The right person in the right job

Англ

А 647

АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК

БАЗОВЫЙ КУРС

PRE - INTERMEDIATE

ЧАСТЬ 2

Методические указания

Новосибирск

2009

Министерство образования и науки Российской Федерации

 

НОВОСИБИРСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ ТЕХНИЧЕСКИЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ

__________________________________________________________________________

81.2 Англ                                                                         № 3678

А 647

 

 

АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК

 

БАЗОВЫЙ КУРС

 

 

PRE-INTERMEDIATE

 

 

ЧАСТЬ 2

 

 

Методические указания для студентов первого курса
всех технических специальностей

 

 

Новосибирск

2009

ББК 81.432.1-923

А 647

 

Составители:

доц. К.В. Пиоттух,

ст. преп. А.Е. Гамм, ст.преп. Е.А. Головнева,
ст. преп. Е.А. Зотова, ст. преп. О.И. Кондратьева,
преп. Е.Г. Калинина, ст. преп. Т.Н. Климентьева,
ст.преп. А.А. Сибирцева, ст.преп. Ю.В. Ридная,
преп. А.Ю. Алябьева

 

Рецензент канд. филол. наук, доц. Л.С. Шестопалова

 

 

Работа выполнена на кафедре иностранных языков ТФ НГТУ

 

 

Данные методические указания предназначены для студентов первого курса всех технических специальностей НГТУ, уровня Pre-Intermediate.

Основная цель пособия – развитие навыков устной речи и чтения. Материалы для чтения представлены текстами профессионально-ориентированного содержания. Это позволит познакомить учащихся с определенными синтаксическими структурами, характерными для данного вида тестов.

 

АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК

БАЗОВЫЙ КУРС

PRE - INTERMEDIATE

Часть 2

В авторской редакции

 

Выпускающий редактор И.П. Брованова

Компьютерная верстка С.И. Ткачева

Подписано в печать 30.06.2009. Формат 60 ´ 84 1/16. Бумага офсетная. Тираж 400 экз. Уч.-изд. л. 6,51. Печ. л. 7,0. Изд. № 400. Заказ №         . Цена договорная

Отпечатано в типографии

Новосибирского государственного технического университета

630092, г. Новосибирск, пр. К. Маркса, 20

 

© Новосибирский государственный

технический университет, 2009

Module I. ENGINEERING

 

UNIT 1. WHAT’S ENGINEERING?

· Focus: notion of engineering,branches of engineering, jobs in engineering, modern trends of engineering, engineering education; basic vocabulary

· Grammar focus: Infinitive: forms and functions

· Skills focus: Reading for specific information to know about engineering; learning basic vocabulary and developing speaking skills

 

Text 1

Before you start

1. Work with a partner. In your own language, think of four words to describe engineering. Compare your words with another pair and agree on four words. How do you say these words in English? Write down four English words to describe engineering.

Reading

2. Read the headings of the paragraphs (1-4) below. Underline any new words and look them up in the glossary or your dictionary. What do you think each paragraph will be about?

3. Read the paragraphs (1-4) below and check.

1 Engineering is everywhere. Almost everything we use in modern life is made by engineers. For example, if a manufacturer wants a faster car, a smaller personal stereo, or a better pen, they will ask a design engineer to find a practical solution.

2. Engineering is both theoretical and practical. Engineers use theory (ideas about engineering) to produce practical answers. The design solution must be a reasonable price, safe, and reliable. A new idea that is expensive, dangerous, or doesn't always work is not a good solution.

3. Engineers use a method. Generally, engineers solve problems in a methodical way. Engineers define the problem, design the solution, test the solution, evaluate the solution. If the solution isn't right, the process is repeated. When a good solution is found, the next step is to communicate the solution.

4. Anyone can use engineering ideas. This method of problem-solving is useful in everyday life. For example, you can use the five steps next time you prepare for a test.

– Define the problem: I want to pass my test next week.

– Design a solution: I will study for three hours a day.

– Test the solution; Study for three hours a day and take the test.

– Evaluate the solution: Have I passed the test with a good mark? Yes = a good solution. No = a bad solution, so think of a better one.

– Communicate the solution: Tell your friends about your test-passing technique.

 

4. Read the four paragraphs again and decide if the sentences (1-4) below, are true (T) or false (F).

1. Lots of things are made by engineers.	T/F
2. Engineering isn't practical.	T/F
3. Engineers must think carefully.	T/F
4. Only engineers can solve problems.	T/F

 

Vocabulary

5. Match the underlined words from the text with the meanings (1-7) below.

1. plan

2. say exactly

3. a business

4. answer

5. careful

6. assess the success of

7. normal

 

Writing and Speaking

6. Read the paragraph headings again. Do you agree with them?

 

7. Work with a partner. Choose one of the problems below or your own problem. Solve it using the five steps. Make notes.

 

– You want to go away for a weekend with your friends but your parents want you to study.

– You want to buy a CD player but you haven't got any money.

 

8. Explain your problem and the solution to another pair of students.

9. Look at the four words you wrote to describe engineering at the beginning of the unit. Do you want to change them?

Get real

Find an example of a new, improved design, for example, a new model of car, household appliance, or personal stereo. Compare the original and the new one. Which features are different? Is the new one better?

 

Grammar Focus

Infinitive

In modern English the infinitive has the following forms:

 

	Active	Passive
Indefinite Continuous Perfect Perfect Continuous	to write to be writing to have written to have been writing	be written – to have been written –

 

Negative form; not + Infinitive

She asked me not to forget to post the letter.

Like the tense distinctions of all verbals those of the infinitive are also relative. It means that the Indefinite and Continuous Infinitive express an action simultaneous with the action expressed by the finite verb. The Continuous Infinitive shows an action in progress.

I am glad to meet you. Рад познакомиться с вами.

I was glad to see Mr Paul. Я был рад видеть мистера Пола.

Mr Forsyte will be glad to see you. Мистер Форсайт будет рад видеть вас.

Не pretended to be sleeping. Он притворился, что спит.

I'm glad to have met him. Я рад, что встретил его.

The Perfect Infinitive denotes an action prior to that of the finite verb. It is often used after some expressions (to be + adjective), to be glad, to be happy, to be sorry, to be surprised it is clever/kind/silly of you, etc.

I was sorry to have said it. Я сожалел, что сказал это (раньше),

He must have forgotten about it. Он, должно быть, забыл об этом.

Only two forms of the Infinitive (the Indefinite Active and Passive to ask/to be asked) have corresponding forms in Russian. There are no corresponding forms for the Continuous, Perfect and Perfect Continuous Infinitive, hence they can be tran slated only in a sentence.

The Infinitive of transitive verbs has special forms for the Active and Passive Voice.

It is wonderful to love and to be loved. Прекрасно любить и быть любимым.

1. State the form of the Infinitive. Translate the sentence

1. To go on with this discussion is to waste time. 2. Oh, I'm sorry to have taken so much of your time. 3. It all sounds too good to be true. 4. We assembled to discuss our plans. 5. Now, the first thing to settle is what to take with us. 6. He was the first to raise the question. 7. A celebration such as this was a chance not to be missed. 8. Look back to make sure you haven't left anything behind. 9. She was the last to realize how dangerous it was. 10. You're a bachelor with no family to take care of.
11. I didn’t come here to be shouted at. 12. He came here to speak to me, not to you. 13. To meet the demands for goods, new shops have been opened in the town. 14. The plan will be discussed at the meeting to be held on May 25.

 

2. Insert the Infinitive in the appropriate form and translate the sentences into Russian.

Mr. Abbot was the first... the silence, (to break). 2. The next patient... was a nice girl in her early ‘teens. (to examine). 3. Honesty is the first principle... when working with us. (to observe). 4. He complained that he was always the last... (to inform). 5. I am the last man … a question of the kind. (to ask). 6. They were among the last... (to arrive). 7. He found that he was the only one... the discrepancy. (to notice). 8. If there is a vacancy I would like to be the one... the job (to offer). 9. These houses were among the few... after a great fire. (to survive). 10. Who was the youngest chess player... the title of All-Union Champion?(to win).
11. The Shakespeare Memorial Theatre players were the second British company... the Soviet Union (to visit). 12. The Nurenberg trial was the biggest international trial... ever... (to hold).

 

Text 2

1. Read the text. Use the vocabulary after the text if necessary. Do the exercises after the text.

What is Engineering

Ask a number of people chosen at random what the word "engineering" conveys to them and you will be surprised at the differences in their answers. Better still, ask a number of students enrolled in an engineering college why they have chosen to study for the engineering profession. It soon becomes clear that few have given it much thought or inquired in any depth as to what it is all about. A student may feel, because of his ability to fix automobiles, that he has a mechanical bent and that he could well become a successful engineer as a result of this aptitude. However, he should realize that what he learns at the university will not help much around the garage and he is more likely to end up behind a desk than with a wrench in his hand.

The question is difficult to clarify in a few words, and precise definitions are dif­ficult to find. Perhaps an adequate starting point would be to claim that engineering is a profession concerned with the application of the resources of the universe to create devices, systems, and structures to satisfy the needs of mankind. This is a very general and not completely satisfactory definition. After all, craftsmen who make tennis racquets or violins, for example, do not look on themselves as engineers. Further, many engineers are engaged in tasks not clearly identifiable with particular devices, systems, or structures.

An easy way out is to let the existing cur­ricula in engineering colleges around the country define the substance of engineer­ing. Undoubtedly, the people who use the concepts and techniques presented in such curricula to satisfy man's needs are mostly engineers. The usual structure of engineer­ing curricula includes four main compo­nents. First come the basic sciences of physics, chemistry, and mathematics. Then a block of humanities courses is required. The engineering courses fall in the general areas of (I) mechanics of solids, (2) prop­erties of materials, (3) mechanics of fluids, (4) thermodynamics, (5) electrical science, (6) transfer and rate processes, and (7) sys­tems. Finally come the design courses which put it all together. It is this design discipline which exemplifies engineering in action, for it illustrates how engineers solve practical problems by applying their scientific knowledge and skills in the iter­ative decision-making process. This is how engineers adapt science to human needs.

 

Vocabulary

engineering     – техника, инженерно-строительная сфера, машино-
строение

at random       – наугад, случайно

convey            – выражать, передавать (идею, мысль)

enroll              – зачислять, принимать (в вуз)

inquire            – исследовать, рассматривать

ability             – способность

fix                   – амер.; ремонтировать

bent                – склонность, наклонность

aptitude (for) – способность, склонность (к)

realize             – осознавать, понимать

likely              – вероятно, по всей видимости

wrench            – гаечный ключ

clarify             – прояснять(ся), разъяснять

precise            – точный

definition        – определение

concern           – здесь: касаться, иметь отношение (к)

application      – применение, использование

universe          – вселенная

create              – творить, создавать

device             – прибор, устройство, механизм; план, схема, проект;
изобретение

violin              – скрипка

completely      – совершенно, полностью

craftsman        – специалист, мастер (своего дела)

be engaged (in) – заниматься (чем-то)

identifiable     – отождествляемый

particular        – определенный

way out           – выход (из положения)

existing           – существующий

curricula (мн.ч.) – учебные планы, программы (школы, института,
университета)

property          – свойство, качество

fluid                – жидкость

transfer           – перенос, передача.

rate                 – здесь: скорость, темп

put together     – соединять, объединять

exemplify       – служить примером, приводить пример

in action          – в действии

solve               – (раз) решать (проблему)

apply              – применять

skill                 – умение, мастерство

iterative           – повторяющийся

adapt               – приспосабливать, адаптировать

Word Study

2. Find equivalents to the following phrases.

Свойства материалов; передача/перенос и скорость; процесс принятия решений; применять знания и умения; создавать прибо­ры; по всей стране; склонность к механике; набирать/зачислять сту­дентов; выбранные наугад; начальная точка; гуманитарные науки; профессия, связанная с применением ресурсов; удовлетворять по­требности человека; различия в их ответах; заняты в этих задачах; ис­следовать глубоко; включать 4 основных компонента; лучший выход; представленный в учебных планах; решать проблемы; ибо это иллю­стрирует; решать практические задачи; объединять все курсы.

 

3. Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Этот вопрос трудно объяснить в нескольких словах.

2. Трудно найти точные определения данному явлению (phenomenon).

3. Существующие учебные планы в инженерных колледжах по всей стране определяют суть инженерного дела.

4. Мы опросили ряд людей, выбранных наугад.

5. Сколько студентов зачисляют на ваш факультет каждый год?

6. У него есть склонность к механике

7. Благодаря этой способности/склонности он может стать ус­пешным инженером.

8. Профессия инженера связана с применением ресурсов все­ленной для создания приборов, систем и структур с целью удовлетворения нужд человека.

9. Учебный план включает 4 основных компонента.

10. Это очень общее определение.

11. Инженеры разрешают практические проблемы, применяя свои знания и умения в процессе принятия решений.

12. Таким образом инженеры применяют научные знания, удовлетворяя потребности человека.

 

Comprehension Check

4. Answer the following questions.

1. Why do students choose the profession of an engineer?

2. What is engineering profession concerned with? (Give the gen­eral definition).

3. What are the necessary components of the engineering curricula?

4. Are there only technical subjects in the curricula of the technical higher education institutions?

 

5. Find infinitives in the text What is engineering? Define the forms of the infinitives.

 

Grammar Focus

The use of the Infinitive without the particle ‘to’ (The Bare Infinitive)

In modern English the Infinitive is chiefly used with the particle to – the formal sign of the infinitive. Still there are cases when the bare infinitive is used.

1. After auxiliary verbs:

I don't know her.

We shall go there at once.

2. After modal verbs:

You can't do it.

You must consult the doctor.

3. After the verbs of sense perception (to see, to hear, to feel, to watch, to notice, etc.) in the infinitive Constructions:

I’ve never seen you look so well.

She heard him enter the room.

I felt my heart jump.

After these verbs in the Passive the to-infinitive is used:

He was heard to mention your name.

Thechild was made to obey.

She was seen to leave the house early in the morning.

4. After the verb to let:

Let ' s be friends.

When he calls, let me know.

5. After theverbs to make (= to force – заставлять), need (нужно) and dare (сметь, осмелиться) (in the modal meaning):

Need I do the washing up?

How dare you call me a liar?

What makes you think so?

6. After the expressions had better (... лучше бы), would rather/sooner (... бы, пожалуй), cannot but(не могу не...), etc.:

He said he would rather stay at home.

You had better go there at once.

I can't but think about it.

7. In the sentences beginning with why (not) (почему бы вам...).

Why not come and talk to her yourself?

Wh y pay more at other shops?

8. After formal words than, rather than, but, except:

I'll do anything but work with children.

Rather than walk for half an hour, I'll take a taxi.

 

1. Replace the group of words in bold type by an infinitive.  

For example: She was the first lady who left. – She was the first (lady) to leave.

1. The manager was the last who left the shop. 2. I was astonished when I heard that he had left his native town. 3. There was no place where he could sit. 4. I can't go to the party: I have nothing that I can wear. 5. He was the first man who swam the Channel. 6. He was the only one who realized the danger.

 

2. Combine each of the following parts of sentences into one sentence using an infinitive.

Model: They sent me to University, they wanted me to study law.

They sent me to University to study law.

1. I am buying bread. I want to feed the bird. 2. He opened the door. He intended to go out. 3. He rushed into the burning house. He wanted to save the child. 4. He rang the bell. He wanted to tell us that the dinner was ready. 5. The farmer shot the rifle. He wanted to frighten the birds. 6. He sent his children to his sister's house. He wanted them to watch the television programme. 7. I am saving up. I want to buy a car. 8. I keep my hens in a field surrounded by wire netting. I want to protect them against the foxes.

 

3. Insert ‘ to’ where necessary. Explain the usage of ‘ to’.

I. 1. I like … play the piano. 2. My brother can... write poems.
3. We had... put on our overcoats because it was cold. 4. They wanted... cross the river. 5. It is high time for you... go to bed. 6. May I... use your telephone? 7. They heard the girl... cry out with joy. 8. 1 would rather … stay at home today. 9. He did not want... play in the yard anymore.
10. Would you like … go to England? 11. You look tired. You had better... go home. 12. 1 wanted... speak to Nick, but could not... find his telephone number. 13. It is time... get up. 14. Let me... help you with your homework. 15. I was planning... do a lot of things yesterday. 16. I'd like... speak to you. 17. I think I shall be able... solve this problem. 18. What makes
you... think you are right? 19. I shall... do all I can... help you. 20. 1 like... dance. 21. I'd like... dance. 22. She made me... repeat my words several times. 23. She did not let her mother... go away. 24. Do you like... listen to good music? 25. That funny scene made me... laugh.

II. 1. The boy helped us... find the way to the railway station.
2. He would sooner... die than... betray his friends. 3. Why not... start out now? We cannot wait for the rain... stop. 4. You'll be better tomorrow. You may... come and... dine with us. 5. Don't let us... get worried. There are a hundred things... be done. 6. We had better... make haste. 7. You ought not... speak to the Dean like that. 8. What made you... think so? 9. "Thanks," Andrew answered, I’d rather... see the cases myself." 10. He was made... obey the rules. 11. I thought I would rather … get to the gallery alone, but I was obliged... accept his company. 12.... have gone through what you have gone through is the lot of very few. 13. Get them... come as early as possible. 14. There is hardly anything... do but... work out an alternative plan.

 

Text 3

Before you start

1. What sort of person are you? First, answer the questions below. Then compare your answers with the rest of the class. Do you all like the same things? In your spare time, do you prefer:

– being alone or with other people?

– being inside or outside?

– being busy or relaxing?

– playing sport or watching television?

– wearing smart or casual clothes?

 

Reading

2. Read the text A “job in Engineering”. Put the main ideas (A-D) in the same order as they are in the text.

– A You need to think carefully about your personality.

– B There are lots of different jobs in engineering.

– C Think carefully about what you are interested in.

– D Engineering is a big subject.

A job in Engineering

There are lots of different types of engineering. The one thing they have in common is that they all use Maths and Science to improve industry and manufacturing. The whole science of engineering can be broadly divided into three main areas:

– civil engineering (buildings, roads, etc.)

– mechanical engineering (machines, including tool-making)

– electrical engineering (electricity, lighting, etc.)

Each of these three main area can be divided again into specialist subjects: civil engineering covers mining and bridge building, mechanical engineering covers aeronautical and automobile engineering, electrical engineering covers electricity generation and wiring.

Clearly there is a big difference between building a road and designing a computer system so the best advice for students is:

– think carefully about which area of engineering interests you most. It is difficult to study if you are not interested - and you may do the job until you are 60 years old.

– think about what sort of person you are. Will you be happiest working in an office, in a factory, or outdoors? Do you mind getting dirty? Do you want to work with other people or alone? If you like wearing high heels and beautiful clothes, you may not be happy on a building site.

When you have decided which area you are interested in and thought realistically about what sort of person you are, then you can decide what sort of engineer you want to be.

 

3 Read the text again. Choose the correct words to complete the sentences (1-4) below.

1. Engineering isa small ….

2. Engineering is about … and Maths.

3. Office buildings and bridges areexamples of … engineering

4. Tool- and machine-making are examples of … engineering.

 

Vocabulary

4. Look at the types of engineers (1-5) below. First, underline any new words and check the meaning in the glossary or your dictionary. Then write whether the jobs are indoor or outdoor, and dirty or clean.

1. petroleum

2. sanitation

3. textile

4. computer

5. chemical

 

Writing

5. Write your name and the type of engineer you want to be on a small piece of paper. Put your paper in a box and take out another student's paper. Write three questions to check if that person is choosing the right type of engineering.

For example: Mining engineer:

– Do you like working indoors or outdoors?

– Do you mind getting dirty?

– Do you like going underground?

 

Speaking

6. Work in pairs. Ask your partner  the questions you have written. Have they chosen the right type of engineering?

 

7. Find examples of job advertisements for engineers in your town. What type of engineers are employers looking for? Find out the English words.

 

8. Find the infinitives in the text of exercise 2 and define their forms.

Text 4

Before you start

1. First, answer these questions about your studies. Then discuss your ideas with the rest of the class.

· Which subjects do you study? Are there any subjects you would like to drop?

· Is your course practical? Do you like this way of working?

· How are you assessed? Do you think this is fair?

 

Reading

2. Read the text quickly and choose the correct answers to questions 1-3 below.

1. Where is the text from?

a a textbook ….. b a leaflet

2. Who is the information for?

a new students b teachers and parents

3. What is the text about?

a one course    b lots of courses

The starting point

How will I learn?

The course is full-time for one year. You will spend some time in the classroom but most of your time will be spent doing practical tasks in the workshop, in the laboratory, or on computer screen.

How will I be assessed?

Each project is marked (continuous assessment) and there are tests at the end of each term. What can I do when I finish the course? You can use your First Diploma to help you to find a job as an apprentice. Alternatively, you can continue your studies and specialize in the area that interests you most.

 

3. Read the text again and decide if the sentences (1-6) below are true (T) or false (F).

1. The First Diploma is a beginner level course.             T/F

2. Students learn general things about engineering.        T/F

3. The course isn't practical.                                           T/F

4. Students take one big exam at the end of the year.    T/F

5. At the end of course, you can apply for a job as a trainee. T/F

 

Vocabulary

4. Complete the sentences (1-6) with the words from the text.

1. – means to know a lot about one part of a subject.

2. – means all your work on the course is part of the final mark.

3. – are the most important things to learn.

4. A             teaches you general things about a subject.

5. An           is someone who works with an experienced person to learn the job.

6. You get              when you pass exams.

 

Writing

5. Answer the questions (1-6) about your course and write a leaflet for it.

1. Who is the course for?

2. What qualifications do I need?

3. What will I learn on the course?

4. How will I learn?

5. How will I be assessed?

6. What can I do when I finish the course?

Get real

6. Find a leaflet for your school or college, or a course at a college you are interested in. Compare it with the one you wrote. Can you improve either of them?

 

Text 5

Before you start

1. Ask other students in your class the questions below. If they answer yes, ask more questions.

Have you ever...

· had an interview?

· filled in an application form?

· written to someone asking for information?

For example

– Have you ever had an interview?

– Yes, I have.

– What for? What happened?

 

Reading and Speaking

2. Read the text The course for you quickly and choose the correct answers to questions 1-3 below.

1. What is the leaflet about?

a. Engineering courses at Coalport Technical College

b. All courses at Coalport Technical College

2. What does the leaflet describe?

a. lots of courses

b. one course

3. How can you get more information?

a. by telephoning

b. by returning the form

 

3. Read the text again and match the people (A-E) below with a suitable course. One person isn't suitable for any of the courses.

The course for you

Person A finished Level 1 last year. He wants to work as a welder on oil rigs.

Person B got her exam results last week. She passed Maths, Design and Technology, English, and History. She wants to work in design.

Person C works in her father's garage. She hasn't passed any exams but she is good at mending cars and wants to return to studying.

Person D left school in 2000 with no exam passes. Since then he has worked in a jeans shop and a hamburger cafe.

Person E has five GCSEs and wants to work as a telephone engineer.

Vocabulary

4. Complete the definitions (1-6) below with the words from the text.

1. An                 is a person who wants a job or a place on a course.

2. An ______ is a formal meeting.

3. To ______ is to make something ready.

4. ______ are ways of sending information, news, etc. from one place to another.

5. ______ is joining metal by heating.

6. ______ means putting machinery in place.

Get real

5. Use the Internet to find college information or contact a college in your area and ask for leaflets about their courses. Is the information helpful? How do you get more details or apply for a course?

Text 6

1. Read the text. Use the dictionary if necessary. Do the translation of the text.

The 21^st century Engineer By Joseph Bordogna U. S. National Science Foundation

What does a 21st century engineer need to know? To attempt an answer, let’s briefly examine some of the new capabilities that are shaping the future of engineering: terascale, nanoscale, complexity, cognition, and holism.

Because science and technology are transforming forces, it will be these emerging fields, the unpredicted territories, that will change and expand our capabilities as engineers and innovators. Reasonable people will argue about whether or not these are the right ones, but they seem an appropriate starting point.

Terascale. This new capability takes us three orders of magnitude beyond present general-purpose and generally accessible computing capabilities. In the past, our system architectures could handle hundred of processors. Now we are working with systems of l0000 processors. In a very short time, we’ll be connecting millions of systems and billions of "information appliances" to the Internet, crossing that boundary of one trillion operations per second will launch us towards new frontiers.

For example, the protein-folding problem, the Holy Grail of computational biology, has withstood countless attacks, undertaken by many bright minds and argumented by years of scientific supercomputer time. On current systems, the simulation of a millisecond of protein folding the longest undertaken to date requires two months. In the real world, typical protein folding times are 20 ms. That means some 4O months of processor time are needed to run a full-scale simulation on current systems. With new terascale systems, we may be able to reduce this time one thousand -fold. That means one day instead of three years.

Nanoscale. This advance will take us three orders of magnitude below the size of most of today's human-made devices. Nanostructures are at the confluence of the down smallest of human-made devices and the large molecules of living systems, letting us imagine connecting machines of living cells. Nanotechnology lets us manipulate matter one atom or molecule at a time. It could lead to amazing breakthroughs- for example, to molecular computers that could store the equivalent of the U.S. Library of Congress in a device we could wear.

Complexity. Mitch Waldrop writes in his book “Complexity, about a point " where the components of a system never quite lock into place and yet never quite dissolve into turbulence, either..." If we look at science and engineering, we discern this zone of transformation at many places.

For example, researchers are trying to wed polymers to silicon-a marriage of opposites, because plastics are chaotic chains while silicon consists of orderly crystals. The resulting electronic devices would have marvelous flexibility, be less expensive to make, and, therefore, empower more people. Again, it comes down to managing order or disorder, all at once. Perhaps there ought to be a term for it-how about "chaotic engineering"?

Cognition. The dictionary defines cognition as " the mental process or facility by which knowledge is acquired». Because of new knowledge, methods and tools, I believe we are on the verge of a cognition revolution that may dwarf the information revolution. We are poised for many exciting new discoveries in this area. These breakthroughs will lay the foundation for progress in many areas of national importance, from teaching children how to read to understanding learning processes; from building human-like computers and robots to designing networks and system capable of cognition.

Holism. According to the dictionary, again, holism is "the concept that an entity is greater than merely the sum of its parts». It refers to new capabilities to put things together- how to integrate seemingly disparate things into a great whole. This includes social as well as physical and virtual engineering systems. I believe the hallmark of the modern engineer is the ability to see connections among seemingly disparate components, and to integrate them in ways that exceed the sum of their respective capacities.

All told, progress in these areas – tera, nano, complexity, cognition, and holism-will lay out the capacity for an integrated design field far beyond what is imaginable with today's technology.

Taken together, this means that the 21st century engineers will need to be astute makers, trusted innovators, agents of change, master integrators, enterprise enablers, technology stewards, and knowledge handlers. They will need more than first -rate technical and scientific skills. They will need to embrace complex systems and the issues they present, and reach the right decisions about how huge amounts of time, money, people, knowledge, and technology are tasked to a common end.

IEEE SPECTRUM. January 2OO1

 

2. Tell your teacher or your partner what you have learnt about engineering.

UNIT 2. ROBOTS

· Focus: The types and uses of modern robots

· Grammar focus:The Infinitive(revision),The Complex Object

· Skills focus: Reading for specific information to know about the modern types of robots, the fields they are used in, developing speaking skills

TEXT A

Vocabulary

to manipulate                – манипулировать; умело обращаться, управлять

precise way                   – точный способ

joint                               – соединение, место соединения; паз, шарнир

pneumatic motor           – пневмодвигатель

actuator                         – исполнительный механизм; привод, уп-равляющее устройство

gripper                           – захват, захватывающее приспособление, захватное устройство

end effector                  – рабочий орган (робота)

infrared controls            – инфракрасные элементы управления

to transmit information – передавать информацию

to adjust movements     – корректировать движения, приспосабливать, приводить в соответствие

preset order                   – заранее установленный порядок

manual manipulator      – манипулятор с ручным управлением

fixed-sequence robot    – робот с фиксированной последовательностью движений

variable-sequence robot – робот с изменяемой последовательностью движений

playback robot              – робот с воспроизведением программы (вводимой с внешнего носителя)

numerically-controlled robot – робот с числовым программным управлением

punched paper tape       – перфорированная бумажная лента, бумажная перфолента

intelligent robot             – интеллектуальный робот

sensing device               – датчик, чувствительный элемент

analytical capability      – аналитическая способность

robotic arm                    – манипулятор, рука робота

planetary rover              – планетарный вездеход, ровер, мобильный аппарат

remotely-operated vehicle – дистанционно-управляемое транспортное средство, (тж. летательный аппарат)

space probe                   – космическая исследовательская ракета

hazardous material        – опасный, взрывчатый материал

Artificial Intelligence     – искусственный интеллект

 

Before you start

1. Work in pairs. Try to write a definition of the word “robot”.

 

Reading

2. Robots are widely-used in all fields of our life. Read part one of the text Robots, androids, AI and

· compare your definition of a robot with the definition given in it;

· complete the article with words from the text.

ACTION ROBOT TO COPY BRAIN Scientists at Aberystwyth University are working on a machine which they hope will recognize objects with cameras that will work as (1)…………., and retrieve objects with an arm that will be its (2)…………….. Although the arm will have (3)…………… that will link its muscles and an electric motor that will be the (4)…………., this new (5)…………… won’t move like a human, i.e. won’t be like the (6)…………... of science-fiction films: forget Star Wars’ C3PO. It will be desk based: no walking, or climbing stairs. The team hopes to discover how the brain performs ‘multi-tasking’ and to use that information to develop the (7)………….. ………….. to create a robot that can think for itself.

3. Read part two of the text and match the category of a robot with its characteristics.

 

1. variable-sequence robot   2. intelligent robot     3. manual manipulator     4. fixed-sequence robot   5. numerically-controlled robot     6. playback robot

a. moves from one position to another according to numerical instructions; b. carries out hand-and-arm functions to hold and move objects, remotely controlled by a person; c. performs operations in a preset order but can be easily reprogrammed for a different sequence of them; d. repeats a sequence of movements and operations first ‘taught’ by manual manipulator and stored in the robot’s memory unit; e. can decide its course of action on the basis of its sensing devices and analytical capability; f. performs a series of operations in a preset order, always in the same series of locations in space.

 

4. Read part three of the text and speak on the diagram using given key words.

 

5. Read part four of the text and answer the following questions:

1. What does “Artificial Intelligence” mean?

2. What can androids do? How do they look like?

3. What can androids “learn” from the environment?

4. What is the function of the expert systems?

5. What is the purpose of designing neural networks?

6. What do neural networks use to imitate the functions of brain cells?

Robots, androids, AI

Robots and automata

A robot is a computer-programmed machine that performs actions, manipulates objects, etc. in a precise and, in many cases, repetitive way.

Robots, may be automata, or man-like machines, whose basic components are similar to a human body.

· They have mechanical links, joints, which connect their movable parts.

· Their heart and muscles are the electric or pneumatic motors or systems, the actuators, which create the movement.

· Robots also have hands, usually tools or grippers, called end effectors.

· They may be equipped with cameras or infrared controls, sensors, which transmit information to the central system in order to locate objects or adjust movements.

· Finally, robots depend on a computer system, the brain that directs the actions.

Categories of robots

There are six categories of robots: (1) the manual manipulator, remotely controlled by a person, which carries out hand-and-arm functions to hold and move objects; (2) the fixed - sequence robot, which performs a series of operations in a preset order, always in the same series of locations in space; (3) the variable-sequence robot, which operates in the same manner as a fixed-sequence robot but can easily be reprogrammed for a different sequence of operations; (4) the playback robot, which repeats a sequence of movements and operations that are first “taught” by manual movement of a manipulator and stored in the robot’s memory unit; (5) the numerically-controlled robot, which moves from one position to another according to numerical instructions in such forms as punched paper tapes or cards; and (6) the intelligent robot, an advanced type that can decide its course of action on the basis of its sensing devices and analytical capability.

Uses of robots

The word robot comes from robota, meaning compulsory labour in Czech; similarly, robots are helpful in activities which are too dangerous, too boring or too precise for human beings.

Robots in industry

Robotic arms, telescopic or bending arms, are widely used in the automobile industry to paint, weld and assemble car parts. Robots are used
in electronic assembly of microchips where precision of movements is essential.

Robots and health

Surgical robots, which help human surgeons, are programmed to assist in very delicate microsurgery operations or mimic the surgeons’ movements in telesurgery operations.

Robots and space

Planetary rovers, remotely-operated vehicles, and space probes, unpiloted spaceships, are used to explore space.

Robots and safety

Mobile robots, vehicles controlled by human operators, are used for defusing bombs and handling hazardous materials.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the science that tries to recreate the human thought process and build machines that perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. It has several applications.

Androids are anthropomorphic robots designed to look and behave like a human being. Most androids can walk, talk and understand human speech. Some react to gestures and voice inflection. Some “learn” from the environment: they store information and adapt their behaviour according to a previous experience.

Expert systems is the term given to computer software that mimics human reasoning, by using a set of rules to analyze data and reach conclusions. Some expert systems help doctors diagnose illnesses based on symptoms.

Neural networks are a new concept in computer programming, designed to replicate the human ability to handle ambiguity by learning from trial and error. They use silicon neurons to imitate the functions of brain cells and usually involve a great number of processors working at the same time.

 

Writing and Speaking

6. Make a list of other uses of robots at home and at work.

7. Design a robot to do a dangerous or boring job for you. Draw a rough sketch, make notes about how it works and present your ideas to the class.

 

Speaking

8. Speak on the advantages and disadvantages of using different types of robots.

 

Speaking

13. Study the table and discuss with your partner what information refers to your future specialty.

 

Application field	Jobs and tasks of robots
Construction, civil engineering and mining	Work on high elevation in building construction; Blasting and drilling in construction;
Manufacturing industries(use of intelligent robots and unmanned plant)	Dangerous, unpleasant and monotonous tasks on assembly line, unmanned plant and automated lines in welding, pressing and painting operations in automobile and other manufacturing industries
Social welfare	Guiding robot for the blind Artificial limbs Nursing robot for the elderly Cleaning robot
Transportation, distribution and service	Loading and unloading Railway maintenance Electric insulator cleaning Measuring, construction and dismantling in nuclear reactor
Environmental control Offshore development Space development	Measuring, control and observation Waste treatment Fire fighting Submarine work, offshore observation Assembly robot in space construction, remote sensing robot

Vocabulary

source of energy          – источник энергии

to generate power         – вырабатывать энергию

fossil fuel                     – ископаемое топливо

nuclear power station   – атомная электростанция

renewable                    – восстановимый, возобновляемый

to emit                          – излучать, испускать, выделять

to contribute (to)          – содействовать, способствовать; вносить
                 вклад

to damage the environment – наносить вред окружающей среде

to be reliable                – быть надёжным

gadget                          – приспособление, устройство

warehouse                    – склад, хранилище       

available                      – доступный, имеющийся в наличии

to capture                     – захватывать, улавливать

windmill                       – 1. ветряная мельница; 2. ветряк, ветродви-
                              гатель; ветроэнергетическая установка

blade                            – зд. лопатка, лопасть, крыло

hydropower                 – гидроэнергетика

solar power                  – солнечная энергия, гелиоэнергетика

wind power                  – энергия ветра

grain mill                      – зерновая мельница

saw mill                       – лесопильный завод

to flood                        – заливать, затоплять

 

Before you start

1. Look at the list of where we get our energy from today. Which of these are mostly used in your country? Which of these are renewable and which non-renewable?

· wood · coal · water

· оil · wind

· gas · sun

2. Match the words with their definitions.

1. source   2. power   3. damage   4. environment 5. to create     6. to store

a. harm caused to smth, making it less attractive, useful or valuable b. to cause smth to exist; to make smth new or original c. a place from which smth comes or is obtained d. to collect and keep smth for future use e. the natural conditions, e.g. land, air and water, in which people, animals and plants live f. energy that can be gathered and used for operating smth

 

Reading

3. Read the text and write S (for solar energy), W (for wind power) and H (for hydropower)next to each use. Then, make up sentences as in the example.

· run small gadgets … S ….

· create electricity for whole cities …….

· power grain mills and sawmills …….

· heat water …….

· run homes and communities …….

· heat and cool factories …….

· power batteries …….

· pump water …….

e.g. We can use solar energy to run small gadgets.

NEW SOURCES OF ENERGY

Our planet faces serious energy crisis! We are desperately in need of a new form of energy which will be capable of generating enough power to see our homes, businesses and industries into the twenty-first century.

At the moment, the main part of world’s energy needs are met by burning fossil fuels or generated in nuclear power stations. Unfortunately, these are not renewable sources of energy, and once they have run out. Moreover they emit harmful greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming and climate change.

How can we produce enough energy to power the entire world without damaging the environment? We can use alternative reliable forms of energy, which will generate as much power as fossil fuels and nuclear energy: solar power, wind power and hydropower.

Solar power is safe and clean. It does not pollute the environment and it is a very powerful, cheap renewable resource. Solar power has always given us light and heat but now, thanks to solar technology, we are finding ways to store this power and use it as an alternative source of energy. Solar energy can be turned into electricity and used to run small gadgets like calculators. It is also used to heat water and to heat and cool factories, warehouses and other large buildings. Solar power batteries are also available. They capture and store the sun’s energy so that it can be used when needed.

Wind mills have been used for hundreds of years to pump water so this form of energy is nothing new. However, today we are using wind turbines to turn this energy into electricity. The wind turbines have large blades which catch the wind. These blades are connected to a generator which produces electricity. Wind factories or farms are used to create enough electricity to run homes and communities. Unfortunately, areas which don’t get enough wind have to use other sources of power as well.

Hydropower is another natural source of energy. Fast moving streams or rivers have been used for hundreds of years to power grain and saw mills. Now they are used to create