2018-03-09
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Be rational: if you are not prepared to challenge your view about a subject, you should not be studying at university. You should be reared to follow your reason, wherever it takes you.
Be open-minded: one of the great opportunities of studying at university in a foreign country is to broaden your perspective. As Socrates himself said,” I’m a citizen not of Athens, but of the world’ follow the logic to get the truth.
Be radical: do not be afraid to adopt controversial positions if you believe them to be right. Just because a view is unpopular, or is different to what the majority think, does not make it wrong. What makes it wrong is if it the lacks evidence. After all, the ideas of Darwin and Einstein were once ridiculed.
Activation
Read the following passage and highlight any assertion which you feel can be challenged. In each case, explain why.
Students from countries which can broadly be said to have a ‘Confucian system’ (particularly China, Japan and South Korea) have difficulty with critical thinking because of the academic cultures found in these countries. I have taught many people from this part of the world, and they always seem to have difficulties. Clearly, therefore, your mother tongue is also an important factor. In my opinion, French and German speakers also have significant problems in this respect. Recent research (e.g., Smith, 2001; Barton2004) indicates that it is not only overseas students who have problems with critical thinking, but British as well.This research is supported by www.criticalthinkingcourses.com.
1 Examine your essay and highlight any unimportant or weak arguments.
2. Consider whether you yourself have any particular bias (e.g., political, national, cultural) which may influence either your reading or writing.
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3. If you decide you have, consider how you can reduce this bias, or at least minimize it.
How can we read more efficiently?
‘Reading is thinking with someone else’s head instead of one’s own.’
Arthur Schopenhauer
What specific strategies can improve reading skills?
In trying to develop reading skills, there are four key areas which students should try to improve: understanding, flexibility, speed and comprehension. Greater understanding comes through more active involvement in the text. It is imperative to examine the text analytically-whether autobiography, academic essay or newspaper article. Increased flexibility from not slavishly following the linear order of the text, but by adapting your reading strategies accordingly (e.g., reading the conclusion first).Turning to the issue of speed, focusing on the content-carrying words of the language, and reading in cluster of words (i.e., two-,three-and four-word phrases) can be beneficial. Finally, greater comprehension can be realized by focusing more on your prediction skills and your general understanding of the English language, and less time on your electronic dictionary.
Unit II
The Global Language
Task 1:
Read an extract from David Crystal’s well-known book “English as a Global Language” Translate it into Russian.
The Right Place at the Right Time.
What are we to include, after this wide-ranging review of the way English has come to be used in the modern world? Is there a common theme which can help us explain the remarkable growth of this language? The evidence is that it is a language which has repeatedly found itself in the right place at the right time.
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries English was the language of the leading colonial nation-Britain. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries it was the language of the leader of the industrial revolution-also Britain. In the nineteenth century and the early twentieth it was the language of the leading economic power-the USA. As a result, when new technologies brought new linguistic opportunities, English emerged as a first-rate language in industries which affected all aspects of society-the press advertising, broadcasting, motion pictures, sound recording, transport and communications. At the same time, the world was forging fresh networks of international alliances, and there emerged an unprecedented need for lingua franca. Here too, there was a clear first choice. During the first half of the twentieth century English gradually became a leading language of international political, academic, and community meetings.
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By the 1960s the pre-eminence of the language was established, but it could not at that time have been described as a genuine world language. Since then, however, two events have together ensured its global status. The first was the movement towards political independence, out of which English emerged as a language with special status in several new countries. In most of these, the role of English had come to be so fundamental that no other language could compete, when the moment of independence arrived. The other event was the electronic revolution, where here too English was in the right place (the USA) and the right time (the 1970s).
The development of twentieth-century computers has been almost entirely an American affair. As Michael Specter puts it, in his New York Times article: “The Internet started in the United States, and the computer hackers whose reality has always been virtual, are almost all Americans. By the time the net spread, its linguistic patterns - like its principal architecture and best software -were all Made in the USA”. Although computer languages are not like natural languages, being very restricted, they have inevitably been greatly influenced by the mother tongue of the programmers - and this has largely been English. The first computer operating systems automatically used English vocabulary and syntax, as can be seen in such instructions as “Press any key when ready” and “Volume in Drive B has no label.” These are examples for MS (Microsoft) DOS; the system developed in 1977 by US computer entrepreneurs. The more recent operating systems replacing DOS, have displayed English influence too, though alternatives in a few other languages are now available(where the commercial advantages have justified the development costs, as in French and German).And it seems likely that the influence of English will remain, as programs become increasingly sophisticated and allow users to make more natural-sounded commands.
It is difficult to predict the future, with something so dynamic as the Internet. In a few generations’ time, the Net will not be like anything we know today. Automatic speech synthesis and recognition will be routine, and more use will be made of automatic translation. The arrival of high-quality immediate translation facilities will have a major impact on the use of English (or any lingua franca) on the Net; but these are a long way off. For the near future, it is difficult to foresee any developments which could eliminate the significant role of English on the information superhighway. The biggest potential setback to English as a global language, it has been said with more than a little irony, would have taken place a generation ago-if Bill Gates had grown up speaking Chinese.
Task2:
Answer the questions based on text.
1. How did English develop in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries?
2. How did Britain contribute to English becoming the world language?
3. How did America?
4. In which areas of life did English emerge as a first-rank language?
5. Which two events ensured the global status of English?
6. How did the movement towards political independence contribute to h special status of English?
7. What impact did electronic revolution make on further promotion of English?
8. Why has the Internet been so influential to the future of English?
Task 3:
Discussing points:
1. David Crystal often uses the phrase”lingua franca.” Macmillan Dictionary defines”lingua franca” as a language people use to communicate when they have different first languages. Show justification that English is a lingua franca.
2. In his book “English as a Global Language” D.Crystal writes: “If Bill Gates had grown up speaking Chinese the future of English would have been different.” How do you understand this? Give your comments.
Task 4:
Read the text below about the English language and do the tasks that follow:
English is losing its political and cultural associations and becoming the property of all cultures. Over 70 countries in the world use English as the official or semi-official language, and in 20 more English occupies an important position. It is the main foreign language taught within most school systems. Worldwide, many newspapers are published in English and it is the language of much radio and television broadcasting. English is the language of international business, the main language of airports, air traffic control and international shipping. It is the language of science, technology and medicine, and it is estimated that two thirds of all scientific papers today are first published in English. It is the language of diplomacy and sports; it is one of the working languages of the United Nations and the language used by International Olympic Committee, International pop culture and advertising are also dominated by English.70% of the world mail is written in English, and 80% of all information in electronic retrieval systems is stored in English.
Task 5:
Choose the most appropriate title for the text.
1. Learning English
2. Working with English
3. A World Language
4. Language Sandwich.
Task 6:
Find the answers to the questions on the text.
1. How many countries use English as the official or semi-official language?
2. In how many countries is English important?
3. How many of all scientific papers are first published in English?
How much of all the information stored in electronic retrieval systems is in English?
Task 7:
Talk about it:
1. English is becoming a world language. Is this good news for every one, or can it cause problems?
2. Some French in Quebec want independence from English-speaking Canada. The Basque language (Euskera) was banned by the Spanish government; after a long struggle, it was accepted as an official language in 1980.Why do people care so much about their own language? Would you fight for the right to speak your language?
3. In some countries people are getting angry about the use of English words in their own language. For example some French do not like le marketing, le stress and le fast food in their language. How do feel about this? Does it matter?
4. Can you think of any examples of English words which have become part of your language?
5. How often do you come across English in your daily life?
Task 8:
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Give a 5-minute speech on the topic “My view of Global English”
Task 9:
Here is a list of statements. Agree or disagree with them. Give reasons for your answer.
1. Most people are happy to give up their own language and learn a world language.
2. Latin used to be a lingua franca, just like English is nowadays.
3. Everybody is pleased about the rise of English.
4. Multilingualism is a dangerous thing.
5. If your language dies out, you lose an important part of your culture.
Task 10:
Below are some famous quotations on the English language and language in general. Choose one or two to your liking and comment on it (them).
1.”English is a language on which the sun never sets”
Randolph Quirk
2.”England and America are the two countries separated by a common language.”
George Bernard Show
3. “If we spoke a different language, we would perceive a somewhat different world.”
Ludwig Wittgenstein
Task11:
Debates
Organize the debates on one or both of the following issues. Give arguments “for” and “against”
1. All people should speak English.
2. Chinese is a “lingua franca” of the future.
Task 12:
Write an essay on one of the following:
1. Describe a language situation in your country. Is there more than one official language? Are there many different dialects? Are there any social or political problems connected with languages?
2. What would it be like if everyone in the world spoke the same language? What would be better or easier? Would you lose anything?
Unit III.
The Language of Politics
Task 1:
Think of the relationships between politics and language. What is the role of language for politics and vice versa-the role of politics in language?
Task 2:
Read the text and prepare to do the tasks that follow. Translate it into Russian.
Political language is powerful; it is persuasive. As its best political language inspires people and challenges them to make a difference, offering the hope that in working together we can create a better world. Over fifty years ago President John F. Kennedy energized a nation by exhorting its citizens to “ask not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for your country.” And we have heard stories of how, with powerful words, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill rallied their nations to defeat Nazi Germany during World War II and how Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela championed nonviolence in leading the fight against aggression and racism in India, America, and South Africa.
But political language can be abused. At its worst, political language can be deliberately manipulated to mislead, deceive, or cover up. In the wake of the war in Vietnam, the Watergate scandal and the subsequent resignation of President Nixon, the Iran-Contra affair, and the Clinton- Lewinsky scandal, Americans have grown cynical about their political leaders’ promises and programs. As presidential campaigns seem to get started earlier and earlier, we are fed a daily diet of political language. Political speech saturates the American media. In daily newspapers and on the evening news we listen to fiery sound bites and seemingly spontaneous one-liners-presented as though they contained an entire argument or philosophy. Our politicians are savvy about the time constrains in news media, and their speechwriters make sure that long speeches have at least a few headline-grabbing quotes that might win them wide, albeit brief, coverage. But in the end, we are left wondering what we can believe and who we trust.
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Task3:
Answer the questions based on the text
1. Why does the author think that political language is powerful and persuasive? How does he support his view?
2. What famous quotation by J. Kennedy does the author cite?
3. Which other persuasive and verbally powerful politicians does he mention?
4. What reverse or dark sides of political language does the author name?
5. Which events in American politics revealed the dark side of political language?
6. How do presidential campaigns and American media reflect the political language?
7. What kind of effect do the speechwriters make on readers?
Task4:
Tell the class which political speech you liked most. Why? How much did the language contribute to your liking?
Unit IV.
The Challenging English Language
Task1:
Do you think language is a powerful means of influencing people? Give your reasons.
Task 2:
Read the text “The Power of Language” and prepare to do the tasks that follow
The Power of Language
What interested me most about some of the ideas at IATEFL conferences was the strong reaction they arouse in many of the readers. Why should people feel so strongly about what is, after all, a perfectly natural process? Why do people get so upset at the fact that prepositions, for example, are not as predictable as some course-books and reference sources would lay us to believe? I suspect that part of the answer lies in most people’s strong reluctance to change. But part of the answer also lies in the close link between the control of language and the wielding of power. When people start to lose control over language, they begin to feel that they are in some way losing the power. This may seem a fanciful notion. But let us examine the idea more closely.
Malcolm X. at the inception of the Black Power movement said “Let us seize power. We are not Negroes. We are blacks. Let us seize power” Why? Why is the idea of changing one’s name from “negroes” to “blacks” in some way associated with seizing power? Because by getting rid of the name that he establishment had over them, and by themselves choosing what they should be called, they imbued themselves with a new power. On one level the change is symbolic; but the genesis of power is real.
As the author wrote this (autumn 1990), the Gulf conflict was well into its second month. So far, there seemed to be a battle. A battle to decide whose account of proceedings would prevail. Were the Westerners inside Kuwait and Iraq “hostages” or “guests”? Did Iraq “invade” Kuvait, or its presence there was “in support of he popular uprising”?
These battles of terminology are commonplace. In the early stages of US involvement in Vietnam, the anti-government forces were referred as Viet Minh. This term, however, had been used to describe the resistance during the war of independence against the French and therefore had a strong positive, freedom-fighting connotation. So, the Americans invented the term Viet Cong, short for Vietnamese Communist, as a more negative, terrorist-oriented epithet.
“Communism” is a word fraught with danger. In many countries Communist parties are politically respectable. In other countries the term Communist is used to denote anyone who steps out of the line with the government of the day. Any vaguely liberal-minded person would doubtless find themselves branded a communist in such a place. In the United States during the McCarthy years as supposedly democratic society allowed a witch hunt to take place resulting in social and political ostracism for those considered “communist.” A recent news item in the British press reports that “The Communist Party of Great Britain believes its name causes such loathing that it plans to reform under a new one.” Nina Temple, the party secretary, is quoted as saying “The public perception of communism is not of something entirely abhorrent.”
Further evidence of the power inherent in the name of a political party comes from the Liberal Democratic Party in Britain. Formed from an alliance of the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party, they seemed to take an inordinate length of time agreeing on a suitable joint title. The public became bored with the whole exercise, jokes on the possible names abounded and the party lost some support during this period. But the people responsible, the politicians, were doubtless aware of how important the name could be.
The problem of naming does not stop with political parties. There are companies now whose sole function is to help their clients select names for new products. In part their function is to weed out names which, while acceptable in English, are totally unsuitable in another language. British Telecom apparently marketed an early portable telephone under the name “tonto”. Tonto is the name of the trusty Indian companion in the children’s cowboy series”The Long Ranger.” It is also Spanish for “stupid”. Sales in Spain were presumably not good.
These firms are also responsible for discovering or creating new product names and researching the image that these names project. Calibri, the name of Vauxhall car, is the creation of a company employed to develop a name for the new car and the result of extensive research.
Politics and marketing are not the only areas where language is used as an instrument of power.Almost all specialized groups of people have their own language identity. Lawyers, doctors, language teachers even, when talking shop, will often be almost incomprehensible to the lay person. With some groups it will be in their interest to maintain this mystique. It preserves their role in society. If we all knew what lawyers were talking about, we would probably pay them less, and might even dispense with them altogether. And this idea of language identity does not just apply to specialized groups. Gangs of children or criminals will develop their own slang to set them apart from their rivals. Pupils at British public schools often have a large “alternative” slang vocabulary to learn in order to reinforce their identity as part of the group. The language we use therefore will in many respects reflect the group we belong to.
Another aspect of the language is the uncomfortable and prevalent idea that the correct use of language can in some way be equated with education. As we have pointed out earlier there are problems with the argument which goes: this is what “educated” people say, therefore it is “correct”. The problem is one of defining what exactly “educated” means. If we are to turn the argument on its head and suggest that “educated people are those who speak correctly” we not only face the problem of what is “correct” English, but also the fact that given the data collected in this book there cannot be many “educated” people around. The argument becomes circular –which came first-the correct English or the education? Nonetheless, the idea of education is an important influence on people’s possibilities not accounted for by “the authorities”, it will be disturbing. People who feel they speak “correct”,”educated” English will feel threatened. They will no longer be able to regard themselves as elite.
So why do people become agitated when their accepted ideas about language are threatened? Is it just that they resent any change? This is a very common human trait. Or is it partly because they feel that a threat to “their” language is a threat to them, their identity and their view of the world? As observers of language we must be aware of the influence that language has, the power it has over human behavior and the effect that any changes will have on the people who use it.
Task3:
1. How, according to the author, is control over language related to power?
2. Why, according to the author, is the idea of changing a name is associated with seizing power?
3. Why did the Americans invent the term Viet Cong to refer to Vietnam?
4. What is Nina Temple quoted as saying?
5. How do you understand the concept of “language identity”?
6. Why do people become agitated when their accepted ideas about language are threatened?
Task4:
Ask 6 more questions based on the text
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Task 5:
Give Russian equivalents for the following vocabulary from the text:
Arouse reaction invade
Reluctance to change resistance
A fanciful notion social and political ostracism
Seize power abhorrent
Imbue oneself with power language identity
Prevail a valid idea
Hostage threaten
Task 6:
Find in the text all collocations with the word “power” and copy them out.
Task 7:
Learn more about the word “power”-definition, synonyms, derivatives, collocations.
Power- 1) the ability to influence or control what people do or think; 2) political control of a country or government; 3)the country that is able to influence other countries because of its economic or military strength.
Derivatives: powerful, powerless
Synonyms: authority; warrant; prerogative; control; domination; influence; government.
Collocations:
Absolute power assume power
Ultimate power seize power
Considerable power take power
Limited power hold power
Legal power share power
Economic power give up power
Political power fall fro power
Secular power in power
Major power abuse of power
Allied power the balance of power
Enemy power a bid for power
Come to power a transfer of power
Rise to power
Task 8:
Translate the text “Власть языка”
Если говорить о проблеме взаимоотношения «Язык и власть», то надо сказать, что язык-это и есть власть. У нас несколько неправильное представление о власти, связанное с особенностями нашего языка. Вообще-то говоря, в современных языках, которые обслуживают демократические страны, слово «власть» отсутствует. И наши переводчики всегда попадают в неприятное положение, когда пытаются переводить, например, с английского. Нет там слова «власть»! Есть слово authority-«авторитетность», «авторитет», есть power-«сила», есть government-«управление». А «власть»-слово устаревшее, это - sovereign. Оно практически не употребляется. Точно так и во французском, точно так же и в испанском. А у нас, действительно, понятие «власть», то есть владение, переносится на каких-то людей, которых я, например, не могу признать своими владельцами. Я вообще-то никому не принадлежу.
Но вот кто в действительности настоящий властитель-это язык. Ролан Барт сказал, что язык-это «настоящий фашист»! Который диктует нам наши мысли, наше поведение, наши ценности. Однако, хотя я, конечно, не могу себя назвать квасным патриотом, всё же не без злорадства, должен сказать, что первым об этом сказал всё-таки Роман Якобсон! Он говорил, что язык интересен не тем, что он позволяет нам излагать какие-то мысли, а тем, что заставляет нас думать, так или иначе. Всё новое, происходящее с человеком, рождается в языке. Любая инновация сначала появляется именно в языке и только потом в других областях жизни.
Евгений Сабуров
Task9:
Look at the quotation:
“Language exerts hidden power, like the moon and the tides.”
Rita Brown
Write an essay based on this.
Unit V.
Diplomacy
Task1:
Read the article and look up the meaning of the unknown words in the dictionary.
The armed forces are the instruments of foreign policy, not its master
No successful and no peaceful foreign policy is possible without observance of this rule. No nation can pursue a policy of compromise with the military determining the ends and means of foreign policy. The armed forces are instruments of war; foreign policy is an instrument of peace. It is true that the ultimate objectives of conduct of war and of the conduct of foreign policy are identical: both serve the national interests. Both, however, differ fundamentally in their immediate objectives, in the means they employ, and in the modes of thought they bring to bear upon their respective tasks.
The objective of war is simple and unconditional: to break the will of the enemy. Its methods are equally simple and unconditional: to bring the greatest amount of violence to bear upon the most vulnerable spots in the enemy’s armor. The military leader lives in the present and in the immediate future. The sole question before him is how to win victories as cheaply and quickly as possible and how to avoid defeat.
The objective of foreign policy is relative and conditional: to bend, not to break, the will of the other side as far as necessary in order to safeguard one’s own vital interests without hurting those of the other side. The methods of foreign policy are relative and conditional: not to maneuver around them, to soften and dissolve them slowly by means of persuasion, negotiations, and pressure.
To surrender the conduct of foreign affairs to military is to destroy the possibility of compromise and thus surrender the cause of peace. The military mind knows nothing how to operate between the absolutes of victory and defeat. It knows nothing of the patient intricate and subtle maneuvering of diplomacy, whose main purpose is to avoid the absolutes of victories and defeats and meet the other side on the middle ground of negotiated compromise. A foreign policy conducted by military men according to the rules of the military art can only end in war.
Peace must be the goal of any foreign policy. Foreign policy must be conducted in such a way as to make the preservation of peace possible and not to make the outbreak of war inevitable. In a society of sovereign nations military force is a necessary instrument of foreign policy. Yet this instrument of foreign policy should not become the master of foreign policy. As war is fought in order to make peace possible, foreign policy should be conducted in order to make peace permanent. For the performance of both tasks, the subordination of the military under civilian authorities which is constitutionally responsible for the conduct of foreign affairs is an indispensable prerequisite.
2. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases.
An observance; to determine; the ends and means; an objective; to conduct; vulnerable; to bend; to safeguard; to retreat; to circumvent; an outbreak; a subordination; indispensable; a prerequisite; to pursue a policy; to meet the other side on the middle ground; violence; to surrender; a conduct.
3. Give English equivalents of the following words and phrases.
Определять; вспышка (начало); вести; отступать; подчинение; цель; уязвимый; сгибать; предпосылка; соблюдение; уступать\сдавать; проводить политику; крайне необходимый;
Цели и средства; делать уступки; защищать; обходить; насилие; проведение.\
4. Read the article again. Using the words from the exercises above and the article finish the following sentences.
1) The objective of a war is…………
2) The method of conducting war is………..
3) The objective of foreign policy is………
4) The methods of foreign policy are……….
5) The main purpose of diplomacy is……….
6) Foreign policy must be conducted in such a way as………
7) The subordination of the military under civilian authorities is…….
5. Answer the following questions on the article using active words and phrases
1) What do the ultimate objectives of the conduct of war and the conduct of foreign policy serve?
2) What is the objective of war?
3) What is the objective of foreign policy?
4) What is the main purpose of diplomacy?
5) What is an indispensable prerequisite for the conduct of foreign affairs?
6. Render the article in English using active words and phrases.
7. Answer the following questions:
1) Do you agree that the military should not determine the ends and means of foreign policy? Why?
2) What is your attitude to the statement that to surrender the conduct of foreign affairs to military is to destroy the possibility of compromise and thus surrender the cause of peace?
3) Do you see eye to eye with the author stating that the main purpose of diplomacy is to avoid the absolutes of victories and defeats and meet the other side on the middle ground of negotiated compromise? Why? What to your mind is the main task of diplomacy?
4) Do you find it true that a foreign policy conducted by the military according to the rules of the military art can only end in war? If yes, why?
5) Why is subordination of the military under civilian authorities for the conduct of foreign policy an indispensable prerequisite?
6) Why do you think such former military leaders as de Gaulle and Eisenhower became prominent policymakers?
8. Make up reports on the following topics and answer the questions of the audience.
1. The armed forces are the instruments of foreign policy, not its master.
2. The armed forces should/can be a master of foreign policy along with diplomacy.
3. Diplomacy not backed by strength will always be ineffective at best and dangerous at worst.
Unit VI.
International Organizations
1. Read the article and look up the meaning of the unknown words and phrases in the dictionary.
The end of the Cold War has brought a clear turning point for NATO. First, the nature of risks and potential threats has changed radically. Second, NATO has been going through a process of adaptation, adding to its traditional common defense functions new collective security functions.
It is clear that the alliance’s transition process is far from over yet, and a key step forward will have to be made with the adoption of a new strategic concept.
The principles of basic human rights, international law and multilateral action, in the spirit of the United Nations, must be combined to make NATO a collective force of stability and security.
2. Give English equivalents of the following words and phrases. Reproduce the sentences from the article with them.
Концепция; поворотный момент; переходный период; основные права человека; совместная оборона; совместные операции; коллективная безопасность; принятие(концепции); угроза.
3. Answer the questions using the active vocabulary.
1) What did the end of the Cold War bring to NATO?
2) What has changed in the world that makes NATO go through a process of adaptation?
3) What new functions does NATO have to add?
4) What principles should NATO be based on to make itself a collective force of stability and security?
1. Read the article and look up the meaning of unknown words and phrases in the dictionary.
Give peacekeeping muscle to the United Nations.
The need for a standing United Nations military force to fulfill the organization’s prime mission of maintaining peace has become almost a cliché of international rhetoric. The idea figured in the charter from the very beginning, has been urged ever since.
The end of the Cold War has seen not a reduction but increase in the number of open conflicts and appeals to the UN to restore peace.
The United Nations, being all the nations, cannot and must not have enemies, but it does have principles and practices to defend. Therefore, if the organization considers itself serious, these principles must be defended seriously and vigorously.
Getting a better, more effective peacekeeping job out of the United Nations is obviously in the world’s interest. It requires a shift in attitude. We should demand peaceful results.
2. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases.
A shift in attitude; an appeal to (smb.); an increase in; a charter; to restore peace; peacekeeping; in the world interest; a standing military force; to maintain peace; a reduction.
3. Give English equivalents of the following words and phrases.
Восстанавливать мир; сокращение; изменение отношения; сохранять мир; в интересах мира; увеличение числа; призыв к; постоянный военный контингент; защищать; миротворчество.
4. Read the article again and answer the questions.
1) What has become a cliché of international rhetoric?
2) What idea has been urged in connection with the UN’s role in the modern world?
3) Has the number of open conflicts reduced since the end of the Cold War?
4) What does the UN have to defend?
5) What is the world’s interest?
5. Questions for discussion.
1) Why do you think a standing UN military force is of growing importance today?
2) What principles and practices to your mind does the UN have to defend?
3) Do you agree that the UN could and should have a more active peacekeeping function?
4) What shift in attitude is needed?
9. Translate the following articles into English.
Президент Российской Федерации посетит с официальным визитом штаб-квартиру НАТО. Об этом сообщил заместитель главы МИД. Первоначально планировалось, что посещение штаб-квартиры НАТО будет носить протокольный характер, однако после терактов в Бостоне предстоящие беседы будут серьёзные.
Визит Генерального секретаря ООН.
Генеральный секретарь ООН посетит Россию с официальным визитом. Как заявил вчера замминистра иностранных дел РФ, «в ходе визита предполагается обсудить пути сотрудничества России с ООН с целью повышения эффективности организации в интересах поддержания мира, стабильности и международной безопасности». Российская сторона рассчитывает, что визит Генерального секретаря ООН будет способствовать укреплению роли ООН в урегулировании кризисов и конфликтов в различных регионах мира. В день прибытия Генсек ООН встретится с российским президентом. Он также встретится с главой правительства РФ, министром иностранных дел и министром обороны.
Translation Notes
При переводе русских заголовков на английский язык следует учитывать следующее:
1. В заголовках отсутствуют артикли и глаголы – связки;
2. Заголовки должны быть краткими, но они редко строятся как назывное предложение(напр.Visit of UN Secretary General);
3. Заголовок, как правило, выражает основную идею статьи и строится как обычное предложение, в котором есть подлежащее и сказуемое;
4. При этом прошедшее время, как правило, передаётся глаголом настоящего времени (напр.Russian President Visits Japan –если визит состоялся); будущее действие передаётся модальным глаголом be to,но глагол-связка отсутствует(напр. Russian President to Visit Japan-если визит только предстоит), а настоящее время передаётся при помощи Present Continuous, глагол-связка отсутствует(напр.Russian President Visiting Japan –если визит проходит в настоящий момент);
5. Предлагаемый вариант перевода данного заголовка: (The)UN Secretary General to Visit Russia. Однако вы можете предложить свой собственный вариант.
6. При переводе русских безличных предложений можно использовать Passive Voice в английском варианте, но лучше ввести формальное подлежащее, например He, They, The sides и т.п.
Read the article and look up the meaning of unknown words and phrases in the dictionary
How the UN works
The United Nations was established on October 1945 by 51 countries committed to preserving peace through international cooperation and collective security. Today, nearly every nation in the world belongs to the UN: membership now totals nearly 200 countries.
When states become members of the United Nations, they agree to accept the obligations of the UN Charter, an international treaty which sets out basic principles of international relations. According to the Charter, the UN has four purposes: to maintain international peace and security,
To develop friendly relations among nations, to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights, and to be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations.
UN members are sovereign countries. The United Nations is not a world government, and it does not make laws. It does, however, provide the means to help resolve international conflicts and formulate policies on matters affecting all of us.
The United Nations is much more than a peacekeeper and forum for conflict resolution. Often without attracting attention, the United Nation is engaged in a vast array of work that touches every aspect of people’s lives around the world.
Child survival and development. Environmental protection. Human rights. Health and medical research. Alleviation of poverty and economic development. Agricultural development.
Education. Family planning. Emergency and disaster relief. Air and sea travel. Peaceful uses of atomic energy. Labor and worker’s rights. The list goes on and on.
The United Nations has six main organs. Five of them-the General Assembly, the Security Council, The Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council and the Secretariat – are based at UN headquarters in New York. The sixth, the International Court of Justice, is located at the Hague, the Netherlands.
The General Assembly
All UN member states are represented in the General Assembly – a kind of parliament of nations which meets to consider the world’s most pressing problems. Each member state has one vote. Decisions on “important matters,” such as international peace and security, admitting new members, the UN budget are decided by two- thirds majority. Other matters are decided by simple majority.in recent years; a special effort has been made to reach decisions through consensus, rather than by formal vote.
The Assembly holds its annual regular session from September to December. When necessary, it may resume its session, or hold a special or emergency session on subjects of particular concern.
The Security Council
The UN Charter gives the Security Council primary responsibilities for maintaining international peace and security. The Council may convene at any time, day or night, whenever
Peace is threatened.
There are 15 Council members. Five of these – China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States – are permanent members. The other 10 are elected by the General Assembly for a ten-year term. Decisions of the Council require nine votes.
