THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE IN UKRAINE

I

The current scientific and technical revolution has entirely changed the technology, procedure, organization and management of production and, consequently, the mode of people’s lives. For this purpose a fundamental reform of the whole system of higher education and training scientists is needed. For the first time in the history of Ukraine a genuine democratic system of education is being created. It implies the provision of conditions for the solution of such important social tasks as bringing closer the educational level of urban and rural inhabitants.

A lot of young people study at different general educational schools, institutes and universities, at different advance study courses. Among universities in Ukraine there is the oldest one – Lviv University founded in 1661. All our universities train specialists for various fields of economy, the state apparatus, science and culture, conduct postgraduate studies and also grant degrees.

One of the biggest scientific, cultural and educational centers of Ukraine is Kyiv State University, named after T. G. Shevchenko, founded in 1834.

A scientific potential of Ukraine is very powerful. Thousands scientists are working on the scientific problems at higher educational schools, branch research institutions. The greatest creative forces are united under the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, which has at its disposal scientific and research laboratories and establishments. They developed their own research schools which made a tangible contribution to the Ukrainian science. The objective of the Academy is uniting the greatest creative forces: thousands doctors and candidates of science, academicians and corresponding members under its guidance.

II

Broadening the horizons of human knowledge, overcoming insurmountable obstacles scientists of all ranks and ranges do their utmost to further the progress of knowledge, to radically change the existing conceptions. Some discoveries could be classed as revolutionary, and some of them greatly influenced on many sides of man’s life and activity. On scientific research Ukraine occupies a leading place in some branches of material studies, welding technologies, special metallurgy, mathematics, computer engineering, chemistry, molecular and cellular physiology. For the first time in the world the staff of the Kyiv Institute at Advanced Medical Studies have developed the “Biotrone” appliance for carrying on treatment and prophylaxis of vascular brain disorders, new means of sight corrections. The Institute of Registration and Information Problems under the Ukrainian Academy of science has developed a system of using computer communications.

One cannot help but saying  about the present formed hard circumstances for Ukrainian science. It is experiencing difficult time. In many respects the present situation in Ukrainian science has resulted from its class association with the former USSR. Inadequate region locations of scientific establishments also had affected upon Ukraine. The most number of scientific institutions are located in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk. To eliminate this disproportion a national program for further development of scientific research as well as a scientifically grounded plan of regional locations of scientific institutions should be adopted. In times of former USSR the science of Ukraine was not recognized at the world level, despite certain great achievements. It was associated only with soviet or Russian science although Ukraine has certain achievements to its credit. Now it is not a terra incognita for the world community.

  At present the main task for Ukraine is to overcome a great deal of formed obstacles to develop further all achievements the country made and reach the world level. They are lack of necessary financing, lack of electric power, lack of knowledge, in the field of natural and technical sciences or the application of the scientific and technological innovations, ceaseless decrease in the living standard of scientist, lack of stimuli for the development of scientific research. All these problems should be solved not by scientific establishments or Academy of Sciences but by the government as the scientific and technological sphere is one of the most important elements in the system of our national security, of our most rapid integration into the world community.

 4.  Answer the following questions.

1. For what purpose is a fundamental reform of whole system of higher education and training specialists needed?

2. What task stands before the Ministry of higher Education of Ukraine?

3. What specialists do our universities train?

4. Under what are all creative forces united?

5. What can you say about a scientific potential of Ukraine?

6. Why is science of Ukraine experiencing difficult time now?

7. What is it necessary to do in order to eliminate the disproportion of locations of scientific institutions?

8. What achievements does Ukraine have to its credit?

9. What obstacles should Ukraine overcome to reach the world level in some branch of science?

10. Why is it very important to solve all these problems?

Exercises

5.  Name the word- building elements (suffixes, prefixes) and the part of speech of each word. Translate them into Ukrainian.

Consequence – consequent – consequently

establish – established – establishment

possible – impossible – possibility

civil – civilian – civilize – civilized – civilization

organ – organize – organized – organization

value – valuable – invaluable – valueless – valuation

apply – applied – appliance – applicable – applicant – application

develop – development

know – knowledge

eliminate – elimination

power - powerful – powerless

broad – broaden – broadly

discover – discovery

end – endless

explain – explained – explanation

relate – related – unrelated – relation – relationship

 2.  Read the following word combinations and translate them.

Ceaseless decrease in the living standard, lack of consciousness, appliance for the treatment, a genuine democratic system, academicians and corresponding members, insurmountable obstacles, conduct postgraduate studies, occupy a leading place, recognize at the world level, a scientifically grounded plan, to have achievements to one’s credit, scientific establishments, consequences of the application of innovations, train specialists, the provision of conditions.

 3.  Give English equivalents of the following words and expressions.

Долати велику кількість перешкод; займати одне з передових місць; відсутність фінансування; наближати; робити все можливе; у нас є досягнення, котрими можна пишатися; природні загадки, котрі повинні бути вирішені; переживати складні часи; наукові установи; прилад для лікування; розлад сосудів головного мозку; не дивлячись на певні досягнення; світова громада; присвоювати ступені.

 4.  Complete the following sentences using the words and expressions from the text, translate them.

1. All these problems should be solved by the government as … .

2. All our universities train … .

3. The staff of the Academy … .

4. Ukrainian science has certain … .

5. Ukraine has to overcome … .

6. For the first time in the history of Ukraine … .

7. In times of former USSR the science … .

 5.  Match the following English words and word-combinations with the Ukrainian ones. 

6.   . Give the definitions of the following words.

Education, knowledge, curriculum, graduate, skill, facility, technique, department, term.

7.   Identify one underlined word that must be changed to make the sentence grammatically correct.

1. To explain these difficulties were the task of first importance.

2. The computer can be programming to manipulate the information rapidly in a variety of ways.

3. Atomic theory is studied with all students of institute.

4. Inventions of new devices, thecnological processes alongside with existing ones, come into being to achieve new unprecedenting heights of knowledge.

5. In investigated nature’s phenomena, it’s laws, regularities researchers have to overcome mountains of contradictory facts.

6. The development of high-speed electronic components isan area of special concern to our science and industry and much be donein this field in future.

8.   Decide which word best fits the meanings of the sentence.

1. A work of scientists includes the procedures of observation, interpretation, … , and experimentation. (hypothesis/prediction)

2. Students … skills of practising scientists in a laboratory. (receive/acquire).

3. There are some … which are characteristic of an experimental investigation. (ways/patterns).

4. Ecology is the science that … to answer questions about how nature works. (wants/attempts).

5. The number of areas of medical practice had … considerably in recent years with the introduction of layers, microelectronics, sensor technology, ect. (contributed/ increased).

6. We need a … solution for performing these operations. (accurate/ essential).

7. Ultrasonics makes use of “sound” waves … range of human hearing. (more/ less).

8. Scientists tried to coax two or more computers to work an different aspects of the problem … . (simultaneously/equally).

9. Discoveries of laws and inventions of new devices, technological processes and materials are … road to new unforeseen heights of knowledge. (narrating/paving).

9.   Translate the following sentences paying attention to Gerund, define its form and function.

1. Accelerating elementary particles can be achieved by high potential.

2. The idea of designing such device belongs to our scientists.

3. Do you think this book is worth being read?

4. One of the main aims of our scientists is adopting a national program for the development of scientific researches.

5. Solving all these problems is improving the living standard of scientists and increasing stimulus for the development of scientific research.

6. After hearing the conditions I decided not to enter for competition.

7. At first I enjoyed listening to his report but after a while I got tired of hearing what I knew well.

8. He couldn’t be used to driving on the left hand side of the road.

9. Over-coming all these obstacles is tasking urgent measures coming in scientific and technological spheres for the most rapid integration of our country into the world community.

10.   Translate the following sentences into Ukrainian, paying attention to Gerundial Construction.

1. How proud he was of his having invented this very useful device.

2. He knew of their being shown his new useful device.

3. His having taken part in this scientific conference convinced him that he was on the right way in his investigations.

4. Y. Kondratyuk’s having worked in the field of cosmonautics: rocket dynamics, cosmic creation is a well established fact.

5. His having taken part in the creation of this new electronic device for treatment of vascular brain disorders helped us to complete its construction in time.

6. Ukraine’s occupying a leading place in welding technologies is well known all over the world.

7. Her attending at the conference was necessary because of her making report at it.

 11.   Complete the following English sentences; pay attention to the difference in translation of the Gerund and Participles at the beginning of sentence; translate them.

Participle:1. Measuring the temperature we use …; 2. Increasing the length we change …; 3. Accelerating the particles …; 4. Finding this ratio we can ….

Gerund:1. Measuring the temperature will help you in …; 2. Increasing the length is necessary …; 3. Accelerating can be made by means of …; 4. Finding the ratio is very important ….

12.    Translate Ukrainian sentences into English, using the Gerund or Gerundial Construction.

1. Те, що Котермак відомий, як астроном і філософ – відомий факт.

2. Кондратюк запропонував ідею створення бази навколо Місяця, а не Землі.

3. Те, що Уряд України відповідає за науково-технічний прогрес разом із Академією Наук є одним з важливих елементів у системі нашої національної безпеки.

4. За допомогою виконання серйозних дослідів в галузі медицини, наші вчені створили прилад для корекції зору.

5. Ліквідація диспропорції розміщення науково-дослідних закладів може бути суттєва, через прийняття національних програм з розвитку наукових досліджень.

6. Інша важлива ціль Української науки сьогодні – це розробка високошвидкісних електронних комп’ютерів.

7. Ніхто не сказав, коли відбудеться конференція.

8. Я насолоджувався, слухаючи її гру на піаніно.

9. Мені не подобається витрачати час даремно.

13.   Write summary to the text “The Development of Science in Ukraine” and discuss it with your groupmates.

Unit 4

COMPUTER LITERACY

Lead-in

· Give the definition to the word computer? Why are they so widespread?

· How old were you when you first get aquainted with the computer?

· How often do you work with the computer?

· Does the good knowledge of English help to operate computer better?

· Do you agree that English is a lifetime study and may serve for a variety of purposes? What are they?

 1.  Practise pronunciation of the following words and underline the stressed syllable. Translate the words into Ukrainian.

Procedures, awkward, dumb, microcomputer ,widely accept, efficient, scientific,typing, unfamiliar, particularly ,managerial ,instances, carrier, challenge, designing, analysts, service, evolve, consultants, librarians, storage, supervises, security, naturally, occur, irregularity, repetitive.

 2.  Memorize the following words and word combinations. Make up your own sentences:

 3.   Read the text and write a title to each paragraph.