Основы теории и практики научно-технического перевода и научного общения. Учебное пособие
.pdfThe problem became more acute, it took a new form. - Про-
блема стала более острой, она приобрела новую форму.
It seems essential to emphasize that... - Представляется важ-
ным отметить, что...
So far we have discussed... - До сих пор мы обсуждали...
It provides a basis for - Это служит основой...
For (at) the moment... - В настоящий момент...
We are intended to conclude that... - Мы намерены заключить...
To sum up it should be noted that... - Подводя итог, следует отметить, что...
Degree of candidate of sciences; candidate's degree (less formal)
— степень кандидата наук;
Thesis — диссертация (иногда употребляется "dissertation", хотя в Великобритании это работа меньшей значимости);
To do academic work / research — / выполнять научную ра-
боту / исследование;
To devote oneself to academic / research work — посвятить себя науке;
A branch of knowledge — отрасль науки; An academic work — научный труд;
An academic approach — научный подход; Department — кафедра;
A research worker / a researcher — научный работник.
Мы также предлагаем серию упражнений, которые помогут подготовиться к беседе по вопросам специальности и избранного научного направления.
Exercise I. Read and translate the definitions of the following words.
Science:
1) (the study of) knowledge which can be made into a system and which usually depends on seeing and testing facts and stating general laws: It was one of the great discoveries in science. Science cannot answer all our questions; 2) a branch of such knowledge. Especially: a) anything which may be studied exactly: Driving a car is an art, not a science. b) any of the branches usually studied at universities, such as Physics, Economics, etc.: She was studying a science subject.
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Different adjectives relating to science may be used with this
word:
pure (of a science or a branch of any study) — considered only for its own nature as a skill or exercise of the mind, separate from any use that might be made of it;
applied (science) — put to practical use;
practical (science) — related to actual experience or need; theoretical belonging to theory (= general laws and principles of science or a science).
Scientist — a person who carries out new work in a science (physics, economics, etc.)
Scientific — of, being, or concerning science or its principles or rules:
She had a scientific education. This is a fine piece of scientific writing. The scientific spirit has an interest in exact-ness.
Scholar — a person who knows much in a particular field of knowledge (refers mainly, though not exclusively, to the humanities);
Work — 1) activity which uses effort, especially with a special purpose, not for amusement: It takes a lot of-work to do a research. 2) a job or occupation: His work is in economics, he is an economist. 3) what one is doing, especially for payment: / hear you 've changed jobs; is work difficult at the new place ? I am taking some work home to do this evening. 4) what is produced by work: This picture is my own work.
It's useful to know what adjectives may be used relating to work:
Laborious — 1) requiring great effort: This is a very laborious work;
2) showing signs of being done with difficulty: He has a laborious style of writing.
Hard-working — working hard: She is a hard-working researcher. Industrious — hard-working: What industrious people they are.
Demanding — that needs a lot of attention or effort: A new job may be very demanding.
Strenuous — 1) taking great effort; needing a lot of work: It's being a strenuous day. 2) showing great activity; She is a strenuous supporter of women's rights.
Diligent — (of people and behaviour) hard-working; showing steady effort: He is a diligent worker and deserves more pay. He made a diligent attempt to learn Russian.
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Painstaking — 1) careful and thorough: Producing a dictionary is painstaking work. 2) hard-working and thorough: He is not very clever but he is painstaking; he works hard.
Exercise II. Answer the questions.
1.What are the tendencies in the science development at pre-
sent?
2.What scientific discovery of recent years seems most challenging to you?
3.What important scientific discoveries may we face in the near
future?
4.We are apt to believe that research has always been the springboard of progress. But do you think the unusually swift development of science may have any harmful consequences? Do you think there should be "taboo" areas in scientific research as far as morality is concerned? Whatever your answer is, give your reasons.
5.Do you think there can be valid reasons for suspending research into a particular subject even if it has been going on successfully? If so, what might they be?
6.Do you think that scientific work of any kind can itself be a means of developing the moral qualities of the individual concerned?
Exercise III. Read the following text and comment on it to show how far you agree or disagree with the author.
There are exactly as many ways of approaching the scientific world as there are individuals in science; it is only because the results are expressed in the same language, are subject to the same control, that science seems to be more uniform than, say, original literature. In effect, in the end, it is more uniform; but if we could follow the process of a scientific thought through many minds, as it actually happens and not as it is conventionally expressed after the event, we should see every conceivable variety of mental texture.
These varieties seemed to me to fall into two main types, perhaps this was a shape I imposed for myself and corresponds to nothing real; but they are types observed often enough before in human affairs and I still believe that they are not entirely artificial. Applying them to scientific thinking, I should call the first the problem-solving type;
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minds which choose out of all the world round them a certain piece of experience and drive through it to an explanation. The probing, analytical, pragmatic minds, which at their best can reach the heights of Rutherford and Darwin. In everyday affairs it is probably the commoner type of mind, and so the performances of its highest exponents seem familiar and easy to most of us, they are of the same nature as our own: which means that we underestimate them unduly, on the principle that what is not mysterious cannot be profoundly admirable.
The second type, the abstracting mind. Gets perhaps more than its share of admiration, just because it is difficult for most of us to argue with, speaking as it does a different mental language from their own. These minds do not drive through a portion of experience; they wait for experience to make itself into shapes in their minds, they assimilate, correlate, find resemblances in different things, differences in similar things. At their best, in Faraday, Einstein, they are great generalizes; at their worst they are infinitely fantastic and removed from all reality.
Exercise IV. Characterize any scientist, or scholar you know according to the types suggested by the author in the text given above. Use the following vocabulary.
a capacity for (detailed) scientific analysis / criticism; to have a scrupulous / tidy / analytical mind; to be out of one's reach; to have insight / imagination / drive, etc.; to envy somebody for the precision / rapidity / elegance of one's experiments; one's subtle / fertile mind; to be quickly / bright / slow, etc.; to be full of facts / speculations / ideas, etc.; to overflow with a sort of scientific wit; to be getting the name of a promising young scientist / scholar; to be a born scientist / scholar; to rush into work; to tackle / to solve the problem; to strike / to keep up to a useful line of one's own; there came a sudden flash of an idea; long routines; spurred by the success; to develop / to use a method of...; to have all the techniques / to lack the technique; to generalize, etc.
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Exercise V. Here is a difficult question for you to answer: Why do men take up science? Before considering it read the following meditations of C. P. Snow on this subject. How far do you agree with the author? Make use of the vocabulary given below.
One can do science because one believes that practically and effectively it benefits the world. A great many scientists have had this as their chief conscious reason. One can do science because it represents the truth. One selected one's data — set one's puzzle for oneself, as it were — and in the end solved the puzzle by showing how they fitted other data of the same kind. It is rather as though one was avidly interested in all the countryside between this town and the next: one goes in for science for an answer, and is given a road between the two. One can also do science because one enjoys it. Many people like unravelling puzzles. Scientific puzzles are very good ones, with reasonable prizes. So that either without examining the functions of science, being indifferent to them or taking them for granted, a number of men go in for research as they would for law; living by it, obeying its rules, and thoroughly enjoying the problem-solving process. This is a perfectly valid pleasure, among them you can find some of the most effective of scientists. Nowadays I should allow more for accident; many men become scientists because it happens to be convenient and they may as well do it as anything else. But the real urgent drives remain.
Use the vocabulary.
to do science; to benefit the world / one's nation (to be a benefit for the world / nation); to represent the truth; to like unravelling / solving puzzles; to go in for / to take up research; to enjoy a problemsolving process; to be devoted to science; to be a devoted scientist; to gain enjoyment from research; to enjoy science; to examine the functions of science; to take something for granted; to have a belief in scientific values; one's dedicated search for scientific truth, etc.
Exercise VI. Read and discuss the text.
SCIENCE IN RUSSIA
The Russians made a great contribution to world science. Peter I founded the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences as early as 1724. It is
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there that the great scientist Lomonosov worked in the fields of physics, chemistry, astronomy and the foundation of the Russian literary language. The peoples of our country produced many geniuses such as D.I. Mendeleyev who gave the world the Periodic Table of Elements, mathematicians like N.I. Lobachevsky who is known all over the world as “Copernicus of Geometry” and many others.
The peoples of Russia are rightly proud of scientists like A.S. Popov, who invented the radio, A.N. Lodygin, who produced the electric lamp, K.E. Tsiolkovsky, who was the founder of the modern theory of space rockets. Among the peominent scientists we must also mention the names of I.I. Mechnikov, N.N. Zinin, S.V. Lebedev, I.Z. Kondakov, Academician I.P. Pavlov and many others whose names are known far and wide.
Our scientists and inventors have enriched science and technology with many outstanding achievements which enable them to solve the most complex problems. Many inventions have not only brought fame to our science, but also rank among the greatest achievements of mankind.
The development of the theory of chain reactions is linked with the name of the Russian scientist N.N. Semyonov, a Nobel Prize winner, N.D. Zelynsky’s works formed the basis for the synthesizing of a large number of new chemical compounds.
Space research has opened a new era of scientific knowledge. It is in our country that the first artificial satellite for the research in outer space was launched. It was created by the Academician S.P. Korolev, and it was Yury Gagarin who accomplished the first space flight.
Academicians I.V. Koorchatov and G.N. Flerov made a great contribution to the development of the theory of the construction of the atom. It was in our country that the first atomic power station in the world was built and the first atom-powered ice-breaker was launched. Our scientists, engineers and workers have done a lot in order to ensure that the energy of the atom should bring people wellbeing and prosperity instead of terror and death.
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Exercise VII. Побеседуйте по-английски с коллегой о проводимых вами исследованиях. Используйте следующие вопросы и утверждения.
What methods do you apply in your research? And why? What are you going to prove in your research?
How can you formulate your hypothesis? How do you plan your experiments?
How often do you record data during the experiment? (every hour, every two hours, etc).
What instruments and equipment do you use in your investigation? And why?
What views and data can your experiments (or research) prove or refute?
What illustrations are you preparing to demonstrate the results of your investigation?
What conclusions will you make if the results of your research are positive/negative?
What are the merits and demerits of the investigation that you have already carried out?
How will you continue your investigation? And why? The hypothesis fits experimental data.
The research probes in the various aspects of the subject. We experimented with the new materials.
We hope to find the answer to this problem. The work was subjected to criticism.
Out of his work came a substantial knowledge.
The theory and the results are too extensive to be given here. The experimental results were analyzed with the help of high-
speed computing machines.
I am afraid I don't know for certain if there are any direct (adequate, reliable) data regarding ... I believe some information is available though I don't know what it is...
Yes, as far as we know there are some very interesting and, I dare say, very encouraging data about..., though at the moment I am not quite prepared to speak about them in detail.
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Well, there must be rather adequate data at present since studies of the problem have been in progress for several years now (have long been under way)...
What is the problem you are investigating now (interested in)? What does it deal with?
What is the core of the problem? Is it sufficiently studied?
Does it involve certain difficulties? What aspects does it include?
What kind of problem does it refer to?
Does the problem require a great deal of investigation?
Has it been discussed for a long time or is it a newly raised problem? Is there a lot of information on this problem?
What foreign literature have you read on the problem?
Will it take much time to clear up all the aspects of the problem?
Exercise VIII. Vocabulary to be used in discussing a scientific publication.
1.The book (volume. handbook, text-book, article, essay) to be discussed is … The discussed book (volume. etc.) is …
2.The articles represent papers (reports) given at the confer-
ence.
3.The author (editor. publisher) of the book is … The contributor of the journal (magazine) is …
4.The book was published (edited) in 20.. . The article originally appeared in (Russia, a journal).
5.The author is a well-known (distinguished, outstanding) scientist in the field of … The author is a Nobel prize winner (State prize winner).
6.The title of the book is … The heading of the chapter (section, part) is … The headline (title, heading) of the newspaper article is …
7.The book consists of … (10) chapters (sections, parts, articles, contributions)/ The book contains (includes, falls into) … (3) parts.
8.The book contains a summary ( a treatment of …, a list of references, a large amount of useful information).
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9.The book is addressed to scientific workers (professional scientists, interested laymen, undergraduates, post-graduates, those working in the field of …, those studying the problems of …, those familiar with the field of …, those approaching the problems of …). The book is written for researchers.
10.Reference is made to workers (works) in.
11.The subject of the book is … (includes …, is reviewed, is covered). The topic (theme) of the book is … The topic of the research (investigation, thesis) is …
12.The subject matter of the book relates to (includes, is devoted to) … The subject matter of the book falls into two parts.
13.The book (the author) discusses (deals with, is concerned with, covers, considers, gives consideration to, describes, gives an accurate description of, outlines, emphasizes, places emphasis on) the problem of …
14.The book provides the reader with some data on …(some material on …, some information on …, an introduction to …, a discussion of …, a treatment of …, a study of …, a summary of ,,,, some details on …, a useful bibliography, a list (set) of references, key references).
15.A careful account is given of … A detailed description is given of the theory method of …A thorough description is given of the theory method of … Much attention is given to … Little attention is given to …
16.Of particular (special, great, little) interest is the method of
…Of particular interest is the theory (discussion, treatment) of …
17.Of great (little) importance is the method of …
18.It is notable (noteworthy, praiseworthy, fortunate, unfortunate, a mistake, a slight disappointment, to the author’s credit) that … 19.The author has succeeded in showing (providing, presenting)
the results of …
20.The author failed to show (to exhibit, to provide, to present, to give an account of, to direct our attention to) …
21.The author (editor, publisher, proof-reader) is to blame for the drawbacks in the book. The book suffers from some mistakes (errors, limitations, shortcomings, careless proof-reading).
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22.In spite of these drawbacks the book is a useful reference work (a valuable source of ready information). In spite of these drawbacks the book was useful to (helpful to) …
23.The book begins with introductory notes (remarks).
24.The book ends with a discussion of …
25.In conclusion (in summary, summarizing) the author …
26.The purpose (aim, object) of the book is to provide …
27.The book aims to provide (acquaint, present, show) …
28.The book is profusely (poorly) illustrated with diagrams (tables, colour plates, photographs, sketches).
29.The author (editor) is to be congratulated on the success of the book (the timeliness of the book, producing this book).
НАУЧНАЯ КОНФЕРЕНЦИЯ
Exercise I. Read the following polylogue.
Professor Platonov is in Dr. Coleridge's study (Manchester Computer research Centre) ready to discuss recent developments in CAD/CAN (+Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacture) and related fields with Dr. Nakamoto and Dr. Dupont
Coleridge: Dear Dr. Platonov, Nakamoto, from the Japanese Osaka. Platonov: Pleased to meet you, Dr. Nakamoto.
Nakamoto: How do you do, Dr. Platonov? We've read many of your recent articles in Japan.
P.: I am glad that the results of our joint work can be used by our colleagues.
C: And this is Dr. Dupont whom I needn't to introduce to you. P.: How are you, Dr. Dupont? It's such a long time since we
met in Paris.
Dupont: I'm happy to see you here, in Manchester; and I should say that significant advances have been achieved by Dr. Coleridge's department, and we must be lucky to participate in their annual session.
N.: I say, Dr. Coleridge, the wealth of your library of computer programmes is really impressive. It seems to me you must have been very active in this field for some years already.
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