English through civil engineering

CONTENTS
UNIT 1
Why you do not fall through the floor ................................ 7
Reading / Topic: Why structures carry loads .................................. 8
Notes on grammar: The Simple Present and Simple Past Tenses ... 10
Focus on practice ................................................................... 11
UNIT 2
Stress on stress, strain and strength............................... 13
Reading / Topic: Stress and strain ............................................. 14
Notes on grammar: Type 1 conditionals ...................................... 16
Focus on practice ................................................................... 17
UNIT 3
Beams are everywhere ................................................... 20
Reading / Topic: Beams ........................................................... 21
Notes on structures: Describing properties. Cause and effect ......... 24
Focus on practice ................................................................... 24
UNIT 4
Columns are compressed, whereas wires are stretched ... 26
Reading / Topic: Tension and compression structures ................... 27
Notes on grammar: The Passive Voice ....................................... 28
Focus on practice ................................................................... 29
4 Spis treści
UNIT 5
The age of reinforced concrete ....................................... 32
Reading / Topic: Reinforced concrete ......................................... 33
Notes on grammar: Formation of adjectives ................................ 34
Focus on practice ................................................................... 35
UNIT 6
Joints, fastenings and people ......................................... 37
Reading / Topic: Joints in steel structures ................................... 38
Notes on grammar: Modal auxiliary verbs ................................... 40
Focus on practice ................................................................... 40
UNIT 7
The part of the building you do not see ........................... 43
Reading / Topic: Foundations ................................................... 44
Notes on grammar: Identifying and non-identifying relative clauses . 47
Focus on practice ................................................................... 47
UNIT 8
Walls do not always have ears ........................................ 50
Reading / Topic: Walls ............................................................ 51
Notes on grammar: Time clauses ............................................. 54
Focus on practice ................................................................... 55
UNIT 9
Higher and higher into the sky ........................................ 58
Reading / Topic: Skyscrapers .................................................. 59
Notes on grammar: Comparative and superlative adjectives .......... 61
Focus on practice ................................................................... 62
Contents 5
UNIT 10
Bridges over rough waters ............................................. 64
Reading / Topic: Bridges .......................................................... 65
Notes on stuctures .................................................................. 67
Focus on practice ................................................................... 68
UNIT 11
There is no smoke without a chimney ............................. 71
Reading / Topic: Steel chimneys ................................................ 72
Notes on stuctures: Impersonal statements ................................. 73
Focus on practice ................................................................... 74
UNIT 12
Nature is at risk ............................................................. 77
Reading / Topic: Air pollution (environmental problems) ................. 78
Focus on practice ................................................................... 80
KEY TO EXERCISES ........................................................... 83
THE ENGLISH – POLISH DICTIONARY ............................. 89
THE POLISH – ENGLISH DICTIONARY ........................... 111