II. Résumé making (text compression).

Listen to the recorded text, make notes and write a résumé in Russian /Ukrainian/English (reduce the text to the core, then develop it back without consulting the text).

Translate into English using text compression (omit redundant words, convert nominative structure into verbal, use noun clusters etc.)

First, do it in writing; then orally, observe transformations in translation.

III. Text development.

Develop a text from the given core (first do it in one language in writing, then with interpretation –orally).

IV. Sight translation practice.

Pay attention to precision information (proper names, geographical names, dates) and correct word order. Suggest background information required for a proper translation of the text.

V. Check yourself (your translation)against the pattern translation version.

VI. Listen to the recorded text and practise consecutive interpreting.

Democritus

(470–… B. C.)

Ancient Greek philosopher

He considered that all misfortunes occur if a person lacks knowledge, and the road to happiness, according to him, is through wisdom and inner tranquility. As early as the 5^th century B. C. he said that gods are mortal and the Universe is boundless. Science still uses the term «atom», introduced by the ancient Greek thinker Democritus.

One of the founders of classical materialism was born in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula in a provincial town of Abdera. The Greeks called the town the Kingdom of Stupidity for its cultural backwardness. According to the legend, once a Persian army passed through Fracia. Democtritus’s father, a noble and rich man, offered some food to the soldiers. To express his gratitude the Persian king Xerxes presented him with magicians who became the teachers of young Democritus.

Having inherited after his father’s death a huge amount of money – 100 talents, Democritus set off traveling. The youngster spent 5 years visiting foreign lands; he studied plants and animals, made up a geographical map of the countries seen. In Athens Democritus grasped the sense of philosophical teaching of Hellens, in Egypt and Persia he studied medicine and called it «a sister of philosophy».

It is considered that Democritus was the first person in the history of European civilization to deal with body autopsy.

Having spent his rich inheritance on trips and voyages Democritus brought home neither money nor goods, nothing but his own thoughts. According to the laws of Abdera, a waste of family wealth was considered a grave crime. His compatriots sued Democritus. At the trial he said that he had not squandered the money but spent it on the cognition of other people’s wisdom. And to prove his rightness he read one of his own works. Then his countrymen understood that a true wise man was standing in front of them. They not only acquitted him but also paid him for his work. The sum they paid exceeded the size of the inheritance spent!

The philosopher dealt with science all his life and pondered over the world organization. Having only a wax board and a sharp stick at his disposal Democritus put forward the theory of atomism, many centuries before the science could look inside a substance. He assumed that all the diversity of the world is formed due to the collision of small particles in the emptiness; in Greek «atomos» means indivisible. The human body and the surrounding objects, the feelings of joy and sadness, the tastes of bitterness and sweetness – everything is only the whirlwind of balls and forms different in size and form. And even the «soul» was imagined by Democritus in the form of «round fire atoms».

Democritus considered learning science the most important and necessary thing. At the same time he had respect for physical labor and thought that even a poor person or a former slave could become an outstanding philosopher. But excessive seriousness, with which people treated everyday affairs, be it cooking or growing grapes, made the wise man laugh. And it was the reason why his contemporaries called Democritus «a laughing philosopher». Democritus said that he would give the Persian King’s throne (if only he had it) for a good thought.

Once the scientist expressed quite an unusual idea: we were not alone in the Universe. The worlds have no limits in time and space; and each of them has got their own Democritus and the town of Abdera. The wise man compared human body to space and called it microspace. And he considered gods to be mortal beings, it was useful to ask them for leniency but one should not be afraid of them.

Democritus explained his theories so vividly and eloquently that he deserved his nick name of «clear».

At the same time the philosopher sometimes made the impression of insane on his fellow citizens by his lifestyle. He wrote his works being locked in a poorly lit room away from people and events. The sage thought that one could see the truth only in absolute seclusion from the surrounding world. Democritus deliberately blinded himself when he got old – «for the eyes not to disturb the mind». He trusted only intuitive vision of mind.

The scientist created more than 70 works on philosophy, mathematics, rhetoric, medicine and ethics. In his book on agriculture he gave practical advice, for instance, of placing vineyards from north to south. And his aphorisms are popular even nowadays: «It’s better to think before acting than after».

The legend says that the philosopher D. lived to be 107! There is a legend about his last days: having felt the coming demise, the blind philosopher who appreciated the state of «emotional peace and harmony» above all, spent his last days enjoying the smell of fresh bread.

During his whole life he strove for knowledge and followed his own teaching about «complacency, coolness and moderation». Democritus liked to repeat «Don’t try to know everything not to become ignorant in everything».