The Engineering Profession
Engineering is one of the most ancient occupations in history. Without the skills included in the broad field of engineering, our present-day civilization could never have evolved.
The term ‘engineering’ is a modern one. There is no single meaning of this word and therefore it is sometimes difficult to find the proper Russian equivalents at once. The most widely used ones are: техника, строительство, машиностроение, инженерное дело (искусство), инженерия. The term ‘engineering’ is applied to the profession in which the knowledge of mathematical and natural sciences gained by study, experience and practice, is applied to the efficient use of the material and forces of nature.
The words ‘engine’ and ‘ingenious’ are derived from the same Latin root, ‘ingenerare’, which means ‘to create’. The early English verb ‘engine’ meant ‘to contrive’.
The art of building houses, palaces, temples, pyramids, and other structures was known as far back as many thousand years ago. Now we call it civil engineering.
At the time of the Roman Empire there were already two branches of engineering: civil engineering and military engineering. The former included building houses, roads, bridges, etc; the latter was concerned with building fortifications and military devices. The great engineering works of ancient times were constructed and operated by means of slave labour.
During the Middle Ages people began to seek devices and methods of work that were more efficient and humane.
Wind, water and animals were used to provide energy for some of these new devices.
This led to the Industrial Revolution that began in the eighteenth century.
England and Scotland were the birthplace of mechanical engineering.
Chemical engineering grew out of the 19th-century proliferation of industrial processes involving chemical reactions in metallurgy, food, textiles and many other areas.
The growth of knowledge in electricity led to the development of electrical and electronics engineering. Electrical engineering is divided into two main branches: communications engineering and power engineering. In the middle of the 20th century there appeared nuclear engineering and space engineering.
At present there are hundreds of subdivisions of engineering but they all, at one time or another, branched off from civil, mechanical, electrical or chemical engineering.
5.5. In the text, find English equivalents for the following:
1. Современная цивилизация не могла бы развиться
2. Нет одного единственного значения этого слова
3. Соответствующие русские эквиваленты
4. Происходят от одного и того же латинского корня
5. Посредством труда рабов
6. Люди начали искать устройства и методы работы
7. Это привело к промышленной революции
8. В середине ХХ века появились
9. Все они отделились от
5.6. Fill in the gaps with appropriate words and phrases from the text.
1. The term ‘engineering’ is a _____ one.
2. The words ‘engine’ and ‘ingenious’ _____ from the same Latin root ‘ingenerare’.
3. At the time of the Roman Empire there were already _____ of engineering.
4. Wind, water and animals _____ to provide energy for some of new devices.
5. England and Scotland were the birthplace of _____.
6. The growth of knowledge in electricity _____ the development of electrical and electronics engineering.
7. They all _____ from civil, mechanical, electrical or chemical engineering.
5.7. Mark each statement as T (True), F (False) or N (Not Mentioned).
1. Engineering as a profession appeared with the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.
2. There is only one meaning of the word ‘engineering’.
3. The early English verb ‘engine’ meant ‘to contrive’.
4. The art of building houses was known many thousand years ago.
5. It is still possible to find the remains of the great engineering works of ancient times.
6. At the time of the Roman Empire there were many branches of engineering.
7. In the late 20th century electrical and electronics engineers outnumbered all others in the world.
8. At present there are few branches of engineering.
5.8. Answer the following questions:
1. What are the most widely used Russian equivalents of the term ‘engineering’?
2. What is the word ‘engine’ derived from?
3. What was the meaning of the early English verb ‘engine’?
4. What art was known many centuries ago?
5. What branches of engineering were there at the time of the Roman Empire?
6. Which countries were the birthplace of mechanical engineering?
7. What led to the development of electrical and electronics engineering?
8. What branches of engineering do you know?
5.9. Read the text and complete the blanks in the diagram.
Engineering is largely a practical activity. It is about putting ideas into action. Civil engineering is concerned with making bridges, roads, airports, etc. Mechanical engineering deals with the design and manufacture of tools and machines. Electrical engineering is about the generation and distribution of electricity and its many applications. Electronic engineering is concerned with developing components and equipment for communications, computing, and so on.
Mechanical engineering includes marine, automobile, aeronautical, heating and ventilating, and others. Electrical engineering includes electricity generating, electrical installation, lighting, etc. Mining and medical engineering belong partly to mechanical and partly to electrical.
5.10. Which branches of engineering are defined below?
1. This branch of engineering deals with the whole field of design, manufacture, maintenance, testing, and use of aircraft for both civil and military purposes. It involves the knowledge of aerodynamics, structural design, navigation, communication and other related areas.
2. This branch of engineering is concerned with the design and construction of nuclear reactors.
3. This is the widest field of engineering concerned with systems and devices that use electric power and signals.
4. It deals with the design of large buildings, roads, bridges, canals, railways, airports, tunnels, and other structures.
5. Engineers of this field design, test, build and operate machinery of all types.
6. This branch of engineering is concerned with the design, construction and management of factories in which the essential processes consist of chemical reactions.
5.11. Which branch of engineering is concerned with machines? with electricity? Study the examples:
1. Mechanical engineering deals with machines.
2. Mechanical engineers deal with machines.
3. Mechanical engineering is concerned with machines.
4. Mechanical engineers are concerned with machines.
5. Machines are the concern of mechanical engineers.