М. М. Кутепова The World of Chemistry Мир

Listen to the following dialogue and say:

1. 
   who the participants of the conversation are
   

1. 
   a brother and a sister; b) a husband and a wife;c) research workers
   

2. 
   where the conversation takes place
   

1. 
   at a conference; b) at a lecture; c) at home
   

3. 
   what writer they are speaking about
   

1. 
   a detective stories writer; b) a science fiction stories writer;
   

3. 
   a thriller stories writer
   

The following notes and words will help you to understand the dialogue better:
NOTES

1. 
   say — Послушай
   

2. 
   Stop making that noise — Прекрати так шуметь.
   
3. 
   you’re too loud — слишком громко
   
4. 
   science fiction stories — научная фантастика
   
5. 
   if I can put it this way — если так можно сказать
   

1. 
   mean — я хочу сказать
   

7. 
   say — скажем
   
8. 
   I’m dying — я умираю (от нетерпения)
   

WORDS


as soon as — как только to depend on — зависеть от gifted — талантливый novel — роман


120

JACK: I say, Dolly! Stop making that noise, please!

DOLLY: Oh, Jack, I’m dancing. Why?
JACK: You’re too loud. I’m reading.
DOLLY: What are you reading?
JACK: A book.
DOLLY: A textbook? In summer?! On vacation?!
JACK: It’s not a textbook, Dolly. It’s a book by Isaac Asimov.
DOLLY: I know his books. Have just read a story “Take a Match”. He writes science fiction stories, doesn’t he?
JACK: In general, yes. But this time it’s a History of Chemistry.
DOLLY: I can’t understand why Chemistry?!
JACK: Because he is a biochemist and knows chemistry and its his
tory perfectly well. Besides, he is a gifted writer. I’m reading the book like a novel.
DOLLY: What exactly are you reading at the moment?
JACK: Organic chemistry.
DOLLY: Organic chemistry?
JACK: You’ll study it next year.
DOLLY: What is organic chemistry?
JACK: It’s the chemistry of carbon or organic compounds. They are
very important.
DOLLY: What do you mean by “organic”?
JACK: Compounds that may be obtained from animated things.
DOLLY: Animated? Jack, I don’t get the idea... I know animated movies, but what does this word mean in chemistry?
JACK: It’s simple... living organisms.
DOLLY: Oh, I see. The only thing that I still can’t make out is why carbon compounds are so important...
JACK: Well, all life depends on water and the compounds of carbon.
Right? You know why water is essential to us, don’t you?
DOLLY: Sure. Because... of... uhm...
JACK: Carbon, if I can put it this way, provides molecules of life.
Clear?
DOLLY: Not quite. And how did it all start? I mean who invented or discovered or, say, developed organic chemistry?
JACK: You know what? Read this book. It’ll open your eyes.
DOLLY: Oh, Jack, I’m dying to read it, Can I take it right now?
JACK: No, not now... as soon as I finish reading.


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