Lesson 9 Building materials

Helpful Words and Expressions

1. enormous – огромный

2. output – выпуск

3. to govern – определять, влиять

4. rate – скорость

5. to lag behind – отставать

6. demand – спрос

7. current – текущий

8. to speed up – ускорять

9. cost price – себестоимость

10. capital investment – капиталовложения

11. secondary – вторичный

12. auxiliary – вспомогательный

13. interior – adj. внутренний; n. интерьер

14. from time immemorial – с незапамятных времен

15. precast prestressed concrete – сборный предварительно напряженный бетон

16. challenge – зд. задача

17. as yet – тем не менее, все еще

Task 1. Match the English words and expressions to Russian ones:

1. to decrease the cost price	a) отставать от спроса
2. interior parts of the building	b) снижать себестоимость
3. from time immemorial	c) специальные капиталовложения
4. universal properties	d) вяжущие материалы
5. precast prestressed concrete	e) вспомогательные материалы
6. a pleasant appearance	f) внутренние части здания
7. facing materials	g) несущие конструкции
8. synthetic linoleum	h) синтетический линолеум
9. auxiliary materials	i) облицовочные материалы
10. binding materials	j) с незапамятных времен
11. bearing structures	k) сборный предварительно напряженный бетон
12. ancient Pyramids	l) технологические изменения
13. technological changes	m) древние пирамиды
14. special investments	n) приятный внешний вид
15. lag behind the demand	o) универсальные свойства

Task 2. Translate the following sentences into English.

1. The output of building materials governs the rate of construction work.

2. Our task is to decrease the cost price of manufacture of building materials.

3. Building materials are divided into 3 groups: main, binding and secondary or auxiliary.

4. Stone, clay, sand, lime and timber belong to the natural materials.

5. Artificial building materials are cement, concrete, reinforced concrete.

6. Precast prestressed concrete is a new building material.

7. Building materials should be durable, strong, water resistant, etc.

8. Materials with universal properties are a challenge of the future.

Task 3. Read and translate the text.

The importance of the building materials industry in our national economy is enormous as its output governs both the rate and the quality of construction work.

It is common knowledge that today the manufacture of building materials doesn’t lag behind the demand for them.

The main current task is to decrease steadily the cost price of manufacture. All building materials are divided into 3 groups:

1. Main building materials such as rocks and artificial stones, timber and metals, which are used for bearing structures.

2. Binding materials such as lime, gypsum and cements which are used for jointing different planes.

3. Secondary or auxiliary materials which are used for interior parts of the building, such as tiling, synthetic linoleum, coating and other facing materials.

If materials do not require any technological changes in their chemical structure they are called natural building materials. These are stone, clay, sand, lime and timber. Many of these materials have been known from time immemorial. Thus bricks have been used in building for more than 12, 000 years and the ancient Pyramids were constructed of stone.

Cement, clay products (bricks) and concrete are examples of artificial building materials.

Along with traditional building materials new ones have been created, such as reinforced concrete, lightweight concrete, precast prestressed concrete, etc.

The newest building materials created nowadays comprise film products, alloys, plastics, glues and others. As to their qualities building materials should be durable, strong, water resistant, acid resistant, heat resistant, etc. Some of them should also have a pleasant appearance.

Materials with universal properties are as yet a challenge of the future.

Task 4. Finish the following sentences.

1. All building materials are divided into three groups: main, binding and…

2. Tiling, synthetic linoleum, coating and other facing materials are called secondary or…

3. It is very important to speed up the development of the building materials industry and to decrease the…

4. Brick, stone, clay, sand, lime, timber have been known from…

5. Along with traditional building materials new ones have been created, such as reinforced concrete, lightweight concrete, precast…

6. The manufacture of building materials doesn’t lag behind the…

Task 5. Answer the following questions on the text.

1. What can you say about the importance of the building materials industry?

2. Does the manufacture of building materials lag behind the demand for them?

3. What is the main current task of the industry of building materials?

4. What way are all building materials divided into?

5. What main building materials are there?

6. What are main building materials used for?

7. What binding materials are there?

8. What are binding materials used for?

9. What secondary building materials are there?

10. What are auxiliary building materials used for?

11. What materials are called natural building materials?

12. What natural building materials do you know?

13. What artificial building materials do you know?

14. What new building materials have been created along with traditional building materials?

15. What materials does the newest building material group comprise?

16. What properties should building materials have?