II. Read some international words from the text and guess their meanings:

practical, result, civilization, electric, mechanical, electric lamp, refrigerator, machine, telephone, lift, radio, television, student, moment, energy, institute, trolley-bus, laboratory, theatre, industrial, mass, temperature, crane, industry, object, ton, experiment.

III. Read and translate the text paragraph by paragraph and do the tasks.

I

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 the electric lamp, without vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, washing machines and other electrically operated devices that are widely used today. In fact, telephones, lifts, electric trams, radio and television have been made possible only owing to the electric current.

Which sentences from the text correspond to these Russian ones?

1. В результате, мы не можем представить современную цивилизацию без электрического тока.

2. Фактически, телефоны, лифты, трамваи, радио и телевидение стали возможны только благодаря электрическому току.

Fill in the blanks with proper words from the text:

1. Everybody knows Volta carried out ... experiments.

2. Russian and foreign ... and ... developed practical application of the electric current.

3. How many electrically operated ... are there in your house?

4. We can use electric lamps, lifts, radio and television only ... to the electric current.

Answer the questions:

1. When was the electric current born?

2. When did Volta construct the first source of continuous current?

3. Who has greatly contributed to its development?

4. Can people do without electricity?

5. What electrically operated machines do people use nowadays?

6. What has been made possible owing to the electric current?

II

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 going to institute either on foot or bicycle, can he 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.

Which sentences from the text correspond to these Russian ones:

1. С момента, когда он встает утром и до тех пор, когда он ложится спать ночью, он широко использует электрическую энергию.

2. Фактически, хорошо известно, что электрический ток необходим для работы троллейбусов, трамваев, автобусов и современных поездов.

Fill in the blanks with proper words from the text:

1. Are you ... with any electrically operated devices at home?

2. In everyday life we ... use electricity.

3. If you don't go to the University by foot or by bicycle can you do ... electricity?

Answer the questions:

1. What part does the electric current play in everyday life?

2. Do you use electric energy from morning till night?

3. What is necessary to operate trolley-buses, trams, buses and modern trains?

III, IV

During the day this reading 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 they are 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.

Which sentences from the text correspond to these Russian ones?

1. A вечером, если он занимается или просто читает при электрической лампе, смотрит телевизор, идет в театр или кино, он, конечно, использует электричество.

2. Некоторым людям более известны разнообразные применения электрического тока в их повседневной жизни, нежели его многочисленные применения в промышленности.

3. Возьмем, например, электрический двигатель, преобразующий электрическую энергию в механическую.

4. Что касается электрического крана, он может легко поднимать объекты, весящие сотни тонн.

Fill in the blanks with proper words from the text:

1. An electric crane finds its application in ... .

2. The electric motor can transform electric energy into ... energy.

3. The electric crane can ... lift heavy objects.

Answer the questions:

1. What electrical devices does any student use during the day?

2. What electrical devices does he use in the evening?

3. Why are some people more familiar with various applications in everyday life than they are with its industrial applications?

4. What energy does the electric motor transform from the electric energy?

5. What electrical devices can lift objects weighing hundreds of tons?

V

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.

Which sentences from the text correspond to these Russian ones?

1. Говоря о расплавленных металлах, мы могли бы упомянуть еще об одном устройстве, использующем электричество, т.е. об электрическом пирометре.

2. Температура горячих текучих металлов может быть легко измерена благодаря электрическому пирометру.

Fill in the blanks with proper words from the text:

1. The electrically heated furnace is a good example illustrating an industrial use of the ... .

2. The electric pyrometer ... the temperature of ... metals in the furnace.

3. In industry and at home the electric current ... us in a thousand ways.

Answer the questions:

1. What example illustrates an important industrial use of the electric current?

2. What does the electric pyrometer measure?