THE NATURE OF LIGHTNING

The lightning flash is certainly the earliest manifestation of electricity known to man, although for a long time nobody knew that lightning and atmospheric electricity are one and the same thing. Indeed, for thousands of years people knew nothing about thunderstorms. However, they saw long sparks falling from the dark sky and heard thunder. They knew that these sparks could kill people or strike their houses and destroy them. Trying to understand that dangerous phenom­enon, they imagined things and invented numerous stories. The early Scandinavians thought that thunderstorms were produced by Thor, the god of thun­der. Besides his throwing both thunder and lightning at some people, he was a hammer-thrower. According to the story, his powerful hammer had the property of always coming-back to his hands after it had been thrown. The fifth day of the week, that is Thursday, was named after him. A story like that invented by those early Scandinavians could be also heard from other peoples.

Thunderstorms have long stopped being a problem that scientists tried to solve. At present everyone knows, that lightning is a very great flash of light resulting from discharge of atmospheric electricity either between charged clouds or between a charged cloud and the earth.

Even now some people do not like being out during a thunderstorm. Dark clouds cover the sky, turning day into night. There are lightning flashes followed by thunder which can be heard for kilometres around. Needless to say, there is always some danger in a thunderstorm for a very high build­ing or a man standing in the open field.

Many years ago people learned to protect their houses from thunderstorms. Coming down from a charged cloud to the earth, lightning usually strikes the nearest conductor. Therefore, it is necessary to provide an easy path along which electrones are conducted to the earth. In 1752 Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning conductor. The lightning conductor, familiar to anybody at present, is a met­al device protecting building from lightning strokes by con­ducting the electrical charges to the earth.

Franklin's achievements in the field of electricity were known to Lomonosov who, in his turn, made experiments of his own. Among other scientific problems that Lomonosov studied was also that of atmospheric electricity. It greatly interested both Lomonosov and his friend Professor Rihman. Both of them tried to solve the problem in question. They made numerous experiments and observations without think­ing of the possible danger. In order to get better results Rihman constructed the first electrical measuring device in the world. However, making experiments of that kind was so dangerous that Professor Rihman was killed by a stroke of lightning during one of his observations.

Exercises

1. Learn the following active words and use them in the sentences of your own:

charge (n, v) заряд, заряжать(ся)

conduct (v) проводить

destroy (v) разрушать

danger (n) опасность

flash (n) вспышка

lightning (n) молния

manifest (v) проявлять(ся)

observe (v) наблюдать

path (n) дорожка, путь

property (n) качество, свойство

provide (v) предоставлять

spark (n) искра

strike (v) ударять, бить

thunderstorm (n) гроза

The Gerund

2. Translate the following sentences, paying attention to the gerund:

a) 1. Learning English is not an easy thing. 2. His friend began learning the English language. 3. The professor knew about our going to the power plant. 4. There are many methods of solving this problem. 5. On coming home, my father began watching television.

b) 1. We didn't know about his being sent to the power station. 2. I remember my having told her about the exper­iment. 3. His having asked such a question shows that he did not prepare the text. 4. We know of different experiments being made in this laboratory. 5. Your having been sent to Leningrad was known to everybody. 6. Everybody knew about your having asked such a question.

3. Complete the following sentences using the gerund according to the model given below.

Model: When will you finish (to read)...?

When will you finish reading this English book?

1. Do you like (to go)... ? 2. My friend never thought of (to become)... . 3. This is the device for (to turn)... . 4. Ex­cuse me for (to be late)... . 5. Why are you translating ascientific article without (to read)... ?

4. Find the gerund in the text, define its function.

5. Put questions to the words in bold type:

1. For thousands of years peopleknew nothing about thunderstorms. 2.The fifth dayof the week was named after Thor.3. Lightningis a discharge of atmospheric electricity. 4. The lightning conductorinvented by Franklin provides an easy path for conducting electric charges to the earth. 5. Rihmanconstructed the first electrical- measuring device. 6. Ex­perimentswith atmospheric electricity were made by Lomonosov.7. Many years ago peoplelearned to protect their houses from thunderstorms. 8. We use atomic power for peaceful purposes.

6. Form verbs from the following nouns. Use the verbs formed from the nouns given above in the sentences of your own.

observation, achievement, protection, production, instal­lation, operation, application, development, heat, generator, inventor, reader

7. Translate the following sentences paying attention to the words in bold type:

a) 1.My friend's son looks likehis father. 2. You may take any device you like.3. Some liquids have likeproperties. 4. Steel likeiron is widely used in industry. 5. A steam turbine is like any other turbine, but it is turned by steam. 6. We did not like the film that we watched yesterday. 7. Did you likethe story that you heard at the lesson yesterday?

b) 1. Lightning is an atmospheric phenomenon thatgreat­ly interested some scientists of the past. 2. Thatthe earth turns round the sun is known to everybody. 3. It is quite possible that in the future coal may be replaced by atomic power. 4. Atomic power can serve people, but we must never forget that thatpower can also destroy the world. 5. When an object loses its potential power thatpower is turned into kinetic power. 6. The operation of the motor is quite different from thatof the generator. 7. Everybody knows thatthe earth is round. 8. The climate in Moscow is better than thatin London. 9. The film thatwe saw yesterday was very interesting.

8. Put 5 questions to the text beginning with what.