LESSON ONE

Pre-text Exercises

I. Practise the reading of the following words:

current ['kArqnt], alternating [Ll'tE:nqtIN], amplify ['xmplIfaI], rectify ['rektIfaI], surface ['sE:fIs], frequency ['frJkwqnsi], substance ['sAbstqns], conductor [kqn'dAktq(r)], semiconductor ["semikqn'dAktq(r)], insulator ['InsjuleItq(r)], measure ['meZq(r)], delay [dI'leI].

II. Make sure if you can read these words correctly and say what words in the Russian language help you to guess their meaning:

transistor, crystal, crystalline, contact, classify, electric, electrode, compact, computer, combination, equivalent, acceleration, material, review, triode, evolution, hybrid, monolithic.

III. Give the initial forms of the following words:

devices, pieces, allowed, known, became, depended, rectifying, crystals, valves, reaching, receivers, understood, substances, semiconductors, insulators, invented, replacing, advantages.

IV. State to what parts of speech the words in bold type belong:

1. A proton has a positive electrical charge.2. Don't chargethis battery. 3. The operating rangeof this device is broad. 4. The capacities of these stations rangefrom 600 to 700 kilowatts. 5. The structure of the atom is likethe structure of our solar system. 6. I liketo watch TV evening programmes. 7. The room houseselectronic devices. 8. The housesof the research institute are nearly in the centre of the city.

V. Translate the following compound nouns:

air-line, sunlight, airstream, radiosignal, waveform, wave-length, spaceship, typewriter, timetable, block-diagram, pipe-line, lifetime, radioreceiver, codeword, radiowave.

VI. Form verbs with an opposite meaning adding the prefix dis– and translate them:

Example: to approve – одобрять

to disapprove – не одобрять

to cover, to appear, to place, to continue, to agree, to charge, to connect, to close, to arrange, to assemble, to mount, to join.

VII. Make sure if you remember the three forms of the following verbs:

become – became – become; understand – understood – understood; lead – led – led; mean – meant – meant; do – did – done; wear – wore – worn; set – set – set; let – let – let; cost – cost – cost; find – found – found; spread – spread – spread.

VIII. Translate the following sentences paying attention to the functions of the verb to do:

1. He will dothe work himself. 2. Where doeshe study? 3. Semiconductors dopossess many wonderful properties. 4. Semiconductors let electric current pass through them more easily than insulators do.5. I don'tunderstand the action of this device. 6. Perfect science doesexist. 7. Don'tchange the temperature. 8. Energy is defined as ability to dowork. 9. Doyou know this engineer? – Yes, I do.10. He doesobtain amplification (усиление) with this device.

IX. Define the function of Participle I in the following sentences and translate them:

1. The scientist workingat this design is well known. 2. Carryingout the experiment he made use of some new instruments. 3. These new devices are replacingtheir older equivalents. 4. Speakingabout the new method of work the engineer told us many interesting details. 5. Radio occupies one of the leadingplaces among the greatest achievements of modern engineering. 7. Being cooledwater turns into ice. 8. The electric current passingthrough a wire will heat it. 9. Transistors contain no movingparts. 10. The scientist is carryingon an important research. 11. Developingthe new method they achieved good results.

X.Translate the following sentences:

1. Having improved this device they could use it for many purposes. 2. When making the experiment he made Notes. 3. The vibrations of a voice speaking into the microphone of a telephone cause vibrations in an electric current. 4. This varying current is carried along a wire to a receiver. 5. Electronics in our country has developed into hundreds of research institutes and laboratories employing tens of thousands of people. 6. The power engineering in the USA develops much faster than that of some other developed countries, including Great Britain. 7. Having been discovered many years ago this metal found a wide application in industry only last decade. 8. While being checked the motor showed good performance. 9. The European Union today is building high-capacity atomic power stations. 10. The man introducing this famous scientist is the dean of our faculty. 11. Cybernetics has gained a growing importance.

XI. Change the complex sentences given below according to the examples and translate them into Russian:

Example A: While she was preparing for her physics exam she looked through all the Notes of the lectures.

While preparing for her physics exam she looked through all the Notes of the lectures.

1. When he was translatingthe article he used a dictionary. 2. While the student was workingat the problem he made many experiments. 3. When the scientist was carrying outresearch in the field of nuclear physics he came to Dubna to work there. 4. When the worker was applyingthe new method of work he got better results. 5. While he was experimentingwith this substance he was very careful. 6. When the engineer was improvingthe design he made many calculations. 7. While the man was describingthis phenomenon he illustrated it with numerous examples. 8. When these scientists were workingin our laboratory they obtained good results.

Example B: The scientists who are carrying out research into nuclear physics deal with most difficult problems.

The scientists carrying out research into nuclear physics deal with most difficult problems.

1. The scientist who is workingat the method is well known. 2. The students who are listeningto the taped lesson study at the evening faculty. 3. These postgraduate students who are watchingthe experiment work in our laboratory. 4. The worker who is repairingthe machine is very skilled. 5. The engineer who is carrying outthese investigations is a well-known inventor. 6. The students who are doingthe laboratory work are from various faculties. 7. The workers who are buildingthis house will soon finish their work.

XII.Choose the sentences with Participle I from the ones given below, translate them:

1. The falling water has kinetic energy. 2. While testing the motor we take down the results. 3. There is no simple explanation of the functioning of transistors. 4. Obtaining new data engineers can improve their knowledge. 5. Look at the reading of the device. 6. Robots are helping research scientists to answer many difficult questions. 7. By the beginning of the 20th century man had learned something of the structure of the atom. 8. When applying these automatic devices we shall be able to control automatic lines. 9. The applying of lasers enables us to amplify electromagnetic waves. 10. A person beginning some experiment should be very careful and attentive.

XIII.Match up the words which have an opposite meaning:

a) conductor, before, solid, alternating, early, high, receiver, new, important, advantage, little, light, possible, reliable;

b) impossible, disadvantage, insulator, after, unreliable, heavy, much, liquid, direct, late, low, transmitter, old, unimportant.

XIV. Listen to the following tape-recorded lexical programme. Try to memorize the words and word-groups:

■alternating current – переменный ток ■ thermionic valve – электронная лампа ■ to rectify – выпрямлять, детектировать ■ fine wire – тонкий провод ■ rectifier – выпрямитель; детектор ■ radar receiver – радиолокационный приемник ■ point-contact transistor – точечно-контактный транзистор ■ junction – 1. соединение; сочленение; 2. переход; 3. плоскостной ■ junction transistor – плоскостной транзистор ■ in many respects – во многих отношениях, density packing – плотная упаковка ■ an intricate circuit – сложная схема ■ measuring instruments – измерительные приборы ■ recording equipment – регистрирующая аппаратура; оборудование записи ■ instrumentation – контрольно-измерительные приборы; контрольно-измерительная аппаратура ■ reliability – надежность; прочность,