The wonder metals
The study of metals began in the Middle Ages when scientists searched for a technique “to convert” base metals like lead to gold. They never succeeded in making gold but at least by experimenting with metals (in contrast to ancient Greeks who only speculated about them), they made many discoveries.
All but 20 of the over of 100 elements identified to date are metals but only 7 of these are common in the Earth’s crust. Iron, the most widely used metal, is rarely found in the free state (not combined with other metals) and must be extracted from naturally occurring compounds (ores) such as hematite, magnetite, and pyrite. The beautiful colors of rocks are due almost entirely to these iron compounds. In fact, iron pyrite is often called fool’s gold, because of the similarity of its color to gold. Iron is very strongly magnetic, and the fact that that the Earth is a magnet itself tipped scientists off to the fact that iron is a major component of the Earth’s core, or center.
Pure iron is a relatively soft, silvery metal that is very active chemically (that is, it combines with oxygen to corrode or form rust). It’s usually mixed with other elements or compounds to form alloys such as steel or stainless steel or cast iron, which are more durable and rust resistant than pure iron.
Aluminum is the most abundant metal, but it was not used until a century ago because it’s so active chemically and difficult to extract. Like iron it’s soft but in contrast to iron and steel, aluminum is very light and very resistant to corrosion. These qualities make it useful for airplanes, trains, automobiles, rockets and house siding.
In the space age the extraordinary properties of titanium have made it the new wonder metal. Lighter and stronger than steel, it is more resistant to corrosion and able to withstand heat.
The remaining major metals are sodium, potassium, and calcium, all too active chemically (they react violently with water) to be used in construction.
Ex13. Agree or disagree with the following statements:
a) The study of metals began in the Ancient Greece.
b) In the Middle Ages many scientists searched for a technique “to convert” base metals like lead to gold.
c) Today aluminum is the most widely used metal.
d) The beautiful colors of rocks are due almost entirely to hematite, magnetite, and pyrite which are iron compounds.
e) Iron pyrite is often called fool’s gold, because of the similarity of its color to gold.
f) Pure iron is a relatively soft metal that isn’t active chemically.
g) Though aluminum is the most abundant metal, it was not used until a century ago.
h) In the age of space flights titanium has become the new wonder metal.
i) Sodium, potassium, and calcium are too active chemically as they react violently with water.
Ex.14. Retell the text “The Wonder Metals.”
Some important ways of comparison in scientific texts.
Ex.15. Read and remember the following rule of comparison of adjectives:
One of the most important abilities in every-day life is the ability to compare smth. In physics it is one of the most routine activities. In order to compare, find similarities and differences the following sentence patterns are of use:
Comparing similarities |
Comparing differences |
1) Magnesium is like/similar to/comparable to aluminum; 2) Magnesium is as important as aluminum; 3) Magnesium resembles/parallels aluminum in many ways. |
1) Iron is unlike/different from aluminum; 2) Iron differs from aluminum; 3) Unlike iron/in contrast to iron/compared to iron/ in comparison to iron aluminum is light 4) Iron is heavier than/less abundant than/not as soft as aluminum 5) Iron is a relatively/comparatively soft metal |
Ex.16. Read a short passage below to determine the order of the seven italicized metals according to their melting points. List the metals with the highest melting point first. Translate the passage into Russian:
The melting point of platinum is high compared to most metals but not as high as that of chromium. The melting point of zinc is less than half the melting point of gold and approximately three times the melting point of sodium. Mercury has the lowest melting point of all the metals. Copper and gold have similar melting points but the melting point of copper is slightly higher than gold and lower than platinum.
Ex.17. Write sentences comparing the items in each of these pairs. Remember that there is more than one way to write an answer:
a) surface temperature: Mercury - 375° C; Venus – 475 ° C.
b) maximum life span: kangaroo - 16 years; cat – 232 years.
c) diameter: the Moon – 3,480 km; the Earth – 12,800 km.
d) gestation period: elephant – 21 months, giraffe – 15 months.
e) percent of world’s water:
Pacific Ocean – 46 %, Atlantic Ocean – 22,9 %.
Ex. 18. Before listening to the dialogue remember the following words and word expressions:
drug лекарство
drug store аптека
druggist аптекарь
medication, medicine ['medsin] лекарство
pill таблетка, пилюля
mixture ['mikst∫ə] микстура
a fever лихорадка
to have a fever испытывать жар, температурить
to pick up some cough medicine выбрать лекарство от кашля
flavor ['fleivə] вкус
to be (cherry) flavored иметь вкус (вишни)
to drowse [draəz] дремать
drowsy ['drauzi] сонный
to cause drowsiness вызывать сонливость
[tə' ko:z 'drauzinis]
to take some aspirin [ǽspirin] принять аспирин
pill, tablet [tǽblit] пилюля, таблетка
sedative ['sedətiv] успокаивающее,
седативное (средство)
strain ['strein] растяжение
muscle strain мускульное растяжение
ligament ['ligəmənt] strain растяжение связок
for external [eks'tə:nl] use для внешнего применения
for internal [in'tə:nl] use для внутреннего применения
cure ['kjuə] средство, лечение
marvelous ['ma:vələs] cure удивительное средство
bruise ['bru:z] синяк
cut порез
insect ['insəkt] bite укус насекомых
three times an hour ['auə] три раза в час
accident [ǽksidənt] авария
to be in an accident попасть в аварию
to be badly injured ['indzəd] быть серьезно пораненным
to fell off a ladder упасть с лестницы
to be disabled [dis'eibld] быть (стать) инвалидом
to put a band-aid on smth. наложить повязку на ч-л.
to work socks off работать, как пчелка
to run down переутомиться
to go on holiday взять отпуск
to go on picnic поехать на пикник
to be full of energy быть полным сил
Ex. 19. Listen to the dialogue “At the Drugstore”.
Ex. 20. Listen to the dialogue again and answer the following questions:
Has Barbara met her friend or her boss?
Have they met at the hospital or at the chemist’s?
How long haven’t they seen each other?
Why has June come to the drugstore?
What is the reason for Barbara’s coming to the chemist’s?
What kind of medicine has the doctor prescribed to Barbara’s son?
When should he take the tablets?
Why haven’t the women gone to get some coffee?
Have they agreed to meet the next day?
Ex.21. Translate into English using the active vocabulary of the dialogue:
На прошлой неделе мы ездили на пикник и всем нам очень понравилось. Мы теперь полны сил.
Отдохни! Ты же работаешь как пчелка!
К несчастью, на прошлой неделе они попали в аварию. Сейчас они в больнице. У обоих многочисленные синяки, порезы и мускульные растяжения. Врачи наложили им повязки. Они пробудут в больнице до конца месяца.
Кажется, что она температурит. Ей необходимо принять аспирин или какое-то другое лекарство.
Питер очень переутомился и был вынужден взять отпуск на одну неделю.
Что она делает в аптеке? – Она выбирает лекарство от кашля, т.к. ее сын заболел.
Лекарство имеет очень приятный вкус вишни и маленьким детям оно должно понравиться.
Смотри, мама, кошка дремлет на дереве! – Да, кошке тоже надо отдохнуть.
О, какое это удивительное средство! Оно мне очень помогло. Спасибо, доктор! – Не за что.
Ты опять забыл принять лекарство! – Нет, я его принял еще до завтрака.