Unit 12

DIALOGUE Ⅰ

Nuclear Technology for Civil Use

A: Does unclear technology mean anything to you? I've just been to an exhibition on the application of nuclear technology to civil use. Do you want to hear about it?
B: A unclear technology exhibition? Does it mean a show about the power of atomic bombs, hydrogen bombs, nuclear power stations, and, er, and...
A: And nuclear-powered submarines and nuclear missiles, to complete your list. But do you know nuclear technology is being applied in industry, agriculture and medical science? It has done wonders for ordinary people.
B: Mm, I'm not so informed about its civil application. I'm all ears as to what you've got to say.
A: Yesterday I went to an exhibition on the worldwide achievements of the civil use of unclear technology. It was a real eye-opener. I'd like to share with you what I saw at the exhibition.
B: It must have been a horrible exhibition. What did you see there?
A: Don't be biased against nuclear technology. Well, I saw lots of things.
B: Such as...
A: Such as the many wonders created by the application of radiation technology.
B: I have no idea what exactly they are. Give me an example.
A: Take agriculture. Farming has acquired a new concept in terms of the time it takes for crops to ripen for harvesting. Besides, an increasing number of new strains of rice, wheat, soy beans, cotton, maize, peanuts and vegetables are being developed each year and planted over wider areas, and even on artificial soil-beds.
B: What does all that mean?
A: It means less space and less time, but more crops and better quality. It means grains and vegetables are disease-resistant and cold-resistant. It means farming is turning into an industry, into a technology-intensive, rather than a labour-intensive, industry.
B: That sounds fine. And you said that nuclear technology can be applied in industry as well. How is it done, apart from producing nuclear energy?
A: Well, radioactive rays have been used to inspect underground pipes and study coal-fields. Then there are isotope test devices which are applied to metallurgy, paper-making, textile industry, and some other light industries.
B: What about its medical application?
A: I mentioned isotope test devices just now. They're also for medical use.
B: I've no idea what isotopes are or how the devices work.
A: Well, that's a branch of nuclear technology, but I don't really know how it works. Anyway, isotopes are used to examine the liver, heart, kidney, thyroid, and some other organs of the body. For example, about two millilitres of blood samples are sufficient to find out if someone has liver cancer.
B: You've painted a beautiful picture of nuclear technology for civil use. But won't it also bring about serious problems?
A: Such as...
B: Such as the potential for detrimental effects to soil, water, and plant genetics.
A: Well, scientists are working on these problems, I believe they'll find solutions.


DIALOGUE II

Dialogue:
Julia Brown and her husband Tom are on holiday in Scotland and they are staying at a guest house, owned by a very strict landlady. They are not enjoying their stay very much, and then one day Tom becomes ill, and they have to call the doctor.
J: Thank you for coming to see Tom, doctor. Is there anything I should do for him?
D: Well, his temperature has gone down now, so he needn't stay in bed any longer. He can eat whatever he likes, but he mustn't drink any alcohol until he's finished taking the tablets.
J: Right, I understand. Oh, I'm glad he can get out of bed, he doesn't like staying in bed and not doing anything. Our landlady doesn't like it, either, it stops her from cleaning the rooms.
D: Oh, dear, she isn't very sympathetic then.
J: No, not at all, and she has so many rules about what you can do and what you can't do... I really think she's a bit too strict actually.
D: Well, I'm afraid your husband must stay indoors for at least 2 days. I don't think that will please her very much but she'll just have to accept it. He can go out for short walks but he mustn't do anything too energetic.
J: Yes. I see.
D: It's a pity that your holiday has been spoiled, but I'm sure your husband will be fine in a week or so. Have you had a good holiday up until now?
J: Yes, but we don't really like this guest house. We are allowed to have guests in our room, but they have to leave by 9 o'clock. And, we aren't allowed to have parties. We are supposed to make our own beds and we can't have the radio on after 7.
D: Oh, dear, that doesn't sound very good. I saw a notice downstairs on the door with a list of rules. I must say, I wouldn't really like to stay here, either.


READING I

Museums

Museums are places where collections of objects are preserved and displayed. The objects may be anything found in nature or made by man. There are museums devoted to art, science, history, industry, and technology.
But museums are no longer just storehouses for collections. Today nearly all museums, large or small, carry on educational programmes. Museums offer guided tours, lectures, films, music recitals, art lessons, and other attractions. They organize field trips and clubs. They publish pamphlets, guides, and catalogues to help visitors to gain a better understanding of the collections. They carry on research programmes, the results of which are published so that many people can benefit from them. Many large museums have extensive libraries open to qualified researchers. Often museums collect more objects than they have room to display. The best are chosen for exhibition, and the rest are kept in a study collection. These study collections can be used by students, researchers, and scholars.
Museums work constantly to improve their collections and ways of displaying them. All museums share a common aim — to attract visitors and help them to understand and enjoy the collections. Museums are always on the watch for new additions to their collections. Works of art are bought from art dealers and private collectors or at auction sales. Museums also accept gifts and bequests, but the large museums no longer accept everything that is offered to them. They accept only objects or collections that meet their high standards.
Museums often arrange loan exhibitions of important works from private owners, art dealers, and other museums. In this way a famous masterpiece may be viewed by people who otherwise might never have the chance to see it. For example, in 1963 the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City exhibited one of the world's most famous ladies — Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci. The government of France had lent the painting to the United States. Attendance at the Metropolitan had reached an all-time high during the month the Mona Lisa was shown there.
What is to be gained from visiting museums? Museum exhibits can teach us about the word in which we live — the materials it is made of, the trees and plants that cover it, and the animals that have lived on it since its beginning. We can learn about the activities of man — his history and development and his accomplishments in arts and crafts. Most people see a great work of art the first time in a museum. We can see wonderful examples of what man has been able to create out of clay, stone, metal, and wood or with a paintbrush and paints. We cannot all be explorers or collectors in other lands. But in a museum we can see for ourselves the objects that have been gathered from every part of the world.