Natural water cycle

1. Mind the pronunciation of the words below.

hydrology [hai'drOlqGi], cycle ['saikl], circulate ['sq:kjuleit], intensity [In'tensItI], porosity [pq'rOsItI], cohesion [kqu'hi:Zn], adhesion [qd'hJZqn], absorb [qb'sLb], dioxide [dai'Oksaid], organic [L'gxnik], inorganic ["inL'gxnik], radioactive ["reidIqu'xktiv], sulfate ['sAlfeit], chloride ['klLraid], bicarbonate [bai'kRbqnit], sodium ['squdiqm], potassium [pq'txsiqm], calcium ['kxlsiqm], magnesium [mxg'nJziqm], constant ['kOnstqnt], process ['prquses], result [rI'zAlt], character ['kxriktq].

2. Remember the following words and word combinations.

concern – касаться, иметь дело с

distribution – распределение

relation – отношение, связь

precipitate – осаждаться, выпадать в виде осадков

permeability (of the soil) – проницаемость; водопроницаемость грунта

runoff – сток

infiltrate = percolate – просачиваться

transpire = evaporate – испаряться

saturation – насыщение

water table – зеркало воды, уровень грунтовых вод

replenishment = recharge – пополнение, восстановление (запасов)

drainage – сток, дренаж

outlet – выпускное отверстие, место выхода грунтовых вод

dissolve – растворять

solution – раствор

occur – 1. случаться, происходить

2. встречаться

3. приходить на ум

rock – горная порода

domestic sewage – хозяйственно-бытовые сточные воды

industrial waste – промышленные стоки (сточные воды)

compound – соединение

impurities – примеси

saline – соленый

watershed – водораздел

aquifer – водоносный пласт

3. Watch out!

portion – часть, а не порция

principal – главный, основной, а не принципиальный

sodium – натрий, а не сода

natural – природный, естественный, не только натуральный

proportion – количество, не только пропорция

4. Text.

Hydrology is the science concerned with the distribution of water on the earth, its physical and chemical reactions with other naturally occurring substances, and its relation to life on earth; the continuous movement of water between the earth and the atmosphere is known as the hydrological cycle. Under several influences, of which heat is predominant, water is evaporated from both water and land surfaces and is transpired from living cells. This vapor circulates through the atmosphere and is precipitated in the form of rain or snow.

On striking the surface of the earth, the water follows two paths. In amounts determined by the intensity of the rain and the porosity, permeability, thickness, and previous moisture content of the soil, one part of the water, termed surface runoff, flows directly into rills and streams and thence into oceans, the remainder infiltrates into the soil. A part of the infiltrated water becomes soil moisture, which may be evaporated directly or may move upward through the roots of vegetation to be transpired from leaves. The portion of the water that overcomes the forces of cohesion and adhesion in the soil profile percolates downward, accumulating in the so-called zone of saturation to form the groundwater reservoir, the surface of which is known as the water table. Under natural conditions, the water table rises intermittently in response to replenishment, or recharge, and then declines as a result of continuous drainage into natural outlets such as springs.

Because of its capacity to dissolve numerous substances in large amounts, pure water rarely occurs in nature.

During condensation and precipitation, rain or snow absorbs from the atmosphere varying amounts of carbon dioxide and other gases, as well as traces of organic and inorganic material. In addition, precipitation carries radioactive fallout to the earth's surface.

In its movement on and through the earth's crust, water reacts with minerals in the soil and rocks. The principal dissolved constituents of surface and groundwater are sulfates, chlorides, and bicarbonates of sodium and potassium and the oxides of calcium and magnesium. Surface waters may also contain domestic sewage and industrial wastes. Ground waters from shallow wells may contain large quantities of nitrogen compounds and chlorides derived from human and animal wastes. Waters from deep wells generally contain only minerals in solution.

Seawater contains, in addition to concentrated amounts of sodium chloride, or salt, many other soluble compounds, as the impure waters of rivers and streams are constantly feeding the oceans. At the same time, pure water is continually lost by the process of evaporation, and as a result the proportion of the impurities that give the oceans their saline character is increased.

Notes:

1. heat – высокая температура

2. naturally occurring –природный, встречающийся в природе

5. Give Russian equivalents of the word combinations below.

as a result, in addition, both … and, radioactive fallout, in response to, at the same time, deep well, minerals in solution, all supplies of natural drinking water, as well as, nitrogen compounds, because of, the so-called zone of saturation, intensity of the rain.

6. Find opposites.

same, rise, organic, deep, upward, decline, inorganic, shallow, downward, permeability, impermeability, pure, reduce, impure, increase, different.

7. Find synonyms.

replenishment, generally, amounts, recharge, commonly, quantities, evaporate, percolate, accumulate, transpire, infiltrate, collect, in addition, principal, sources, besides, main, supplies, reduce, river, part, stream, decrease, pure, impurities, clean, foreign substances, portion,

8. Answer the questions below.

1. What is hydrology concerned with? 2. What is the hydrological cycle? 3. What do we call water table? 4. Why does the water table rise / decline? 5. Does pure water occur in nature? 6. What dissolved minerals do surface and groundwater contain? 7. Why is seawater more impure than waters from other sources?

9. Translate the following text in the written form.

In the water cycle, some of the precipitation sinks into the ground and goes into watersheds, aquifers and springs. The amount of water that seeps into the ground depends on how steep the land is and what is under ground. For example, places that have lots of sand underground will allow more water to sink in than those that have lots of rock.

When the water seeps down, it will reach a layer of ground that already has water in it. That is the saturated zone. The highest point in the saturated zone is called the water table. The water table can rise and lower depending on seasons and rainfall.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-14