Vocabulary

fiberglass – стеклопластик;

hull/ cowling – корпус;

frame – рама ;

axle – ось, мост;

lateral movement – боковое смещение;

ropes/cables – канаты;

steering rings/ D-rings – кольца (для управления бобом);

pulley system – канатно-блочная система;

skid – занос;

wall – стенка желоба;

push handle/ push bar – ручка для разгона;

lever – рычаг;

brake handles – тормозные ручки;

reference runner – контрольный полоз;

ballast/ weight bar – балласт;

curves – виражи;

belly – нижняя часть виража;

roof – верхняя часть виража;

transition – начало виража;

lips – ограничители, барьеры;

shades – навесы;

refrigeration condenser – конденсатор системы охлаждения;

ambient conditions – условия окружающей среды;

storage tank – резервуар;

ammonia – аммиак;

closed-circuit television – телевизионная система с замкнутым каналом;

vertical drop – перепад высот;

maximum grade – максимальный уклон;

average grade – средний уклон;

omega – омега (вираж);

labyrinth – лабиринт (последовательность из нескольких виражей);

kreisel – круговой вираж, мертвая петля;

S-curve – S-образный вираж;

spikes – шипы;

goggles – защитные очки;

elbow pad – налокотник;

shoulder pad – наплечник.

Exercises

1. Read the text.

2. Give Russian equivalents for:

a front and rear axle; to steer the sled; to steer the sled left; to steer the sled right; the crew leans into curves; to hit a skid; to heat the runners; to cross the finish line; to place all competitors on equal footing; concrete-based tracks with artificial ice surfaces; bobsleigh, luge and skeleton venue; to keep the track frozen; sensors located throughout the track; the icing of the track; finish straight; small spikes on the soles of the racing shoes; racing suit.

3. Translate the following sentences into Russian:

1. Top bobsleigh countries like the United States, Switzerland and Germany are dabbling in applying Formula One and NASCAR auto racing technology to the sleds.

2. The sled consists of a main hull (also known as a cowling), a frame, a front and rear axle, and two sets of independent steel runners.

3. Runner dimensions are strict and standardized. Teams whose runners fail to meet the FIBT rules risk disqualification, since smaller runners can increase sled speed.

4. The steel runners on the base of the sled are the pod's only contact with the ice. Some runners work better in different types of weather, so athletes must work with their technicians to select the right equipment based on air temperature, the track and ice conditions.

5. Courses often deteriorate as the competition goes on, depending on the humidity, temperature and precipitation. Dry air has a tendency to crack the track sooner, which can degrade track quality and add perilous fractions of a second to a crew's run.

6. The two front runners have approximately three inches of lateral movement and are attached to ropes or cables held by the driver, who steers the sled.

7. A four-man sled is easier for a driver to control, but harder to extricate from difficult situations since the increased weight makes it less responsive than a two-man sled.

8. The temperature of a team's runners is taken before the race and is compared to a reference runner exposed to open air an hour before the competition. A crew's runners must be within four degrees above or below the reference runner.

9. While ballasts provide more bulk for the sled, it also keeps lighter teams at a disadvantage, since it is more difficult to push a heavier sled from a standing start than with heavier crews pushing lighter sleds.

10. A hightech plastic composite helmet must be worn to prevent head injuries. Many have visors to protect the eyes, or the athlete may choose to wear goggles.