Ex. 3. Listen to the text and answer the questions.

 

This book presents a collection of articles which ori­ginally appeared in “Scientific American” and “Physical Review”. Almost all the authors of the articles work in the United States of America. They are experts in dif­ferent fields of science and technology. The book is ad­dressed both to professional scientists and interested laymen. The book consists of two parts devoted to se­miconductors and electronics. Such subjects as biophy­sics and space medicine have been excluded.

 

Comprehensive check

 

1. To whom is the book addressed? 2. What country do the authors come from? 3. In what journals did the articles originally appear? 4. How many parts does the book contain? 5. What subjects were included and what subjects were excluded from the book?

 

 

Ex. 4. Speak about the book you are reading (or have recently read). Use the text of ex. 3 as a model.

 

Ex. 5. Discuss with your fellow-student the books (articles) you are reading (have read). Work in pairs.

 

A

Find out what field of science the book (article, journal) acquaints the reader with.

Model:

1. If I am not mistaken, the book acquaints the reader with the latest discoveries in the field of... (physiology).

2. Right.

1. What I would like to know is this: What areas of... (physiology) is the reader introduced to?

2. То... (electrophysiology, neurophysiology, etc.).

 

Use also: the latest developments in the field of...; the recent achievements in the field of...; the aims and achievements in...; exactly, precisely.

 

В

 

Find out what the structure of the book is.

Model:

1. The book consists of... (6) chapters (parts, sections), doesn't it?

2. Exactly. The subject matter of the book appears under... headings.

1. What are they?

2. (looking at the table of contents) They are...

 

С

 

Find out to whom reference is made.

 

Model:

1. As far, as I understand! reference is made to researchers working in many countries. Are (Japanese, British, American) workers also mentioned?

2. For all I know, they are.

1. And what about (Austrian) researchers?

2. As far as I know they contributed little to this field of knowledge, therefore no re­ference is made to them.

 

D

Find out in what country, in what field of knowledge, at what subject and at which educational establishment or research centre the author works.

Model:

1. You said that the author of the article works in... (Great Britain).

2. Yes (looking at the notes about the author's identity). He is a... (Ph. D., Doctor of..., at Cambridge University).

1. I wonder in what field of... (medicine, physics, chemistry) he is involved (engaged)?

2. In... (oncology, semiconductors).

1. And what is the subject of his research?

2. He works at... (breast cancer).

E

Find out он what subject and by whom the article (book, chapter, lecture, volume, collection of articles) is written.

Model:

1. The article is written by... (one, two, three) author(s). Right?

2. Right.

1. Who is (are) he (they)?

2. This is a review article written by...,... and....

1. And what is its subject?

2. The article is on... (see its title).

Use also: contributors, experts, workers.

F

Find out what scientific interests of the author are.

Model:

1. As far as I understand the author is inte­rested in a wide (narrow) field of...(physiology, physics, chemistry).

2. Right. And he takes particular (special) interest in... (the structure of...).

 

G

 

Find out whether or not the book is of value; where, when and by whom it was written, published, edited.

Model:

1. What is your opinion of the book? How / do you estimate its value?

2. I think this is an excellent book. The author(s) (editor(s), contributors) can be congratulated on producing it (on comple­ting it). or: I don't think it is a good book. I can't say that the author is to be congratulated on producing it.

3. Which book are you two talking about? By whom is it written and published?

2. “...” by... (H. Smith). It was published by... (Academic Press) in... (London) in 19...

1. And (Pete) thinks that this is a... book. He says that the author can (can't) be con­gratulated on producing it.

 

H

Find out whether or not the book is illustrated, and how if it is.

Mоde1:

1. If I am not mistaken, the book acquaints the reader with the latest developments in the field of... (physiology).

2. Right.

1. I would like to know the following: Are there any illustrations?

2. Yes, the book is profusely illustrated with photos (colour plates, diagrams, tab­les, figures). or: No, there are no illustrations. It is very unfortunate because with illustrations the 'book would be much better.