Active Vocabulary.

augment	rapid
boundless	supervision
by connotation	thereby
complete	to refer to
distinctly	to rely on
governor	wartime
internally

2. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the origin of the word “cybernetics”?

2. Who was the first to use the word “cybernetics”?

3. What does Norbert Wiener’s book deal with?

4. What sciences must the discipline “cybernetics” rely on?

5. Should we distinguish between computers and calculators before studying computer system?

6. What does the term “calculator” refer to?

7. What operations can a calculator perform?

8. Are the operations performed by a computer very complicated?

 

3. Reconstruct the text “Cybernetics” into a dialogue.

The main rules governing a conversation in English:

The person who asks questions in a conversation usually controls it. Personal questions should be expressed tactfully.

Add new phrases to the previous ones:

Let’s be realistic about this plan/suggestion, etc.

I / we / you have got to think of other sides of this problem as well.

I think it would be reasonable / well-grounded / good, etc. if we discussed your suggestion in detail.

That’s completely irrelevant/off the point. We’re talking about another problem.

Perhaps we could go back to the main point.

Could you stick to the subject/point, please?

That’s very interesting, but I don’t think it’s really to the point.

 

4. Annotate the text in English. Use the phrases:

I.

a) The title of the article is...
It is written by prof... and published in London in the
journal..., No.3, vol.4, 2011	on pp.3-10
magazine..., No.3, vol.4, 2011
collection of articles... by... editorial house in 2011
book... by... editorial house in 2011
b) The article... by prof... is published in the journal..., in N.Y., pp.5-10.

II.

a) The article	deals with	the problem of...
	discusses
	touches
	discloses
	is devoted to
The text tells us about...
b) Disclosing the problem the author dwells on (upon) such matters as...
The major	points
	matters	of the text are the following:...
	problems
	issues
c) The author	pays special attention to …
	draws readers’ attention to …
Much	attention is paid to...
Great
Special
The author	concentrates on, focuses on
	stresses, underlines, emphasises
	points out
	dwells on (upon)
	distinguishes between
	speaks in details
	gives the classification

III.

a) As far as I am an expert in... I
consider	the article to be of some (great) interest for …
believe
suppose
think
guess
b)	In my opinion	the article is of	great some	interest for
	the specialists in...
	a wide range of readers

5. Discuss the statements given below:

That’s right.

Exactly. Certainly.

I fully agree to it.

I don’t think so. This is not the case.

It’s wrong, I am afraid. Quite the reverse.

The definition is inappropriate.

 

1. Cybernetics is the means of studying the analogues existing between machines and living creatures.

2. Cybernetics is the fantastic world of the future peopled by robots and electronic brains.

3. Cybernetics is the Queen of sciences.

4. The cyberneticians today turned their attention to the study of the higher cerebral functions and intricacies of intelligence.

 

Writing

Write a composition on “The contribution of cybernetics to a wide range of fields in human activity”.

Use the plan:

a) modification of human mentality and scientific thinking;

b) acceleration of scientific and technological progress;

c) modernization and updating of industry;

d) restructure of the management system;

e) crash changes in economy to double productive output;

f) implementation of large-scale integrated program in the strategic areas;

g) application of intensive technologies in agriculture;

h) advance in socio-economic development of the society;

i) all-embracing international security system building.

Extended reading