EST1

what is EST

EST is abbreviation(缩写) for English for science and technology and it is quite different from college english.

what is science

it is from a latin verb(拉丁文词)。when we speak of science,we speak of a way of understanding the world by describing and explaining natural phenomena because this is the way of acquiring knowledge .so english for science and technology carries some qualities of science objectivity clarity accuracy and formality.EST qccupies a very important position due to the vital role played by the science and technology.in the advancement of human civilization EST exhibits language festures peculiar(特殊的) to its own.when english learners read for the first time a pice of technical writing or hear for the first time sicentists talking show in english they may find it difficult to understand what is written or spoken particularlyif they have learned english as a language of everyday conversation or of literature.first passage is a poem which belongs to literary works ,the second is an extract(摘录) from scientific article. although they are talking about the same thing the sea great differences can be perceived while we read it.the poem embodies the beauty of rhythm and is full of strong emotion while the language of the second is objective and formal . these differences are from the peculiar lexical(特殊词法)and grammatical features as well as stylistic (文体的)features of est .so the following lecture will focus on these features which will prepare you better for the study of this subject .

there are three typical features of est lexical

grammatical and styliatic festures let’s first pay close attention to lexical feature four kinds of words

embody(使具体化，收录包括) the lexical feature of Est ,they are technical terms and semi-technical terms.(技术术语和半技术术语)brrowed/loan words(外来词) coin words abbreviation。technical terms cause a lot of trouble for common readers because they have precise 严谨的and narrow meaning which are rarely used in everyday language

magnetic 磁铁的 is derived from Greeek.希腊

induction 感应is derived from latin

take the magnetichydrodynamics for example it is composed of combination of magneto plus hydro and dynamics .

consisencess and brevity 连贯性和简洁性

1. Compare the following two passages. The first one is an extract from a scientific

   paper, whereas the second one is extracted from a novel. Then answer the questions.

   Passage One

   Naturally, a great deal of thought has been given to possible ways of preventing

   the emergence of resistance. One suggestion has been the use of mixtures of two

   different types of insecticides, with the idea that one of them should eliminate the

   individual’s resistance to the other. This principle has been found useful in preventing

   resistance to antibiotics in bacteria. Unfortunately, the few practical trials have not been encouraging, for the mixtures have merely developed a double resistance to the two insecticides employed.

   In brief, there is as yet no known way of obtaining the benefits of the new

   insecticides without some risk of provoking resistance. For this reason, it would seem unwise to use insecticide regularly, on a very large scale, unless there is some vital object to be attained. In such cases, the use of insecticides should be combined with other measures.

   Passage Two

   Soomintra brought the snapshot album. It was an expensive album, covered in leather. They had frequently photographed Ravi, from the time when he was first allowed into the open air until the month before his death. There were pictures of him bathing in the sea, digging sand on the east coast, the north coast, and the south coast;

   pictures of Ravi dressed up for Carnival, dressed up for tea parties; Ravi on bicycles, Ravi in motor-cars, real ones and toy ones; Ravi in the company of lots of people I didn’t know. I turned the pages rather dully. From time to time Sheila leaned forward and commented. "There’s Ravi at the home of that American doctor. A wonderful guy. Ravi looks sweet, doesn’t he? And look at this one: that boy always had a smile for the

   camera. He always knew what we were doing. He was a very clever little boy."At last we exhausted the snapshots. Sheila had become silent towards the end. I felt that she had been through the album many times in the last two days.

   Questions:

2. How are the first three sentences in the two passages constructed?
3. Are the words spoken by Sheila in Passage Two formal or informal?
4. In the second paragraph of Passage One, what does “it” refer to?
5. In the second paragraph of Passage Two, what does “through” mean?
6. For what purposes do you suppose are these two passages written respectively?

1. The first three sentences in Passage One are all constructed with passive voice

   while the first three sentences in Passage Two are constructed with active voice.

   Therefore, the language in Passage One sounds more formal and objective than

   that of Passage Two.

2. The words spoken by Sheila in Passage Two are informal. Examples: “There’s Ravi

   at the home of that American doctor.” (Contracted form); “A wonderful guy.”

   (Incomplete sentence); “Ravi looks sweet, doesn’t he?” (Question tag).

3. In the second paragraph of Passage One, “it” refers to “to use insecticide regularly,

   on a very large scale.”

4. In the second paragraph of Passage Two, “through” means “finish” or “complete.”

5. Passage One is written for academic purpose and Passage Two mainly for

   entertainment.