LESSON 1
Read and translate the text.
The electric current was born in the year 1800 when Volta constructed the first source of continuous current. Since that time numerous scientists and inventors, Russian and foreign, have greatly contributed to its development and practical application.
As a result, we cannot imagine modern civilization without the electric current. We can't imagine how people could do without electric lamps, without vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, washing machines and other electrically operated devices that are widely used today. In fact, telephones, lifts, electric trams and trains, radio and television have been made possible only owing to the electric current.
The student reading this article is certainly familiar with the important part which the electric current plays in everyday life. From the moment when he gets up in the morning until he goes to bed at night, he widely uses electric energy. Only when going to the institute either on foot or by bicycle, he can do without electricity. In fact, it is well known that electric current is necessary for the operation of trolley-buses, trams, buses and modern trains.
During the day the student will also use some electrical devices working in the laboratory, making use of the telephone, the lift, the tram and so on. As for the evening, if he studies or reads by an electric lamp, watches television, goes to the theatre or cinema, he certainly uses electricity. Some people are more familiar with the various applications of the electric current in their everyday life than with its numerous industrial applications. However, electric energy finds its most important use in industry. Take, for example, the electric motor transforming electric energy into mechanical energy. It finds wide application at every mill and factory. As for the electric crane, it can easily lift objects weighing hundreds of tons.
A good example which is illustrating an important industrial use of the electric current is the electrically heated furnace. Great masses of metal melted in such furnaces flow like water. Speaking of the melted metals, we might mention one more device using electricity that is the electric pyrometer. The temperature of hot flowing metals can be easily measured owing to the electric pyrometer.
These are only some of the various industrial applications of the electric current serving us in a thousand ways.
Exercises
I. Learn the following words, groups of words. Translate the sentences.
1. application — применение. The motors find different applications.
2. as for — что касается. My friend speaks English well. As for me I can't do it.
3. current — ток. Where is the current used?
4. device — прибор, приспособление. We use different devices at home.
5. to do without — обходиться без чего-либо. We can't do without the telephone.
6. electric(al) — электрический. A vacuum cleaner is an electrical device.
7. furnace — печь, горн. Is there an electric furnace in your room?
8. inventor — изобретатель. A.S. Popov is the inventor of the radio.
9. laboratory — лаборатория. There are electrical furnaces in our laboratory.
10. to make use of — использовать. The students make use of electrical devices in the laboratory.
11. to measure — измерять. Can you measure the electric current?
12. to play a part — играть роль. Electrical devices play an important part in our life.
13. scientist — ученый. What scientists work at your institute?
14. to serve — служить, обслуживать. Atoms serve the people.
15. t o transform — преобразовывать. Is it possible to transform the electric current?
16. to watch television — смотреть телевизор. I watch television in the evening.
17. to weigh — весить. How much does this machine weigh?
II. Translate the following international words:
radio, student, civilization, lamp, result, machine, institute, lift, vacuum, energy, telephone, practical, fact, tram, refrigerator, technological
III. Give short answers to the following questions.
1. Does the motor find wide application in industry? 2. Is Volta a Russian scientist? 3. Does your friend go to the institute on foot? 4. Did you go to the theatre yesterday? 5. Is there an electric lamp on your table? 6. Has your friend bought a new bicycle? 7. Are there many trolleybuses and trams in Moscow? 8. Do you watch television every day? 9. Do you use electrical devices? 10. Can you do without electricity? 11. Does the electric current play an important part in our life? 12. Does the electric motor transform electrical energy into mechanical energy? 13. Is the electric current necessary for the operation of trolley-buses and trams? 14. Is your house heated by an electric furnace?
IV. Form sentences using the words given below.
Model: lift, the, heavy, can, electric, objects, crane.
The electric crane can lift heavy objects.
1. finds, industry, energy, in, application, electric, wide.
2. does, study, he, at, not, the, institute?
3. day, use, every, do, devices, you, electrical?
4. the, theatre, go, to, we, yesterday, not, did.
V. Put all possible questions to the following sentences.
1. The electric motor finds wide application in industry.
2. Russian scientists contributed greatly to the science of electricity.
VI. Form sentences using the following expressions.
to play a part in, to go on foot, to do without, to make use of, to be familiar with, to get up, to go to bed, to go by bicycle, to be born, to contribute to, to flow like water
VII. Translate the following groups of words:
В повседневной жизни; промышленное применение; печь, нагреваемая электричеством; важное применение; преобразующий механическую энергию; постоянный ток; при электрической лампе; в результате; благодаря электричеству; смотреть телевизор вечером.
VIII. Find the wrong statements and correct them in several sentences:
1. It is impossible to measure the temperature of hot flowing metals. 2. The industrial application of the electric current contributes to the technological progress. 3. We use few electrical devices in our everyday life. 4. Modern civilization can do without the electric current. 5. The electric motor operates all electrical devices.
IX. Find the correct answer out of the three given below.
What device
1. measures the temperature of hot metals?
a) refrigerator, b) pyrometer, c) motor
2. transforms electrical energy into mechanical energy?
a) bicycle, b) telephone, c) motor
3. lifts objects weighing hundreds of tons?
a) electric crane, b) electric furnace, c) vacuum cleaner
4. lights your room?
a) tram, b) lift, c) lamp
X. Speak on:
1. The use of the electrical current in industry. 2. The use of the electrical current in everyday life.
XI. Make up the annotation of the text and retell it.
LESSON 2
Read and translate the text.
ENERGY
In the language of science energy is the ability to do work. There are various forms of energy, such as heat, mechanical, electrical, chemical, atomic and so on. One might also mention the two kinds of mechanical energy—potential and kinetic, potential energy being the energy of position while kinetic energy is the energy of motion.
It is well known that one form of energy can be changed into another. A waterfall may serve as an example. Water falling from its raised position, energy changes from potential to kinetic energy. The energy of falling water is generally used to turn the turbines of hydroelectric stations. The turbines in their turn drive the electric generators, the latter producing electric energy. Thus, the mechanical energy of falling water is turned into electric energy. The electric energy, in its turn, may be transformed into any other necessary form.
When an object loses its potential energy, that energy is turned into kinetic energy. Thus, in the above-mentioned example when water is falling from its raised position, it certainly loses its potential energy, that energy is changed into kinetic energy.
We have already seen that energy of some kind must be employed to generate the electric current. Generally speaking, the sources of energy usually employed to produce current are either chemical, as in the battery, or mechanical, as in the electromagnetic generator. Chemical sources of current having a limited application, the great quantities of electric energy generated today come from various forms of mechanical energy.
The rising standards of modern civilization and growing industrial application of the electric current result in an increasing need of energy. Every year we need more and more energy. We need it to do a lot of useful things that are done by electricity. However, the energy sources of the world are decreasing while the energy needs of the world are increasing. These needs will continue to grow as more motors and melted metals are used in industry and more electric current is employed in everyday life. As a result, it is necessary to find new sources of energy.
The sun is an unlimited source of energy. However, at present, only a little part of solar energy is being used directly. How can we employ solar energy directly to produce useful energy? This is a question which has interested scientists and inventors for a long time. Lavoisier and other great scientists of the past melted metals with the help of solar furnaces. Today, solar furnaces illustrate just one of the numerous ways to harness the sun. Using semiconductors, scientists, for example, have transformed solar energy intoelectric energy.
Exercises
I. Learn the following words, groups of words. Translate the sentences.
1. battery — батарея. Volta made the first battery.
2. to change — изменять, преобразовывать. Electrical energy can be changed into mechanical energy.
3. chemical — химический. Chemical energy can be transformed into work or into electrical energy.
4. to drive — приводить в движение. Electrical current drives various machines at factories and mills.
5. to employ — использовать, применять. Electrical cranes are employed in industry.
6. generally — обычно. The pyrometer is generally used to measure high temperatures.
7. to harness — использовать энергию (воды, ветра, солнца). The scientists try to harness the wind.
8. generator — генератор. Generators generate electrical energy.
9. in one's turn — в свою очередь. The motor transforms electrical energy into mechanical energy; mechanical energy in its turn drives the machines.
10. kind — вид, род. There are all kinds of machines in our laboratory.
11. to produce — производить, создавать, выпускать. Where are these vacuum cleaners produced?
12. source — источник. There are different sources of energy
13. solar — солнечный. Solar energy can find various applications.
14. semiconductor — полупроводник. Semiconductors are widely used in industry.
15. to turn — превращать. The motor turns electrical energy into mechanical energy.
16. waterfall — водопад. The energy of a waterfall can be used to produce electricity.
II. Learn the following international words.
Moment, electricity, operation, laboratory, metal, theatre, industrial, motor, crane, ton, pyrometer, temperature, mass, illustrate, industry.
III. Give short answers to the following questions.
1. Can one form of energy be changed into another form? 2. Does a generator produce mechanical energy? 3. Is the sun an unlimited source of energy? 4. Can we employ solar energy directly? 5. Have scientists transformed solar energy into electric energy? 6. Is potential energy the energy of motion? 7. Do we need more and more electric energy every year? 8. Are there various forms of energy? 9. Do you use electric energy every day? 10. Can the energy of falling water be used to drive turbines? 11. Is kinetic energy the energy of position?
IV. Find the correct term out of the three given below.
1. The motor changes electrical energy into a) heat energy, b) chemical energy, c) mechanical energy.
2. The generator changes mechanical energy into a) chemical energy, b) electrical energy, c) light energy.
3. The battery changes chemical energy into a) solar energy, b) heat energy, c) electric energy.
4. The electric furnace changes electric energy into a) heat energy, b) chemical energy, c) mechanical energy.
5. The vacuum cleaner changes electrical energy into a) light energy, b) mechanical energy, c) solar energy.
V. For the words given in (a) find the Russian equivalents in (b).
a) 1. to transform; 2. device; 3. application; 4. chemical; 5. potential; 6. source; 7. station; 8. to produce; 9. to drive; 10. to serve; 11. to do without; 12. to make use of; 13. as for; 14. to play a part; 15. semiconductor.
b) 1. служить; 3. приспособление; 4. прибор; 5. использовать; 6. источник; 7. что касается; 8. потенциальный; 9. применение; 10. преобразовывать; 11. станция; 12. вырабатывать; 13. химический; 14. обходиться без чего-л.; 15. приводить в действие.
VI. Make up the annotation of the text and retell it.
LESSON 3
Read and translate the text.
ATOMIC ENERGY
A man trying to see a single atom is like a man trying to see a single drop of water in the sea while he is flying high above it. He will see the sea made up of a great many drops of water but he certainly will not be able to see a single drop. By the way, there are so many atoms in the drop of water that if one could count one atom a second, day and night, it would take one hundred milliard years. But that is certainly impossible.
Man has, however, learned the secret of the atom. He has learned to split atoms in order to get great quantities of energy. At present, coal is one of the most important fuels and our basic source of energy. It is quite possible that some day coal and other fuel may be replaced by atomic energy. Atomic energy replacing the present sources of energy, the latter will find various new applications.
The nuclear reactor is one of the most reliable "furnaces" producing atomic energy. Being used to produce energy, the reactor produces it in the form of heat. In other words, atoms splitting in the reactor, heat is developed. Gas, water, melted metals, and some other liquids circulating through the reactor carry that heat away. The heat may be carried to pipes of the steam generator containing water. The resulting steam drives a turbine, the turbine in its turn drives an electric generator. So we see that a nuclear power station is like any other power station but the familiar coal-burning furnace is replaced by a nuclear one that is the reactor supplies energy to the turbines. By the way, a ton of uranium (nuclear fuel) can give us as much energy as 2.5 million tons of coal.
The first industrial nuclear power station in the world was constructed in Obninsk not far from Moscow in 1954. It is of high capacity and has already been working for many years. One may mention here that the station in question was put into operation two years earlier than the British one and three and a half years earlier than the American nuclear power stations.
A number of nuclear power stations have been put into operation since 1954. The Beloyarskaya nuclear power station named after academician Kurchatov may serve as an example of the peaceful use of atomic energy.
Russian scientists and engineers achieved a nuclear superheating of steam directly in the reactor itself before steam is carried into the turbine. It is certainly an important contribution to nuclear engineering achieved for the first time in the world.
We might mention here another important achievement, that is, the first nuclear installation where thermal energy generated in the reactor is transformed directly into electrical energy.
Speaking of the peaceful use of atomic energy it is also necessary to mention our nuclear ice-breakers. "Lenin" is the world's first ice-breaker with a nuclear installation. Its machine installation is of a steam turbine type, the steam being produced by three reactors and six steam generators. This ice-breaker was followed by many others.
The importance of atomic energy will grow still more when fast neutron reactors are used on a large scale. These reactors can produce much more secondary nuclear fuel than the fuel they consume.
Exercises
I. Learn the following words, groups of words. Translate the sentences.
1. achievement — достижение. The invention of the generator was a great achievement.
2. capacity — мощность; способность; емкость. The capacity of Krasnoyarskaya hydroelectric station is six million kW.
3. coal — уголь. Coal is a source of energy.
4. to construct — строить, создавать. Many new houses are constructed in Moscow.
5 to contain — содержать. This magazine contains many useful articles.
8. contribution — вклад. Russian scientists make a great contribution to world science.
7. engineering — техника. The students study electrical engineering at our institute.
8 in question — обсуждаемый, о котором идет речь. The generators in question were constructed in Leningrad.
9. installation — установка. There are various electrical installations in our laboratory.
10. nuclear — ядерный, атомный. Nuclear fuel is used in the reactor.
11. peaceful — мирный. Peaceful use of nuclear energy began soon after the World War II.
12. in the form — в виде. We use solar energy in the form of heat.
13. power station (plant) — электростанция. The nuclear power station can produce not only electric energy but also heat.
14. to put into operation — вводить в действие. Several large power-stations were put into operation last year.
15. reliable — надежный. Soviet refrigerators are reliable in operation.
16. steam — nap. Steam is used to produce electricity.
17. to supply — снабжать, доставлять, поставлять. Coal is supplied to the power plants.
II. Learn to recognize the following international words.
Mechanical, form, potential, generator, kinetic, turbine, limit, battery, standard, hydroelectric, interest, engineer, type, reactor.
III. Translate the following groups of words.
to construct power stations, reliable installations, to put into operation, to supply energy, an important achievement, nuclear power stations
содержать воду, большой вклад, в виде энергии, строить электростанции, мирный атом, обсуждаемые проблемы
IV. Arrange the words given in (a) and (b) in pairs of antonyms.
a) 1. possible; 2. useful; 3. to construct; 4. present; 5. largest; 6. unlimited; 7. to increase; 8. to lose
б) 1. past; 2. impossible; 3. to find; 4. useless; 5. limited; 6. smallest; 7. to destroy; 8. to decrease
V. Fill in the blanks with prepositions.
1. Electricity plays an important] part... everyday life. 2. It is difficult to imagine now how people could do... electricity. 3. As my friend lives near the institute he usually goes there … foot. 4. I often go... bed late... night. 5. One form... energy can be changed... another form. 6. Only a little part of solar energy is used directly... present. 7. Russian scientists made a great contribution... nuclear engineering.
VI. Put all possible questions to the following sentences:
1. Useful energy can be got from a nuclear reactor. 2. The first nuclear power station was constructed in the USSR.
VII. Translate the following sentences paying attention to the words in bold type.
1. Modern civilization needs more and more electricity. 2. You needn't go to the laboratory today. 3. The energy needs in industry are increasing day by day. 4. There is no need to use kerosene lamps today. 5. What do we need electric energy for? 6. Cold turns water into ice. 7. The sun, in its turn, turns ice into water. 8. The turbines are turned by steam, gas and water. 9. In their turn, turbines turn generators. 10. The teacher says: "It is your turn to read." 11. When you enter a dark room, turn the light on, and leaving it turn the light off. 12. It is possible to turn solar energy into electric energy owing to semiconductors.
VIII. Ask your group mate the following questions. Let him/her answer them.
1. if it is possible to see a single drop of water in the sea. 2. if the steam generator of a nuclear reactor contains water. 3. if man has learned to split atoms. 4. if atomic energy finds any new application in industry. 5. if the Soviet Union constructed the first nuclear power plant inthe world.
IX. Answer the following questions.
1. What is the difference between potential energy and kinetic energy? 2. What sources of energy do you know? 3. What form of energy can be changed into another form? 4. What are the industrial uses of electricity? 5. Can you name the device which changes chemical energy into electrical energy? 6. What is the difference between a battery and a generator? 7. What may coal be replaced by in future? 8. When was the first industrial nuclear power station put into operation? 9. What contribution to nuclear engineering did Russian scientists make? 10. What electrical devices do you use at home? 11. What forms of energy do you know? 12. What is the world's first nuclear ice-breaker?
X. Speak on:
1. The operation of a nuclear reactor. 2. The first industrial nuclear power-station. 3. The peaceful uses of atomic energy.
XI. Make up the annotation of the text and retell it.
LESSON FOUR
Read and translate the text.
LIGHTNING
The lightning flash is certainly the earliest manifestation of electricity known to man, although for a long time nobody knew that lightning and atmospheric electricity are one and the same thing. Indeed, for thousands of years people knew nothing about thunderstorms. However, they saw long sparks falling from the dark sky and heard thunder. They knew that these sparks could kill people or strike their houses and destroy them. Trying to understand dangerous phenomenon, they imagined things and invented numerous stories.
Take the early Scandinavians as an example! They thought that thunderstorms were produced by Thor, the god of thunder. Besides his throwing both thunder and lightning at some people, he was a hammer-thrower. According to the story, his powerful hammer had the property of always coming back to his hands after it had been thrown. The fifth day of the week, that is Thursday, was named after him. A story like that invented by those early Scandinavians could be also heard from other peoples.
However, time flies. Thunderstorms have long stopped being a problem that scientists tried to solve. Now everybody knows that lightning is a very great flash of light resulting from a discharge of atmospheric electricity either between a charged cloud and the earth or between charged clouds.
Even now some people do not like being out during a thunderstorm. Dark clouds cover the sky, turning day into night. There are lightning flashes followed by thunder which can be heard for kilometers around. Needless to say, there is always some danger in a thunderstorm for a very high building or a man standing in the open field.
Many years ago people learned to protect their houses from thunderstorms. Coming down from a charged cloud to the earth, lightning usually strikes the nearest conductor. Therefore, it is necessary to provide an easy path along which electrons are conducted to the earth. That Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning conductor is a well-known fact. The lightning conductor, familiar to everybody at present, is a metal device protecting buildings from strokes of lightning by conducting the electrical charges to the earth.
Franklin's achievements in the field of electricity were known to M.V. Lomonosov who, in his turn, made experiments of his own. Along with other scientific problems that M.V. Lomonosov studied was that of atmospheric electricity. Both Lomonosov and his friend Professor Rihman took great interest in it. Both of them tried to solve the problem in question. They made numerous experiments and observations without thinking of the possible danger. The first electrical measuring device in the world was constructed by Rihman. Making experiments of that kind was dangerous and Professor Rihman was killed by a stroke of lightning while he was making one of his experiments.
Exercises
I. Learn the following words, groups of words. Translate the sentences.
1. to charge — заряжать. What kinds of batteries can be charged?
2. to conduct — проводить. All metals conduct the electric current.
3. dangerous — опасный. Electricity may be dangerous.
4. to destroy — разрушать. Atoms can serve the people and they can also destroy the world.
5. to discharge — разряжать. When the battery operates it discharges.
6. to invent — изобретать. Radio was invented by the Russian scientist A.S. Popov.
7. lightning — молния. Lightning is a discharge of electricity.
8. like — подобный, похожий, как. A nuclear power station is like any other power station. The melted metals flow like water.
9. to name after — называть в честь. Moscow University is named after M.V. Lomonosov.
10. observation — наблюдение. Observation is very important for any experiment.
11. path — путь; контур электрической цепи. Can you see the path travelled by the electrons?
12. phenomenon — явление. The scientists observed the unknown phenomenon.
13. property — свойство. What are the properties of semiconductors?
14. to provide — снабжать, обеспечивать. The nuclear power stations are provided with nuclear fuel.
15. scientific — научный. Our students take part in scientific work.
16. to solve a problem — решать задачу, проблему. It is difficult to solve this problem without the teacher's help.
II. Learn to recognize the following international words.
atmospheric, Scandinavians, laboratory, electricity, experiment, kilometer, conductor, problem, professor, fact
III. Translate the following groups of words.
electrical charges, invented devices, known phenomenon, useful property, scientific study, to solve a difficult problem, to destroy houses, to conduct current, to name after the inventor
проводить наблюдения, заряжать батарею, научная статья, подобные свойства, снабжать топливом, разрушать дома
IV. Put questions to the words in bold type.
1. For thousands of years people knew nothing about thunderstorms. 2. The fifth day of the week was named after Thor. 3. Lightning is a discharge of atmospheric electricity. 4. The lightning conductor provides an easy path for conducting electric charges to the earth. 5. Rihman constructed the first electrical measuring device. 6. Experiments on atmospheric electricity were made by M.V. Lomonosov. 7. Many years ago people learned to protect their houses from thunderstorms. 8. We use atomic energy for peaceful purposes.
V. Translate the following sentences paying attention to the words in bold type.
a) 1. My friend's son looks like his father. 2. You may take any device you like. 3. Some liquids have like properties. 4. Steel like iron is widely used in industry. 5. A steam turbine is like any other turbine but it is turned by steam. 6. We did not like the film that we saw yesterday. 7. Did you like the story that you heard at the lesson yesterday?
б) 1. Lightning is an atmospheric phenomenon that greatly interested some scientists of the past. 2. That the Earth revolves about the Sun is known to everybody. 3. It is quite possible that in future coal may be replaced by nuclear fuel. 4. Atomic energy can serve people but we must never forget that that energy can also destroy the world. 5. When an object loses its potential energy that energy is turned into kinetic energy. 6. The operation of the motor is quite different from that of the generator. 7. Everybody knows that the Earth is round. 8. The climate in Moscow is better than that in London. 9. The film that we saw yesterday was very interesting.
VI. Answer the following questions.
1. What is the earliest manifestation of electricity? 2. Are lightning and atmospheric electricity one and the same thing? 3. What did the early Scandinavians think about thunderstorms? 4. What is lightning? 5. Do you like tobe out during a thunderstorm? 6. Is it dangerous to be in the open field during a thunderstorm? 7. Do people protect their houses from thunderstorms? 8. What does lightning usually strike? 9. Who invented the lightning conductor? 10. Who constructed the first electrical measuring device in the world?
VII. Put 5 questions to text beginning with the word what.
VIII. Speak on the story told by the early Scandinavians.
IX. Make up the annotation of the text and retell it.
LESSON FIVE
Read and translate the text.
ATMOSPHERIC ELECTRICITY
Electricity plays such an important part in modern life that in order to get it, men have been burning millions of tons of coal. Coal is burned instead of its being mainly used as a source of valuable chemical substances which it contains. Therefore, finding new sources of electric energy is a most important problem that scientists and engineers try to solve. In this connection one might ask: "Is it possible to develop methods of harnessing lightning?" In other words, could atmospheric electricity be transformed into useful energy?
Indeed, hundreds of millions of volts are required for a lightning spark about one and a half kilometer long. However, this does not represent very much energy because of the intervals between single thunderstorms. As for the power spent in producing lightning flashes all over the world, it is only about 1/10,000 of the power got by mankind from the sun, both in the form of light and heat. Thus, the source in question may interest only the scientists of the future.
It has already been mentioned that atmospheric electricity is the earliest manifestation of electricity known to man. However, nobody understood that phenomenon and its properties until Benjamin Franklin made his kite experiment. On studying the Leyden jar (for long years the only known condenser), Franklin began thinking that lightning was a strong spark of electricity. He began experimenting in order to draw electricity from the clouds to the earth. The story about his famous kite is known all over the world.
On a stormy day Franklin and his son went into the countrytaking with them some necessary things such as: a kite with a long string, a key and so on. The key was connected to the lower end of the string. "If lightning is the same as electricity," Franklin thought, "then some of its sparks must come down the kite string to the key." Soon the kite was flying high among the clouds where lightning flashed. However, the kite having been raised, some time passed before there was any proof of its being electrified. Then the rain fell and wetted the string. The wet string conducted the electricity from the clouds down the string to the key. Franklin and his son both saw electric sparks which grew bigger and stronger. Thus, it was proved that lightning is a discharge of electricity like that got from the batteries of Leyden jars.
Trying to develop a method of protecting buildings during thunderstorms, Franklin continued studying that problem and invented the lightning conductor. He wrote necessary instructions for the installation of his invention, the principle of his lightning conductor being in use until now. Thus, protecting buildings from strokes of lightning was the first discovery in the field of electricity employed for the good of mankind.
Exercises
I. Learn the following words, groups of words and sentences. Translate the sentences.
1. all over the world — во всем мире. Yuri Gagarin is known all over the world.
2. because of — из-за, вследствие. Uranium is dangerous because of its radioactivity.
3. to burn — сжигать. We burn coal to get energy.
4. to connect — соединять, связывать. All the batteries are connected. My work is connected with semiconductors.
5. to develop — развивать, разрабатывать. Franklin developed a new theory of electricity.
6. discovery — открытие. Faraday made his famous discovery in 1831.
7. to electrify — электрифицировать; электризовать. Our country is electrified. These objects are electrified.
8. engineer — инженер. We shall become engineers.
9. field — поле; область (науки, техники). In autumn our students worked in the fields. In what field of science did Volta work?
10. instead of — вместо. What fuel can be used instead of coal?
11. to mention — упоминать. Speaking about continuous current we can mention the name of Volta.
12. power — энергия; держава. The reactor supplies power to the turbine. The Russian Federation is a great power.
13. to protect — защищать. Workers of the nuclear power station are protected from radiation.
14. substance — вещество; материя. Many chemical substances can be produced from coal.
15. valuable — ценный. Coal is the source of valuable substances.
II. Learn to recognize the following international words.
secret, atom, to circulate, station, thermal, problem, electron, conductor, professor, experiment, atmospheric, method, academician, interval, condenser.
III. Translate the following groups of words.
to burn coal, because of water power, to electrify metal, useful substance, in the field of radio, to develop new devices, instead of chemical sources, to power the motor
новое открытие, во всем мире, полезные свойства, известные инженеры, защищать дома, наэлектризованный предмет.
IV. Fill in the blanks with suitable verbs, if necessary. Answer the following questions.
1. What... the earliest manifestation of electricity? 2. What…electricity? 3. What... the early Scandinavians think about thunderstorms? 4. Who... burning millions of tons of coal? 5. What property... Thor's hammer possess? 6. Who... invented the lightning conductor? 7. What experiments... Lomonosov and Rihman make? 8. What device... constructed by Rihman? 9. Who…constructed the first measuring device?
V. Put questions to the words in bold type.
1. Benjamin Franklin made his kite experiment. 2. Nobody understood that phenomenon. 3. The story of his kite is known all over the world. 4. On a stormy day Franklin and his son went into the country. 5. The key was connected to the lower end of the string. 6. Soon the kite was flying high among the clouds. 7. The electric sparks proved that lightning is a discharge of electricity. 8. The wet string conducted the electricity. 9. Franklin invented the lightning conductor.
VI. For the words given in (a) find the Russian equivalents in (b).
a) 1. to connect; 2. scientific; 3. because of; 4. charge; 5. power; 6. to destroy; 7. to protect; 8. phenomenon; 9. to name after; 10. to develop; 11. observation; 12. discovery; 13. property; 14. to electrify; 15. substance; 16. to solve a problem
b) 1. называть в честь; 2. вещество; 3. защищать; 4. свойство; 5. научный; 6. наблюдение; 7. решать проблему; 8. из-за; 9. открытие; 10. соединять; 11. сила, энергия; 12. заряд; 13. явление; 14. разрушать; 15. разрабатывать; 16. электризовать.
VII. Fill in the blanks with prepositions.
1. It is dangerous to go … … a stormy day. 2. Lightning is a very great flash... light resulting... a discharge... atmospheric electricity. 3. Protecting buildings... lightning was the first discovery... the field... electricity used... the good... mankind. 4.... thousands... years people knew nothing... thunderstorms. 5. Lightning flashes are followed... thunder which can be heard... kilometers around. 6. There is always some danger... a thunderstorm... a very high building or a man standing... the open field. 7. It is difficult to see a single drop... water... the sea. 8. Some scientists... the past melted metals... the help... solar furnaces. 9. Modern civilization cannot do... electrical appliances. 10. Electric current is necessary... the operation... trolley-buses, buses, and modern trains.
VIII. Form five sentences combining suitable parts of the sentences given in columns I and II.
I II
1. The generator 1. measures the temperature
of hot melted metals.
2. The lightning conductor 2. lifts objects
weighing thousands of tons.
3. The motor 3. turns electrical energy
into mechanical energy
4. The electric crane 4. protects buildings from
lightning strokes.
5. The pyrometer 5. converts mechanical
energy into electrical
energy.
IX. Describe Franklin's kite experiment.
X. Make up the annotation of the text and retell it.
LESSON SIX
Read and translate the text.
MAGNETISM
In studying the electric current, we observe the following relation between magnetism and the electric current: on the one hand magnetism is produced by the current and on the other hand the current is produced from magnetism.
Magnetism is mentioned in the oldest writings of man. Romans, for example, knew that an object looking like a small dark stone had the property of attracting iron. However, nobody knew who discovered magnetism or where and when the discovery was made. Of course, people could not help repeating the stories that they had heard from their fathers who, in their turn, heard them from their own fathers and so on.
One story tells us of a man called Magnus whose iron staff was pulled to a stone and held there. He had great difficulty in pulling his staff away. Magnus carried the stone away with him in order to demonstrate its attracting ability among his friends. This unfamiliar substance was called Magnus after its discoverer, this name having come down to us as "Magnet".
According to another story, a great mountain by the sea possessed so much magnetism that all passing ships were destroyed because all their iron parts fell out. They were pulled out because of the magnetic force of that mountain.
The earliest practical application of magnetism was connected with the use of a simple compass consisting of one small magnet pointing north and south.
A great step forward in the scientific study of magnetism was made by Gilbert, the well-known English physicist (1540-1603). He carried out various important experiments on electricity and magnetism and wrote a book where he put together all that was known about magnetism. He proved that the earth itself was a great magnet.
Reference must be made here to Galileo, the famous Italian astronomer, physicist and mathematician. He took great interest in Gilbert's achievements and also studied the properties of magnetic materials. He experimented with them trying to increase their attracting power. One of his magnets, for example, could lift objects weighing 25 times more than its own weight.
At present, even a schoolboy is quite familiar with the fact that in magnetic materials, such as iron and steel, the molecules themselves are minute magnets, each of them having a north pole and a south pole. When iron and steel are magnetized, the molecules arrange themselves in a new orderly way instead of the disarrangement in which they neutralize each other.
Dividing a bar magnet into two parts, one finds that each of the two parts is a magnet having both a north pole and a south pole. Thus, we obtain two magnets of a smaller size instead of having a single one of a larger size. Dividing one of these two smaller magnets into two will give us the same result. Thus, we could continue this process, always getting similar results.
On placing an unmagnified iron bar near a strong magnet, we magnetize it. Rubbing the magnet is not required for that process. In other words, our iron bar has been magnetized by the strong magnet without rubbing it.
Exercises
I. Learn the following words, groups of words. Translate the sentences.
1. ability — способность. Energy is the ability to do work.
2. to attract — притягивать. What substances attract each other?
3. to carry out — проводить. When will you carry out your experiment?
4. to consist of — состоять из. All substances consist of atoms.
5. force — сила. Atmospheric electricity is a dangerous force that can kill people.
6. iron — железо. Iron conducts electricity.
7. magnetism — магнетизм. Who discovered magnetism?
8. to make reference to — ссылаться на, упоминать. In his article the scientist makes reference to the properties of iron.
9. to obtain — получать. The students obtained valuable results of their experiment.
10. on the one hand — с одной стороны; on the other hand — с другой стороны. On the one hand atoms can serve people and on the other hand they can destroy the world.
11. to possess — обладать. Uranium possesses radioactivity.
12. to prove — доказывать. Franklin proved that lightning is an electrical phenomenon.
13. physicist — физик. Physicists study the properties of semiconductors.
14. relation — связь; отношение. Who observed the relation between magnetism and the electric current?
15. single — один. In 1954 there was a single nuclear power station in the world.
16. steel — сталь. Steel and iron melt at high temperatures.
17. weight — вес. What is the atomic weight of uranium?
II. Learn to recognize the following international words.
to transform, volt, kilometer, form, process, magnet, magnetism, to demonstrate, compass, astronomer, molecule, to neutralize, material
III. Translate the following groups of words.
the ability to attract, to carry out an experiment, to possess the property, a single device, a famous physicist, to make reference to the problem
показать отношение, плавить сталь в печи, с одной стороны, с другой стороны, большая сила, состоять из веществ
IV. Use the following expressions in sentences of your own.
all over the world, as well as, in this connection, in the form of, needless to say, to pay attention to, on the other hand
V. Translate the following questions and answer them.
1. Существует ли связь между электричеством и магнетизмом? 2. Знаете ли вы, кто открыл магнетизм? 3. Что вы знаете об атмосферном электричестве? 4. Кто доказал, что наша Земля является большим магнитом? 5. Что вы знаете о магнетизме? 6. Каковы свойства магнита? 7. Кто интересовался достижениями Гильберта? 8. Какие опыты проводил Франклин? 9. Какие магнитные материалы вы знаете? 10. Какие свойства материалов изучал Галилей?
VI. Translate the following sentences paying attention to the words in bold type.
1. These electrical devices are very large. Who can help me to carry them to another laboratory? 2. After the experiment had been carried out the students carried the devices away. 3. What were the students doing when the teacher came into the classroom? They were doing exercises. 4. Why can't you do without the thermometer? The temperature of this metal is known. 5. He could not go to the cinema yesterday. 6. Do not turn the light off, I shall go on working. 7. I see nothing, turn the light on, please. 8. On heating ice turns into water. 9. Water, in its turn, turns into ice on freezing. 10. Let us turn our attention to the history of electricity. 11. Water turns the turbines at the hydropower station.
VII. Rearrange the sentences to make up a story of Franklin's kite experiment.
1. The key was connected to the lower end of the string. 2. The story about Franklin's famous kite is known all over theworld. 3. They took some necessary things such as: akite with a long string, a key, and so on. 4. It was proved that lightning is a discharge of electricity. 5. It was astormy day. 6. The electricity was conducted from the clouds down the string to the key. 7. The kite was flying high among the clouds. 8. The rain wetted the string. 9. Atmospheric electricity greatly interested Franklin. 10. The rain fell.
VIII. Compare:
1. A generator and a motor. 2. Potential energy andkinetic energy. 3. Chemical energy and mechanical energy. 4. A nuclear power station and a steam power station.
IX. Speak on magnetism.
X. Make up the annotation of the text and retell it.
LESSON SEVEN
Read and translate the text.