Grammar focus The Present Indefinite and the Past Indefinite Tenses

Task 1. Read the sentences. Find the verbs, tell what grammar tense they are used in. Build up a negative form, a general and a special question to each sentence according to the model:

Model: The study of various Earth materials provides insights into many basic processes.

A negative form: The study of various Earth materials does not provide insights into many basic processes.

A general question: Does the study of various Earth materials provide insights into many basic processes?

A special question: What does the study of various Earth materials provide?

1. Physical geology examines the materials composing Earth.

2. Historical geology strives to establish a chronological arrangement of the multitude of physical and biological changes.

3. Scales of size and space also vary greatly among the phenomena that geologists study.

4. Geology requires an understanding and application of knowledge and principles from physics, chemistry, and biology.

5. Geology seeks to expand our knowledge of the natural world and our place in it.

Task 2. Read the following text. Find the verbs in the Present Indefinite Tense. Build up 5 special questions to the text. Translate it into Ukrainian.

Natural hazards are a part of living on Earth. Every day they adversely affect millions of people worldwide and are responsible for staggering damages. Among the hazardous Earth processes studied by geologists are volcanoes, floods, earthquakes, and landslides. Of course, geologic hazards are simply natural processes. They become hazards only when people try to live where these processes occur.

Resources represent another important focus of geology that is of great practical value to people. They include water and soil, a great variety of metallic and nonmetallic minerals, and energy. Together they form the very foundation of modern civilization. Geology deals not only with the formation and occurrence of these vital resources but also with maintaining supplies and the environmental impact of their extraction and use.

Task 3. Read the following text. Find the verbs in the Present Indefinite Tense and change them into the Past Indefinite Tense. If necessary, change the adverbial modifiers as well.

Not only geologic processes have an impact on people, but we humans can influence geologic processes as well. For example, river flooding is natural, but the magnitude and frequency of flooding can be changed significantly by human activities such as clearing forests, building cities, and constructing dams. Unfortunately, natural systems do not always adjust to artificial changes in ways that we can anticipate. Thus, an alteration to the environment that is intended to benefit society sometimes has the opposite effect.

Discussion

Task 1. Read and memorize the following words:

batholith - батоліт	envision – уявити собі
bulbous - цибулиноподібний; опуклий; круглий	offshoot – відгалуження, наслідок, результат
emplace – встановлювати, розташовувати	branch – розгалужуватись, розходитись
felsic – кислий, фельзичний	arch - зводити склепіння; вигинати, згинати дугою; надавати форму арки
linear - вузький, довгий, витягнутий	stock - шток, невеликий батоліт
mammoth - величезний, гігантський	penetrate – проникати, проходити

Task 2. Read the text. Translate it into Ukrainian. Talk about batholiths, stocks, and laccoliths.