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Текст № 1
Wonders of the MODERN WORLD
I don't believe that today's wonders are similar in kind to the wonders of the Ancient World. They were all buildings, such as the Pyramids in Egypt, or other architectural structures. Over the past 100 years, we have seen amazing technological and scientific achievements. These are surely our modern wonders.
It is everywhere. More than half a billion people use it, and the number of people who are online increases by 100 million every year. In 1994 there were only a few hundred web pages. Today there are billions.
It has revolutionized the way we live and work. But we are still in the early days. Soon there will be more and more interactivity between the user and the website, and we will be able to give instructions using speech.
In 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped out of his space capsule onto the surface of the moon and made his famous statement: 'That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind'. Since then, there have been space probes to Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and even to the sun. One day, a space observatory will study how the first stars and galaxies began.
So far, it seems that we are alone in the universe. There are no signs yet that there is intelligent life outside our own solar system. But who knows what the future holds?
Surely nothing has done more for the comfort and happiness of the human race than the advances in health care! How many millions of people have benefited from the humble aspirin? How many lives has penicillin saved? Average life expectancy worldwide has risen dramatically over the past 100 years, from about 47 years in 1900 to about 77 years today.
We are a world on the move. Airlines carry more than 1.5 billion people to their destinations every year. It is estimated that, at any one time these days, there are as many people travelling in aeroplanes as the total number of people who travelled abroad in the whole of the nineteenth century (but I have no idea how they worked this out!).
It is true that they are now commercialized, and there is greed and drug abuse. However, it is a competition in which almost every country in the world takes part. Every four years, for a brief moment, we see the world come together in peace and friendship. We feel hope again for the future of mankind.
In 1724, Jonathan Swift wrote, ‘Whoever makes two blades of grass or two ears of corn grow where only one grew before serves mankind better than the whole race of politicians’. In Europe our farmers have done this. In 1709, whole villages in France died of hunger. Now in Europe, we can’t eat all the food we produce. If only politicians could find a way to share it with those arts of the world where there is famine.
We are still here!
The last wonder of the modern world is simply that we are still here. We have had nucklear weapons for over 50 years that could destroy the world, but we haven’t used them to do it. This is surely the greatest wonder of all.
Текст № 2
MIKHAIL LOMONOSOV
“Lomonosov was a great man.
He founded our first university.
To be more exact, he himself
was our first university”.
A. S. Pushkin
The great scientist and poet, M. Lomonosov, began his working life when he was still a boy The son of a fisherman, he often went with his father to the White Sea and to the Arctic Ocean and learned much about nature and about the life of his country. He did not go to school, but he learned to read at an early age and soon knew by heart1 the few books that he had.
At the age of 19 he left his home and went on foot2 to Moscow, where he entered the Slavonic-Greek-Latin Academy. There was no other higher school in Moscow at that time. His first years of study were difficult, but he worked hard3 and made great progress. He continued his studies in Petersburg and later on in foreign countries.
When Lomonosov came back, he taught chemistry and other subjects at the Academy of Sciences. He founded the first chemical laboratory in Russia, and made in it over 4,000 (four thousand) experiments on the production of stained glass He formulated the main principles of one of the basic laws of physics ‑ the law of conservation of matter and motion. He also made a number of4 experiments with atmospheric electricity and gave much time to5 the study of the natural resources of the earth and ocean.
Lomonosov wrote poetry that had a great effect on the development of the Russian literary language He also wrote the first Russian grammar He translated a course in physics from German into Russian and introduced into the Russia scientific language such terms as thermometer, formula atmosphere and some others.
He devoted his whole life to the development of Russia science, and all that he did, he did for his people and for his country.
Notes
1. to know by heart ‑ знать на память
2. to go on foot ‑ идти пешком
3. to work hard ‑ упорно работать
4. a number of ‑ ряд
5. to give much time to ‑ уделять много времени
Текст № 3
THE HISTORY OF GEOMETRY
Engineers, architects and people of many other professions use lines and figures in their daily work. The study of lines and closed figures made by lines is called geometry. Geometry is the branch of mathematics which investigates the relations, properties, and measurement of solids, surfaces, lines and angles.
Geometry is the Greek name for the science which the early Egyptians began and developed about 5000 years ago. The word geometry is derived from two Greek words: geo meaning earth and metron meaning measure.
For erecting pyramids the early Egyptians needed professional geometers who were able to locate a line running north and south.
The geometry known to the Egyptians consisted principally of rules and formulas for finding areas and volumes. The Egyptians were principally interested in the practical application of their rules.
After a time Greek philosophers and teachers developed and perfected the proofs of the Egyptians. The most important of the early Greek teachers was Pythagoras1 who was born about 569 before our era. He founded a school in Italy. The students were divided into two classes ‑ beginners and Pythagorians.
Plato2, who lived more than a hundred years later than Pythagoras, was primarily a philosopher. His interest in geometry was not because of its practical use, but because of the logic contained in the proofs.
The best known name in connection with geometry is Euclid3. Euclid was a teacher of geometry in Alexandria. He used to say that geometry trained the habits of expressing thoughts accurately. One of his most important textbooks is called The Elements. The Elements of Euclid has been used as a basis for all textbooks on geometry since his time.
Another famous scientist of ancient times was Archimedes who lived in Sicily4. Archimedes discovered many laws of mathematics.
For over twenty centuries Euclidean geometry was the ruling theory. In the I9th century the Russian mathematician Lobatchevsky founded non-Euclidean geometry of two dimensions. Such kind of geometry is called hyperbolic. It is based on the assumption5 that the axiom on parallels6 is not true, and through a point any number of straight lines can be drawn parallel to a given straight line.
The third system of geometry was developed by Riemann and is called elliptic geometry. Riemann assumes that no straight line can be drawn which will not meet any other straight line.
Thus we have three systems of geometry.
Notes
1. Pythagoras – Пифагор
2. Plato – Платон
3. Euclid – Евклид
4. Silicy – Сицилия
5. assumption – предположение
6. axiom parallels – аксиома параллелей.
Устные темы
Тема № 1
Introducing Myself
Let me introduce myself. I’m Svetlana Alexandrova. I was born on the 29th of March 1985 in Minsk under the zodiac sign of Aries. I believe that stars influence our fate and character. As you see, I am Aries. They say that Aries is full of energy, a leader, straight talker, ambitious and frank, likes sport, stubborn, hot temper, but quick to apologize. Partially it is true. I can't admit I am stubborn. Actually, I'm persistent. It is different, I think.
As to my appearance, I’m rather tall and slim. I have never thought I am a beauty. I wish I were more beautiful. I think, that I’m even-tempered, rather reserved, calm and modest. But sometimes I can lose my temper and become either angry or sad. I like staying alone and sometimes I retire into my shell. But at the same time I like my friends, I like to laugh and to joke. I have got a sense of humour. It means I understand humour and appreciate it. But unfortunately, I’m not often witty myself. I think, I am able to «keep my head when all about me are losing theirs» and to stand up to difficulties when things are not going my way. Besides, I am sincere and tolerant, friendly and faithful, hard-working and serious.
There are many things in our life which I like and some I dislike. I like when everything is OK. Being happy is one way of being wise. I like to study, because knowledge is useful sometimes. I am fond of reading as it gives not only knowledge but also wonderful moments of joy and pleasure. Sometimes I enjoy watching TV or listening to the radio. Especially when I can hear some wonderful pieces of music. I like music. It makes people better. It awakens the best feelings and high emotions. But there is a thing that makes me crazy. I'm fond of horses and equestrian skill. I dislike overcrowded buses. And I hate getting up early. I'm happy I have got more things I like than I dislike.
Ответьте на вопросы.
1. What is your name and surname?
2. When and where were you born?
3. Do you know your zodiac sing?
4. Can you describe yourself?
5. What are things that you like and dislike?