Science and Scientists

ALBERT EINSTEIN

Albert Einstein is known all over the world as a brilliant theoretical physicist and the founder of the theory of relativity. He is perhaps the greatest scientist of the 20th century. Some of his ideas made possible the atomic bomb, as well as television and other inventions.

He was born in 1879 in a small German town. The Einstein family soon moved to Munich, where Albert went to school. Neither his parents, nor his school teachers thought much of his mental abilities. His uncle often joked: "Not everybody is born to become a professor."

In 1895 Albert failed the entrance examination to a technical college in Zurich. A year later, however, he managed to pass the exam and entered the college.

After graduating from the college, Einstein started to work at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern. In 1905 he wrote a short article in a science magazine.

This was his 'Special Theory of Relativity', which gave the world the most famous equation relating mass and energy (E = me2), the basis of atomic energy.

Later, he became a professor in several European universities and in 1914 moved to Berlin as a member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences. After ten years of hard work he created his 'General Theory of Relativity'.

In 1921 Einstein received the Nobel Prize for Physics.

A Jew, and a pacifist, he was attacked by the Nazis, and when Hitler came to power in 1933 he decided to settle in the United States.

In 1939 Albert Einstein wrote a letter to President Roosevelt, at the request of several prominent physicists, outlining the military potential of nuclear energy and the dangers of a Nazi lead in this field. His letter greatly influenced the decision to build an atomic bomb, though he took no part in the Manhattan Project. After the war he spoke out passionately against nuclear weapons and repression.

Einstein died in 1955. The artificial element einsteinium has been named in his honour.

Names

Albert Einstein [,aelbat 'ainstain]

Munich ['mju:nik] Мюнхен

Zurich ['zuarik] Цюрих

Bern [Ьз:п] Берн

Berlin [,Ьз:'Нп] Берлин

the Prussian Academy of Sciences ['prAjn a.ksedami

av 'saiansiz] Прусская академия наук

Hitler ['hitla] Гитлер

Nobel Prize [nau,bel 'praiz] Нобелевская премия

Roosevelt ['rauzavelt] Рузвельт (президент США

с 1933 по 1945г.)

Manhattan Project [maen,haetn 'prod3ekt]

Манхеттенский проект (кодовое название работы

по созданию атомной бомбы в США в период

второй мировой войны)

Vocabulary

theoretical physicist [Gia'retikal 'fizisist]

физик-теоретик

theory of relativity ['Giari av /ela'tiviti] теория

относительности

atomic bomb [a,tomik 'bom] атомная бомба

invention [in'venjn] изобретение

mental abilities [.mentl a'bilitiz] умственные

способности

to fail [fell] examinations провалиться на

экзаменах

patent ['peitant] office патентное бюро

equation [i'kweijn] уравнение

to relate [ri'leit] связывать, устанавливать

отношение

mass [maes] масса

energy ['enad3i] энергия

basis ['beisis] основа, основание

Jew [d3u:] еврей

pacifist ['paesifist] пацифист

nazi ['na:tsi] нацист

to come to power ['paua] прийти к власти

to settle ['sell] поселиться

at the request [ri'kwest] по просьбе

prominent ['prominent] видный, выдающийся

to outline ['autlainj обрисовать, наметить в общих чертах

military potential [,militari pa'tenjalj военный

потенциал

nuclear ['nju:kliaj ядерный

lead [li:d] ведущее, первое место

to influence [Influans] оказывать влияние

to speak out against выступать против

passionately ['paejnitli] страстно

nuclear weapons [,nju:klia 'wepanz] ядерное оружие

repression [ri'prejn] репрессия

artificial [,a:ti'fijl] искусственный

element ['elimant] элемент

einsteinium [ain'stainiam] эйнштейний

in smb's honour Г'опэ] в чью-либо честь

Questions

1. Why is Einstein generally thought of as being the greatest scientist of the 20th century?

2. When and where was he bom?

3. What did his parents and relatives think of his mental abilities?

4. Did he manage to pass his entrance exams at once?

5. Where did Einstein work after graduating from the college?

6. When did he create his 'Special Theory of Relativity'? Why is it considered to be one of the greatest discoveries ever made?

7. How long did it take him to form his 'General Theory of Relativity'?

8. Why did Einstein leave Germany?

9. Why did he write a letter to President Roosevelt? What was it about?

10. Did Einstein take part in the Manhattan Project?

11. What do you know about nuclear weapons? Why are they dangerous?

12. What other outstanding physicists do you know?

ANDREI SAKHAROV

Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov, an outstanding scientist and public figure, was born on the 21st of May, 1921, into the family of teachers. He graduated from Moscow University in 1942. In 1947 he defended his thesis for the degree of Candidate of Science. In 1953 he defended his Doctorate thesis and was elected member of the Academy of Sciences.

When he was a graduate student Sakharov began to work on the Soviet nuclear weapons programme and soon he suggested a totally new idea for a hydrogen bomb design. But he was getting more and more worried about the consequences of his work. He understood better than anybody else what nuclear weapons meant and he thought about his own responsibility and about the responsibility of the states which possessed such weapons.

In 1968 he wrote an article attacking Soviet political system. He wrote that people needed a democratic society, free of dogmatism.

Sakharov is often called the father of the Soviet hydrogen bomb, but he became more known as a champion for human rights and freedom. For this work the Nobel Committee awarded him the Peace Prize in 1975. The Committee called him "the conscience of mankind". The Soviet authorities, however, did not allow him to go to Norway to receive the award.

In 1966 he took part in his first human rights demonstration, a one-minute silent protest in Pushkin Square. A year later, he wrote a letter to Communist Party leader Leonid Brezhnev defending imprisoned dissidents.

His international repute as a scientist kept him out of jail, but in 1980 when he protested against Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, he was deprived of all his titles and orders and exiled to the city of Gorky. In 1986 Michail Gorbachev invited Sahkarov to return to Moscow. He was given back all his titles and orders.

Andrei Sakharov died in 1989. He is remembered by everybody as an outstanding humanist, who could teach and inspire and who foresaw the changes that are taking place now.

Names

Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov [a:n'drei /JmitrievrtJ Peace Prize ['pi:s praiz] Премия мира

'«keroj Андрей Дмитриевич Сахаров Norway Норвегия

the Academy of Sciences [8,kaedami av 'saiansiz]

Академия наук Afghanistan [aefgsenista:n] Афганистан

Nobel Committee [nau,bel ke'miti] Нобелевский комитет Gorky ['go:ki] г. Горький

Vocabulary

outstanding [aufstaendirj] выдающийся

public figure ['figa] общественный деятель

to defend one's thesis ['9i:sis] защищать диссертацию

degree [di'gri:] of Candidate ['kaendidit] of Science

ученая степень кандидата наук

Doctorate ['doktarit] thesis докторская диссертация

to elect [i'lekt] выбирать, избирать

graduate student ['graedjuit,stu:dant]

студент-старшекурсник

nuclear weapons Lnjuiklia 'wepanz] ядерное оружие

to suggest [safest] предложить

totally [lauteli] полностью, совершенно

hydrogen bomb ['haidrad3in,130111] водородная бомба

design [di'zain] конструкция

consequence ['konsikwans] последствие

responsibility [risponsi'bilati] ответственность

to possess [pa'zes] владеть

to attack [a'tsek] нападать, критиковать

democratic [,dema'kraetik] демократический

dogmatism ['dogmatizm] догматизм

champion ['tfaempian] защитник, борец

human ['hju:man] rights права человека

to award [a'wo:d] награждать, присуждать

conscience ['konjans] совесть

mankind [maen'kaind] человечество

authorities [oi'Goratiz] власти

protest ['prautestj протест;

to protest [pa'test] протестовать

to defend [di'fend] защищать

to imprison [im'prizn] заключать в тюрьму

dissident ['disidant] диссидент

repute [itpju:t] репутация

jail [d3eil] тюрьма

intervention [jnta'venjn] насильственное

вмешательство, интервенция

to deprive [di'praiv] of лишать чего-либо

title [taitl] зд. титул, звание

order ['o:da] орден

to exile feksail] ссылать, изгонять

humanist ['hju:manist] гуманист

to inspire [in'spaia] вдохновлять, воодушевлять

to foresee [fo:'si:] (foresaw, foreseen) предвидеть

Questions

1. When was Andrei Sakharov bom?

2. What were his parents?

3. What university did he graduate from? When?

4. What is Sakharov famous for as a scientist?

5. When did he defend his Doctorate thesis?

6. What conclusion did he come to while working on the bomb?

7. When did he take part in his first human rights demonstration?

8. What prize was he awarded?

9. Why was he exiled to Gorky?

10. Who helped him to come back to Moscow?

11. Why is Sakharov known all over the world?

WILL WE LIVE TO SEE THE FIRST CLONED HUMAN?

Films and science fiction books have often played with the idea of reproducing exact copies of people. Today, science fiction has become science fact. We have our first real clones, though they are not human beings — yet!

The gene revolution began in 1997, when British scientists from Edinburgh University produced the first cloned sheep, Dolly. Since then scientists have cloned mice, cows, dogs and pigs.

Cloning animals opens exciting medical possibilities:

- Many people are in need of tissues and organs for transplantation. But it isn't easy to get such organs as, for example, heart, liver or kidneys. Cloning can solve this problem.

— Many animals are on the brink of extinction. Cloning can be used to preserve them.

— Scientists can create animals which produce more milk, meat and wool, or animals which don't catch certain diseases. This can save the lives of starving people.

Cloning is a controversial issue. Some people are ready to eat cloned fruits and vegetables, but many people are against cloning animals. They think it is morally unacceptable. The question of human cloning is even more controversial.

Suppose we cloned a man.

Are we really sure he will be a man? Who will be responsible for him? Who will bring him up? Will he be happy? Will he have the same rights as we have?

What would happen if a dictator, someone like Hitler, cloned himself?

Would we be able to survive?

Nevertheless, the idea of human cloning seems very exciting.

Names

Edinburgh University [,edinbara ^nfvaisiti] Hitler ['hitla] Гитлер

Эдинбургский университет (один из лучших

университетов Великобритании)

Vocabulary

to clone [klaun] клонировать, размножать science fiction [,saians 'fikjn] научная фантастика

вегетативным или клеточным путем to reproduce [,ri:pra'dju:s] воспроизводить, порождать

human being [,hju:man bi:irj] человек

gene [d3i:n] ген

to produce [pra'dju:s] создавать, производить

tissue ['tiju:], [lisju:] ткань

transplantation [,traenspla:n'teiln] трансплантация,

пересадка органа или ткани

liver [Miva] печень

kidney ['kidni] почка

on the brink of extinction [ik'stiQkfn] на грани

вымирания

to preserve [prrzaiv] сохранять

to starve [sta:v] голодать, умирать от голода

wool [wul] шерсть

disease [di'ziiz] болезнь

controversial [,kontra'v3:JI] спорный,

дискуссионный

issue [IJu:], [Isju:] вопрос, проблема

unacceptable [,Anak'septabl] неприемлемый

suppose [sa'pauz] предположим, допустим

to be responsible [if sponsibl] for нести

ответственность за

to bring up ['brio 'ЛР! (brought) воспитывать

rights [raits] права

dictator [dik'teita] диктатор

to survive [sa'vatv] выжить, уцелеть

nevertheless [,nevafla'les] тем не менее, все же,

однако

Questions

1 Is cloning a controversial issue?

2 Who produced the first cloned sheep?

3 What medical possibilities does cloning animals open?

4 Can cloning be used to preserve endangered species?

5 Scientists say that one day it will be possible to clone a dinosaur.

6 Does the idea seem exciting to you?

7 Do you think cloning can solve the problems of food shortages?

8 Are you for or against cloning animals? Why?

9. it would be exactly like you — from your hair colour to all your diseases. Would you like to have a clone?

10 What would happen if a dictator cloned himself?

11. Are you for or against cloning people?

Sports

OLYMPIC GAMES

The Olympic Games have a very long history. They began in 777 BC in Greece and took place every four years for nearly twelve centuries at Olimpia. They included many different kinds of sports: running, boxing, wrestling, etc. All the cities in Greece sent their best athletes to Olimpia to compete in the Games. For the period of the Games all the wars stopped. So the Olympic Games became the symbol of peace and friendship.

In 394 AD the Games were abolished and were not renewed until many centuries later.

In 1894, a Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, addressed all the sports governing bodies and pointed out the significance of sports and its educational value.

Two years later the first modern Olympic Games took place. Of course, the competitions were held in Greece to symbolize the continuation of the centuries-old tradition.

In 1896 the International Olympic Committee was set up. It is the central policy-making body of the Olympic movement. It is formed by the representatives of all countries which take part in the Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee decides upon the programme of the games, the number of the participants and the city-host for the Games. Over one hundred and fifty countries are represented in the International Olympic Committee now. Besides, each country has its National Olympic Committee.

Summer and Winter Games are held separately. There are always several cities wishing to host the Games. The most suitable is selected by the International Committee. After that the city of the Games starts preparations for the competitions, constructs new sports facilities, stadiums, hotels, press centres. Thousands of athletes, journalists and guests come to the Games, and it takes great efforts to arrange everything. There is always an interesting cultural programme of concerts, exhibitions, festivals, etc., for each Games.

Russia joined the Olympic movement in 1952. Since then it has won a lot of gold, silver, and bronze medals. In 1980 Moscow hosted the Twenty- Second Olympic Games.

The latest Olympic Games were held in Sydney. Russian sportsmen got medals for their records in many sports events.

Names

Olympic Games [a,limpik 'geimz] Олимпийские игры

Baron Pierre de Coubertin f'baeran pi,ea da,ku:ba'taer)]

барон Пьер де Кубертен (французский общественный

деятель, педагог, основатель международного

олимпийского движения)

Olympia [alimpia] Олимпия

the International [jnta'naefnl] Olympic

Committee [ka'miti] Международный

олимпийский комитет

Sydney ['sidni] Сидней (один из крупнейших

городов Австралии)

Vocabulary

ВС [,bi:'si:] до нашей эры (сокр. от

Before Christ [kraist])

wrestling ['resliij] борьба

athlete f'aeSlht] атлет

to compete [kam'pht] соревноваться

AD [,ei'di:] нашей эры (сокр. от лат. Anno Domini)

to abolish [a'bolif] отменять, упразднять

to renew [ri'nju:] возобновлять

governing ['g/wanig] административный,

руководящий

body ['bodi] орган, комитет

to point out указывать (на)

significance [sig'nifikans] значимость, важность

value ['vaelju:] ценность, важность, значение

to be held проводиться

to symbolyze ['simbalaiz] символизировать

to set up организовать, создать

policy-making ['polisi] body орган, определяющий

политику, цели (олимпийского движения)

representative [,repri'zentativ] представитель

participant [partisipant] участник

city-host [,siti'haust] город-хозяин Олимпийских

игр

national ['naejnl] национальный, государственный

separately ['sepratli] отдельно

to host [haust] принимать гостей, быть хозяином

suitable ['sju:tabl] подходящий

to select [si'lekt] отбирать, выбирать

sports facilities [fa'silitiz] спортивные сооружения

stadium ['steidjam] стадион

it takes great efforts ['efets] нужны большие усилия

to arrange [a'reinds] устраивать, организовывать

gold [gauld], silver ['silva] and bronze ['bronz]

medals ['medlz] золотые, серебряные и

бронзовые медали

record ['reko:d] рекорд

sports event [i'vent] спортивное соревнование

Questions

1. When and where did the Olympic Games begin?

2. Why did the Olympic Games become the symbol of peace and friendship?

3. When did the Games in Greece stop?

4. Who renewed the Olympic movement?

5. When and where did the first modem Games take place?

6. When was the International Olympic Committee set up? What is its function?

7. Are Summer and Winter Games held separately?

8. How does the city-host prepare for the Olympic Games?

9. When did Russia join the Olympic movement?

10. Where were the latest Olympic Games held?