A. S. Popov - inventor of the radio

1. The wireless receiving set or radio is one of the greatest achievements of human genius. Priority in the invention of radio belongs to the Russian scientist Popov. On the 7^th of May we celebrate Radio Day because on that day in 1895 the Russian scientist Alexander Popov demonstrated his first radio set to a meeting of the Russian Physical and Chemical Society.

2. A.S. Popov was born in 1859 in the Urals. While at school he spent all his free time on physics and mathematics. He studied at St. Petersburg University and graduated from it with honours, but was not satisfied with the conditions of the laboratories of the University and accepted the post of a teacher in the Mining School¹ in Kronstadt. There he began his research in electrical engineering.

3. The greater part of his life he devoted to the problem of the application of electromagnetic waves to wireless communication.

4. Popov worked on a sensitive receiving set which could pick up² even the weakest radio waves. The year 1895 is considered to be³ the date of the invention of the radio when Popov demonstrated his radio receiving set in operation. By the end of the year he improved his apparatus. It was the first radio receiving set in the world.

5. Since then, the art of radio communication has progressed a great deal.⁴ Many scientists and inventors made their contributions.

6. The radio has brought great changes to our life. At present our country produces equipment for powerful broadcasting and television centres, and for radio-relay stations, electronic computers, radar stations, telecontrol and telemetric systems, and other purposes.

NOTES

1. the Mining School -	минная школа
2. pick up -	ловить
3. is considered to be -	считается
4. a great deal -	много, значительно, сильно

VII. Ответьте на следующие вопросы и будьте готовы к устной беседе с преподавателем о Вас, Вашей семье и работе.

1. What is your name?

2. Where are you from? / Where do you live?

3. When do you celebrate your birthday?

4. What are you? / What is your profession?

5. When did you make your professional choice?

6. What sports do you like?

7. Do you study by correspondence?

8. What do you need the university education for?

9. Is it easy for you to combine work with studies?

10. Have you got a family of your own? Describe your family.

ВАРИАНТ 3

I. Переведите следующие предложения на русский язык. Определите по грамматическим признакам какой частью речи являются слова, оформленные окончанием -s и какую функцию это окончание выполняет, т.е. служит ли оно:

а) показателем 3-го лица единственного числа глагола в Present Indefinite (Simple);

б) признаком множественного числа имени существительного;