Text 6.

Virtual reality

Not long ago computers were considered an amazing invention. Today they form part of our everyday life. The latest thing today is Virtual Reality. A Virtual Reality system can transport the user to exotic locations such as a beach in Hawaii or the inside of the human body. The Virtual Reality system is still in the early stages of its development. At the moment it is necessary to put a large helmet on your head to see the simulated world and you have to wear a special glove on your hand in order to manipulate the objects you see there. Lenses and two miniature display screens inside the helmet create the illusion that the screen surrounds you on every side. You can “look behind” computer – generated objects, pick them up and examine them, walk around and see things from a different angle.

Already today Virtual Reality is used in medicine. In hospitals, surgeons could plan operations by first “traveling” through the brain, heart or lungs without damaging the body. It is also used in police training schools. In schools pupils could explore the Great Pyramid or study molecules from the inside. Developers of Virtual Reality say its potential is powerful.

The word which comes closest to describing Virtual Reality is “simulator”. Virtual Reality technology resembles the flight simulators that are used to train pilots. But of course there are dangers as well as benefits. In the wrong hands Virtual Reality can be used for power fantasies and pornography.

Vocabulary:

virtual Reality – виртуальная реальность

invention – изобретение

helmet – шлем

lenses – линзы

illusion – иллюзия

surgeon – хирург

simulator – симулятор

Questions:

1. What is Virtual Reality?

2. Why do you need to wear helmet and special glove?

3. What are the possible uses of Virtual Reality?

4. What are some of the disadvantages of Virtual Reality?

5. Do you think Virtual Reality is an important invention or not?

Translate into English:

1. Самая последняя новинка сегодня – это виртуальная реальность.

2. Система виртуальной реальности пока еще на начальных стадиях разработки.

3. Линзы и два маленьких демонстрирующих экрана внутри шлема создают впечатление, что экраны окружают вас со всех сторон.

4. Уже сегодня виртуальная реальность используется в медицине.

5. Ученики в школах могут изучать великую пирамиду или молекулы изнутри.

6. Слово, которое близко описываемой виртуальной реальности, - симулятор.

7. Но, конечно, у нее есть преимущества и недостатки.

Translate into Russian:

1. The latest thing today is Virtual Reality.

2. The Virtual Reality system is still in the early stages of its development.

3. Lenses and two miniature display screens inside the helmet create the illusion that the screen surrounds you on every side.

4. Already today Virtual Reality is used in medicine.

5. Developers of Virtual Reality say its potential is powerful.

6. Virtual Reality technology resembles the flight simulators that are used to train pilots.

THEME 1

ENVIRONMENT

Text 1.

WE MUST PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT

Our country. Our environment. There are many big and small rivers, green forests, high mountains, lakes and seas in Russia.

Our Earth is our home. I think people must take care of our Motherland.

There are several laws and decisions on this important subject. We have state organizations which pay attention to this problem.

International conventions pay a lot of attention to controlling pollution too.

There are a lot of industrial enterprises in our country that’s why we can’t ignore the problem of the protection of our environment. Our main aim is protection. Our environment must be clean. What must we do? We have to control atmospheric and water pollution, to study man’s influence on the climate. The pollution of the environment influences the lives of animals, plants and humans. If we don’t use chemicals properly we’ll pollute our environment.

Our plants and factories put their waste materials into the water and atmosphere and pollute the environment.

There are many kinds of transport in our big cities, that is why we must pay attention to the protection of our nature and the health of people.

Radiation has become one of the main problems. It is not good for people’s health. Many people died from radiation some years ago in Chernobol. It was a tragedy. Another problem is earthquakes. We have had some terrible earthquakes in Armenia. Our scientists try to forecast earthquakes so that we can protect ourselves from them.

All over the world people do a lot to protect nature, to make their countries richer, to make their lives happier.