III. Reading.

Exercise 10. Read and translate the text A “Atmospheric Electricity”.

Text A.

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 sent 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 that of 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 Behjamin 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 country taking 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.

IV. Language.

Exercise 11. Find the correspondence.

to connect scientific because of charge to name after power to destroy 8. to protect 9. phenomenon 10. to develop 11. observation 12. discovery 13. property 14. electrify 15. substance 16. to solve a problem

1. називати на честь 2. речовина 3. захищати 4. властивість 5. науковий 6. спостереження 7. вирішувати проблему 8. через 9. відкриття 10. з’єднувати 11. сила, енергія 12. заряд 13. явище 14. руйнувати 15. розробляти 16. електризувати

Exercise 12. Translate the following sentences paying attention to both, both …and.

1. Both scientists studied atmospheric electricity. 2. The students made two experiments; they were both interesting and useful. 3. Both of us will work in the institute laboratory tomorrow. 4. Both Lomonosov and Rihman were great scientists; both of them studied atmospheric electricity.

5. Electricity is used both in industry and in everyday life. 6. Both nuclear power and solar energy will be widely used in future. 7. The term “lightning’ and “atmospheric electricity’ mean one and the same thing; both of them are used in literature. 8. Both chemical energy and mechanical energy can be transformed into electricity.

Exercise 13. 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. Modern civilization cannot do … electrical appliances.

Exercise 14. Translate into Ukrainian:

The only example known; the only method of solving the problem; the only son; only you can do it for me; coal is not only a source of heat but also a source of valuable chemical substances; the letter was sent only yesterday.

Exercise 15. Form five sentences combining suitable parts of the sentences given in columns I and II.

Column I	Column 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.

Exercise 16. Find the Gerund in the text and define its function.