими событиями определенной социальной эпохи, в которой человек родился и жил.

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5.Задача биографа при создании контекстуальной биографии — реконструировать социальный контекст и вписать в него особенности сознания, поведения и творческих достижений индивида.

6.Четвертый тип биографического жанра называется “герменевтическим”. Он ориентирует исследователя на понимание жизни человека, особенностей черт характера, мотивов поведения, намерений и степени их реализации. Такое название неслучайно, так как герменевтика — это область философии и науки, которая изначально возникла как методология интерпретации текстов, но в 20 в. стала применяться практически к любому явлению человеческой культуры и к человеческому субъективному опыту.

7.Автобиографии, письма, дневники, мемуары, фотографии, электронные записи, интервью и другие прямые и косвенные свидетельства истории жизни применяются в качестве источников личной истории.

8.Читая интервью с известным человеком, вы можете почувствовать особенности жизненной позиции человека, неуловимые черты его внешности и языка общения.

INTRODUCTION TO TEXT 3:

Next, you will be asked to read the biography of Charles Darwin (1809–1882), an outstanding English natural scientist who laid down a framework for the theory of evolution — showing how Man evolved from lower life forms. At the time, his research and publication led to bitter controversy1, but his theory of evolution and natural selection later became accepted within the scientific community.

TEXT 3. CHARLES DARWIN BIOGRAPHY

READING

Task 3.1. Skim the text and find out:

1.When and where was Charles Darwin born?

2.In what family was Charles Darwin born?

1 сontroversy [ˈkɒntrəvɜːsɪ] — разногласия, спорный вопрос, дискуссия.

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3.Where did Charles Darwin study?

4.What did Charles Darwin devote his life to?

1Charles Darwin was born on 12 February 18092 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. He was born in to a wealthy and influential family. His grandfathers included — china manufacturer Josiah Wedgwood, and Erasmus Darwin, one of the leading intellectuals of 18th century England.

Darwin planned to study medicine at Edinburgh university, but later, at the instigation of his father, changed to studying Divinity3 at Christ's College, Cambridge University. Darwin was not a great student, preferring to spend time in outdoor pursuits4, he spent a lot of time examining natural science and beetle collecting. After gaining a passionate interest in natural science, Darwin was offered a place on the HMS Beagle5 to act as natural scientist on a voyage to the coast of South America.

At the time, religion was a powerful force in society, and most people took the Bible6 as the infallible, literal word of God. This included the belief that God created the world in seven days, and the world was only a few thousand years old. However, on the voyage, Darwin increasingly began to see evidence of life being much older. In particular Lyell's “Principles of Geology”7 suggested that fossils8 were evidence of animals living hundreds of thousands of years ago.

1From: P. Tejvan. Biography of Charles Darwin. — URL: Oxford,www.biographyonline.net.

2Differences in writing and saying dates in UK English and US English:

Br.E. (British English) — Write: 23 August 2024, Say: “the twenty-third of August two thousand and twenty-four or twenty twenty four”;

Am.E. (American English) — Write: August 23, 2024, Say: “August twenty-third, twenty twenty-four or two thousand twenty-four. — URL: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/ british-grammar/dates. https://dictionaryblog.cambridge.org/2017/10/04/1066-and-all-that-how-to- say-years/.

3Divinity [dɪˈvɪnɪtɪ] — богословие.

4pursuit [pəˈsjuːt] — занятие.

5the HMS Beagle (HMS — Her or His Majesty's Ship, a ship prefix) — корабль Королевского флота «Бигль».

6the Bible [baɪbl] — Библия.

7Lyell's “Principles of Geology” — «Основные начала геологии или новейшие изменения земли и её обитателей» — один из первых фундаментальных печатных трудов по геологии, написанный британским учёным Чарлзом Лайелем (1797–1875).

8fossil [fɒsl] — ископаемое.

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