VII. Comprehension.

Exercise 15. Find the sentences that correspond to the content of the text B:

1. There are two main trends in modern machine-building: automation and raising of the reliability of machines. 2. The creation of "unmanned" industries is included into automation. 3. Machine modules and robots are not suited for "unmanned industries". 4. Automation and raising of the reliability of machines require new technologies. 5. Advanced technologies are applied in most branches of engineering. 6. The service life of machine parts can't be increased by strengthening treatment. 7. Hard alloy compounds are employed for coating components. 8. The process of designing can also be automated. This gives the advantage of optimizing solutions in design and technology.

Exercise 16. Answer the following questions :

1. What are the main trends in modern machine-building?

2. What does automation include?

3. In what way can automation be achieved?

4. What is the role of new technologies?

5. Give some examples of advanced methods for increasing the service life of machine parts.

6. How can the process of designing be improved?

7. What is the main task of the engineers and scientists developing new machines and technologies?

Exercise 17. Speak on the following problems:

• say how you understand the title of the text B;

• main fields of modern machine-building industry;

• the main types of automated machines and devices;

• the methods of extending the service life and raising reliability of modern machines.

Exercise 18. Study the table and

a) find in the text B passages which are described in the table;

b) complete the table if necessary.

Trends in technological progress

automation

raising reliability and extending the service life

robots

flexible

Industries

strengthening

treatment

vacuum

plasma

method

automatic

rotor transfer

lines

reinforcing machine

parts

What else? What else?

VIII. Oral Practice.

Exercise 19. Describe the trends in the modern machine-building industry. Use the table of ex. 18.

IX. Reading and Comprehension.

Exercise 20. Read the text C without a dictionary for 6 min.:

Text C

Hero of Alexandria.

About sixty years after death of Archimedes, Hero of Alexandria was born. Nobody knows the exact date of his birth, but according to the best authorities, he lived about 150 B.C. In addition to being a great mathematician, he invented the siphon, the gearwheel, the pump, the water clock and the steam engine.

His book on mechanics translated into Arabic was carefully studied by mechanics and engineers of the sixteenth century. In this remarkable book Hero lists and describes five simple ways by which an unusually heavy weight may be lifted and moved with minimum effort. These five principles form the basis of all the machinery in the world today and, though described in detail by Hero, their practical application to machinery did not come about for more than a thousand years. They are: the lever, the wheel and axle, the pulley, the wedge, the screw.

While it is true that the invention of the screw is attributed to Archimedes and the wedge and the lever were known long before Hero's time, he was the man, who showed for the first time that all machinery is based on these five important principles, and how to apply these principles to machinery — such as it was in these early times.

Neither he nor anyone else of his time realized the importance of these inventions. Hero's book on pneumatics, which was translated into Italian in 1549 and later into English, described more than seventy totally useless inventions, most of which embody important basic principles. Their main function was to entertain.

Exercise 21. Find the correspondence:

Hero of Alexandria lived… His inventions were… Hero described and listed… He described… The main function of Hero’s invention was…

the siphon, the gearwheel, the pump, the water clock, the steam engine. about 10 B.C. to entertain. how the heavy weight may be lifted and moved with minimum effort. five basic principles of the machinery.

Exercise 22. Put the following statements in the right order:

1. All his inventions were used to entertain only.

2. Hero lived about 10- B.C.

3. Among his inventions are the siphon, the gearwheel, the pump, the water clock, and the steam engine.

4. Hero of Alexandria was a great mathematician and inventor.

5. Practical application of these five principles to machinery came about more than a thousand years later.

6. Hero also showed for the first time that all machinery is based on these principles.

7. Hero’s book on pneumatics described more than seventy of his totally useless invention.

8. The five principles described by Hero are the lever, the wheel and axle, the pulley, the wedge, the screw.

9. In his book on mechanics, Hero listed and describe the five basic principles of mechanics.

10. Neither Hero nor his contemporaries realized the importance of his inventions.

Exercise 23. Answer the following questions:

1. When did Hero live?

2. What were his famous inventions?

3. Why is his book on mechanics so important for the future of the machinery?

4. What are the five principles of machinery which were listed by Hero?

5. Why were the inventions described in Hero’s book useless?

Exercise 24. Read the text D without a dictionary for 8 min.:

Text D.