Exercise 6. Choose and appropriate ending to each sentences.

1. The harvested plants

a) are dissolved in water

b) are steeped in water

c) are unexcelled for household requirements

2. The flax fibers are made up of

a) numerous filaments

b) comparatively fine threads

c) vegetable gum

3. The recovery of the flax fibers

a) is considered to be unexcelled

b) is used for household requirements

c) involves great expense

4. Linen requires a great deal of care

a) for manufacture of linen thread

b) in bleaching the fabric

c) for textile purposes

5. Linen is known to have

a) decorative coverings

b) woody stem and outer bark

c) durability and absorbing power

6. Linen is employed

a) in bleaching the fabric

b) in producing the fiber

c) in toweling

 

Exercise 7. Match the words:

1. numerous filaments a) порівняно тонкий

2. tensile strength b) міцність та блиск

3. comparatively fine c) довговічність

4. to be unexcelled d) домашні потреби

5. household requirements e) багато чисельні нитки

6. strength and luster f) виявляється

7. bleaching the fabric g) велика старанність

8. a great deal of care h) міцність на розтягування

9. durability i) відбілювання тканини

10.to appear j) бути неперевершеним

 

IV. Comprehension

Exercise 8. Answer the questions.

1. What is flax fiber used for?

2. What kind of fiber is flax fiber?

3. How is flax fiber obtained?

4. In what way are the unwanted parts of the plant removed?

5. What are the flax fibers made up?

6. What are the leading flax producing countries?

7. What is linen used for?

8. What fiber is more expensive to produce flax or cotton? Why?

 

Exercise 9. Say whether it is true or false, if false say why. Begin with:

1. I fully / quite agree with you.

2. I can’t agree with you here.

3. To the best of my knowledge.

4. In my opinion.

1. Flax fiber is the bark of the flax plant.

2. The recovery of flax fiber involves greater expense than that of cotton fiber.

3. The harvested plants are dried in the sun.

4. The colour of the flax fibers at the stage of recovery is green.

5. Flax is grown in the countries with hot and dry climate.

6. Linen is used for making towels.

7. Linen is not elastic, it is stiff.

8. Linen is unexcelled for the manufacture of a large range of materials for household requirements.

 

V. Oral Practice.

Exercise 10. Retell Text A according to the plan:

1. The recovery of flax fiber.

2. Preparation flax fibers for manufacture.

3. Flax growing countries.

4. End-use of materials made of flax.

 

VI. Reading Comprehension.

Exercise 11. Read and translate text B “Asbestos”.

Text B

Asbestos

1. Asbestos has been known and used as a textile since the earliest times. The first written evidence of asbestos was recorded by Pliny in the first century A. D.

2. It is told that one of the Emperors of Rome delighted guests by throwing a tablecloth made of asbestos into fire and then removing it unchanged from the flame. A few centuries later Marco Polo told his friends in Italy about a substance he observed in Siberia. He told that it could be woven into attractive textiles which did not burn even in direct flame.

3. Asbestos is one of the strangest of all the naturally occurring fibers. It is a rock which has been subjected to unusual treatment during its formation. Asbestos is the only mineral substance used as a textile fiber in the form it is obtained from natural sources. There are many varieties of asbestos rocks but only chrysotile is widely used for textile products. Chrysolite is mined in many countries of the world. The soft, long, white fibers of this mineral can be spun into yarn by the usual processes. Pure asbestos being very difficult to spin, a proportion to cotton fiber is usually added to help to bind the asbestos fibers together. The strangest characteristic of asbestos fibers is their resistance to heat and burning. This property determines the ways in which they are used.

4. Early uses for asbestos included such articles as handkerchiefs and table coverings. The Chinese used asbestos to make false sleeves which could be cleaned by putting them in the fire. All the dirt was burned off, leaving the asbestos clean. We know commercial development of the fiber to have started in the 19^th century. Asbestos was used in flame-proof clothing of many kinds, for laboratory, industrial and military purposes.

5. Fabric made of asbestos have good strength. Today the main applications are those in which non-inflammability is essential such as conveyor belting for hot materials, industrial packing, fireproof clothing, etc. Asbestos is sometimes used with glass fiber in making decorative fabrics for curtains for hospitals, theatres and other buildings where the public assembles. Asbestos is also used for electrical winding and insulation.

Note:

A. D. – нашої ери

chrysotile – хризотил

flame-proof clothing – вогнезахисний одяг

strength – міцність

winding – обмотка

rock - скеля