Modern electronics

1. Many scientists believe at present that mankind has entered the era of a new technological revolution which was brought about by the advent of cybernetics, whose ideas and methods found their way into actually all branches of science and engineering, all the way from biology and medicine to economy and industrial management.

2. Electronics is one of the main sciences, which forms the technological basis for using these new methods. Electronics studies the problems connected with the application of instruments and devices_, the action of which is based on the utilization of various phenomena that result from the movement of electrons through vacuum, gases and solid bodies.

3. Electronics surround us everywhere. Television, tape-recording, radio-receiving - electronics is at the heart of them all. But that is only a small part of electronics and not the most important at that. Extremely complicated electron­ic systems control the work of huge plants, enterprises and power stations. Electronic appliances are indispensable for planning and controlling our national economy. Electronic computers are widely used in scientific research and industri­al designing. Huge radio-telescopes, equipped with sensitive instruments and powerful amplifiers enable man to gain an insight into the remotest corners of space, discover new and puzzling phenomena of nature.

4. Now mankind is in the second decade of the cosmic era. It was in 1957 that the first man-made satellite was launched in our country, and now man has already set his foot on the Moon, sends probes to distant planets and orbits the earth in space vehicles. All this could not have been done but for electronics.

5. Electronic computers calculate the trajectories of spaceships, help prepare, launch and monitor the rockets that carry the most complicated and sophisticated equipment. Radio-electronic systems ensure reliable communication with space probes at distances amounting to scores of millions of kilometers, relay telephotos of distant planets. Hundreds of electronic devices perform various tasks on board every satellite and spaceship. It may be said that in the near fu­ture electronics will surely make great strides and help the humanity gain new victories in science and engineering.

advent – приход, прибытие

actually – фактически, в сущности

utilization - использование

surround - окружать

appliance – прибор, устройство

indispensable – необходимый, обязательный

amplifier - усилитель

remote - удаленный

Exercises to the texts:

Ex.15 Review questions:

1. What was the result of the advent of cybernetics? 2. What is electronics?

3. What do electronic systems control? 4. Where are electronic computers used?

5. What enables man to gain an insight in to the remotest corners of space?

6. When was the first man made satellite launched? 7.In what way are electronic computers used in scientific space research? 8.What do radio-electronic systems ensure?