Vocabulary Development – Power Production and Essay writing – Letter to a friend

The principal sources of power, apart from our own bodies are:

1. Animals: (horses, camels, donkeys, etc.) to ride on, to carry heavy loads and to pull vehicles.
2. Moving water: currents will cause boats to drift; waterfalls can drive heavy machinery1Inwatermills and likes,tides can be used to generate electricity.
3. Moving air (winds): can drive heavy machinery in windmills and propel ships equipped with sails.
4. Tension: can project weapons and in the form of springs can drive light machines, e.g. clocks, watches and toys.
5. Fuels: (wood, coal, petroleum, natural gas) which when ignited, can release energy to drive machines or to be converted into electricity.
6. The sun: solar energy is used on a limited scale for domestic and other heating.
7. Nuclearfission: releases energy for conversion into electricity.

For every modern nation, the generation of electricity, to provide light, heat and motive power, is the most important form of powerproduction. Each nation therefore establishes powerstations using waterturbines in hydro-electric plants, steamturbines in hydro-electric plants, steamturbines in coal–fuelled or oil–fuelled plants and nuclearreactors fuelled by uranium, uranium oxide or uranium carbide. The use of tidalenergy to generate power is still relatively small. However, when mineralfuels are exhausted, it seems that wind, water and the sun will again become man’s principal source of power.

EVALUATION

1. Learn the words and phrases in bold. Find out the meanings of those unfamiliar to you.
2. Choose the correct answer from letters A to E to fill in the gaps in the following sentences
3. Coal is one of the ________ fuels.    A. extracted    B. nuclear    C. native    D. fossil    E. fission
4. Electricity is _________ in power stations   A. made    B. ignited    C. generated    D. developed    E. converted
5. Nuclear ________ is used to generate electricity   A. fusion    B. fission    C. uranium     D. reactor    E. turbines
6. Windmills use ________ power to drive machinery.     A. wind    B. water    C. moving    D. electric     E. nuclear
7. Nuclear __________ are fuelled by uranium.   A. power    B. electricity    C. stations    D. turbines     E. reactors

1. Essay – Writing: Letter to a Friend

A letter to a friend is also known as friendly letter. A friendly letter as you will remember, is an informal letter. Revise a few things about an informal letter here before you write more letters especially to a friend.

A good friendly letter has the following parts:

1. The address and date:                      Government Secondary School,
   Owerri,
   Imo State.
   10th July, 2008.

• Salutation     –           Dear Bola,

3.   The body – Introduce the topic of the letter and discuss it fully, writing in paragraphs. Make use of acceptable language for informal letters. Since it is a letter to a friend, you must be chatty. Discuss freely, as if you are actually chatting with the receiver. Use short forms. Like I’m, you’ve, can’t, he’s etc.

(i)    Paragraph 1 – Inquire after the well-being of your friend and tell him about yours.

(ii)     Paragraph 2 & 3: Bring in other topics of interest to both of your into the letter, but keep the main topic in mind as your write.

(iii)   Paragraph 4(conclusion): Extend greetings to people known to both of you.

4. Complimentary close: – Yours sincerely,

                                          Afo.

EVALUATION

Your friend who lives abroad has written to ask about the cost of living in Nigeria. In a reply, tell him about the situation, include the rise in the prices of commodities and whatever else that make living more expensive nowadays.

READING ASSIGNMENT

Effective English, pg 131

GENERAL EVALUATION

Match each idiom in the left column with its explanation in the right column.

1. to anxiously listen to a person                              a. to show ones colour
2. to be annoyed                                                        b. to hand on someone’s lips
3. to reveal one’s character                                       c. to play one’s card close to one’s chest
4. to make one’s actions                                           d. to go off the deep end
5. to beware of losing one’s                                      e. to pay off an old grudge

importance or superior position

• to treat someone badly because                            f. to look to one’s laurel.

of an old unfriendly action

• to persevere in spite of odds                                 g. to stay the course
• to nerve oneself to act                                           h. to take one’s courage in both hands.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

Section A

Select the word that is closet in meaning to the italicized one in each sentence from the alternatives labelled A – E

1. Uche is an itinerant trader     A. generous     B. roving     C. wholesale     D. petty    E. export
2. The girl refused to take part in the perilous trip  A. expensive   B. famous    C. risky   D. pleasant    E. unpopular
3. A jubilant crowd cheered the politician after the rally.    A. sad    B. anxious    C. happy    D. large    E. weary
4. I was fortunate to win the prize.    A. happy    B. anxious    C. lucky    D. determined   E. unfortunate
5. He did not supply the goods as his client did not meet his financial obligation   A. bill    B. bargain    C .receipt     D. responsibility     E. means

Section B Section A; Continuous Assessment, Unit 9, no 1 – 5 (Effective English)