English for academic and scientific purpose

При работе с пособием преподаватель сам может определить конкретные методические приемы в зависимости от уровня подготовки магистрантов и целей обучения. Разделы могут изучаться в представленной последовательности или выборочно. Тематика и характер текстов и заданий пособия обеспечивают формирование у магистрантов умений и навыков профессионального общения.

Unit 1. Mind and Brain

Lead-in:

A computer required hardware to perform its function. In addition, the hardware need software to make it run. Without software, hardware would be useless and without hardware, software cannot be used. Brain is like the hardware and mind is like the software. However, in reality, the difference between brain and mind are more complicated than software and hardware.

In our culture, we sometimes use the words brain and mind interchangeably even though they really do refer to separate, although often overlapping, concepts. The brain is an organ but the mind is not. The brain is the physical place where the mind resides. The electronic impulses that create thought are contained in a vessel. With the brain, you coordinate your moves, your organism, and your activities and transmit impulses. However, you use the mind to think. You can muse at what happened, what is scheduled and what maybe will happen.

The mind is the manifestations of thought, perception, emotion, determination, memory and imagination that takes place within the brain. Mind is often used to refer especially to the thought processes of reason. (1)

Pronunciation:

Task 1

Memorize the pronunciation of the following words.

retrieve [ r'triv ]

reshuffle[ rifl ]

discern [ d'sn ]

prominent [ prmnnt ]

impartial [ m'p.l ]

grasp [ rsp ]

expectation [ekspek'ten ]

plethora [ 'pler ]

immovable [ 'muv.bl ]

response [ r'spns ]

imbalance [ m'baelns ]

alter [ 'ltr ]

Word study:

Task 2

Form the necessary parts of speech.

Pre-reading:

Task 3

Answer the following questions before reading the text.

1. What springs to your mind when you hear the words “brain” and “mind”?

2. Where does your brain stop and your mind start?

3. Do computers have brain?

4. What is the most mindless job you have ever done?

5. Have you ever been in two minds about anything?

6. Who is the brainiest person you know?

7. Is there a time when you went out of your mind with anger or worry?

8. Can you think of something difficult you were able to do when you put your mind to it?

Reading A

Task 4

Read the text and be ready to discuss it.

Examining the Difference between the Brain and the Mind

The human brain, then, is the most complicated organization of matter that we know.

Isaac Asimov

The brain – reactive

Mind- Proactive, an emotional scale

Everything is always suspended in the mind until received – manifested through opinion, expectation, or intention.