LESSON 11

THE MAIN FAULT OF THE 70-S OR THE YEARS OF “MIGHT HAVE BEEN HOPES” [1]

Task 1. Read and translate the text:

Задание 1. Прочитайте и переведите текст:

The great accumulated experience in creating computers, the profound comparison of our domestic achievements with new examples of a foreign computer technique prompted the scientists that it is possible to create computing. It means a new generation meeting the world standards. Many outstanding Ukrainian scientists of that time — Lebedev, Dorodnitsin, Glushkov and others had the same opinion. They proceeded from quite a favorable situation in the country. The computerization of national economy was considered as one of the most essential tasks. It was the decision to create the United system of computers — the machines of a new generation on integrals.

The USA was the first to create the families of computers. In 1963-64 the IBM Company worked out the IBM-360 system. It comprised the models with different capacities for which a wide range of software was created.

A decision concerning the third generation of computers (their structure and architecture) was to be made in the USSR in the late 60s. But instead of making the decision based on the scientific grounds concerning the future of the united system of computers the Ministry of Electronic Industry issued the administrative order to copy the IBM-360 system. The leaders of the Ministry did not take into consideration the opinion of the leading scientists of the country.

Despite the fact that there were enough grounds for thinking the 70s would bring new big progresses, those years were the step back due to the fault way dictated by the highest authorities from above.

Task 2. Answer the following questions:

Задание 2. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. Who proceeded from quite a favorable situation in the country?

2. What is a decision to create the united system of computers?

3. Who was the first to create the families of computers?

Task 3. Match the English words given below with their Russian equivalents:

Задание 2. Соотнесите следующие ключевые слова с соответствующим переводом:

• domestic achievements • the united system of computers • the machines of a new generation • a foreign computer • a computerization of national economy

• машины нового поколения • иностранный компьютер • внутренние достижения • объединенная система компьютеров • компьютеризация национальной экономики

Task 4. Complete the following sentences corresponding to the contents of the text:

Задание 4. Закончите предложения:

1. Many outstanding Ukrainian scientists of that time …..

2. Despite the fact that there were enough grounds for thinking the 70s would bring new big progresses,......

3.... was considered as one of the most essential tasks.

4.... the machines of new generation on integrals.

5.... the Ministry of Electronic Industry issued.

Task 5. Say whether the statements given below are true or false:

Задание 5. Определите истинность или ложность следующих предложений:

1. Of that opinion was many outstanding Ukrainian scientists of that time — Lebedev, Dorodnitsin, Glushkov and others.

2. The leaders of the Ministry did not take into consideration the opinion of the leading scientists of the country.

3. A decision concern the third generation of computers was to be made in the USSR in the late 60s.

4. The USA was the first to create families of computers.

5. The leaders of the Ministry did not take into consideration the opinion of the leading scientists of the country.

Task 6. Use “was” or “were”:

Задание 6. Вставьте “was” или “were”:

1. Computerization of national economy... considered as one of the most essential tasks.

2. The USA …. the first to create the families of computers.

3. It comprised the models with different capacities for which a wide range of software... created.

4. A decision concerning the third generation of computer... to be made in the USSR in the late 60s.

5. Despite the fact that there... enough grounds for thinking the 70s would bring new big progresses, those years... the step back due to the fault way dictated by the highest authorities from above.

Task 7. Make the sentences negative and interrogative:

Задание 7. Преобразуйте следующие предложения в вопросительную и отрицательную форму:

1. It was a great accumulated experience in creating computers.

2. They proceeded from quite a favorable situation in the country.

3. It was the decision to create the United system of computers — the machines of new generation on integrals.

4. The leaders of the Ministry did not take into consideration the opinion of the leading scientists of the country.

5. The computerization of national economy was considered as one of the most essential tasks.

Task 8. Write the plural form of the following nouns:

Задание 8. Образуйте множественное число следующих существительных:

an experience, a computer, an achievement, an example, a scientist, a standard, a situation, a country, a task, a decision, a generation, a machine, a system, a model, a capacity, a ground, an order, a leader, an opinion, a consideration, a fact, a step, a way.