Exercises
1. Answer the following questions:
Why must engineers become ever more scientific and specialized?
What are the main divisions of engineering?
What specialists are required in any branch of engineering?
Why must the engineer also deal with economists?
Why do engineers often work in a team now?
Can we say that engineering is a profession? Why?
What degrees do engineers usually get?
2. Translate the following international words, consult the dictionary, if necessary:
Metallurgist, expert, mechanics, mathematician, generator, economist, designer, turbine, tunnel, radio, engine.
3. Make up sentences out of the two parts:
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4. Complete the following diagram:
5. Try to translate the following text without using the dictionary: So What Is Engineering?
The engineering industry makes most of the things that are essential and useful: aerospace, cars, hospital equipment, telecommunications and even the humble kettle. Engineering also makes most of the things other industries need from cash dispensers and electronic mail for the banking industry to microphones and staging for the entertainment industry. In the production of everything from chocolates to the Channel Tunnel, the key individuals are the engineers. It's an industry that still contributes significantly to the wealth of the UK, the very diverse manufacturing industry sector alone generates around a third of the national wealth and employs approximately 32 percent of the working population.
In recent years, engineering has changed out of all recognition. The sheer speed of change in many manufacturing technologies is startling. Thanks to the introduction of computers and new technologies like Virtual Reality, people are more in control than ever. This also means the engineering employers are looking for people with a wider range of skills and personalities: from lone-theorists to more gregarious and practical individuals; from managers who can handle people, lead teams and solve problems, to creative designers with a keen sense of market realities. Engineering needs them all – women as well as men.
6. Give a brief summary of the text.
T ext 3
The Essential Triangle
Technological and industrial progress depends on the scientist, the engineer and the technologist – an essential triangle. Each makes major contribution to progress. The engineer depends upon the scientist for new knowledge and upon the technologist for specialized assistance in translating engineering plans into operating reality.
The pure scientist can make his contribution to progress through the investigation of the unknown.
The interests of the research engineer are in the area of applied science and research. Scientists work in a world of generalizations and abstractions. The technologist, on the other hand, works in the real world of specific things and objects. His problems are practical and they require practical solutions. He is more interested in how to do things. He must understand engineering tables and formulas and apply them in his work. The scientist, the research engineer, the technologist – all play an important role in the modern world.
The principal work of the engineer is design. He has to design products, machines and production systems. Like the research engineer, the engineer asks “why?” Like the technologist, he is also concerned with “how?”
The engineer must combine many of the characteristics of the scientist, research engineer and technologist. He must have a basic knowledge of the sciences, and understanding of the abstract techniques of the research engineer and he should know much of the technology employed by technologists.
Perhaps the most important function of the engineer is to integrate the work of the essential triangle. His interest must be in combining the abstract-theoretical world and the technical-practical world.