14. Find out from your partner:

– what types of buildings he knows;

– what he knows about the large housing programme;

– what he knows about the common conditions which is necessary to observe.

15. Prove that:

– the apartment houses are mostly built to suit urban conditions;

– reinforced concrete blocks and units are widely used in construction.

– the built-in furniture is very often used in modern flats.

16. Comment on:

– the evolution of techniques;

– the perspectives of modular design;

– steps of building a house.

17. Imagine that:

– You are one of the members of the state commission. You are to decide if the house is ready for living. What is necessary to pay a special attention to? Role-play a dialogue with your partner.

– You are at a lesson. A teacher asks you to describe a house of your dream. Role-play a dialogue with your partner.

18. Comprehensive check. Choose the best alternative according to the text:

1. Types of buildings may be classified according to … .

a) the place in the Community;

b) the role in the Community;

c) the position in the Community.

2. The stability and permanence of the construction are … .

a) the obligatory and necessary conditions;

b) the widely spread and common conditions;

c) the common and necessary conditions.

3. … to suit urban conditions.

a) The apartment houses are mostly built;

b) The new blocks of flats are mostly built;

c) The houses for one family are mostly built.

4. … and is at once public and private.

a) Group housing provides home for families with children;

b) Group housing provides home for poor families.

c) Group housing provides home for many families.

5. The techniques of construction are influenced by … .

a) the amount of the building materials;

b) the quality of the materials at a site;

c) the total technological development of society.

6. The economic factor in the evolution of techniques deals with … .

a) the search for the new building materials which are better in quality and more expensive in price;

b) the search for a maximum of stability and durability in building with a minimum of materials, labour and time;

c) the seat for the new talented engineers, designers and architects.

7. Large housing programmes have tended to … .

a) stimulate technological change in the building industry;

b) improve the process of building in the country;

c) accelerate technological change in the building industry.

8. Modular design has led to interchangeability of parts and … .

a) increased possibilities for mass production;

b) increased residential construction in the country;

c) increased availability of materials.

9. … and are being used to an increasing extent.

a) Group housing buildings are available;

b) Domestic and recreational buildings are available;

c) Entire apartment assemblages are available.

10. These techniques aim at a … .

a) stable output of better structures at acceptable cost;

b) higher output of better structures at lower cost;

c) new output of better materials at lower cost.

11. The high degree of mechanization and standardization is successfully achieved by … .

a) the usage of the new methods of building;

b) reinforced concrete blocks and units;

c) reinforced units formed from particular materials.

12. Large sections manufactured in heavily mechanized factories … .

a) are erected at the site;

b) are transported to the site;

c) give a great economic effect.

13. In order to build a house … .

a) first an excavation is dug by bulldozers;

b) first some necessary documentation is worked out;

c) first is necessary to receive the permission to do this.

14. … and to keep the walls and the floors from the contact with soil.

a) Necessary materials are used to carry the load of a structure;

b) Ground works are done to carry the load of a structure;

c) A foundation is laid to carry the load of a structure.

15. The upper part of a structure is a roof which … .

a) considers the main part of a house;

b) protects people from rain, wind and snow;

c) protects people from different accidents.

16. When a structure is ready … .

a) tenants can move into their flats;

b) builders start to decorate it;

c) builders start to improve some defects.

17. There is a considerable trend toward built-in furniture because …

a) rooms should be both efficient and visually satisfying;

b) it makes rooms both efficient and visually satisfying;

c) it makes rooms modern and comfortable.

18. … , freeing valuable floor space.

a) Built-in wardrobes can often be concealed behind walls;

b) All furniture can often be concealed behind walls;

c) Drawers and shelves can often be concealed behind walls.