Answer the questions:

1. What is a semiconductor? 2. What is a transistor? 3. What place do semiconductors occupy? 4. What are transistors successfully used for? 5. What kind of electronic devices is it possible to design with the help of a transistor? 6. With the help of what batteries are transistors used to transform radiant energy into electricity? 7. What is the size of transistors? 8. How do some transistors act in the dark? 9. Are photoresistances small or big in size? 10. Where are the photoelectric properties of transistors widely used? 11. In what case is electricity directly transformed into light energy with great efficiency? 12. Is it possible to make miniaturized reliable sources of light of very simple design or not? 13. Where will transistors be used on a large scale in the future? 14. Do you know any transistor devices?

Exercises

1. Translate the sentences paying attention to the conjunction both…and:

1. In later years both light sources and lasers were built on the basis of transistors. 2. Both silicon and germanium are semiconductors. 3. Transistors are very sensitive both to the action of light and to that of nuclear particles. 4. Both cadmium sulphide and a number of other transistors act as insulators in darkness. 5. Some of the photoresistances react both to visible light and to radioactive radiation. 6. Such photoresistances are successfully used as the main elements both for various measuring instruments and automatic devices.

2. Translate the following words and word-combinations:

heat energy, radio engineering, transistor crystals, vacuum tubes, light sources, future technology, room lighting, radioactive radiation, light-energy, engineering purposes, semiconductor devices, high voltage transmission lines, coal deposits, to power machines, to power spaceships with electricity, to occupy an intermediate place, to impart new properties, to impart knowledge, one per cent of admixtures, different admixtures, admixtures of some metals, to expand the range of transistors, to expand the use of crystals, to expand the application of new measuring instruments, in this case, in that case, in case, some of simple compounds, the same simple compounds, some tiny crystals, the same tiny crystals, the so-called solar batteries, the so-called photoresistances, because, because of, by means of, by no means, by all means.

3. Group the synonyms and translate them:

Demand v aim n

Precisely adv receive v

Small-sized a decrease v

Obtain v Ordinarily adv Exactly adv require v

Reduce v small-dimensioned a

Purpose n usually adv

4. Group the antonyms and translate them: Successful a outside adv

Visible a inner a

Like a impossible a

Directly adv inexhaustible a

Inside adv unreliable a

Possible a complex a

Increase v unlike a

Exhaustible a indirectly adv

Reliable a invisible a

Simple a decrease v

Outer a unsuccessful a