Section III.

Geological Processes

Unit I. The Leading Geological Processes

Focus on:

1. общенаучная и терминологическая лексика

2. суффиксы различных частей речи

3. глаголы, выражающие причинно-следственные отношения: to result in, to result from, to lead to, to cause, etc.

4. слова заместители: that; those.

5. «trouble spot!»: source, course, cause, stores, etc.

6. построение дефиниций

 

Text Study

The leading geological processes fall into two contrasted 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 substratum (or 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 (including attractions due to the sun and moon), co-operating with the earth’s movements — rotation about its axis and revolution around the sun.

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 similarly maintained by the liberation of heat from the stores of energy locked within the earth.