Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Exercises

Ex 1. Complete the following sentences:

1. Edward Jenner was … . 2. Edward Jenner liked to … . 3. Today … is practically unknown in civilized countries, but in the 18th century the whole world feared …. 4. One out of every five persons in London carried … . 5. Once Jenner heard a milkmaid say: “I can’t … .” 6. Soon Edward Jenner accomplished one of the most important … . 7. He … little Jimmy Phipps, the eight-year-old son of his neighbour. 8. The time passed, and the boy remained absolutely free … . 9. The word “vaccination” comes from the Latin … which means … . 10. The news of the wonderful discovery … . 11. Very soon there was no … that had not taken up vaccination. 12. Jenner hoped that since that time … . 13. To his last days the doctor lived simply, spending on research the money which … and vaccinating … anyone who came to him. 14. We ought to remember that Jenner brought into common use … .

Ex 2. Express the following in English:

1. До открытия вакцинации инфекционные болезни были одной из основных причин смерти людей. 2. Дженнер показал, что инфекционные болезни можно предотвратить с помощью прививок. 3. Тщательное изучение болезней молочного скота помогло Дженнеру найти тот вид коровьей оспы, который давал иммунитет к человеческой оспе. 4. Вещество, которое было взято из пузырьков коровьей оспы на руках доярки, было использовано как вакцина против оспы. 5. Он опубликует результаты своих исследований в американском журнале. 6. Новости такого рода обычно быстро распространяются. 7. Дженнер верил в большое будущее метода, который он открыл. 8. Прививки должны делать бесплатно. 9. Профилактика заболеваний лучше, чем лечение.

Ex 3. Look through the text and state what it has to say on the following points:

the discovery of vaccination against smallpox.

Ex 4. Answer the following questions:

1. When and where was Edward Jenner born? Where did he get education? 2. Was smallpox a deadly disease in the 18th century? Prove that by the facts from the text. 3. How did Jenner come to the idea of vaccination? 4. When did he make the first vaccination? 5. Why did Jenner call his method “vaccination”? 6. Did doctors believe in the new method at once? (give a full answer) 7. What were the results of vaccination against smallpox all over the world? 8. What did Jenner do during the last years of his life? 9. Are people nowadays vaccinated against smallpox? Why?

Oral Speech Practice Exercises

Ex 5. Practise reading the following dialogue and memorize it:

Dialogue

Philip: John: Philip: John: Philip: John: Philip: John: Philip: John: Philip:

Let’s talk over the fact: what may lead to a discovery in medicine or just a scientific discovery. How are scientific discoveries are made? It’s not an easy question to answer. I know that. But it’s possible to analyse the steps which are indispensable to any scientific discovery. The first step is the thought, the idea, that initiates further questions. It may be an observation made by scientist himself or somebody else, or a new look at some well-known facts. Then questions arise: What is it? Why is it so? How can we explain it? You are absolutely right. Then comes the collecting of facts, I think. And the method depends on the problem which must be solved. But, I am sure, it is largely based on the experiment in which anything may be used to obtain essential data: from a test-tube and chemical reagents to an earth satellite. All these leads to step three: organizing the facts and studying the relationship between them. Then comes step four: when a scientists formulates a hypothesis or a theory. After that there should be the practical test of a new theory, the prediction of new facts and the practical use of the discovery. It is the last, but the most important step of making a discovery. It is the period when the scientist understands whether he is right or not. And the main thing here is not to take the failure very much to heart. Yes, you are quite right. I’ve come to conclusion that it is a very difficult work to make a reality of one’s thoughts and observations.

Notes:

indispensable [_´indis´pensəbl] – важный, необходимый

earth satellite – спутник Земли

hypothesis [hai´poθəsis] - гипотеза

to take smth. (very much) to heart – воспринимать что-либо близко к сердцу

to make a reality of – воплощать в жизнь

Ex 6. Comprise similar dialogues, using words and word combinations from the text “Edward Jenner”.

Ex 7. Read the text.