Text 2 The subject matter of geology (2800)

1. Learn the words and word combinations before reading:

to be abundant in - [q'bAndqnt] - быть в изобилии

to apply - [q'plai] - применять, использовать, употреблять (to)

basis (pl bases) - ['beIsIs] / ['beIsJz] - базис, основа, основание, фундамент

be concerned with - [ kqn'sWnd] - интересоваться чем либо

significance -[sig'nifikqns] - значение, смысл, важность

foresee - предвидеть, предвосхищать, предсказывать

hazard -['hxzqd] - случайное событие, катаклизм

mudflow – сель

margin - ['ma:dZin] - граница, margins of continents – границы материка

shallow sea - ['Sxlqu] - мелководное море

subdivision -['sAbdi"viZqn] - подразделение

epoch - ['i:pOk] - эпоха, время, век

fossil – ['fOsl] - ископаемое, окаменелость (останки животных или растительных организмов, сохранившиеся в земной коре с прежних геологических эпох)

be very cautious ['kLSqs] - быть очень осторожным

2. Mind the prononciation of the following geological names:

Palaeozoic ["pxliq' zqVIk] , Archeozoic ["Rki' zqVIk],

Proterozoic ["prquterqu' zqVIk], Mesozoic ["mFsqu' zqVIk],

Cenozoic ["sJnqu'zqVIk], Cambrian [`kxmbriqn],

Ordovician ["LdqV'vISIqn], Silurian [sai'luqriqn],

Devonian [de'vquniqn], Carboniferous ["kRbq'nIfqrqs],

Permian ['pWmiqn], Jurassic [dZu'rxsik],

Triassic [traI'xsIk], Cretaceous [krI'teISqs],

Quaternary [kwq'tWnqrI]

3. Read and translate the text:

Geology is the science studying the history of the earth’s development. Geology gives the possibility to establish how the geography of the earth’s surface changed in different periods of the earth’s existence. Studying geology one comes to know what animals and plants existed in the far off past and what changes the organic world was subjected to.

The subject matter of geology is to explain the causes and regularities of all the changes. Geology is concerned with minerals, rocks, organic remains and with modern geological processes.

Geology has an extremely practical significance, constituting a theoretical basis of searching and prospecting for different useful materials, all of which being rocks or minerals.

Geologists work to understand the history of our planet. The better they can understand Earth’s history the better they can foresee how events and processes of the past might influence the future. Here are two examples:

1) The processes acting upon the Earth cause hazards such as landslides, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.  Geologists are working to understand these processes well enough to avoid building important structures where they will be damaged. If geologists learn a lot about volcanic mudflows of the past then that information can be very useful in predicting the dangerous areas where volcanic mudflows might strike in the future. Intelligent people should be cautious when considering activities or property development in these areas.

2) Geologists have worked hard to learn that oil and natural gas form from organic materials deposited along the margins of continents and in shallow seas upon the continents. They have also learned to recognize the types of rock that are deposited in these near-shore environments. This knowledge enables them to recognize potential oil and natural gas source rocks.

TIME. The major subdivisions of geologic time are based on organic processes – changes in animal and plant life.

The time of earth’s crust development is divided into eras; they represent differences of life forms. Eras are subdivided into periods and this subdivision is based on the type of life existing at the time and on major geologic events like mountain building and plate tectonic movement. Periods are subdivided into epochs based on more specific and shorter time periods of life and geologic events. Then there are ages.

In the course of formation of the earth’s crust different rocks were being developed. The names applied to the divisions of geologic time and those of the rocks were not the same, but for reach division of the time scale there is a corresponding one of the rock scale. Thus we have:

TIME SCALE	ROCK SCALE
Era	Group
Period	System
Epoch	Series
age	stage

There are 5 eras and five corresponding groups of rocks. They are:

Archeozoic era and group

Proterozoic era and group

Palaeozoic era and group

Mesozoic era and group

Cenozoic era and group

Archeozoic and Proterozois eras are not abundant in organic fossils and as a rule are not subdivided into periods, epochs and ages. The Palaeozoic era and group are subdivided into Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous and Permian periods. The Mesozoic era has three periods: Jurassic, Triassic and Cretaceous periods. The Cenozoic era has three periods: Palaeosoic, Neogenic and Quaternary periods. Each of all these periods is represented by different forms of organic life.

4. Divide the underlined ing–form words into gerund, participle and verbal noun groups.

5. See to what passive tense forms are used in the text.

6. Tell your understanding of:

- the subject matter of geology;

- the main tasks of geologists;

- the major subdivisions of geologic time and those of the rocks.