Higher Engineering Education in Belarus
Ваник И.Ю.
Методическое пособие по обучению устной речи для студентов технических вузов /И.Ю. Ваник, Е.Г. Ляхевич, О.А. Лапко, Н.В. Сурунтович. – Мн.: БНТУ, 2012. – 66 с.
Настоящее методическое пособие предназначено для студентов I и II курсов технических специальностей. Пособие состоит из шести разделов, каждый из которых включает аутентичный текстовой материал, а также комплекс упражнений, направленных на развитие навыков монологической и диалогической речи в ситуациях социально обусловленного и профессионально ориентированного общения.
УДК 811.111-028.16(075.8)
ББК 81.2Англ.я7
М54
© Ваник И.Ю., Ляхевич Е.Г.,
Лапко О.А., Сурунтович Н.В., 2012
© БНТУ, 2012
Unit 1
Higher Engineering Education in Belarus
STARTING UP
Exercise 1.
Are you sure that engineering is the right course of study for you? Go through the list of points to decide whether to study engineering. Choose the statements which refer to you.
1. I enjoy practical projects – creating and investigating things.
2. I like finding out how things work.
3. I’m interested in improving the environment.
4. I enjoy solving problems.
5. I enjoy organizing activities.
6. I enjoy science programmes on TV.
7. I sometimes read articles on scientific or engineering topics.
If you have chosen most of these activities, engineering is the suitable course of study for you.
Exercise 2.
Study the meanings of the word ‘engineering’ in Russian. Then translate the phrases below.
Engineering – 1. инженерное дело 2. техника 3. технология 4. строительство 5. разработка, проектирование, конструирование 6. технический, инженерный, конструкционный.
Engineering education, engineering materials, production engineering, engineering students, electrical engineering, power engineering, highway engineering, mechanical engineering, environmental engineering, electronic engineering, military engineering, civil engineering, nuclear engineering, mining engineering, software engineering.
Exercise 3.
Match the branch of engineering to the products it deals with.
Use the model:Mechanical engineering deals (is concerned) with machines.
| Branch of engineering | Products of the branch |
| 1. automobile | a. roads and bridges |
| 2. electrical | b. ships and boats |
| 3. civil | c. excavators and loaders |
| 4. medical | d. planes and helicopters |
| 5. electronic | e. cars and trucks |
| 6. marine | f. X-ray machines and body scanners |
| 7. aeronautical | g. electricity generation and electrical installation |
| 8. mining | h. computers and satellite communications |
VOCABULARY
Exercise 1.
Match the English words (phrases) with their Russian equivalents.
| 1. environmentally friendly | a. студент |
| 2. to apply | b. система зачетов |
| 3. supervisor | c. идти на работу, службу |
| 4. full-time | d. заочное обучение |
| 5. undergraduate | e. производственная практика |
| 6. to look for solutions | f. научный руководитель |
| 7. curriculum (curricula– pl.) | g. оценивать |
| 8. part-time | h. потребность непрерывного обучения |
| 9. postgraduate | i. дневное обучение |
| 10. pass-fail system | j. искать решения |
| 11. academic guidance | k. экологически чистый |
| 12. industrial placement | l. учебный план |
| 13. hall of residence | m. применять |
| 14. a habit of lifelong learning | n. магистрант, аспирант |
| 15. to assess | o. наниматель |
| 16. to go into employment | p. учебное руководство |
| 17. scholarship | q. приносить пользу |
| 18. graduate thesis (theses – pl.) | r. исследование |
| 19. employer | s. жилье, проживание |
| 20. to benefit | t. дипломная работа, диссертация |
| 21. accommodation | u. стипендия |
| 22. research | v. общежитие |
Exercise 2.
Exercise 3.
Match the words with a similar meaning. Check any unknown words in a dictionary.
| 1. undergraduate | a. teaching staff |
| 2. research | b. pollution-free |
| 3. term | c. to perform |
| 4. thesis | d. student |
| 5. to integrate | e. vital |
| 6. academic staff | f. investigation |
| 7. outlook | g. field of study |
| 8. essential | h. characteristic |
| 9. to undertake | i. view |
| 10. environmentally friendly | j. demand |
| 11. feature | k. dissertation |
| 12. need | l. to combine |
| 13. subject area | m. semester |
Exercise 4.
READING
Exercise 1.
SKILLS
Exercise 1.
Exercise 2.
Play a game with the class. One person thinks of a job from the list (architect, truck driver, miner, electrician, software engineer, biologist, civil engineer). Other students have to find out what the job is. They can only ask questions where the answer is yes or no.
Example:
1. Do you travel a lot?
2. Do you use a computer?
3. Do you need qualifications to do your job?
4. Do you need to wear special clothing?
5. Do you have to think a lot?
6. Do you work night shifts?
7. Do you work outside?
8. Do you work long hours?
9. Do you meet a lot of different people?
10. Do you have much responsibility?
Are you a … ?
Exercise 3.
UNIT 2
STARTING UP
Exercise 1.
Discuss the following questions:
1. If you had a chance to get higher education abroad, what country would you choose? Why?
2. Do you agree that the UK enjoys the reputation of a world leader in education?
3. What world famous British universities do you know?
Exercise 2.
VOCABULARY
Exercise 1.
Exercise 2.
Exercise 3.
Exercise 4.
READING
Exercise 1.
General Knowledge Quiz
1) Which is the largest university in the country?
a) Oxford University
b) London University
c) Bristol University
2) When were the first British Universities set up?
a) In medieval times
b) In the 19th century
c) In the 20th century
3) Which Universities are the oldest ones?
a) Oxford and Cambridge Universities
b) Glasgow and London Universities
c) Edinburgh and Manchester Universities
4) How many terms is the academic year divided into?
a) Two terms
b) Three terms
c) Four terms
5) Which University provides degrees only by distance learning?
a) Cambridge University
b) Bristol University
c) Open University
6) How long do most courses last?
a) Three or four years
b) Five years
c) Six years
SKILLS
Exercise 1.
Exercise 2.
Work in pairs. Imagine that your friend is planning to study in Great Britain. Interview him (her) about the university he (she) wants to choose. Put the words in the questions in the correct order and then complete the dialogue.
A) town / or / you / Do / city / want / a small / to study / in a big?
B) Personally, I …
A) Do / prefer / you / university /or /one / studying / at /a larger/ a smaller?
B) You know, …
A) you / one / university / an ancient / Do / or / to choose / a new / want ?
B) Actually, I …
A) What / will be / activities / to / available /you / academic?
B) I think, …
A) like / What / you / the university / facilities / would / to have / at?
B) It would be great to have …
A) prefer / in University accommodation / sector / Do / in the accommodation /or / you /to live/ in the private?
B) Well, you know, I’d rather live …
A) need / an English / you / language / to study / qualification / Do/ at the UK university?
B) Sure, …
A) is / in / What / the tuition fee/ the British universities?
B) As I know, …
Exercise 3.
Work in groups of three or four to discuss in what ways the system of higher education in Great Britain is similar to, or different from that in our country? Use the headings below and the expressions from the Useful language box to help you.
- the admission to the universities
- the academic year
- the main teaching and assessment methods
- the degrees provided by the universities
- facilities and opportunities offered by the universities
| BELARUS | GREAT BRITAIN |
| If I remember right higher education in Belarus is provided by…including… | As far as I know in Britain higher education is mostly provided by… |
| I know that in Belarus universities admit students after… | If I am not mistaken the admission to universities in Great Britain is by… |
| I know exactly that the academic year in Belarus starts in… and is divided into… | Unlike Belarus the academic year in Britain is divided into… |
| I think that the main teaching methods in Belarusian universities are… . And the students are assessed at the end of each term through… . | It seems to me that British universities also use such teaching and assessment methods as… Moreover the most important teaching method of Oxford and Cambridge is… . |
| Students in Belarus graduate after … years with… | But in Great Britain most courses last … |
| I am sure that all universities in Belarus offer a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees such as… . | It seems to me that the majority of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the UK are offered as … . |
| As far as I know Belarusian universities support students providing them with… | And British universities offer their students a great variety of… |
Exercise 4.
Exercise 5.
Translate the sentences below into English:
1) Британские университеты являются автономными учреждениями, которые сами определяют продолжительность курсов обучения и содержание учебных программ.
2) Одним из главных условий приёма (поступления) в Британские университеты является соответствующий уровень академической подготовки.
3) Университеты Оксфорда и Кембриджа имеют много общего и знамениты своей индивидуальной системой обучения, которая позволяет студентам более глубоко изучить материал.
4) Знаменитая регата (boat race) по гребле между Оксфордом и Кембриджем – это уникальное спортивное событие, которое проводится на реке Темзе с 1829г.
5) «Краснокирпичные» университеты, построенные в промышленных городах из кирпича, заметно отличались (to look completely different from) от древних каменных стен Оксфорда и Кембриджа.
6) Открытый Университет Великобритании всегда являлся мировым лидером в области использования информационных технологий, что даёт возможность получать высшее образование в любой точке мира.
7) Открытый Университет применяет широкий спектр методов для дистанционного обучения, включая Интернет-конференции, сопровождаемые поддержкой преподавателя-консультанта.
8) Курс обучения на степень бакалавра в университетах Великобритании по большинству специальностей составляет три или четыре года.
9) Университеты Великобритании предоставляют студентам не только условия для учебы, а также для спорта и развлечений.
10) Британские университеты имеют всемирно признанную репутацию благодаря выдающимся академическим достижениям и высочайшему уровню научных исследований в различных областях знаний.
UNIT 3
STARTING UP
Exercise 1.
Learning at university is often different from school or college. Choose three things that impressed you greatly when you started learning at the University:
- the campus area
- a large number of students
- different kinds of classes
- the opportunity to feel part of campus life
- large library resources
- the opportunities to practice sports at all levels
- a variety of engineering laboratories
- numerous out- of-class social and sporting activities
- a wide range of clubs and societies
Use the model:
When I started learning at the University I was greatly (really) impressed by…
From my first days at the University I was surprised by…
Exercise 2.
VOCABULARY
Exercise 1.
Match the English words and phrases with their Russian equivalents.
| 1. to be at the forefront | a. участвовать |
| 2. department | b. спортивная площадка |
| 3. recreation | c. поощрять |
| 4. pitch | d. выполнять |
| 5. state-of-the-art | e. признанный |
| 6. trade union | f. сборная команда |
| 7. proficiency | g. кафедра |
| 8. to take charge of smth. | h. учеба |
| 9. to undertake | i. ценить |
| 10. to compete | j. современный |
| 11. to get involved in smth. | k. многонациональное учебное заведение |
| 12. ingenuity | l. быть на передовой |
| 13. learning | m. профсоюз |
| 14. ability | n. отдых, развлечение |
| 15. industrially focused | o. взять на себя ответственность за что-либо |
| 16. to encourage | p. мастерство, сноровка, умение |
| 17. combined team | q. изобретательность |
| 18. leadership characteristics | r. межуниверситетский |
| 19. to value | s. соревноваться |
| 20. inter-university | t. практико (промышленно) -ориентированный |
| 21. multicultural institution | u. поездка |
| 22. recognized | v. способность |
| 23. ride | w. лидерские качества |
Exercise 2.
Exercise 3.
Exercise 4.
READING
Exercise 1.
General Knowledge Quiz
1. The BNTU was founded in … on the basis of ... .
a. 1820 . . . the College of Science
b. 1910 . . . the College of Engineering
c. 1920 . . . the Polytechnic College
2. The university consists of . . . faculties.
a. 10
b. 15
c. 17
3. About ... students are taught on full-time and part-time basis in ... specialities at the BNTU.
a. 20 000 . . . 70
b. 25 000 . . . 78
c. 35 000 . . . 88
4. The university provides the students with accommodation in … halls of residence.
a. 8
b. 10
c. 15
5. The university is an excellent ... centre.
a. research
b. recreation
c. study, research and recreation centre
SKILLS
Exercise 1.
Exercise 2.
Exercise 3.
The University Open Day is a day to discover what it’s really like at the University. Have you attended the Open Day? If yes, then was the visit useful? Describe your general impressions. If you haven’t attended the Open Day, describe what can applicants (абитуриенты) find out on this day using your general knowledge and expressions from the Useful language box.
| Useful language to have the opportunity to look around the campus, to find out detailed information about the admission process and career prospects, to take part in a number of talks on many aspects of life and study at the University, to find information on issues such as scholarships and fees (оплата за обучение), accommodation and extracurricular activities, to gain impression of a student life at the University, to have the chance to talk to the current students and hear a firsthand account (мнение из первых рук) of the student experience, to learn more about courses and facilities, to have the opportunity to ask the Faculty staff any questions about the Faculty and the courses it offers |
You can begin like this: The Open Day as a whole was an amazing experience because it gave me an idea of what to expect if I were to study at the BNTU. I learnt more about ...
Exercise 4.
Exercise 5.
Exercise 6.
Role-play the University Open Day. Work in pairs to complete the dialogues below. Discuss university life at the BNTU. Student A - an applicant who wants to learn more about university life. Student B – a current BNTU student who offers firsthand advice based on his/her experience of life at the University.
Dialogue 1
A: Excuse me, are you a BNTU student?
B: Yeah, I’m a ...-year student of ... Faculty.
A: You know, I’m going to enter the BNTU this year. Do you have any idea if all the Faculties are ...?
B: Sure, many Faculties including ... are located on campus, others are ...
A: The campus is really large. Are the classes held in one ... or in ...?
B: Actually, we have classes in different buildings. It usually takes us ... minutes to ... .
A: What kinds of classes ... ?
B: We have ..., ..., ..., and laboratory classes as well. You’ll have to spend many hours independently to ...
A: Was it hard for you to settle down into university life?
B: Well, …
A: I see, thanks. Your advice is really helpful.
B: No problem.
Dialogue 2
A: Excuse me, I’m looking for the Automobile and Tractor Faculty?
B: Yeah, it’s situated in …
A: Oh, the campus is so large! Is there a library and a sports complex?
B: Actually, there are all these facilities on the campus. The BNTU library is … . A state-of-the-art sports complex offers … .
A: You know, I’m just interested, as I’m going to enter the BNTU this year.
B: I see, go ahead.
A: How many classes a day … ?
B: You know, our timetable is really busy! There are … a day. We study a large number of subjects like …
A: Do you have any time for … activities?
B: Yes, I usually take part in the events organized by our Students’ …. It’s always fun!
A: Thanks, you’ve been very helpful.
B: It’s OK.
Dialogue 3
A; Excuse me, is there a café on the campus?
B: Sure, there is a café or a canteen in each building. They serve a wide range of hot meals, snacks, …
A: Thanks. By the way, don’t you live in the halls of residence? I’m just interested, as I’m going to enter the BNTU this year.
B: I see. Yeah , I have the University’s …
A: Is it far from the campus?
B: No. it’s just …
A: Is it difficult to study at the BNTU?
B: Quite difficult. During the term we ... At the end of the semester …
A: Do you feel any support from the teachers?
B: Yeah, they really give you a lot of help, but you have to take … learning as well.
A: I see, thanks. Your advice is really useful.
B: No problem.
Dialogue 4
A: Excuse me, is there a photocopy centre on the campus?
B: Yes, the nearest one is in the library.
A: What other facilities are available at the library? I’m just interested, as I’m going to enter the BNTU this year.
B: Oh, I see. As I know, there is a Wireless Access Point, a lot of …
A: Do you use any of these resources?
B: Sure, especially when I get ready for … or write a …
A: Do all the Faculties study on the first shift?
B: Not really. Some Faculties … the others …
A: I was told that many students receive … . How much is it?
B: It depends. It’s from … to … a month.
A: I see. Thanks, you’ve been very helpful.
B: That’s all right.
Exercise 7.
Translate the sentences below into English:
1. Во время учебы в университете студенты развивают свои интеллектуальные способности и профессиональные навыки, а также становятся более инициативными и организованными.
2. Университет включает в себя 17 факультетов. Более 35000 студентов из разных уголков Беларуси и зарубежных стран учатся в БНТУ.
3. БНТУ предлагает студентам как очную, так и заочную формы обучения.
4. Ежегодно студенты и преподаватели проводят практико-ориентированные исследования в области инженерного дела, а также представляют результаты исследований на научно-технических конференциях БНТУ.
5. Университет предоставляет студентам не только широкий круг технических специальностей, а также благоприятные условия для обучения и развития личностных качеств студентов.
6. Каждый факультет предоставляет студентам возможность приобретать практические навыки в хорошо оборудованных технических лабораториях и вычислительных центрах.
7. БНТУ обеспечивает многих студентов жильём в общежитии, которые расположены в шаговой доступности от университетского городка.
8. Спорт очень популярен среди студентов БНТУ. Современный стадион с большим количеством площадок для различных видов спорта, спортивные залы, тренажёрный зал доступны студентам университета.
9. Знания и навыки, полученные в университете, позволяют студентам быть востребованными на рынке труда.
10. Профессорско-преподавательский состав постоянно поддерживает студентов в их стремлении (aspiration) к непрерывному образованию и к улучшению своих знаний и компетенций.
UNIT 4
STARTING UP
Exercise 1.
General Knowledge Quiz
1. Manchester is situated in
a) Scotland
b) England
c) Wales
2. Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester is
a) a place for tourists where you can buy various pieces of art
b) a great place to learn more about the city's industrial beginnings and amazing scientific achievements
c) the only historical place in the UK left after the World War II
3. Manchester United is
a) a textile company
b) a hotel
c) a football club
4. The University of Manchester is
a) a medieval University
b) a red brick University
c) a new campus-based University
5. The University of Manchester is the place where scientists first
a) split the atom
b) invented the radio
c) designed the first space shuttle
Exercise 2.
Discuss these questions:
1. Do you know any world-famous British universities?
2. What do you know about these universities?
VOCABULARLY
Exercise 1.
Exercise 2.
Exercise 3.
READING
Exercise 1.
Before you read the text, discuss these questions:
1. Would you like to study in a foreign country?
2. In your opinion, is it difficult to enter a British university?
3. Do you know the entrance requirements for overseas universities?
4. Would it be difficult for you to join the multicultural community?
Exercise 2.
Go through the text to find this information:
a) the number of students at the University of Manchester
b) the number of Noble Prize winners of the University
c) cutting-edge scientific facilities
d) the name of the virtual learning environment
e) the most important inter-university sporting event
Exercise 3.
SKILLS
Exercise 1.
Exercise 2.
Exercise 3.
Work in groups of three or four to discuss in what ways your University is similar to, or different from the University of Manchester. Use the headings below and the expressions from the Useful language box to help you.
- date of creation
- number of students
- number of Faculties
- study facilities
- research facilities
- assessment system
- sports facilities
| Useful language In my opinion, both Universities have… As far as I know, …University is older than … I consider, the students of …University have better access to … From my point of view, the largest University library is … As I see it, the students of …University have more opportunities to… I believe, the academic methods at … are more innovative and encouraging than at … It seems to me, the Universities differ in… I’m sure that the common features of both Universities are… It is clear that both universities provide… I’m positive that the University offers its students excellent… compared to … |
Exercise 4.
A group of students from the University of Manchester has arrived in Minsk to take part in the Prospects of Engineering Education Conference. The questions below were asked. Put the words in these questions in the correct order. Then match the questions with the answers below.
1. there/ of /what/ kinds/ at /classes/ are/ Manchester University?
2. the /what/ helpful/ in/ are/ ways / tutorials?
3. number/ people/ is/ average/ the/ of/ what/ in/ your/ lectures?
4. with/ students/ accommodation/ provided/ are/ first-year/ all/ University?
5. international/ come/ countries/ what/ from/ students/ do?
6. available/ you/ scientific/ are/ facilities/ Manchester/ what/ to/ at?
7. benefits/ Union/ what/ offer/ the/ does/ Students’/ you?
8. advantage/ activities/ what/ take/ of/ you/ out-of-class/ do?
a) What I really like about our tutorial system is that you can talk with your personal tutor about specific parts of the lecture you don’t understand.
b) As I know, they come from all over the world including Russia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Arabic and African countries.
c) Actually, we have access to outdoor and indoor sports facilities, social and entertainment events. Once a week practice swimming and go to the fitness centre.
d) Well, we have a wide range of classes such as lectures, laboratory practicals, projects, seminars, tutorials and we have this …er…what we call… e-learning system.
e) For my course we have about 400 people in a big lecture theatre.
f) The Students’ Union supports all kinds of social and sporting activities, various clubs and societies.
g) Sure, all first-year students are offered a place in the University halls of residence, located both on our campus and in surrounding areas.
h) You know … we have an impressive range of facilities to support our research. My group mates and I carry out research in electrical and mechanical workshops.
Exercise 5.
A: a BNTU student.
B: a Manchester student.
A: Are there many international students at Manchester University?
B: Sure. There are … .What about your University?
A: As I know, … .
B: By the way, how many Faculties are there at the BNTU?
A: You know, there are … such as … . Is the number of Faculties the same at your University?
B: No, we only have …
A: Oh, really? Why so few?
B: Yeah, but each Faculty includes …
A: Is it difficult to study at Manchester?
B: Certainly, but we get a lot of support from … and it’s a good thing that we have free access to … . Do you have any IT services?
A: Yes, we have some. For example, … .
B: You look fit! Do you practice sport?
A: Yes, I’m fond of … . Actually, we have plenty of sports facilities like … . Is sport popular with Manchester students?
B: Yes, quite. We have … as well . What do you do outside lectures?
A: You know, our Students’ Union organisers … . Do you have a similar organisation?
B: Yeah, sure…
Exercise 6.
Translate the sentences below into English:
1. Манчестерский университет обладает высокой репутацией во всём мире благодаря эффективной работе действующего преподавательского состава, самым современным научно-исследовательским центрам, а также стимулирующей обучающей среде.
2. Университет всегда находился на передовой новых открытий и технологий.
3. Университет включает в себя различные факультеты: факультет технических и физических наук, факультет гуманитарных наук, факультет биологических наук и др. Такое разнообразие факультетов отвечает потребностям абитуриентов в приобретении знаний по различным предметным областям.
4. В университете обучается более 37 тысяч студентов из 150 стран мира, что придает учебному заведению статус многонационального сообщества.
5. Студенты-магистранты имеют возможность проводить углубленное исследование по широкому спектру технических дисциплин.
6. Преимущество учебной программы Манчестерского университета состоит в том, что основной упор делается на применение теоретических знаний на практике, что гарантирует качественную подготовку студентов к их профессиональной жизни.
7. Виртуальная обучающая среда позволяет студентам дневной и заочной форм обучения найти и скачать всю необходимую информацию с университетского сайта для подготовки к экзаменам.
8. Университет готовит прогрессивно мыслящих специалистов, способных к критическому мышлению и анализу информации, навыкам работы в комманде, а также решению сложных задач.
9. Университетская программа обучения помогает не только сформировать у студентов навыки усной и письменной коммуникации, но и воспитать чувство ответственности и гражданские ценности.
Exercise 7.
You can visit websites like
www.cam.ac.uk
www.ox.ac.uk
www.ed.ac.uk
www.leeds.ac.uk
www.bris.ac.uk
www.lon.ac.uk
www.birmingham.ac.uk
www.liv.ac.uk
UNIT 5
My Faculty
STARTING UP
Exercise 2.
General Knowledge Quiz
1. The oldest Faculty of the BNTU is
a) Information Technology and Robotics Faculty
b) Power Engineering Faculty
c) Mechanical and Technological Faculty
2. The youngest Faculty of the University is
a) Instrumentation Engineering Faculty
b) Military Engineering Faculty
c) Sports Engineering Faculty
3. The largest number of students is at
a) Mechanical and Technological Faculty
b) Automobile and Tractor Faculty
c) Mining and Environmental Engineering Faculty
4. The Faculty that trains engineers only on full-time basis is
a) Mechanical Engineering Faculty
b) Power Engineering Faculty
c) Military Engineering Faculty
5. The Faculty that is situated in the 17th building is
d) Instrumentation Engineering Faculty
e) Information Technology and Robotics Faculty
f) Automobile and Tractor Faculty
VOCABULARY
Exercise 1.
READING
Exercise 1.
Exercise 2.
SKILLS
Exercise 1.
Study the following abilities, knowledge areas and qualities that engineering students should develop. Which of these are the most important for you? Why? Use the expressions from the Useful language box to help you.
Abilities: leadership characteristics, teamwork skills, communication skills, decision-making skills, critical thinking, ingenuity.
Knowledge areas:science & math, engineering fundamentals, analytical skills, problem-solving skills, design skills.
Qualities:to beinnovative, to be entrepreneurial, to be creative, to have strong work ethic, to be adaptable in a changing environment, to be responsible in a social and technological context.
| Useful language to be competitive in the labour market, to be able to construct effective engineering solutions, to meet the challenges of rapidly changing world, to have a successful career, to prepare for my professional career, to unlock my full potential. |
Follow the model: I think teamwork skills, engineering fundamentals and to be adaptable in a changing environment are the most important for me. These skills and qualities will help me to …
Exercise 2.
Exercise 3.
Exercise 4.
UNIT 6
The Industry of Belarus
STARTING UP
Exercise 1.
Exercise 2.
Exercise 3.
VOCABULARY
Exercise 1.
Exercise 2.
Exercise 3.
Exercise 4.
READING
Exercise 1.
Exercise 2.
Go through the text to find this information:
a) the number of people employed in the Belarusian industry
b) payload capacity of the Belarusian mining dump trucks
c) the biggest producer of mineral potash fertilizers in Belarus
d) MAZ vehicles
e) the leaders of electrical engineering industry
f) ‘Naftan’ products
g) the location of the Belarusian Steel Works
Exercise 3.
The Industry of Belarus
Industry is the key element in the economic development of any country. Industry is defined as the large-scale production of goods from raw materials. This sector of economy is divided into extractive and manufacturing industries, covering a wide range of branches. The Belarusian industrial sector accounts for nearly 32% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs nearly 1 million people (25% of the Belarusian labour force).
Mechanical engineering and metalworking are the largest and most developed branches of the Belarusian industry. The leading sectors of mechanical engineering are automotive industry, tractor and agricultural engineering and a range of allied high-tech industries like radio- electronics, electrical engineering, instrumentation engineering and optical-mechanical industry.
Belarus specializes in truck manufacturing. The Belarusian Autoworks (BELAZ) is a major world manufacturer of mining dump trucks with payload capacity from 25 to 360 tons, as well as the other heavy vehicles, being used in mining and construction branches. The products of BELAZ are supplied to more than 70 countries of the world.
Minsk Automobile Planthas won recognition of its vehicles not only in Belarus but also far beyond.Fifth-wheel tractors, drop-side trucks, buses, chassis under installation of various special equipment roll off the assembly line under MAZ trademark.Modern design along with high level of performance allows MAZ vehicles to compete with the world producers.
37 enterprises are engaged in tractor and agricultural engineering. The largest of them are Minsk Tractor Works, ‘Gomselmash’, ‘Lidselmash’, Minsk Motor Plant, and Minsk Bearing Plant. At present Minsk Tractor Works ranks among the eight largest exporters of wheeled tractors in the world. The enterprise takes leading positions on the markets of more than 60 countries.
A number of companies like ‘Horizont’, ‘Atlant’, ‘Integral’, Instrument-making plant ‘Izmeritel’ dominate in radio-electronics, producing household appliances, consumer electronics, integrated circuits, semiconductor devices, dashboards for trucks, taximeters and other products.
In optical-mechanical industry ‘BelOMA’ company is particularly successful in the manufacturing of optical and laser products, aerospace and military equipment.
The enterprises of electrical engineering industry produce power transformers and transformer substations, lifts and lifting equipment, incandescent and energy-saving bulbs, and more. The leaders of this branch are Minsk Electrotechnical Plant, ‘Mogilevliftmash’ Works, Brest Electric Lamp Plant and others.
The Belarusian Steel Works (BMZ) in Zhlobin is one of the world’s leaders of iron and steel industry. The plant produces such a complicated and high-tech product as steel cord for global tire makers. About 85 % of its manufacturing output is exported to Russia, Poland, Germany, Sweden, the USA, the UK and other countries. The plant has won many national and international awards for its high quality products.
Chemical and petrochemical industry is formed by 70 enterprises of the Belneftekhim Concern. ‘Belaruskaliy’ is one of the biggest producers of mineral potash fertilizers in the world. There are six mines with the factories to produce potash fertilizers in the industrial area of Soligorsk. The production of ‘Belaruskaliy’ is delivered to Europe, East Asia, South and North America – in total to more than 50 countries. Mozyr Refinery and ‘Naftan’ produce fuel oil, gasoline, diesel fuel and other petrochemicals. ‘Belshina’ is one of the largest enterprises in Europe, making over 200 nominal sizes of tires for cars, trucks, buses, tractors and agricultural machinery. ‘Grodno Azot’ is a major manufacturer of polyamide yarns and fibers in Belarus.
Today’s manufacturers face great challenges. Their production must be competitive, reliable and safe, corresponding to the customers’ requirements. To ensure marketplace success they need to increase efficiency and improve their industrial performance. This can be achieved with the use of innovative technologies and flexible, energy-saving production processes.
SKILLS
Exercise 1.
Exercise 2.
Work in pairs. Your friend has just read the text ‘The Industry of Belarus’. Interview him about one of the leading branches of national economy (automotive engineering, tractor and agricultural engineering, radio-electronics, electrical engineering, chemical and petrochemical industry). Ask about:
- the leading enterprises in this sector …
- the kinds of products the industry specializes in …
- if the companies produce competitive products …
- where the manufacturing output is exported …
| Useful Language Do you happen to know… As far as I know… I wonder if… If I’m not mistaken… I’d like to know (if)… If I remember right… Could you possibly tell me… It seems to me… One more question to you… Let me think… |
Use the model:
- Could you tell me what kinds of products light industry specializes in?
- If I’m not mistaken it specializes in clothes made of cotton, flax and wool.
Exercise 3.
Have you ever been inside a factory? Describe what you saw and your general impressions. If you haven’t been there yet describe what happens in the different areas of the factory using your general knowledge. Use expressions from the Useful language box to help you.
| Useful language A typical factory includes (consists of)…, to be located, to be situated in an industrial zone, the main production area (line), a machine hall (workshop), an assembly shop, a warehouse, a packing line, the gatehouse, large machinery, production process is fully (partially) automated, to roll off the assembly line, the conveyor belt transports goods around the factory, to run at full (half) capacity, some of the work is still done manually, to pack by hand, to wrap and load onto pallets |
Exercise 4.
Exercise 5.
Role-play. Work in pairs. Student A: company’s executive. Student B: interviewer. You are discussing the company Student A works for. Use the notes below and expressions from Exercises 2 and 4 to prepare for the conversation.
| Company | Company’s history | Products | Workforce | Markets |
| BeLAZ OJSC | 1946 – the year of foundation; 1950 – the first trucks were produced | Mining dump trucks, special purpose vehicles, road building equipment | 12000 people; four domestic plants | 25% of the world mining dump trucks market, 70 countries, the largest consumers are Russia and the Ukraine |
| Minsk Tractor Works PA | 1946 – the year of foundation; 1953 – the first wheeled tractors were produced | Wheeled tractors, caterpillar tractors, municipal vehicles, forestry vehicles, minitractors | 30000 people, 8 domestic factories, technical support centers all over the world | 10% of the world wheeled tractors market, 60 countries, such as Russia, the Ukraine, China, India |
| Belshina OJSC | 1965 – the year of foundation; 1972 – the first tires were produced | Tires for cars, trucks, buses, tractors and agricultural machinery | 12000 people | Russia, Europe, Middle East, North and South America |
| BMZ PA | 1982 – the year of foundation; 1984 – the first steel products were made | Steel cord, pipes, cast-iron casting, wire production | 12000 people, 3 domestic plants | Russia, Poland, Germany, Sweden, the USA |
| BelOMA OJSC | 1957 – the year of foundation | Optical and opto-electronic devices, lenses, loupes, night vision devices | More than 1000 people | Russia, Germany, China, the USA, domestic consumers |
| Minsk Motor Plant PA | 1963 – the year of foundation | Diesel engines for cars, buses, tractors, dump trucks | 2000 people, 6 domestic plants | Russia, the Ukraine, domestic consumers such as MAZ, BeLAZ, Minsk Tractor Works |
| Minsk Automobile Plant OJSC | 1944 – the year of foundation; 1947 – the first trucks were produced | Fifth-wheel tractors, drop-side trucks, buses, chassis | 26000 people, 7 domestic plants, technical support centers all over the world | More than 30 countries the largest consumers are Russia and CIS-countries, Eastern European countries |
Exercise 6.
Exercise 7.
Choose a Belarusian manufacturing company. Work with your partner and prepare a five-minute presentation about the company, including the tips below:
- company history
- company size
- products and markets
- quality improvement activities
Contents
| page | |
| Unit 1 Higher Engineering Education in Belarus | |
| Unit 2 Higher Education in Great Britain | |
| Unit 3 The Belarusian National Technical University | |
| Unit 4 The University of Manchester | |
| Unit 5 My Faculty | |
| Unit 6 The Industry of Belarus |
Учебное издание
Ваник Ирина Юрьевна
Ляхевич Елена Генриховна
Лапко Олеся Александровна
Сурунтович Наталья Викторовна
МЕТОДИЧЕСКОЕ ПОСОБИЕ ПО ОБУЧЕНИЮ УСТНОЙ РЕЧИ ДЛЯ СТУДЕНТОВ ТЕХНИЧЕСКИХ ВУЗОВ
Технический редактор
Компьютерная верстка Е.Г. Ляхевич
Ваник И.Ю.
Методическое пособие по обучению устной речи для студентов технических вузов /И.Ю. Ваник, Е.Г. Ляхевич, О.А. Лапко, Н.В. Сурунтович. – Мн.: БНТУ, 2012. – 66 с.
Настоящее методическое пособие предназначено для студентов I и II курсов технических специальностей. Пособие состоит из шести разделов, каждый из которых включает аутентичный текстовой материал, а также комплекс упражнений, направленных на развитие навыков монологической и диалогической речи в ситуациях социально обусловленного и профессионально ориентированного общения.
УДК 811.111-028.16(075.8)
ББК 81.2Англ.я7
М54
© Ваник И.Ю., Ляхевич Е.Г.,
Лапко О.А., Сурунтович Н.В., 2012
© БНТУ, 2012
Unit 1
Higher Engineering Education in Belarus
STARTING UP
Exercise 1.