I. Answer the following questions:

I. What products does "Colorplast" factory manufacture? 2. What are PVC panels suitable for? 3.Why are PVC panels of particular interest to architects and builders? 4. What are window frames made of? 5. What are doorposts, made of?

II. Read and translate the following word combinations. Use them in the sentences of your own:

are made in a large range of sizes; the rigid, extruded PVC panels; are completely water-proof, fire-proof and sound absorbent; "easy to install; do not require maintenance; are designed to meet any special requirement

III. Translate the following sentences:

1.This factory manufactures panels. 2. The PVC panels are extremely easy to assemble and disassemble. 3. The panels are made in a large range of sizes. 4. The ready-to-mount window frames are made of rigid PVC. 5. The window frames are completely water-proof and do not require mantenance.

Timber for big structures

Here are just a number of structures which have employed timber engineering techniques to solve structural problems:

• Hyperbolic paraboloid roof structures covering 406 m².

• Laminated wood curved staircase.

• Plywood barrel vault roof used to construct a 1,800-m² covered area.

• Hardwood surface on timber for a 250-m outdoor banked cycle track.

• Laminated timber telecommunications tower 37 m high.

The solutions of these problems have combined functional requirements with economic considerations.

Timber, and advanced technology in timber engineering is playing a vital role in solving many of the problems encountered in structural engineering. For instance:

Timber is strong for its weight and it is easily workable.

Timber does not plasticise or distort in a fire. Timber in highly resistant to corrosive chemical Timber is one of the few natural resources of the world which will not run out.

A TEST

(The answers are given below.}

1. What is the widest clear span possible with a timber structure? ( a) 30 metres, b) 100 metres, c) unlimited)

2. Which of these materials should be used in corrosive conditions? ( a) timber, b) steel, c) aluminium)

3. How can the strength grades of timber be assessed? ( a) visually, b) mechanically, c) not at all)

4. Why does structural timber perform so well in fire? ( a) The loss of strength due to its charring is slow and predictable, b) It will not expand in length, c) It does not plasticise or distort),

5. Can wood products achieve a class "0" spread of flame rating?

6. How long has the oldest timber building in the world been standing? ( a) 500 years, b) 800 years, c) over 1,200 years)

7. At the present rate of consumption, world timber supplies will run out in ... ( a) 50 years, b) 100 years, c) never)

ANSWERS

1. The size of a clear span that can be provided is theoretically unlimited. Practical restrictions are only imposed by road transport regulations.

2. Timber. It is virtually unaffected by chemically polluted atmosphere.

3. Strength grades of timber can be assessed by the supplier either visually or mechanically.

4. All three statements are true and contribute equally to wood's excellent performance.

5. Yes. Newly developed treatment makes it possible to achieve a class "0" rating—the highest possible for any material.

6. The oldest timber building in the world is the Temple in Japan which is more than 1,200 years old. It was constructed between 708 A. D. and 715 A. D.

7. More than a third of the world's land surface is still covered by forests. This, combined with timber's unique self-replacement factor, ensures that timber supplies will never run out.

І.Translate the text using a dictionary: