Exercise 2. Math the sentences in column A with their equivalents in column B. Then cover column A and translate the sentences from column B into English.

A

B

1. Flax is the oldest of textile fibres. 2. Linen cloth was preserved in Egyptian tombs, some of which were fifty centuries old. 3. Flax was cultivated in Egypt five thousand years ago. 4. The Egyptians considered linen to be the best textile fibre. 5. One can see pictures illustrating the cultivation of the flax and spinning weaving on the walls of Egyptian palaces and temples. 6. In Greece and Rome linen had been used not only for clothing but also for ship sails. 7. After the second part of the18 century cotton became cheap and more widely used than flax. 8. Today flax ranks fourth.

1. Льон вирощували в Єгипті 5000 років тому. 2. Єгиптяни вважали, що льон є найкращим текстильним волокном. 3. Льон є найстарішим текстильним волокном. 4. На стінах єгипетських храмів, палаців можна побачити малюнки, що показують вирощування льону, прядіння та ткацтво. 5. Зараз льон займає четверте місце. 6. Полотно із льону зберігалось до нас в єгипетських могилах, деяким з них 50 сторіч. 7. Після другої половини18 сторіччя бавовна стала більш дешевою і поширеною ніж льон. 8. В Греції і Римі льон використовували не тільки для одягу, але ж і для парусини.

 

Exercise 3. Read and translate the sentences paying special attention to the translation of the Infinitive constructions.

1. We known cotton and flax to be the main vegetable fibres.

2. We suppose man–made fibres to be the most important fibres in use.

3. Fibres are known to be divided into animal and vegetable ones.

4. Flax appears to be used less today.

5. The Egyptians considered linen to be the best textile fibre.

6. Linen is considered to be the most durable textile fibre.

 

 

Exercise 4. Substitute Ukrainian words for English ones given below.

1. Linen cloth had been discovered in the late dwellings of the unknown жителів of Europe.

(men, inhabitants)

2. In Egypt flax was єдине textile fibre.

(only, the only)

3. The Egyptians had been одягалися almost entirely in linen.

(dressed, used)

4. Egypt was the greatest льоновиробляюча country in the world.

(linen producing, linen making)

5. In Greece and Rome linen had been used not only for одягу but also for ship sails.

(fabrics, clothing)

6. The Romans thought linen to be a great розкіш.

(luxury, wealth)

7. Today flax займає місце fourth.

(ranks, takes, uses)

8. Flax is certainly the most міцне of fibres.

(long, lasting, soft)

9. We know cotton and flax to be the main рослинне fibre.

(artificial, animal, vegetable)

 

II. Reading

Exercise 5. Read and translate the text A:

 

 

Text A

The History of Linen

1. Flax seems to be the oldest of textile fibres. We know linen cloth to have been discovered in the late dwellings of the unknown inhabitants of Europe, where no traces of wool can be found. It is certainly the most lasting of fibers for considerable quantities of it are actually preserved for us in Egyptian tombs, some of which are acknowledged to be fifty centuries old.

2. All things considered, we may suppose linen to be the oldest textile fibre. At any rate, flax is known to have been cultivated in Egypt 5000 years ago, and for centuries it was the only textile fibre in the land.

3. The cultivation of the flax and spinning and weaving of the linen were illustrated on the walls of Egyptian palaces, temples and tombs. The Egyptians are known to have been dressed almost entirely in linen. For many hundreds of years Egypt was the greatest linen producing country in the world.

4. In later years the use of linen spread to Greece, and to Rome, where it is supposed to have been used not only for women s clothing and handkerchiefs, but also for ship sails, though not for outer garments. The Romans thought linen to be a great luxury.

5. Then every country in Europe began to cultivate flax, and until the second part of the eighteenth century when a number of inventions made cotton fabrics cheap, linen was the most generally used textile. Though only a little over a hundred years ago flax was the most important textile fibre, today it is supposed to rank fourth. Cotton, wool and chemical fibres are used by larger amounts.

 

III. Language.