Video- Deep Time-an Overview

 

5.2.1   Before-watching

Pay attention to the pronunciation of the following geological periods.

[Ages are given in million of years before present (MA) ]

 

Precambrian	[pri:’kǽmbri]	Докембрийский / докембрий (период)
Cambrian	[kæmbriәn]	кембрийсдкий
Ordovician	[:dә’vi∫әin]	Ордовикская (система)
Silurian	[sәI’lju(ә)riәn]	Силурийский (период)
Devonian	[de’vәvnjәn]	Девонский (период)
Carboniferous	[ka:bәnif(ә)rәs]	Каменноугольный (период)
Palaezoic	[pæliә’zәvik]	Палеозойская (эра)
Permian	[pз:miәn]	Пермская (система)
Mesozoic	[mezә(u)’zәvik]	Мезозойская (эра)
Triassic	[trai’æsik]	Триасовая (система)
Jurassic	[dзv‘ræsik]	Юрский (период)
Cretaceous	[kri’tei∫әs]	Меловой (период)
Cenozoic	[ si:nә(v)’zә ik]	Кайнозойская (эра)
Tertiary	[tз:∫(ә)ri]	Третичная (система)
Palaeocene	[pæliәvsi:n]	Палеоцен
Eocene	[‘I: әvsi:n]	Эоценовая (эпоха)
Oligocene	[ ligәvsi:n]	Олигоцен / верхний отдел палеогена
Miocene	[maiәsi:n]	Миоцен (эпоха)
Pliocene	[plaiәsi:n]	Плиоценовая (эпоха)
Quaternary	[kwә’tз:nәri]	Четвертичный (период)

 

By modern scientific calculations, the earth is many millions of years old. Using a process called «Isotopic Dating», in which the decay rates of certain radioactive materials are established and measured, then used as «clocks» to calculate the ages of various rocks, has developed the ABSOLUTE GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE.

The Geological Column

The geological column is the full record of the Earth’s crust rocks laid down in sequence. This column is based on rock units, each comprising rock layers created in one geological period of time. In ascending order several of the time rock units called zones make up one stage; several stages form a series; several series build a system; several systems make an era (them).

 

Four Eons

A- Hadean Eon (4600-4000) million years ago

B- Archean Eon (4000-2500)

C- Proterozoic Eon (2500-540)

D- Phanererozoic Eon (540 to today)

 

 

D

C

B

A

 

  GEOLOGICAL TIME SCALE

ERA	PERIODS	EPOCH
CENOZOIC  (65-present)	Quaternary (2-present)	Holocene (0.01-Present) Pleistocene (2-0.01)
	Neogene (24.6-2)	Pliocene (5-2) Miocene (24.6-5)
	Paleogene (65-24.6)	Oligocene (38-24.6) Eocene (55-38) Paleocene (65-55)
MESOZOIC  (248-65)	Cretaceous (144-65)
	Jurassic (213-144)
	Triassic (248-213)
PALEOZOIC  (540-248)	Permian (286-248)
	Carboniferous (360-286)
	Devonian (408-360)
	Silurian (440-408)
	Ordovician (505-440)
	Cambrian (540-505)

 

5.2.2.While watching

1. Put the terms in the right order of sequence.

• Eras
• Epochs
• Eons
• Periods
• Bleams

2. Put the eons in the proper succession

Major event	Eon	Its number in succession

 

5.2.3 After watching

1. Pronounce the bold words

1. The eon called the PRE-ARCEAN began 4.6 billion years ago.

2. The PRE-ARCHEAN eon was followed by the ARCHEAN eon which lasted from 3800 million years ago to 2500 million years ago.

3. Then came the PROTEROZOIC eon which lasted from 2500 million years ago to 570 million years ago when the PHANEROZOIC eon began.

2.  Using the pattern below name the ages of each period:

EXAMPLE: The name CARBONIFEROUS refers to the period between 360-286 million years.

 

PHANEROZOIC

ERA	PERIOD	Mill. Of YRS. AGO
Paleozoic	Permian	286
	Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian \ Mississippi)	320 360
	Devonian	408
	Silurian	438
	Ordovician	505
	Cambrian	570

 

3. Insert the correct grammatical form of the word in brackets:

Keep in mind that ___________ (1. geology) distinguish each geologic period by its unique system of rocks and rock _________ (2. form). The periods are ____________ (3. general) named for geographic ______________ (4. locate) where the rocks of the period were first ___________ (5. study) or where the characteristics of that period’s rocks are _____________ (6. good) displayed. The periods that _______ (7. be) not named for ____________ (8. geography) location are named for some special ___________ (9. characterize) of the rock formations.

 

Revision (The video tape- Fundamental principles of geology)

1. Transform words in brackets into their correct grammatical forms required by the context:

So, it is called fossil _____________ (success) or sometimes it is called _________ (fauna) and floral succession. You see, ________ (life) forms have changed so much over the years, groups of fossils from different time periods ________ (be) different from one another. We often find fossils in _______ (sediment) rock. So, it makes sense that ________ (old) stratum of rocks will have older fossils in ________ (they). The principle of superposition _______ (say), that if the rocks _____________ (be) undisturbed, the oldest layers of rock should be on the bottom too. If we _______________ (know) the age of the rocks, we can figure out how ________ (old) the fossils in the rocks are. ____________ (conversion), if we know the age of fossils in the rocks, we can figure out how old the rocks _____________ (be).

DISCUSSION (R.P – 2.1)

 

TASK 1

Imagine that you were living beings. You died, what must happen to your bodies to form fossils?

 

  TASK 2

You are scientists trying to determine the age of the Earth on the basis of what.

 

COMMUNICATIVE FORMULAS

· No doubt / undoubtedly

· I think / I guess

· My impression is that

· My feeling is that

· One believes that

· I’m afraid I disagree with you

· I entirely agree with you

· To my regret

· Could you explain

· It’s of great value / no value