Taj Mahal | By Free School

🎧 Listen (for comprehension): Source 👉 The Story of the Taj Mahal

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Renowned worldwide for its beauty and symmetry, the Taj Mahal is the most famous landmark in India. Located near the city of Agra, the Taj Mahal attracts millions of visitors each year, who come to see its beauty and remember the romantic story of its origins. 

The Taj Mahal - its name is Persian for 'Crown of Palaces' - is an elaborate mausoleum or tomb. It was built more than 350 years ago by Emperor Shah Jahan of India as a memorial for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who had died. Shah Jahan met his future wife when he was fifteen years old and she was fourteen, although they were not married until five years later in 1612. Their marriage was a happy one, as the two loved each other and were good friends as well. Shah Jahan gave his wife the title Mumtaz Mahal, which means 'Chosen One of the Palace,' and together they had fourteen children. It was while giving birth to her final child in 1631 that Mumtaz Mahal died. Shah Jahan was heartbroken and decided to build a memorial for his beloved wife in Agra, on the banks of the Yamuna river. 

Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632. It was an immense project: more than 20,000 workers were involved, and materials were transported by more than 1,000 elephants. The style of the buildings was inspired by Persian, Islamic, and Indian architecture, and the tomb was finished with huge slabs of white marble and decorated with many precious and semi-precious stones. Elaborate patterns of tile and even poems written on the walls in careful calligraphy decorated nearly every surface. The tomb took about 12 years to build, but the work was not over yet! The tomb itself is only part of a much larger complex and is surrounded by elaborate gardens with pathways and pools of water that are positioned to catch beautiful reflections. There are also minarets, a mosque, and a gateway. Construction of the rest of the complex took an additional ten years, meaning that the entire project took 22 years to build. The cost is estimated to have been 32 million Indian rupees, an equivalent of about $827 million US dollars today. It is said that Shah Jahan planned to build a second Taj Mahal across the river from the first, made completely of black marble, as his own tomb, but when his son overthrew him and rose to power the plans were discarded. Whether this is true or not, it is probably true that Shah Jahan did not plan to be buried in the Taj Mahal with his wife, but that is where his son buried him when he died. A slightly larger tomb for Shah Jahan was added next to Mumtaz Mahal's, marking the only place in the tomb that the symmetry is broken. Shah Jahan and his Queen are not actually buried in the tombs that are on display: those are empty. Instead, their bodies are buried beneath the Taj Mahal. 

Through the centuries, the Taj Mahal has survived. It has been described as 'poetry in stone', and 'a teardrop on the cheek of time,' and has been designated a World Heritage Site for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India" and a "universally admired masterpiece". Today it is a symbol of India and one of the most famous landmarks in the world, as well as an enduring symbol of a love that was meant to last forever. 

🗪 Discussion (create fun & interesting role-play): 

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2. Comprehension Questions:
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✍ Vocabulary Review (find the word in the text that is suitable to each below description): 

1. famous for something
2. The quality of being made up of exactly similar parts facing each other or around an axis.
3. containing a lot of careful detail or many detailed parts
4. a building in which the bodies of dead people are buried
5. an object, often large and made of stone, that has been built to honour a famous person or event
6. (of a person) suffering from overwhelming distress; very upset.
7. extremely large in size or degree
8. to make someone feel that they want to do something and can do it
9. connected with the Muslim religion, or with people or countries who follow it
10. A large, thick, flat piece of stone, concrete, or wood, typically rectangular.
11. of great value because of being rare, expensive, or important
12. (the art of producing) beautiful writing, often created with a special pen or brush
13. a tall, thin tower on or near a mosque (= a Muslim holy building) from which Muslims are called to pray
14. a building for Islamic religious activities and worship
15. to defeat or remove someone from power, using force
16. to throw something away or get rid of it because you no longer want or need it
17. a work of art such as a painting, film, or book that is made with great skill
18. existing for a long time

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Being a Civil Engineer Vs. an Architect | By Interesting Engineering

🎧 Listen (for comprehension): Source 👉 Being a Civil Engineer Vs. an Architect

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Both civil engineers and architects are involved in planning and designing structures. However, a civil engineer will concentrate on making sure that the structure will be safe and be able to endure every day in extreme conditions, while the architect will focus on the aesthetics of the structural work, as well as concentrate on the look, feel, and functionality. The civil engineer will analyze and evaluate the structural integrity of the design which the architect has created, and find ways to make the construction design possible by suggesting alterations/ modifications in order to turn the architect's vision into reality. Civil engineers and architects often work with each other, as their work sometimes overlaps. A good working relationship between the two professions will make a construction job more effective and successful. 

What's it like being a civil engineer?

Civil engineering is a very demanding yet fulfilling career, as the engineer work on a project from its inception right to its completion. When you drive over a bridge, see a building, fly out of an airport or visit a museum, a civil engineer has had a major part in that project. Civil engineers have many duties; they interact with clients, customers, inspectors, suppliers, vendors, architects, and design teams. They submit and revise drawings many times over until they are approved. They also spend time tendering, looking at reports, doing cost estimates, analyzing designs and infrastructures, testing, commissioning, and spend time on construction sites to see what progress is being made on projects. Construction sites need to be visited and monitored frequently, in all kinds of weather conditions, to make sure work is going smoothly and disputes are resolved in a timely manner in order to meet specific deadlines.

What's it like being an architect?

Being an architect can be very challenging and competitive. University does not teach you everything you need to know, but it does develop your creative talents and opens your mind to new ideas. You will learn about business and the technical aspects of architecture when you start working in the field. You will also develop useful contacts and relationships with contractors, engineers, and clients. Practicing architecture for most architects is not about designing, but about coordinating projects, solving design problems, and overseeing the details of the construction. All these mundane and uninspiring tasks will lead to a successful design. Over time, you may prefer either the design aspect, or the technical aspect of the job and may veer towards doing one over the other. The direction you take in your career will dictate what your typical day will be like. Architectural design focuses on the design of a building, the use of 3d models, sketching, renderings, etc. Technical design focuses on the construction, documentation, and details of a project. There is also the business side of architecture, and if you find you prefer that side of the picture, you can branch out and become a project manager. Try to get an opportunity to spend some time in an architecture office if you can.  See if you like what people are doing there, chat with them and see if they are the type of people with whom you like to work.  This is really the best indicator of whether you will enjoy being an architect or not. 

Do architects and civil engineers work together?

The two main designers of a structure are the architect and the civil engineer; both professions being integral to the structure's execution and construction. Their responsibilities often overlap. The architect will design a space to meet the client's needs, and will come up with the blueprints for both the inside and outside of a building. Because the architect is ultimately responsible that the building is safe for its occupants, he or she will work closely with a civil engineer to ensure the structure meets all the appropriate building codes. The civil engineer can also advise and/or select the appropriate structural materials, and help with specifying the plumbing, electrical, heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems that will be needed. 

🗪 Discussion (create fun & interesting role-play): 

1. Warm-Up Questions:
2. Comprehension Questions:
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✍ Vocabulary Review (find the word in the text that is suitable to each below description): 

1. to do things and be part of an activity or event
2. Focus one's attention or mental effort on a particular object or activity.
3. to continue to exist for a long time
4. A set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, especially in art.
5. The quality of being suited to serve a purpose well; practicality.
6. to judge or calculate the quality, importance, amount, or value of something
7. the quality of being whole and complete
8. a change, usually a slight change, in the appearance, character, or structure of something
9. to have some parts or features that are the same
10. (of a task) requiring much skill or effort.
11. the beginning of an organization or official activity
12. to communicate with someone
13. someone who is selling something
14. the process of choosing the best or cheapest company to supply goods or do a job by asking several companies to make offers for supplying the goods or doing the work
15. bring (something newly produced, such as a factory or machine) into working condition
16. A disagreement, argument, or debate
17. to solve or end a problem or difficulty
18. wanting very much to win or be more successful than other people
19. to watch organize a job or an activity to make certain that it is being done correctly
20. very ordinary and therefore not interesting
21. not making you feel excited or interested
22. to change direction
23. to influence something or make it necessary
24. a device that shows a value or a change in level, speed, etc.:
25. necessary and important as a part of a whole
26. the act of doing or performing something in a planned way
27. finally, after a series of things have happened
28. a person who lives or works in a room or building

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How modern highways are built | By Interesting Engineering

🎧 Listen (for comprehension): Source 👉 How modern highways are built

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From the Autobahn in Germany to the sprawling U.S federal highway system, highways are some of the most important pieces of transportation infrastructure around the world. We often take them for granted but have you ever considered what sort of engineering goes into the construction of highways? Let's take a closer look!

The construction of any highway begins with the planning phase. Before laying the foundation, engineers and officials spend a lot of time determining the best route for traffic to flow through cities and across regions. Since highways last for so long they don't just consider the transportation problems of today but also think and plan out many decades into the future. After a plan for the highway is made, the next step is handing off the concept to a team of surveyors, architects, and engineers to complete the initial design. Surveying teams use GPS-based scanning tools to carefully map out the land where a highway will be built. The teams collect a massive amount of data including soil properties, drainage capabilities, future development potential, environmental effects, and even a complex digital point cloud that perfectly models the terrain. Once the data is collected, the design is finalized over what is usually a process of many years. The next step is construction. Since most highway systems are built by governments, choosing a company or companies to undertake the construction is usually done through a bidding process where different companies compete to offer the best price, quality, speed, and other factors. Like buildings and other structures, highways will need to hold a significant amount of weight throughout their lives which is why they need a very strong foundation. The phases of the construction process for highways usually looks like this:

1. Build up embankments and cut down hills to flatten out the terrain where the highway will be built.
2. Then, bulldozers and other heavy equipment will grade the soil and dirt, perfectly leveling out and smoothing the terrain together to create a subgrade.
3. Depending on the highway, engineers will often lay down different layers of soil. This soil is then heavily compacted to build up a strong sub-base grade to lay the roadway on top of.
4. While compacting soil down to its maximum density, engineers will lay down road drainage and storm sewer systems to ensure that the highways don't flood. After these preparatory and foundation laying steps are completed, the paving process can be started.

There are many different paving options for roadways but the main two highway choices are asphalt or a type of concrete. Asphalt uses a chemical compound known as bitumen, a byproduct of petroleum to essentially glue together crushed rock. This mixture is heated, laid, and then compacted to make the roadway surface. Concrete utilizes cement, water, and an aggregate like sand or rock. Concrete roadways are built by pouring the concrete into forms used to carefully shape and smooth the road surface. Asphalt is less durable compared to concrete but it's also far cheaper and faster to lay, especially for long stretches of road. Concrete, on the other hand, is highly durable but it's very expensive and time-consuming to use for constructing roadways. The choice will depend partly on cost considerations, environmental conditions, and what the roadway will be used for. After the paving process is completed, the roadway will undergo a period of testing. Engineers use seismology equipment to measure vibrations and fluctuations in the road surface. Engineers will also do load testing on the roadway making sure that the highway can support the necessary amount of weight. Finally, engineers have to check that the highway can support high water flow rates through its drainage system to help prevent accidents due to inclement weather.  After all of these construction and certification steps, the roadway can be opened up to the public for use. 

The process of constructing a highway usually takes many years. For example, plans for the Pan-American Highway which is made up of a series of interconnected roadways stretching across Canada, The United States, and 12 nations in South America began as far back as 1923. Construction on the first part of the roadway began in the 1940s. Today after almost 100 years of work, the road from the tip of North America to the tip of South America is still incomplete. The United States really loves highways too because not only does the U.S have the longest road network in the world but it is also home to the widest highway in the world. The Katy Freeway in Texas spans a monstrous 26 lanes across at its widest point and more than 219,000 vehicles drive across it every day. Highways are marvels of engineering indeed but they often go unremarked. Hopefully now as you're traveling across the highways of the world you'll appreciate the immense amount of engineering and planning that goes into them.

🗪 Discussion (create fun & interesting role-play): 

1. Warm-Up Questions:
2. Comprehension Questions:
3. More Discussion Questions:

✍ Vocabulary Review (find the word in the text that is suitable to each below description): 

1. a part of something
2. the basic systems and services, such as transport and power supplies, that a country or organization uses in order to work effectively
3. to not show that you are grateful for someone or something, and forget that you are lucky to have them
4. to pass or give something to someone
5. a principle or idea
6. of or at the beginning
7. very large in size, amount, or number
8. the system of water or waste liquids flowing away from somewhere into the ground or down pipes
9. an area of land, when considering its natural features
10. to try to be more successful than someone or something else
11. an artificial slope made of earth and/or stones
12. to become level or cause something to become level
13. a heavy vehicle with a large blade in front, used for pushing earth and stones away and for making areas of ground flat at the same time
14. An underground conduit for carrying off drainage water and waste matter.
15. done in order to get ready for something
16.  covering an area of ground with a hard, flat surface of pieces of stone, concrete, or bricks
17. a black, sticky substance, often mixed with small stones or sand, that forms a strong surface when it becomes hard
18. An incidental or secondary product made in the manufacture or synthesis of something else.
19. a dark, thick oil obtained from under the ground, from which various substances including petrol, paraffin, and diesel oil are produced
20. broken into small pieces by being pressed very hard
21. to press something together in a tight and solid way
22. to use something in an effective way
23. to experience something that is unpleasant or something that involves a change
24. the scientific study of the sudden, violent movements of the earth connected with earthquakes
25. a change, or the process of changing, especially continuously between one level or thing and another
26. (of the weather) unpleasantly cold or wet
27. with different parts or things connected or related to each other
28. Having the ugly or frightening appearance of a monster.
29. not noticed
30. extremely large in size or degree

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