Vocabulary Notes

weathering - вивітрювання, ерозія

destructive forces - руйнівні сили

fracture - тріщина

homogeneous and heterogeneous rocks - однорідні та різнорідні породи

to accelerate - прискорювати

crack - тріщина, ціль

to occur - залягати

rock pressure – гірний тиск

to facilitate the doom position of rock – полегшувати руйнування порід

Exercises:

1. Answer the following questions:

1.What is weathering?

2.What types of weathering do you know?

3.Where can we best observe the phenomenon of physical weathering?

4.Why does the disintegration of rocks occur at an unequal rate?

5.Does chemical weathering influence the chemical composition of rocks or does physical weathering cause this process?

6.What is chemical weathering?

7.What substance can act as a solvent?

8.Are all minerals and rocks resistant to the action of natural waters or only few minerals and rocks can resist to the action of water?

9. What do you know about the action of plants and animals on the disintegration of rocks?

2. Read the sentences. Find out those which correspond to the text.

1.The process of sedimentation is called weathering.

2.The change in temperature in temperature causes physical weathering.

3.As a rule during the night rocks expand.

4.When freezing, water decreases in volume and develops enormous lateral pressure.

5.The decomposition of rocks is due to the influence of heat and cold.

6.As a rule water contains dissolved mineral substances.

7.The solvent action of water is stronger when it does not contain carbon dioxide.

8.It should be noticed that the action of animals and plants is destructive.

9. Only marine animals accelerate the destruction of rocks.

3. Retell the text.

37. Culture in the classroom

Landforms shape the earth. They can also influence the development of cultures. A river valley or a mountain barrier can determine where settlements develop. A volcano or a lake can become a part of local mythology. Here are some examples of landforms that had (and often still have) great importance to cultures around the world:

THE YELLOW RIVER(CHINA)

Almost 5,000 years ago, nomadic Asian hunters came upon this river valley. Its fertile soil allowed them to form and build permanent settlements for the first time. They prospered and developed a culture that became a cradle of early Chinese civilisation.

ARIZONA'S BLACK MESA(UNITED STATES)

This rocky, desolate mesa offered a secure home to the Itopia Indians. They built stone and mud dwellings in its cliffs, which they have inhabited for 1,000 years. They farmed the plains below the cliffs and retreated to the heights to avoid enemy attacks.

THE BERING STRAIT LAND BRIDGE (ASIA AND NORTH AMERICA)

Would native American culture have taken root here without it? During the last ice age (about 20.000 years ago) the sea level was lower because so much water was contained in huge ice sheets. As a result, a previously-submerged land bridge between what are now Siberia and Alaska was uncovered. Asian nomads crossed the bridge and spread southward throughout the American, becoming the native American tribes we know today.

THE NILE RIVER (AFRICA)

All of Egypt is barren, virtually lifeless desert except for the thin ribbon of fertile land along the Nile. About 5,000 years ago, a civilization began in this valley that became the great culture of ancient Egypt.

ANDES MOUNTAINS (SOUTH AMERICA)

The forbidding Andes Mountains have helped determine the distribution of ethnic group South America. Many of the countries along the Andes have an Indian majority. Many east of the Andes do not. The Indians of countries such as Peru and Bolivia are descended from the ancient Indians, whose civilization stretched for more than 2,000 miles along South America’s western edge. The Andes formed such a barrier that the Incas and their civilization found it difficult to cross.

Notes:

statement –поселення

fertile – родючий, багатий

cradle – колиска, люлька

desolate mesa – безлюдні, пустинні плоскогірря

cliff – крутий обрив, відвісна скала, утес, кручі

retreat – відступ, сховище

barren – пустелі

ribbon – вузька полоса

Exercises:

1. Translate in to English.

1. Київ – колиска Київської Русі.

2. Українські землі плодючі та родючі.

3. Нічне місто здавалося безлюдним.

4. Багато туристів приходять помилуватися дніпровськими кручами.

5. Історія людства сягає тисячоліть.

2. Answer the questions:

1. Do the landforms influence the developments of cultures and how?

2. What do you know about landforms on the territory of Ukraine?

3. What do you know about ancient civilizations?

3. Retell the text

38. GOLD RUSH

California

In 1848 gold was discovered at Slitter's Mill, about 100 miles east of San Francisco, and the first great gold-rush began. When the news leaked out, farmers, trappers, lawyers, preachers, sailors, soldiers and school teachers rushed to California by whatever means they could. Within a year 100,000 people, only 8,000 of whom were women, had reached the coast of California. More than half of them had travelled overland across the American continent. 'Gold fever' began to spread. Settlements through-out the United States were deserted. Homes, farms and stores were abandoned as everybody raced for California. Many came by sea, and in July 1850 more than 500 ships were anchored in San Francisco Bay, many of which had been deserted by gold-hungry sailors. A few people became fabulously rich, but it was a risky business. Law and order broke down. Even if a miner 'struck it rich' there were always those who would try to take it away: gamblers, outlaws, thieves and saloon keepers. Gold and silver were discovered in Nevada a few years later, and 'gold fever' was an important part of the colonization of the western United States.

Australia

The next major gold-rush occurred in 1851, when gold was struck in New South Wales, Australia. This led to another stampede and many rich finds were made. Other discoveries were made in Victoria and Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. In some places massive nuggets of gold were found accidentally, just lying about on the ground. The 'Welcome Stranger' nugget, which was found in 1869, weighed 78. 37 kilos.

The Yukon

Perhaps the most difficult conditions were experienced by those prospectors who braved the Canadian winters to win gold from the Yukon and Klondike rivers. On August 16th 1896 three prospectors struck gold in Bonanza Creek, a tributary of the Klondike River, and then in a second creek which was named 'Eldorado’. In the Yukon, gold was obtained by washing gravel from river-beds, and soon as much as $800 worth gold was being taken from a single pan of dirt. Within u year, Dawson had grown from nothing to a town of 30,000 people. Every man, who entered the country had to carry year's supply of food and mining equipment over steep and frozen mountain passes. To do this, each man had to carry 25 kilos of stores about 10 kilometers, leave it there, and return for another loud. Therefore to move all his stores less than 80 kilometers, each man had to walk nearly 1500 kilometers. Horses and donkeys died ill the ice and snow, but the men kept on going. It is estimated that of the 100,000 men who set out for the Klondike, fewer than 40,000 actually arrived. Only 4000 ever found gold, and very few of these became rich.

The rising price of gold in the late 1970s started a new rush to the ‘Klondike'. Dawson is still there, and ''Diamond Tooth Gertie's'', the only legal gambling hall in Canada, remains in business. Just outside Dawson a mountain is actually being moved to find gold. The whole mountain is being washed down for gold-dust. It is believed to contain at least $80 million worth of gold.

South Africa

By the turn of the century gold had been found in South Africa and this laid the foundation for the world’s largest goldmining industry. Today South Africa accounts for 70%, of world gold production. Vast sums of money are being invested, and modern mining technology is being used to squeeze gold from the rock.

Twentieth-century gold-rush

New finds are being made in the Soviet Union, Saudi Arabia and the United States. The largest single mine in the world was discovered in Uzbekistan, USSR, in 1958. However, in spite of recent finds, modern day 'gold-rushes' are usually confined to speculation on the gold markets of Zurich, London and New York. At times of economic uncertainty investors rush hysterically to buy gold, and the price soars, often only to fall back again. Gold fever is in many ways irrational, but historically gold has always held its value, and it is likely that in an uncertain world, it will continue to do so.