Learning activities

I. Form nouns from the verbs below, according to the model

verb + -tion(-sion), -ment, -ance, -ty, -er(-or).

Compare, appear, perform, develop, differ, distribute, vary, select, evolve, improve, behave, resist, refer.

II. Find synonyms for the following words in the text.

To wish, to have, different, to give, task, better, to combine, well-known, to fit, right, experiment, base, to use, together with, possibility, on condition

III. Find the Russian equivalents of the English words, arrange in pairs

slow разнообразие supply штамм

result in качество procedure распределение

yeild выпускать discard выбрасывать

variety наследственность strain однородный

quality закон appearance семя

law медленный obtain поставлять

heredity однако seed метод

eliminate приводить к uniform достаточный

nevertheless метод sufficient общий

technique устранять general внешность

release давать distribution получать

IV. What is the meaning of the following words (in the text)?

strain - 1) деформация, 2) штамм, 3) напряжение

uniform - 1) униформа, 2) однообразный, 3) однородный

individual - 1) индивидуальный, 2) отдельный, 3) особь

procedure - 1) метод, 2) технология, 3) процедура

general - 1) общий, 2) главный, 3) основной

commonly -1) обычно, 2) вообще, 3) просто

V. Read and translate the following sentences bearing in mind the various meanings of the words in bold type:

1. 1. This book is for you. 2. I worked for two hours. 3. The shoot cannot grow for it is too feeble. 4. Air is ne­cessary for chemical changes in the seed. 5. The seed will not germinate for a long time, for the temperature of the soil is too low for it. 6. Ten years have passed since I saw you. 7. I will do it since you desire. 8. Since he had no data he couldn't make his report. 9. This plant needs heat too. 10. It is too cold here, 11. We must work at this prob­lem too. 12. The lecturer came in due time. 13. His mista­kes are due to many reasons. 14. According to their use field crops are divided into four groups.

2. 1. If you apply these minerals to the soil, you will get some result. 2. Our lectures last for two hours. 3. At last our experimental work is ready. 4. Last month we worked on a state farm and returned late in the autumn. 5. He was late for the same reason as I was. 6. As to the stem and the leaves, it may be said that physiologically, the part which the latter play is much more important than that of the former. 7. I gave my friend a letter of introduction to my professor, the latter being a visitor in our institute. 8. He came later because he was busy.9. I couldn’t come in time because of my lecture. 10. The yield of crops varies greatly because of the structure of the soil.

VI. Translate the sentences. Pay attention to translation of the sentences with the constructions Complex Subject with Infinitive, Absolute Participial Construction. Write out the sentences with the above mentioned constructions from the text.

1. This law does not seem to hold for all gases.

2. He proved to be a very nice person.

3. Acids react with oxides of all metals, a salt and water being formed.

4. There being many people in the conference hall, we could not enter it.

5. The experiment was said to have been a complete failure.

6. We continued the work, our laboratory assistants helping us.

7. Weather permitting, we’ll proceed with our field work.

8. The samples were found to contain traces of metals.

9. He is thought to have contributed to the success of the experiment.

10. Other conditions being equal, the rate of the reaction remains constant.