Vocabulary

1. Read the following and find Russian equivalents of the word combinations in bold.

Does dark matter encircle Earth and heat up the gas giants?

Dark matter is five times as abundant as normal matter in the universe. But it continues to be an enigma because it is invisible and nearly always passes right through normal matter. Astronomers only found out about dark matter by inferring its presence from the gravity it exerts – notably, it keeps spinning galaxies from flying apart. Rather than peering at distant galaxies to study it, though, astronomers might want to look closer to home: dark matter could be exerting measurable effects in our own solar system. Specifically, investigators should target Earth and the moon. If the mass of Earth and the moon when measured together seems greater than their masses separately, the difference could be attributed to a halo of dark matter in between. This conclusion is reached in part after examining studies that measured the mass of the moon with lunar orbiters and that of Earth with the LAGEOS geodetic survey satellites. Lasers fired at the satellites reveal the radius of each satellite's orbit and how long each takes to complete that orbit. From such measurements, scientists can calculate the gravitational pull on the satellites and, hence, the amount of mass exerting that pull.

2. Translate the following sentences.

1. The early quark soup phase probably holds the secret to why the universe today contains mostly matter rather than both matter and antimatter.

2. Rather than performing serial calculations like a digital processor, Lyric Semiconductor's probability-processing technology includes a circuit design that the company says performs probability calculations in parallel, taking up less space and using less power. 3. Because our ability to increase our horizons is expanding exponentially rather than linearly we can anticipate a dramatic century of accelerating change ahead.

4. But a different type of supernova – the thermonuclear explosion of a star triggered by accretion, rather than by gravitational collapse – would still take place.

5. A different type of supernova – the thermonuclear explosion of a star triggered by accretion, rather than by gravitational collapse – would still take place.

LESSON 8

Subjunctive mood

PART I

Grammar

General

1. Read the text.

In some respects, the story of our universe resembles a Hollywood action movie. Several physicists have argued that a slight change to one of the laws of physics would cause some disaster that would disrupt the normal evolution of the universe and make our existence impossible. For example, if the strong nuclear force that binds together atomic nuclei had been slightly stronger or weaker, stars would have forged very little of the carbon and other elements that seem necessary to form planets, let alone life. If the proton were just 0.2 percent heavier than it is, all primordial hydrogen would have decayed almost immediately into neutrons, and no atoms would have formed. The list goes on.

2. Answer the questions.

1. Are the situations in sentences with parts in bold real or unreal (possible/impossible, desirable)?

2. What grammar is used to show that the situations are unreal?

3. Read the following passages.

A

By their very name, the fundamental forces sound like indispensable features of any self-respecting universe. Without the strong nuclear force to bind quarks into protons and neutrons and those into atomic nuclei, matter as we know it would not exist. Without the electromagnetic force, there would be no light; there would also be no atoms and no chemical bonds. Without gravity, there would be no force to coalesce matter into galaxies, stars and planets.

B

This marks a profound gap in our understanding, for if the value of some of these parameters had been even slightly different, the nuclear processes that power stars would likely have been disrupted, and without stars the universe would be a very different place. Whatever the dark matter is, it must interact weakly with ordinary matter; otherwise it would have shown itself in other ways.

4. Answer the questions.

1. Do the situations in parts A and B refer to the present or past?

2. What grammar is used to show that the situation refers to the present / past?

5. Choose the correct word in italics to complete the rules.

а) We use simple / perfect form of the Infinitive after modal verbs would, should, could, might to describe unreal situation in the present.

b) We use simple / perfect form of the Infinitive after modal verbs to describe unreal situation in the past.

6. Translate passages A and B.

Subj. Mood vs. Future-in-the Past

1. Remember that the verb would can be also used to form the Future-in the Past.

2. Translate the sentences paying attention to the form of predicates (the Subjunctive Mood or the Future-in-the past).

1. During the 1980s, many analysts thought industrial robotics would take off.

2. In 2003, Time magazine organized a "Future of Life" conference celebrating the 50th anniversary of Watson and Crick's discovery of the structure of DNA. All the speakers - myself included - were asked what we thought the next 50 years would bring.

3. As children, many of us were assured that we would one day live in a world of technological marvels. Films, television, books and World's Fairs promised that the twilight of the 20th century and the dawn of the 21st would be an era of helpful robot servants, flying jet cars, moon colonies, easy space travel, undersea cities, wrist videophones, paper clothes, disease-free lives and, oh, yes, the 20-hour work week.

4. The resulting enhancement of capabilities, combined with expanded processing power and storage, allows today’s robots to do things such as vacuum a room or help to defuse a roadside bomb – tasks that would have been impossible for commercially produced machines just a few years ago.

5. At that time one of the critics argued that it would be cheaper to invest the money and use the interest to human calculators.

6. Democritus proclaimed that you would come upon what he called atoms, from the Greek for "uncuttable."

7. For example, our universe contains overwhelmingly more matter than antimatter, but a small adjustment to the parameter that controls this asymmetry is enough to ensure that the big bang nucleosynthesis would leave behind a substantial amount of deuterium nuclei.

8. We need not assume that in order to create a mind on a computer it would be sufficient to program it in such a way that it behaves like a human in all situations, including passing the Turing test.

9. When we first proposed those experiments more than 25 years ago, I had expected that within a decade we would have the answer.

10. Any attempt to proscribe such technologies will not only deprive human society of profound benefits, but will drive these technologies underground, which would make the dangers worse.

Subj. Mood with require, suggest, insist, etc.

1. Read the sentences.

1. Einstein's general theory of relativity requires that all forms of energy (should) exert gravity. 2. Queen Elizabeth ordered that the good ship be carefully kept as a relic of Drake’s wonderful voyage.

3. It is especially important that baby get enough fat.

4. The expectations for the fifth generation systems seem to require that substantially new architectures be evolved, and that both hardware and software be freed from the limitations of the von Neumann architecture [Sharp 1985].

5. In the weakless universe, the usual fusing of protons to form helium would be impossible, because it requires that two of the protons convert into neutrons.

6. Science is systematic rigorous and methodical, requiring that tests be repeated so that results can be verified.

7. Some estimates suggest that this would represent a fairly large environmental release of radioactivity.

8. A deeper understanding of the structure of matter at the atomic level requires that measures be made with even greater precision.

9. Lowel suggested that we put a brunch of particles in the stratosphere.

10. This led early string theorists to propose that string theory be applied not as a theory of hadronic particles, but as a theory of quantum gravity.

11. It was supposed that there be a gravitation predicted by string theory.

2. Answer the question.

1. Do such words as: