Look through all the texts and then make a short report about modern building materials. Be ready to discuss it with your partner.

Conversational Practice

1. Remember some of the words and expressions to read the
dialogue:

rapidly – быстро

to change – меняться, изменять

to make great strides – делать большие успехи

to tell the truth – по правде говоря

to be puzzled with – быть озадаченным

to contribute to – вносить вклад

2. Read the dialogue “The Role of Engineering Science in the World”:

A. I’d like to know if you ever thought of the role of engineering science in our rapidly changing world.

B. In popular books and journals we often read that engineering science is making greater strides.

A. And every year scientists are faced with more and more complex engineering problems.

B. To tell the truth I am more puzzled with their special methods of thinking and acting.

A. Naturally they usually direct their attention towards problems facing our society and thus contribute to science.

B. In most cases such problems are called for by industrial
or ecological needs.

A. To my mind the role of a scientist is great in our society.

B. Right you are. It is great.

3. Answer the questions:

1. Where do we read that science is making great strides?

2. What problems are scientists faced with?

3. What problems do scientists direct their attention to?

4. Are these problems called for industrial needs?

5. Is the role of a scientist great from this point of view?

Role-play the dialogue with your partner using the information about building materials.

5. Tell about building materials in modern structures with
particular emphasis on using eco-materials.

6. Be ready to discuss the topic: “Engineering Science in Future”. Use set expressions and phrases given below:

a) I’d like to know;

b) To tell the truth;

c) Naturally.

Progress Test 2

I. In every sentence find Participle II or the verb in the Past
Indefinite. Mark Participle II – p II, Past Indefinite – p.i.:

1. Many students prepared interesting reports at the lesson got excellent marks.

2. There are different types of scientific investigations offered by
different programmes.

3. As seen from the article this was a terrible accident.

4. When heated this material changed some of its components.

5. The architect designed four eco-terraces cascading down one side of the building.

6. As announced over TV it was a real discovery.

7. Our scientists opened this phenomenon last year.

8. The Celsius scale is the scale used in most scientific experiments.

9. The equipment installed modernized our laboratory.

10. As seen from the report the tests have been carried out successfully.

11. Work of the scientists helped the civil engineers to find better ways to use eco-materials.

12. The team of engineers worked at our department finished the
project of exterior steel framework.

13. The books written by this famous scientist were translated in many languages.

14. A message written by him was on the table of his chief.

15. Some of the questions put to the professor were very interesting.

16. A word spoken in time may have very important result.

17. The test given to the students looked very easy.

18. Nobody saw the things kept in that box.

II. Choose the right variant of the translation of the following sentences:

1. Architect Brand immigrated to Prague began to work there as
a chief of architectural department.

A. Когда архитектор Бранд приехал в Прагу, он поступил в архитектурный институт.

B. Архитектор Бранд, иммигрировавший в Прагу, начал преподавать там на архитектурном факультете.

C. Архитектор Бранд, иммигрировавший в Прагу, начал свою трудовую деятельность там в качестве заведующего на архитектурном факультете.

2. Many outstanding people left their native country because of the political situation in the country.

A. Многие известные люди покидали родную страну, чтобы заниматься политикой.

B. Те известные люди, которые покидали родную страну, начинали заниматься политикой.

C. Многие известные люди покидали родную страну из-за политической обстановки там.

3. The experiment made by the unknown scientist was of great
surprise for everybody.

A. Опыт, проведенный неизвестным ученым, вызвал большое удивление у каждого.

B. Этот удивительный эксперимент провел неизвестный ученый, чем удивил каждого.

C. Опыт, проведенный неизвестным ученым, был использован каждым в работе.

4. The buildings designed by Langbardt are known in our country.

A. Здания, которые проектировал Лангбардт, мало известны
в нашей стране.

B. Здания, которые проектировал Лангбардт, известны в нашей стране.

C. Лангбардт спроектировал много зданий в нашей стране, все они хорошо известны.

5. His biography analyzed in some books was of great importance for our investigation.

A. Его биография, которую мы прочитали в некоторых книгах, была неизвестна нам.

B. Его биография, проанализированная в некоторых книгах, была очень важна для нашего исследования.

C. Его биография, проанализированная в некоторых книгах, мало помогла нам в наших исследованиях.

III. Choose the right variant to complete the sentences:

1. Energy efficiency is an important feature in making a building
material

a) environmentally sustainable;

b) environmentally pure;

c) thermodinamicall.

2. Preferred materials slow the transfer of heat through a building’s skin

a) reducing the need for heat or cool;

b) reducing the need for boiling water;

c) reducing the need for heating or cooling.

3. Materials with higher R-values

a) are the most durable;

b) are better insulators;

c) are more flexible then plastics.

4. R-values can be measured

a) only for individual materials;

b) only for composite structural elements;

c) for individual materials or calculated for composite structural elements.

5. The shading coefficient (SC) is a ratio of the solar heat gain of
a building’s particular fenestration

a) to that of a standard sheet of double-strength glass of the same area;

b) to that of a standard sheet of double-strength glass of
double-area;

c) to that of a standard sheet of three times strength glass of the same area.

6. Shading devices can be designed

a) to break solar heat gain at certain times of the day or year;

b) to blocking solar heat gain at certain times of the day or year;

c) to block solar heat gain at certain times of the day or year.

7. Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems

a) should be selected for the greatest efficiency;

b) can be selected for the greatest efficiency;

c) should select for the greatest efficiency.

8. Non- or less-toxic materials are less hazardous

a) to skilled workers and building’s occupants;

b) to construction workers and building’s occupants;

c) to all the workers and the building’s occupants.

9. The rush to make buildings airtight in the wake of the 1970 s oil crises created a new health problem:

a) “ syndrome polynomial”;

b) “sick building syndrome”;

c) “sick toxic syndrome”.

10. Formaldehyde, benzene, ammonia, and other hazardous or
cancer-causing chemicals

a) are present in many building materials;

b) are specially used in many building materials;

c) are applied in many building materials.

11. Durable materials that require less frequent replacement will require

a) much more raw materials;

b) fewer raw materials;

c) as many raw materials as it may be possible.

12. Maintenance consumes include the cost of labor, cleaning/polishing materials, equipment

a) and the replacement of some items;

b) and the repairing of some items;

c) and the repainting of some items.

13. Very durable materials may have many useful years of service left when the building in which they are installed

a) is designed;

b) is developed;

c) is decommissioned.

UNIT III. Postgraduate Education