О. М. Ільченко Англійська мова для науковців

Exercise 13 Choose the one word or phrase that best keeps the meaning of the original sentence if it is substituted for the underlined word or phrase.

1.There are obvious disadvantages to this plan.

a.well-known

b.serious

c.clear

d.fundamental

2.I tried to anticipate the kind of questions they were likely to ask me at the interview.

a.solve

b.guess

c.remember

d.discuss

3.The problem would interest the entire community.

a.whole

b.large

c.engineering

d.small

4.It is not easy to predict this trend.

a.cause

b.create

c.forecast

d.test

5.The author discusses all facets of most engineering fields.

a.prospects

b.aspects

c.issues

d.forms

6.Eventually, they have worked out the basic concepts.

a.lately

b.spontaneously

c.finally

d.gradually

7.Most of our meetings were devoted to discussing scientific problems.

a.dedicated

b.confined

c.conformed

d.introduced

8.The vast land stretches for hundreds of miles.

a.very small

b.narrow

c.very large

d.spectacular

9.Is there any evidence for believing that?

a.proof

b.tendency

c.opposition

d.chance

Chapter 2

Focus on:

The Importance of Science

Scientific Prefixes

Grammar: Expression of Quantity

1.What are the motives for doing science? What is the most powerful motivation?

2.What are the missions of science?

3.Are there any problems concerning scientific development? What are possible ways of solving them?

4.What can be done to build a scientifically literate society?

5.What major conclusions does the author arrive at?

6.Why did the author mention «the goddess» and «the cow»?

7.What was the author's purpose for writing this passage (to inform, to describe, to persuade, to explain, to entertain or something else)? What is the author's opinion on the subject?

Exercise 1. Give English equivalents to:

сильний стимул; професіонали та аматори; різноманітні мотиви; поліпшувати; слугувати меті; час від часу, фінансова скрута; довкілля; задовольняти потреби; довгострокові цілі; наукова спільнота; некомерційні організації; розширяти доступність знань; приділяти більше уваги; переваги науки та техніки; національна безпека; встановлювати пріоритети.

Exercise 2 Discuss the following point. Use an example provided below as possible response to the issue raised.

Problem: Around the world science is both indispensable and vulnerable. Indispensable because the world has goals that can be reached only with deeper understanding. Vulnerable because money is short and patience with research is running short, too.

Sample answer: Why support science? For hundreds of years one justification has been that research fulfills a passionate human quest for knowledge. But these days curiosity is not enough. Most people support science and think research leads to practical benefits: economic growth, better health, labor saving devices. The challenge is to integrate the drive for knowledge with the delivery of useful outputs.

minute, tiny, infinitesimal — крихітний

a bit — трохи. I'm a bit tired. Я трохи втомився

scarce — мало, обмаль. This winter snow was scarce. Цього року взимку було обмаль снігу.

This is the most interesting article I have ever read. Most scientists usually work on one or two projects at Це найбільш цікава стаття серед тих, що я читав. one time. Більшість вчених звичайно працює над

одним або двома проектами одночасно.

Exercise 3. Choose the correct variant:

1.After the negotiations they made many / much changes in their preliminary proposal.

2.German is / are spoken in parts of Switzerland.

3.The number of / the amount of working women are / is increasing nowadays.

4.Professor Johnson did not give many / much information.

5.No news are / is good news.

6.Mathematics are / is an interesting subject.

7.They informed us of much / many important decisions.

8.Many thanks were / was given.

9.«Gulliver's Travels» are / is a popular book.

10.The latest statistics is / are not reliable enough.

11.All of the money were / was spent.

12.A word of gratitude was / were very pleasant.

13.The Japanese is/are known for their traditions.

14.A number of students has / have improved their English.

15.Someone have / has forgotten to put the name on the list.

16.There is / are several documents missing.

17.Statistics are / is a branch of mathematics.

18.There is/are no question of postponing the meeting.

Exercise 4. Read the text and try to appreciate its humor. Discuss the point with your colleagues.

Marion Eppley, developer of the standard cell that bears his name, was credited with the following anecdote: A young high school student returned one afternoon to the small retail store his father operated in conjunction

with a partner.

«Dad,» asked the student, «what are ethics? My teacher said that tomorrow we are going to discuss them.» «Well,» said the father, «I'll illustrate. Imagine that a man comes into the store to buy a carton of cigarettes. I

give him the cigarettes, and he gives me the money. Then, after I've given him his change, he turns to leave and I discover that the $20 bill he gave me seems thicker than usual. On closer examination I find that there are two $20 bills stuck together.

Here, my son, is the whole question of ethics. Do I or don't I tell my partner?» I'm sure you see Eppley's point.