Mathematics

Before you read Discuss these questions with your partner. Is it important to study physics, chemistry and В Reading 1 biology? Why / Why not? How do scientists in your country get support The Russian Academy to conduct their research? of Sciences (RAS) В A Vocabulary In 1724, Peter the Great established the Academy Find a synonym in the box for the words of Sciences as part of his push for reform to or phrases in green in the sentences below. strengthen Russia. He wished to make the country as economically and politically independent as possible and he was aware of how important establish reform scientific thought, along with education and expedition atlas culture, was to this. However, unlike other foreign naturalist headquarters organisations at that time, the Academy was a prestigious supervise state institution, which Peter intended should offer scientists from any country the opportunity to do their research in complete freedom, as well as 1 The researchers need to start a new providing the opportunity for students to study laboratory. under these famous people. The Academy officially 2 A scientist's job is often considered to have opened in 1725. respect and give you influence. Over the next three decades, work was done in many fields, among them, work on electricity and 3 There is a need for improvements in our magnetism theory. Research enabled the society. development of mining, metallurgy, and other 4 The journey to explore and do scientific branches of Russian industry. Work was done in research was made in 1872. geodesy and cartography and 1745 saw the first atlas of Russia created. 5 Look up this city in the book of maps. From its earliest days, the Academy carried out mathematical research, which added greatly to the 6 Could you manage the people on this development of calculus, hydrodynamics, project? mechanics, optics, astronomy, and made discoveries in various fields, such as chemistry, Z He's a person who studies animals and physics and geology. In addition, expeditions in plants 1733-1742 and 1760-1770 helped contribute to the 8 The central office can be found in Moscow. discovery of Russia's natural resources. The 19th century was a time of many more contributions from the Academv. The Academv's

108 Macmillan Guide to Science Unit 21 Mathematics naturalists were involved in voyages of discovery, Pronunciation guide including that of F.F. Bellingshausen and M.P. Lazarev in 1820, when Antarctica was discovered. geodesy /d^i:lai:desi/ In the fields of mathematics and physics, progress hydrodynamics /.haidrodai'nasmiks/ was furthered by N.I. Lobachevskv and his theory metallurgy /me'tasl3d3i/ of non-Euclidean geometry as well as by P.L. Chebyshev who made progress in the field of В В Comprehension probability, statistics and Number Theory. Other notable achievements were the invention of the Read the text and decide if the following radio, the creation of the periodic table of the statements are true or false. chemical elements, the discovery of viruses and 1 Peter the Great set up educational T • the cell mechanisms of immunity. In the 1890s and cultural centres. F • and early 1900s, I.P. Pavlov carried out experiments which resulted in the discovery of 2 The Academy was unusual in TO classical conditioning or conditioned reflexes. not being a private interest. F О Clearly, throughout the 18th and 19th centuries 3 The 19th century was a time T • and into the 20th century, the Russian Academy of numerous expeditions to FQ led the way in Russian science. find Antarctica.

th In 1925, the name of the Academy changed to the 4 In the 20 century, the Academy T • Academy of Sciences of the USSR. One of the changed name several times and F • achievements of the Academy was to help set up moved its central office. scientific research centres in all Soviet republics. 5 Nowadays, members are obliged to TO The Academy also gave scientists the opportunity communicate via the Internet. F • to work and study in different parts of the USSR and abroad. In 1934, its headquarters were moved to Moscow. At that time, it had 25 member institutions. The Academy continued to grow, Before you listen reaching a high point of 260 member institutions. Discuss these questions with your partner. In 1991, after the breakup of the USSR, the What do scientists do? Academy's name was changed to the Russian Do you think it is difficult to be a scientist? Academy of Sciences (RAS). Why / Why not? Today, the RAS supervises the research of a large Would you like to be a scientist? Why / group of institutions within Russia which focus on Why not? different research areas, including philosophy, botany, anthropology, palaeontology and archaeology as well as nuclear physics, В С Listening *))) astrophysics, mathematics, computer engineering You will hear part of a talk about a and many others. A special Internet system, called famous Russian physicist. Listen and the Russian Space Science Internet (RSSI), which complete the sentences. links over 3000 members, has also been set up. 1 As a child, Dr Landau was a mathematical Becoming a member of the RAS is not easy. Only scientific researchers who have done outstanding 2 He became a university student when he work or who have great potential are chosen to was years old. become members. 3 Dr Landau worked both in Russia and Last but not least, the RAS gives awards to members who have made significant discoveries. Its highest award is the Lomonosov Medal, named after the 4 Dr Landau won the Nobel Prize in outstanding Russian scientist, writer and polymath of the 18th century. Many RAS award winners have 5 One of the Moon's, . is named later gone on to be awarded prestigious Nobel Prizes. after him.

Macmillan Gui de to Science Unit 16 109 Mathematics Before you read Discuss this question with your partner. Do you think it is a good idea to award prizes to scientists for their work? Why / Why not?

В D Vocabulary Match these words with their definitions.

1 superfluidity A being able to transmit electrical current without resistance at very low or high temperatures 2 laser В something which does not follow the normal pattern

3 violence С material that can transmit The Russian Academy of Sciences (or the USSR electricity but not as well Academy of Sciences, as it was called before as metal 1991), played a major part in all their careers. 4 exception D branch of electronics With one exception, all were members of the involving devices dealing Academy, carrying out their research and with electromagnetic publishing their findings with the radiation Academy's support. 5 semiconductor E characteristic of matter 1956 In 1956, Nikolay N. Semyonov was the which can flow endlessly first Russian to receive a Nobel Prize for without resistance Chemistry for his research into the mechanism of chemical reactions. He was trained as a physicist 6 heterostructure F when there is just one and chemist. During his career, working alone or boundary between with other distinguished scientists like Pyotr L. material that can Kapitsa, he made many important discoveries and transmit electricity contributions to chemistry and physics. In 1931, Z optoelectronics G angry physical force Semyonov became the first director of the 8 superconductor H device that produces Institute of Chemical Physics of the Academy and intense, concentrated was also one of the founders of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT). beam of light 1958 The collaboration of Pavel A. Cherenkov, Igor Y. Tamra and Dya M. Frank resulted in the В Reading 2 discovery and description of the Cherenkov- Vavilov effect, a phenomenon which is very important in nuclear physics. For their work they Russian Nobel Prize received the Nobel Prize in 1958. All three of the scientists were professors at universities and the winners in Physics Academy's institutes and greatly influenced future and Chemistry generations of scientists. 1962 After receiving his doctoral degree from Because of its long history of supporting scientific Leningrad University at the exceptionally young research and education, Russia has produced a age of 19, Lev D. Landau went on to study abroad. number of internationally recognised leaders in When he returned to Russia, he became head of physics and chemistry. two of the Academy's institutes. Like Semyonov,

NO Macmillan Guide to Science Unit 21 Mathematics he was also involved in founding the MIPT. He Pronunciation guide received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1962, for his phenomenological theory of superfluidity in helium Ahi:liam/ helium. heterostructures /hetsrsu'strAktJbz/ superfluidity /suipafluidsti/ 1964 Nikolay G. Basov and Aleksandr M. Prokhorov worked together on a project which led B to the development of the laser and their E Comprehension receiving the 1964 Nobel Prize. Both worked at Read the text and answer the questions the Lebedev Institute of Physics (Basov was the in your own words. Director from 1973-1988) and also taught at 1 How many Nobel Prize winners were universities. Even though Prokhorov never members of the Academy? became a member of the Academy, the Academy's General Physics Institute was renamed the 2 Which scientists were among those who A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute in founded the Moscow Institute of Physics his honour. and Technology? 3 Which scientists, apart from Lev Landau, had 19 / (S Pyotr L. Kapitsa went to England after he things or places named after them? had completed his studies at Petrograd Polytechnic Institute. He studied at Cambridge 4 Which scientists left the country to further and also worked on various projects there. He their studies? returned to Russia in 1934 and continued his 5 Who was the director of the Academy's career there. He was also one of the founders of Physics Institute before Vitaly Ginsburg? the MIPT. In addition, Kapitsa was a member of the Soviet National Committee of the Pugwash movement, a group of international scientists who Before you . listen wanted to use science for the good of humankind Discuss these questions with your partner. and not for violence and war. Kapitsa won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1978, for his work on What does the Nobel Prize represent? low-temperature physics. Why do you think it's such a prestigious award? 2000 Zhores I. Alferov has been active in physics since graduating from the H F Listening H))) Electrotechnical Institute in Leningrad. He received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2000, for Listen to an interview where a the development of the semiconductor commentator is talking about the Nobel Prize. Then answer the questions. heterostructures used in high-speed electronics and optoelectronics. 1 According to Bradford, what is the greatest reward for winning a Nobel Prize? 2003 More recently, Russian Nobel Prize A the money winners in 2003 were Vitaly L. Ginsburg and В the medal Alexei A. Abrikosov. Ginsburg, who holds a С the certificate doctoral degree from Moscow State University, D the honour became the director of the Academy's Physics Institute after Igor Tamm. Ginsburg was 2 How are people nominated for the Prizes? influenced by Landau, with whom he had worked, A Alfred Nobel chooses them. and by Tamm, who had been his teacher. Alexei В The committee chooses one of Abrikosov was educated at Moscow State their friends. University. He worked at the Landau Institute for С Institutions suggest people who have Theoretical Physics for over 20 years (1965-1988) done outstanding work. and also taught at Moscow State University during D They are voted for. that time. They received the Nobel Prize for 3 Why did Alfred Nobel decide to set up the Physics for pioneering contributions to the theory Nobel Prizes? of superconductors and superfluids. A He didn't know what to do with his money.

Macmillan Guide to Science Unit 21 I Mathematics

В He wanted to do some good with Remember to: his money. • maintain eye contact with your audience С He wanted to help scientists only. D He wanted to show people how rich l glance at your notes, don't read from them he was. • take your time 4 How much money did Alfred Nobel give to set up the Prizes? Speaking tip A more than $400,000 • Focus on important information. В more than $400,000,000 С more than $40,000 D more than $4,000,000 5 Which is true about the Nobel Prize winners? A Most of them are women. 0 H Writing В Most of them are men. Write an article on the history of the С They must be European. Nobel Prize and give some examples of D They must be young. scientists who have won it. Read text 2 6 There is NO Nobel Prize for again and listen to exercise F again if A literature necessary. Use this plan to help you. В physics С peace D mathematics PARAGRAPH 1 Explain what the Nobel prize is and give a brief history of it. В G Speaking Discuss these questions with PARAGRAPH 2/3 your partner. Give two or three examples of Russian scientists who have won the Nobel Prize for What are some of the goals of the Russian physics and chemistry and explain why they Academy of Sciences? won it. Which achievement do you consider Has the Academy of Sciences been to be the most important one? Why? successful in achieving its goals? Give examples to support your view. PARAGRAPH 4 Sum up by saying what the prize represents and that many Russian scientists have been Task proud receivers. Give a two-minute summary of the history, goals and achievements of the Use a formal register (no short forms). Russian Academy of Sciences. Use the Use conjunctions (eg furthermore, however, information in both texts. because of, etc). Talk about: • the history of the RAS - when founded / where / by whom; growth throughout Write 200-250 words. USSR; work now continued by the RAS • goals of the RAS - support scientific research; share knowledge with others, etc • examples of the Academy's success - talk about one or two of the Nobel Prize winners: name / prize won and year / scientific achievements / education / where he worked / something special about him

112 Macmillan Guide to Science Unit 21 Units 17 to 21

S 111 с 0 L A Use the clues to complete a the crossword. 1 v Across 1 material that can transmit electricity but not as well С as metal 6 a laser is a that i n produces a beam of light 10 not pay attention to с 11 something which can be understood m 12 a system of rules and procedures followed in a field of study 3 a science involved with the practices of machines and living things 4 signs used in maths Down 5 amazing 1 material that can transmit electricity without 7 the most important resistance at very low or high temperatures 8 a three-dimensional, square shape 2 the science and technology of metals 9 and output

В Complete the sentences with words 1С Circle the correct answer. wfro m the box. 1 is a branch of electronics involving devices for matrices infinitesimal electromagnetic radiation. spatial goal A Optoelectronics В Cartography acceleration vast С Hydrodynamics approximation palaeontology 2 is the quality of matter I coordinate tangent which allows it to flow easily even at temperatures close to zero. 1 Leibniz realised linear equations in algebra A Geodesy В Superfluidity С Prosperity could be arranged into 3 Work that is done jointly is 2 One kind of line that touches another is A transversal В collaborative a С indispensable 3 means being close to zero. 4 A person who studies plants and animals is a 4 A amount of knowledge exists in the sciences. A councillor В chief magistrate С naturalist 5 Geometry helps people solve 5 A job gives you respect problems - those which relate to and influence. physical space. A prestigious В diverse С established 6 A is a number that identifies 6 in a drawing makes it a position relative to a straight line. look real. A Aspect В Perspective С Culture Z If you have a you need to 2 calculus is the area of work hard to achieve it. maths used to determine areas, volumes 8 It was (a)n it wasn't exact. and lengths. 9 The rate of was very fast. A Differential В Integral С Chord 10 She studies - the forms of 8 You can make a(n) or a loss. life in prehistoric times. A adjustment В exception С profit

Macmillan Guide to Science Revision Vocabulary I 13