1. The discovery of the electron, and the investigations into its nature which followed, led to a revolution in physical science.
The revolution in pure; science rapidly bore fruit in many fields of applied science and technology, especially in the applied science of electronics. The vacuum techniques developed for the study of free electrons and cathode rays led directly to, the radio valve and the television receiver. The new electronics combined with the older techniques telephone produced a revolution in communications on a world scale. If the discovery of the electron had led only to radio and television it would still represent a decisive factor in the shaping of our civilization — but it led to much more.
2. Electronics produced radar. It led to nucleonics and hence to the exploitation of the immense store of energy locked in the atom. It gave birth2 to the electronic computer. By the middle of the twentieth century a rapidly expanding, world-wide electronics industry was pouring out millions of parts for radio and television receivers and instruments for every branch of science and technology - instruments capable of unprecedented speed and sensitivity3.
3. Electronic devices give immense extension to our senses. We can now examine structures too small to be visible in even the most powerful optical microscope and receive signals from radio stars which started their long journey through space ages before there was any life on our planet. Electronics combined with rocketry has enabled scientists to take close-up pictures of the moon. Electronics applied to medicine has already produced significant advances in diagnosis and treatment.
4. Electronics plays the leading role in automation which is generating a second industrial revolution of wider social significance than the first.
5. Electronics has also given birth to cybernetics which offers, for the first time in history, an effective science of government based on adequate information and communication.
6. It seems very probable that electronics will dominate technology even in the distant future.
NOTES
1.to bear fruit — приносить плоды, давать результаты
2.to give birth — родить, породить
3. unprecedented speed and sensitivity — небывалая скорость и чувствительность
4. to take close-up pictures — делать снимки с близкого расстояния
Ex. 2.Saywhether the following statements are true or false:
1. The revolution in pure science rapidly bore fruit in many fields of applied science and technology.
2. The new electronics produced a revolution in communications.
3. The discovery of the electron led to a revolution only in physical science.
4. Electronics doesn't play the leading role in automation.
Ex3Answer the following questions on paragraph 2:
1. What did electronics produce? 2. What did it lead to? 3. What did it give birth to? 4. What was electronics industry pouring out by the middle of the twentieth century?
Ex. 4. Translate paragraph 3 into Russian.
Ex. 5. Read paragraph 4 again and say where electronics plays the leading role.
Ex. 6. In paragraph 2 find the English equivalents of the following words:
электроника, радар, запас, электронная вычислительная машина, часть, прибор, телевизионный приемник, отрасль, чувствительность, технология производить.
Ex. 7. Write out of the text the words and phrases describing general uses of electronics.
Ex. 8. Make an outline of the text.
Ex. 9. Speak about the age of electronics using your outline.
Additional text 2
Ex. 1. Look through the list of English words and their Russian equivalents. You will need them for better understanding text:
radio tube — радиолампа; wire — провод, проволока; layer — слой; junction — соединение, сочленение; переход; a solid-state diode — твердотельныйдиод; sound picture — 1. звуковоекино; 2. звуковойкинофильм; long-distance telephone call — междугородныйтелефонныйвызов; seek — искать; to adapt — приспосабливать; control — управление; регулирование; image — изображение; to respond — реагировать; to detect — замечать, обнаруживать.
Ex. 2. Skim through text and choose the best title for it:
1. Electronics in Industry.
2. Electronics and the Second Industrial Revolution.
3. General Uses of Electronics.
Electronics is the science or practice of using electricity in devices similar to transistors and radio tubes so as to get results not possible with ordinary electrical equipment.
Most persons know how electric current flows in motors and transformers; here the electricity always flows in the copper wire or other metal parts. When electricity passes through space as occurs within a tube, such action is called electronic. More recently, when layers of semiconductor metals are joined together so that current flows through the junction in one direction only, as in a solid-state diode or a transistor, such action is also called electronic!; If a device passes its stream of electrons through internal space, or through the junction where certain different metals meet, the device is called electronic.
Without electronics there might be no radio, television, sound pictures or long-distance telephone calls. Most of these familiar equipments serve to carry or give information; so communication early was a main purpose of electronics and still holds interest of many workers and students in this field.
Meanwhile industry seeking faster and more accurate methods of production has adapted electronic equipment to its own needs. Gradually during the past fifty years industrial plants have installed electronic equipment to give better operation of motors along with control of varied operations.
Some people believe that electronic devices can hear, see, feel, smell or even think; this is true only when the sound, image, feeling or thought can be changed into electrical signal, to which the transistor or tube-operated device1 can then respond. Much of the success of electronics depends on the methods used to obtain an electric signal that can be used to stimulate the electronic device into action. The electronic circuit can be made to detect such a signal, increase its strength and put it to useful work.
NOTES
1. tube-operated device - прибор, управляемый электронной лампой
2. to stimulate into action — побуждать'к действию
3. to put to useful work — заставить выполнять полезную работу
Ex. 3. Answer the following questions:
1. What is electronics? 2. What device is called electronic? 3. What was a main purpose of electronics? 4. What has industry adapted to its own needs?
Ex. 4. Give the main points of text В in 4-6 sentences.
Ex. 5. Speak about the use of electronics in industry.