II. READING (20 points). a) Put the following words into the certain gaps: a) polyamide; b) synthetic; c) nylon; d) mechanical; e) invention; f) material; g) stockings; h)

a) Put the following words into the certain gaps:

a) polyamide; b) synthetic; c) nylon; d) mechanical; e) invention; f) material; g) stockings; h) replaced; i) applications; j) chemist.

 

NYLON

Nylon is a generic designation for family of 1) … polymers known generically as polyamides. It was invented in the early 1930s by an American 2) …, Julian Hill. Other scientists worked with his 3) … and finally on the 27^th of October in 1938, nylon was introduced to the world.

Nylon is a thermoplastic silky 4) …, first used commercially in a nylon-bristled toothbrush (1938), followed more famously by women's 5) … ("nylons"; 1940). It is made of repeating units linked by amide bonds and is frequently referred to as 6) … (PA). Nylon was the first commercially successful synthetic polymer. Nylon was intended to be a synthetic replacement for silk and substituted for it in many different products after silk became scarce during World War II. It 7) … silk in military applications such as parachutes and flak vests, and was used in many types of vehicle tires.

Nylon fibers are used in many 8)..., including fabrics, seat belts, furniture, computers, carpets, ropes and spare parts of the body. Solid nylon is used for 9)... parts such as machine screws, gears and other low- to medium-stress components previously cast in metal. Nylon is available in glass-filled variants which increase structural and impact strength and rigidity, and molybdenum sulfide-filled variants which increase lubricity.

It has played an important part in our lives for over 70 years. Annually about 40 million tons of 10) … are manufactured.

 

b) Define whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

1. One person invented nylon.

2. Soft nylon is used in machine screws, gears etc.

3. Glass-filled variants increase lubricity.

4. In the late thirties of the twentieth century nylon was presented to the world.

5. At first nylon was used in “nylons”.

6. Nylon fibers are applied in furniture, computers, ropes etc.

7. Every year forty thousand tons of nylon is produced.

8. Nylon was the substitute for cotton.

9. Nylon is referred to a family of synthetic polymers.

10. The first successful polymer that was used commercially was nylon.

Total Score – 40 points