English for Technical Students. Part 1

Technical Reading.

9. Read and translate the text about electronics diagrams.

Understanding Electronics Diagrams

Although electronic devices may look complicated, they are made up of common basic units (‘building blocks’) connected together. The function of each of these units and the path of the signals between them can be shown in a block diagram. For example, the block diagram of a simple radio is shown in Fig. 1.

Fig.1

To understand how the radio works, it is more important to understand the function of each unit than to know what components are used. This is known as a systems approach to electronics. For example, in Fig. 1 the tuner selects the required signal, the detector then separates off the audio part of the signal, and the AF amp amplifies it.

The connections and values of the components inside these basic units can be shown in a circuit diagram using standard electronic symbols. Fig. 2 shows the circuit diagram for the simple radio.

Fig. 2

10. Find the answers to these questions.

1. What do we call the two types of diagrams shown in the text?

2. What do we call the approach to electronics which focuses on the function of units?

11. This table provides the terms you need.

Prefix	Symbol	Multiple		Example
giga	G	109	GHz	gigahertz
mega	M	106	MΩ	megohms
kilo	k	103	kV	kilovolts
deci	d	10-1	dB	decibels
milli	m	10-3	mW	milliwatts
micro	µ	10-6	µH	mirohenries
nano	n	10-9	nF	nanofarads
pico	p	10-12	pF	picofarads

12. Look at the table above and say the value.

8 µF	5 mm	450 GHz	5200 kg	354 nm
150 km	51pF	50 mg	30 MW	16 GHz
9 MHz	90 kN	20 dm	9 mN	72 MW

13. Look at the circuit symbols and their components. Translate them.

A – aerial	E – earth
C – capacitor	IC – op amp
D – diode	L – inductor

LS – loudspeaker	R – resistor
P – potentiometer	+5V, -5V, 0V –
Q – transistor	supply rail

14. Look again at Fig. 2 and describe the following values like this:

R1 – a two-hundred-and-twenty-kilohm resistor

C2 – a hundred-picofarad (puff) capacitor

R2, R3, C1, C3, P1, L1.

Language study. Describing block diagram and circuits

Look again at Fig. 1 above. We can describe it like this:

The radio	consists of	a tuner, a detector, and an AF amplifier.
	is composed of
Using comprise, we can start our description with the blocks:
A tuner, a detector, and an AF amplifier			comprise	the radio.

We can describe the links between each building block using these expressions:

The tuner is connected to the detector. is linked to

15. Now look at the basic units of the circuit and translate the text into Russian.

The volume control consists of a ten-microfarad electrolytic capacitor connected in series with a five-kilohm potentiometer (pot). The positive terminal of the capacitor is connected to the output of the AF amplifier and the wiper of the pot is connected to the power amp. The third terminal of the pot is connected to the zero voltage supply rail.

16. Fill in the gaps in this description of the tuned circuit shown in Fig. 2. Each gap represents one word. Use the words from the box.

capacitor	consists	microhenry	supply
connected	diode	picofarads (puffs)	variable

The circuit (1) __________ of a four hundred and seventy (2) __________

inductor which is connected in parallel with a (3) __________ capacitor. The (4)

__________ can be varied between five and sixty-five (5) __________. The aerial is

(6) __________ to the top end of the tuner. It is also connected to the positive terminal of the (7) __________ in the detector. The bottom end of the tuner is connected to earth via the zero voltage (8) __________ rail.

17. Write the description of the following diagram. Does it answer the following questions?

1.What is the diagram of?

2.What does it consist of in terms of blocks?

3.How are the blocks connected?

4.What is the function of each block?

Fig. 3

LESSON 3. BATTERIES

Lead-in.

1. Answer these questions.

1.What do you know about batteries?

2.Over twenty billion batteries are sold every year. – Why do you think this is so?

3.List some of the things you use which contain batteries.

Reading and Vocabulary.

2. You are going to read the text about batteries. Make sure you know these words and expressions.

to power	annual growth
battery bank	advantages and disadvantages
standby	primary (disposable) battery
telephone exchanges	to discard
computer data centre	secondary (rechargeable) battery
multiple	negative electrode
source	positive electrode
household and industrial appliances	solution
estimate	EMF = electromotive force
to generate	cordless

3. Read the information about batteries and complete the table of differences between the two types of cells.

Batteries

Everyone knows what a battery is: usually it’s one of those little tubes that you put in your walkman or your torch so that you can have music or light where you go.

It’s portable electricity.

In fact, batteries come in many shapes and sizes. They range from the buttonsized ones which keep your watch and hearing aids going for more than a year to the heavy batteries which can power submarines or to battery banks the size of rooms that provide standby power for telephone exchanges and computer data centers.

Strictly, a battery is a collection of multiple electrochemical cells, but in popular usage battery often refers to a single cell. For example, a 1.5 volt AAA battery is a

single 1.5 volt cell, and a 9 volt battery has 6 1.5 volt cells in series. The first electrochemical cell was developed by the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta in 1792 and in 1800 he invented the first battery, a ‘pile’ of many cells in series (‘voltaic pile’).

Since the invention of the first battery by Alessandro Volta, batteries have become a common power source for many household and industrial appliances. According to a 2005 estimate, the worldwide battery industry generates US $ 48 billion in sales each year, with 6 % annual growth.

Batteries are classified into two main categories. Each type has some advantages and disadvantages, but both kinds change chemical energy into electricity. Primary batteries (disposable batteries) are designed to be used once and discarded. They are thrown away when the chemicals they contain are used up.

Secondary batteries (rechargeable batteries) are designed to be recharged and used multiple times.

The commonest and cheapest kind of primary cell is the Zinc-carbon cell. It consists of a zinc can which contains two chemicals. The zinc is the negative electrode. One of the chemicals, manganese dioxide, forms the positive electrode. The electrolyte is a solution of ammonium chloride. The electromotive force is 1.5V. Millions of cells like this are used every year in clocks, torches, tape recorders and remote controls.

Secondary batteries can be used again and again. The NiCad cell fits this description. It’s a secondary cell with a nickel positive electrode and a cadmium negative electrode. Ni for nickel, Cad for cadmium – NiCad. The electrolyte is potassium hydroxide. It has an EMF of 1.2V. NiCad cells are more expensive, but they can be recharged hundreds of times. They are used in many cordless appliances such as mobile phones.

Zinc-carbon cell

NiCad cell

Type of cell

Positive electrode

Negative electrode

Electrolyte

EMF

Example of use

3. Answer these questions. Use the information from the text above.

1.Do batteries provide portable electricity? Prove your answer.

2.Where do people use small batteries?

3.Where do people use large batteries?

4.Give the scientific description of a battery.

5.Why does battery refer to a single cell?

6.Who invented the first battery? When did it happen?

7.How are batteries classified?

8.What is the function of batteries?

9.How are primary batteries designed?

10.How are secondary batteries designed?

4. Work with your partner and find in the text the English equivalents to the words.

1.	знать		21.	согласно
2.	труба, трубка		22.	всемирный
3.	плейер		23.	промышленность
4.	фонарь		24.	классифицировать
5.	свет		25.	основной
6.	портативное электричество		26.	категория
7.	на самом деле		27.	тип
8.	форма		28.	менять
9.	размер		29.	энергия
10.		колебаться от … до …	30.	предназначать
11.		пуговица, кнопка	31.	один раз, единожды
12.		слуховой аппарат	32.	выбрасывать
13.		наручные часы	33.	содержать
14.		тяжелый	34.	перезаряжать
15.		подводная лодка	35.	дешевый
16.		обеспечивать	36.	корпус
17.		электроэнергия	37.	настенные (настольные) часы
18.		с тех пор как	38.	снова, опять
19.		изобретение	39.	описание
20.		обычный, общий	40.	дорогой

5. Match the terms and their definitions.

Terms	Definitions
1. EMF	a) combination of cells for providing electrical energy
2. torch	b) put an electrical charge into a component such as a battery or a
3. charge	capacitor
4. battery	c) supply of electric current and voltage
5. walkman	d) positive or negative connector which collects or emits a charge
6. recharge	e) chemical which aids the flow of current between electrodes
7. electrode	f) voltage produced by an electrical source (e.g. a battery)
8. hearing aid	g) amplifying device which makes it easier for people with
9. primary cell	hearing difficulties to hear
10. electrolyte	h) energy source which cannot be recharged
11. secondary cell	i) restore the charge or energy to a battery
12. electricity	j) energy source which can be recharged
	k) portable electrical device for producing a beam of light
	l) trade name of a popular type of personal player

6. Complete the tables. Use the words from the text. Pay attention to the part of speech. Translate all words.

Noun	Adjective
1	advantageous
2	powerful
3	applicable
4	central
cord	5
5	shapeless
7	electrical
8	energetic
multiplication	9
10	exchangeable
11	forceful
industry	12

7. Label these diagrams of a cell with these terms:

a)

current collector / carbon rod positive electrode electrolyte

zinc can / jacket

b)

a)brass cap

b)carbon rod

c)chemical mixture

d)expansion space

e)plastic seal

f)porous cardboard

g)zinc can

Noun	Verb
13	aid
14	centre
classification	15
16	compute
container	17
18	cord
19	describe
estimation	20
exchange	21
force	22
23	grow
24	invent
knowledge	25
multiplication	26
	telephone
power	27
provision	28

Language Study. Describing components

Two questions we may need to answer when we describe components are:

1.What is it called?

2.What does it do?

In other words, we need to be able to:

1.label components

2.describe their function

We can use these ways of labeling components:

It is called a Zinc-carbon cell.

It is known as a NiCad cell.

We can describe the function of components like this:

A cell provides electricity.

Cells change chemical energy into electricity.

8. Here are some circuit symbols. Label them and describe their function.

e.g. It’s called a transformer. It steps AC voltages up and down.

a)varies capacitance in a circuit

b)rectifies alternating current

c)adds resistance to a circuit

d)measures very small current

e)breaks a circuit

1.fixed resistor

2.voltmeter

3.variable resistor

4.variable capacitor

5.transformer

6.fuse

7.switch

8.milliammeter

9.diode

10.aerial (antenna)

f)protects a circuit

g)varies the current in a circuit

h)steps AC voltage up or down

i)receives RF signals

j)measures voltages

9. Study the block diagram of a battery charger. Match each component or unit with its function in a battery charger.

Component / Unit	Function
1. transformer	a) steps down the AC mains voltage
2. rectifier	b) prevents the output from changing when the
3. smoothing circuit	load varies
4. stabilizing circuit	c) removes the fluctuations in the DC output of the
	rectifier
	d) converts the AC voltage to a DC voltage

Writing.

10. Write the description of the battery charger and the function of each building block. Your description should answer these questions.

1.What is the function of a battery charger?

2.What does it consist of in terms of blocks?

3.How are the blocks connected?

4.What is the function of each block?

11. Write the translation of the paragraph which your teacher will give you into Russian.

LESSON 4. PERSONAL COMPUTER

Lead-in.

1. Answer these questions.

1.Do you have a computer?

2.How often do you use your computer?

3.What do you need your computer for?

4.Look at the picture above. Say the names of a computer parts you see. What other ones do you know?

5.How do you care about your computer?

2. Do you know what these terms mean? Match each item in Column A with its function in Column B.

1. RAM	a) controls the cursor
2. processor	b) inputs data through keys like a typewriter
3. mouse	c) displays the output from a computer on a screen
4. clock	d) reads DVD-ROMs
5. flash memory key	e) reads and writes to electronic chips on a card
6. monitor	f) holds instructions which are needed to start up the
7. keyboard	computer
8. DVD-ROM drive	g) holds data read or written to it by the processor
9. cache	h) provides extremely fast access for sections of a program