英語表現演習4 (金): Describing characteristics of materials・材質を描写して

Hello!

How are you? Today, let's look at how to describe the characteristics of materials (材質を描写して). 

Take a look at the steel bars above. How would you describe their material characteristics? You could say that they are hard and strong, as well as heavy. 

You could also add more to your description - you could say they are, for example, durable (丈夫) - this means they can be used for a long time, and they're tough. 

Finally, you could also think of some examples of how the material is used. 

So maybe you could say - The steel in these bars are hard and strong, as well as durable. Steel is ideal for all kinds of industrial use, and in everything from building construction to ship building. 

Activity

Look at the pictures of these things below. How would you describe the characteristics of their materials? 

In addition to vocabulary you already know (hard, strong, etc.), here is some other useful vocabulary for you: 

  flexible     fragile     tough     useful     adaptable      

Plastics

Rubber

Wood

Glass

Have fun with these!

New - homework

Here are the notes for your homework for next week (10/5): 

Choose a material - anything is okay (metal, non-metal, composite, or alloy). On the internet, find one (1) picture of the material - download it onto your smartphone or print it out (a black-and-white picture is also okay). 

Write a few sentences on a piece of notebook paper about the material's characteristics, and what products, components, or equipment the material is used in. 

Bring your notes plus the picture to the next class on 10/5, and make a quick, 1-2 minute "presentation" to the group of students you sit with about it. 

Also - don't forget: 

See you next week!

Images: Top - by Frank Vincentz - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50311242/Plastic products - by ImGz - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3781690/Tires - by TUBS - Picture taken by myself using a Canon Powershot S500, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5399070/Wooden floor - by Lars Lentz - Photo by Lars Lentz, source. Cropped version (compliant with CC-BY-SA) by 5ko, CC BY-SA 1.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14392/Glass jar - by Zaereth - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56076853