Water Supply
Centralised water supply dates back to 2500 ВС. Ancient Egypt had complex engineering structures for the purpose. Yet to this day the percentage of the population enjoying centralised water supply both in Africa and Asia is very low.
In our country, at the beginning of the 20th century, only one-third of the towns had running water laid on, and only in the central part of the town, as a rule. In the pre-war period of industrial development running water reached millions of flats all over the country. But practically all the systems in the western and central parts of European Russia, were destroyed during the war and had to be built anew.
In the absence of centralised water supply, a man can do with about 25 litres of water a day for his various personal needs. But in the modern city water consumption per person is much higher. An average of 300 to 500 litres of water is spent daily on household and sanitary needs per one inhabitant of a modern city.
You can see this vastly exceeds the necessary minimum of 25 litres. Why is the discrepancy? Not because people leave their taps open. Because water is so abundant no one thinks twice about taking a shower, or a bath, using the washing machine, washing the car, etc. The volume of water consumption is indicative not only of the efficiency of the water supply but also of the population's living standards.
Our need in water is growing. Simultaneously, the globe's population is growing. In the past century the consumption of water by the world's largest cities, such as Paris, London, Berlin and Moscow, has grown 80 to 100 times. During the famous heat wave of 1972 Moscow "drank" almost 5,000,000 cubic metres of water a day. This staggering figure seems to confirm the immediacy of the water dearth problem. Actually, however, the problem consists not so much in where to get pure water but in how to deliver it to where people need it.
Notes to the text:
1) B.C. = Before Christ – до новой эры
2) etc. = et cetera (лат.) – и так далее
3) per – на, по
Упр. 4. Подберите в правом столбике подходящий перевод к английским словам и выражениям.
1) сentralised water supply а) санитарные потребности
2) complex engineering structures б) промышленное развитие
3) to lay on running water в) оставлять открытым кран с водой
4) industrial development г) прокладывать водопровод
5) to build anew д) центральный водопровод
6) various personal needs е) показатели уровня жизни населения
7) to get pure water ж) сложные инженерные сооружения
8) sanitary needs з) поразительная цифра
9) the necessary minimum и) мировое население
10) to leave taps open к) заново строить
11) the volume of water consumption л) проблема нехватки воды
12) the efficiency of water supply м) получать чистую воду
13) population’s living standards н) различные потребности человека
14) globe’s population о) необходимый минимум
15) staggering figure п) эффективность водоснабжения
16) the water dearth problem р) объем потребления воды
Упр. 5. Какое из данных предложений выражает главную мысль текста?
1) Centralised water supply dates back to ancient time.
2) Still there are many people around the globe who do not enjoy сentralised water supply.
3) In the modern city the water consumption is growing.
4) Our need in water is growing.
Упр. 6. Расположите предложения согласно последовательности изложения.
1) In the absence of centralised water supply, a man can do with about 25 litres of water a day for his various personal needs.
3) Centralised water supply dates back to ancient time.
2) Our need in water is growing, simultaneously; the globe's population is growing.
4) In the pre-war period of industrial development running water reached millions of flats in our country.
5) The volume of water consumption is indicative of the population's living standards.
Упр. 7. Составьте план к тексту.
Упр. 8. Ответьте на вопросы более чем одним высказыванием.
1) Why is the percentage of the globe’s population enjoying centralized water supply still so low?
2) How did running water reach the population of our country?
3) What is an average daily water consumption per person for his various needs in different environment?
4) Why is the discrepancy of water consumption per person in the absence of centralised water supply and in modern town with all conveniences?
5) Why is our need in water growing?
Упр. 9. Перескажите текст по-английски, используя материал упр. 5, 6, 7, 8, а также наречия: yet, practically, as a rule, simultaneously, actually, however и союзы: both…and, but, because и др.
Урок 6. Purification
Упр. 1. Прочитайте и запомните следующие слова:
sedimentation – оседание, отложение осадка
particle – частица
layer – уровень
sand – песок
germ – микроб
gravel – гравий
harmful – вредный
precipitate – осадок
suspended – взвешенный
persisting – остаточный
to settle out – выпадать в осадок
to clump – собирать в группу
treatment – обработка
to aerate – насыщать воздухом или кислородом
to remove – удалять
to improve – улучшать
Упр. 2. Какие русские слова имеют те же корни, что и следующие английские слова. Запомните их произношение в английском языке:
process, coagulation, filtration, disinfection, bacteria, municipal, effective, ozone, ultraviolet, spray, aluminum, sulphate.
Упр. 3. Найдите в словаре и запишите значения следующих слов и выражений:
generally, to employ, taste, odor, to include, source, commonly, to effect, foreign, to add, to cause, to pass through, remain, chlorine, recently, unwanted, to expose, either…or, coarse, as well as.
Упр. 4. Прочитайте и переведите текст на русский язык.