II. Language

Level A

Ex.1. Learn to recognize international words. Read the following words and mind pronunciation. Give Rиssian eqиivaleпts tо the following words withoиt а dictionary

Harmоnу, tradition, decoration, aqueduct, idea, tank, position, reservoir, manufacture, fragment, method, period, structure.

Ex. 2. Match words in the right column with words in the left column:

Building	Fortification
Flat	Style
Projecting	Concrete
Architectural	Material
Shortage of	Roof
Steel-reinforced	Shelter
Assembley	Stone
Strong	Shop
Man-made	Mortar
Scarcity of	materials

Ex. 3. Complete the sentences using the prepositions from the box

For, among, because of, to, since, from, of, during, into, through

1. … the beginning of use of concrete designers tried to increase its strength.

2. The problem of transportation is the most important one … the whole period of construction.

3. It takes some months to build a structure … prefabricated elements.

4. The concrete quality was unsatisfactory … great amount of water.

5. Many of today’s structures have been made possible … new developments in building materials and methods.

6. There are no structural limits … the potential height of buildings.

7. The new material is unique … all building materials.

8. Modern buildings can be divided … some types.

9. The whole structure was made … reinforced concrete.

10. This system was selected … the main concreting works.

Ex. 4. Read the following passage about the pyramids. Fill in each blank with a suitable word from the box.

Need, hours, construction(x2), took, equipment, Egyptians, cut, made, stones

The Egyptian pyramids are huge structures which are almost 4600 years old. The Pyramid of Cheops consists of 2300000 stones. Each of the ^2______weighs 2.5 tonnes.

According to the usual explanation large blocks of stone were ^3______in the mountains and then transported with the help of the most primitive ^4_______. So about 100 thousand people had to take part in the ^5______. But the modern experiments show that the stones of pyramids were ^6______synthetically. The_____produced some special solution. Later they mixed it with one of the minerals. It ^8_________them several ^9_______to transform this mixture into very hard rock. This rock was produced just on the ^10______sites and so there was no ^{n _______}of transporting heavy stones.

Ex.5. Put the words in the right order to make a sentence or a question.

1. the most ancient wood building material is

2. should consider planning concrete work many fac tors an engineer

3. built of stone and brick the buildings are durable

4. date back does to very early days concrete?

5. prefabricated units construction work speed JJP being assembled on the site

6. the main properties what are of concrete?

7. the builders their job went away having done

8. special attention is being paid reinforced concrete to

9. are applied these building methods successfully old ones instead of

10. the strength and quality of concrete by what are means measured?

LEVEL B

Ex.6. Write true (T) or false (F) for each sentence, according to the information given in the texts.

1. Wood and stone were the most popular and convenient building materials in the ancient times.

2. Castles defended their inhabitants as they had very strong walls, narrow windows and projecting fortifications.

3. The experiments show that the stones of pyramids were not transported to the construction sites.

4. Egypt was rich in stone, brick, wood, steel and concrete.

5. The Greeks preferred building a slanting roof to a flat one because of the rainy weather in their country.

6. The building process becomes less expensive and laborious due to the usage of reinforced concrete units being assembled at a site.

7. Skyscrapers can be called one of the symbols of the 20^th century architecture.

8. There have been few architectural styles in the past and there are even fewer today.

Ex.7. Choose the proper English words or word combinations for the Russian fragments given in the brackets.

Shortage, added, as, labourous, having dried, alternatives,

reinforced concrete, duration, basic, flat roof,

were influenced, used, are brought, most convenient,

are assembled, have been made, strength, being widely

distributed, is characterized, diversity

1. (Высушив) the bricks in the sun, the ancient Greeks put four walls and placed a ^b (плоскую крышу) above them.

2. " (Железобетон) is one of the greatly ^ь (используемых) building materials.

3. The properties of concrete ' (повлияли) by the properties of the ^b(основных) materials.

4. "(Будучи широко распространенным) stone was the ^b (самым удобным) building material.

5. Huge reinforced concrete units^a (привозят) to the site where they^b (собирают).

6. Attempts "(были предприняты) to use several mate rials ^b (в качестве) reinforcement.

7. The "(продолжительность) of building is less and the building process is less too ^b(трудоемкий).

8. The amount of water "(добавленной) influences the ^ь(прочность) of concrete.

9. The architecture of the 20^th century " (характеризуется) by great^ь(разнообразием) of styles.

10. Steel beams were used as (альтернативы) to the wood as many countries experienced (недостаток) of it.

Ex. 8. There is one mistake in each of the sentences. Find it and correct it.

1. The main building materials are wood, stone, concrete and reinforced concrete.

2. One of the essential properties of concrete is its strength.

3. They used a concrete beam instead a wooden one.

4. Great attention is given prefabrication at present.

5. If steel introduced into concrete, it changes its prop erties.

6. Have a high compressive strength concrete is a very important building material.

7. Properly using these plastics can give an interesting decorative effect.

8. These operations are carried out simultaneous.

9. Beams measurements had be taken immediately.

10. Properties of concrete is greatly affected by temperature.

Ex. 9. Complete this passage using the following words:

hottest, coolest, cool enough, warm enough, excessively, much lighter, inadequately, adequately

In composite climates, houses designed to perform ____ for one season will perform ____ for the other. To solve this problem houses are sometimes built two storeys high. The ground floor is built with ____ thick walls. These retain the heat so that it is _____ to sleep comfortably on the ground floor during the ____ part of the year. The first floor structure is built with materials. This structure cools quickly at night so that it is ______to sleep comfortably on the first floor during the ____ part of the year.

Ex. 10. Translate into English using active vocabulary from the text.

A

Одними из первых элементов строительных конструкций были колонны и балки. На протяжении многих веков это был единственный метод строительства из камня. Однако наличие глины в некоторых местах позволило осуществить первые кирпичные конструкции в форме сводов и куполов для перекрытия пространств. Последние достижения в необласти проектирования арок и сводов содержит большие возможности для развития современной архитектуры.

В

Русская изба

Выполненная полностью из дерева (материал, способный выдержать толстый слой снега и льда, образующийся на крыше за долгие зимние месяцы), традиционная изба до сих пор не претерпела особых изменений. Построенная из бруса, который кладется друг на друга, и обшитая досками, изба стоит на фундаменте, внутри которого сооружен погреб.

Дом имеет квадратную или прямоугольную форму, на первом этаже находятся прихожая или жилая комната. В центре стоит печь из обожженной глины и фаянса, на которой располагается постель. Скандинавские и русские деревянные постройки украшены яркими узорами, темой которых чаще всего становились цветы.