книги / Business English for Students of Technical Universities

8)This mission will create entangled pairs of photons in space.

9)The retroreflector-based scheme, on the other hand, involves transmitting the key to each user separately.

10)This facility usually directs laser pulses at passing satellites and then measures the reflected pulses.

Task 9. Think over the research on quantum cryptography in Task 3. Imagine that you have completed such a research recently. Write:

•one or two sentences which provide the key background to the research;

•a sentence which states your research problem;

•a sentence which presents your hypothesis;

•two or three sentences outlining the main methods used;

•one or two sentences presenting the main results;

•a sentence which states the key implication of your findings.

Task 10. Using the sentences from the previous task, create a draft of an abstract on the topic. Use the phrases in Part 2 Text C, Tasks 3 and 4 to make it clear, structured and coherent. Make sure your work does not have any repetitive words or ideas (Part 2, Text C, Task 5).

Text C. Electrical currents from noise

Engineers are creative problem solvers.

NAE. 2008. Changing the Conversation

Task 1. Answer the following questions:

•Do you agree with the statement given in the quotation?

•Is it important for engineers to be creative? Why / why not?

•What are the advantages and disadvantages of creativity in the field of engineering?

Task 2. Match the words (1–10) with their pronunciation (a–j).

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Task 3. Read the text. What is the main idea of the experiment described in the article? How can it contribute to the development of industry? What benefit can it bring to ecological situation?

Electrical currents from noise

Two quantum dots have been used to generate an electrical current from voltage noise. The device was created by physicists in Germany, who say that it could lead to the development of systems that convert waste heat into useful energy.

Electronic devices generate large amounts of excess heat that must be dissipated. Instead of simply discarding this energy, using it to do useful work could revolutionize the electronics industry, and make it possible to create more efficient devices. Indeed, for more than a decade, physicists have been thinking up ways to convert this heat into electrical currents that can do work, such as power electronic devices.

Now, Lukas Worschech and colleagues at the University of Würzburg in Germany have verified experimentally that random voltage fluctuations can be rectified to drive a direct current. The experiment uses voltage noise to mimic the hot and cold spots of waste heat, and is therefore not a direct demonstration of waste heat being converted into work. However, team member Fabian Hartmann explains that it shows that small voltage fluctuations can drive a current: “A device derived from our sample might be able to provide the necessary power to drive autonomous and self-powered systems”.

In addition, further work is needed to show that currents can be driven by thermal fluctuations rather than voltage noise. “They do not create a true thermal gradient but mimic the effect by introducing noisy gate voltages,” says Rafael Sánchez of the Institute of Materials Science in Madrid, who published a theoretical study in 2012 that suggested that thermal fluctuations can drive a directed current. “However, the two effects [voltage fluctuations and thermal gradients] are closely related, so this study serves as a proof of principle for the rectification mechanism,” Sánchez concludes. The research is described in Physical Review Letters.

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Task 4. Match the words (1–9) with their definitions (a–i).

1) to verify a) unwanted materials or substances that are left after you have used something

2)to rectify b) power that is used to provide heat, operate machines, etc.

3)to drive c) a flow of electricity through a wire

5)efficient e) helping you to do or get what you want

6)necessary f) to discover whether something is correct or true

8)energy h) to provide the power for a vehicle or machine

9)current i) working well without wasting time, money, or energy

Task 5. Translate the nouns in the attribute function.

•two quantum dots – …

•the electronics industry – …

•voltage noise – …

•random voltage fluctuations – …

•noisy gate voltages – …

•waste heat – …

•team member – …

•the rectification mechanism – …

Task 6. Translate the following sentences with “as” focusing on the Russian language stylistics.

1)This study serves as a proof of principle for the rectification mechanism.

2)Quantum cryptography involves two parties sharing a secret key that is created using the states of quantum particles such as photons.

3)That distance cannot be increased using repeaters, as is the case with classical data.

4)Things don’t have to be as clear-cut as we’d expect.

5)If you do something to such a quantum system, it’s as though you are doing it simultaneously to 0 and to 1.

6)The art of quantum computing is to find ways of gaining as much information as possible from the unobservable.

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7)Indeed, for more than a decade, physicists have been thinking up ways to convert this heat into electrical currents that can do work, such as power electronic devices.

8)While meanings change, the concept of engineering derives from the dawn of human history as our ancestors developed and designed tools that were essential for their survival.

9)In this broad sense, science includes engineering as a highly skilled technique or practice.

Task 7. Translate the following sentences with the Infinitives of purpose.

1)Two quantum dots have been used to generate an electrical current from voltage noise.

2)Instead of simply discarding this energy, using it to do useful work could revolutionize the electronics industry, and make it possible to create more efficient devices.

3)They have verified experimentally that random voltage fluctuations can be rectified to drive a direct current.

4)The experiment uses voltage noise to mimic the hot and cold spots of waste heat.

5)A device derived from our sample might be able to provide the necessary power to drive autonomous and self-powered systems.

6)In addition, further work is needed to show that currents can be driven by thermal fluctuations rather than voltage noise.

Task 8. Write a short project summary (about 150 words) of the research on the generation of electrical currents from noise (Part 3, Text C, Task 3). Use the phrases from Part 2, Text A (“Applying for Research Funding”), Task 5. Follow the instructions:

1)State the aims of the research.

2)Define what the problem is.

3)Explain why this topic is worth researching.

4)Say what the expected outcomes of the research are.

5)Outline the procedures to be followed.

6)Outline the limits of the investigation.

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REFERENCES

1.Armer T. Cambridge English for Scientists. Student’s book with Audio CDs (Cambridge Professional English). – Cambridge University Press, 2011.

2.Bugliarello G. Emerging and future areas of engineering // UNESCO Report “Engineering: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities for Development”. – 2010. – P. 56–59.

3.Freiberger M. How does quantum computing work? [Электронный ресурс]. – URL: https://plus.maths.org/content/how-does-quantum-commuting-work.

4.Katehi L. The global engineer // Educating the engineer of 2020: adapting engineering education to the new century. National Academy of Engineering of the National Academies. – Wasshington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2005. – P. 151–155.

5.Kornei K. Physicists generate electrical currents from noise [Электронный ресурс]. – URL: http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2015/apr/21/ physicists-generate-electrical-currents-from-noise.

6.Marjoram T., Zhong Y. What engineering is, what engineers do // UNESCO Report “Engineering: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities for Development”. – 2010. – P. 24–26.

7.NAE (National Academy of Engineering). Changing the Conversation: Messages for Improving Public Understanding of Engineering. – Washington: National Academies Press, 2008.

8.Quantum cryptography set for lift-off [Электронный ресурс]. – URL: http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2015/jun/29/quantum-cryptography- set-for-lift-off.

9.Research Overview [Электронный ресурс]. – URL: http://pstu.ru/

en/research/areas/.

10.UNESCO Report “Engineering: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities for Development”. – 2010.

11.Vest C.M. Educating engineers for 2020 and beyond // Educating the engineer of 2020: adapting engineering education to the new century. National Academy of Engineering of the National Academies. – Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2005. – P. 160–169.

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