"Gravity" (текст с послетекстовыми заданиями для изучения профессионального модуля)

Gravity

If we take an iron ball and a paper ball, both of the same size, and drop them simultaneously from the ceiling to the floor, they will reach the floor simultaneously. This was discovered by Galileo when he was making experiments with falling bodies at the Leaning Tower in Pisa.

Gravity is the attractive force by which bodies tend to the centre of the earth, but we are so used to this fact that we do not notice it. Gravity is characterized by acceleration.

Galileo found that the velocity of the falling bodies increases progressively. They travel 16 ft during the first second, 64 ft during the first two seconds, and 144 ft during the first three seconds.

Gravity does not work alone. Its "partner" is cen­trifugal force. Centrifugal force is the force with which bodies revolving round the centre tend to fly off. The earth "hangs" in space because of these two forces. 

The gravity of the sun is the force which holds the earth and other planets in their places. If it should stop working one instant, the earth would fly away from the sun, the sea and everything else on the earth would spill off into space, and life would be destroyed immedi­ately.

. Galileo— Галилей

2. the Leaning Tower   in Pisa — «Падающая» башня   в Пизе

3. increases progressively — зд. все возрастает и возрастает

4. If it should stop working one instant — Если бы центробежная

сила перестала действовать хотя бы на одно мгновение

5. iron – железо

6. size – размер

7. to drop – бросать

8. simultaneous – одновременный

9. to discover – открывать

10. gravity – гравитация

11. attractive – сила притяжения

12. force – сила

13. to tend – стремиться

14. to notice – замечать

15. acceleration – ускорение

16. velocity – скорость

17. cen­trifugal force – центробежная сила

18. to revolve – обращаться

19. space – космос

20. to destroy – уничтожать  

Answer the questions:

1. Who was making experiments with falling bodies?

2. Where is the Leaning Tower situated?

3. What is gravity?

4. What is gravity characterized by?

5. What did Galileo find about the velocity of the falling bodies?

6. Does gravity work alone?

7. What is its “partner”?

8. What is cen­trifugal force?

9. Why does the earth "hangs" in space?

10. What is the gravity of the sun?

11. Why life may be destroyed immedi­ately?

Put in the right words:

If we take an iron ball and a paper, ball, both of the same size, and drop them ______ from the ceiling to the floor, they will reach the floor simultaneously. This was discovered by _______ when he was making experiments with falling bodies at ____ in Pisa.

Gravity is the attractive _____ by which bodies tend to the centre of the earth, but we are so used to this fact that we do not notice it. _____ is characterized by acceleration.

Galileo found that the ______ of the falling bodies increases progressively. They travel 16 ft during the first second, 64 ft during the first two seconds, and 144 ft during the first three seconds.

Gravity does not work alone. Its "partner" is_______. _______is the force with which bodies revolving round the centre tend to fly off. The earth "hangs" in _____ because of these two forces. 

The gravity of the ___ is the force which holds the earth and other planets in their places. If it should stop working one instant, the earth would fly away from the sun, the sea and everything else on the earth would spill off into space, and life would be destroyed immedi­ately.