let's talking about some children's English book

This is an article from one English book. Can you understand?
If you know a little, please share. Thanks a lot.
If you got some questions, please ask it out. Maybe someon can help you hopely.
   
OIL RIG (<HOW THINGS WORK> p226)
     PLUMBING THE DEPTHS
The world consumes over 68 million barrels of oil a day. Much of it comes from large oil rigs, or platforms, scattered across the oceans of the world. These rigs either float on the sea or stand on the seabed. They drill into the seabed to the oil deposits beneath it. The oil is pumped to the surface and carried by tanker or pipeline to refineries on land. Natural gas is often found with the oil and can be extracted at the same time.

BRANCHING OUT
A system called directional drilling allows wells to be drilled at different angles instead of straight down. This means that many oil field can be reached from one rig. A single rig can receive oil from up to 60 wells.

KINDS OF RIGS
A floating rig, or semi-submersible platform, rests on huge floats called pontoons. It is held in place above the oil well by steel cables that anchor each corner of the platform to the seabed. Some rigs, called guyed tower platforms, stand on a steel framework that reaches down to the seabed. The tower is anchored to the seabed with steel cables. Gravity platforms are the biggest and heaviest. These huge concrete structures rest directly on the seabed, held in place by their sheer weight. A platform is like a small town. It has its own power supply, water supply, living quarters, helicopter pad, and medical facilities. Oil workers may live and work on the rigs for weeks at a time. The tallest oil rig is the Mars platform in the Gulf of Mexico. It rises 2,940ft(896m) from the seabed to the surface. It  stands twice as high as the Empire State Building. The Mars platform produces 38,000 barrels of oil per day.

A-- Gas purification system
The natural gas that comes to the surface with the crude oil is a mixture of gases. The useful part of the mixture is taken out, turned into a liquid, and sent ashore.

J-- Rig support legs
The legs house the drill that digs its way down to the oil field. Once a well has been drilled, the legs contain the pipes carrying oil, gas, and water. The oil and gas are separated and purified. The gas is pumped to the mainland through pipes. When the pipeline is shut down, the gas is burned, or flared, off.

B-- Flare
Excess gas, which comes up along with the oil, is burned off here.

C-- Derrick
The derrick is uesd to hold lengths of pipe while the well is being drilled. When the well is producing oil, the derrick is used to repair the pipes connecting the well to the rig.

D-- Crane
A crane is used to move objects around the rig, and to lower and raise diving bells.

E-- Helicopter pad
Workers and supplies are flown to the rig by helicopter.

F-- Living quarters
Workers may live on the rig for weeks at a time.

G-- Oil purification system
Oil pumped from the well contains mud and sea water which have to be removed before the oil is taken to the onshore refinery.

H-- Storage/ballast tanks
The base of a gravity rig consists of huge concrete tanks, each 66ft(20m) in diameter and 164ft(50m) high. These are used to store oil before it is collected by a tanker or pumped through a pipeline to refinery on shore. The tanks are filled with sea water when there is no oil in them. The steel skirt around the bottom of the tanks cuts into the seabed, anchoring it there as the rig settles.

I-- Oil!
An oil deposit may be 1.86mi(3km) below the seabed.

[ 本帖最后由 zuopyu 于 2009-4-14 22:16 编辑 ].

I am not major in English study, my answer might not be exactly accurate,just for your reference.
这是关于石油开采的，说从深处用泵把油抽出来
这个世界每天消耗6千8百万桶石油，大部分石油是来自大的石油井或钻井平台。他们散布在世界上的海洋之中。这些钻井设备不是在海洋上漂浮着，就是在海底的海床上固定着。人们在海床上钻孔直要钻到海床下面的石油沉积层。这些石油被用泵抽到表面上来，然后装到油箱里或是通过管道送到陆地上来提炼。通常在发现石油的地方都有天然气，天然气可以同时被提取出来。.

Thanks for your help anyway. But we'd better explain it in english. Please no more chinese, i thought it is useless for learning english. we can use simple way to explain it. And also, thank you again.

[ 本帖最后由 zuopyu 于 2009-4-10 22:57 编辑 ].

A system called directional drilling allows wells to be drilled at different angles instead of straight down. This means that many oil field can be reached from one rig. A single rig can receive oil from up to 60 wells..

I can roughly understand what the paragraph is talking about.
It is talking about where the oil is from and the processing ways related to the oil.

But I do not understand what the last sentence means?
----If you what does it talked about , please share.

[ 本帖最后由 渺渺眯眯 于 2009-4-11 09:55 编辑 ].

Sorry, it is my mistake. I want to say: please share what you think about it. Any part of these sentences is ok. No matter wrong or right. The final goal is everyone can understand it.

[ 本帖最后由 zuopyu 于 2009-4-11 22:05 编辑 ].

Is that means drilled at different angles is better than straight down? Through a thing which called rig, we can get oil from many oil field, doesn't it?.

The final goat or final goal?.

Again there is another misprinted word in your sentences.
Would you mind checking the sentences and correct them accordingly?

I think maybe it's better to be a parent of less carelessness in the work by ourselves.
Actions always do better than verbals.

[ 本帖最后由 渺渺眯眯 于 2009-4-11 16:29 编辑 ].

final goal, thx..

Of cource, it doesn't matter. I will thank you by my heart. I am realy careless when I want to reply quickly. The amazing thing is you can understand. Go ahead, please.

[ 本帖最后由 zuopyu 于 2009-4-11 22:50 编辑 ].

This sort of article can be read by Year 2 or Year 3 pupils in Australia. It's normally in the non fiction books. I can understand it without any problems. But why do you need an English explanation? The article itself is already a good information as simple as it can be. It's just for children..

I know my english not well. My son like this book. But when he asked me, I don't know how to explian. I want to use simple words to tell him. Some big word I don't understand exactly. If you can read it without any problems, and you have the time. Could you tell me how to let my son understand?.

Oh, I see.
My suggestion is parents who regularly do a guided reading with children should choose fiction books instead of non fiction books. Because as long as children read and understand plenty of fiction books that will be easier for them to explore non fictions. Non fictions are about facts which stir up especially boys. However if children don't have expanded reading on fiction books before, then they will be struggling with non fictions. Understanding shall follow up automatically rather than others explain to them. In science lesson, children do some experiments accordingly to prove the facts in the non fictions. Some simple experiments help them to get the point. Few teacher explain the facts in words. On the other hand, in literacy lesson, non fictions have not been read for ages. Books carried interesting stories are always the appropriate teaching resources.
I was once a volunteer in an Australian school hope what i saw might help you a little bit.

[ 本帖最后由 Emerald 于 2009-4-14 12:52 编辑 ].

Up! Yes, I agree with your points. Since my son, he is. He only read the book which be easy to read and feel it very interesting.
Assuming most of adult is also. Since I would pick up some books with more illustration or less words if it can spare my leisure time. Except for the certain purpose, we would buy some books with much literancy words. .

Thank you very much for your kindness. Yeah, step by step, we can read some fairy tales first. I gave you a good point..