Either person associates the 21 century with the progress of science. Tremendous changes in the life & conditions of people took place in it. Centuries ago we couldn’t` t even think about the things we deal with now.
100 years ago people didn` t fly to various cities, countries & continents. And now we just buy a ticket & fly to any place of destination at a great speed, make long – distance flight to any direction. The speed of some planes is about 1000 km per hour. So you can cross the Atlantic using only 1,5 hour. Such planes may connect various remote places by the direct flights.
Speaking about the inventions of the previous century it` s important to mention radio. It was invented by Russian scientist Alexander Popov & it changed the whole life of people. It found a great use in the 20 century. By means of it people can do an endless number of jobs, get all kinds of information, direct the work of machines, help planes to land etc. It also was extremely strange for our parents to here Gagarin` s talking from the space.
Nowadays radio of course gave its place to TV & computer but in some remote places of the world it` s still known as the only way of getting information from the “Big Land”. And it becomes more precious because of that. And also how soldiers in different hot points would communicate if they had not radio transmission?
So people have a right to say that radio is a masterpiece of science & technology.
So is TV. It` s the most magnificent source of Mass Media. It gives us either pleasure or amusement, useful information, 70 per cent of which we get by the means of eyesight, 15 – by listening. TV displays us the entire picture of current events, showing the details live or in recording.
Using TV people control technique & equipment, industry & traffic. In the field of medicine it gives us an opportunity to make so – called “jewelry” surgeries which can be directed by famous doctors & professors over TV.
Speaking about medicines science gave a chance to the great amount of people to survive. And now many of them date back their lives to the day of medical intrusion. Not long ago the Medical Committee for Inventions & Discoveries recognized a new scientific discovery in cancer diagnostic.
A great amount of people live only because they have an artificial heart or kidney which is the products of science.
The medical equipment is improved day by day. Tremendous money is impact in this engineering & either person understands the great use of it.
Also one of the wonders of our age is so – called “electronic brain” or computer as we call it. Some models of it can touch, smell, hear, see &feel. The considerable amount of people have computers at home. Such mechanisms organize the life & work of people in various spheres of human activity.
But the most magnificent scientific achievement is, of course, “Nuclear Fission”. It put upside – down all the life of previous generations.
When atom splits it sets free much energy & people try to use it. The former USSR was the first country in the world which learned to use it in peaceful purposes. Atomic power theoretically can be used in ships, locomotives, and jet – planes. For example the first atomic ice – breaker “Lenin” was launched in the USSR. But the greatest fame atomic energy got by means of weapons. Either country knows about such energy & weapons but only several countries of the world have the technology. Such information is, of course, Top – Secret. `cause using it in peaceful life is useful. But in the case of war, as a weapon, it may bring global catastrophe including ecological, environmental damage. It can become the reason of exhaust & pollution & of course it can lead to death of either living organism.
But the advantages of atomic power are tremendous. The atomic fuel has no smoke, no fire, no noise. Atomic power stations are the most pure stations among the traditional stations when they work normally. But in the case of collapse they bring death.
Many scientists declare that we are on the way to a new kind of life – “The Age Of Atom”.
Among other scientific discoveries are telephone, various home equipment, satellite antennas, flights to the space etc.
We use either of these things in our current life & don` t think about the life without them. They bring pleasure & comfort to our houses, health to our organisms & new methods to make our life secure. They are usual for us. But science develops very fast & if a few years we may have other new facilities which we can` t imagine now.


Tasks for checking the understanding.

1. Find the English equivalents to the following words:

Разнообразные – various
Прямые рейсы – direct flights
Передача информации по радио – radio transmission
Шедевр науки и технологии- the masterpiece of science and technology
Передавать детали в прямом эфире- to show the details live
Медицинское участие- medical intrusion
Огромные деньги вкладываются в инженерное дело – tremendous money is impact in engineering
Ядерная реакция – nuclear fission
Атом расщепляется – atom splits
Спускать на воду- to launch
Совершенно секретно – Top Secret
Вред для окружающей среды – environmental damage
Истощение, опустошение – to exhaust
Спутниковые антенны- satellite antennas

2. Answer the following questions on the text.

Why is the XXI century called the century of progress of science?
What inventions of the XX century are mentioned in this text?
Which way of carrying out medical surgeries is remembered in the text?
How is computer called in the text?
How do you understand the meaning of the words Nuclear Fission?
Where can Nuclear Fission be used?

3. Comment on the idea.
We are on the way to a new kind of life – the Age of Atom. Give not less than three arguments proving your point of view.

4. Speak on the topic “Science”.