UNIT SIX

Construction
Find in the text the words corresponding to each illustration.

"The structure must resist loads.",„?:

"Is this the right site to build a house?"
"Will this roof keep out rain?"
" Stone is more durable than wood."
"An elevator system with awaiting time of 30 seconds is
preferable to one with a waiting time of two minutes."

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These are some of the points that architects and engineers
must consider in building design and construction.
But there is also the selection of systems for electrical
distribution, water supply, heating and space division
among many others, The choice of materials, which can be
metals and non-metals, is important too. Metals
include iron, steel, aluminium, copper and nickel. Some
nonqetals for construction are wood, concrete, brick, plastics,
ceramics and glass.
The building process also needs human resources: a
construction team, made up of a group of subcontractors and
their workers (such as diggers, masons, plasterers, carpenters,
plumbers, electricians and painters),
co-ordinated by a general contractor.

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Lees scan/ tke text
Tick the ideas that appear in the text.

❑ Architects and engineers must consider structural resistance.

❑ Stone is more durable than glass.

❑ Architects design and engineers construct.
❑ Wood is less durable than stone.
❑ The choice of the site is important before building a house.
❑ Elevator systems with long waiting times are the best ones.
❑ A general contractor co-ordinates the construction team.
❑ Subcontractors help their workers.
❑ Roofs must keep out rain.
Architects and engineers must consider a very few points of the building process.
❑ Building design needs construction teams.

vocabulary
Complete this chart.

MATERIALS
WORKERS SYSTEMS
Plasteres water supply
METALES NON METALS
Iron wood

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Advanced materials
Thanks to their greater understanding of the
structure of matter, today's scientists are
creating revolutionary materials.
Composite materials, foi• example, are
complex combinations of fibres (such as
carbon or glass) which are embedded in a
matrix of plastic, ceramic or metal.
Because of their extraordinary strength
and lightness, they have moved
beyond tennis rackets and golf clubs
into the worlds of aviation, missiles,
satellite systems... and construction.
They may gradually replace the steel
used in reinforced concrete. There are
already a few all-composite
buildings and there are plans to erect
bridges.
Lighter and more heat-resistant than
metals, ceramics play an important
role in engine efficiency and pollution
Think and discuss,
Will advanced materials be dangerous ?
Yes. ..
❑ No.
❑ Maybe.
reduction in automobiles and trucks. Ceramic
engines will probably be
mass-produced pithin two decades.
Finally, intelligent materials are smart
materials that can anticipate failure, repair
themselves and adapt to the environment.
How? Through actuators and motors that
behave like muscles, sensors that serve as
nerves and memory and communications and
computational networks that represent the
brain and the spine. Ladders that alert you
when they are overloaded or buildings and
bridges that reinforce themselves during
earthquakes, are structures built with
intelligent materials. We will soon ask
structures how they feel and where they hurt.
Justify your opinion!
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Let’s scan the text

1 why can today’s scientists 2 what are composite 3 when will ceramic engines
Create revolutionary? materials? Probably be mass produced ?

Wilting
Complete these sentences.
0 Composite materials have different Examples of structures built with intelligent
Applications .......................... materials are ....................................
............................................... .........................................
.............................................. ..........................................

0 Ceramics play an important role in Ladders will help to

............................................... . .............................
................................................ ...............................

Explain in your own words.

Intelligent materials are smart materials that can anticipate failure, repair themselves and adapt to the environment.
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We will soon ask structures how they feel and where they hurt.

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 DID YOU

KNOW....?
Give a title and a subtitle to each text.

Smart devices called sensors and computation

in a car that
During the coming century, scientists will microelectromechanical the device

introduce a manufacturing strategy based systems, or Mems, will detects abrupt

on machines and materials that virtually deceleration, recognises it
transform the way in
make themselves. it is called self- responds as a crash andinflates an
which the world
assembly. In this process, atoms and air bag. Data storage
to us. They couple
molecules arrange themselves into miniaturised mechanical computer displays,
ordered, functioning entities without weapons, pumps and
and electronic
One of valves are some of
human intervention. Self-assembly will components.
permit the fabrication of materials with MEMS' future massive
these MEMS, which
new properties. 'combines actuators witch applications.

Fill in the blanks with the right word.

sensors - air bags - devices
miniaturised - components

with mechanical .
MEMS are smart
They combine computation with
and electronic

and actuators.One of them activates in cars.

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Translating

The choice of materials is part of. every

building process, so in the next century
houses and flats will include differe
kinds of composite andand smart
materials. Microelectromechanica/ devices,
for example, will probably transforrh the way
in which the world responds to us. They will
open a window to the world of data storage:

Glossary
Actuator n, actuador
Aluminium (n.): aluminio
Behave (v.): comportarse
Brick (n.): ladrillo
bridge n puente
Carpenter (n.): carpintero
Choice (n.): eleccion
Complex: completo
Composite: canpuesto,
Concrete (n.): hormigón
Copper (n.)::,cobre
Couple (v.) combinar, unir
`Data storage:' irnacenamineto
de datos
Deceleration(n desaceleración
Design (v/ n.): diseño diseñar
Digger (n.): excavador
Earthquake (n) teremoto
Electrician (n.): electrisista
Elevator (4: ascensor
embedded embutido ,incorporado
Environment (n.): ambiente
Failure (n.): falla
Fibre (n.): fibra
Glass (n.): vidrio
Golf dub: palo de golf
Heating (n.): calefaccion
Heat-resistant: resistente al calor
Hurt (v.):doler
iron (n.): hierro
Ladder (n.): escalera
Ligtnes(n.):poco
peso
Masson (n albañil
Mass produced
Producido en masa o serie
Matrix (n.): matriz
Muscle (n.): musculo
Overloaded: sobrecargado
Painter (n.): pintor
Plasterer (n.):_yesero
Plumber (n.): plomero
Pumps (n.): bombas
Reinforce (v.): reforzar, fortalecer
Reinforced concrete: hormigon armado
tr
Roof (n.): techo-
Self-assembly (n ):
automontaje, autoarmado
Ste (n.):,sitio, solar
Sftal column: colurnna vertebral
Steel (n.): acero
Stone (n.): piedra
Strength (n ) fuerza, res,stencia
, Structure Th.): estructura
Supply (n) suministro
Understanding (n.):
comprension, entendimiento
Valves (n.): valvulas
Wood (n.): madera
Worker (n.): obrero

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Activities

Language in context
1. Choose the right option to complete the idea.
a. Composite materials are complex c. These materials may be used in reinforced
combinations of... concrete, replacing...
... fibres .. iron
... textures .. steel
b. They are used in construction because they d. Ceramic reduces...
are... .. pollution
... strong and light .. efficiency
... cheap and durable
e. One of the properties of intelligent
materials is that they can...
.. repair themselves
.. reduce pollution
1. Intelligent materials behave like...
... an engine
... a human body ,
g. Ladders that alert you when they are
overloaded are built with...
.... intelligent materials
.. resistant materials

2. Join the ideas.

1) The building process needs
2) Materials can be
3) Architects and engineers must evaluate
4) Stone is more resistant
5) If there is a failure in the structure,
6) Architects are more concerned
7) The general contractor
... the resistance of the materials chosen.
... than wood.
... it is the engineer's responsibility.
... about beautiful designs.
... coordinates the group of subcontractors.
... metals or non-metals.
... both human resources and selection of place and materials.

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 Activities

Vocabulary
1. Complete these word spiders.

Diggers architects

WORKERS PROFESSIONALS

2. Match the different types of houses to the pictures.

1 detached house
2 semidetached house
3 terraced house
4 block of flats
5 but

3. Put the words in order and complete the sentences.

gdbiulnis - maecric - degbirs - negsien - tadap - ddebdeem - reteocnc

a. Composite materials are e ............. in a matrix of plastic, c................ or

metal.

b. Ceramic e will probably be mass-produced within two decades.

c. Intelligent materials can, among other th ings, a to the environment.

d. b will reinforce themselves during earthquakes.

e. Composite materials will replace steel used in reinforced c ....................

1. There are only a few all-composite b ............................................

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Grammar.
1.1. Put the sentences in the right order.

a. wood / Stone l durable 1.1 is I than I more

b. must I loads 1.1 structure I The I resist

c. materials I be I metal I non-metal I.1 Building I can / or

d. resources / human I . also I building 1 The / process I needs

e. complex / fibres I materials 1.1 Composite l are I combinations I of

f. metals 1.1 are I heat-resistant / and / Ceramics I more I than 1 lighter

g. can I environment 1 materials 1. the I Intelligent I adapt I to

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1.2. Match these questions to the sentences in exercise 1.1.

a. Which materials are used for building?

b. What else does the building process need?
c. What is stone like?
d. What are composite materials?
e. What must the structure resist?
f. What are ceramics properties?
g. What is one of the characteristics of intelligent materials?

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2. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in the Simple Present.

study - coordinate - need - play - arrange - design - begin - construct

a. The building process also ................ human resources.

b. The general contractor ................ the group of subcontractors.

e. Engineers ............... the site to build a house.

d. Architects ................ and engineers ................

e. Ceramics ................. an important role in engine efficiency and pollution

reduction in automobiles and trucks.

f. In the self-assembly process, atoms and molecules ................ themselves

into ordered, functioning entities.

g. The design of a building ................ with its future user or owner.

Translating
Translate this paragraph.

This is a nice, easy to construct home for a wide suburban block. It has got four bedrooms and an open
plan living area ancluding family,living and dining rooms .
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