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1. Read and learn the following words.
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1. Read and learn the following words.
| 1. abrasion – истирание 2. accumulation – накопление 3. breaking – растрескивание 4. contraction – сжатие 5. cooling – охлаждение 6. cracking – трещинообразование 7. decomposition – разложение 8. denudation – обнажение 9. deposition – отложение 10. disintegration – разрушение 11. erosion – эрозия 12. expansion – расширение 13. folding – складкообразование 14. freezing – замерзание 15. heating – нагревание 16. melting – таяние, плавление 17. oxidation – окисление 18. solidification – затвердевание 19. transportation – перенос 20. weathering – выветривание 21. origin – происхождение | 22. external – внешний 23. internal – внутренний 24. to require – требовать 25. to take place – происходить 26. energy source – источник энергии 27. to wear away (to weather) – выветривать 28. to alter – изменяться 29. alteration – изменение 30. environment – окружающая среда 31. to carry away – переносить 32. solvent – растворитель 33. to solve (to dissolve) – растворять 34. solution – растворение, раствор 35. stream – поток 36. result from – происходить в результате 37. result in – приводить к |
2. Read and translate the words of the same root:
Abrasion – to abrade, accumulation – to accumulate – accumulated, breaking – to break – broken down – a breakdown, contraction – to contract – contracted, cooling – to cool, cracking – to crack – a crack, decomposition – to decompose, denudation – to denudate, deposition – to deposit – a deposit, disintegration – to disintegrate, erosion – to erode, expansion – to expand, folding – to fold – a fold, freezing – to freeze – frozen – freezing point, heating – to heat – heat, melting – to melt – melting point, oxidation – oxidize – oxide, solidification – to solidify, transportation – to transport, weathering – to weather – weathered, origin – to originate.
3. Read the text and translate it into Russian.
Geological Processes
| The leading geological processes fall into two groups. The first group – denudation and deposition – includes the processes, which act on the crust or at or very near its surface, as a result of the movements and chemical activities of air, water, ice and living organisms. Such processes are essentially of external origin. The second group – earth movements, igneous activity and metamorphism – includes the processes, which act within the crust, as a result of the physical and chemical activities of the materials of the mantle and of gases and magmas in the crust or passing through it. Such processes are essentially of internal origin.
Both groups of processes operate under the control of gravitation. Each group of processes requires an additional source of energy. The processes of external origin are specifically maintained by the radiation of heat from the sun. Those of internal origin are maintained by the liberation of heat from the stores of energy locked within the earth. | |||
| Weathering and Erosion. All land surfaces are worn away by the processes of weathering and erosion. Various natural agents: the sun, wind, rain, frost, running water, moving ice, and sea wear away the land. Under surface conditions rocks are relatively easily altered. The process of rock alteration is called rock-weathering. The nature of these weathering processes depends largely on the kind of rock | 
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| and on the specific conditions of its environment. Thus, rocks, such as sandstone or limestone, are weathered quickly. Rocks, such as granite or basalt, are hard enough to resist erosion. Weathering usually includes both mechanical or physical disintegration and chemical decomposition. Disintegration is a mechanical breakdown without change in composition. Decomposition is the term for decay of rock, which is accompanied by changes in chemical and mineralogical composition. So, there are two main types of weathering: physical weathering and chemical weathering. Both types of weathering occur together, and each tends to accelerate the other. For example, physical abrasion decreases the size of particles and therefore makes them more susceptible to rapid chemical reactions. Weathering is a static process, while erosion is a dynamic process which includes the loosening and carrying away of rock particles by moving agents operating at the earth’s surface. Weathering, erosion and deposition are the three main factors in an endless cycle of rock change: weathering prepares the rock for transport by decomposing and disintegrating it; erosional agencies transport the material to a different locality and there deposit it in strata of sand, clay etc. Then the cycle starts anew. Role of Water in Rock Alteration. Water is of such profound importance from the standpoint of rock alteration and soil development that it can be compared with the blood of an organism. Chemical weathering is closely associated with water; in very dry and cold regions chemical weathering is slight. Since practically all compounds are attacked by water, it is sometimes referred to as the universal solvent. Temperature relations are also important, since they influence the activity of solutions in the rocks and soil; as a general rule, the higher the temperature, the more rapid the alteration. Particularly important from the standpoint of chemical weathering is the length of time during the year when the temperature is above 0°C. | |||
(from: L. Dolinskaya, N. Kitkova, T. Safyannikova. Express English for Geo-students)
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