From the history of building

The history of building extends as far back as that of civilization itself. Primitive building required practically no tools and depended upon the mere piling up of stones or sun-dried bricks for walls and the using of branches for roofs. The invention of tools permitted the cutting of stones and timbers. The later use of finer tools, with the transition to bronze, is marked by the Egyptian pyramids and temples, while the coming of the Iron Age brought tools which made possible the development of carpentry and fine accurate stone cutting. Most of the building of old times was based upon the column and beam method of construction.

Great changes in building methods together with numerous mechanical inventions and the appearance of new materials (such as concrete) resulted in great buildings being erected during the following centuries.

The middle of the 19th century, with the use of steam and electricity saw deep changes in the entire range of building. The modern building is designed by an architect who calls to his assistance consulting and technical services for the various mechanical and engineering factors which enter into it.

Taken as a whole, modern building constitutes a vital element of national industry. The great problem still ahead of building is to help satisfy such urgent social needs as minimum-cost housing and the elimination of excessive city] congestion.

Active Vocabulary

to depend, to permit, to result (in), to design, to satisfy, to be based upon, use, invention, timber, stone, brick, development, change, appearance, assistance, industry, possible, accurate, numerous, various

Exercises

1. Ask and answer the following questions:

1. How far back does the history of building extend? 2. What kind of tools did the Iron Age bring? 3. What were the factors that made possible the erection of great buildings? 4. When did great changes start happening in the entire range of building? 5. What is the great problem still facing builders all over the world?

2 Translate the following groups of words.

to extend — extension — extensive; to require — requirement; to depend — dependence — dependent — indepen­dent; possibility — possible — impossible; accuracy — accurate; to construct — constructor — construction; number — numerous; to invent — inventor — invention; to appear — appearance; to erect —erection; to design — design — design­er; to assist — assistance; to vary — variation — variety — various — variable; to eliminate — elimination; to ex­ceed — excess — excessive; simple — simply; to change — change; to use — use — useful — useless; to mark — mark; to need — need; to permit — permission; to satisfy — satisfactory; to develop — development

Text 2

THE HOUSE

1. Man has always been a builder. The kind of house he built in the beginning depended upon the climate, upon his enemies, and upon the building materials at hand. The first houses in many parts of the world were made of wood, for in those days the greater part of the earth was covered with forests. Men tied together the tops of several trees and covered them with the skins of animals or with leaves and grass. So a tent, or hut, was the first house of the primitive people who lived where there was much wood.

In other regions the most convenient building material was stone. Men began building houses out of stone very long ago. Although they were built without cement, the remains of a few of them still exist.

2. The ancient Egyptians built very simple houses by present stand­ards. Having dried the bricks in the sun, they put up four walls, and above these they placed a flat roof. The roof was flat because there was very little rain in Egypt. Although their buildings were simple in con­struction, the Egyptian art of building was very beautiful. Their pyra­mids and monuments, sphinxes and palaces arouse our wonder to this day. An important part in the history of building has been played by the column, and it was ancient Egypt that gave the world its first les­sons in the art of making columns.

The Greeks learned much from Egypt. But they did not borrow the flat roof. They built a slanting roof because there was much rain in their country. The Greeks made the roof slant in two directions from the middle. They also improved on Egypt's columns and soon became the teachers of the world in column making.

The Romans, in turn, learned much from the Greeks. First of all, they borrowed the slanting roof and the columns. But they added the arch, thus adding much strength and beauty to their buildings.

3. In our country architecture flourished for the first time in Kiev Russ. Unfortunately, only a few of the church buildings of that period have remained. The churches of the time were strong buildings with thick walls and small windows. They often had to serve as fortresses during enemy invasions. Tourists from all over the world come to see the famous Cathedral of St. Sophia, the cornerstone of which was laid in 1037 to commemorate the victory over the Pechenegs. Having been forced out of Kiev the German fascists did their best to destroy its finest ancient architecture, although it had no military significance. Great effort has gone into restoring them.

4. Having become very acute in many countries after World War II, the housing problem called for a solution. As a result of the damages caused by the war there has been a great housing shortage. The Soviet Government set itself the task of housing all the homeless people who had lost their flats and of improving the living conditions of those who lived in crowded and uncomfortable flats.

To solve the problem great housing construction has started since the end of the war. Millions of people have already moved into new flats.

5. A very advanced construction technique today is the use of pre­cast concrete.² According to this technique, the reinforced concrete³ units of which a building is to be made are manufactured at a factory and are then simply assembled on the site.

The use of precast concrete has many advantages over other building methods. For one thing,⁴ building work is industrialized more highly. The site becomes something like an assembly shop which cuts the la­bour needed for building by 60 to 70%, the main part of the work being done at the factory. The building season is also extended. After all,⁵ in the greater part of the Soviet Union winter lasts for several months.

Precast building units are manufactured in heated premises⁶ and can be assembled at the site all the year round in any frost. Furthermore, the duration of building is cut. And, finally, materials and money are saved, as, for example, it is possible to do away⁷ with expensive scaf­folding.⁸

NOTES TO THE TEXT

1.limestone slab— известняковая плита

2. precast concrete— сборный бетон (изготовленный на заводе)

3. reinforced concrete— железобетон

4. for one thing— во-первых

5. after all— в конце концов

6. premises— помещение

7. to do away— покончить

8. scaffolding— (техн.) леса

9. to play a big part— сыграть большую роль

Exercises

1. Вразите свое согласие или несогласие со следу­ющими утверждениями, основываясь на информации, полученной из текста А. Свое согласие выразите, начиная предложение словами That's rightили That's true,а несогласие, начиная словами That's wrongили According to the text.

1.The first houses in many parts of the world were made of earth. 2. Men cut the tops of several trees and covered them with skins of ani­mals to make a house. 3. The roof of the Egyptian house was flat. 4. The Greeks borrowed the flat roof from Egypt. 5. The Greeks improved on Egypt's column. 6. The Greeks became the teachers of the world in column making. 7. In our country architecture flourished for the first time in Kiev Russ. 8. The famous Cathedral of St. Sophia was founded in the 12th century. 9. A very advanced construction technique today is the use of precast concrete. 10. The use of precast concrete has many advantages over other building methods. 11. Precast building units are manufactured in heated premises and can be assembled insummer season.

2. Найдите в каждом ряду слово, противоположное по значению первому слову ряда.

1.emptya) proper, b) full, с) dry, d) total

2. shallowa) flat, b) huge, c) similar, d) deep

3. easya) above, b) difficult, c) main, d) successful

4. to destroya) to arouse, b) to cut, c) to build, d) to heat

5. hugea) small, b) main, c) concrete, d) numerous

6. complicateda) advanced, b) expensive, c) permanent, d) simple

7. to assemblea) to cover, b) to part, c) to extend, d) to manufacture

8. shortagea) advantage, b) damage, c) duration, d) plenty

9. to remaina) to assemble, b) to place, c) to leave, d) to put up

10.strengtha) weakness, b) crowd, c) hole, d) brick

11.alwaysa) still, b) never, c) as well as, d) without

12.to damagea) to tie, b)to shape, c) to heat, d) to restore

3. Найдите в каждом ряду слово, перевод которого дан в начале ряда.

1.огромныйa) advanced, b) flat, с) huge, d) convenient

2. продолжительностьa) advantage, b) duration, c) establishment, d) length

3. дорогойa) main, b) concrete, c) previous, d) expensive

4. кроме тогоa) in turn, b) furthermore, c) without, d) still

5. отапливатьa) to heat, b) to tie, c) to increase, d) to extend

6. главныйa) shallow, b) recent, c) main, d) huge

7. преимуществоa) shortage, b) strength, c) effort, d) advantage

8. вытягивать, расширятьa) to assemble, b) to expect, c) to extend, d) to rise

9. резатьa) to perform, b) to cut, c) to heat, d) to shake

10.единицаa) place, b) unit, c) shape, d) hole

11.собиратьa) to put up, b) to solve, c) to wear, d) to assemble

12.передовойa) advanced, b) expensive, c) ordinary, d) similar.

13.нехваткаa) duration, b) damage, c) shortage, d) strength

14. связыватьa) to cut, b) to cover, c) to arouse, d) to tie

15. толпаa) part, b) piece, c) crowd, d) unit

Text 3

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