Answer the questions on the text.

1. What purpose the first houses were build for?

2. The building erected now can be divided into two broad classifications: they are either for housing or for industrial purpose, aren’t they?

3. What types the building can be divided into, as far as the material is concerned?

4. Is brick an artificial or natural material?

5. What kind of stone is used for foundations?

6. What makes various parts of a building?

7. What is called the foundation?

8. Both the substructure and the superstructure help to support the load (weight) of the building, don’t they?

9. Is the live load the total weight of all parts of a building?

10. What are the four main types of foundations?

11. Is spread foundation a firm one?

12. Are long, slender columns of steel, concrete, or wood pile or pier foundations ?

13. Where are mat foundations normally used?

7. Study the following pairs of derivatives. Transform as in the models. V→N

to build - builder

to drive - driver

to erect - erection

to combine - combination

to divide - division

to include - inclusion

to extend - extension

N→V

owner - to owe

layer - to lay

escalator - to escalate

classification - to classify

foundation - to found

construction - to construct

basement - to base

equipment - to equip

settlement - to settle

furniture - to furnish

occupant - to occupy

weight - to weigh

Adj→N

industrial - industry

natural - nature

structural - structure

mechanical - mechanic

electrical - electricity

economical - economyModel 1: to build a house- the builder of a house

To erect the building, to divide the building, to combine materials, to include the basement walls, to drive the column.

Model 2: the type of foundation - the foundation type

The weight of the furniture, the slab of concrete, the column of steel, a bed of sand, a layer of soil.

Choose the right word or word combination.

1. As far as the material is concerned, the building can be divided into stone (or brick), … and concrete types.

a) gravel b) plastics c) wood

2. Both the substructure and the superstructure help to support the … of the building.

a) width b) weight c) light

3. In some regions, the … of a building is important if the structure is to withstand storms.

a) live load b) snow load c) wind load

4. … foundations are long, slender columns of steel, concrete, or wood.

a) pile b)spread c) mat

5. Mat foundations are thick slabs of reinforced … that span the whole area beneath a building.

a) asphalt b) cement c) concrete

6. Pier foundations are heavy columns of … that go down through the loose topsoil to a bed of firm rock.

a) steel b) concrete c) wood

Insert the right words.

pier, heat, foundation, spread, live load

1. The substructure is usually called the…

2. The buildings made of stone or brick are durable, fireproof and have poor … conductivity.

3. The … is the weight of the furniture, equipment, stored material, and occupants of a building.

4. … foundations are not so firm as those based on solid rock.

5. … foundations are heavy columns of concrete that go down through the loose topsoil to a bed of firm rock.