Ancient Egyptians houses

The ancient Egyptians built very simple houses by present standards. Having dried the bricks in the sun, they put up four walls, and above these they placed a flat roof. The roof was flat because there was very little rain in Egypt. Although their buildings were simple in construction, the Egyptian art of building was very beautiful. Their pyramids and monuments, sphinxes and palaces arouse our wonder to this day. An important part in the history of building has been played by the column, and it was ancient Egypt that gave the world its first lessons in the art of making columns. The Greeks learned much from Egypt. But they did not borrow the flat roof. They built a slanting roof because there was much rain in their country. The Greeks made the roof slant in two directions from the middle. They also improved on Egypt's columns and soon became the teachers of the world in column making. The Romans, in turn, learned much from the Greeks. First of all, they borrowed the slanting roof and the columns. But they added the arch, thus adding much strength arid beauty to their buildings.

Теxt 5

Read the text.

Extreme scientist: Randy White

Randy is a member of a team of people that make up the Volcano Disaster Assistance Program (VDAP). They’re usually called the ‘volcano crisis assistance team’ and they were the models for the heroes of the recent popular film, Dante’s Peak. Randy and his team visit volcanoes that have shown recent increases in seismic activity. ‘People call us when they think their local volcano is waking up. That’s when we go into action. Our entire team can be on a plane in 24 hours. That’s probably the main reason we are often called to the scene of a volcano site.’ He visits volcano sites about three or four times a year, but more often if there’s increased volcanic activity. Randy and his team were involved in predicting the eruption of Mt Pinatubo in the Philippines. An estimated 20,000 lives were saved when his team predicted the time, the size, and the place of the eruption, the largest in the world in almost 80 years! Randy says he and his team have successfully predicted several other recent volcanic eruptions in Latin America.

Теxt 6

Read the text.

First steps in planning the House

First steps in planning the House of Ideas were studies of how families want to live, of the geographical conditions, and of suitable materials. Then came many preliminary sketches of plan, interior space, and exterior design in a search for a livable, attractive home. At last came the refinement of the best sketches in the interest of greater efficiency and beauty. Consider the specific ways and means used to make this house attractive. The plan has a feeling of easy movement corresponding to the rhythms of the family live for which it was designed. Notice the pleasant variations in room size and shape, the satisfying relation of each to the others. These qualities are rooted in the living for which the rooms were planned, but they are sensitively refined beyond mere utilitarian requirements because plans, as well as interiors or exteriors, can be beautiful.

Теxt 7

Read the text.