B. Text Study. I. Look at the title of the text

I. Look at the title of the text. Make your predictions about the content of it. Read the text and answer the questions.

a) How is the problem of power supply for distant areas being solved at present?

b) What are the advantages of solar power?

Text B

SOLAR LIGHT BY NIGHT

Most people living in towns consider it a usual thing that streets are lit at night. But street lights need a power supply (источник энергии) therefore distant areas with no source of electricity remain in darkness until the sun comes up again.

With new appliances now offered by several British firms, many distant places could be lit with solar-powered street lights. It may seem strange that the lamps can use the power of the sun which shines by day when the lamps are needed at night, but they work by using energy accumulated during the day from a solar panel. The solar panel produces electricity which charges a battery. When the sun goes down the battery power is then used for lighting. Each lamp has its own panel so the system can be used for one individual light or a number of them.

In the south of Saudi Arabia a motorway tunnel miles from any power supply is lit day and night by solar-powered devices. The solar panels provide power during the day and charge batteries which accumulate enough power to light the tunnel at night. The generation of electricity by batteries is still expensive but the advantage of sun-powered lamps is that they can bring light to areas distant from any other power supply.

There is one more advantage of solar power: not only it is unlimited, but also its use does not pollute the environment. That is why it is very important to develop devices which make it possible to transform solar power into mechanical or electric forms of power.

II. Read the text and define whether the following statements are true or false.

1. Street lights do not need a power supply nowadays.

2. Distant areas with a source of electricity never remain in darkness.

3. With new appliances now offered by several American firms, many distant places could be lit with solar-powered street lights.

4. A motorway tunnel in Saudi Arabia is lit day and night by wind-powered devices.

5. The generation of electricity by batteries is rather expensive.

6. There is one more disadvantage of solar power: its use does not pollute the environment.

7. The development of devices which make it possible to transform solar power into mechanical or electric forms of power is very important.

III. Expand the sentences.

1. Distant areas with no source of electricity remain in darkness.

2. Several British firms have offered new appliances.

3. The lamps can use the power of the sun at night.

4. Each lamp has its own panel.

5. The generation of electricity by batteries is still expensive.

IV. Now decide which of the following statements express important ideas or supporting details for this reading.

1. a) Streets in cities, towns and some villages are lit at night.

b) Street lights need a power supply.

c) The sun does not shine at night.

2. a) Electricity is a source of light as well as heat.

b) Almost all metals are good conductors of electricity.

c) Several British firms have offered new devices using solar light.

3. a) No other source of energy has been so widely used as electricity.

b) The solar panel produces electricity which charges the battery.

c) Each lamp has its own solar panel.

4. a) Solar power is beneficial means of energy.

b) One of the advantages of solar power is that it doesn’t pollute the environment.

c) Sun-powered lamps can bring light to areas distant from any other power supply.

V. Find the words and word combinations – carriers of the primary and the secondary information in paragraphs 3 and 4.

VI. Define the function of commas and a colon in paragraphs 2 and 4.

VII. Find out the means of connection between clauses, parts of the sentence and sentences.

VIII. Arrange the sentences in the logical order according to the text.

1. Solar power is unlimited.

2. The solar panel produces electricity which charges a battery.

3. A motorway tunnel in Saudi Arabia is lit day and night by solar-powered devices.

4. Streets in cities and towns are lit at night.

5. The generation of electricity by batteries is still expensive.

6. Solar power does not pollute the environment.

7. Distant areas with no source of electricity remain in darkness.

8. When the sun goes down the battery power is then used for lighting.

IX. Give the main points of the text in 4-5 sentences.

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