2. Read and translate the text:

The ancient Greeks knew that when a piece of amber is rubbed with wool or fur it achieves the power of attracting light objects. Later on the phenomenon was studied, and the word electric, Rafter the Greek word "electron", meaning amber was used* Many scientists investigated electric phenomena, and during the nineteenth century many discoveries about the nature of electricity, and of magnetism, which is closely related to electricity, were made. It was found that if a sealing-wax rod is rubbed with a woolen cloth, and a rod of glass is rubbed with a silken cloth, an electric spark will pass between the sealing-wax rod and the glass rod when they are brought near one

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another . Moreover, it was found that a force of attraction operates between them. An electrified sealing-wax is repelled, however, by a wax rod, and also an electrified glass rod is repelled, by a similar glass rod.

The ideas were developed that there are two kinds of electricity, which were called resinous electricity, and that opposite kinds of electricity attract one another, whereas similar kinds repel one another.

3. Answer the following questions:

1. What does the Greek word "electron" mean?

2. What happens when a sealing-wax rod is rubbed with a woolen cloth and a rod of glass - with a silken cloth?

3. What force operates between the sealing-wax rod and the woolen cloth?

4. What ideas about the kinds of electricity were developed?

5. Do the similar kinds of electricity attract one another?

4. Continue the sentences:

1. The word 'electron' after the Greek word meaning….

2. It was found that if a sealing-wax rod rubbed with a woolen cloth....

3. The ideas were developed that there are two kinds of electricity....

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5. Make up the sentences with the words and word-combinations:

- After the Greek word;

- Sealing-wax rod;

- A rod of glass;

- A force of attraction;

- To be repelled.

6. Match the beginnings of the sentences with their endings:

1. It was found that if a sealing-wax rod is rubbed with a woolen cloth and a rod of glass is rubbed with a silken cloth...

2. The ideas were developed that there are two kinds of electricity which were called resinous electricity ...

3. Later on the phenomenon was studied and the word electric ...

a) ... that opposite kinds of electricity attract one

another.

b) ... after the Greek word 'electron' meaning amber

was used.

c) ...an electric spark will pass between the sealing-

wax rod and the glass rod.

7. Read the following dialogues. Memorize and reproduce them:

Dialogue 1:

A: - I'd like to have a word with you. B: - What's the matter?

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A: - I've chosen my future speciality.

B: - At last. What college are you going to enter?

A: - Vinnytsia college of NUFT.

B: - That's interesting! What department?

A: - I'm going to become an electrician.

B: - Why are you going to become an electrician?

A: - Oh, electrical power engineering is an extremely

broad professional field. It involves generation,

consumption and distribution of electrical energy and

deals with different kinds of fuel: coal, gas, oil,

nuclear fuel, thermonuclear sources of energy and so

on.

B: - I'm glad you've made your choice.

Dialogue 2:

A: -1 wonder what subjects shall we study this year?

B: - As far as I know, we shall have a lot of special

subjects, such as high voltage technique, protective

relay and others.

A: - How shall we manage this?

B: - Oh, don't worry! If you know physics,

mathematics, theoretical and applied mechanics,

you'll easily cope with the task.

A: - Yes, no doubt. But what about English? I've

heard we'll have only one double-lesson a week.

B: - What a pity! We must read plenty of original

literature in our speciality to keep pace with time.

A: - I'd rather have more lessons a week.

B: - so would I.