III. Make up 4 sentences with the following words: alloys, ferrous, non-ferrous, metals .

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Text 4

Iron, the master metal

Iron is referred to as the most important metal of our metallic age. Iron is the chief component of pig iron, cast iron, wrought iron, ingot iron and the innumerable varieties of steel. It is as vital to modem civilization as air and water are to life. It is so common that like air and water, its true importance is lost sight of by most people. Its abundance is looked upon as something quite natural. No other metal contributes so much to the welfare and comfort of man. There is scarcely an article used in our daily lives that is not produced from iron or by means of it. It has no exact substitute in nature, and we cannot imagine the existence of most of our modern conveniences without iron.

No other metal is capable of giving such a wide range in physical properties that makes iron available for an almost unlimited number of purposes. One property which it possesses in a greater degree than any of other metals is that of magnetism. From a practical viewpoint, iron may be considered the most important magnetic substance. Hence our modern magnetic and electrical appliances are largely dependent upon this one metal. This combination of properties permits its use to perform most functions simultaneously, for example, to withstand stresses and to conduct electricity. All these qualities make iron the master metal.

Words and word combinations

the master metal – найважливіший метал

pig (cast, wrought) iron – чавун у чушках (ливарний, пудлінговий)

ingot ~ – технічно чисте залізо

abundance – достатня кількість

welfare – благополуччя

hence – отже

to withstand stresses – витримувати механічне навантаження

Exercises

I. Add the missing words from the list.

Research metal years skilled

mixture used producing industry

Archaeological ………………………. established that people began to use it more than four thousand ……………… ago.

There can be no doubt that it was ……………….. by the Assyrians about 1400 B.C. and, more recently, by the Greeks. The latter were followed by the Romans who became rather ………………….in metallurgy. Some knowledge of the ……………………, however, preceded them, for Caesar, crossing the English Channel, found it in use among the native Britons. During the Roman occupation, the …………………………… grew to one of importance in England. At that time iron obtained by heating a ……………………….of ore and charcoal. Only after 1350 the ironmakers of Central Europe succeeded in ………………………….. iron that could melt in the furnace.