Materials

Pictures

Task 1
1 wood
2 steel
3 ceramic
4 gold
5 glass
6 plastic
Task 2
1b 2c 3a 4f 5d 6e 7h 8g
Task 3
1ferrous and non-ferrous metals
2 Iron is soft and pasty and for this reason it is not suitable
to be used as a structural material.
3 They are used to improve some properties of the metals.
4 plastic and ceramic
5 Yes, it is an alloy made of iron and carbon.
Task 4
Iron: Its Latin name is ferrum. It is magnetic and has a silvery colour. In prehistoric times it
was used to make ornaments and weapons. If exposed to the air, it oxidises.
Copper: It is one of the most widely used metals by humans. In prehistoric times it was used
to make cooking utensils, coins and ornamental objects. It is used in wires and cables.

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Gold: It is the most expensive metal and is used to create precious jewellery. It is the most
ductile metal.
Steel: It is an alloy formed from iron and carbon. It can contain between 2.1% and 4% carbon.
It is also used for cooking utensils and pans.

1 ferrum 7 expensive
2 air 8 ductile
3 copper 9 steel
4 coins 10 alloy
5 wires 11 carbon
6 gold 12 cooking
Task 5

Properties
2 Vocabulary
1 ceramic
2 polycarbonate
3 polystyrene
4 fibreglass
5 graphite
6 titanium
7 rubber
8 nylon
9 aluminium
10 steel
Speaking 3
1 nylon 2 graphite 3 ceramic 4 polycarbonate 5 aluminium
6 polystyrene 7 titanium 8 fibreglass
Vocabulary 7
1d 2c 3a 4e 5b
Task 8
1d 2a 3e 4c 5b
Task 9
1 fibreglass
2 strong, light
3 fibreglass
4 hard
5 aluminium

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 6 strong, light
7 rubber
8 tough
9 ceramic
10 heat-resistant
11 cromoly
12 light, tough and rigid
13 aluminium (coated with ceramic)
14 corrosion-resistant

How energy is produced?

Task 2
1 F They produce less air pollution than other power plants.
2T
3 F They produce waste material which stays radioactive for centuries.
4 F It is generated by the combustion of fossil fuels, which are non-renewable resources.
5 F They cause environmental pollution.
6T
7 F It flows through giant turbines.
8 F The main disadvantage is its impact on the environment.
Task 3
TYPE OF ENERGY HOW IT WORKS ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Solar energy Solar cells made of The PV system provides High initial costs
silicon absorb sunlight, an independent, reliable
which knocks electrons electrical power source
loose, allowing them to and its routine
flow freely and produce maintenance is simple and
electricity. cheap.
Wind energy The wind turns the It is one of the cheapest There are few suitable
blades of giant turbines, renewable technologies wind sites.
producing kinetic energy available
which is then converted today.
into mechanical power
and electricity by a
generator.

Tidal energy Underwater turbines It is a natural process Only massive increases

capture the kinetic Because it exploits the in tides can produce
energy of rising and potential energy and there are
falling tides and turn it Energy of tides very few places where
into electricity. this occurs.
Moreover the changes
in the tidal flow can
damage the aquatic
ecosystem and the
shoreline.
Geothermal The hot water stored in It is cheap and has a low There are few sites
energy the Earth is brought to impact on the where it can be
the surface and used to environment. extracted at low cost.
drive turbines to produce

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 electricity or it can be
piped through houses as
heat.

Biomass energy Plant material and animal It is a natural process, is It has a smaller
waste are burnt in order carbon neutral and has potential than other
to release chemical low initial costs. energy sources and
energy as heat. requires excellent
maintenance skills.

Task 4
1h 2e 3g 4a 5f 6c 7b 8d

Task 5
1 delivery 6 demand
2 power plants 7 lower voltages
3 consumers 8 transformer
4 high-voltage 9 pole
5 network 10 appliances