Text 2. Exploration of the Moon

Detailed photographs of the Moon have made possible a nearly complete map, including the hidden far side. Soft-landing vehicles have televised views of the surface by remotely controlled cameras, determined the physical and load-bearing characteristics of the soil, and performed chemical analysis by isotope backscatter technique. Seismometers, laser reflectors, solar wind and ion detectors, charged particle measuring devices, magnetometers, and other instruments have been set up. Six Apollo missions brought back 382 kilograms of selected lunar rocks and soil for study.

The physical nature of the Moon has been revealed by space exploration in a way impossible before. The list of discoveries is long and detailed. Perhaps the most significant is that the age of the surface material studied has been determined to be 4,600,000,000 years. For much of that time the Moon has not drastically changed, but lunar history appears to have been complex. Because it has changed so little, a record of the Sun can be traced on the lunar surface. This type of data has many implications for Earth history.

Other findings about the Moon are: there is no life or water; lunar rocks are similar to Earth rocks but have different compositions; seismometers have recorded numerous “moonquakes” about the time the Moon is closest to the Earth each month; there is a lunar magnetic field, but it is much weaker than the Earth's; the solar wind is not disturbed as it approaches the Moon, signifying that there is no layer of charged particles similar to the Earth's ionosphere; laser reflection makes it possible to measure Earth–Moon distance to within about 23 centimeters.

Essential vocabulary :

1. exploration – исследование;

2. complete – полный, законченный;

3. map – карта;

4. hidden – скрытый, спрятанный;

5. surface – поверхность;

6. soil – почва;

7. to scatter - разбрасывать;

8. charged particle – заряженная частица;

9. to measure – измерять;

10. to reveal – показывать, обнаруживать;

11. significant – значимый, основной;

12. to determine – устанавливать, обнаруживать;

13. implication – причастность, подтекст, смысл;

14. composition – композиция, состав;

15. solar – солнечный;

16. to disturb – мешать, беспокоить;

17. to approach – достигать, приближаться;

18. drastically – резко;

19. to trace – прослеживать;

20. to signify – значить;

21. layer – слой, уровень;

22. similar – похожий;

23. reflection – отражение;

I. Give the English equivalents of the following phrases:

• невидимая обратная сторона;

• вид поверхности Луны;

• характеристика почвы;

• долгие, детальные исследования;

• магнитное поле намного слабее;

• делает возможным измерение расстояния;

• иметь другой состав;

• камеры дальнего слежения;

• представить химический анализ;

• изучение лунной поверхности;

II. Match the words with their definitions:

1. surface a) examining of smth. thoroughly in order to test it or find out about it;

2. exploration b) an instrument for detecting earthquakes;

3. soil c) a method of doing or performing smth.;

4. particle d) a particular task done by a person or a group;

5. seismometer e) the outside part of smth.;

6. laser f) any of various types of small pieces of matter of which atoms are composed;

7. technique g) a device that produces a narrow, intense and highly controlled beam of light;

8. mission h) the upper layer of earth in which plants, trees, etc. grow;