2.2.7. Read the text and specify the meaning of be stuck by choosing the appropriate description:

(1) to be fixed to something, especially by means of a sticky substance;

(2) to be firmly fixed in one position, therefore difficult or impossible to move;

(3) to be kept firmly in one’s mind.

Getting stuck … being stuck …

‘Cassie for you.’

‘God’, Connie signed, ‘all right.’

‘Cassie, dear.’

‘I’m stuck.’

‘What, again?’ Connie closed her eyes. I will not be brusque. I was young and feckless once. No, she reflected, I was young but I didn’t keep getting stuck all the bloody time. ‘Listen,’ she said pleasantly, ‘it’s a tiny bit awkward at the moment, do you think you could possibly hang on there till lunch – ‘

‘No,’ Cassie squeaked. ‘Look, I’m stuck, you’ve got to – ‘

‘All right,’ Connie sighed. ‘Tell me where you are, and I’ll come and get you.’ Connie put down the phone. Bugger, she thought. It was, of course, only natural that the young woman should have chosen her as her guide, role model and mentor. Even so. She glanced down at the pile of prints. Connie thought quickly. Poor stuck Cassie, but stuck, by definition, means not likely to be going anywhere in a hurry. And maybe, just possibly, having to wait an extra forty minutes might encourage her to look where she was going, next time. ‘No problem,’ Connie said. (And she thought: just five years to go, and then they can all get stuck permanently, with or without reams of incomprehensible technical jargon, it and won’t be any of my concern.)

After T. Holt

2.2.8. Read and do tasks (a) - ( ) given below.

Phthalic acid esters usually called phthalate esters or just phthalates, are a group of chemicals used in a wide range of consumer goods. Thus, they are commercially important.

World production of these compounds is estimated to be several million tons per year, which is the first indicator of their great social and economic significance. They have a wide variety of uses and hence, are an important part of our lives. Phthalates of low molecular weight, such as dimethyl or diethyl phthalates, are widely used in cosmetics and personal care products. Thus DMP and DEP allow perfume fragrances to be evaporated more slowly making the scent linger longer, and a small amount of DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate) makes nail polish chip-resistant. Longer phthalate molecules have wide application as plasticizers in the polymer industry to improve flexibility, workability, and general handling properties. About 80% of all phthalates are used for this purpose. The stability, fluidity and low volatility of these compounds make them very suitable for manufacturing PVC and other resins. They act as lubricants among the long polymer molecules permitting them to slip and slide against one another. The content of phthalates in a finished plastic product is in the range of 10 – 60% by weight.

As phthalates are not chemically bound in the plastics but remain present as a freely mobile and leachable phase, they can be lost from soft plastic over time and released to the environment during the production and manufacture or use of the products in which they are present. Their widespread applications mean that they are now ubiquitous environmental contaminants. Phthalates are often found in water, soil, air, food products and the human body. This causes extensive testing of phthalates because of their possible health effects on humans or damage to the environment.

The toxicity of phthalates is the subject of discussion and public concern. The commercial importance of phthalates is coupled to the debate over their impact on human health and the environment. While some groups assert that some phthalates pose a threat to human health, other groups, usually associated with producers of phthalates, argue that the risk posed by these compounds is minimal since dosage levels are low. But some adverse health effects are observed and confirmed in numerous animal tests. Although many studies are carried out to investigate the possible toxicity of phthalates there remain questions about health effects of these compounds.

(A) Pronounce some words we would seldom - or never - look up:

phthalic [(f)θælık], phthalic acid, phthalate, phthalate ester, molecule [΄mlıֽkju:l] , molecular [m΄lekjul], polymer dimethyl [daı΄meθıl] phthalates (DMP) , diethyl [daı΄eθıl] phthalates (DEP), di-n-butyl [΄bju:tıl] phthalate (DBP), plastic, plasticizer, polymer molecule, polymer industry, PVC, product, finished plastic product, compound, chemical, chemically

associate, associated, association

commerce, commercial, commercially

manufacture [ֽmænju΄fæk (r)], manufactured

social, society

product, production

toxic, toxicity

(B) Choose a proper substitute for the underlined words and word groups.

1. For a material (1) to be financially rewarding (2), it is to be utilized in (3) a large assortment (4) of things for personal and home use (5).

(1) A. substantive B. substance C. substitute D. substitution

(2) A. commercially available B. commercially viable C. commercially necessary D. commercially important

(3) applied to B. appointed by C. approved of D. appropriated by

(4) a high rank B. a familiar ring C. a wide range D. a random number

(5) consumer goods B. consumables C. compounds D. goods

2. The amount of a product manufactured (1) per year is the first indicator of its great social and economic significance (2).

(1) A. produced B. provided C. professed D. projected

(2) A. signature B. imposition C. signification D. importance

3. Phthalates have a wide variety (1) of uses.

(1) A. considerable differences in number B. great variegation C. big collection of different means D. large degree of changeability

(2) A. appointments B. applications C. approximations D. appeals

4. DMP and DEP allow (1) a perfume fragrance (2) to be evaporated (3) more slowly making the scent (4) linger (5) longer.

(1) A. permit B. perceive C. perfect D. perfume

(2) A. a small piece of a larger object B. a break or crack in a substance C. a substance burned to produce a nice smell D. sweet smell

(3) A. evacuated B. vaporized C. evaluated D. variegated

(4) A. small B. sign C. smell D. smash

(5) A. make a longer connection between DMP and DEP B. leave for a long time C. last for a long time D. get longer

5. Phthalates are used in the polymer industry to improve flexibility (1), workability, and general handling properties (2).

(1) A. (ready) capability for being turned or twisted B. ability to deal with a changing situation C. ability to move easily D. changeable quality

(2) A. qualities of control B. motives for being held with care

C. qualities for being treated or processed D. qualities of being able to act successfully

6. The stability, fluidity (1) and low volatility (2) of phthalates make them very suitable for manufacturing PVC.

(1) A. the state or degree of being fluid B. the physical property of (a substance) which enables it to flow C. easy adaptability D. flexibility

(2) A. ability of a liquid to change easily into gas B. ability to change suddenly C. unstableness

D. changeability

7. Phthalates act as lubricants among the long polymer molecules permitting them to slip and slide against one another.

A. substances reducing friction B. substances acting as catalysts C. substances improving quality

D. contaminants

8. The content of phthalates in a finished plastic product is in the range of 10 – 60% by weight.

A. of the same general type B. within particular fixed limits C. to a limited extent D. to a large degree

9. Phthalates are now ubiquitous environmental contaminants.

A. common B. unique C. unearthly D. omnipresent

(C). Transform modifiers into full passive predicates making the necessary changes coupled with the meaning of the entire statement.

e.g. Phthalic acid esters usually called phthalate esters or just phthalates, are a group of chemicals.

Phthalic acid esters are usually called phthalate esters or just phthalates. They form a group of chemicals.

(1) Phthalates used in a wide range of consumer goods are commercially important.

(2) World production of these compounds estimated to be several million tons per year is the first indicator of their great of their significance.

(3) Phthalates used in cosmetics and personal care products are normally of low molecular weight.

(4) Perfume fragrances evaporated more slowly make the scent linger longer. (If … )

(5) Phthalates chemically unbound in the plastics remain present as a freely mobile and leachable phase.

(6) Phthalates lost from soft plastic over time and released to the environment turn into environmental contaminants.

(7) Phthalates found in water, soil, air, food products and the human body pose a threat to human health.

(8) The commercial importance of phthalates coupled to the debate over their impact on human health and the environment makes it a matter of public concern.

(9) Some experts, usually associated with producers of phthalates, argue that the substances pose the minimal risk of damage.

(10) According to some groups of experts, the risk posed by these compounds is minimal. ( … but it is … )

(11) Many studies carried out to investigate the possible toxicity of phthalates have not given any simple answer.

D.