Vocabulary

To invent – изобретать Priest - священник, жрец Clergy – духовенство Extensive – обширный, крупный Navy – военно-морской флот, адмиралтейство Introduce – вводить, внедрять Device – устройство Arc – электрическая дуга Discharge – эл. разряд Record – записывать, регистрировать Lightning – молния Oscillation - колебания To transmit – передавать, пересылать To perfect – усовершенствовать, улучшать

To attach – присоединить, прикрепить Apparatus – прибор, инструмент Warning – предупреждение Thunderstorm – гроза Wireless communication – беспроводная связь Battleship - линейный корабль, линкор To witness – засвидетельствовать Reception – получение, прием Audible - звуковой, слышимый Excite – возбудить Immense – огромный Profit – доход, прибыл Unique – единственный в своем роде, уникальный, бесподобный

Exercises

LEVEL II

Form nouns from the following verbs and make up sentences according to the text using them.

To know, to invent, to introduce, to exist, to assist, to warn, to describe, to receive.

LEVEL III

Transfer the sentences into the Passive Voice.

1. Alexander Stepanovich Popov invented radio, one of the most accessible mass media, on May 7 /April 25 / 1895.

2. Foreign commercial organizations offered Popov immense profits.

3. They used Popov’s wireless communication in the Naval Ministry.

4. He based the work of the receiver on the arc discharge principle.

5. The young Soviet government widely used the new means of communication invented by Alexander Popov.

LEVEL IV

Translate into English.

1. Радио - одно из самых популярных и доступных средств массовой информации.

2. Попов использовал в своем устройстве электромагнитные волны, существование которых было доказано Герцем.

3. Радиоприемник Попова был способен ловить электромагнитные волны на расстоянии.

4. Александр Попов был изобретателем беспроводной связи.

5. Радионавигация, изобретенная Поповым, широко использовалась в русском военно-морском флоте для обнаружения кораблей.

Scientific and Technological Progress

The achievements of science and technology can be easily seen in the material level of modern life. It's difficult to overestimate their role in contemporary world. They accelerate the development of civilization and help us in our co-operation with nature. Scientists investigate the laws of the universe, discover the secrets of nature and apply their knowledge in practice improving the life of people.

Nowadays modern industry is fulfilled with the help of robots which have replaced man in some hard or dangerous labour. Robots provide people with all necessities-they have vision systems and work at very high speeds. And today they are used for skilled work like welding, spray painting and assembling components. Although robots have some disadvantages their main benefit is the quality of work. They never get bored with their tasks.

Let's compare our life nowadays with the life of people at the beginning of the 20^th century. It has changed beyond recognition. Our ancestors hadn't the slightest idea of the trivial things created by the scientific progress that we use in our every day life. These are of course the modern conveniences and appliances. We can’t imagine our life today without telephone, television, fax, cars, planes, computers, space rockets etc. They would seem miracle to them. They make our life easy, comfortable and pleasant.

A century is a long period for scientific and technological progress, as it's rather rapid. Millions of investigations, the endless number of outstanding discoveries have been made. Our century has had several names that were connected with a certain era in science and technology. At first it was called the atomic age due to the discovery of the splitting of the atom. Then it became the age of the conquest of space when for the first time in the history of mankind a man overcame the gravity and entered the Universe. The achievements of space exploration have surpassed the wildest expectations of men. Scientists could hardly foresee satellites and long-term stations and international crews working in space for months and astronauts walking in outer space. It’s a real wonder, isn’t it?

And now we live in the information era when the computer network embraces the globe. Computers have become the basis of modern communication systems. They are essential tools in almost every field of research and applied technology.

The advance of medicine enables people to perform the most complicated operations with the help of modern equipment and to keep people alive with the help of implanted parts. In the 20th century many infectious diseases have been conquered through vaccines, antibiotics, and improved living conditions.

All these things prove the power and the greatest progressive role of science in our life.

But every medal has its reverse. Rapid scientific progress has aroused a number of problems. Scientists have invented many things but not all of them are peaceful. There are such inventions as nuclear weapons, atom bombs, nuclear power stations etc. Scientists should be responsible for their discoveries otherwise our planet may disappear one day.

The ecology is also harmed by the development of civilization. Many species are dying out. Forests are destroyed by acid rains and cut out for farming. Natural resources are being exhausted.

But still we are grateful to the outstanding men of the past and the present who have courage and patience to disclose the secrets of the Universe.