Text 6: Natural plant fibers

Task 1. What natural plant fibers do you know? Read the text and fill in the missing sentences. Note! There is one odd sentence you needn’t to use.

Cellulose Fibers are the natural fibers from plants, and are categorized by the part of the plant used - seed, stem or leaf. Cotton is a seed fiber, a fiber that grows within a pod or boll from developing seeds. Flax, hemp and ramie are bast fibers, from the stem of the plant. Leaf fibers are removed from the veins or ribs of a leaf. Sisal, a type of agave plant, is an example, as well as pina (pineapple leaves) and abaca (banana tree family). 1._______________________________________.

All the cellulose fibers share some desirable qualities - they are good heat conductors making them cooler than protein fibers for summer clothing; they can withstand high temperatures; they do not build up static and have good absorbency. 2._____________________________________.

These natural fibers are not as light weight as wool and silk but because they have less loft and they compact well, thread can be used for high-count fabrics as well as wind-resistant fabrics. 3.___________________________. 4._____________________________.



A. It can also feel very heavy when wet, especially as a yarn, and doesn't hold the same shape as wool.

B. They are resistant to moths although may be damaged by crickets or silverfish and prone to mildew.

C. Not all animal fibers have the same properties, and even within a species the fiber is not consistent.

D. Cellulose fibers will also wrinkle more than wool and silk unless specially treated.

E. The leaf fibers are not very commonly found as yarn or spinning fiber.

Task 2. What is jute? Read the text and fill in the missing words

climate; curtains; moisture; spun; largest; tanks; annual

Jute is a bast fiber obtained from the plant that is a tall, slender, somewhat shrubby 1)______with yellow flowers that grows to a height of 8-10 ft. It requires a warm 2)_______and a rich, loamy alluvial soil.

Harvest occurs within 3-4 months after planting and while the flowers are still in full bloom. The stems are retted in pools or 3)____for several days to rot out the softer gummy tissues, and whipping the stems on the surface of the water then loosens the jute, or Gunny, strands. The pale-yellow fibers are very long, from 6-10 ft. in length, and they are very stiff being highly lignified. They have a silky luster. They are produced in abundance, but are not especially strong and they tend to deteriorate when exposed to 4)_______. Despite these disadvantages they are economical and easily 5)____. Jute has been used mainly for rough weaving into burlap bags, gunnysacks and covers for cotton bales. The fiber is also used for twine, carpets, 6)_______and coarse cloth. Short fibers and pieces from the lower ends of the stalks make up jute butts that have been used in paper manufacture. India has the 7)_______ acreage of jute.

Task 3. Translate into English

1) Пряди́вні рослини — рослини, з яких одержують волокно для текстильноджутової промисловості. 2) У світовому виробництві найбільше вирощуються бавовник, джут, льон-довгунець і коноплі. 3) В Україні поширені льон-довгунець і коноплі; у 1930 — 1940-их pоках чимале значення мав бавовник і деяке кенаф, але з 1950-их pp. їх не культивують.

Task 4. Write an essay on the topic “The importance of natural plant fibers in the textile manufacture”.