Architecture and Architects

МИНИСТЕРСТВО НАУКИ И ВЫСШЕГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ 
РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ 
Федеральное государственное автономное образовательное 
учреждение высшего образования 
«ЮЖНЫЙ ФЕДЕРАЛЬНЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ» 
 

 

 

 
Е. Н. Ляшенко, Т. Г. Первиль, Ю. В. Шинкаренко 

 
 
 
ARCHITECTURE AND ARCHITECTS 

 
Учебное пособие 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ростов-на-Дону – Таганрог 

Издательство Южного федерального университета 

2018 

УДК 811.111:72(075.8) 
ББК 81.432.1я73 
         Л99 
Печатается в соответствии с решением кафедры английского языка 
гуманитарных факультетов ЮФУ, протокол № 7 от 25 января 2018 г. 
 
Рецензенты: 
доцент кафедры английского языка гуманитарных факультетов Института 
филологии, журналистики и межкультурной коммуникации ЮФУ, 
кандидат педагогических наук Е. Н. Машкина; 
доцент кафедры «Мировые языки и культуры» Донского государственного 
технического университета, кандидат философских наук Т. Г. Копанева 
 
 
Ляшенко, Е. Н. 
Л99 
Architecture and Architects : учебное пособие / Е. Н. Ляшенко, 
Т. Г. Первиль, Ю. В. Шинкаренко ; Южный федеральный 
университет. – Ростов-на-Дону ; Таганрог : Издательство Южного
федерального университета, 2018. – 126 с. 
ISBN 978-5-9275-2888-2 
Цель настоящего пособия – формирование и развитие у обучаемых умений и 
навыков эффективного профессионального общения на английском языке.  
В пособии представлен текстовой материал, содержащий информацию об 
истории развития мировой архитектуры, художественных стилях и направлениях. 
Профессиональная направленность пособия призвана повысить мотивацию 
студентов к изучению иностранного языка.  
Пособие состоит из 14 уроков, имеющих унифицированную структуру: 
предтекстовые упражнения, текст, словарь активной лексики, послетекстовые тесты и 
лексико-грамматические задания, упражнения коммуникативного характера, тексты 
для перевода.  
Представленная система упражнений и тестов направлена на обеспечение 
контроля понимания прочитанного, овладение общеупотребительной и терминологической лексикой, развитие навыков чтения без словаря, активизацию навыков 
употребления правильных грамматических конструкций. 

ISBN 978-5-9275-2888-2 
УДК 811.111:72(075.8) 
ББК 81.432.1я73 

© Ляшенко Е. Н., Первиль Т. Г., Шинкаренко Ю. В., 2018 
© Оформление. Макет. Издательство 

     Южного федерального университета, 2018 

CONTENT 

 

Unit 1. The Art of Architecture ........................................................... 4 

Unit 2. Architectural Planning ............................................................ 9 

Unit 3. The Seven Wonders  of the Ancient World ........................ 17 

Unit 4. Ancient Egyptian Architecture ............................................ 26 

Unit 5. Ancient Greek Architecture ................................................. 37 

Unit 6. Orders of Architecture .......................................................... 44 

Unit 7. Architecture of Ancient Rome ............................................. 52 

Unit 8. Medieval Architecture ........................................................... 62 

Unit 9. Medieval Architecture ........................................................... 75 

Unit 10. The Rebirth of Classical Art ............................................... 85 

Unit 11. Baroque and Rococo ............................................................ 93 

Unit 12. Neoclassicism ..................................................................... 105 

Unit 13. Eclecticism in Architecture ............................................... 112 

Unit 14. The Architecture of the Turn  of the Centuries ............. 118 

BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................................................. 125 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Unit 1. The Art of Architecture 

Pre-text exercises 

1. Guess the meaning of the following internationalisms. 

Construction, civilization, practical, culture, communication, 
expressive, primitive, function, architecture, institution, characteristic, 
human, idea, form, constant, social, natural, monumental, element, hall. 

Internationalisms are words which sound very similar or even 
identical in several languages as the word from which they originate. 
Unlike false cognates they have the same meaning. 

For example: park, plan, centre, ornament, style. 

2. Form nouns, using the following suffixes and translate them: 

-tion: constitute, civilize, institute, organize, communicate, recognize; 

-ty: realize, activate, continue, stabilize, secure, unite;  

-ment: establish, develop, require, arrange, settle. 

3. Match the pairs of synonyms (A) and opposites (B): 

(A) building; importance; primitive; the simplest; man; to possess; 
structure; to have; a work of architecture; a human being; concern. 

(B) primitive; general; more; civilized; less; with; particular; without.  

4. Read the text. Tell about the main functions of architecture. 

Architecture is the art and the technique of building, employed to fulfil 
the practical and expressive requirements of civilized people. Almost every 
settled society that possesses the techniques for building produces 
architecture. It is necessary in all but the simplest cultures; without it, man 
is confined to a primitive struggle with the elements; with it, he has not only 
a defence against the natural environment but also the benefits of a human 
environment, a prerequisite for the development of civilized institutions. 

The characteristics that distinguish a work of architecture from other 
man-made structures are (1) the suitability of the work to use by human 
beings in general and the adaptability of it to particular human activities, 
(2) the stability and permanence of the work's construction, and (3) the 
communication of experience and ideas through its form. 
All these conditions must be met in architecture. The second is a 
constant, while the first and the third vary in relative importance 
according to the social function of buildings. If the function is chiefly 
utilitarian, as in a factory, communication is of less importance. If the 
function is chiefly expressive, as in a monumental tomb, utility is a minor 
concern. In some buildings such as churches and city halls, utility and 
communication may be of equal importance. 

Active vocabulary 

Environment –  окружающая среда 
structure –  
структура, строй, строение 
construction –  строительство, стройка; постройка, сооружение 
building –  
здание 
structure –  
структура, строй, строение 
factory –  
фабрика 
tomb –   
гробница 
church –  
церковь 
city hall –  
ратуша 

Tests 

I.  Complete the sentences. 

1. Almost every settled society that possesses the technique of building 

produces… . 

a) struggle  
b) architecture  
c) nature  
 

2. It is necessary in all but the simplest … . 

a) cultures  
b) works  
c) theories  
3. The stability and permanence of the work's construction is a/an … . 

а) constant  
b) form  
c) idea 
4. With architecture, man has a prerequisite for the development of 

civilized … . 

a) importance  
b) institutions  
c) symbols 
5. If the function is chiefly utilitarian, communication is of less … . 

a) importance  
b) condition  
c) benefit 
6. In a monumental tomb, utility is a minor … . 

a) feature 
b) concern  
c) experience 
7. Utility and communication are equally important in churches and … . 

а) Markets  
b) plants  
c) city halls 

II.  Choose the correct adjective. 

1. Architecture should fulfill the practical and expressive requirements 

of … people. 

a) primitive  
b) civilized  
c) common 
2. With architecture, man has benefits of a/an … environment. 

a) essential  
b) natural  
c) human 
3. Expressive and utilitarian functions in architecture may vary in … 

importance. 

а) principal  
b) relative  
c) expressive 
4. Ina…tomb, the function is chiefly expressive. 

а) monumental  
b) brick  
c) social 
5. Utility and communication may be of … importance in churches and 

city halls. 

а) simple  
b) practical  
c) equal 

III.  Choose the correct preposition. 

1. … architecture, man is confined to a primitive struggle with the 

elements. 

а) By  
b) at  
c) without  
d) in 
2. There are some characteristics that distinguish a work of architecture 

… other man-made structures. 

а) from  
b) behind  
c) with  
d) for 
3. With architecture, he has a defence … the natural environment. 

а) in  
b) behind  
c) against  
d) under 
4. The combination of experience and ideas … the work's form is one of 

the functions of architecture. 

a) with  
b) between  
c) after  
d) through 
5. All these conditions must be met…architecture. 

a) at  
b) in  
c) from  
d) on 

Exercises 

I.  Using the information from the text, find out if the following 

statements are true or false. 

1. Architecture should fulfill the requirements of primitive people. 

2. Without architecture, man is confined to a primitive struggle with the 

elements. 

3. Structures should be built according to aesthetic and functional 

criteria. 

4. There are no differences between a work of architecture and other 

man-made structures. 

5. The stability and permanence of the work's construction is a constant 

for all types of buildings. 

6. In a factory, utility and communication are of equal importance. 

II.  Translate into Russian. 

Environment; to possess; a structure; man-made; human beings; the 
work’s construction; suitability. 

III.  Use the following in the sentences of your own: 

to be of less importance; 
to be of great importance; 
to be of equal importance. 

IV.  Match the words and their definitions. 

1. Culture. 2. The elements. 3. Institution. 4. Technique. 5. Work. 
a) method of doing something using a special skill that you have 
developed;  
b) a society that has its own set of ideas, beliefs, and ways of behaving; 
c) the weather, especially wind and rain; 
d) something produced by a painter, writer, etc; 
e) an important tradition on which society is based. 

V.  Translate into English: 

 
требования цивилизованных людей; 

 
борьба со стихией; 

 
природная среда; 

 
предпосылка и символ; 

 
произведение архитектуры; 

 
стихия; 

 
в соответствии с общественной функцией зданий; 

 
ратуша; здание муниципалитета. 

VI.  These are the types of architecture. 

A. Give the examples of each type. Use the words and word 

combinations from the box. 

Domestic Architecture. 
Religious Architecture. 
Governmental Architecture. 
Recreational Architecture. 
Architecture of Welfare and Education. 
Commercial and Industrial Architecture. 

Theatres, hospitals, guardhouses, capitols, schools, stores, prisons, 
parliament buildings, museums, shrines, court houses, villas, circuses, 
athletic facilities, factories, huts, banks, exhibition halls, mines, 
churches, hostelries, libraries, apartment houses, markets, publishing 
houses, mansions, post offices, laboratories. 

В. Make up the sentences of your own with the words from the box. 

VII. Answer the following questions. 

1. Why did you make up your mind to become an architect? 

2. Did anybody advice you to choose a career? 

3. What famous architects do you know? 

VIII. Speak on the topic: “I’ve chosen architecture as a career 

because…”. Highlight at least 5 points which make the profession 

so attractive. 

Unit 2. Architectural Planning 

Pre-text exercises 

1.  Guess the meaning of the following internationalisms. 

Attack, comfortable, control, effect, form, discuss, fundamental, 
element, aesthetics, orientation, air, circulation, characteristics, produce, 
design, natural, function, absorption, material, pigment, balance, 

economic, thermal, conflict, interior, temperature, method, program, 
culture, individual, primitive, recreation, hall, limit. 

2.  These are false cognates. Translate them and memorize their meaning.  

Technique, activity, patron, apartment, procedure. 

False cognates are words in two languages that look or sound 
similar but differ significantly in meaning. These similarities can 
confuse language learners and often cause errors. 

For example: concrete – бетон, а не только конкретный; 

fabric – ткань, текстура, а не фабрика. 

3.  Use these prefixes and suffixes to form a) verbs; b) nouns; 

c) adjectives:  

with-: draw, hold, stand; 

dis-: advantage, appearance, approval, comfort, order; 

-age: cover, grill, lever, sewer, store; 

-able: adapt, comfort, habit, change, move. 

4.  Match the pairs of antonyms. 

Absorb, dark, receive, advantage, intensify, dryness, useful, 
unsuccessful, high, dependent, moisture, useless, reflect, collective, 
disadvantage, reduce, individual, low, independent, give, light, successful.  

Antonym is a word or phrase which meaning is the opposite of 

another word or phrase. For example: bold, confident – timid, shy – 

смелый, уверенный – робкий, застенчивый; bright, colorful – dull, 

colorless – яркий, красочный – тусклый, бесцветный. 

5. 
Read the text. Give your reasons that the architect must possess the 

knowledge in different sciences. 

The architect usually begins to work when the site type and cost of a 
building have been determined. 

Planning the environment. The natural environment is at once a 
hindrance and a help, and the architect seeks both to invite its aid and to 
repel its attacks. To make buildings habitable and comfortable, he must 
control the effects of heat, cold, light, air, moisture, and dryness and 
foresee destructive potentialities such as fire, earthquake, flood, and 
disease. 
The placement and form of buildings in relation to their sites, the 
distribution of spaces within buildings, and other planning devices 
discussed below are fundamental elements in the aesthetics of 
architecture. 

Orientation. The arrangement of the axes of buildings and their parts 
is a device for controlling the effects of sun, wind, and rainfall. 
Within buildings, the axis and placement of each space determine the 
amount of sun it receives. Orientation may control air for circulation and 
reduce the disadvantages of wind, rain, and snow. The characteristics of 
the immediate environment also influence orientation: trees, land 
formation, and other buildings create shade and reduce or intensify wind, 
while bodies of water produce moisture and reflect the sun. 

Architectural forms. Planning may control the environment by the 
design of architectural forms that may modify the effects of natural forces. 

Colour. Colour has a practical planning function as well as an 
expressive quality because of the range of its reflection and its absorption 
of solar rays. Since light colours reflect heat and dark colours absorb it, the 
choice of materials and pigments is an effective tool of environmental 
control. 

Materials and techniques. The choice of materials is conditioned by 
their own ability to withstand the environment as well as by properties 
that make them useful to human beings. One of the architect's jobs is to 
find a successful solution to both conditions; to balance the physical and