I. Read and translate the text:

SOCIAL BAROMETER

A great part of sociological research consists of quantitative experimenting. The system of techniques used for that purpose is that of statistical methods. These methods are necessary to examine the data, analyse them and draw certain conclusions. The results of the sociological survey are published then.

Sociological research is usually conducted by a working group under the supervision of the leading sociologists of the All-Russian Centre for the Study of Public Opinion. The public opinion poll is a criterion of the current social life within the society. It is the so-called social barometer of the country. In fact our fast-moving life makes it necessary to analyse things. So it is useful to examine the results of sociological surveys.

The public opinion poll is carried out nationwide or in some definite regions, cities, establishments. It may be verbal in the form of an interview. But more often the opinion poll is conducted by means of tests or questionaires. The questionaires contain some items to be chosen by the subjects. In other cases the questionaires present a set of questions to be answered by the respondents in their individual way. The polled may express their own opinions verbally or in writing. The assessments may be optimistic, pessimistic, dramatic, positive, negative. They expose and reassess our ideals and values.

The polls are very popular nowadays throughout the country. In general, they are directed to assess current social and political situation, political figures, the most important events, economic perspectives, our losses and gains and so on. All data are given in percentages.

II. Answer the following questions:

1. What methods are the basic tools in every sociological research?

2. Who conducts sociological research?

3. What is considered to be a social barometer?

4. Where is the public opinion poll carried out?

5. In what form may it be conducted?

6. What are the questionaires like?

7. How do the polled express their opinions?

8. What do assessments expose?

9. What is the aim of the polls?

10. How are all data given?

III. Ask your groupmate:

- why the statistical methods are used for the sociological survey;

- under whose supervision sociological research is conducted;

- why it is useful to conduct a public opinion poll;

- by what means the poll is carried out;

- who the respondents are;

- if the polls are popular in this country.

IV. Find in the text the facts to prove that:

1. Statistical methods are a useful tool in sociological research.

2. Public opinion poll is a social barometer.

3. It is carried out in different forms.

4. The respondents may react differently.

V. Divide the text into four logical parts.

VI. Speak on the main points of the text.

VII. Discuss in the group the following problems:

1. Opinion polls are useful and necessary.

2. They reflect the true picture of the situation.

3. You would like to carry out such a poll.

4. You would like to act as a respondent.

VIII. Try to make up your own questionaire and offer it to your groupmates.

IX. Look through the fresh newspapers and find there some information on the latest polls. Be ready to comment on it.

WORD STUDY

I. Memorize the following words and word-combinations:

Sociological research the polled

Sociological survey respondent

Public opinion to assess

Public opinion poll to reassess

To conduct a poll assessment

To carry out a poll

II. Use them in your description of some sociological survey.

III. Fill in the blanks with the necessary words:

To conduct, conclusions, to examine, poll, to assess, assessments

1. Statistical methods are used to analyse the data and draw ... .

2. The opinion ... is carried out nationwide.

3. Leading sociologists ... a poll all over the country.

4. The polls are directed to ... social and political situation.

5. The respondents give their ... verbally and in writing.

6. Sociologists carefully ... the obtained data.

IV. Complete the following sentences:

1. The public opinion poll is a criterion of ... .

2. It is the so-called ... .

3. The poll is carried out ... .

4. It may be verbal in the form of ... .

5. The opinion poll is conducted by means of ... .

6. The polls are directed to ... .

7. The poll data are given in ... .