Grammar focus The Passive Voice (2)

Task 1. Put the verb into the correct form: Present Indefinite Passive, Past Indefinite Passive, Present Continuous Passive.

1. It was only a short time ago that textiles (to use) in motor-cars, airplanes and ships.

2. The valuable constituent of an ore (to call) ordinary a valuable mineral or often just a mineral.

3. This question (to refer) to in his article.

4. The plant (to modify) now to start mass production of the new houses. All processes (to mechanize) or (to automatize).

5. All operations on the construction site (to minimize) and the bulk of the work (to do) at the plant.

6. Certain special steps (to take) to reduce the weight of the mechanical part last month.

Task 2. Put the verb into the correct form: Future Indefinite Passive, Present Perfect Passive or Past Perfect Passive.

2. Tomorrow a new magnetic gear (to install).

3. A close study of the structure of natural rubber (to make) by our scientists for a number of years.

4. The new device (to test) for two hours when the chief engineer came and stopped the experiment.

5. He just (to bring) the acid solution he demanded.

6. Next year the new atomic power station (to put) into operation.

7. Coated nylon (to use) recently as the basic material in the construction of small craft.

8. The separate elements of the building (to manufacture) at different ferroconcrete factories by that time.

9. You (to inform) as soon as the drawings are received.

Discussion

Task 1. Read and memorize the following words:

substance - субстанція	compound - сполука; суміш
intervention - втручання	halite - галіт, кам'яна сіль
exhibit – виявляти, проявляти	lack – зазнавати нестачі, браку
sugarcane – цукровий очерет	obsidian – обсидіан (вулканічне скло)
buried – бути похованим	ratio - пропорція
arrange – бути розташованим	reflect – відображатись
repetitive – той, що повторюється	secrete - виділяти

Task 2. Read the text. Translate it into Ukrainian. Talk about the major characteristics of minerals. Transcribe the following words: calcium carbonate, crystalline, mercury, obsidian, chemical formula, quartz, silicon, oxygen, ratio.

Characteristics of minerals

Geologists define mineral as any naturally occurring inorganic solid that possesses an orderly crystalline structure and can be represented by a chemical formula. Thus, Earth materials that are classified as minerals exhibit the following characteristics:

1. Naturally occurring. Minerals form by natural, geologic processes. Synthetic materials, meaning those produced in a laboratory or by human intervention, are not considered minerals.

2. Solid substance. Only solid crystalline substances are considered minerals. Ice (frozen water) fits this criterion and is considered a mineral, whereas liquid water and water vapour do not. The exception is mercury, which is found in its liquid form in nature.

3. Orderly crystalline structure. Minerals are crystalline substances, which means their atoms are arranged in an orderly, repetitive manner. This orderly packing of atoms is reflected in the regularly shaped objects called crystals. Some naturally occurring solids, such as volcanic glass (obsidian), lack a repetitive atomic structure and are not considered minerals.

4. Generally inorganic. Inorganic crystalline solids, such as ordinary table salt (halite), that are found naturally in the ground are considered minerals. (Organic compounds, on the other hand, are generally not. Sugar, a crystalline solid like salt but which comes from sugarcane or sugar beets, is a common example of such an organic compound.) Many marine animals secrete inorganic compounds, such as calcium carbonate (calcite), in the form of shells and coral reefs. If these materials are buried and become part of the rock record, they are considered minerals by geologists.

5. Can be represented by a chemical formula. Most minerals are chemical compounds having compositions that can be expressed by a chemical formula. For example, the common mineral quartz has the formula SiO₂, which indicates that quartz consists of silicon (Si) and oxygen (O) atoms in a ratio of one-to-two.

Task 3. Look at Figure 11.1. What does the diagram illustrate? What characteristic feature of minerals does it refer to?

Task 4. List five characteristics an Earth material should have in order to be considered a mineral.

Task 5. Based on the definition of a mineral, which of the following materials are not classified as minerals, and why: gold; water; synthetic diamonds; ice; and wood.

Task 6. Imagine that you are a teacher. How would you explain the major characteristic features of minerals to the students? Present a small dialogue.

Task 7. Discuss the following characteristics of the Earth materials that are classified as minerals:

1. Naturally occurring minerals.

2. Minerals that are solid substances.

3. Minerals with orderly crystalline structure.

4. Generally inorganic minerals.

5. Minerals which can be represented by a chemical formula.