- •Lesson 1
- •Electric current serves us in a thousand ways
- •Exercises
- •Lesson 2
- •Exercises
- •Lesson 3
- •Exercises
- •Lesson four
- •Lightning
- •Exercises
- •Lesson five
- •Atmospheric electricity
- •Exercises
- •Lesson six
- •Magnetism
- •Exercises
- •Lesson seven
- •Early history of electricity
- •Exercises
- •Lesson eight
- •History of thermometers
- •Exercises
- •Lesson nine
- •Lomonosov
- •Exercises
- •Lesson ten
- •From the history of electricity
- •Exercises
- •Lesson eleven
- •Electric current
- •Exercises
- •Lesson twelve
- •What is heat?
- •Exercises
- •Lesson 13
- •Electric circuit
- •Exercises
- •Lesson fourteen
- •Conductors and insulators
- •Exercises
- •Unit fifteen
- •Electromotive force and resistance
- •Exercises
- •Lesson sixteen
- •Heating effect of an electric current
- •Lesson seventeen
- •Magnetic effect of an electric current
- •Lesson eighteen
- •Generators
- •Exercises
- •Lesson nineteen
- •Power transmission
- •Exercises
- •Lesson twenty
- •Transformers
- •Exercises
Lesson 1
Read and translate the text.
Electric current serves us in a thousand ways
The electric current was born in the year 1800 when Volta constructed the first source of continuous current. Since that time numerous scientists and inventors, Russian and foreign, have greatly contributed to its development and practical application.
As a result, we cannot imagine modern civilization without the electric current. We can't imagine how people could do without electric lamps, without vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, washing machines and other electrically operated devices that are widely used today. In fact, telephones, lifts, electric trams and trains, radio and television have been made possible only owing to the electric current.
The student reading this article is certainly familiar with the important part which the electric current plays in everyday life. From the moment when he gets up in the morning until he goes to bed at night, he widely uses electric energy. Only when going to the institute either on foot or by bicycle, he can do without electricity. In fact, it is well known that electric current is necessary for the operation of trolley-buses, trams, buses and modern trains.
During the day the student will also use some electrical devices working in the laboratory, making use of the telephone, the lift, the tram and so on. As for the evening, if he studies or reads by an electric lamp, watches television, goes to the theatre or cinema, he certainly uses electricity. Some people are more familiar with the various applications of the electric current in their everyday life than with its numerous industrial applications. However, electric energy finds its most important use in industry. Take, for example, the electric motor transforming electric energy into mechanical energy. It finds wide application at every mill and factory. As for the electric crane, it can easily lift objects weighing hundreds of tons.
A good example which is illustrating an important industrial use of the electric current is the electrically heated furnace. Great masses of metal melted in such furnaces flow like water. Speaking of the melted metals, we might mention one more device using electricity that is the electric pyrometer. The temperature of hot flowing metals can be easily measured owing to the electric pyrometer.
These are only some of the various industrial applications of the electric current serving us in a thousand ways.
Exercises
I. Learn the following words, groups of words. Translate the sentences.
1. application — применение. The motors find different applications.
2. as for — что касается. My friend speaks English well. As for me I can't do it.
3. current — ток. Where is the current used?
4. device — прибор, приспособление. We use different devices at home.
5. to do without — обходиться без чего-либо. We can't do without the telephone.
6. electric(al) — электрический. A vacuum cleaner is an electrical device.
7. furnace — печь, горн. Is there an electric furnace in your room?
8. inventor — изобретатель. A.S. Popov is the inventor of the radio.
9. laboratory — лаборатория. There are electrical furnaces in our laboratory.
10. to make use of — использовать. The students make use of electrical devices in the laboratory.
11. to measure— измерять. Can you measure the electric current?
12. to play a part — играть роль. Electrical devices play an important part in our life.
13. scientist — ученый. What scientists work at your institute?
14. to serve — служить, обслуживать. Atoms serve the people.
15. to transform — преобразовывать. Is it possible to transform the electric current?
16. to watch television — смотреть телевизор. I watch television in the evening.
17. to weigh — весить. How much does this machine weigh?
II. Translate the following international words:
radio, student, civilization, lamp, result, machine, institute, lift, vacuum, energy, telephone, practical, fact, tram, refrigerator, technological
III. Give short answers to the following questions.
1. Does the motor find wide application in industry? 2. Is Volta a Russian scientist? 3. Does your friend go to the institute on foot? 4. Did you go to the theatre yesterday? 5. Is there an electric lamp on your table? 6. Has your friend bought a new bicycle? 7. Are there many trolleybuses and trams in Moscow? 8. Do you watch television every day? 9. Do you use electrical devices? 10. Can you do without electricity? 11. Does the electric current play an important part in our life? 12. Does the electric motor transform electrical energy into mechanical energy? 13. Is the electric current necessary for the operation of trolley-buses and trams? 14. Is your house heated by an electric furnace?
IV. Form sentences using the words given below.
Model: lift, the, heavy, can, electric, objects, crane.
The electric crane can lift heavy objects.
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finds, industry, energy, in, application, electric, wide.
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does, study, he, at, not, the, institute?
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day, use, every, do, devices, you, electrical?
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the, theatre, go, to, we, yesterday, not, did.
V. Put all possible questions to the following sentences.
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The electric motor finds wide application in industry.
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Russian scientists contributed greatly to the science of electricity.
VI. Form sentences using the following expressions.
to play a part in, to go on foot, to do without, to make use of, to be familiar with, to get up, to go to bed, to go by bicycle, to be born, to contribute to, to flow like water
VII. Translate the following groups of words:
В повседневной жизни; промышленное применение; печь, нагреваемая электричеством; важное применение; преобразующий механическую энергию; постоянный ток; при электрической лампе; в результате; благодаря электричеству; смотреть телевизор вечером.
VIII. Find the wrong statements and correct them in several sentences:
1. It is impossible to measure the temperature of hot flowing metals. 2. The industrial application of the electric current contributes to the technological progress. 3. We use few electrical devices in our everyday life. 4. Modern civilization can do without the electric current. 5. The electric motor operates all electrical devices.
IX. Find the correct answer out of the three given below.
What device
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measures the temperature of hot metals?
a) refrigerator, b) pyrometer, c) motor
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transforms electrical energy into mechanical energy?
a) bicycle, b) telephone, c) motor
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lifts objects weighing hundreds of tons?
a) electric crane, b) electric furnace, c) vacuum cleaner
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lights your room?
a) tram, b) lift, c) lamp
X. Speak on:
1. The use of the electrical current in industry. 2. The use of the electrical current in everyday life.
XI. Make up the annotation of the text and retell it.