Vocabulary 7 M a t c h t h e n o u n s 1-6 w i t h t h e c o r r e c t adjectives a-f.

1 strength a) elastic
2 toughness b) strong
3 hardness c) brittle
4 elasticity d) porous
5 brittleness e) hard
6 porosity 0 tough

8 C o m p l e t e these sentences b y c h o o s i n g t h e c o r r e c t w o r d s i n italics.

1 A s p h a l t is u s e d i n r o a d c o n s t r u c t i o n because i t is strength / strong.
2 Hardness / Hard a s p h a l t is often v e r y brittleness / brittle.
3 Porosity / Porous a s p h a l t i m p r o v e s safety b y r e m o v i n g w a t e r f r o m t h e
surface of t h e r o a d .
4 Toughness / Tough is a measure of t h e energy y o u need t o b r e a k s o m e t h i n g .
5 It is i m p o r t a n t t h a t roads have e n o u g h elasticity / elastic t o r e t u r n t o t h e i r
o r i g i n a l shape after l o a d i n g .

Language

Comparatives
We use adjectives to describe nouns. a loose/firm surface
an original shape
a strong material
We make comparisons by changing Short adjectives: hard - harder, strong - stronger
the adjective. Adjectives ending in -y: heavy - heavier, easy - easier
Long adjectives: brittle - more/less brittle, porous - more/less porous

C o m p l e t e these sentences w i t h m a t e r i a l s of y o u r c h o i c e .
1 A r u b b e r b a n d is m o r e elastic t h a n
A c e r a m i c t i l e is m o r e b r i t t l e t h a n
A piece of steel is h a r d e r t h a n
Soil is m o r e p o r o u s t h a n
A slab of c o n c r e t e is s t r o n g e r t h a n
A piece of Kevlar® is t o u g h e r t h a n _

10 W h a t b u i l d i n g m a t e r i a l ( s ) c a n be used t o c o m p l e t e all of t h e sentences i n 9?

Speaking 11 Scaffolding c a n be c o n s t r u c t e d u s i n g different m a t e r i a l s , s u c h as m e t a l pipes o r

b a m b o o . W i t h a p a r t n e r , list t h e p r o p e r t i e s of these t w o m a t e r i a l s a n d discuss
t h e advantages a n d disadvantages of each.

Materials 4 31