TECHNICAL ENGLISH

COURSE WORKBOOK

Dpt. D’Estudis Anglesos i Alemanys – ETSE 2023

Carmen Rueda
2
Table of contents
UNIT 1. Historical facts in Engineering
• Chronological description: narrative texts
• Review of verb tenses: ways to express time sequence. Expressing your opinion
Texts: History of Engineering, Energy Supply, Electronics in the Home, Electromagnetism,
History of Computers, History of Electricity The Greatest Scientists and Engineers of the 21st
Century / Podcasts & videos: The World of Engineering (history), Global Workers

UNIT 2. A Computerized World

• Physical and function description: ways to describe the physical properties and the function of a
device. Parts of a device and how something works.
• Review of prepositions and position of adjectives. Phrasal Verbs.
Texts: The IPad, How Zombie Computers Work, Spam Distribution, Describing a Computer and
How it Works: IDE Cables, The Dangers of Hacking & What a Hacker Can Do to Your Computer.
Podcasts & videos: The Story behind the World’s First Computer Programmer, Engineering
Projects, The History of Computers

UNIT 3. Electronic and electrical devices

• Making definitions: relative clauses and relative pronouns. Reduced relative clauses. Defining &
non-defining relative clauses.
• Structure and use of compound nouns.
Texts: The Transistor, Graphene Electronics, Home Automation, Flexible Home Care Automation
Podcasts & videos: Transistors: The Invention that Changed the World, Effective Websites

UNIT 4. A Greener World: Renewable energies

• Expressions to indicate Cause and Effect.
• Process description and sequence markers. Comparison and Contrast.
• Visual information and in-text reference. Conditional sentences to express a hypothesis
Texts: Alternative Sources of Energy, Electricity Generation, Sources of Electricity, Why Electric
Vehicles are the Future, Nuclear Power, Nuclear Accidents, How Does a Nuclear Power Plant
Work? How a Solar Cell Works / Podcasts: Climate Change; Hybrid Cars, Fuel from Garbage

UNIT 5. An Interconnected City: Mobile Technologies

• Making predictions in English
• Email writing and Netiquette in electronic communication.
• Email writing practice on common academic situations.
Texts: Smart Cities, The History and Future of Mobile Phone Technology / Podcasts & videos:
What Will Happen to Us By 2025?, Why 5G Will Change the World

UNIT 6. Robotics and Artificial Intelligence

• Expressions used in classifications. Way of expressing criteria and giving examples.
• Review of modal verbs expressing obligation, probability and deduction.
• Texts: Robotics, Types of Robots, Social Robots, The Three Laws of Robotics, Benefits and Risks
of AI, Miniature Robotics, Robots and AI, What is the Difference Between Ai and Robotics? /
Online videos: Creators of famous Sophia robot reveal AI robotics, How China is using AI in
classrooms.

UNIT 7. Biotechnology and Bioengineering

• Focus on all four skills: Intensive reading, paragraph writing, expressing your opinion on ethical
issues related to the use of technology, and listening for specific information.
• Fostering critical thinking skills using bioethical issues and related topics.
• Texts: What is Biotechnology? Biotechnology Innovation Organizarion (BIO), What is Bioethics?
The Ethical Implications of Disruptive Technologies, Gene Editing: God’s Will or God’s Won’t.
• Online Videos: Introduction to Bioethics, What Happens to Society if We Live Beyond 130
years? 7 Times Science Played God.

UNIT 8. Biomedicine and Transhumanism

• Review of linking words: coordination, subordination, sentence adverbials
• Use of the definite article and indefinite article in Technical English
• Texts: What is Biomedical Engineering, Wearable and Implantable Technologies (biosensors),
Biorobotics, Micro- and Nanotechnologies, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine,
Biomedical Responsibility in Transhumanism?

3
• Online Videos: Biomedical and Industrial Engineering, What Does a Biomedical Engineer Do?
Smart Tattoos and Tiny Robots, Transhumanism: Could We Live Forever?

4
 Unit 1. Historical facts in Engineering

What do you know about engineering?

1. Match the word with the right definition

Word Definition
1. Engineering... a. encompasses a range of more specialized
subdisciplines, each with a more specific emphasis on
1b
certain fields of application and particular areas of
technology.
2. An engineer... b. is the discipline, art, skill and profession of
acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical,
economic, social, and practical knowledge to design
2c
and build structures, machines, devices, systems,
materials and processes that safely realize
improvements to the lives of people.
3. The broad c. is one who practices engineering.
discipline of 3a
engineering…

2. Engineering is quite different from science. But what are the differences between
scientists and engineers? Complete these sentences with either “scientists” or
“engineers”:

scientists interpret their observations and make recommendations for practical

action based on those interpretations..
engineers try to make things that do not exist in nature.
scientists try to understand nature.
engineers design devices, develop new methods, computing programs,
innovative experiment, and find new solutions to a problem.
engineers must also take into account safety, efficiency, economy, reliability and
constructibility or ease of fabrication, as well as legal considerations
such as patent infringement or liability in the case of failure of the
solution.
scientists may also have to complete engineering tasks, such as designing
experimental apparatus or building prototypes.
engineers stress invention by putting ideas in concrete terms and designing
something that people can use.

5
3. Now complete the following table with the right label:

Mechanical Engineering / Chemical Engineering / Electrical Engineering /

Civil Engineering

ENGINEERING

Chemical Mechanical
Civil Engineering Electrical Engineering
Engineering Engineering

The exploitation of The design and A very broad area that The design of
chemical principles construction of public may encompass the physical or
in order to carry out and private works. design and study of mechanical systems
large scale various electrical and
chemical process electronic systems
and design new
specialty materials
and fuels.
Examples: Examples: Examples:
infrastructure (roads, electrical circuits, power and energy
railways, water supply generators, motors, systems, aerospace/
and treatment etc.), electromagnetic/ aircraft products,
bridges and buildings. electromechanical weapon Systems,
devices, electronic transportation
devices, electronic products engines,
circuits, optical fibers, compressors,
optoelectronic devices, powertrains,
computer systems, kinematic chains,
telecommunications and vaccum technology,
electronics and vibration
isolation equipment.

4. Do you recognize these devices? Can you associate them with a particular branch
of engineering? Electrical and Electronic Engineering

1. _Electronic circuit__ 2. __Power pole_______ 3. _Transistors____

6
4. _Microprocessors_____ 5. _Optical fiber___ 6. __Videogame console__

5. Read the following text, label the pictures and then answer the questions below:

History of Engineering
The concept of engineering has existed since ancient times as humans devised
fundamental inventions such as the pulley, lever, and wheel. Each of these inventions
is consistent with the modern definition of engineering, exploiting basic mechanical
principles to develop useful tools and objects.

The term engineering itself has a much more recent etymology, deriving from the word
engineer, which itself dates back to 1325, when an engine’er (literally, one who
operates an engine) was originally referred to as “a constructor of military engines.”[5]
In this context, now obsolete, an “engine” referred to a military machine, i.e., a
mechanical device used in war (for example, a catapult). Notable exceptions of the
obsolete usage which have survived to the present day are military engineering corps,
e.g., the US Army Corps of Engineers. The word “engine” itself is of even older origin,
ultimately deriving from the Latin ingenium (c. 1250), meaning “innate quality,
especially mental power, hence a clever invention.”

Later, as the design of civilian structures such as bridges and buildings matured as a
technical discipline, the term civil engineering entered the lexicon as a way to
distinguish between those specializing in the construction of such non-military projects
and those involved in the older discipline of military engineering.

7
Ancient era
The Pharos of Alexandria, the pyramids in Egypt, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the
Acropolis and the Parthenon in Greece, the Roman aqueducts, Via Appia and the
Colosseum, Teotihuacán and the cities and pyramids of the Mayan, Inca and Aztec
Empires, the Great Wall of China, among many others, stand as a testament to the
ingenuity and skill of the ancient civil and military engineers.

The earliest civil engineer known by name is Imhotep. As one of the officials of the
Pharaoh, Djosèr, he probably designed and supervised the construction of the Pyramid
of Djosèr (the Step Pyramid) at Saqqara in Egypt around 2630-2611 BC. He may also
have been responsible for the first known use of columns in architecture.

Ancient Greece developed machines in both the civilian and military domains. The
Antikythera mechanism, the first known mechanical computer ancient designed to
calculate astronomical positions, and the mechanical inventions of Archimedes are
examples of early mechanical engineering. Some of Archimedes' inventions as well as
the Antikythera mechanism required sophisticated knowledge of differential gearing or
epicyclic gearing, two key principles in machine theory that helped design the gear
trains of the Industrial revolution, and are still widely used today in diverse fields such
as robotics and automotive engineering.

Chinese, Greek and Roman armies employed complex military machines and
inventions such as artillery which was developed by the Greeks around the 4th century
B.C., the trireme, the ballista and the catapult. In the Middle Ages, the Trebuchet was
developed.

1. Roman trireme 2. Trebuchet 3. Catapult

8
1. When did the concept of “engineering” appear?

In ancient times, with the invention of the pulley, lever and wheel.
2. When did the term “engineer” first appear and what did it mean?

It appeared in 1325 and meant “constructor of military machines”.

3. What is the relationship between engineering and the military?

In 1325, an ‘engine’ was a military machine, a mechanical device used for

war (for example, a catapult).
4. What is the meaning of the word “engine”?

It derives from de word “ingenium” (1250) and it meanes “innate quality,

especially mental power, clever invention”.
5. What is the name of the first well-known civil engineer?

Imhotep, one of the officials of the Pharaoh Djosér, who designed the
construction of the Pyramid of Djosér.
6. What examples of early mechanical engineering are mentioned in the text?

9
 The Antikythera mechanism and the mechanical inventions of
Archimedes.
7. Are some of these principles still used in today’s engineering? If so, in what
fields?

Yes, the differential gearing or epicyclic gearing are key principles still widely
used in robotics and automotive engineering.

6. Read the following text and complete the chronological table below with the
development of the different types of engineering, inventors and inventions:

Renaissance era
The first electrical engineer is considered to be William Gilbert, with his 1600
publication of “De Magnete”, who was the originator of the term "electricity".

The first steam engine was built in 1698 by mechanical engineer Thomas Savery. The
development of this device gave rise to the Industrial Revolution in the coming
decades, allowing for the beginnings of mass production.

With the rise of engineering as a profession in the eighteenth century, the term became
more narrowly applied to fields in which mathematics and science were applied to
these ends. Similarly, in addition to military and civil engineering, the fields then known
as mechanic arts became incorporated into engineering.

Modern era
Electrical engineering can trace its origins in the experiments of Alessandro Volta in the
1800s, the experiments of Michael Faraday, Georg Ohm and others and the invention
of the electric motor in 1872. The work of James Maxwell and Heinrich Hertz in the late
19th century gave rise to the field of Electronics. The later inventions of the vacuum
tube (1914) and the transistor (1947) further accelerated the development of
electronics to such an extent that electrical and electronics engineers currently
outnumber their colleagues of any other engineering specialty.

The inventions of Thomas Savery and the Scottish engineer James Watt gave rise to
modern Mechanical Engineering. The development of specialized machines and their
maintenance tools during the Industrial Revolution led to the rapid growth of
Mechanical Engineering both in its birthplace, Britain, and abroad.

10
Chemical Engineering, like its counterpart Mechanical Engineering, developed in the
nineteenth century during the Industrial Revolution. Industrial scale manufacturing
demanded new materials and new processes. By 1880 the need for large scale
production of chemicals was such that a new industry was created, dedicated to the
development and large scale manufacturing of chemicals in new industrial plants. The
role of the chemical engineer was the design of these chemical plants and processes.

Aeronautical Engineering deals with aircraft design while Aerospace Engineering is a

more modern term that expands the reach envelope of the discipline by including
spacecraft design. Its origins can be traced back to the aviation pioneers around the
turn of the century from the 19th century to the 20th. Early knowledge of aeronautical
engineering was largely empirical with some concepts and skills imported from other
branches of engineering.

Only a decade after the successful flights by the Wright Brothers, the 1920s saw
extensive development of aeronautical engineering through development of World War
I military aircraft. Meanwhile, research to provide fundamental background science
continued by combining theoretical physics with experiments.

The development of computer engineering took place in the twentieth century. Before
the 1920s, computers (sometimes computors) were human clerks that performed
computations. They were usually under the lead of a physicist. Many thousands of
computers were employed in commerce, government, and research establishments.
Most of these computers were women, and they were known to have a degree in
calculus. Some performed astronomical calculations for calendars.

After the 1920s, the expression computing machine referred to any machine that
performed the work of a human computer. The phrase computing machine gradually
gave away, after the late 1940s, to just computer as the onset of electronic digital
machinery became common. These computers were able to perform the calculations
that were performed by the previous human clerks. 1936 was a key year for computer
science. Alan Turing and Alonzo Church independently, and also together, introduced
the formalization of an algorithm, with limits on what can be computed, and a "purely
mechanical" model for computing. In 1990, with the rise of computer technology, the
first search engine was built by computer engineer Alan Emtage.

(source of texts and pictures: Wikipedia)

11
PERIOD Inventor / invention Field of Engineering

1600 William Gilbert Electrical Engineering

1698 Thomas Savery Mechanical Engineering
Alessandro Volta
1800 Michael Faraday
George Ohm Electrical Engineering
1872 -the electric motor
Late 19th James Maxwell
INDUSTRIAL century Heinrich Hertz Electronic Engineering
REVOLUTION
19th -new materials &
century processes Chemical Engineering
-new industrial plants
Early 20th century -aircraft design Aeronautic Engineering
-spacecraft design Aerospace Engineering
Alan Turing and
1936 Alonzo Church
Computer Engineering
20th century -algorithm
1940 electronic digital
computer
1990 Alan Emtage
-the first search engine

Can you mention any new branches of engineering that have appeared over the last
few years?

Robotics, Bioengineering and Biomedial engineering.

7. Now using the information in the text, complete these definitions about the
meaning of computers:

Before the 1920s, a computer was…. a human clerk that performed

computations.

After the 1920s, a computer was…. a machine that could do the work of a
human computer.

12
 Language Focus 1: CHRONOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION

Chronological description is used to express a sequence of events and is mainly

found in narrations, reports, descriptions of experiments, etc. In this unit, we will
review the use of verb tenses in technical English together with the most common
expressions that indicate time sequence.

c. Review of simple present, present continuous, present perfect, and

simple past

Download the document that contains a summary of the main uses of verb tenses
in English. Have a look at the table that explains the difference between Present
Simple, Present Continuous, Simple Past, Present Perfect, Past Perfect, etc.
Then complete the following exercises:

Other Uses of Present Continuous

1. To describe trends:
It is getting more and more difficult to recruit good engineers.
2. To describe situations which are temporary or which take place
around now (this week, this month, tonight, today, currently, at present,
now ...).
I’m using my brother’s car this week because mine is being serviced.
I’m going out tonight.
Currently we’re working on a very exciting research project.
It is used:
3. To describe future arrangements with time adverbs. It is used to
indicate that something will happen in the near future (future
meaning).
I’m flying out to London on Tuesday morning. / We’re visiting his parents
next Sunday.
4. With “always” to express that something happens more often
than is good or right and to complain about something.
This computer is always crashing. / He’s always criticizing me.

1) Complete the sentences about ongoing trends in the energy industry. Use the
present continuous form of these verbs:

improve – increase – enter – try – become –disappear –

1. The number of applications for electricity is increasing all the time.

2. At the same time, consumers are trying to reduce their consumption.
3. Medium-sized energy companyies are disappearing as the new global
energy giants emerge.
4. At the same time, some new firms specializing in renewables are
entering the market.
5. Getting minerals from deep in the ground is becoming more
economically viable.
6. This is because techniques for extracting these resources are
improving.

13
2) Complete the sentences with the right verb tense, Present Simple or Present
Continuous, usng the verb in brakets.
1. At the moment, I [try] am trying to improve my speaking skills.
2. I [go] go to the library every day.
3. Tonight I [meet] am meeting some friends at my brother’s house.
4. We usually [go] go away for the weekend.
5. I [see] see what you mean.
6. This afternoon we [stay] are staying on campus after our classes to
finish a research project.
7. At present, Joan [stay] is staying at his brother’s place in Reus, but he
usually [live] lives in Tarragona.
8. We [take] are taking a Physics exam tomorrow.
9. My plane [leave] leaves at 9 p.m.
10. Every day we [go] go home to have lunch.

3) Complete the conversations with the correct form (simple present or present
continuous).
1. We [manufacture] manufacture LEDs. I [spend] spend most of the day
in a clean room.
2. This company [make] makes computer hardware. Right now, I [work]
am working on a design for a new mouse.
3. I [design] design navigation systems for the Air Force. At the moment, I
[work] am working on a new radar system.
4. I [work] work at an electronics company. I [supervise] supervise the
development of new components.

Uses of Simple Past and Present Perfect

A. Simple Past: To talk about a past event whose action is situated
in the past and is now finished and complete.
The first electronic computer used electron tubes to make and store
It is used its calculations.
B. Present Perfect: To talk about events that started in the past but
still affect the present situation (eg. Unfinished actions, present
consequences of past actions, etc.).
The Internet has revolutionized personal communications. (still happening)

B. Present Perfect: When we do not give details about when

something happened; we are just interested in the fact itself.
Contrast:
Intel launched a new chip last year.
Intel has launched a new chip. Ø

14
1) Study the past forms of these common verbs and complete the table:

Present Past Past Participle

1. rise rose risen
2. raise raised raised
3. lie lay/lied lain / lied
4. lay laid laid
5. fall fell fallen
6. feel felt felt
7. become became become
8. run ran run
9. choose chose chosen
10. freeze froze frozen

2) Choose the correct word to complete these sentences:

froze – lay – chose – laid – fallen – felt – risen – raised -

1.- They have laid over 600 kilometers of new pipeline.

2.- We chose a new supplier from about 30 possible candidates.
3.- The price of oil has fallen to a new low this month.
4.- They only raised their prices by 5 % last year.
5.- On balance, we felt that polyethylene pipes were the best option.
6.-Work on the underwater pipeline had to stop because the lake froze.
7.- The company share price has risen from $34 to $38.
8. The plant lay idle for 3 years because it was uneconomical to run it.

3) Put the verbs in brackets into the simple past or present perfect, according to
the meaning.

1. Charles Babbage (produce) produced the first general purpose computer in

1822.
2. Babbage’s computer, unfortunately (never, be) has never been used.
3. Modifications to telephone circuits (make) have made it possible to use the
telephone system for transmitting electronic data.
4. Since the 1950s, the size of computers (decrease) has decreased
considerably.
5. A computer capable of creating a work of art (not yet, be developed) has
not been developed yet.
6. That scientist (live) lived / has lived in Barcelona all his life.
7. When the ENIAC was developed in 1949, it (take) took the world by storm.
8. ENIAC (be) was a huge machine that used nineteen thousand vacuum tubes
and (take up) took up a whopping fifteen thousand square feet of floor
space
9. He (work) worked / has worked in that office for two years.
10. Computers (become) have become an essential device to work and study.
11. With smartphones, personal communications (just, undergo) have just
undergone another great change.
12. Recent developments in personal computers, like tablets and laptop
computers, (place) have placed great emphasis on portability.
13. Apple (release) released the first Iphone on June 29, 2007. Since then, the
company (launch) has launched many more generations of IPhone models,
each selling thousands of units.

15
4) Read the following text and, according to the chart, put the verbs in brackets
into the simple past, the present perfect, or the simple present, present
continuous, future simple.

ENERGY SUPPLY

The main goal of all energy transformations [to be] is to provide energy services that improve
quality of life (e.g. health, life expectancy and comfort) and productivity. A supply of secure,
equitable, affordable and sustainable energy is vital to future prosperity. Approximately 45% of
final consumer energy is used for low-temperature heat (cooking, water and space heating,
drying), 10% for high-temperature industrial process heat, 15% for electric motors, lighting and
electronics and 30% for transport. The CO2 emissions from meeting this energy demand using
mainly fossil fuels usually [to account] account for 80% of total global emissions. Currently,
demands for all forms of energy [to rise] are rising to meet expanding economies and increases
in world population. But rising prices and concerns about insecure energy supplies will
compromise growth in fossil fuel consumption in a near future.

The analysis of energy supply should be integrated with energy carriers and end use, as all
these aspects are reciprocally dependent. At the moment, energy-efficiency improvements [to
take] are taking place but are relatively modest. If we use more efficient industrial practices,
buildings, vehicles and appliances, we [to reduce] will reduce energy demand by the consumer
and also CO2 emissions. This [to be] is usually cheaper and more efficient than increasing the
supply capacity.

As can be seen in Figure 4.5, since 1971 oil and coal [to be] have been the most important
primary energy sources. Coal [to increase] has increased its share significantly since 2000.
Growth [to slow] slowed in 2005 and the total share of fossil fuels [to drop] dropped from 86%
in 1971 to 81% in 2004, excluding wind, solar, geothermal, bioenergy and biofuels, as well as
non-traded traditional biomass. In 2005, combustible biomass and wastes [to contribute]
contributed approximately 10% of primary energy consumption with more than 80% used for
traditional fuels for cooking and heating in developing countries.

In 2004, around 40% of global primary energy [to be] was used as fuel to generate 17,408 TWh
of electricity. Electricity generation [to have] has had an average growth rate of 2.8%/yr since
1995, and it is expected to continue growing at a rate of 2.5–3.1%/yr until 2030. In 2005, hard
coal and lignite fuels [to be] were used to generate 40% of world electricity production with
natural gas providing 20%, nuclear 16%, hydro 16%, oil 7% and other renewables 2.1%. Non-
hydro renewable energy power plants [to expand] expanded substantially in the past decade
with wind turbine and solar PV installations growing by over 30% annually. However, they [to
supply] supply only a small portion of electricity generation.

16
(source of text: http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg3/ar4-wg3-chapter4.pdf )

5) Put the verbs in these passages into the correct tenses (Simple Present, Pres.
Continuous, Simple Past, Present Perfect, Future Simple) and underline any
expressions indicating time sequence.

Over the centuries, man’s way of life (be) has been changed by a relatively small
number of discoveries and inventions. But changes (come) have come more and more
often since the steam engine (be) was invented in 1765. In just two hundred years, man
(advance) has advanced from horse power and candle-light to aeroplanes and neon
lamps. Our ideas about travel (change) have changed completely since Daimler and
Benz (build) built the first petrol engine in 1885 and the Wright Brothers (make) made
the first powered flight in 1903.

Some people (say) say that we live in the age of computers; but it is also correctly
described as the atomic age or the space age. Nowadays, a journey from London to
Cairo (take) takes hours. Only a hundred years ago it (take) took weeks. Nowadays,
people (think) think seriously of going to Mars. Fifty years ago they only (dream)
dreamt about it. Nowadays we (produce) produce energy by splitting the atom. A
century ago, no one (believe) believed it (can) could be split. Technology (advance) is
advancing so quickly that cars and televisions (be) will be out of date only a few years
after they (be) have been made.

Uses of Simple Past and Past Perfect

Simple past and past perfect tenses using when, as soon, as, after,
until, and before:

It is used Simple Past + when / until after / as soon as past perfect

Past Perfect + before simple past

1) Rewrite each of the following sentences using one of these structures:

Compare these sentences:

- He began working in his father’s office when he had completed his

university studies.
- He waited until he had completed his university studies before he
began working in his father’s office.
- He did not begin working in his father’s office until (after) he had
completed his university studies.

a. We started working on the course project as soon as our lecturer had given us
the instructions.
We didn’t start working on the course project until our lecturer had given us
the instructions.

b. I waited until he had finished writing the report before I made suggestions.
I made suggestions when he had finished writing the report.

c. They didn’t announce the changes in the Government until after they had won
the election.

17
They waited until they had won the election before they announced the
changes in the Government.

d. They waited until the speaker had finished his presentation before they started
asking questions.
They didn’t start asking qüestions until the speaker had finished his
presentation.

e. They started working on the circuit board as soon as the theory classes had
finished.
They waited until the theory classes had finished before they started
working on the circuit board.

2) REVIEW OF VERB TENSES:

Choose the correct tense for each sentence:

1. After Jonathan ________________ his degree, he intends to work in an office.

a) will finish b) will have finished c) finishes d) is finishing

2. Lola looked down to discover a snake at her feet. When she saw it, she
_________________.
a) screamed b) was screaming c) had screamed d) screams

3. I borrowed four books on computing the last time I _______________ to the

library.
a) go b) went c) had gone d) have gone

4. By the time I go to bed tonight, I _____________________ my work for the

day.
a) will finish b) have finished c) will have finished d) finish

5. Mark Twain ____________________ in a small town in Mississippi.

a) was growing up b) had grown up c) grew up d) has grown up

6. When my parents _________________ tomorrow, they will see our new

apartment for the first time.
a) will arrive b) arrive c) will have arrived d) arrived

7. Until you learn how to pronounce the simple past, you ____________________
your ability to speak English.
a) haven’t improved b) aren’t improving
c) don’t improve d) won’t improve

8. My grandfather _____________________ in an airplane before, so this is his

first time.
a) never flies b) had never flown c) has never flown d) never flew

9. I ________________________ in this city since I was a small child.

a) have been living b) had been living c) am living d) lived

10. While I ______________________ TV last night, I heard a car crash outside.

a) watched b) have watched c) watch d) was watching

11. Jane isn’t here yet. I ________________________ since noon, but there is no
sign of her.

18
 a) have waited b) am waiting c) wait d) have been waiting

12. By the time my brother finally graduated from high school, he _____________
______________ seven different schools.
a) attended b) was attending
c) had attended d) had been attending

13. On June 20 I returned home. I ___________________ for almost two years.

a) was away b) have been away
c) am away d) had been away

14. When I got to the electronics lab, many people ______________________

their practicals.
a) were already finishing c) already finished
b) has already finished d) have already finished.

15. Before I started the car, all of the passengers ___________________ their seat
belts.
a) will buckle b) will have buckled c) had buckled d) buckle

16. Right now we _________________ a heat wave. It’s been very hot for almost
a week.
a) have b) have had c) have been having d) are having

17. When I go and see the doctor this afternoon, I ________________ him to take
a look at my throat.
a) will ask b) asked c) will have asked d) ask

18. I sent you the money almost a week ago, but I still ______________________
any confirmation.
a) hadn’t received b) didn’t receive
c) haven’t received d) am not receiving

19. After they _____________________ the interuniversity robot competition, the

celebrations began.
a) won b) have won c) win d) had won

20. Our football team _______________________ a football match until last

season, when the new coach came.
a) never wins b) has never won
c) had never won d) never won

21. I ___________________ all the questions correctly since I began the course.
a) had answered b) have been answering
c) have answered d) answered

22. It’s against the law to kill whales. They _____________________ extinct.
a) have become b) become c) became d) are becoming

23. Jim, why don’t you take some time off. You_________________________ too
hard lately.
a) are working b) were working
c) had been working d) have been working

24. Next week I have a week’s vacation. I __________________________ on

going on a trip to the Pyrenees.
a) am planning b) have planned c) will plan d) will be planning

19
25. I’ll be right with you as soon as I ___________________ my keys.
a) will find b) found c) find d) will have found

THE PASSIVE (Verb To Be + past participle)

Present Simple He is promoted

Present Continuous He is being promoted
Present Perfect He has been promoted
Past Simple He was promoted
Past Continuous He was being promoted
Past Perfect He had been promoted
going to He is going to be promoted
Future Simple (will) He will be promoted
Conditional He would be promoted
Modal Verbs (should, He should be promoted
can, could, may, He can be promoted / He could be promoted
might) He may be promoted / He might be promoted
Infinitive To be promoted
Past Infinitive To have been promoted

The Agent in the Passive Voice is only used when it provides relevant
information:
by the engineer / by him

2. Review exercise on the difference between the Active and Passive voice.
Transform the sentences from active to passive.

1. We’ve replaced all the old meters with new ones.

All the old metres have been replaced with new ones.
2. Houses will consume less energy in the future.
Less energy will be consumed by houses in the future.
3. We’re going to announce the results next week.
The results are going to be announced next week.
4. We watch the monitors constantly.
The monitors are constantly watched.

5. Someone has tried this solution before.

This solution has been tried before.
6. They should have reported the fault immediately.
The fault should have been reported immediately.
7. We are installing a new IT system at the moment.
A new IT system is being installed at the moment.
8. The government didn’t give permission for the new coal plant.
Permission for the new coal plant wasn’t given by the government.
9. You should always switch off the lights as you leave a room.
The light should always be switched off as you leave the room.
10. We should finish the course project by the end of the week.
The course project should be finished by the end of the week.
11. They should not have authorized the work.
The work should not have been authorized.
12. Our group could not give the oral presentation because we failed to
complete the course project.
The oral presentation could not be given because we failed to
complete the course project.

20
13. They interviewed the candidates on three separate occasions.
The candidates were interviewed on three separate occasions.
14. The phosphors in the diode absorb the radiation.
The radiation is absorbed by the phosphors in the diode.
15. Do they use LEDs in the alphanumeric displays on things like clocks?
Are LEDs used in alphanumeric displays on things like clocks?
16. At what stage do they carry out a comparative test?
At what stage is a comparative test carried out?
17. We assemble all the components right here in this factory.
All the components are assembled right here in this factory.

21
TEXTS:

1. Read this text, paying attention to the use of the active and the passive
voice. Then, choose the right option. Only ONE is correct.

ELECTRONICS IN THE HOME

Electronics (1) __________ at the start of the twentieth century with the
invention of the vacuum tube. The first devices for everyday use were radios, followed
by televisions, record players, and tape recorders. These devices (2)________ large
and used a lot of power.
The invention of the transistor in 1947 meant that much smaller, low-powered
devices (3)_______________. A wide variety of electronic devices such as hi-fi units
and portable radios (4)__________ common in the home.
It was not (5)________1958 that microelectronics began with the development
of ICs (Integrated Circuits on silicon chips). This led to a great increase in the use of
electronics in everyday items. The introduction of the microprocessor allowed
electronics to (6)____________ controlling many common processes.
Microprocessors now (7)_________ to control many household items such as
automatic washing-machines, dishwashers, central heating systems, sewing machines,
and food processors. Electronic timers (8) ___________ in digital alarm clocks, water
heaters, electric cookers, and microwave ovens. Telephones (9)_________ electronics
to provide automatic dialling and answerphone facilities. New entertainment devices
(10) _______________, such as videogame consoles.
In the future, electronics (11) ______________ even more and more common
in the home because new multimedia entertainment systems and computer-controlled
robots (12)____________ developed.

1. a) has begun b) began c) was begun d) had been begun

2. a) was b) have been c) had being d) were

3. a) had being developed c) could be developed

b) can been developed d) will can develop

4. a) become b) became c) were become d) had became

5. a) once b) until c) on d) as soon as

6. a) be used for b) have c) used for d) use to

7. a) were used b) will use c) are used d) are known

8. a) can to find b) can be found c) have to find d) can been found

9. a) use b) used c) will be used d) had been used

10. a) develop c) had developed

b) will have develop d) have been developed

11. a) probably became c) will probably become

b) are going to become d) is going become

12. a) were b) are now being c) was d) will

22
2. Choose the right option to complete the following text:

In computing, the first significant developments were made by Herman Hollerith who in the late
1880s developed a card that had coded data in punched holes. The first electronic computers
using electron tubes (1)________ during World War II. The second generation of computers
started only after 1959, when the use of the transistor replaced electron tubes. The third
generation of computers (2)______ around 1965 when integrated circuits (ICs) started
(3)_________ to increase their capability and decrease their size. Computer companies (4)
__________ integrated circuits since 1965. Because microchips are so small, third generation
computers totally electronic increased their speed and the capacity of the internal memory, and
reduced its cost and complexity.
Some people call the large computers we use today fourth generation of computers,
because they (5) ________ their size. They are much more powerful than those (6)______ in
the 1960s.

1) a) has been used b) were used c) have used d) can be used

2) a) has begun b) was began c) began d) is beginning

3) a) to be used b) were used c) using d) to have been used

4) a) used b) have been used c) were used d) have been using

5) a) are reduced b) can be reduced c) have reduced d) reducing

6) a) were used b) used c) have been used d) using

3. Read the text carefully and fill in the gaps with the right verb tense and
voice.
[Simple past + and + simple past]→ “was discovered and (was) published later”

HISTORY OF ELECTRICITY

Humans (to know) have known about the existence of static electricity for thousands of years,
but scientists (not to make) didn’t make great progress in understanding electricity until the
1700s.

A. Early Theories

The ancient Greeks observed that amber, when rubbed, attracted small, light objects. About 600
BC Greek philosopher Tales of Miletus held that amber (to have) had a soul, because it (can
make) could make other objects move. In a treatise (to write) written about three centuries
later, another Greek philosopher, Theophrastus, stated that other substances also have this
power.
For almost 2,000 years after Theophrastus, little progress (to make) was made in the study of
electricity. In 1600 English physician William Gilbert (to publish) published a book in which he
noted that many substances besides amber (can charge) could be charged by means of
rubbing. He gave these substances the Latin name electrica, which (to derive) is derived from

23
the Greek word elektron (which means “amber”). The word electricity (first to use) was first
used by English writer and physician Sir Thomas Browne in 1646.
The fact that electricity (can flow) can flow through a substance was discovered by 17th-
century German physicist Otto von Guericke, who (to observe) observed conduction in a linen
thread. Von Guericke also described the first machine for (to produce) producing an electric
charge in 1672. The machine consisted of a sulfur sphere turned by a crank. When a hand was
held against the sphere, a charge was induced on the sphere. Conduction was rediscovered
independently by Englishman Stephen Gray during the early 1700s. Gray also noted that some
substances (to be) are good conductors while others are insulators.

Also during the early 1700s, Frenchman Charles Dufay (to observe) observed that electric
charges are of two kinds. He found that opposite kinds (to attract) attract each other while
similar kinds repel. Dufay called one kind vitreous and the other kind resinous.

American scientist Benjamin Franklin theorized that electricity (to be) is a kind of fluid.
According to Franklin's theory, when two objects (to rub) are rubbed together, electric fluid
flows from one object to the other. The object that (to gain) gains electric fluid acquires a
vitreous charge, which Franklin (to call) called positive charge. The object that loses electric
fluid acquires a resinous charge, which Franklin called negative charge.

Around 1766 British chemist Joseph Priestley (to prove) proved experimentally that the force
between electric charges varies inversely with the square of the distance between the charges.
French physicist Charles Augustin de Coulomb reinvented a torsion balance to measure
accurately the force (to exert) exerted by electric charges. With this apparatus he confirmed
Priestley's observations and also (to show) showed that the force between two charges is
proportional to the product of the individual charges.

In 1791 Italian biologist Luigi Galvani published the results of experiments that he (to perform)
had performed on the muscles of dead frogs. Galvani had found earlier that the muscles in a
frog's leg would contract if he applied an electric current to them.

B. 19th and 20th Centuries

In 1800 another Italian scientist, Alessandro Volta, announced that he (to create) had created
the voltaic pile, a form of electric battery. The voltaic pile made the study of electric current
much easier by providing a reliable, steady source of current. In 1819 Danish physicist Hans
Christian Oersted demonstrated that electric currents (to surround) are surrounded by
magnetic fields. Afterwards, André Marie Ampère discovered the relationship known as
Ampere's law, which gives the direction of the magnetic field. Ampère also demonstrated the
magnetic properties of solenoids. Georg Simon Ohm, a German high school teacher,
investigated the conducting abilities of various metals. In 1827 Ohm (to publish) published his
results, including the relationship now known as Ohm's law.

In 1830 American physicist Joseph Henry discovered that a moving magnetic field (to induce)
induces an electric current. The same effect (to discover) was discovered a year later by
English scientist Michael Faraday. Faraday introduced the concept of lines of force, a concept
that proved extremely useful in the study of electricity.

About 1840 British physicist James Prescott Joule and German scientist Hermann Ludwig
Ferdinand von Helmholtz (to demonstrate) demonstrated that electricity is a form of energy
and that electric circuits (to obey) obey the law of the conservation of energy.

24
Also during the 19th century, British physicist James Clerk Maxwell investigated the properties
of electromagnetic waves and light and (to develop) developed the theory that the two are
identical. Maxwell summed up almost all the laws of electricity and magnetism in four
mathematical equations. His work paved the way for German physicist Heinrich Rudolf Hertz,
who produced and (to detect) detected electric waves in the atmosphere in 1886, and for
Italian engineer Guglielmo Marconi, who harnessed these waves in 1895 to produce the first
practical radio signaling system.

The electron theory, which is the basis of modern electrical theory, (to be) was first advanced
by Dutch physicist Hendrik Antoon Lorentz in 1892. American physicist Robert Andrews Millikan
accurately measured the charge on the electron in 1909. The widespread use of electricity as a
source of power (to take) took place thanks to the work of pioneering American engineers and
inventors such as Thomas Alva Edison, Nikola Tesla, and Charles Proteus Steinmetz during the
late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Complete the following table that contains words from the text:

Noun Adjective Verb Adevrb (Adj + ly)

electricity electric/electrical to electrify electrically
conduction conducting to conduct
opposition opposite to oppose
theory theoretical to theorize theoretically
loss / loser losing to lose
chemist chemical chemically
experiment experimental to experimentally
experiment
magnet / magnetic to magnetically
magnetism magnetise
movement / moving to move
move

4. Read the following text and answer the questions below:

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the theories of electricity and magnetism
were investigated simultaneously. In 1819 an important discovery was made by the Danish
physicist Hans Christian Oersted, who found that a magnetic needle could be deflected by an
electric current flowing (1)______ a wire. This discovery, which showed a connection between
electricity and magnetism, (2)___________by the French scientist André Marie Ampère, who
studied the forces between wires carrying electric currents, and by the French physicist
Dominique François Jean Arago, who magnetized a piece of iron by placing it near a current-
carrying wire. In 1831 the English scientist Michael Faraday (3)________that moving a
magnet near a wire (4)________an electric current in the wire, the inverse effect to that found
by Oersted: Oersted showed that an electric current creates a magnetic field, while Faraday
showed that a magnetic field (5)________ to create an electric current. The full unification of
the theories of electricity and magnetism (6)_________the English physicist James Clerk

25
Maxwell, who predicted the existence of electromagnetic waves and identified light as an
electromagnetic phenomenon.

Subsequent studies of magnetism were increasingly concerned with an understanding

of the atomic and molecular origins of the magnetic properties of matter. In 1905 the French
physicist Paul Langevin (7)_________a theory regarding the temperature dependence of the
magnetic properties of paramagnets, which was based on the atomic structure of matter. This
theory is an early example of the description of large-scale properties in terms of the
properties of electrons and atoms. Langevin's theory was subsequently expanded by the
French physicist Pierre Ernst Weiss, who postulated the existence of an internal, “molecular”
magnetic field in materials such as iron. This concept, when combined with Langevin's theory,
served to explain the properties of strongly magnetic materials such as lodestone.

After Weiss (8)____________his theory, magnetic properties (9)________ in greater

and greater detail. The theory of atomic structure of the Danish physicist Niels Bohr, for
example, provided an understanding of the periodic table and showed why magnetism occurs
in transition elements, such as iron and the rare earth elements, or in compounds containing
these elements. The American physicists Samuel Abraham Goudsmit and George Eugene
Uhlenbeck (10)_________in 1925 that the electron itself has spin and behaves like a small
bar magnet with a definite magnetic moment. The magnetic moment of an object is a vector
quantity that (11)________ the strength and orientation of (12) its magnetic field. The German
physicist Werner Heisenberg gave a detailed explanation for Weiss's molecular field in 1927,
on the basis of the newly developed quantum mechanics. Other scientists then predicted
many more complex atomic arrangements of magnetic moment, with diverse magnetic
properties.

1.- (a) across (b) onto (c) through (d) into

2.- (a) were followed up (b) had followed up (c) followed up (d) was followed up

3.- (a) has discovered (b) discovered (c) was discovered (d) had been discovered

4.- (a) can induces (b) is inducing (c) induces (d) was induced

5.- (a) can to be used (b) can use (c) can been used (d) can be used

6.- (a) was achieved by (b) achieved (c) were achieved by (d) has been achieved

7.- (a) has produced (b) has been produced (c) was produced (d) produced

8.- (a) has put forward (b) putting forward (c) had put forward (d) put forward

9.- (a) explored (b) explores (c) was explored (d) were explored

10.- (a) have shown (b) showed (c) has shown (d) have been shown

11.- (a) is expressed (b) expresses (c) expressed by (d) can expresses

12.- its (para. 3) refers back to:

(a) object (b) magnetic moment (c) vector quantity (d) strength

26
USE INFORMATION FROM THE TEXT TO COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING TABLE:

DATE SCIENTIST DISCOVERY

1819 (13) Electricity & magnetism
were linked for the first time.
(14) Interaction between current-
carrying wires
(15) Magnetic effects of a current-
Early theories of
carrying wire
electricity and
1831 (16) (17)
magnetism
Maxwell Combined the theories of
electricity & magnetism.
Introduced the concept of
electromagnetic waves
1905 Langevin
(18)

Studies on atomic and discovered that certain materials

molecular origins of the (19) have a “molecular” magnetic field.
magnetic properties of Bohr theory of atomic structure
matter 1925 Goudsmit & Uhlenbeck electron spin; magnetic moment
of electrons
1927 Heisenberg (20)

13.- (a) Ampère (b) Faraday (c) Oersted (d) Arago

14.- (a) Ampère (b) Faraday (c) Oersted (d) Arago

15.- (a) Ampère (b) Faraday (c) Oersted (d) Arago

16.- (a) Ampère (b) Faraday (c) Oersted (d) Arago

17.- a) He discovered that a magnetic field can be produced by an electric current.

b) He demonstrated that an electric current can be induced with a magnetic field.
c) He discovered that iron can be magnetized if it is put near a current-carrying wire.
d) He discovered magnetism and the principle of induction.

18.- Langevin discovered…

a) the atomic and molecular structure of matter.
b) that the magnetic properties of paramagnets vary according to temperature.
c) the properties of electrons and atoms.
d) that the magnetic field of materials depends on their atomic structure.

19.- a) Langevin & Weiss c) Weiss & Bohr

b) Weiss d) Weiss & Heisenberg

20.- Heisenberg …
a)…developed the theory of quantum mechanics.
b)…identified complex atomic arrangements with different magnetic properties.
c)…developed the concept of molecular field, using quantum mechanics.
d)…first introduced the concept of molecular field.

21.-Choose the most appropriate title for this text:

a) The development of electromagnetic theory in the 19 th century.
b) Early developments in electromagnetic induction.
c) Applications of electromagnetism

27
 d) A review of major findings in electromagnetic theory.

5. Read the following text and match the scientist with his/her corresponding
discovery or contribution:

The Greatest Scientists of the 21st Century

11 Academia Networks Team 30 June 2020

The 21st century has seen tremendous strides in the field of science and technology.
Without a doubt, the biggest accomplishment for this can be attributed to those brave
and visionary scientists, who are not afraid to push the boundaries of what we perceive
as possible. And as engineers come in different forms, they all change the way our
world works in many ways. They revolutionize the way we communicate, travel and
perceive the world and the universe in general. Some even have a hand in sending us
to different planets and changing our genes in ways we didn't think imaginable. Who
are the greatest scientists of this century so far?

Andre Konstantin Geim

The University of Manchester physicist Geim was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics
together with Konstantin Novoselov for his work on graphene in 2010. Graphene is a
super-conductive form of carbon that is made from single-atom-thick
sheets. Recognized as the thinnest material in the world, as well as one of the
strongest and hardest, it is a superior alternative to silicon with many uses. His
research on mesoscopic physics and superconductivity is also very promising.

Konstantin Sergeevich Novoselov

Known for his work with Andree Geim in discovering and studying graphene,
Novoselov’s work includes 49 papers mostly in Physics and Materials Science. Dr.
Novoselov is a Royal Society Research Fellow in School of Physics & Astronomy at the
University of Manchester as well as the Langworthy Professor and director of the
Manchester Centre for Mesoscience and Nanotechnology also at the University of
Manchester.

John Craig Venter

The American biologist is famous for being one of the first to sequence the human
genome. He is credited with creating the first cell with a synthetic genome in 2010.
Founder of the J. Craig Venter Institute, his current work is focused on creating
synthetic biological organisms and also documenting the genetic diversity in the world's
oceans. He was listed on Time magazine's 2007 and 2008 issues as part of their 100
list of the most influential people in the world. His research in the field of synthetic life
can be used for creating bacteria that can be engineered to perform specific purpose
such as create fuel, manufacture medicine, and correct environmental problems like
global warming.

28
Stephen William Hawking

England’s most famous theoretical physicist and cosmologist has written many
scientific books (especially his runaway bestseller, Brief History of Time). His research
and contributions to the science of cosmology and quantum gravity has contributed to
the development of cosmology in general. Alongside Roger Penrose, he provided
theorems on gravitational singularities within the framework of general relativity and
gave theoretical predictions about black holes emits radiation.

Michio Kaku

Michio Kaku is an American theoretical physicist. He is the co-founder of string field

theory. He has already written several books about physics and related topics.
Frequently invited to guest speak on complicated science subjects such as time travel
and singularities, the theoretical physicist covers a wide range of subjects such as
wormholes and time travel.

Tiera Guinn Fletcher

Tiera Guinn Fletcher is an extremely young scientist who graduated from MIT in just
2017. Regardless of her age, she already is one of the structural analysts and
designers of the NASA program aiming to send people to Mars, Space Launch System.
Her job is at the aircraft company Boeing. In 2018 she won the Most Promising
Engineer award from the Black Engineer of the Year Awards.

Jennifer Doudna

Berkeley and University of California Professor as well as member of a number of

organisation including the Gladstones and Howard Hughes institutes, Doudna is
nonetheless most famous for her work on CRISPR, a genome-editing project that has
seen a lot of publicity in recent years. Due to her discoveries with Emmanuelle
Charpentier which are perhaps some of the most important discoveries in science ever,
as well as due to a range of other successes, she has won a variety of awards across
her career. She was also one of TIME's most influential people.

Scientist Discovery/contribution
1. Andre Konstantin Geim a) Black holes and cosmology
1c
& Konstantin S.Novoselov
2. John Craig Venter 2e b) CRISPR-9
3. Stephen William c) Graphene
3a
Hawking
4. Michio Kaku d) the NASA program to send
4f
people to Mars
5. Tiera Guinn Fletcher 5d e) Human genome sequencing
6. Jennifer Doudna f) String field theory & studies on
6b
time travel

29
 Language Focus 2: EXPRESSING YOUR OPINION

Look at the following table that includes phrases commonly used to express opinion:

Intermediate Upper-intermediate

1. I agree with / I disagree with… 1. After much thought…

2. I agree with the opinion of … 2. After weighing up both sides of the
argument, …

3. I could be wrong, but … 3. Although I can see both points of view /

4. I’d definitely say that… 4. Although I can understand the opposite

point of view, …

5. I’d imagine that … 5. As I see it, ...

6. I’d say that … 6. For me/ From my point of view, …

7. I’m absolutely certain that … 7. It seems clear to me that …

8. I’m fairly confident that … 8. Correct me if I’m wrong, but …

9. I’m no expert (on this), but … 9. I am not very familiar with this topic,
but …

10. I’m positive that … 10. I do believe/ feel/think …

11. I’m pretty sure that … 11. I have come to the conclusion that …

12. It seems to me that … 12. I might change my mind later, but …

13. It’s a complicated/difficult issue, but … 13. The way I see it (is) …

14. My (point of) view (on this) is … 14. I reckon/suppose …

15. Obviously, … / Frankly,... 15. I tend to think that …

16. Some people may disagree with me, but … 16. Personally speaking / Speaking for
myself, …

17. This is just my opinion, but … 17. I’ve always thought that …

18. Without a doubt, … 18. If you ask me, …

19. You probably won’t agree, but … 19. I’m pretty confident that …

20. 20. I'm (absolutely) convinced that …

21. 21. It could be said that … / You could say

…

22. 22. Not everyone will/would agree with

me, but …

30
6. Now read the following text, decide who is the most relevant engineer for
you and write a short paragraph expressing your opinion on his/her
contribution to engineering and society using some of the expressions in
the table:

Famous Engineers of the 21st Century

Engineering Copywriter 30 June 2020

It is no secret that we live in a world that is greatly shaped by wonderful thinking minds.
These intellects have given way to some of the most incredible inventions and
innovations humanity has devised. Although there have been many engineering
heroes throughout history, it is undeniable that nowadays we get to live in the times of
some outstanding innovators. These figures not only provide, or have provided,
humanity with some invaluable advancements, but are also there to inspire the minds
of tomorrow.

1. Elon Musk

There is little doubt that Elon Musk is one of the greatest minds of our time. Musk is a
South African born American businessman, visionary, and engineer that has been
involved in a really impressive number of start-ups. He is currently the founder, CEO,
and CTO of Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), a company that aims –broadly
speaking– to create a functional spacefaring civilisation. So far, the list of firsts the
company can claim credit for is impressive; first private company to use a liquid-fuelled
vehicle to put a satellite in Earth’s orbit; first company to berth a vehicle to the ISS; first
company to land back and reuse a rocket; and their projects and accomplishments can
only be expected to grow.

Musk is also the co-founder, CEO, and product architect of Tesla, Inc. (previously
Tesla Motors). As a company, Tesla started out as an electric car manufacturer that
aimed to make the technology more accessible to, and more popular among the
general public. Musk is also the mastermind behind enterprises like SolarCity,
Hyperloop (only the basic concept, after which it became open-sourced), OpenAI,
Neuralink, and The Boring Company. All are incredibly ambitious companies with the
potential to create a fantastic future for humanity.

2. Satya Nadella

Nadella is an Indian American engineer and a prime example of hard work paying off.
He graduated as an electrical engineer in the Manipal Institute of Technology in India,
and later pursued higher studies in the United States, obtaining an M.S. and an MBA.
Nadella joined Silicon Valley’s IT giant, Microsoft, in 1992. Once there he was one of
the first to suggest the concept of cloud computing, a technology Microsoft ended up
investing a lot of resources into. He progressively gained recognition and was assigned
to positions of great responsibility, first as vice-president of the Research &
Development department, and then as president of its System and Tools division. In
2014 he reached the peak of his success by becoming Microsoft’s CEO.

31
3. Ellen Ochoa

Ellen Ochoa is an American engineer and former astronaut. She studied at San Diego
State University, before obtaining her Master of Science and PhD from Stanford
Department of Electrical Engineering. In 1993 she became the first Hispanic woman to
go to space, serving aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-56, a mission to
perform experiments which collected data on how the ozone was being affected. She
also served aboard the STS-96 and STS-110 missions to the International Space
Station, carrying payloads to the Station. From 2013, she was also the director of the
Johnson Space Center, becoming the first Hispanic and second female director of the
Center. She's also performed plenty of research, often at NASA. From 2018 to 2020
she has been serving as the Vice Chair of the National Science Board.

4. Jeff Bezos

Bezos is an American entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist, mostly known as the

founder of the online shopping retailer colossus Amazon, where he currently performs
as chairman and CEO. He was proven proficient in technology from a very young age
and got an electrical engineering degree in Princeton. At one point, he worked for
banks and hedge funds, and he was quickly recognised and promoted there. However,
his true success came in 1993 when he decided to start the online bookstore, Amazon.
Nearly 20 years later, and after overcoming financial instability, Amazon evolved to
become the largest online shopping retailer in the world in 2013. Thanks to this
longstanding success, Bezos was named the wealthiest person in the world in
2018. Bezos also owns the Washington Post, is an avid investor, and the founder of
the spaceflight company Blue Origin.

5. Lynn Conway

Lynn Conway is an electrical engineer, computer scientist, and inventor. After initially
attending MIT but dropping out due to an attempted and failed gender transition, she
carried on at Columbia University. IBM, for whom she worked helping to design a
supercomputer, fired her in 1968 after she revealed her attempt to once again
transition. Conway has experienced many trials as a transgender woman, from being
fired from her role as mentioned to being denied access to her children, of which she
had two before transitioning. Since then, Conway has become a prevalent transgender
activist. As a computer scientist she has had a rich and successful career, including
revolutionising VLSI design, as well as inventing generalized dynamic instruction
handling which is now a staple in computer processors.

6. Sundar Pichai

An Indian American computer engineer, often deemed as a genius because of his

innovative ideas, Sundar is currently the CEO of Google Inc. He was behind the
development of Google’s toolbar for Internet Explorer and Firefox. This led Sundar to
develop and promote the idea of Google’s own browser, Chrome, which eventually
became the most used browser in the world and gave him great notoriety. Sundar
performed as vice president of product development, senior vice president of Chrome
and apps, led the Android team, and was even promoted to Product Chief. After the
company underwent corporate restructuring in 2015, he was finally named the
company’s CEO.

32
7. John Craig Venter

The American biologist is famous for being one of the first to sequence the human
genome. He is credited with creating the first cell with a synthetic genome in 2010.
Founder of the J. Craig Venter Institute, his current work is focused on creating
synthetic biological organisms and also documenting the genetic diversity in the world's
oceans. He was listed on Time magazine's 2007 and 2008 issues as part of their 100
list of the most influential people in the world. His research in the field of synthetic life
can be used for creating bacteria that can be engineered to perform specific purposes
such as create fuel, manufacture medicine, and correct environmental problems like
global warming.

Now express your opinion (200-250 words):

33
PODCASTS

-PODCAST 1 (video)

The World of Engineering (history)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17z8QWzfV6Y&t=40s

ACTIVITY based on the Podcast (running time 5:19)

- As you watch the following video (on Moodle), complete the following sentences
and match the items in the table:

1. The word “engineering” comes from the Latin word…… ingenium

2. An engineer is someone who is smart, pragmatic and…. problem-solver

Famous engineers Contribution/Origin

1. Imhotep 1f a. Fast-setting cement
2. Leonardo Da Vinci 2g b. Network engineer
3. James Watt 3e c. Italian-American inventor (electricity)
4. Thomas Edison d. Structural engineering and tubular
4c
design
5. James Parker 5a e. The steam engine
6. Fazluz Rahman Khan 6d f. Saqqara pyramid & Cheops pyramid
7. Radia Perlman g. Italian inventor
7b

3. Mechanical Enginnering is the most ancient discipline in engineering.

4. Electrical Engineering deals with methods of producing and spreading
electricity.
5. Computer Engineering deals with the system management and solutions
for data management.

34
-PODCAST 2

Global Workers (running time: 2:57)

A global economy leads to movements of people. Listen to a talk about Global
Workforce Development.

Listen to the talk once:

-Decide whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE:

1. The marketplace is still local. It hasn’t reached all corners of the

world. FALSE
2. Universities have an important role in preparing and encouraging
students to study abroad. TRUE
3. Students who have an international experience studying abroad are
more likely to be global-ready when they graduate. TRUE
4. The Fulbright and the Erasmus program are both international
exchange European programs for undergraduate students who want
to study abroad. FALSE
5. Students who study other languages and other cultures develop
intercultural competences, which are very important to become
global-ready. TRUE
6. It is not the task of universities to prepare global citizens. FALSE

-What is the main theme of this talk?

a. How companies can help their employees become global-

ready.
b. What students can do to become global-ready.
c. How universities can help students to become global-
ready.

- Match the following academic expressions with the right collocations:

Academic expression collocation

To enter … 1c program
To encourage students to … 2f competence
To participate in an international the labour market
3a
undergraduate student exchange…
To study and conduct research… on campus outside of the
4g
classroom
To develop an intercultural… 5b in electronics engineering
To enjoy activities… 6d study abroad
To attend … 7h in a foreign university
To get a degree… 8e lectures

35
36