Lesson 11

Part 1

The forms of the Gerund

Indefinite Gerund means that an action occurs simultaneously with an action expressed by a predicate: active voice.

Perfect Gerund means an action that occurred before an action expressed by a predicate.

Active Gerund means thata subject does an action expressed by gerund itself.

Passive Gerund means an action which is expressed by gerund and comes to a subject. E.g.: We know of the work being carried out in the laboratory. - Мы знаем, что эту работу выполняют в лаборатории. In this case gerund in Indefinite form (being carried out) is translated by a verb in Present tense. In Perfect form it will be translated by a verb in Past tense. E.g.: We know of the work having been carried out in the laboratory. - Мы знаем, что эту работу выполнили в лаборатории.

Practice

Translate the following sentences paying attention to the forms of the gerund.

1. He avoids being involved in such affairs.

2. He avoided having been involved in such affairs.

3. We are interested in the results being obtained by our colleagues.

4. We are interested in the results having been obtained by colleagues.

5. This issues deserves being discussed at the conference.

6. We rely on the data of electrochemical analysis having been obtained during the experiment.

7. The solution having been standing for some time turned into ice.

8. This procedure having been developed by us is finding increasing use.

9. These substances being studied by us are common to sulphates.

10.

The nitro compound obtained in our laboratory is still active.

11. Solubility parameters being used by many researchers are useful for selecting solvents.

12. The compound having been added into solution was less reactive.

13. The compounds having been obtained by us are free of admixtures.

14. This is due to the reaction running at a low temperature.

15. I like studying electronics.

16. I hate missing lectures.

17. The lecture having been delivered by Prof. Thomson was very interesting.

18. They were busy packing.

19. They started working.

20. The properties of this substance being investigated are of a great importance for industry.

21. When I came into the room they were discussing his article.

Part 2

Exercise 1. Read and translate the text.

Coal

It has been proved that all coals had their origin in the veg­etable matter of prehistoric forests. The woody fiber and other vegetable matters were transformed into peat by fermentation due to bacteria. During this process, a great part of oxygen and hydrogen was eliminated, while the amount of carbon remained practically the same. Subsequently the peaty matter was changed into coal by a process of destructive distillation, which had been caused by great pressure and high temperature. The differences in types of coal can be easily explained by different conditions during this process of evolution. Among these variable condi­tions by which the formation of coal had been affected the fol­lowing may be mentioned: time, depth of the bed below the surface of the Earth, and amount of disturbance of the bed due to the movements of the Earth. So one can say that coal is a brown carbonaceous deposit that was derived from the accumulation or alteration of ancient vegetation which originated largely in swamps or other moist environments.

Peat is an intermediate condition between wood and coal. It is often used as fuel in the Temperate Zone, where it is found in large quantities in the swampy regions. It is commonly cut into blocks and dried in the air.

Foreign matter was introduced during this movement of the Earth. Coal is composed of the following principal elements: carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulphur. As the process of coalification (i.e. the transformation resulting from high temperatures and pressures) continues there is a progressive transformation of the deposit: the proportion of carbon relative to oxygen rises and volatile substance and water are driven out. The various stages in this process are referred to as ranks of the coal. These ranks are given below.

Lignite or brown coal is soft and brown and has a high moisture content. Bituminous coal is the name which is usually given to coal containing more than 20 % of volatile matter. Subbituminous coal is used chiefly by power - generating stations. Bituminous coal is not susceptible to spontaneous combustion, although care must be exercised in its storage. Semianthracit coal has a fixed carbon content of between 86% and 92 % and anthracite coal which is hard and black with a fixed carbon content of between 92% and 98%. Since there is a wide range of variation in the characteristics of the bituminous coals, they have been divided commercially into the following classes: coking, cannel and non-coking. Coking coal upon being burned gives off gas and tends to fuse together in a pasty mass (coke). Cannel coal has a high percentage of volatile hydrocar­bons, ignites easily and is so valuable as a gas-producing coal that it is rarely burnt to produce steam. Non-coking coal does not coke upon being burned and is very extensively used as a fuel to produce steam.

Most deposits of coal were formed during the Carboniferous and Permian periods. The more recent periods of coal formation occurred during the early Jurassic and Tertiary periods. Coal deposits occur in all the major continents. The leading producers include the USA, China, the Ukraine, Poland, the UK, South Africa, India, Australia, Germany. Coal is used as a fuel in industry.