Text Study Exercise 1. Which of the following choices: a), b), c) most

adequately sums up the ideas of the whole paragraph?

Paragraph 1

1. the coral islands formation theory

2. the coral islands formation problem

3. the coral islands formation hypothesis

Paragraph 2

1. Darwin’s scientific expedition

2. the formation of coral islands

3. the materials forming coral islands

Paragraph 3

1. Darwin’s discovery

2. Darwin’s observations

3. coral islands structure

Paragraph 4

1. forming a hypothesis

2. collecting information

3. Darwin’s hypothesis about the formation of coral islands

Paragraph 5

1. the island-building process

2. Darwin’s hypothesis about the formation of coral islands

3. coral animals

Exercise 2. Say whether these statements are true or false. Give your arguments.

1. In Darwin’s time there existed some hypotheses about the formation of coral islands.

2. Darwin began to study coral islands when he sailed on a scientific expedition around the world.

3. During the expedition the scientist collected a lot of information about coral islands.

4. Based on careful observations Darwin formed a theory of the formation of coral islands.

5. Coral animals play the main role in the formation of coral islands.

6. To help solve the problem Darwin examined a lot of samples of island material.

7. Since that time Darwin’s volcanic theory of coral islands has been proved by new facts and observations.

Exercise 3. Arrange the steps Darwin used in his scientific study according to their order in the text.

1. The scientist studied the coral islands and obtained a lot of facts, samples and information.

2. The scientist became curious about the problem of the formation of coral islands.

3. Darwin formed a hypothesis.

4. Darwin analyzed his observations.

Exercise 4. Read text C. Choose synonyms for the underlined words from the list given below the passage. Get ready to speak about:

1. the career of a scientific translator,

2. knowledge necessary to be a good scientific translator.

Text c. Scientific Translator

Many scientists around the world are adding to the body of scientific knowledge. Most research results are printed in journals in the native language of the researcher. This creates a need for the translation of the foreign-language articles for use in the United States. Thus, scientific translation is a career possibility.

A translator could work for an industry, publisher, or library. There are many foreign languages and different scientific fields. Thus, it is best for a translator to concentrate on two or three languages and one or two scientific fields. The most important scientific languages are German and French. Russian and Japanese also are important scientific languages.

A scientific translator should like languages and should know at least two foreign languages. He or she should also know English grammar. Besides word-for-word translation of foreign articles, the translator must be able to write in good English.

Finally, a strong background in some scientific field is necessary. The understanding of the principles discussed in an article is needed in order to accurately translate the article.

1) branch	9) sphere
2) chance	10) basis
3) mother	11) scientific worker
4) information	12) bulk
5) all over	13) discoveries
6) necessity	14) investigator
7) a lot of	15) to pay attention to
8) properly	16) opportunity

Exercise 5. First read the questions, be sure you’ve got them well in mind and then look through text D to find the answers.

1. When did Europeans settle in Australia?

2. What Dutch navigators are mentioned in the article?

3. Who was the first British captain who saw the new continent?