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Файл:Английский язык для студентов-бакалавров неязыковых специальностей заочной формы обучения. Учебное пособие
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Тексты аудиозаписей (Units 1–4)
51
by – how susceptible to automation each job is based on some key skills. And
these include negotiation, persuasion, caring for others, originality, and manual
dexterity – now that means being good with your hands.
Neil
So do you think intelligent machines could replace us?
Finn
Well, maybe you, Neil. Not me, no. I have all the key skills you know – I'm
original… persuasive… of course very caring and very good with my hands as
well, I think.
Neil
Well I'm very glad that you're safe, Finn!
Finn
Thank you.
Neil
However, a study from Oxford University has suggested that 35% of existing
UK jobs are being automated in the next 20 years. Let’s listen to Michael
Osborne from Oxford University talking about this.
INSERT
Michael Osborne, University of Oxford
Computers are increasingly able to learn in a way that in short has been a reserve
of human beings. So in their ability to learn, computers are able to perform a
much wider range of tasks than they've been able to do in the past. So as a result
it's not just manual labour that's coming under threat of automation. It's
increasingly cognitive labour – the labour of the mind.
Finn
Michael Osborne. And cognitive labour means using your noggin – that's using
or head!So computers and machines are using their noggins and getting smarter.
And office workers who do repetitive jobs such as drawing up spreadsheets
could be replaced with software. But surely jobs like being a doctor or a lawyer
are safe, Neil?
Neil
Well, some white-collar jobs may be less safe than you think. At one city law
firm junior staff have to read through contracts, assessing them for risks. But
now an artificial intelligence programme can do that faster and better.
Finn
So white collar refers to a job that you do at an office rather than a factory. And
artificial intelligence refers to a computer's ability to copy intelligent human
Английский язык для студентов-бакалавров неязыковых специальностей…
52
behaviour. Now let’s listen to Matthew Whalley from a city law firm to find out
what he thinks.
INSERT
Matthew Whalley, Berwin Leigton Paisner
What you're seeing the robot do now, the robot can do in three seconds what
would take a group of lawyers days to do. And the advantage is that it can do
huge volumes, incredibly reliably in unbelievable times. There is a huge amount
of this work to do and lawyers have far better higher-value legal analysis to
worry about.
Neil
Well he thinks that there is work for the lawyers and the computers. In fact it
sounds like a good division of labour – the computers do the boring stuff and the
lawyers do the more interesting work!
Finn
Yes. Well, let's keep our fingers crossed that we've got good prospects. You
know, I don't want our listeners to (robot voice) start listening to robot presenters
any time soon!
Neil
Indeed, we need! We talk about keeping our fingers crossed when we hope that
things are going to turn out in the way we want them to in the future.
Finn
That's right. So shall we hear the answer to today's quiz question? Neil, I asked
you: What makes a job more likely to be done by robots? Is it if a job involves…
a) manipulating small objects? b) working in open spaces? Or c) social and
emotional skills?
Neil
Well, I said a) manipulating small objects ... and I'm keeping my fingers crossed
that I've got the right answer.
Finn
OK. You’re keeping them crossed?
Neil
Yes, I am.
Finn
You've got the answer right! Well done!
Neil
Brilliant! I'm glad my cognitive skills are still functioning. Now, how about
hearing those words again?
Тексты аудиозаписей (Units 1–4)
53
Finn
OK, the words we heard today were:
automation
susceptible to
manual dexterity
cognitive labour
noggin
white collar
artificial intelligence (AI)
and … keeping your fingers crossed
Neil
Well, that brings us to the end of this 6 Minute English. We hope you enjoyed
the programme. Please join us again soon.
Both
Bye.
Unit 4
Plastic pollution
Dan: Hello. I’m Dan Walker Smith and today I’m joined by Kate.
Kate: Hello Dan.
Dan: Now today Kate and I are talking about pollution. So I’m going to start the
show today with a question, Kate; have you ever heard of the ‘Great Pacific
Garbage Patch’?
Kate: No, I’m afraid I haven’t; I’ve never heard of that.
Dan: Well let me explain: Garbage is an American word for something we’ve
thrown away. What we in the UK might call rubbish. And the Pacific Garbage
Patch is an area of the Pacific Ocean where rubbish has collected. It was
discovered in 1997, and is essentially a big floating soup of plastic garbage and
bits of rubbish that have been thrown away on land and have ended up in the sea.
Kate: Ooh that sounds absolutely horrible. I had no idea that anything like that
existed.
Dan: Well this is the bit which is really scary: we don’t actually know the size of
the garbage patch, but some people say it could be 600,000 square miles across
– which is twice the size of France.
Kate: What? Twice the size of France? That’s absolutely huge!
Dan: And it could be bigger.
Kate: That’s very frightening. Now plastic pollution in the seas kills over a
million sea birds and 100,000 mammals and turtles each year.
Английский язык для студентов-бакалавров неязыковых специальностей…
54
Dan: So here’s the Dutch marine biologist Jan van Franeker talking about the
effects of plastic pollution on birds.
Worldwide, there’s so many bird species that have litter in their stomachs. It
varies from pieces from bottles or toys, parts from fishing nets, from ropes. Any
sort of plastic really that is broken up and is floating around the ocean.
Kate: OK, so the plastics they’re finding aren’t just things that might have been
thrown into the sea, like fishing nets and ropes, but are actually things that have
come from the land, like pieces of bottles and children’s toys.
Dan: Apparently 80% of all the plastic found in the ocean is actually litter that’s
been thrown away on land.
Kate: And part of the problem is that most plastics aren’t biodegradable.
Dan: And some plastic bags could last in the environment for up to a thousand
years.
Kate: Let’s hear the marine ecologist Richard Thompson talking about plastic
packaging.
I think we need to think very, very carefully about the way that we use plastics in
society. If we think that 100 million tonnes of plastic products are made every
year, 40% of those are packaging materials that are mainly used once and then
discarded.
Dan: OK, so 40% of the world’s plastic is used as packaging material and then
discarded. To lower the amount of plastic waste, scientists recommend the ‘three
Rs’ for packaging. We can reduce the amount of packaging used on products;
we can re-use packaging more than once, and we can recycle the materials used.
Kate: Do you recycle, Dan?
Dan: I’m actually very lucky, because where I live in London has a great
recycling programme. So essentially every week we’ve got someone who comes
round and collects all the paper and all the plastic and all the glass that I’ve used
that entire week, which is fantastic.
Kate: Oh that sounds great, you’re really lucky. Actually I’ve got the same thing:
I have all my plastics and glass picked up outside my house, so I think certain
places in the UK are doing quite well on the recycling front.
Dan: And even if you can’t recycle, just try and reuse or reduce the amount of
waste that you’re going to be producing. So from all of us here, thanks for
listening, and goodbye!
Kate: Goodbye!
55
ТЕКСТЫ ДЛЯ ДОПОЛНИТЕЛЬНОГО ЧТЕНИЯ
Unit 1
Technological Advances:
From the Printing Press to the iPhone
Technological advances made possible newer forms of media that
displaced others.
The Print Age. The development of the printing press in Europe around
1450 was the key technological advance that moved us from the manuscript era
to the print era. As paper and bookbinding materials became cheaper, books
spread around the world and literacy rates increased. Cheaper paper, more
advanced printing presses, and faster and more reliable transportation
technologies also contributed to the rise of newspapers and magazines as print
media.
The Audiovisual Age. Wireless telegraphy paved the way for radio and
television broadcasts. Advances in signal transmission and reception as well as
vacuum tube technology made televisions and radios more reliable and compact.
Cable and satellite television began to compete with broadcast television, as they
provided access to more channels and service in areas where broadcast signal
reception was unreliable.
The Internet and Digital Media Age. The development of digital code,
microprocessors, and fiber-optic cables were key technological advances that
made the Internet and digital communication possible. Rapid developments
around 1990, such as the creation of HTTP and HTML coding and Internet
browsers, created what we know today as the World Wide Web.
Each form of mass media affected society in important ways. Books
allowed people to educate themselves and be more selective about the
information to which they were exposed. Newspapers chronicled the daily life of
societies and provided a public forum for information sharing and debate.
Magazines were the first medium to make major advances in the mass printing of
photographs, which brought a more visual medium to their audience before the
advent of television. Radio allowed masses of people to experience something at
the same time, which helped create a more unified national identity and also
brought entertainment and news programs into people’s homes. Television
copied many of radio’s ideas and soon displaced the radio as the centerpiece for
entertainment in people’s homes. The Internet brought a new decentralized and
Английский язык для студентов-бакалавров неязыковых специальностей…
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communal form of media that could not be controlled by any one government or
business and allowed for the creation of user-generated content.
Electronic media especially has had to adapt as new forms of media are
invented. Radio, for example, lost much of its advertising revenue to television,
which led radio to adapt its programming from news and entertainment to
broadcasting music. Radio also took advantage of new technologies to become
portable and follow people out of their house. Broadcast television had to
diversify its program lineup as cable and satellite providers offered many more
channels. All these media, even print, had to adapt to the advent of the digital
age. Copyright violations—pirating—become a problem when old media content
is digitized, which makes it more easily reproducible and sharable.
Social Networking Service (SNS)
What is a Social Networking Service (SNS)?
A social networking service (SNS) is an online vehicle for creating
relationships with other people who share an interest, background or real
relationship. Social networking service users create a profile with personal
information, photos, etc. and form connections with other profiles. These users
then use their connection to grow relationships through sharing, emailing, instant
messaging and commenting. Social networking services may also be referred to
as a "social networking site" or simply "social media."
Breaking Down Social Networking Service (SNS).
The first SNS, SixDegrees.com was started in 1997 and was soon followed
by Friendster, MySpace and Facebook. Today there are a wide range of SNS and
approximately 75% of Americans have SNS profiles. SNS range from sites
where users have general interests to those where users have very specific
interests. Successful specialized SNS include YouTube, Google Plus, Instagram,
Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, Snapchat, Tumblr, Pinterest and Vine. SNS profiles
are very popular across the globe. Facebook alone boasts over 2 billion users as
of the end of 2017. The social networking service business model is based on
online advertising, either through direct, targeted advertising that utilizes an
individual's personal information, search habits, location or other such data, or
by selling the personal information to third-parties. The proliferation of mobile
technologies, such as smartphones and tablets, has helped the growth of social
SNS adoption and use.
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57
Social Networking Service Characteristics
While social networking services may take many forms, they share several
characteristics, such as all utilizing the internet. Other similar characteristics
include:
User-generated content, such as photos, videos and posts that inform other
users about the activities and interests of the poster.
The ability to connect individuals from all over the world, though some
platforms recommend that individuals know one another in real life before
connecting online.
They are free. Their business model is based on breadth of membership,
therefore charging for use would be counterproductive. Still, the possibility
remains that if a network grew large and useful enough, charging a fee may be
possible.
They connect people with common histories, such as school attendance,
work colleagues or people who share a common interest.
They may help forge and develop relationships between people who share
a profession or business network.
They may be used to help individuals find information, products, services
or resources that is relevant to them.
Social Networking Service Risks
Some users worry about the security of SNS profiles, as see in the March
2018 revelations about how Cambridge Analytica illegally harvested information
from roughly 50 million profiles of U.S. users to target for highly politicized
content. In addition to potential leaks of personal information, including tax and
personal identification information, SNS users who are not careful about their
privacy settings find that strangers can track their movements or see questionable
photos. This is especially a concern for job seekers whose potential employers
might search for their profiles as part of the hiring process. Social networking
service overuse may lead to depression and anxiety. Such services may also
facilitate bullying and other risk to child safety.
Unit 2
Higher education in Russian federation
Russia’s present-day education system is based upon the Bologna
principles and includes such levels of education as bachelor’s degree, specialist
degree, master’s degree, postgraduate, clinical internship etc.
Английский язык для студентов-бакалавров неязыковых специальностей…
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Bachelor's Degree
This is a complete higher education course. Individuals who have
completed education equivalent to Russian general secondary or vocational
secondary education can enrol in a Bachelor's Degree course. The course lasts 4
years and gives general fundamental training.
At the end of their Degree, students defend their thesis. If successful, the
student is awarded a Bachelor's Degree certificate (BA, BSc). The certificate
grants the student the right to work according to profession or to further their
studies on a Master's Degree course.
Specialist Degree
Unlike Bachelor's Degrees, Specialist Degrees are more focused on
practical work in industry according to the selected discipline. These
programmes are offered to individuals who have education equivalent to Russian
general secondary or vocational secondary education. The course lasts for a
minimum of 5 years. Based on the examination results and thesis defence, a
Specialist Degree certificate specifying the qualification (e.g.,"Astronomer,"
"Teacher," "Information Security Specialist," etc.) may be issued. Graduates of a
Specialist Degree may work in industry or further their studies on a Master's or
other postgraduate course.
Master's Degree
This allows in-depth specialisation in the student’s chosen field.
Bachelor’s and Specialist Degree holders can enrol in Master's Degree courses.
The course lasts at least two years and involves training students for research
work. Students defend a thesis which, if successful, leads to a Master's Degree
certificate and the qualification of Master.
Graduates of Master’s Degrees may work in industry or further their
studies on a postgraduate course.
Highest Professional Training
A Postgraduate course is a form of training for academics. Graduates of a
Master's or Specialist Degree can enrol in a postgraduate course. The course
includes study, teaching, hands-on experience, and research. Postgraduate
students select a research field and subject of research for their dissertation. Fulltime study lasts at least 3 years, while part-time study lasts at least 4 years. A
graduate is awarded a postgraduate certificate with the corresponding
qualification (“Research Fellow,” “Research Teaching Fellow”). Depending on
the result of the dissertation defence, a Candidate of Sciences Degree is awarded,
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which is the first Degree to confirm the status of scientist. Candidates of
Sciences proceed to their Doctoral Degree (the second Degree to confirm the
status of scientist), which is awarded following successful defence of their
doctoral dissertation.
Second Higher Education
Russian legislation grants Russians just one free higher education, while
subsequent study must always be paid for. Foreign citizens who have graduated
from a university outside the Russian Federation may enrol in a second higher
education course both on a commercial and state-funded basis (subject to
successful completion of the selection process). This can be done as part of a
Bachelor's (up to 4 years), Specialist (up to 6 years), or Master's (at least 2 years)
Degree. The selection process is based on entry examinations. Upon graduation,
a certificate is awarded to confirm the qualification.
Social life of a student
Advice on socialising while at University often focuses on not letting it get
in the way of your studies, particularly in first year. It is important that it doesn’t
dominate too much, but the students who spoke to us also reflected on ways in
which they both valued their social life and also used it to support their studies. It
is also worth acknowledging that the dynamics of social life change over the
different years:
First year is often about building a social network of friends and it is OK
that this means it has more priority at this time.
Second year the balance starts to shift and becomes more of a regular
dynamic of study time, possibly paid work, and social life.
Third year social life tends to become more secondary to study, but this is
where retaining some social life and the friendships made in first and
second year really helps support you during this key time.
The Value of Having a Social Life
Students value the social life of being at University and there are many
ways it can help with studying. So it is less about saying make sure your social
life doesn’t get in the way of the academic side of things, but of thinking about
ways to keep them in balance and actually benefit each other.
Here are some of the very positive things about the social dynamics of
university life that students talked about:
Английский язык для студентов-бакалавров неязыковых специальностей…
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Social networks are really good ways of developing routines around
studying, whether that is in the library or in the shared flat or elsewhere.
Students often worked with friends to set goals for each other and
everyone found that really helpful:
“We have this thing in our flat where we set like half an hour to do work
and no one talks, and the first person who talks has to take the bins out.”
Friends can be helpful in making study time productive by being part of
the focus and the letting off of steam you also have to do.
“What we tended to do in my flat, after 9 o’clock we’d socialise, it was
kind of like an unwritten rule we’d arranged, everyone would just come out of
their rooms at 9 o’clock and be in the living room, so we’d always eat together
but I would generally be doing some kind of work until 9 o’clock.”
Practising arguments or discussing difficulties you are having with an
assessment with friends can be both an enjoyable way to spend time together and
really helpful when stuck with an assessment problem
Less Productive Aspects of Social Life and Study
The students we worked with also acknowledged that they didn’t always
get the balance right between having a good and full social life and their studies.
As part of this it is worth acknowledging that getting the balance can be
harder if as well as combining studies with social opportunities, you are also
doing that alongside other commitments such as paid work, commuting from
home, living with a disability or being a carer. If your life involves some of these
other commitments then do speak with and keep informed your personal tutor
who can point to help that is available to you and other sources of advice and
support.
Some of the important ways social life can get in the way of productive
study time are:
The biggest issue everyone acknowledged was when social life moved
from being something that supported their studies to being something that they
used to avoid study. The phrase used at various points was: procrastination. A
few examples included:
Using a chat to avoid working through a difficult point on an assignment
or getting an allocated reading completed.
Break time would expand out and people ‘forgot’ to return to their
individual work.
Going to the library to socialise rather than to study.
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