Great Britain, Science
GREAT BRITAIN
The
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Nothern Ireland occupies territory of the
British Isles which are situated to the north-west of Europe. They consist of
two main islands: Great Britain and Ireland. England is in the south of the
island of Great Britain, Scotland is in the north and Wales is in the west.
Northen Ireland is situated in the noth-eastern part of Ireland. It’s western
coast is washed by the Atlantic ocean. In the east the island of Great Britain
is washed by the North Sea. The Irish Sea, the North Channel and the St.
George’s Channel separate Ireland from Great Britain. Great Britain is
separated from France by the English Channel, which is 32 km wide in it’s
narrowest part. In everyday speech “Great Britain” is used to mean the UK.
The
climat of Britain is usually described as cool, temperate and humid. As the
weather changes with a wind, and Britain is visited by winds from different
parts of the world, the most characteristic feature of Britain’s weather is
it’s variability. Summers are not hot and winters are not cold in Britain. The
snow never lies for long on the ground. As a rule there is no ice on the waters
of rivers and lakes. So we may say that the British climat has 3 main features:
it is mild, humid and changeble. That means that it’s never too hot or too
warm.
English
is the official, but not the only language used in the country.
Britain
has been many centuries in the making. The Romans conqered most part of
Britain, but were unable to subdue the fiercely independent tribes in the West
and in the North. Further waves of invaders followed: Angels, Saxons, Jutes,
Vikings and Normans. All these contributed to the mixture we call English. For
many centuries this country was known simply as England. It had a strong army
and navy. It waged numerous colonial wars. England, once the “work shop of the
world”, was the first to become a highly industrial country.
There
are no big rivers in Great Britain. The biggest are Severn and Thames. There
are a lot of mountain in Great Britain, but they are nit high. The highest
mountain - Ben Nevis - is in Scotland. The flora of the British Isles is much
varied and the fauna is similar to that of the north-west of Europe. The
country is not very rich in natural resourses but there were suffice for the
Industrial Revolution to start.
London
is the capital of the UK. It was founded by the Romans. The population of
London is over 8 million people.
The
largest cities of Great Britain besides London are: Birmingham, Glasgo,
Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol, Leeds, Edinburgh. The most important
seaports are: London, Liverpool, Belfast, Glasgow and Cardiff.
Science
The
word “science” comes from the latin word “scientia”, which means “knowledge”.
Scientists make observations and collect facts in field they work in. Then they
arrange facts ordelly and try to express the connaction between the facts and
try to work out theories. Then they have to prove the facts or theory correct
and make sufficient and sound evidence. So sientific knowledge is always
growing and improving.
Science
has great influence on our life. It provides with base of modern technology,
materials, sources of power and so on. Modern science and technology have
changed our life in many different ways. During the present century our life
changed greatly. Thanks to radio and television we can do a great number of
jobs; it was radio and TV that made it possible to photograph the dark side of
the moon and to talk with the first cosmonaut while he was orbiting the Earth.
On of the wonders og our age is the “electronic brain”, or giant calculating
mashine, which can to some extent duplicste human sences. The desk computer is
expected to function as your personal librarian, to carry out simple optimization
computations, to control your budget or diet, play several hundred games, etc.
further development of the computer is bellieved to lead to a situation in
which most of the knowledge accepted by mankind will be stored in the computers
and made accessible to anyone with the home computers. It is natural that the
advent of minicomputers with extensive memories and possibilities will lead to
a new higher level in information culture. Among other things, we shall be able
to organise educational process in the country’s colleges and universities and
also in the system of school education on a new basic. Knowledge is the most
valuable wealth, and minicomputers will help us to make it accessible for
everyone. Agrycultiral sientists develop better varietives of plants. The
development of antibiotics and other drugs has helped to control many diseases.
Studies in anatomy and physiology have let to amazing surgical operations and
the inventions of lifesaving mashines, that can do the work of such organs as
heart, lungs and so on. Nuclear fission when a tremendous amount if energy is
setting free is very important discovery.
Science
improved the living standarts, communications, promoted contact between people
and government, knowledge and culture, made it possible to discover and develop
new sources of energy, made it possible to prolong man’s life.
But
science also has some disadvantages. It produces mass culture: painting, music,
literature. Some scientific inventions increase the ecological problems,
provide with new diseases like AIDS, increased the danger of violent death.
The
greatest scientists were very persistent and were sure in their success. Even
without any serious education they made great inventions. Even during times of
disappointing experiments and unacknowledgement by other scientists, they
didn’t give up and went on working out theories. Also they were always ready
to begin everything from the very beginning. They worked a lot, and this work
wasn’t for money.
The
aim, the main object of the greatest scientists of all times was always to find
out the trith and no personal prejudices can be allowed. So the science grows
and prospers and is the engine of progress.
The
problem of learning languages very important today. Foreign languages are
socially demanded especially at the present time when the progress in science
and technology has led to an explosion of knowledge and has contributed to an
overflow of information. The total knowledge of mankind is known to double
every seven years. Foreign languages are needed as the main and the most
efficient means of information exchange of the people of our planet.
Today
English is the language of the world. Over 300 million people speak it as
mother tongue. The native speakers of English live in Great Britain, the United
States of America, Australia and New Zealand. English is one of the official
languages in the Irish Republic, Canada, the South African Republic. As the
second language it is used in the former British and US colonies.
It
is not only the national or the official language of some thirty states which
represents different cultures, but it is also the major international language
for communication in such areas as science, technology, business and mass
entertainment. English is one of the official languages of the United Nations
Organisation and other political organisations. It is the language of
literature, education, modern music, international tourism.
Russia
is integrating into the world community and the problem of learning English for
the purpose of communication is especially urgent today.
When
learning a foreign language you learn the culture and history of the native speakers.