II. Look through the text again and answer the following questions:

1. What temperature is needed to prevent the coolant from freezing?

2. What was used to depress the freezing point of the coolant?

3. What do usually the coolants contain? What for?

4. Why are high-temperature-resistant ceramic parts required for engine structure?

5. What systems were introduced to improve the engine cooling?

III. Match the words with their definitions and make up your own sentences with these words:

1. damage a) the active principle of intoxicating drinks;

2. pump b) to grow, to become greater in size, degree etc.;

3. radiator c) to defend from harm, trouble, attack, etc.;

4. alcohol d) to work, to act or function;

5. to increase e) to exist around;

6. to protect f) a device for cooling an engine;

7. coolant g) a process in which a metal is eaten away;

8. to operate h) a fluid used to cool a system;

9. to surround i) injury, impairing the function of a person or thing;

10. corrosion j) a device for compressing the pressure of a fuel;

IV. Find information about the application and function of cooling systems. While looking for information you are free to use the internet sites given below as well as any other online resources.

Make a short presentation in front of the class.

Resources recommended:

auto.howstuffworks.com

www.familycar.com

www.bryant.com

autorepair.about.com/od/glossary/ss/def_coolsytem.htm

www.automobile.com

Text 25

I. Read the text about ignition system and its function in the automobile.

Ignition system

Ignition system in a gasoline engine, means employed for producing an electric spark to ignite the fuel-air mixture; the burning of this mixture in the cylinders produces the motive force.

The basic components in the ignition system are a storage battery, an induction coil, a device to produce timed high-voltage discharges from the induction coil, a distributor, and a set of spark plugs.

The storage battery provides an electric current of low voltage (usually 12 volts) that is converted by the system to high voltage (some 40,000 volts). The distributor routes the successive bursts of high-voltage current to each spark plug in the firing order.

In older automobile ignition systems, the high-voltage pulses are produced by means of breaker points controlled by a revolving distributor cam. When the points are in contact they complete an electrical circuit through the primary winding of the ignition coil. When the points are separated by the cam, the primary circuit is broken, which creates a high-voltage surge in the secondary windings of the induction coil.

Breaker points have been largely replaced by electronic devices in newer automobiles. Most now use a magnetic device, called a reluctor, that is operated by the distributor shaft to produce timed electric signals, which are amplified and used to control the current to the induction coil. These newer ignition systems are more reliable than the old, permit better control of the engine, and produce higher-voltage output to the spark plugs.

During the evolution of solid-state ignition systems, there have been many modifications. Some ignition conversion systems, for example, extend breaker-point life by using transistors, devices in which a small current in the input (the breaker-point circuit) controls a much larger current in the output (the coil primary circuit).