Материал: Гвоздева Пхысицс фор адванцед студентс 2011
Part II. SCIENCE
UNIT I
THE POWERS OF THE HUMAN MIND
“It is surely better to hope than to despair of the human mind.”
Stephen Hawking
PRE-READING TASK Study some grammar points. I. One is a personal pronoun and can be used as the subject of a sentence = You. It is a formal subject. One is not translated.
Study the sentences.
1.One needn’t lose hope.
2.One can draw a graph showing the amount of light elements vertically and the amount of normal matter in the universe along the horizontal axis.
II. Modal verbs show the attitude of the speaker towards the idea he expresses.
May, might, can, could = perhaps
Might is more unsure than may. Could is more unsure than can Must is the most sure of all = highly probable.
Study the sentences.
1.There might be a connection between black holes and thermodynamics.
2.Imaginary time may sound like something out of science
fiction, but it is a well-defined mathematical concept.
3.There can be baby universes that contain only a few particles.
4.The universe must contain enough dark matter to bring the density up to the critical value.
III. Should
Should is not as strong as must.
Study the sentences.
1.We must find out what happens at these energies.
2.The theory predicted that the average density of galaxies should be constant both in space and time.
3.There might be some reason that the universe should have precisely the critical density.
IV. We use be (am / is / are / was / were) + to V to say that something is planned to happen, that it will definitely happen.
Study the sentences.
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1.A quantum theory of gravity is essential if we are to describe the early universe.
2.If one is to obtain a fully unified theory, one is to include gravity.
V. We use to V (in order to V) to talk about the purpose of doing something. (why someone does something).
Study the sentences.
1.To prove singularities we have developed some techniques.
2.In order to formulate this idea Hawking introduces the concept of imaginary time, which I find a little hard to follow.
VI. N + to V; N + to be V3
An infinitive after a noun cha-
racterizes it and expresses an action which must be done or could be done in the future.
Study the sentences.
1.The universe is a puzzle to be guessed.
2.We spent billions of pounds to build giant machines to accelerate particles to high energies.
VII. We use for + N + to V to talk about the purpose of doing something.
Study the sentences.
1. For the universe to continue to expand and new matter to be created, the steady state model required a modification of general relativity.
2.Within the black hole the speed of the particle cannot be exactly defined. It is therefore possible for the speed of the particle to be greater than the speed of light.
3.A tenth of the critical density would be enough matter for galaxies and stars to form.
Give Russian correspondence: at least (as a minimum), in an arbitrary manner, since then, so (thus, therefore), a great deal (a lot, very much), particularly (especially), an approach (a way of studying), within (in), the only way (the single way), ultimate (complete), according to, a set of (a range of; a number of)
”Life is a great mystery”
The Bible
“One of the fascinating things about the physical world is that its fundamental structure seems always to be expressed in beautiful mathematics. To me it suggests that there is a Mind behind the structure of the world, and that our minds are somehow attuned to that Mind.”
John Polkinghorne
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THE UNIVERSE IS GOVERNED BY PRECISE
MATHEMATICAL LAWS
Study the passage. Mind the underlined grammar points.
I don’t agree with the view that the universe is a mystery, something that one can have intuition about but never fully analyze or comprehend. The scientific revolution started almost four hundred years ago by Galileo and was carried on by Newton. They showed that at least some areas of the universe do not behave in an arbitrary manner but are governed by precise mathematical laws. Over the years since then, we have extended the work of Galileo and Newton to almost every area of the universe.
We now have mathematical laws that govern everything we normally experience. We spent billions of pounds to build giant machines to accelerate particles to such high energies that we don’t yet know what will happen when they collide. These very high particle energies don’t occur in normal situations on the earth, so it might seem academic and unnecessary to spend large sums on studying them. But they occurred in the early universe, so we must find out what happens at these energies if we are to understand how we and the universe began.
There is a great deal that we don’t know or understand about the universe. But the remarkable progress we have made, particularly in the last hundred years, should encourage us to believe that a complete understanding may be within our powers. We may break through to a complete theory of the universe. I believe that the universe is governed by an order that we can perceive partially now and that we may understand fully in the not-too-distant future.
The approach, in which one regards a theory as a model, is the only way to understand the universe, at least for a theoretical physicist. I hope that we will find a consistent model that describes everything in the universe. If we do that it will be a real triumph for a human race. This hope may be just a mirage; there may be no ultimate theory, and even if there is, we may not find it. But it is surely better to hope than to despair of the human mind.
It is now generally accepted that the universe evolves according to well-defined laws. And even if there is only one unique set of possible laws, it is only a set of equations. What is it that breathes fire into the equations and makes a universe for them to govern?
Stephen Hawking
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FYI
Your intuition is an unexplained feeling within you that something is true or exists when you have no evidence of it.
Vocabulary Notes
1.to comprehend – to understand
2.to carry on – to continue
3.arbitrary – random – approximate
4.to occur – to take place
5.academic (here) is used to indicate that something is theoretical and can have no real effect on what is happening
6.remarkable – significant – important
7.to encourage – to give somebody confidence, assurance
8.to perceive – to come to a particular opinion by studying and observing
9.to regard – to consider
10.a consistent theory is a theory all parts of which fit together
11.to despair – to lose hope
12.It is now generally accepted – It is now generally believed
13.to breathe fire into something – to animate something
POST-READING TASK
(To be done at home in writing)
I. Write a paragraph covering the questions:
1.Galileo’s contribution to science.
2.Newton’s contribution to science.
II. Put in the prepositions.
1.I don’t agree ……. the view that the universe is a mystery.
2.…. the years since then, we have extended the work of Galileo and
Newton … almost every area of the universe.
3.It might seem academic and unnecessary to spend large sums … studying very high particle energies.
4.What happens … these energies?
5 A complete understanding may be … our powers.
6.We may break through … a complete understanding of the universe.
7.The universe is governed … an order.
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8.The universe evolves ……. well-defined laws.
9.What is it that breathes fire … the equations?
III. Give words close in meaning. |
|
1. an opinion |
7. a lot |
2. to understand |
8. a way of studying |
3. to begin |
9. to consider |
4. to continue |
10. complete |
5. accurate |
11. a set of |
6. to take place |
|
CLASS EXERCISES
Exercise 1 (in groups)
Checking up understanding
1.What phenomena do we call mysterious?
2.Why does Stephen Hawking not agree with the view that the universe is a mystery?
3.What did Galileo and Newton show?
4.What is the stateof- the art of modern science?
5.What do scientists build giant accelerators for?
6.What approach is the only way to understand the universe?
7.What model do scientists attempt to find?
8.Can we perceive the order the universe is governed by?
9.How do scientists express laws?
Exercise 2 (do it yourself)
Make the sentences passive.
1.The scientific revolution which Galileo started (carry on) by New-
ton.
2.The universe (govern) by precise mathematical laws.
3.The universe (govern) by an order.
4.A consistent theory (regard) as a mathematical model that describes everything in the universe.
5.Now it (accept) that the universe evolves according to well-defined
laws.
Exercise 3 (do it yourself)
Use may or might + V to show your attitude to the below facts.
1.A complete understanding of the universe is within our powers.
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