Методические указания по развитию навыков чтения, говорения и письменной речи на основе профессионально-ориентированных текстов на английском языке для студентов 3-х курсов естественных факультетов (элективный курс изучения английского языка)

ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОЕ АГЕНТСТВО ПО ОБРАЗОВАНИЮ Федеральное государственное образовательное учреждение высшего профессионального образования «ЮЖНЫЙ ФЕДЕРАЛЬНЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ»

М.Ю. Скребова МЕТОДИЧЕСКИЕ УКАЗАНИЯ по развитию навыков чтения, говорения и письменной речи на основе профессионально-ориентированных текстов на английском языке для студентов 3-х курсов естественных факультетов (элективный курс изучения английского языка)

Ростов-на-Дону 2008

Методические указания разработаны преподавателем кафедры английского языка естественных факультетов Скребовой М.Ю. Редактор – ст. преп. Мыльникова С.Б. Рецензент – преп. Деревянкина Н. П. Печатается в соответствии с решением кафедры английского языка естественных факультетов, протокол № 2 от 5 сентября 2008г.

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Методическая записка Настоящие методические указания предназначаются для студентов 3 курса физического факультета, изучающих английский язык в рамках элективного курса. Их целью является развитие навыков различных видов чтения, извлечения информации из текста общенаучной направленности, выполнения смысловой компрессии текста с дальнейшим представлением его содержания в реферативной форме, а также развитие интегрированных речевых навыков студентов, умения высказывать и аргументировать свое мнение, принимать участие в дискуссии, проводить небольшие презентации по пройденной теме. Данные методические указания характеризуются широким

спектром

рассматриваемых проблем – «Наука в современном мире», «Наука и общество», «Наука и технический прогресс», «Экология и роль науки в решении проблем защиты окружающей среды», «Современные коммуникации» и пр. Методические указания состоят из 5 модулей. Каждый модуль включает в себя

текст

на

английском

языке

общенаучной

и

профессионально-

ориентированной тематики, а также систему заданий, направленных на развитие навыков анатирования и реферирования, выстроенных в порядке возрастания трудностей. Тексты носят аутентичный характер и были разработаны на основе материалов современных научно-популярных журналов и ресурсов Интернета. Каждый модуль включает задания под следующими рубриками: 1 Before you read – комплекс упражнений способствует снятию лексических трудностей, развитию ассоциативных связей между словами, логическому анализу, а также повышению интереса студентов к изучаемому материалу; 2 Reading – включает задания на извлечение основной информации, понимание структуры и организации содержания текста; 3 Comprehension check – включает задания на проверку уровня понимания текста; 3

4 Focus on Vocabulary – акцентирует внимание студентов на ключевых словах и словосочетаниях для последующего их использования при написании Summary; 5 Summary –задания данного раздела способствуют развитию навыков осуществления смысловой компрессии текста и передачи его краткого содержания с опорой на план, ключевые слова и речевые модели; 6 Discussion

–

предлагает

студентам

задания,

позволяющие

научиться

использовать текст в качестве языковой содержательной опоры для развития навыков устной речи, а также выявить отношение студентов к прочитанному материалу, соотнести его содержание с собственными знаниями, интересами и имеющимся опытом. 7 Project – подразумевает самостоятельную работу студентов по поиску, осмыслению и оформлению дополнительной информации по тематике прочитанного текста. Данные методические указания могут быть рекомендованы как для аудиторной, так и для самостоятельной работы студентов, исходя из целей и задач, как учебной группы, так и отдельного студента. Преподаватели и студенты могут соблюдать последовательность, в которой представлены тематические разделы пособия или выбирать для изучения те из них, которые представляют наибольший интерес.

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Context UNIT 1 The impact of science on society

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UNIT 2 The role of physics in our life

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UNIT 3 Scientific and technological progress

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UNIT 4 The world year of physics is on the track

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UNIT 5 Time travel

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UNIT 1 The impact of science on society Before you read 1 Think of the questions below. Discuss the following questions in groups. What is the role of science in the modern world? How can it benefit the society?

Reading 1 Read the text. Add more ideas to the list. Do you agree with the experts? The impact of physics on society and the mission of physics education in secondary schools By Etienne De Wolf Europhysics News (2003) Vol. 34 No. 3 Science is culture In the last decades, scientific knowledge and technology have grown at a spectacular rate, and had a dramatic impact on society. Our society in Western Europe now even has become very dependent on technology: for its housing, lighting, clothing, food, mobility, health care, safety and security. Without technology, most of our durable goods, public utilities, consumables and services would simply not exist. And physics is one of the most important that are responsible for these developments. But the impact of science would not have been possible without the contribution of other factors, which finally determine whether or not a scientific discovery will have an influence on society at all, if it does, what kind of influence this will be. There is a long and complex way to go between a new scientific discovery and its effects on society.

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Most citizens will only become aware of such discovery when it concerns a spectacular new scientific insight and if, on top of that, the media decide to bring it to the people’s attention. And then in most cases they rightly will be told at the same time that it may take many years before we can expect any practical application of this discovery. But it is precisely these practical applications that have an impact on society. If, for some reason, a scientific discovery is not used for new technology, then only a very limited group of citizens will be affected by it. Namely just those who cared to inform themselves, and who were lucky to have had a scientific education that enables them to understand what exactly this new discovery is all about. These few privileged people will probably be charmed once more by the beauty of nature or the elegance of the new scientific theory. So, even if there are no practical applications, scientific discovery still is a cultural enrichment for society. Therefore science is one aspect of culture. And it would be worth while to make this aspect of culture accessible to more people. That is possible, if we are prepared to invest in “professional vulgarization”. Vulgarization is, in the first place, a task for scientists themselves, who should not consider this to be incompatible with their dignity. However, it also belongs to the mission of schools, cultural organizations and the media. Fortunately, every once in a while we see beautiful examples of serious vulgarization. But with all the space time we now have available, and with all didactical means we now have at our disposal, there is certainly room for more. Good vulgarization of science has a positive impact on society. Nevertheless, scientific discoveries only have a substantial impact on society if they ultimately lead to attractive new or improved products, with which we will deal in our day to day lives. And for this conversion of science into products, we need technology.

Comprehension check 1 Look back through the text. Answer the questions below: 7

1) Why has our society become so dependent on technology? 2) How do you understand the notions “durable goods”, “public utilities” and “consumables” in this context? Provide your answer with your own examples. 3) What does the author mean saying: “a long and complex way to go between a new scientific discovery and its effects on society”? 4) Who does the author name “privileged people”? 5) What is the meaning of “vulgarization” in this context? 6) Whom does the mission of vulgarization belong to, according to the writer? 7) According to the writer, in what way do scientific discoveries have a substantial impact on society? Sample summary The impact of physics on society The article “The impact of physics on society” by Etienne De Wolf has been published on Europhysics News Website. The article provides the reflection of the expert on the effects of a new scientific discovery on society. The article consists of four logical parts. The preamble states that “in the last decades, scientific knowledge and technology have grown at a spectacular rate”. The author provides a set of examples confirming this fact. The main idea of the first part is that the impact of science on society can be possible only when the society is aware of such discovery and when it has been made accessible to the masses. We can claim about the impact of scientific knowledge and technology on society in case of any practical application of the discovery. In the second part the author states that only a very limited group of citizens, so called “privileged people”, whose scientific education enables them to understand all 8

the benefits of a new scientific discovery, can derive these benefits and apply them practically. In the light of this state of affairs the author reveals the importance of “professional vulgarization” of science to make the benefits of a new scientific discovery accessible to more people. Good vulgarization, namely scientific enlightment of the public, should become the task for scientists and the mission of mass media, cultural organizations and schools. In conclusion the author claims that scientific discoveries have a substantial impact on society only if they are practically applied. And for this conversion of science into products, we need technology. Summing up it is worth mentioning that the article is of a particular interest. It is generally accepted that a new scientific discovery should have practical application and become accessible to the masses. I suppose that the author examined all the issues of the problem. I believe “The impact of physics on society” is worth the reader’s attention to observe.

UNIT 2 The role of physics in our life Before you read 1 Work in small groups and discuss the following question. What is the role of physics nowadays?

Reading 1 Read the text. Write a list and compare it with the others. Are you on the same position with the author?

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The role of physics in our life By K. Siegbahn.

1) Today physics is regarded as the queen of sciences. Physics with its tradition, the specific objects of study and vast range of exact methods of observation and experiment exerts an exceptionally fruitful influence on all or nearly all spheres of knowledge. 2) The influence of physics on our mind is really enormous. For example, the mechanics of Galileo and Newton, which have influenced men’s minds for centuries, is a great achievement of human reason which played a significant role in forming worldview. And what an intellectual revolution was produced by Copernicus’ heliocentric system, which changed the whole conception of the structure of the universe. Einstein’s theory of relativity changed our notion of the relationship between matter, motion, space and time. Quantum mechanics revealed hitherto unknown world of microparticles of matter. Cybernetics revealed new horizons for an understanding systems, in technological devices and in society, and also the principles of feedback, the manmachine system, and so on. 3) Physics not only plays an important role in the development of science and technology, but also has a tremendous impact on our society. 4) The achievements of physics and technology determined in many respects the distinctive features of the expiring century, having made a great impact both on the international relations and directly on the everyday life of the human being. 5) Knowledge of physics is an important part of general literacy for every citizen. In addition, advancing physics understanding is an exciting intellectual challenge that benefits from the diverse and complementary approaches taken by both women and men from many cultures. 6) Physics plays a key role in understanding the world we live in, and physicists contribute strongly to the welfare and economic development of nations. The knowledge and problem-solving skills of physicists are essential in many professions 10

and industries and to society at large. To thrive in today’s fast-changing, technological world, every country must achieve a highly educated population of women and men, fully engaged in making decisions important to their well being. 7) In present-day conditions the role of natural science and technology has grown enormously and will continue to do so as time goes on. 8) At the dawn of the 21st century the interdisciplinary role of physics will further increase, and help solve crucial problems arising in our world such as: energy production, environmental protection and public health. 9) It is therefore in every nation’s self-interest to provide physics education for all its citizens and to support advanced education and research. 2 Read the text again and underline all the linking words. 3 Make an outline of the article. Follow this procedure: - Read paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4. Pick out the key words and phrases from each of the four paragraphs Example: fruitful influence, etc.; - Read paragraph 5 and say what impact physics makes on the everyday life of the human being Example: Physics understanding is an intellectual challenge.; - Read paragraph 6 and say how physicists can contribute to the welfare of nations Example: The problem-solving skills of the physicists are essential in many professions.; - Read paragraph 7, 8, 9 and say why it is essential to provide physics education for the citizens Example: The interdisciplinary role of physics will further increase.; - Give titles to the paragraphs. Combine two paragraphs into one if necessary;

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- Summarize the content of the paragraphs by making generalizations, and arranging the key words and phrases in logical order. Make sure you move from general to specific; - Use linking words and phrases to join your ideas, such as: the article provides information on, in addition to, etc.

Focus on vocabulary 1 Give Russian equivalents to the following phrases: - a vast range of exact methods; - to reveal hitherto unknown; - the phenomena of information interactions; - the principles of feedback; - a tremendous impact; - in many respects; - the expiring century; - general literacy; - the diverse and complementary approaches; - to contribute to the welfare; - problem-solving skills; - to thrive in today’s fast-changing world; - crucial problems 2 Use the text to complete the sentences. 1) Physics with its traditions, ……………………. exerts an exceptionally fruitful …………………….. . 2) The mechanics of Galileo and Newton is a ……………………………………. . 3) Copernicus’ heliocentric system changed ……………………………………… . 4) Einstein’s theory of relativity changed our notion of ………………………….. . 12

5) Quantum mechanics revealed …………………………….. . 6) Cybernetics revealed an understanding of …………………………………. . 7) Knowledge of physics is an important part of general ……………………………. . 8) Physics understanding is an exciting ……………………………… . 9) The knowledge and ………………….. skills of physicists are ……………………. . 10) At the dawn of the 21st century the ……………… role of physics will further …………………………… . Summary 1 Write down the summary of the article. Make use of the outline, the key words, the notes from Exercise 2. Here are some hints for successful summary writing to help you: 1) Before you begin your summary, check that you have identified the main points of the text. 2) Underline / highlight / or take notes on the text. 3) Formulate the main idea of the text. State your opinion by the examples from the text. Use quotations, marks and give the page number 4) Give the most important supporting information which the author presents to explain the main idea. 5) Finally, give your own evaluation of the text. Did the author convince you to accept the main claims? Was the text effectively written? State your opinion. 2 Check and edit your summary. Have you included all the information you need? Is it the right length or do you need to shorten it? Use this checklist to help you. • Make sure each sentence makes a new point. • Remove examples, which support your points. • Remove adjectives and adverbs.

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• Look for repetition and remove it. • Replace particular phrases with single words. • Replace full clauses with participle clauses.

UNIT 3 Scientific and Technological Progress Before you read 1 Make a list of the household items you use at home. Which of them do you find it most difficult to do without? Why? 2 Science can be used for the good and for the bad. Discuss with your partner the pluses and minuses of technological progress. Use the following phrases to express your opinion: A) Verbs connected with beliefs and opinions I’m convinced … [very strong feeling that you’re right] I’ve always held that … [used for very firm beliefs] I feel … [strong personal opinion] I reckon … [informal; usually an opinion about what is likely to happen] I suspect … [have a strong feeling about something negative] B) Phrases for expressing opinion In my view / In my opinion … [fairly formal] To my mind … [fairly informal] If you ask me … [informal] Example: I reckon there will be staggering pollution due to the scientific progress, etc.

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Reading 1 Now read the text to see if some of your predictions were correct. The achievement of science and technical revolution and our day-to-day By K. Siegbahn As the years go forward our life becomes faster, a lot of new things appear, our mind develops. It’s like a strong river which never ends to run and it is rapidly spreading all over the earth. Many centuries ago people even couldn’t imagine that we will be able to exchange information using telephone, fax, the Internet as fast as they couldn’t think that there are a lot of planets except our earth and that people can fly their. Nowadays we cannot imagine our life without such inventions like lamps, ovens, central heating and others. People have invented the things to make our life easier. A great invention such as transport plays one of the most important roles in our life. We live in flats, can appear in different point of earth within a day, can say hello to people who live in another point of the world. All those things are a product of technical progress and it doesn’t stop to grow and develop. Nowadays we live surrounded by machines and other inventions. And with new inventions we become happier because nearly everything is made by machine not by ourselves. And from day to day appear more and more new things. And we don’t think about how the first inventions were created. The only thing we know that we never will return to the life which people lived a lot of centuries ago because there is no way back. Everything is handy. We use at home vacuum cleaners to clean the flat, ovens to cook, lifts to walk down in our houses, lamps to make our flats light … . We even don’t think about when and where and who invented them. Our century is a century of developing informational connection. Faxes, TV, the Internet, and telephone became the most popular way of getting and sending information. One of the greatest inventions of the century is a computer. It’s the coup in the technology. When Charles Babbage (1792-1871), a professor of mathematics at Cambridge University invented the first calculating machine in 1812 he could hardly 15

imagined the situation we find ourselves today. Computer becomes like a brain of human but the only thing it cannot do is to feel. As everything computers also develop. The possibilities of them are so wide. They can do more than 500000 sums in a fraction of a second. Nowadays computers can pay wages, reserve seats on planes, compose music. Also everybody knows the word CD-Rom, that stores information on a disk to be read by a computer, e-mail, which becomes one of the ways to exchange information, the Internet – a network that is a way to get information, to communicate with people, to find everything you need. More and more people become Internet users because we can do so many things on the Internet. You can chat, find job, pay bills, get music, buy something, exchange information with other people in each point of the earth by e-mail and a lot of other functions. It became a usual thing to be connected to the Internet. It attracts people by a wide variety of different kinds of information. Of course I use a lot of other things of technology at home. The question about technical progress is very wide and it’s impossible to say about all inventions. And in conclusion I want to say that the technical progress won’t stop and the machines will substitute everything except one the human. Is it science that does us good or does it bring disaster? By K. Siegbahn To answer the question whether science does us good or does it bring disaster isn’t a simple task. We should take into consideration many points. Without scientific discoveries and inventions no progress would be possible. Thanks to discovery of electricity we can listen to the radio, watch TV, see films, people learned how to produce steel and metal alloys – now we use railways and airplanes. Development of chemistry led to new synthetic fibers and people got more clothing and food. People learned to use scientific achievements in curing incurable earlier diseases. But on the other hand such outstanding discoveries of the 20th century as atom fission led to creation of the weapons of mass destruction. We should say that science has a potential 16

for both good and evil. Alfred Nobel invented a new explosive (dynamite) to improve the peacetime industries of road building, but saw it used as a weapon of war to kill and injure his fellow men. He was born in Stockholm on October 21st 1833, but moved to Russia with his parents in 1842. Most of the family returned to Sweden in 1859, where Alfred began his own study of explosives in his father’s laboratory. He had never been to school or university, but had studied privately and by the time he was 20 was a skillful chemist and excellent linguist, speaking Russian, English, German, French and Sweden. He was very imaginative and inventive. His greatest wish, however, was to see an end to wars, and thus between nations, and he spent much time and money working for this cause, until his death in 1896. His famous will in which he left money to provide prizes for outstanding discoveries in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology, Medicine, Literature and Peace, is a memorial to his interests and ideals. Medical men use laser to cure and investigate diseases and the same time laser can be used for destruction. Achievements of biology and chemistry are also used to cause damage to people. All this shows that science can take good forms and evil forms. What form does it take depends on the way people work with science. It is impossible to stop progress, to stop people to investigate and explore the world. But people should care it wouldn’t be led in wrong direction. Scientists need you thinking in a new much broader way than before. In this respect the education and cultural level are of great importance. They have to influence politicians, warn them of possible effects of using new discoveries. Scientists and politicians think responsibility for not using scientific developments to cause damage and destruction. There is a lot of work to be done in this direction.

Comprehension check 1 Answer the following questions. Use the words from Exercise 2. 1) According to the writer, what are the inventions that make our life more comfortable and sophisticated?

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2) Can your century be regarded as a “century of developing informational connection”? Why? 3) What does the writer mean saying “the coup in the technology” speaking about the invention of the computer? 4) How do you understand the following statement - “to be connected to Internet”? 5) In which way have most outstanding discoveries made our life more comfortable and sophisticated? 6) How was a new explosive (dynamite) invented by Alfred Nobel used later? 7) What are the other “evil forms of science”, according to the writer? 8) Who is responsible for whether science takes ‘good forms’ or ‘evil forms’, according to the writer? 2 Make an outline of the article.

Focus on vocabulary 1 Give Russian equivalents to the following phrases: - handy - a vacuum cleaner - the coup in the technology - a means of storing information - to substitute - metal alloys - curing incurable earlier diseases - atom fission - the weapons of mass destruction - the peacetime

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Summary 1 Write down the summary of the text. Look back through the whole text and find: - the reasons why scientific and technological progress accelerates the development of civilization and makes our life happier and easier; - the reasons the writer puts forward to explain why scientific progress brings disaster; - Make use of the outline key vocabulary and linking phrases

Discussion 1 Is it science that does us good? Or does it bring disaster? 2 Think of one invention without which your life could be very difficult. Answer the following questions: 1) Why have you thought of this invention first? 2) What are the advantages and disadvantages of this invention? 3) Why is it so important? 3 Write a passage of about 200 words on the topic “The achievement of science and technical revolution and our day-to-day”.

UNIT 4 The World Year of Physics is on the track

Before you read 1 Read the title of the text. What do you think it could be about? Work in groups and make a list of predictions. 19

Reading 1 Read the text and check your predictions. What is the main idea of the text? 2 While reading make a plan to the text. Write each of the points in the form of questions. Make your questions using What? Who? Where? When? Why? How? The World Year of Physics is on track By Martial Ducloy EPS President For nearly two years, the European Physical Society has been engaged in making 2005 the “World Year of Physics” (WYP), getting support of international organizations for its realization and success (Europhysics News 33, p.40). This initiative was endorsed by the council of the EPS and its member societies in 2001. It was recently voted unanimously by the General Assembly of IUPAP in October 2002 (Resolution 9). It is also backed by UNESCO. The next step is to get a resolution voted by the Assembly of the United Nations, declaring “The International Year of Physics” in 2005. The main purpose of the WYP is to raise world-wide public awareness of physics and, more generally, of physical sciences. The perception of physics and its importance in our daily life has decreased in the eyes of the general public to such a low level that the number of physics students in high schools and universities has dramatically declined over the past few years. In order to address this problem, it is important that Physics Societies all over the world become more active in sharing their visions and convictions about physics with politicians and the public in general. The great contributions of physics to the development of Science and Technology and its impact on our society might still be evident to physicists, but no longer to everybody. At the 20

dawn of the 21st century the interdisciplinary role of physics will further increase, and help solve crucial problems arising in our world such as: energy production, environmental protection and public health. The illustration of physics, physical sciences, and their achievements, must be a major axis of the WYP, and should be the object of numerous and multiform activities aimed at raising the interest of the general public: radio and television programmes, articles in newspapers and specialized magazines, books, action in schools and universities, general colloquia on physical sciences and the physical view of the world, local exhibits, action “in the street”, posters, stamps, advertising in mass transport systems, etc. (see the home page). Some of these activities could be included in general programmes already existing and aimed at public awareness of science: the European Science Week, “Cienca Viva” in Portugal, the science programme “La main a la pate” for pupils in French primary schools, “Physics on Stage”… Along with those outreach activities, scientific debates should also represent another important part of the actions to be planned in 2005. This includes debates on the great challenges of physics in the 21st century, the cultural character of physics and the need for education in physics in high schools and universities, the ethical responsibilities of physicists, the strengthening of physical sciences in developing countries and the influence of physics on development, the interdisciplinary character of physics and its impact on the emergence on new scientific and technological fields, the strong links of physics with technology and industry. Some more basic issues for physicists could include the relations between the various sub-fields of physics, the sense of unity of physics, the importance of maintaining pure physics research at a high level, the relative place of “big” and “small” physics, the relations between basic and applied physics, between theoretical and experimental physics … Some of the issues discussed above, along with the legacy of Einstein’s groundbreaking discoveries on the 100th anniversary of his “Annus mirabilis”, will be the object of the 13th General

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Conference of the European Physical Society, “Trends in Physics”, which will be held in Bern, on the 11-15 July 2005. In view of the WYP success, what are the immediate tasks of Physics Societies? Establish a WYP national committee, send out WYP announcements and make sure that every scientist in their country is aware of the World Year of Physics; start planning events at the local and national level; contact national political authorities and governments in order to inform them, get their sponsorship and obtain the active support of their representatives in international organizations (UNESCO, UN …); start a regular newsletter in their bulletin or home page with a link with the WYP web site; transmit all information on activities and ideas to the EPS and Europhysics News, for its WYP section. The success of the World Year of Physics lies now in the hands of every physicist and relies on the determination of Physical Societies!

Comprehension check What is the author’s message? What are the main problems he speaks on? 1) Make about 5-6 questions to the text. Ask them to your partner. 2) Answer the questions of your groupmates. Use the language of the text when you speak. 3) Work in groups and present the article in the form of a diagram.

Focus on vocabulary 1 Give Russian equivalents to the following words and phrases: -

to endorse initiative

-

to vote unanimously

-

the interdisciplinary role of physics

-

a major axis

-

public awareness of science 22

-

outreach activities

-

great challenges of physics

-

sub – fields of physics

-

groundbreaking discoveries

-

get sponsorship

-

bulletin

-

transmit information

-

to rely on the determination of

Summary 1 Write down the summary of the article. Look back through the whole text and find information on the following points: − the main purpose of the WYP − multiform activities aimed public awareness of science − scientific debates Make use of your diagrams, key vocabulary and linking phrases.

Discussion 1 The success of the World Year of Physics lies in the hands of every physicist. If the European Physical Society is engaged in making next year the “World Year of Physics”, what events will you plan at the local level at the university? 2 Use the text as the centerpiece of your own article to a specialized magazine, which you should write to raise the interest of the general public to physics, physical sciences and their achievements. Project work 1 Work with one or two of your groupmates to create a poster for mass transport system to support the initiative for making next year the “World Year of Physics”. 23

2 Make comments on it.

UNIT 5 Time Travel Before you read 1 What is ‘time travel’? Do you believe in it?

Reading 1 Read the following text. Does the writer believe that time machines are a real possibility for the future? Professor Predicts Human Time Travel This Century By Lisa Zyga Copyright 2006 PhysOrg.com Ronald Mallett, Professor at the University of Connecticut, has used Einstein’s equations to design a time machine with circulating laser beams. While his team is still looking for funding, he hopes to build and test the device in the next 10 years. With a brilliant idea and equations based on Einstein’s relativity theories, Ronald Mallett from the University of Connecticut has devised an experiment to observe a time traveling neutron in a circulating light beam. While his team still needs for the project, Mallett calculates that the possibility of time travel using this method could be verified within a decade. Black holes, wormholes, and cosmic strings – each of these phenomena has been proposed as a method for time travel, but none seem feasible, for (at least) one major reason. Although theoretically they could distort space-time, they all require an unthinkably gigantic amount of mass. 24

Mallet, a U Conn Physics Professor for 30 years, considered an alternative to these time travel methods based on Einstein’s famous relativity equation: E=mc2. “Einstein showed that mass and energy are the same thing”, said Mallett, who published his first research on time travel in 2000 in Physics Letters. “The time machine we’ve designed uses light in the form of circulating lasers to warp or loop time instead of using massive objects”. To determine if time loops exist, Mallett is designing a desktop-sized device that will test his time-warping theory. By arranging mirrors, Mallett can make a circulating light beam which should warp surrounding space. Because some subatomic particles have extremely short lifetimes, Mallett hopes that he will observe these particles to exist for a longer time than expected when placed in the vicinity of the circulating light beam. a longer lifetime means that the particles must have flowed through a time loop into the future. “Say you have a cup of coffee and a spoon”, Mallett explained to PhysOrg.com. “The coffee is empty space, and the spoon is the circulating light beam. When you stir the coffee with the spoon, the coffee – or the empty space – gets twisted. Suppose you drop a sugar cube in the coffee. If empty space were twisting, you’d be able to detect it by observing a subatomic particle moving around in the space”. “What is time? That is a very, very difficult question”, said Mallett. “Time is a way of separating events from each other. Even without thinking about time, we can see that things change, seasons change, people change. The fact that the world changes is an intrinsic feature of the physical world, and time is independent of whether or not we have a name for it. “To physicists, time is what’s measured by clocks. Using this definition, we can manipulate time by changing the rate of clocks, which changes the rate at which events occur. Einstein showed that time is affected by motion, and his theories have been demonstrated experimentally by comparing time on an atomic clock that has traveled around the earth on a jet. It’s slower than a clock on earth”. 25

Although the jet-flying clock regained its normal pace when it landed, it never caught up with earth clocks – which means that we have a time traveler from the past among us already, even through it thinks it’s in the future. Some people show concern over time traveling, although Mallett – an advocate of the Parallel Universes theory – assures us that time machines will not present any danger. “The Grandfather Paradox [where you go back in time and kill your grandfather] is not an issue”, said Mallett. “In a sense, time travel means that you’re traveling both in time and into other universes. If you go back into the past, you’ll go into another universe. As soon as you arrive at the past, you’re making a choice and there’ll be a split. Our universe will not be affected by what you do in your visit to the past”. In light of this causal ‘safety”, it’s kind of ironic that what prompted Mallett as a child to investigate time travel was a desire to change the past in hopes of a different future. When he was 10 years old, his father died of a heart attack at age 33. After reading The Time Machine by H.G.Wells, Mallett was determined to find a way to go back and warn his father about the dangers of smoking. This personal element fueled Mallett’s perseverance to study science, master Einstein’s equations, and build a professional career with many high notes. Since the ‘70s, his research has included quantum gravity, relativistic cosmology and gauge theories, and he plans to publish a popular science/memoir book this November 2006. With help from Bruce Henderson, the New York Times best-selling author, the book will be called Time Traveler: A physicist’s Quest For The Ultimate Breakthrough.

Comprehension check 1 Answer the following questions: 1) What theory did Ronald Mallett use to design a time machine? 2) What experiment has Ronald Mallett devised to observe time travel?

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3) Why were such phenomena as black holes, wormholes and cosmic strings rejected as the methods for time travel? 4) How does “time – warping’ theory by Ronald Mallett work? 5) How can the theory be explained on the examples of a cup of coffee, a spoon and a sugar cube, according to Mallett? 6) What is time, according to Mallett? 7) What is the ‘grandfather paradox”? 8) Why does not time travelling present any danger, according to Mallett? 9) What “personal element” fueled Mallett to study science and to devise a time machine?

Focus on vocabulary 1 Give Russian equivalents to the following words and phrases: - equation - a laser beam - a wormhole - cosmic strings - feasible - time loops - time – warping theory - vicinity - to stir - to twist - the rate of clocks - jet – flying clock - gauge theories

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2 Write out the key words and phrases you may find helpful to make an outline of the article.

Summary 1 Write down the summary of the article. Look back through the whole text and find: − the explanation of ‘time – warping theory’ by Ronald Mallett − the explanation of time – warping theory by Ronald Mallett − the reason for investigating time travel by Ronald Mallett Make use of the outline, key vocabulary and linking phrases. 2 Describe the subject of the text in a letter you send to a friend. In your letter present some strong and convincing ‘for’ and ‘against’ arguments concerning the problem of human time travel.

Discussion Using personal knowledge or experiences answer the following questions: 1) What images does this text produce? 2) What questions would you wish to ask to the author? 3) Is the text true or likely to be true? 4) If you had a chance would you become a time traveler? Why? / Why not? 5) What historical epoch or age would you choose to travel back in time? 6) Would you try to change anything in your past? Why? / Why not? 7) Do time machines present any danger? Why? / Why not?

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