1 Read and translate the following words and word-combinations:

1.1 to fix a small carbon rod

1.2 to protect the lamp from burning through

1.3 to evacuate the lamp’s air

1.4 a short-lived lamp

1.5 a filament

1.6 the elements of the lighting network

1.7 to be twisted into a spiral

1.8 to evaporate

1.9 to avoid evaporation

1.10 tungsten

1.11 to pass through the bulb

1.12 to attach to the metal base

1.13 cripton

2 Find the English equivalents to the following words and word-combinations in the text:

2.1 лампа накаливания

2.2 медные проводники

2.3 использовать металлы с высокой температурой плавления

2.4 улучшить лампу

2.5 металлическая нить накала

2.6 производить

2.7 великий русский учёный

2.8 быть далёким от совершенства

2.9 измерять

2.10 изобретатель

2.11 ламповый патрон

2.12 переключатель

2.13 наполнять химически инертным газом

2.14 изолированный контакт

2.15 карманный фонарик

3 Match the columns:

3.1 incandescent inventor

3.2 practical point

3.3 to measure wagons

3.4 an American use

3.5 lamp gas

3.6 melting lamp

3.7 inert holder

3.8 railway in hours

4 Complete the sentences:

4.1 In his lamp Alexander Lodygin fixed … .

4.2 In order to protect the lamp from burning through, … .

4.3 The American inventor Thomas Edison … .

4.4 Tungsten begins to evaporate at the temperature … .

4.5 In order to avoid evaporation of tungsten, … .

4.6 In a gas-filled incandescent lamp the ends of a filament are … .

4.7 Industry manufactures … .

5 Pair work. Ask your group-mate to answer the following questions:

5.1 When and by whom was the first incandescent lamp produced?

5.2 Why was the first lamp short-lived?

5.3 What metals were used for the filament of the first lamps in 1890?

5.4 How did Thomas Edison improve lamps with a metal filament?

5.5 What is the form of the filament of the present incandescent lamp?

Topic 13

William Henry Gates

Text

William Henry Gates, byname Bill Gates, was born in 1955 in Seattle, Washington.

Bill Gates is an American computer programmer and chief executive officer of the Microsoft Corporation.

Gates grew interested in computers at the age of 12 and was involved with various programming projects throughout high school. While attending Harvard in 1975, Gates teamed with Paul Allen to develop

a version of the BASIC computer-programming language for the Altair, the first personal computer. As a result of this work on BASIC, Gates decided to drop out of Harvard in 1977 to work at Microsoft full-time. His idea was “a computer on every desk and in every home”.

In the early 1980’s Gates led Microsoft’s evolution from a developer of programming languages to a software company producing operating systems and applications software as well as programming tools. This transition began in 1981 with Microsoft’s introduction of MS-DOS, the operating system for International Business Machines Corporation’s new Personal Computer (IBM PC).

Gates also made Microsoft introduce application software, such as Microsoft Word word-processing software for the IBM PC. This and his other activities created strong position for Microsoft in applications for the graphical used interface.

Much of Gates’s success is founded on his ability to change technical visions into market strategy, and to use creativity mixed with technical developments.

Gates has accumulated great wealth from his holdings of Microsoft stock and is known for his personal and corporate contributions to charity and educational organizations. Gates continues to be personally involved in product development at Microsoft. His willingness to back new technologies such as Microsoft Windows, Windows NT, and workgroup applications has kept Microsoft at the vanguard of computer hardware and software evolution.

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