IV. Complete the sentences
… a building can not take form.
The heritage of the past can not be ignored, but it …
…is clearly illustrated in any architectural style.
Today architects are seldom asked to …
Now architects have to design …
A man who lives in one of these boxes works in …
Many of these are prefabricated, which means that …
… help us to live and work in comfort.
The three basic factors in architecture are …
Architectural design entails not only the necessity to …
Architectural design also includes …
… integration is one of his/her greatest rewards.
V. Make up dialogues on the following situations:
A reporter is interviewing a modern architect about what he/she thinks about modern architecture;
A teacher asks a student to tell him/her about modern architecture in general;
Two architects are discussing modern architecture positively;
Two architects are discussing modern architecture negatively;
Two students are discussing the problem of modern architecture.
VI. On the basis of the text “Modern architecture” you are to write your own composition
VII. Retell your composition unit 4 lexical material: building mechanisms
I. Read and translate the text
There are many types of building mechanisms, but the most important are mixers, earth-moving machinery, and tower cranes. Mixers are the most important items of the concrete products industries. Usually both batch and continuous mixers are used. A given charge of materials is placed in the batch mixer, mixed and discharged before the next material is added. Batch mixers are manufactured in a wide range of sizes and with various combinations of mechanical features. In continuous mixers, the proportioned materials are introduced in intervals.
It is not impossible to start on a construction job without a good deal of preliminary leveling the site. To carry out this work must employ the earth moving machinery. Site preparation and excavation are the most fully mechanized of all the operations in building construction. Most excavating machinery is slow moving and heavy and must be carried from site to site on special transporters.
Many years ago tower cranes were considered to be a comparatively recent innovation and had already proved their worth. They consist of vertical mast structure mounted on a wheeled chassis. The wheeled chassis is self-propelled on railway track.
The design of the jib varies, there being two main type, a fixed horizontal jib and a raisable jib.
One or more control cabins are located in the mast section and in one design the cabin may be moved up or down inside the mast like a lift to enable the operator to select the best inspection point. Tower cranes are electrically operated from an external power source and incorporate the usual safety devices. They are best suited to restricted sites where derrick cranes would be difficult to accommodate.
Almost everybody saw the construction of a building and followed its progress with interest. First the excavation is dig for the basement, and then the foundation walls below ground level are constructed; after this framework is erected and clothed with various finishing materials and protected by several coats of paint.