2. Look through the text and answer the questions.

1. What is the future application of the solar energy? 2. Can solar energy meet the world's energy requirements? Prove your point of view. 3. What was the background of using solar energy in the past? 4. Why did the providers ignore the production of this renewable source of energy? 5. What made them change their mind? 6. Are there any dis­advantages of solar energy? 7. What prevails: advantages or disadvan­tages of solar energy?

3. Translate the following attributive constructions into Russian.

1. direct solar heating, high-grade electricity, low capacity factor, future energy demands, consequent energy losses, overall net efficiency, overall power output;

2. total world energy demand, pumped-storage hydro-systems, base-load electricity generation, anti-nuclear environmental groups, remote area telecommunications equipment, earthbound signaling and communication equipment, actual so­lar collecting cells, a solar thermal power plant.

4. Explain in English what these terms mean.

solar energy, mechanical turbine, energy providers, solar radiation, unlimited natural resources, solar-powered water heaters, an envi­ronmentalist, a consumer.

5. Complete the following sentences using Gerund and translate them into Russian.

1. The world's energy providers are interested in .... 2. Solar energy has great potential for .... 3. Many environmental problems are as­sociated with ... . 4. Energy suppliers see future profit in ... . 5. Remote communities can produce their own supply of electricity by.... 6. The first solar collector was used for ... .

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6. Translate the following sentences paying attention to Gerund.

1. The importance of dependable electricity generation, transmis­sion and distribution was revealed when it became apparent that elec­tricity was useful for providing heat, light and power for human activi­ties. 2. Electricity has been generated for the purpose of powering human technologies for at least 120 years from various sources of po­tential energy. 3. Turbines are usually rotated by using steam, water, wind or other fluid as an intermediate energy carrier. 4. Power genera­tion by thermonuclear fusion has been suggested as a possible way of generating electricity. 5. A wind turbine is a device for converting wind power to mechanical rotation with a low velocity turbine designed for compressible fluids. 6. In typical land-based installations, a tower lift­ing the bottom of the turbine 30 meters will pay for itself by placing the turbine in faster air. 7. Renewable energy can help provide for our future needs by harnessing abundant, naturally occurring sources of energy, such as the sun, the wind, geothermal heat, and biomass. 8. The deployment of renewables may be stimulated by increasing envi­ronmental concerns over the generally much more significant global impacts of using conventional energy technologies. 9. By using wind energy to power our homes and businesses, we can strengthen our en­ergy independence and lessen our reliance on fossil fuels. 10. Supply­ing low cost electricity with acceptable safety and low environmental impact will depend substantially on developing and deploying reasona­bly sophisticated technology.