Задания
1. Переведите письменно текст.
SCIENCE
1. Science is a cumulative body of knowledge about the natural world, obtained by the application of a peculiar method practiced by the scientists. It’s known that the word science is derived from Latin and means “to know, to have knowledge”.
2. There are different kinds of sciences: a pure science, fundamental and applied sciences, practical, natural and physical sciences, a psychological science, a medical science, a social science, etc. For example, fundamental and applied sciences are different, the former is concerned with fundamental laws of nature, and the latter is engaged in application of the knowledge obtained. The result of applied sciences is technology which is the concrete practical expression of research done in the laboratory and is applied to manufacturing commodities to meet human needs.
3. The word «scientist» was first introduced only in 1840 by a Cambridge professor of philosophy who wrote: «We need a name for describing a cultivator of science in general. I should be inclined to call him a scientist». «The cultivators of science» before that time were known as «natural philosophers» who were curious, often eccentric, “persons who poked inquiring fingers at nature”. They started to use a technique of inquiry which is now referred to as the «scientific method».
4. In this method the following steps can be distinguished. First comes the thought that initiates the inquiry. It’s known, for example, that in 1896 the physicist Henri Becquerel, in his letter to the French Academy of Science, reported that he had discovered rays of an unknown nature emitted spontaneously by uranium salts. His discovery exited Marie Curie, and together with her husband Pierre Curie she tried to obtain more knowledge about the radiation: what it was and where it came from.
5. Second comes the collecting of facts: the techniques of doing this will differ according to the problem which is to be solved. But it is always based on the experiment in which anything may be used - from a test-tube to an earth-satellite. It’s known that the Curies encountered great difficulties in gathering their facts, as they investigated the mysterious uranium rays.
6. This leads to step three: organizing the facts and studying the relationships that emerge. It was already noted above rays were different from anything known. How to explain this? Did this radiation come from the atom itself? It might be expected that other materials also have the property of emitting radiation. Some investigations made by the Curies proved that this was so. The discovery was followed by further experiments.
7. Step four consists in stating a hypothesis. In July 1898, the Curies announced the probable presence in pitchblende ores of a new element possessing powerful radioactivity. This was the beginning of the discovery of radium.
8. Then follows the statement of the theory. In December 1898, the Curies reported to the Academy of Sciences: «The various reasons lead us to believe that the new radioactive substance contains a new element to which we propose to give the name of Radium. The new radioactive substance certainly contains a great amount of barium, and still its radioactivity is considerable. It can be suggested therefore that the radioactivity of radium must be enormous».
9. And the final step is the practical test of the theory. This is essential, because from this flows the possibility of control by man of the forces of nature.
Note should be taken of how Marie Curie used deductive method in her research, this kind of «detective work» is basic to the methodology of science. Although the Curies were doing the basic research work at great expense to themselves in hard physical toil, they knew that they were part of an international group of people all concerned with their search for truth. Their reports were published and immediately examined by scientists all over the world. Any defects in their arguments would be pointed out to them immediately.
Задания
1. Answer the questions: What is science?What kinds of science do you know? What does the word “science” mean? How are fundamental and applied sciences distinguished? When was the word «scientist» first introduced? What steps can be distinguished in the «scientific method»?
2. Translate: наука, знания, ученые, чистая наука, прикладная наука, психология, законы природы, применение знаний, производство товаров народного потребления, научный метод, шаг, мысль, открытие, решать проблему, спутник земли, столкнуться с большими трудностями, сбор фактов, объяснять что-либо, доказывать факт, выдвинуть гипотезу, объявить об открытии, радиоактивное вещество, предсказание новых фактов, возможность контроля человеком сил природы, физическое напряжение, поиск истины.
Fill in the blanks in the sentences using the appropriate words and word combinations from the following list.
at great expense; to meet human needs; to point out; to encounter difficulties; to refer to; to emerge; to distinguish; search for truth
1. Technology is the fruit of science applied to manufacturing commodities... 2. «Natural philosophers» being rather curious started a technique of inquiry which... now... as the «scientific method». 3. There are some steps... in this method. 4. The Curies are known... in investigating the mysterious uranium rays. 5. A general truth may be modified as new facts.... 6. The Curies were doing the basic research work... to themselves in hard physical toil. 7. They were part of an international group of people all concerned with their.... 8. Scientists all over the world examined the Curies reports and any defects in their arguments... to them immediately.
4. Translate the following definitions:
Знания – это результат познавательной деятельности человека.
Мыслительная деятельность – это процесс познания и накопления информации и опыта.
Цель – это идеальный или реальный предмет, конечный результат какого-либо процесса.
Природа – это материальный мир Вселенной, объект изучения естественных наук.
Познание – это процесс приобретения знаний.