Serendipity. Serendipitous Discoveries
Text II
X. Continue the following sentences and use them in your brief summary.
IX. Give three examples of accidental discoveries and three examples of induced discoveries.
For example: The lightning rod by Benjamin Franklin is an induced discovery and X rays by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen is an accidental one.
1. Invention is …
2. Hard mental work and one or more discoveries precede …
3. Any discovery can be of two types …
4. Today most modern inventions and discoveries take place …
5. That’s why it’s difficult …
After reading this text you will learn:
- the difference between the terminsight and serendipity;
- 6 serendipitous discoveries.
I. Here are two ways of discovering something new:
Insight – озарение, инсайт.
Serendipity– счастливая случайность (когда ученый пытается открыть одно, а случайно по ходу работы открывает другое, и это другое открытие становится сенсационным).
II. Answer the following questions:
1. What scientific discoveries or inventions have had great influence on our life? 2. What precedes every discovery? 3. Who and what are involved in the process of discovery something new? 4. What inventions can be called insight? 5. What inventions are considered to be serendipitous?
III. Learn the following words:
| Word | Transcription | Translation |
| Absent-minded | ["xbsqnt'mQIndId] | Рассеянный |
| Spread | [spred] | Распространение |
| Cause | [kLz] | Причина |
| To depend on | [dI'pend] | Зависеть |
| Safety | ['seIftI] | Безопасность |
| Defence | [dI'fens] | Оборона |
| Non-stick frying pan | ["nPn'stIk 'frQIIN pxn] | Непригораемая сковорода |
| Plastic coating | ['plxstIk kqutIN] | Пластиковое покрытие |
| Equipment | [Ik'wIpmqnt] | Оборудование |
| Unaffected | [An'IfektId] | Неподверженный |
| Slippery | ['slIpqrI] | Скользкий |
| Vehicle | ['vJkl] | Транспортное средство |
| Pattern | ['pxt(q)n] | Образец |
| To taste | [teIst] | Попробовать |
| By-product | ["bQI 'prPdAkt] | Побочный продукт |
| Substitute | ['sAbstItjHt] | Заменитель |
| Rubber | ['rAbq] | Резина |
| Apparent | [q'pxrnt] | Очевидный |
| To chew | [CH] | Жевать |
| Available | [q'veIlqbl] | Доступный |
| Artificial | ["RtI'fISl] | Искусственный |
| Stick-on note | ["stIk"Pn 'nquts] | Стикер |
| Adhesive | [qd'hJsIv] | Склеивающее вещество |
| Glue | [glH] | Клей |
| Substance | ['sAbstqns] | Вещество |
| To mark | [mRk] | Оставлять следы, помечать |
| Surface | ['sWfIs] | Поверхность |
| Choir | [kwQIq] | Хор |
| Slip of paper | ["slIpqv'peIpq] | Закладка |
| Similar | ['sImIlq] | Подобный |
IV. Read the following words correctly:
Technology [tek'nPlqGI], pneumonia [njH'mqunIq], penicillin ["penI'sIlIn], technique [tek'nIk], radar ['reIdR], artificial ["RtI'fISl] sweeteners ['swJtnq], chewing-gum ['CHIN gAm].
V. Choose between accident ['xksIdqnt] and incident ['InsIdqnt].
1. He was killed in an … .2. Diana got into acting by …. 3. One in seven … is caused by sleepy drivers. 4. The demonstration passed off without …. 5. It was by pure … that we did it. 6. One particular … sticks in my mind. 7. All the newspapers wrote about the shooting …in Lebanon. 8. We were sitting at the table recalling different amusing … and laughing. 9. It was sheer … that we met. 10 The police are searching the people who witnessed the yesterday’s hit-and-run ….