Unit 2

Grammar: Indefinite, Continuous, Perfect Tenses (Passive). Modal verbs.

Pre-text Exercises.

1. Practise reading of the following words:

Coal [koul], source [s :s], however [hau’evd], efficient [1’fi- jdnt], alternate [ :l’td:nit], geothermal [dzi: 0 dmdl], earth expensive [iks’pensiv], subterranean [,sAbtd’reinjdn], natural [’naejtrdl] , enough [i’nAf], danger­ous F’deindzrdsl, injure f’indzd], surface [sd:fisl, controver­sial [,k ntrd’vd:\dl].

2. Try to memorize the following words:

source - джерело, to provide - забезпечувати, to increase - збільшувати, to support - підтримувати, oil - нафта, solar - сонячний, geothermal - геотермічний, cell - батарея, device - обладнання, expensive - коштовний, to drill - бурити, to pipe

• качати, waste - використаний, controversial - спірний fossil

• корисна копалина, fuel - паливо, to damage - псувати, руйнувати, pollutant - забруднювач, coolant - охолоджувач, safety - безпека.

THE SOURCES OF ENERGY

Fire, water, wind, coal, and oil are important sources of energy. They provide electricity. Because the world population is increasing, and because industry and. technology are grow­ing, additional supplies of energy are needed to support today's industrial civilization. Some energy sources, such as oil and gas, are hard to get and expensive, however. Others are not yet efficient. The development of alternate sources of energy is an important goal of today's scientists and technologists.

Solar energy comes from the sun's heat. Large panels are used to collect the heat brought to the earth by the rays of the sun. Solar energy can be used to heat water and homes and to generate electricity chemical power, and chemical energy, there are problems in using it effectively. One problem with solar energy is that many places often have dark, cloudy weather. How can power from the sun be collected in such places? One answer is the solar cell, which stores energy for use when there are no direct rays from the sun. Another problem is that, up to now, solar cells cannot provide energy as cheaply and efficiently as other de­vices can.

For this problem there is at present no answer.

As oil becomes more expensive, more and more countries are turning to coal as a source of energy. The main difficulty with coal is that it pollutes the air. It may even be the source of ’’acid rain”, which is rain containing harmful chemicals.

Geothermal energy comes from subterranean water. To get geothermal energy we must drill wells and pipe the hot water to the radiators in homes and factories. The problem is that geo­thermal energy is not available everywhere.

There is another way to use hot water for heating: to use waste heat and hot water from factories and mills.

One of today's most controversial subjects is nuclear or atomic power. In the past, fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas provided enough energy, but now they are harder to get and more expensive. People in developing countries need cheap en­ergy for better lives. People in industrialized countries want to keep their high standard of living. Nuclear power can provide energy for both these purposes.

However, many people oppose atomic energy. They say nu­clear power can be dangerous. A single accident could kill or injure thousands of people.

A strong argument of the proponents of nuclear energy is that it is clean. Uranium mines do not damage the land as sur­face coal mines do. Coal-and oil-powered industries excite ugly, bad-smelling pollutants; nuclear generators do not. How­ever, opponents of nuclear energy point out that nuclear reac­tors pour coolants into streams and rivers. These coolants change the temperature of the water. Opponents state that the temperature changes cause damage to fish and plants.

The safety question is the most important of all. Every nu­clear generator has radioactive waste products. Those opposed to atomic power say that this waste is dangerous, because it is hard to find safe places in which to store it.

Exercises.