Английский язык. Практикум по чтению научно-технических текстов

can. Our own “built-in heat engine” gets extra strain put on it. So we feel uncomfortably hot or uncomfortably cold. We shiver or we “boil” and we cannot concentrate properly on what we are doing.

That is why control of the environment by air conditioning is so important. It helps heat-shedding to take place easily and naturally. Moreover, packaged air conditioning is basically a simpler and more versatile method of improving the way we live.

Ex. 3. Match the word and the definition:

Ex. 4. Find a word:

a) with the close meaning:

appliance – method – tool – installation; dust – odour – humidity – moisture;

complicated – difficult – controlled – balanced; comfortable – versatile – convectional – flexible; appropriate – extra – manual – additional;

to affect – to vary – to influence – to afford; b) with the opposite meaning:

to purify – to heat – to cleanse – to pollute; perspiration – evaporation – alternation – stagnation; cool – fresh – limited – stale;

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heat-shedding – heat-conducting – heat-generation – heat-insulation; important – crowded – necessary – empty;

to adjust – to generate – to destroy – to radiate.

Ex. 5. Write the Russian equivalents to:

pollution control, a number of non-scientific ways of improving the atmosphere, by installing a ventilation system, stale air, as good or as bad, keeping humidity levels down, without manual attention, within limits appropriate to the activities being carried out, it keeps the air clean and fresh, to cope with a number of factors which are liable to vary, another important use, three factors have always to be scientifically controlled and balanced, moisture content, requiring structural alternations, a system of standard premanufactured units, less expensive, comfort purposes, in comparison with, methods of getting rid of heat, when touching surfaces, setting up a continuous style, in close contact, as it evaporates it absorbs heat from, at the normal rate, surrounding conditions can force it.

Ex. 6. Find in text A the English equivalents to the following word combinations:

при обмахивании веером или включении электрического вентилято- ра, у вас создается впечатление настоящей свежести; открывая дверь или окно, вы впускаете свежий воздух, даже если при этом вы слы- шите шум или чувствуете запахи, и тем самым способствуете появ- лению сквозняков; нагревая или охлаждая до нужной температуры; поддерживает температуру и влажность в пределах, присущих тем видам деятельности, которые осуществляются; воздух остается чис- тым и свежим; система кондиционирования воздуха должна учиты- вать множество факторов, которые угрожают нарушить идеальное равновесие; лампы накаливания и устройства включаются только на определенное время; комплектные системы кондиционирования воз- духа, с другой стороны, представляют собой систему типовых узлов или «комплектов», которые можно использовать в разных целях; система кондиционирования воздуха очень гибкая и подвижная по сравнению с системой конвекции; тело излучает тепло на любую ох- лажденную поверхность, не оказывая и не поддаваясь влиянию со стороны температуры воздуха; влажность проявляется в виде испа- рения через поры кожного покрова; наш собственный «внутренний» тепловой двигатель получает дополнительное напряжение; ком- плектные системы кондиционирования воздуха обычно используют- ся только для создания комфортных условий.

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3. Conversation Practice

Ex. 7. Agree or disagree with the statements given below, using the appropriate phrases. Explain your choice.

1.By installing a ventilation system, you can control temperature and humidity.

2.Air conditioning allows you to live and work under controlled atmospheric conditions.

3.Air conditioning has only one important use: it controls the atmosphere in buildings where we live and work.

4.For many years, only big companies could afford the installation of air conditioning systems.

5.Packaged air conditioning can be adapted to the user wishes.

6.The human body uses five methods of getting rid of heat.

7.The body doesn’t use all of the methods of getting rid of heat at the same time.

8.The body radiates heat to any cooler surface without affecting or being affected by air temperature.

9.Control of the environment by air conditioning is not very important.

10.Packaged air conditioning is a more versatile method of improving the way we live.

Ex. 8. Make up 10 questions about the text in writing and then ask each other in class.

Ex. 9. Read the plan and rearrange it in the order the problems that appear in the text.

1.Four methods of getting rid of heat.

2.Control of the environment by air conditioning.

3.Air conditioning is a scientific method of controlling the atmosphere.

4.Packaged air conditioning is a system of standard premanufactured units.

5.The difference between air conditioning and other ways of keeping cool.

Ex. 10. Retell text A using the rearranged plan given above and the word combinations given below:

–non-scientific ways of improving the atmosphere;

–scientific operation which automatically maintains temperature and humidity;

–only a scientifically planned installation can continually adjust itself;

–air conditioning can control the conditions necessary for certain industrial processes;

–factors have to be scientifically controlled and balanced;

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–air conditioning systems had to be individually designed;

–requiring structural alternations;

–a system of premanufactured units;

–packaged air conditioning is used for “comfort” purposes only;

–air conditioning is flexible and versatile;

–as it evaporates, it absorbs heat from the body;

–surrounding conditions can force it;

–concentrate properly on what we are doing.

4. Grammar. The Participle. The Absolute Participial

Construction

Ex. 11. Read and translate the following sentences. State the function of the Participle.

1.He changed his mind, realizing that the whole thing was useless.

2.The experiment being carried out by this research group is essential not only for theory but for practice as well.

3.Having finished the exercise, he gave a sign of relief.

4.When analyzed the theory proved to be false.

5.Having been invited to speak to you I must say a few words.

6.Once volatilized, the pesticides are distributed worldwide, contaminating wilderness areas.

7.Notable affects of water pollution include those involved in human life.

8.Growing realization of the need to conserve the natural resources brought about better management.

9.Being discussed at yesterday’s meeting the urgent problem concerning water pollution was not settled yet.

The Absolute Participial Construction

The Absolute Participial Construction (APC) is used when we want to introduce the subject different from the subject of the finite verb. It means

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that in this construction, the Participle has its own subject not depending on the subject of the sentence. The APC is rendered in Russian either by an adverbial clause or by an independent sentence.

The APC in Adverbial Clauses

It is translated in Russian as так как, поскольку, ввиду того что, после того как (когда).

The APC in Independent Sentences

It is translated in Russian as причем, в то время как, а.

Ex. 12. Identify the Participles and the APC in text A. Do grammar exercises 8–17 from Chapter 2.

Ex. 13. Read text B and answer the following questions.

1.What does air pollution mean according to the definition developed by the EJC?

2.What are the sources of airborne wastes?

3.What are the major problems of pollution?

Text B

Sources of Air Pollution

Air pollution, according to the definition developed by the Engineers Joint Council (EJC), means the presence in the outdoor atmosphere of one or more contaminants, such as dust, fumes, gas, mist, odor, smoke, or vapor, in quantities, of characteristics, and of duration such as to be injurious to human, plant, or animal life or to property, or to interfere unreasonably with the comfortable enjoyment of life and property. The sources of airborne wastes are many. They may be roughly divided into natural, industrial, transportation, agricultural activity, commercial and domestic heat and power, municipal activities and fallout.

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Natural sources include the pollen weeds, water droplet or spray evaporation residues, windstorm dusts, meteoritic dusts, and surface detritus. Industrial sources include ventilation products from local exhaust systems, process waste discharges, and heat, power and waste disposal by combustion processes. Transportation sources include motor vehicles, rail-mounted vehicles, airplanes and vessels. Agricultural activity sources include insecticidal and pesticidal dusting and spraying and burning of vegetation. Commercial heat and domestic heat and power sources include gas-, oiland coil-fired furnaces used to produce heat or power for individual dwellings, multiple dwellings, commercial establishments, utilities and industry. Municipal activity sources include refuse disposal, liquid waste disposal, road and street plant operations and fuel-fired combustion operations. Fallout is a term applied to radioactive pollutants in mass atmosphere resulting from thermonuclear explosion.

The sources are so varied that pollution of the atmosphere is a matter of degree. Pollution from natural resources is in effect a base line of pollution. The major problems of pollution are associated with community activity as opposed to rural activity, because community air is generally more grossly polluted and may contain harmful and dangerous substances affecting property, plant life and, on occasion, health. The environment is made less desirable by the polluting influence and there is ample reason to conserve the air resource in many ways parallel to the need for conservation of the water resource. In actuality, the engineer is concerned with engineering management of the air resources, a broader concept that the control of air pollution.

Ex. 14. Explain what the following terms mean:

pollution; vapor; airborne wastes; fallout; water droplet; exhaust systems; combustion processes; coil-fired furnaces; harmful substances; environment.

Ex. 15. Complete the following statements by choosing the answer, which you think the best. Explain your choice.

1.Air pollution is the presence in the outdoor atmosphere of such contaminants as:

a) microorganisms, chemicals, sewage; b) radiation;

c) gas, fumes, dust, mist, odor, smoke, or vapor;

d) noise of heavy machinery, motor vehicles and aircraft.

2.Power and waste disposal by combustion processes are referred to: a) industrial sources of pollution;

b) transportation sources of pollution; c) natural sources of pollution;

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d) agricultural sources of pollution;

3.Fallout is a term applied to: a) water pollutants;

b) air pollutants; c) land pollutants;

d) radioactive pollutants;

4.The major problems of pollution appear: a) in the countryside;

b) in big cities;

c) in engineering management; d) in plant life.

Ex. 16. Here are some answers to some questions about the text. Work out the questions.

1.The Engineers Joint Council developed the definition of air pollution.

2.There is a number of the sources of airborne wastes.

3.Yes, natural resources include the pollen from weeds, water droplet or spray evaporation residues.

4.Transportation sources include motor vehicles, rail-mounted vehicles, airplanes and vessels.

5.No, commercial and domestic heat and power sources include gas-, oiland coal-fired furnaces used to produce heat or power for individual dwellings, multiple dwellings and industry.

6.The major problems of pollution are associated with community activity because community air is generally polluted and may contain harmful and dangerous substances.

7.Yes, there is a reason to conserve the air resource in many ways parallel to the need for conservation of the water resource.

8.The engineer is concerned with engineering management of the air resources.

Ex. 17. Translate the following texts in writing using a dictionary.

Text С

Major Pollutants in Acid Rain

Curbing pollution that causes acid rain, the industrial countries have made great progress in two decades. There may be many ways of reducing emissions that lead to forest decline. It is obvious that extensive measures and a combination of different strategies and technologies are required to improve air quality. It will cost a lot of money, but in the long run, the costs will be small compared with the gains.

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One of the main pollutants causing acid rain is sulphur dioxide (SO2). It appears from burning fossil fuels. However, there are possible methods of control. They are as follows: 1) removing sulphur from fuels before burning; 2) removing SO2 from chimney gases of power stations.

Nitrogen oxides (NO, NO2, N2O) and hydrocarbons are other air pollutants in acid rain. Their origin source is vehicle exhausts burning of fuel. The effect of nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons is helping to cause not only acid rain but photochemical smog as well. The possible ways of control are: 1) fitting catalytic converters to vehicle exhausts; 2) modifying engines to run on a weaker mixture of fuel and air.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the third air pollutant in acid rain. It appears from burning fuels. It may cause greenhouse effect, affecting the earth’s climate. It can be controlled only by burning less fossil fuels.

Carbon monoxide (CO) can be called the forth air pollutant. The ways of formation are burning fuels, vehicle exhausts and cigarette smoke. It is very poisonous to animals, including humans. The possible ways of control are: 1) ensuring vehicle engines are well-maintained; 2) preventing cigarette smoking.

The fifth air pollutant that causes acid rain is smoke. It appears from burning fuels like many other air pollutants. It damages lungs, reduces photosynthesis of plants. To weaken its effect, firstly, we should use smokeless fuels and, secondly, we should be sure engines and burners have plenty of air to burn fuel efficiently.

Text D

Ecology

The inhabitants of forest communities interact in complex ways. Trees compete with each other for sunlight, moisture, and mineral nutrients. These materials are necessary for PHOTOSYNTHESIS, the process by which green plants produce organic compounds for energy to live and grow. As trees photosynthesize, they absorb carbon dioxide from the air and extract moisture from the soil. Trees help to retain water; heavy rains do not run rapidly off forestland. Natural or human activities that destroy forests result in increased runoff and in temporarily higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. After this, the growing forest increases the oxygen content of the atmosphere. After the forest is mature, it adds less oxygen to the atmosphere. A global research project to measure the overall influence of forests on the Earth's atmosphere is in progress.

The process of soil development, aided by SOIL ORGANISMS, occurs in all forests. Microorganisms break down minerals in the soil and create passages for air and water movement, decomposing the remains of

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plants and animals and extracting and releasing nutrients. Depending on the climate, decomposition occurs at different rates. In cool or dry climates, organic matter will decompose slowly and a thick layer will develop, whereas in warm, moist climates, organic matter will decompose rapidly, releasing minerals that are quickly absorbed by plant roots. Little organic matter will accumulate.

After a forest is destroyed (all or in part) by a disturbance, such as fire or wind or avalanche, trees and other plants reinvade the area, halting erosion and nutrient loss and maintaining water quality. This series of changes in vegetation structure, known as ecological succession, makes the forest more suitable for some animals and plants and less suitable for others.

Depending on environmental conditions, different tree species will be dominant at different successional stages. The characteristic group of tree species in a given area is referred to as a forest type. Within each type, certain species may be found most commonly under specific solid and climate conditions and at certain times after a disturbance; these species are best evolved physiologically to compete under these conditions. In areas of recurrent fire, for example, fire-resistant trees will likely predominate.

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Unit III. DIFFERENT TYPES AND SOURCES OF

ENERGY

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