Words to remember

acceptance [әk'septәns] – принятие, одобрение;

colleague [kɔli:g] – сослуживец, коллега4

contemporary [kәn'tәmpәrәri] – современный;

to enable [i'neibl] – давать возможность;

epoch [i:pɔk] – эпоха, век, эра;

to exchange [iks'tʃeindƺ] – обмениваться, меняться;

explosion [ik'splouƺn] – быстрый рост, вспышка;

to keep up with [tә ki:p ʌp wið] – быть в курсе;

leadership [li:dәʃip] – превосходство;

mean [mi:n] – средство;

prestige [pre'sti:ƺ] – престиж;

previously [pri:viәsli] – ранее;

undoubtedly [ʌn'dautidli] – несомненно, бесспорно;

urgent [ә:dƺәnt] – крайне необходимый

Exercises

1. Find in the text the English equivalents to the following phrases.

1. Средство общения;

2. международный язык;

3. определяться экономическим, политическим и культурным развитием страны;

4. необходимость изучения иностранного языка;

5. преобладание;

6. появление множества людей;

7. ключ к научным и технологическим нововведениям;

8. всеобщее образование;

9. удваивать знания;

10. доступные учебники;

11. интеграция в мировое сообщество;

12. решать профессиональные проблемы.

2. Answer the following questions.

1. When do children start learning foreign languages in Russia?

2. Why do people learn foreign languages in Russia?

3. What language is considered to be the official language of the world?

4. In how many countries is English the official language?

5. Why are foreign languages important for specialists?

6. What kind of foreign language do specialists have to know?

7. Is English an easy language to learn?

8. What do you think is the most difficult about English?

3. What do you think? Give a reason for your opinion.

1. The knowledge of any foreign language opens a set of new horizons and prospects.

2. The English language is one of the most widespread languages in the world.

3. Today people show great interest in learning foreign languages.

4. The English language is the language of international communication in many spheres of our life.

5. The English language plays an important role in my future profession.

4. Imagine that you and your friend are discussing the necessity of learning foreign languages. Ask each other as many questions as possible to underline the importance of this problem and prove your own point of vie. You may use the following phrases to express your emotions.

• Do you really mean it;

• I’m not sure of it;

• it all depends;

• you never can tell;

• no wonder;

• it’s hard to believe;

• good for you;

• right you are;

• far from it;

• I’m afraid you are wrong;

• excuse me, but you are mistaken, etc.

Unit IV outstanding people Conversational topic: From the history of science

The story of man’s civilization is the story of his study of nature and the application of his knowledge in his life. Primitive man was born, lived and died with little change in his manner of living from generation to generation. The laws of nature were not studied. The use of tools, first of stone and later of metals, development of writing and counting all progressed slowly. Rapid advance was not possible until man began to gather data and check theories. Till that time most of man’s knowledge was based on the speculations of the Greeks.

A little over three centuries ago man began to use the scientific method of studying his environment. After this the development of civilization has become more rapid. The next 500 years was the age of the great philosophers of antiquity – Thales, Pythagoras, Aristotle, Archimedes and others.

In the period from the Greeks to the Renaissance few contributions were made to the development of science. First in importance among the scientific achievements of the Renaissance was the idea that the sun, rather than the earth, is the center of our system of sun, moon and the planets.

Our time is the age of scientific progress. The importance of scientific research and discoveries is growing with every year. Our scientists and engineers transform nature for the benefit of humanity. Due to the achievements of world science a lot of things are brought to life. Science has solved a lot of important problems and will solve still more in future to make our life still better.

Probably more than any other science physics has changed the conditions under which man lives. Physics deal not with man himself, but with the things he sees, feels and hears. This science deals with the laws of mechanics, heat, sound, electricity, light, etc. Modern physics also deals with electronics, atomic phenomena, photo-electricity, X-rays, energy and others.

The practical application of the developments of physics continues at an ever increasing rate. Practical physics plays, therefore, no small role. Practical applications of physics are not all made by physicists. The majority of those who apply the principles of physics are called engineers. In fact, most branches of engineering are closely related with one or more sections of physics: electrical engineering is based on fundamentals of electricity; mechanical engineering utilizes the laws of mechanics and heat; civil engineering applies the principles of mechanics, etc. The relation between physics and engineering is so close that a thorough knowledge and understanding of physical principles is important for progress of engineering.

One of the tools common to physics and engineering is mathematics. If we are to make effective use of the principles and measurements of physical science, we must have a good knowledge of mathematics. Physics and mathematics are thus the basic foundations of engineering.