5 Read the text again and answer the questions that follow (1-10):

1. What does the term “stone” refer to?

2. How long has stone been used as a building material?

3. How can all rocks be classified geologically?

4. What is igneous rock?

5. What is the difference between plutonic and volcanic rocks? Give the examples of stones.

6. How are sedimentary rocks produced? What stones are defined as sedimentary?

7. Metamorphic rocks are formed by recrystallisation of young rocks, aren’t they?

8. Can you describe slate?

9. What happens to limestone when metamorphosed?

10. What is quartzite usually used as? Why?

Follow-up

6 A) Find the synonyms for the following words:

excavation, quickly, feature, recognize, show, reconstructed, tint, enable, composed of, aggregation, nearly, equal in size, finish, long-lived.

2. Explain the words in bold from the text and make up sentences of your own. Use English-English dictionaries to help you.

7 Give the English equivalents to the following and use 5 of them in small situations:

Термин относится к…, земная кора, значимость камня, демонстрируется/показывается, классифицируется в/на…, согласно…, формируется путем затвердевания, определяется как…, соответственно, визуально менее интересный, плавится при температуре…, блестящая текстурированная поверхность, плоскость наплавления, ассоциируется с…,получить максимальную прочность и долговечность, стадия образования, в диапазоне от…, происходить от…, раскалываться/ расщепляться на…, рекристаллизоваться в…, зависеть в большей степени от.

8 Read and give a literate translation of the text and make 5 questions to it: slate

Slate is one of nature's more interesting products. Slate has been used as a building stone for centuries. Its laminar nature makes it easy to shape and work, rendering it a popular choice for roofing and walling.

The formation of slate within the Earth's crust started more than 500 million years ago. A fine-grained, metamorphic rock, slate is formed through a sedimentary process, stacking clay, volcanic ash and other elements to create a shale-type, foliated stone. Slate typically offers two lines of breakability, a cleavage and a grain line, making it easily possible to split the stone into thin, durable sheets.

Since it is formed in layers, it can easily be split to expose a beautifully textured surface. The colors of slate tend to be earthy, comprised of shades and mixtures of browns, beiges, yellows, blacks, dark grays and green grays. There are also a number of exotic slates which feature pinks, purples and copper tones. Wide ranges of colors and tones provide an almost unlimited color selection potential. Combining slate with other materials emphasizes the qualities and attractiveness of both.  

 Slate has been used for centuries as the material of choice to create unique paving, landscaping and roofing applications. 

9 Use the words below to complete the sentences: cast stone

Cast stone is a type of 1)_____ material designed to imitate different types of real stone. Created in the middle ages, cast stone is now used throughout modern construction and, with the right ingredients, can 2) _____ a wide variety of real 3) _____ at a reduced cost and with greater strength.

Cast stone is both strong and highly customizable. While the 4) _____ingredient of most cast stone is Portland cement, makers add a variety of other 5) _____, including sand, various grains of other minerals and even 6) _____ pigments to change the color. As a result, cast stone can be made to resemble limestone, granite, quartz, blue stone, marble and many other types of real stone at a more affordable price. It can even replace brick or be 7) _____ into a brick pattern that looks authentic but lasts longer than real bricks. This makes cast stone a versatile substance that can be used throughout a building.

Cast stone should not be confused with architectural 8) _____concrete. They are used for similar projects, but the purpose of cast stone is to 9) _____or function as a type of real stone, while precast concrete is always concrete gray and made of similar materials. Precast concrete is a more affordable option, especially when 10) _____ the outside of houses or buildings in which there is no need to replicate the look of a particular type of stone.

base, imitate, components, building, coloring, precast, decorating, resemble, molded, minerals

10 Fill in the gaps with derivatives of the words in capitals:

Marble is metamorphosed limestone in which the calcium carbonate has been recrystallised into a mosaic of approximately equal-sized calcite crystals. The process, if complete, will remove all traces of fossils, the size of the crystals being 1) _____ dependent on the duration of the process. Some limestones which can be 2)_____ are 3)_____ as marble, but true marble will not contain any fossillised remains. Calcite itself is white, so a pure marble is white and translucent. The colour sand veining characteristics of many marbles are associated with impurities within the 4)_____ limestone; they range from red, pink, violet, brown, green, beige, cream and white to grey and black. Marble is attacked by acids; therefore honed, rather than 5)_____ surfaces, are recommended for external 6) _____. Marbles are generally hard and dense, although fissures and veins sometimes require filling with epoxy resins. For external 7) _____ above first floor level 40-mm-thick slabs are used, although 20 mm may be appropriate for internal linings and external cladding up to first floor level. 8)_____ cramps and hooks should be in 9) _____ steel, phosphor bronze or copper. Floors labs, to a minimum 10)_____ of 30 mm, should be laid on a minimum 25 mm bed. Marble wall and bathroom floor tiles are usually between 7 mm and 10mm in thickness. (From Materials for Architects and Builders)

LARGE

POLISH

SELL

ORIGIN

HIGH

APPLY

CLAD

FIX

STAIN

THICK