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TEXT 5D. SCIENCE PROBLEMS

Learn some more material about science and answer the questions: “Why is the division between science and technology being eraised?”

Science problems can be roughly classified as analytic and synthetic. In analytic problems we seek the principles of the most profound natural processes, the scientist working always at the edge of the unknown. This is the situation today, for instance, within the two extremes of research in physics - elementary particle physics and astrophysics - both concerned with the properties of matter, one on the smallest, the other on the grandest scale. Research objectives in these fields are determined by the internal logic of the development of the field itself. Revolutionary shocks to the foundations of scientific ideas can be anticipated from these very areas.

As to synthetic problems, they are more often studied because of the possibilities which they hold for practical applications, immediate an distant, than because their solution is called for by the logic of science. This kind of motivation strongly influences the nature of scientific thinking and the methods employed in solving problems. Instead of traditional scientific question: «How is this to be explained?» the question behind the research becomes «How is this to be done?» The doing involves the production of new substance or a new process with certain predetermined characteristics. In many areas of science, the division between science and technology is being erased and the chain of research gradually becomes the sequence of technological and engineering stages involved in working out a problem.

In this sense, science is a Janus-headed figure. On the one hand, it’s pure science, striving to reach the essence of the laws of the material world. On the other hand, it’s the basis of a new technology, the workshop of bold technical ideas, and the driving force behind continuous technical progress.

In popular books and journals we often read that science is making greater strides every year, that in various fields of science discovery is followed by discovery in at steady stream of increasing significance and that one daring theory opens the way to the next. Such may be impression with research becoming a collective doing and scientific data exchange a much faster process. Every new idea should immediately

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be taken up and developed further forming the initial point of an avalanche-like process.

Read the abstract from the article «So I have come to the idea» by Academician N. N. Semyonov and get ready to render its contents in English.

В1924 г. моя лаборатория занималась интересными научными проблемами,

изанималась с успехом.

Вместе с А. Ф. Вальтером мы развивали новую теорию так называемого теплового пробоя диэлектриков и ставили целую серию опытов для проверки математических следствий нашей теории.

Совместно с Ю. Б. Харитоном и А. И. Шальниковым мы изучали совершенно новые вопросы конденсации паров из молекулярных пучков на сильно охлажденных поверхностях. Мы натолкнулись на неожиданные и интереснейшие новые явления и старались осмыслить их теоретически.

Когда-то вечером - это было в конце 1924 г. - ко мне пришла З. Вальта, милая молодая девушка, окончившая университет. Она просила принять ее в аспирантуру института - в мою лабораторию. Я совсем ее не знал, но мои молодые сотрудники были с ней знакомы. Один из них много рассказывал ей о нашей работе. Зиночке хотелось работать у нас.

В трех комнатах лаборатории было тесно. Кроме того, меня так увлекали ведущиеся у нас работы, что мне не хотелось ставить еще одну новую тему. и все же, посоветовавшись со своими сотрудниками, я решил, хотя и не очень охотно, взять Зину Вальта к нам в качестве аспиранта. Мы решили поручить ей изучение выхода света при реакции окисления фосфора.

Тема эта не являлась развитием других наших работ и идей. Она была выбрана случайно. И, признаться, не очень меня интересовала.

Если бы я знал, что двойная случайность - принятие в аспирантуру Вальта и поручение ей именно этой темы - определит в дальнейшем в значительной мере работу всего нашего коллектива! Конечно, разветвленные цепные реакции все равно были бы неизбежно открыты в скором времени, но то, что именно мы оказались пионерами этой важнейшей области химии и физики, явилось делом случая.

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Render the contents of the following text in English.

Scientific methods

Albert Einstein, one of the greatest theoretical physicists, was once asked to explain the way in which a scientist worked. «If you want to know the essence of scientific method, don’t listen to what a scientist may tell you. Watch what he does.» Similarly, if you would ask a hundred scientists to describe the methods of science, you would probably get a hundred different answers. But they would probably all agree with Einstein that science is a way of doing things, a way that involves imagination and creative thinking as well as collecting information and performing experiments. Facts by themselves are not science, but science deals with facts. The French mathematician Poincare stated in this way: «Science is built with facts just as a house is built with bricks, but a collection of facts cannot be called a science any more that a pile of bricks can be called a house.»

Audial Practice

Listen to the text and speak about different applications of a computer.

Think and do.

I. Make a speech in favour of modern electronic equipment (personal computers, robots. Electronic writing/printing aids). Why can’t we do without them?

II. Pretend you are an inventor. Describe your invention.

What does it look like? What does it do? How does it work?

Your invention can be funny or serious.

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That I am not keeping pace With the headlong human race.

And some of them may mind My staying back behind

To take life at a walk In philosophic talk;

Though as yet they only smile At how slow I do a mile, With tolerant reproach

For me as an Old Slow Coach.

But I know them what they are: As they get more nuclear

And more bigoted in reliance On the gospel of modern science,

For them loitering around

At less then the speed of sound Or even the speed of light Won’t seem unheretical quite.

They may end by banishing me To the penal colony

They are thinking of pretty soon Establishing on the Moon.

With a can of condensed air

I could go almost everywhere, Or rather submit to be sent As a noble experiment.

They should try one wastrel first On a landscape so accursed

To see how long they should wait Before they make it a state.

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Material for Teachers. Texts for Audial Practice.

Topic 1.

Bernard and Francois Bushet are brothers. They live in Paris and work with new sounds and shapes for making music. They haven't always done this, though; for a long time Bernard managed a factory and Francois ran a business in Argentina. Then, about 30 years ago, they took their savings and began the work they do now. First they learnt all about how classical musical instruments were made, and then they began inventing their own instruments.

Now their lives are quite varied. They are still inventing new instruments; but Bernard has begun working with children as well. He helps them to discover music without having to read written notes. He sometimes travels, too, giving concerts on his instruments with other musicians. Francois also travels - sometimes to set up exhibitions, sometimes just for the pleasure of arriving in a new place.

Bernard's main complaint? The telephone. 'When an artist is working,' he says, 'and he has to run to the telephone, something is broken inside. I agree with the sculptor who said that freedom for the artist means having a secretary.'

Topic 2.

British Universities and colleges have Students' Unions which are concerned with students' life and studies. Unions have their Presidents, their role is basically to represent the interests of the students. Almost all power rests in the hands of the whole membership as expressed in General Meetings. For practical purposes the decision-making is delegated to Union Council.

Each Union Council has sub-committees each of which has the job of overseeing a small area of the Union's work. For example, the Union Council of the University of Leeds has the Cultural Affairs Committee, Executive Committee, Freshers Committee, House Committee, etc. They help to settle different students' problems in the academic year - with grants, accomodation, rents. They are also responsible for the coordination and organization of extra-curricular activities. If at any time a student needs advice, members of the Union Council will be glad to be of assistance. All these committees are open - any student may take part in the elections to them.

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Topic 3.

The Queen inherited a monarchical tradition which has lasted for over a thousand years. Not only is she head of state, but she is a personal symbol of national unity and provides a focus for popular loyalty. Ceremonial activities have always been associated with British kings and queens and, in spite of changing attitudes, many traditional ceremonies still take place. Royal marriages and funerals, for instance, are major ceremonial events. Royal processions play an important part on occasions such as the opening of Parliament, when the Queen drives in state from Buckingham Palace to Westminster, and the arrival of visiting heads of State. Such royal ceremonies normally attracts large crowds; millions more in Britain and abroad often follow the events on television.

Topic 5.

The future increase in capacity and decrease in cost of microelectronic devices will not only give rise to compact and powerful hardware but also bring changes in the way human beings and computers interact. Both adults and children are able to have as a personal possession a computer about the size of a notebook with the power to handle all their information-related needs.

The personal computers can be regarded as the example of human medium of communication. The evolution of the personal computer has followed thepath similar to that of the printed book, but in 40 years rather than 600. Like the handmade book of the Middle Ages the massive computers built in two decades before 1960 were coarse, expensive, available to only a few.

Just as Industrial Revolution made possible the personal book by providing inexpensive paper and mechanized printing and binding, the microelectronic revolution brought about the personal computer. Ideally the personal computer is designed in such a way that people of all ages and walks of life can model and channel its power to their own needs. Architects are able to simulate three dimentional space in order to modify their current designs. Physicians are able to store and organize a large quantity of information about their patients. Composers are able to hear a composition as they are composing it, especially if it is too complex for them to play.

Children have an active learning tool that gives them ready access to large stores of knowledge in ways that are not possible with books.

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PART III. ORAL PRACTISE

CONVERSATIONAL FORMULAS I.

The characterization of the dialogues and individual conversational formulas as «formal», «informal», etc. here is intended as a rough indication of usage. It should be noted, however, that subjective factors, regional differences, the actual situation in which the formulas are used and linguistic factors (context, intonation, etc.) all play an important role. The classification undertaken should therefore be regarded as a practical guide and not treated too rigidly.

Formulas, which are not characterized as «formal», «informal», etc. are used both in formal and informal speech.

I. Greetings.

Dialogue A ( relatively informal)

Joan: Hello, Mike!

Mike: Hello, Joan! Haven’t seen you for a long time. How are you going on? Joan: All right, thanks. How are you?

Mike: Oh, not too bad, thanks.

Dialogue B ( more formal)

Mr. Jackson: Good morning, Mrs. Turner. How are you?

Mrs. Turner: Good morning, Mr. Jackson. I’m very well, thank you. And how are you?

Mr. Jackson: I’m not feeling very well at the moment. I think I must have caught a cold.

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Mrs. Turner: I’m sorry to hear that. I hope you’ll soon get over it.

Additional formulas:

EXERCESES

I. Read the dialogues aloud several times.

II. Act the dialogues in pairs until you know them more or less by heart. Take first one part and then the other.

III. Practice greeting one of your friends. Use formulas from the dialogues.

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2. Leave-Taking

Dialogue A (relatively informal)

Joan: Well, I think I’d better be going.

Mike: Me, too. Remember me to Ken.

Joan: Thanks, I will. Best wishes to Margaret.

Mike: Thanks. So long, then.

Joan: Cheerio. See you next Thursday.

Dialogue B (relatively formal)

Mr. Jackson: Excuse me, Mrs. Turner, but I’m afraid I shall have to be going. I promised to be at home by six. Give my kindest regards to your sister.

Mrs. Turner: Thank you, I will. It was nice to see you again. Give my best wishes to your wife and children.

Mr. Jackson: Thank you. Goodbye. Mrs. Turner: Goodbye.

Additional formulas

I must be going now.

(I’ll) see you later. (fairly intimate; used when one will see the person later that day)

(I’ll) be seeing you. (fairly intimate; used when it is uncertain when one will see the person next)

See you. (fairly intimate; used when one will probably see the person fairly soon; used mainly by younger people among themselves)

Bye. (less formal then ‘Goodbye’)

Bye-bye. (fairly intimate; used especially by women, and when taking leave of them or children)

Give my love to Sarah. (fairly intimate) Have a nice / good time.

Enjoy yourself. (The last two formulas are used when someone is leaving to go on holiday, to a party, dance, etc.)

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