Fire extinguishment

Патронова Г.М.

ТУШЕНИЕ ПОЖАРОВ

Методическая разработка

Санкт-Петербург

TEXT 1

FIRE EXTINGUISHMENT

A fire may be extinguished by eliminating any of the basic fire components. These components are the following: heat, oxygen and chain reaction. One way to remove the fuel from the fire is to drive it out physically. But in many cases it is impossible to remove the fuel from the fire.

Sometimes it is necessary to cut off from the fire the supply of liquid or gaseous fuel. The most commonly used method of fire extinguishment is to remove the heat. Water is a very effective heat absorber. Cooling the material will stop the formation of combustible vapours so the fire will be extinguished. A fire can be extinguished by removing the oxygen. It also can be extinguished by reducing the oxygen level in the air to be lower than 16%. This extinguishment method is difficult to use in the open area. A fire can be extinguished rapidly if the chain reaction is broken. Dry chemicals and halons are commonly used to break chain reaction and inhibit combustion.

WORDS:

extinguish, v – тушить

extinguishment, n – тушение

eliminate, v – устранить, уничтожить

chain reaction – цепная реакция

way, n – путь, способ

remove, v – устранить, отрезать (от огня), изолировать

fuel, n – топливо

cut off, v – отсечь, отключить

supply, v – снабжение, подача, подвод

heat, n – тепло, нагрев, накал

commonly, adv – обычно

use, v – использовать

absorber, n – абсорбент, поглотитель

cooling, n – охлаждение

combustion, n – горение

combustible, adj – горючий

vapour, n – пар

reduce, v – понизить, уменьшить

level, n – уровень

area, n – площадь, зона, участок

rapidly, adv – быстро

halon, n – халон

inhibit, v – уменьшить, замедлить, тормозить

EX. 1 Give the Russian equivalents for the following words:

basic, a component, to react, reaction, physically, gas, gaseous, a method, effective, to absorb, an absorber, material, to form, formation, chemistry, chemical, a chemical, a halon;

EX. 2 Read and translate the given words paying attention to the suffixes:

physics – physical – physically;

common – commonly;

rapid – rapidly;

to combust – combustion – combustible;

to eliminate – elimination;

to react – reaction;

to form – formation;

to absorb – absorbtion – an absorber;

to cool – cool – cooling;

EX. 3 Give the three forms of the following words:

to be, to drive, to cut, to break, can, may;

EX. 4 Make up the world combination:

A. to eliminate heat B. to extinguish a fire

fire rapidly

fire components by removing oxygen

the supply of fuel by breaking a chain reaction

C. to inhibit combustion D. to remove oxygen

burning heat

cooling the supply of fuel

chain reaction

EX. 5 Translate the following:

1. It is possible.

2. It is impossible.

3. It is necessary.

4. It is very economical.

EX. 6 Arrange the synonyms in pairs:

A. to extinguish, basic, rapidly, to burn, an element, commonly;

B. main, to eliminate, quickly, a component, usually, to combust;

EX. 7 Arrange the synonyms in pairs:

A. possible, necessary, solid, effective, cool, combustible, high, difficult, rapidly;

B. slowly, unnecessary, liquid, warm, impossible, ineffective, simple, low, fire-resistant;

EX. 8 Translate the following:

1. The basic fire components are heat, oxygen, chain reaction.

2. It is not possible to remove the fuel from the fire.

3. The supply of liquid or gaseous fuel must be cut off.

4. It is important to stop the formation of combustible vapours.

5. It is necessary to reduce the oxygen level in the air.

6. The oxygen level must be lower than 16%.